A Gentle Touch

As I care for my grandchildren, I am reminded of this poem I wrote. Each time I stroke a sleepy head or say 'I love you', I am embedding memories into the child that he or she will hold on to after I'm gone. Grandparents have a special role to play. They often give a child a sense of being loved unconditionally, an important component to any child's ego. We do this by spending time with them, loving them, and praying for them.

The Holy Spirit can also bring that gentle touch, that sense of peace, to the Christian soul. How often have I snuggled up with my God and felt this comfort that only He can give?

As we give away loving touches to others, we give them more than that; we give them a physical memory that can bring comfort in later years. Even when it is not remembered in the mind, the comfort brought can linger in the psyche and pop up in times of need. Passing on loving touches and words should become our passion, as our touch is the only touch from Jesus that many will ever feel.

A Gentle Touch

Remembering Mother and her gentle touch.

Soft fingers said, "I love you so much."

A touch that held me in her arm's embrace,

Her touch bringing smiles of joy to my face.

At night as she lay me down in my bed,

Fingers stroking the hair from my head.

Gentle but strong, on her touch I leaned,

Those fingers that sewed and cooked and cleaned.

She's gone now and each remembered touch

Oh, is missed, so incredibly much.

But oft' as I lie in my dark, mourning bed,

I still feel soft fingers stroking my head.

Her gentle touch stays, tho' she's now gone on,

Giving me peace as I face each dawn.

And as oft' as my hands gently caress another

I'll always remember, I learned it from Mother.

Angela Masters Young c 2009
http://www.helium.com/items/1410380-poetry-a-gentle-touch

Tweet

Marilyn Matters

Last Friday, I attended the going away celebration of my dear friend, Melissa. God had given her 10 years, fighting cancer but living, to spend with her family. But last Sunday, May 23, 2010, He gave her ultimate healing by taking her home to be with Him.

During the open mike portion of the celebration, I had given a brief account of a story and poem I had once shared with Melissa as a segue to sharing how this dear friend had the gift of making others feel that they mattered. Later, the pastor read a testimony Melissa had given in a much earlier service during another bout with the cancer that would eventually take her. In that testimony she had shared the story and how it and others had impacted her.

I thought I would share that story to the best of my ability here today. Shortly after my brother’s death in 2003, my mother, Marilyn Masters, discovered she had a rare and aggressive form of uterine cancer. She had surgery, but later found the cancer had already metastasized. She endured chemo for a while and was eventually sent home to hospice and given 6 months to live.

She lived 11 months, and her story would take up a few pages, but we’ll save that for another post. For this one, I will point out that Mom had a period of time, in her grief for her son and her worry over what her own death would do to my father, she wondered if she really mattered. Did she really make a difference in people’s lives for the Lord? Was God pleased with her? Did she really matter?

During this time, showcasing God’s wonderful sense of humor, Mom kept receiving those address labels places send free with a plea for money. The odd thing was that each one of those labels arrived (from different places) with, not the name Marilyn Masters, but Marilyn Matters! One missed letter sent a message to Mom that she could not ignore: Marilyn Matters! Our God is so good.

The following is a poem I wrote for my mother during this time and later replaced the name to send to Melissa. I wrote this poem so that anyone could substitute their own name and hang on to the knowledge that they, too, matter very much to God.

Marilyn Matters!

My friend, I trust you to our Lord,
For I know: Marilyn Matters!
He made you special in His plan
For He knows: Marilyn Matters!
Each day, each pain, He chose for you
‘Cuz He knows: Marilyn Matters!
So as you rest beneath His wings,
Remember: Marilyn Matters!
As each loving detail falls into place,
Remember: Marilyn Matters!

By Angela Masters Young © 2005

Maybe you wonder about your significance in this world at times, but God and I want you to know that you matter very much. God has a plan for you; He created you for a special purpose, and He walks with you through whatever that plan entails, holding you, loving you, singing over you in joy as He works out His perfect plan for you – because you matter!

You may use this poem (changing the original name), but please give me credit for it if you do. May God richly bless you!

This poem was included in a blog post by Amanda DeCosta. Her post can be viewed here.

Tweet