My Mother, God Bless her, although without formal education, was a wise woman.

He had many expressions of love, kindness, and faith that I have quoted in several of my columns. But the thing that stands out to me the most in my current mature and young age of 86 is that, “We must give with warm hands.”

That’s what this column is about.

I’ll start with a poem I wrote on this topic:

hot hands

My mother was the one who told me

Don’t wait until it’s too late.

To show your special ones that you love them.

Because you have passed through the gate of Heaven.

And the gifts you give them

valuable and ancient

Come with your hands so cold.

Do not..

Better to give with warm hands and there

As long as God allows you to see and share.

A quote from Amy Carmichael says:

You can give without loving

But you can’t love without giving.

I have decided, in my later years, to live up to those words.

My wife recently passed away leaving me with a house full of memories.

photos, and many valuable accumulations from a long life together.

Why wait until I join her to share it with my loved ones?

So, I enjoy distributing as much as I can, while I can.

Trust me! It’s fun!

“Do you like this? Take it.”

Should I sell it? Why? Should I worry about my future?

I have lived my life through good and bad times. I have struggled and wondered how I was going to pay the mortgage. I have raised eleven wonderful children.

Should I worry about what will become of me? I am sure in his love and that of God.

So, I watch and I listen and I think who will get what.

I don’t have to worry about someone feeling left out or jealous of someone else who got something he or she might want. My children have been taught to be charitable and kind. They add to what their brothers receive. I know that. I have seen them in action. I am blessed and we are blessed.

I know some of you readers will be cynical and think, Oh yeah, wait and see. But wait and see. I am comfortable in my faith

My beloved Mother, I would sing this song…

You can’t buy sunlight at twilight

You can’t buy the moonlight at sunrise

You can’t buy your youth when you get old

Or your life when the heartbeat is gone.

You can’t buy your way to heaven

Although you can possess wealth up to.

and like your mother

you can’t buy another

If you had the whole world and its gold.

Living according to those letters guarantees peace and happiness.

When my wife died, I had an interesting conversation with the funeral director.

He told me that many times he had to call 911 because family members were physically fighting at the wake. It was that they wanted something or believed that they were being deceived. She remembered two sisters who resorted to pulling their hair in front of Mother’s coffin because they wanted the pictures of her that were being displayed.

Isn’t that sad?

If you think it is, remember… Before your time to receive or your time to leave comes,

May your hands be warm and full of love.

Anyway… Better that than Uncle Sam’s cold hands.