Grandma's Hands

Today's gospel reading (Mark 8:1-10) tells of Jesus' feeding a hungry crowd of 4,000 from seven loaves and a few fishes. The metaphorical meaning of this gospel is God's generosity, his desire to fill all hearts with good.

I had a touching experience of this this week when an employee came to me asking for assistance concerning her 16-year old grandson who is estranged from his father and living with grandma (our employee) for protection. The trouble began when he was expelled from high school for a drug violation, and after an argument with his father, was kicked out of the house. More, dad quit paying for his son's home schooling. Now on the horizon was a court hearing on the drug charges -- luckily her son has passed all the court-required tests -- and grandma was anxious.

She and I talked about options. Maybe he could move in with his other grandmother in Michigan and continue his schooling. Maybe he could go to an alternative school. (I spoke to a friend of mine, a school law attorney, who suggested this.) Maybe he could reconcile with his folks. Maybe he could come in to work with grandmother, and be under her supervision during the day here. Maybe his other grandmother could check in on him on Skype three times during the day. (Our employee has two jobs, so can't exercise the kind of constant supervision that would be desirable.)

Armed with these brainstorming alternatives, she went on her way and started checking things out. A day or two later she reported back on what she had found out. She also told me that she had discussed the options with the child's family therapist, who told her that he should "give her half his income" for all the work she did in exploring options for caring for the boy. The boy's grandmother beamed with pride. I told her, "You've done good!" Tears came to her eyes. Her initial anxiety had been replaced with the confidence of knowing that things were not hopeless. It now looked like solutions would be found.

The boy's grandmother's generosity with her time bore much fruit: her hands harvested a cornucopia of "manna" to see her grandson through his current hardships.

Listen to Bill Withers' "Grandma's Hands"

Listen to Anne Murray, "True Love" (by Cole Porter)

Listen to the Young Rascals, "How Can I Be Sure?"

Listen to Bee Gees' "Too Much Heaven"