6 Fingers & Toes in Artz

My youngest child was born with 6 fingers on each hand and on one foot she had 6 toes. On the other foot there were also 6 toes and as she grew up that foot grew wider allowing space for her toes. I could not find shoes to fit her little foot. When she was three, at the recommendation of a Shriner who played with her while I waited at a restaurant; I scheduled an appointment at the Shriner's Children's Hospital.  They X-rayed her feet to see what was going on inside and there in the foot that was not growing normally was another toe. The doctor smiled and assured me he could reshape her foot. We both looked at my daughter as though she was something sacred. 7 toes on one foot. 

When she was three days old they clipped off her 6th fingers which, though they had bones were not attached to the rest of the bones in her hands. Now she is also missing 2 toes. There are five one foot and 6 on the other. As I was looking for inspiration this week I was thinking about my youngest child who turned 21 just two weeks ago. 

Two weeks after my youngest was born one of her sisters went on a field trip with her school to the Presidio La Bahia . There in the little chapel is a fresco painted by Antonio Garcia called the Mexican Annunciation. It is of Gabriel appearing to Mary and covers the entire wall behind the alter. When you approach it, look at the feet of Gabriel, count his toes there are 6 on each foot. My daughter announced when she came home that day that her sister was the daughter of an angel because she too had 6 toes. 

                                        Mexican Annunciation by Antonio Garcia

This had me curious and I discovered a verse in the Bible; And there was again a battle, at Gath; and there was a man [there] of great stature, that had on each hand six fingers, and on each foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to Raphah. II Samuel 21:20. 

                                         James J. Tissot, "David Slings the Stone" 

Legend whispers that Raphah was the father of Goliath.  Yes, The Goliath of David and Goliath fame. That Raphah descends from the Nephilim, the fallen angels that loved and bred with the women on earth in the times before, and during Noah. The children of these angels and women were tall, my daughter is 6'2", had 6 fingers or toes or both, my daughter has both. Yes, she descends from fallen angels but GOD has graced her with beauty. 

                                                     My Daughter

This week we present 6 Fingers & Toes in Artz.