Sandra Heska King

daring to open doors

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The Eyes of a Child

February 21, 2011 By Sandra Heska King

She’s covered in Spanish moss.

So’s the carpet.

I move a couple chairs in front of the silk ficus and brush off and pick up what I can.

I direct her attention to the stacking rings.

I stack them. She dismantles them.

I stack again. She dismantles again.

The cat distracts her.

She squawks and grabs.

Tries to suck tail.

Cat scurries away, and she crawls after.

But the laundry basket snags her attention.

She pulls herself up on her knees and leans over the edge.

She flings a white washcloth and a lavender glove and a blue sock and her sister’s pink leggings and her own snowman jammies behind her.

Then drops to her knees and takes off again.

I struggle to keep up.

She stops to examine a piece of lint and the cats’ toy mouse and pulls herself to stand at a dining room chair.

I crawl faster to grab the chair before it falls over on her.

I stand, scoop her up in my arms and blow raspberries into neck crease.

She giggles and pulls my hair and squishes my lips between her fingernails.

I turn her back to my chest, grasp both her hands in my right, and go in search of clippers and file.

We end up in front of the living room window.

Watching the birds.

She slaps on the screen.

Some birds fly off.

Some are fearless.

She’s fascinated.

A world full of wonders.

To see and to feel.

Things I miss.

Joy I lose.

Unless I’m on my knees.

To see Him in the simple wonders

With the eyes of a child.

People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. “Let these children alone. Don’t get between them and me. These children are the kingdom’s pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child , you’ll never get in.” ~Luke 18:15 (Message)

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Filed Under: stories and reflections

Comments

  1. imperfect prose says

    February 22, 2011 at 12:02 am

    oh, sandra, yes…. this is it. and the kingdom belongs to such as these…

    • Sandra says

      February 22, 2011 at 12:38 am

      Looking to crawl into it with you, Emily. 🙂

  2. S. Etole says

    February 22, 2011 at 12:06 am

    on our knees … what a wonderful place to find Him

    {these photos would fit right in with the photoplay challenge at THC this week. Think the deadline is Wednesday.}

    • Sandra says

      February 22, 2011 at 12:38 am

      I was kinda thinking that when I snapped these. 😉

  3. Sharon O says

    February 22, 2011 at 12:14 am

    This is beautiful. I love the little ones.

    • Sandra says

      February 22, 2011 at 12:39 am

      Thanks, Sharon. Me, too. And never thought I’d still be crawling around at my age. 😉

  4. Michael says

    February 22, 2011 at 7:36 am

    Sandra, that was beautiful.

    • Sandra says

      February 23, 2011 at 10:27 pm

      Thanks so much, Michael.

  5. Sissy says

    February 22, 2011 at 7:40 am

    Aww… Nicely done. And thanks, Lillee!

    • Sandra says

      February 23, 2011 at 10:28 pm

      Lillee says you’re welcome. 😀

  6. Wendy says

    February 22, 2011 at 8:06 am

    “Joy I lose unless I’m on my knees.” Excellent.

    So profound and yet the whole point is to see like a child.

    Love this.
    ~ Wendy

    • Sandra says

      February 23, 2011 at 10:29 pm

      Thanks, Wendy! I see her just drinking everything in. That’s what I want.

  7. seekingpastor says

    February 22, 2011 at 11:27 am

    Beautiful words and pictures.

    • Sandra says

      February 23, 2011 at 10:29 pm

      Thanks, Matt.

  8. Joan C. Webb says

    February 22, 2011 at 11:28 am

    Lovely. Truly. And the at the same time, the nitty-gritty of life with a little one. Thank you.

    • Sandra says

      February 23, 2011 at 10:29 pm

      Thanks so much, Joan–for stopping in and for tweeting this post.

  9. Melinda Lancaster says

    February 22, 2011 at 12:29 pm

    Beautiful, Snady!

    • Sandra says

      February 23, 2011 at 10:30 pm

      Thanks, Melinda.

  10. Lynn Mosher says

    February 22, 2011 at 12:38 pm

    Oh, too precious! Babies are a handful at this age but, oh, so precious! Oh, to have the simplicity and wonderment of a child’s eyes…and heart! Beautiful…as always!

    • Sandra says

      February 23, 2011 at 10:30 pm

      I suppose the Lord thinks we are a handful, too, sometimes. 😉

  11. katdish says

    February 22, 2011 at 12:53 pm

    Oh, that’s just perfect.

    • Sandra says

      February 23, 2011 at 10:31 pm

      Thanks, Kathy.

  12. Kim says

    February 22, 2011 at 3:08 pm

    Very precious. It’s been a long time since I had a child this young. It brings back memories! How far I have to go to bring my spirit back to the place where it is as innocent as a child’s… GBY and All the Best!

    • Sandra says

      February 23, 2011 at 10:32 pm

      Me, too. It never dawned on me 26 years ago that I’d be crawling after babies again. 😉 Bless you and thanks.

  13. laura says

    February 22, 2011 at 4:32 pm

    I want to see from that level too…get down on knees and feel the wonder of looking up! And Sandra? She is gorgeous! Sounds like she moves pretty fast too. 🙂

    • Sandra says

      February 23, 2011 at 10:33 pm

      Yep, she’s a mover and shaker! 🙂

  14. Michelle DeRusha says

    February 22, 2011 at 7:18 pm

    If I let them, my kids slow me down to a pace where I can drink in God’s gifts so much more freely. In my usual, frenzied hurry, I miss so much,

    Sweetness here today, Sandy. And those neck creases, oh those neck creases! 🙂

    Thanks for linking up today…so fun to see you there!

    • Sandra says

      February 23, 2011 at 10:36 pm

      I hear ya, Michelle. Being an adult is not all what it’s cracked up to be. And it’s fun being there. 🙂

  15. Duane Scott says

    February 23, 2011 at 6:45 pm

    Oh…

    I love this.

    “Unless I’m on my knees”

    Just beautiful thoughts, Snady!

    • Sandra says

      February 23, 2011 at 10:37 pm

      Thanks, Duane. Fist bump.

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A tale of two iguanas... I did not see the iguana A tale of two iguanas... I did not see the iguana in the background until I downloaded the photos. That, I believe, is the one that got caught in one of the openings in the neighbor's chain link fence. We tried in several (safe) ways to dislodge it without luck and could think of no other option but to leave it. Somehow it apparently dislodged itself. We also believe this is the pair that was getting into another neighbor's garden. We haven't seen either one since the last cold snap, so we are wondering if they survived. 
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Thinking some may have tumbled from their perches last night. Pretty sure it will be raining iguanas tonight since we are under a frost advisory. It's cold. And windy.
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