Best Mother's Day Story Ever Told!

"MArrrrrrjorie! Marjorie! When your mother passed your lunch out the car window to you this morning, I saw her hands. They were the uggggggliest hands I ever saw! They’re the uggggliest hands in the world!

"KAreeeeeeen! KAren! Marjorie’s mother has the uggggliest hands in the world!

"CYnnnthia! Cynthia! Marjorie’s mother has the ugggggliest hands in the world!"

All day Marjorie felt like the girl whose mother had the ugggggliest hands in the world! She could hardly hear anything the teacher said. All she could think about was being the daughter of the mother with the ugggggliest hands in the world!

That afternoon, when Marjorie got in the car to go home, Mamma, said, “Afternoon, Sweet Margie Dear.” Immediately, Marjorie blurted her question: “Mamma, Why do you have to have the ugliest hands in the world?!”

Well, Mother didn’t say anything right away. But, Marjorie heard the latch on Mamma’s pocketbook open and then could see in the rear view mirror that Mamma was wiping her eyes with a tissue. Did you know your mother sometimes cries and she has a very tender heart? YE-esssss, mothers have the most tender hearts God gave to a-a-a-a-anybody!

Mamma turned the car a different way than they usually went home. She pulled over at a little park. And, Mamma said, “Come, Sweet Margie, It’s time to tell you a story.” She sat down on a picnic table and pulled Marjorie up onto her lap and began.

“One day when you were 9 months old and had fallen soundly asleep for your usual afternoon nap, I laid you in your crib, then said to myself, “’I’ll just go to the neighbors for a minute to visit, I haven’t had time to talk to her for such a long time.’ But while I and the neighbor were chatting, we heard something off in the distance. [vocal siren sounding distant] ’Don’t worry,’ said the neighbor. ‘Most likely it’s only a grass fire. There are lots of them at this time of year. I’m sure the fire isn’t anywhere near here.’ They chatted a minute more, then heard it again. [vocal siren close-by]

“Look! People are running down the street!...running toward my house!” Without another word Marjorie’s Mother dashed into the street and ran with the gathering crowd. Then she saw it. Her own house was on fire! Smoke and flames were already pouring through the roof. “My baby!” she cried frantically. “My baby!”

The crowd was thick around the house, but she pushed and shoved until she reached the door. A fireman stopped her and said, “You can’t go in there! You will be burned!” Mother cried, “Let me go! Let me go!” as she broke free and dashed into the flaming house.

Did you know that mothers are braver than soldiers, policemen, and firemen when it comes to saving their children?! YE-essssss. She knew just where to go. Running through the smoke and flames, she found the crib already burning! Mother had to break out and reach through the burning crib slats to seize her precious baby, then turned to make her way out. But by now the smoke made it very hard to see and breathe. Nearly overcome, she swayed and fell, and would not have made it out of the house safely if a fireman had not picked her up and carried her out.

“Hurray!!” cheered the crowd as they appeared! Baby Marjorie was not hurt at all! But poor mother’s hands were terribly burned. Kind friends took care of the baby while the ambulance took Mother to the hospital. The doctors did their best, but her hands were terribly scarred.

As she finished the story, Mother held her scarred hands out and they both looked at them. “They ARE ugly, aren’t they,” Mother said softly. Then, some wet tears fell from her eyes onto those hands. “For me, the only thing that mattered was to get you out of that house!” As they continued looking at Mother’s hands, tears from Marjorie’s eyes fell on the hands too, and their tears got all mixed up together. “Oh, Mother,” she cried, “You must love me so much! YOURS ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HANDS IN ALL WORLD!"

Mothers are just about the best way God has given us to learn about Jesus’ hands scarred for us when nails were driven through them on the cross so we can be safe with Him in heaven forever.

Ohhhhhh, Mothers are so wonderful! Their hands do so many things for us! When you get back to the pew, why not give your Mommy a kiss. You might even kiss her on her hands. She’ll understand.

"The Most Beautiful Hands in the World" was adapted from Arthur S. Maxwell's Bedtime Stories to be told as the Children's Story in the Calhoun Seventh-day Adventist Church on May 11, 2019. It is 7 minutes and 19 seconds long when told in an enthusiastic gesture-filled voice-varied style.

Please feel free to use my version of this timeless narrative.

Your friend, Dave