Busy Hands and A Caring Heart

When I think of my mother-in-law, Alga(Al-gee) Watts, I always think of her as a busy person, doing things for her family, her church, and her friends.  The old saying that “Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop” finds its antithesis in the life of Alga Watts. 

Throughout her life her hands were never idle and those busy hands most often were doing things that honored God and helped others.  She tended daily to the tasks required to maintain a household for her husband and five children.  When the required tasks of the day were finished, she’d use those hands to produce “gifts of love” for those around her.

As the young mother of a growing family she fashioned clothing like shirts, pants, blouses and dresses for her children.  Before she owned a sewing machine those hands cut the fabric and stitched it together by hand.  Later, a Singer treadle sewing machine was a blessing as she continued to sew and mend for a growing family of two girls and three boys.

She kept busy in the summer by breaking beans, canning fresh garden produce and cooking nourishing meals each day.  Today, many  would consider this a chore, but Alga found joy and fulfillment in such tasks and it kept her hands busy.  She delighted in having a house full of company, fixing meals and special deserts for special times.  I best remember the Christmas season when she prepared apple stack cake, coconut cake, egg custard and many kinds of special candies.  This extra work became just another special gift from those busy hands to those she loved.

As a mother who sometimes worked outside the home, those hands would often do a day’s labor for pay and then come home to work some more as she tended to her family’s needs.  During one of her working days as a young woman, the little finger on her left hand was crushed by a piece of machinery in the laundry where she worked and had to be amputated.  I don’t think she ever missed a beat.  Those hands just adapted to the loss and maintained a busy schedule. 

Alga was a pragmatic person, tackling life’s problems as needed, but totally relying on God to provide the direction and support she needed.  While some people are robbed of sleep by the demons of doubt and worry, Alga always slept well at night because she went to bed each night, “just leaving the world in God’s hands,” she’d say, simply trusting Him to take care of things.  She was devoted to God.  An old hymn expresses her theology perfectly; “Trust & obey, for there is no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust & obey.”

Alga & husband, Ben, were married for some 63 years.  Before Ben died, Alga spent much time taking care of him.  In his final years Ben experienced a lot of health problems that challenged them both.  Ben had always been the spiritual leader of the Watts household; he’d been the primary bread-winner, providing stability and loving words and deeds for his wife and children.  I never heard anyone speak ill words about Ben and I reckon he was a “good man” by everyone’s account and Alga took care of this good man through some difficult years.

As the children left home and family responsibilities lessened, Alga had more time for other things like making craft items, ceramics, and of course those many quilts she pieced, stitched, and quilted.  Her patterns were many; some I remember were the wedding ring, circles, stars, Dutch Boys / Girls, Tulips, Birds-on-the-Wing, Flying Geese and the list goes on….every one a new challenge and adventure for those busy hands.  Alga’s hand-made quilts became her special gifts to family and friends throughout the year and especially at Christmas.  New grand babies and weddings always called for a special quilt.  No machine stitches for her, she believed that only “hand-stitching” made for a quality quilt.  At last count I think she had crafted well over one-hundred quilts; not to mention numerous pillows, lap throws and other fabric creations.  Alga was truly an artist with a needle in her hands.

Few people enjoyed the Christmas season like Alga.  Each Christmas would hardly be out of sight and she would be planning what to make for the Christmas yet to be; looking for ideas, shopping for materials, and making those “special gifts” for the people she loved.   Yep, the Devil never had a chance with those hands.  They were always busy, doing things for her family and friends; things that were made with her hands, but conceived in her heart.  For those of us who possess one of her hand-made items, we’ve got more than an artifact and a memory; we’ve got a piece of her heart.

Alga Watt’s lived to be ninety-five and her life was a lesson about how we ought to live.  The lesson is a simple one and it says to me that if I want to live a life that has meaning and purpose I need to keep things simple and do just three things:

1.   Trust and obey the Lord

2.   Work hard and stay busy

3.   Invest my energy in the lives and well being of others in my family, my church, and community.

The best gifts are always “free” and the legacy of a Christian woman is one of the best gifts any of us can receive.

Alga’s hands @ 94 years of age