i can see clearly now

mourning dove, wonder, belief, see, window

Written by Sandra Heska King

PRAY EDITOR "Once a nurse, always a nurse," they say. But now I spend my days with laptop and camera in tow as I look for the extraordinary in the ordinary. I'm a Michigan gal, mom to two, grandmom to two, and wife to one. My husband and I live on 50 acres in the same 150-plus-year-old farmhouse he grew up in. I love this quote by Mary Oliver, "Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it." That's how I want to live. And I'm still learning how to be. Still.

January 8, 2013

mourning dove, wonder, belief, see, window

Grace burrows into the hood of her orange sweatshirt and curls into pink plush on the couch. She complains of a sore throat, but she has no fever. Of course, it’s only 49 degrees in the house.

“I can’t feel my fingers,” she moans.

“Do you want some gloves?”

“No. Then I can’t feel my iPod.”

We take turns making vapor clouds.

I know how she feels. I’m dressed in several layers and swathed in MSU green. If I put on gloves, I can’t feel the computer keys. But instead of typing, I wander from room to room, fascinated with how vividly I see the world as they knock out each pane of glass.

window, replace, see

Who replaces windows in winter?

We do. We got a deal.

Someone comments on Facebook, “At least you won’t have any bats fly inside in this weather.”

True.

And maybe when they’re all done, we won’t feel the cold crawl through the cracks. And maybe the house will fill up with light because we can more easily wipe away the smears.

My husband spent days last summer cleaning the old windows. Trying to anyway. Unscrewing and rescrewing the storms, removing and replacing the screens, all while balancing on high. We still could not see clearly. But these new windows? They tilt down and in, all nicely framed.

They’re easy to care for and energy efficient.

It should be well worth the investment.

window, glass, see, replace

I think how there are times we need to replace the windows through which we view life. To don new lenses in order to see more clearly, even in cold  and clouded circumstances.

“No matter how we feel,” I tell Grace, God frames wonder right in front of us. All we need are the eyes to see.”

goldfinch, wonder, see

goldfinch, wonder, see, replace

Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have! ~Matthew 6:22-23 (MSG)

Bird photos taken through new glass.

 

 

 

17 Comments

  1. marthaorlando

    Yes, we do need to check our windows from time to time . . . Beautiful post, Sandy!

    Reply
  2. Lynn Mosher

    Great thoughts, Sandy! My hands are like ice cubes at the moment and I’m wearing gloves. They’re old knitted ones that my index fingernail wore a hole in both fingers of the gloves. Easy to use the mousepad with fingertips sticking out. Probably too late for warming Gracie’s fingers but thought I’d pass it along anyway. Enjoy the clear (and warm) view!

    Reply
    • Sandra Heska King

      There’s not much worse than cold hands. Unless it’s cold feet–or a cold nose. And now you can actually buy those fingertip-less gloves. 🙂

      A bird just hit the window–a sign that they’re too clean, I suppose…

      Reply
  3. Diane Bailey

    I love your pictures and your thoughts. I think you should come with me to the lake one weekend and lets walk a trail and take pictures…Seriously!

    Reply
  4. Laura Boggess

    Sandy, your windows are gorgeous! I have a few I wouldn’t mind replacing…maybe I can get a deal this time of year too:). I love how you frame the beauty that God frames for you.

    Reply
    • Sandra Heska King

      I wasn’t really expecting them to look the same–yet be so different. I guess that’s a little how life is–things so often look the same, but they’re so different moment by moment.

      Now I want to paint…

      Reply
  5. pastordt

    I love this – and I love your new windows!! But I gotta say, I’m totally with Gracee on this one. 49 degrees IN THE HOUSE?? That is dang cold. So glad you’ll have a clearer, cleaner view. Praying that view extends deep into your deep-see-diving heart all year long. I have a hunch it will do just fine.

    Reply
    • Sandra Heska King

      They came with a crew and knew exactly what they needed to do. They laid their work cloths, ripped out the old glass, and replaced with the new (that had already been constructed) on two floors, caulked and cleaned up after themselves. I don’t think it took more than four or five hours–but I’m surprised the temperature only went down to 49. It was colder than that outside. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Megan Willome

    The problem with new windows … sometimes you see things that were hidden. A bit of rust over there, some destruction up here. Oh, dear.

    Reply
  7. Courtney Buxton

    I always love your bird photos, and I thought of you when we got a bird feeder that attaches to the window for Christmas. Saw a tufted titmouse on it yesterday and will have my camera close by next time! It is good to look out the windows, isn’t it? 🙂

    Reply
    • Sandra Heska King

      Thanks so much, Courtney. What fun to have the birds that close. Yes, you must keep a camera nearby and keep your eyes on the window. I love the titmouse’s sweet face.

      Reply
  8. Amy L. Sullivan

    Sandra,
    You have such a great balance in your writing…realness followed up with beautiful description and something to walk away with. I was right there with you in your cold home!

    Reply

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i can see clearly now

by Sandra Heska King time to read: 2 min
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