Tom and I are in New York trying to find a place to live. It’s been a slow process. It won’t be long now until NY becomes home again. I’ll let you know how it all works out.At the airport, I was people watching. I do that a lot. I guess I’m always looking for traits or characters to write about. We were sitting in the airport waiting for our plane, when I couldn’t help but observe away.
There was a man cleaning the windows on the outside of the building. He was hanging from a rope and harness. Hanging from his harness on one side was a bucket filled with water and a scrub brush. On the other side of his harness was a big squeegee. He was hopping back and fort cleaning big sections at a time. He was working hard, but the crazy thing was the window still looked dirty. It didn’t look like all the dirty water the squeegee cleaned off made any difference in the appearance of the window. The window was filthy on the inside. No matter how hard this man worked on the outside part of the window, it still looked dirty looking from the inside out.
It gave me pause to think about people in general and me in particular. I can work really hard to present myself on the outside as clean, neat and pretty as possible. But if God is looking from my insides (my eyes, my heart) is the window clean or dirty? Does it look any different to him? In my own strength I can do nothing. It’s important for me to remember to let Him cleanse me from the inside. The things that make me go hmmmm . . .
© Nadine Zawacki 2009
My blog friend Christina from All That Blog is having a giveaway of my book, Prisoner of Circumstance until Friday, April 10th. Hop over there if you would like a chance to win.
23 comments:
That is good. A great reminder that no matter how clean something looks on the outside it can still be dirty on the inside!
What a good reminder that God looks at our heart!!!!
Susan
I'm going hmmmmm, too. Great observation and application!
Best wishes in finding your new abode to make into your home.
You always have the coolest analogies :)
So praying you find the perfect home!
great post. it is right God looks at our heart :)
Cleaning the inside is more important than being spotless on the outside.
PS - If only I could see the spiritual side of things the way you do...I'd be squeaky clean on the inside. :)
Great thoughts!
I love how you come up with these thoughts. You are an inspiration girl :)
It's so true! With your usual eloquence, you made your point so clear. I can hide the film and grime of sin from the world, but God sees all. There is no hiding or white washing with Him.
I hope your trip to New York is a good one!
I appreciate the insight...and how did the house hunting go? Love you!
HB
I love people watching too. You learn about a person when they think they are on their own. For some reason I got this picture of curious George when he was washing windows, and looking in, being tempted by each new apartment and finally giving in to the room with all the colorful paints. Seemed innocent enough until he made a big mess.
Taking your though a slightly different direction, because I had curious George on my brain made me think of how we try so hard in a world of temptation to just look, and not act. Look and move to the next place and then when it all looks so tempting we act and life becomes such a big mess. I loved how you painted this story from a window cleaner. God is truly looking in, always.
Great metaphoric picture. I'm sure that each one of us has some windows in our lives that are cleaner than others. One window at a time......
that is a great angle on the story: "the window that could not be cleaned"!
God is behind our eyes looking out right?
I wonder what he sees using my brain to see with?!?!?
What a beautiful reminder on this spring Sunday morning to be cognizant of our inner strength and beauty. You are a very, very perceptive person...! Keep people watching! You have so much to share!
Hiya Nadine, I do learn alot when I observed people and a good self-reflection too :)
Read from FB that you've found a place in NY and can't wait to hear more about it.
I've got your book from Amazon yesterday and started reading right away ;)
Have a wonderful weekend Nadine :D
very good thought provoking post Nadine and so true for all of us!
Clever analogy. I like that one.
Hope you find a place to call home soon.
One of my favorite scriptures is Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me.
A clean heart will show outwardly, I believe.
So very true! You should consider writing a women's devotional, you know?
And I love people-watching, too. There are some interesting people out there!
I would love to have entered the drawing for one of your books but I have already ordered it and should be receiving it in the mail any day. I am looking forward to reading it and then (someday) I will send a sample or draft of mine to you. I have been in and out of the hospital so much lately that I'm way behind on it but I know that someday it will happen. I have my cousin (also a fledgling writer) looking at it right now. If you would like a sample by email, you can respond to mine. mcrickreva2@msn.com
How is your husband doing? I hope much better now since you are looking to relocate. My brother and wife just moved to New York State in January and are about 3 hours from New York City.
I guess that's like the verse about washing the inside of the pot!
I like people watching too.
I linked to her give away on my blog.
THAT WAS GOOD!
Great word my friend. Glad to see you have a place to land in N.Y. I hope and pray your move goes well!
Hello Nadine! This is a great story and more importantly, the moral is spot on.
Were your ears burning the other day? LOL We were in town at the drive through of our bank. On the way there, Brooke went into high gear wondering out loud if the 'armed' guard with from the armored truck would be there at the drive through ATM like he is EVERY week on that day, and always at the very same time of day. Yes, you guessed it, he was there. Brooke 'really' got on a roll then! She named him Bernie. Bernie is every bank robbers dream. Bernie is very over weight and wears a bullet proof vest, hangs the bag with the money in it over a post, leaves the door to his truck open, does not look around and observe 'anything.' This time he was talking on his cell phone to boot! So naturally, Brooke invented who had called him and why. I was laughing so hard, I was crying. The bank teller must have thought I was nuts. As I drove away, I told her, "I WISH Nadine was here to hear this!" Between the two of you I would most likely not have survived. :)
Anyway, I thought you could appreciate this little story. :)
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