Sandra Heska King

daring to open doors

  • Home
  • About
  • DISCLOSURES
    • Amazon Affiliate
    • Book Reviews
  • Published
  • Contact
  • Blog
    • Commit Poetry
    • Dared

Textures of Text: A Different Story

January 24, 2012 By Sandra Heska King

 

Have you met my friend, Lyla?

“I do my thinking in the bleachers and my writing in the living room with balls flying, bats or clubs swinging and ESPN on in the background. When Spongebob comes on, I get nothing done.”

She writes, she says, because there are words. And because she doesn’t know how not to.

Lyla’s a property and casualty insurance adjustor who lives in South Dakota.

She’s not afraid to get down in ditches. (I love when she takes her camera.)

Or to crawl into tight places.

She dresses in layers.

And she writes in layers.

I love how she puts words together.

How she pieces a story from a day’s scraps.

I came down with a burned and bruised backside but wondering, had that vent been on the other slope instead, what I might have burned or bruised in my boy’s tender eyes and heart. For his body might belong to a man. But his insides aren’t ready for all that just yet.

How she puts flesh to a file.

This woman I never knew, whose post mortem details are spread in black and white in front of me, who dressed in comfortable cotton layers as I am known to do, is missing a shoe.

And when she writes about the Word, I love how she sees deep and brings a different perspective.

Like her series on John 9.

And in the moment Jesus tells the man that He is He, the man believes, and worships, and finds that enough can be so much more.

Or this story about Peter.

If Peter’s pockets bulged with his own resources, would the miracle have crossed his mind?

You really need to get to know her.

Check out her blog, A Different Story.

Go rested. She’ll make you think.

 

 

 

 

Share this:

  • Email
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Filed Under: stories and reflections

Comments

  1. Jennifer@GDWJ says

    January 24, 2012 at 11:58 pm

    “She dresses in layers.

    And she writes in layers.”

    Yep. You got it. And yes, we all really need to get to know her. We really, really do.

    • Sandra says

      January 25, 2012 at 9:22 am

      I’d love to ride shotgun with her one day. Can you imagine?

      • Lyla Lindquist says

        January 25, 2012 at 9:25 am

        Gotta be careful, though. I might make you crawl with me under the house.

        • Sandra says

          January 25, 2012 at 9:29 am

          I’m serious. That’d be such an adventure! I’d even go there gladly. After you assured me there were no scorpions or snakes or . . .

          But I’d like to wait until the thermometer tops the freezing mark.

  2. Sharon O says

    January 25, 2012 at 12:07 am

    I agree, there is always a depth of words and pictures for one to experience when reading.

    • Sandra says

      January 25, 2012 at 9:21 am

      She is a don’t miss–but save a little time to savor.

  3. diana says

    January 25, 2012 at 1:10 am

    Well, amen to this. And thank you – what a generous and thoughtful thing to do – and it is done so well, in your own inimitable style. And what Jennifer quoted and said – yes, that’s it.

    • Sandra says

      January 25, 2012 at 9:20 am

      Her mind–I can’t keep up with it!

  4. David Rupert says

    January 25, 2012 at 7:48 am

    Lyla is my favorite. She breathes life into the everyday, finding Godly lessons in the simple.
    Thanks for shining the light her way….

    • Sandra says

      January 25, 2012 at 9:19 am

      That she does! That girl can tell a story.

  5. Nancy says

    January 25, 2012 at 8:17 am

    Yes. She is all that. And she makes me laugh, too.

    • Sandra says

      January 25, 2012 at 9:15 am

      Oh, me too! How could I forget that? And she sets kitchens on fire and everything.

  6. Megan Willome says

    January 25, 2012 at 8:27 am

    I heartily agree! Lyla is a treasure, and I regret that I had never visited her blog until I met in person at Laity. Look at all that I missed!

    • Sandra says

      January 25, 2012 at 9:18 am

      What a treat to meet her. And you! I think this calls for a blankie and a cup of tea and a weekend of reading. I re-read a lot of her posts.

  7. Wendy Paine Miller says

    January 25, 2012 at 8:28 am

    Yep, the writing in layers got me.

    Happy Birthday! Hope you are surrounded by love!
    ~ Wendy

    • Sandra says

      January 25, 2012 at 9:16 am

      Thanks Wendy! I’m hemmed in.

  8. Lyla Lindquist says

    January 25, 2012 at 9:24 am

    Sandy. What am I gonna say to this? This is how you throw yourself a surprise birthday party?

    When you, yourself, are the very gift you give the rest of us, my beautiful friend.

    Thank you for this. Saying that seems hardly adequate.

    (I need to take my humbled self and blush into my steaming caffeine now.)

    • Sandra says

      January 25, 2012 at 9:31 am

      Celebrating you today, my friend. That’s one of the best parties I can think of. You are a blessing. I’ve grown because of you.

  9. Jackie S. says

    January 25, 2012 at 11:01 am

    You are so right about Lyla….I just signed up for her blog! Love your blog, too! Blesses me over and over.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Meet Sandra

I’m Sandra, a camera-toting, recovering doer who’s learning to be. still. Read more…

Get updates from the stillness by email

Your personal information is safe and will never be shared.

Archives

Categories

Instagram Inspiration

sandraheskaking

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. 
🌱
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.
Just sing... sing a song... Singing our way into Just sing... sing a song... 

Singing our way into the weekend.
"We don't just see. We learn to see." ~ Russ Ramse "We don't just see. We learn to see." ~ Russ Ramsey in Rembrandt is in the Wind
Now you see me... now you don't. Now you see me... now you don't.
"I started looking and listening. I realized that "I started looking and listening. I realized that work, like life, is shot through with poetry. It was everywhere. I was so taken with what I discovered that I wrote a book about it." @gyoung9751 
🌱
Whether you work in an office, a retail store, a restaurant, or at home... Whether you work on roads or on power lines, or on high buildings...Whether you collect trash or preach sermons, or care for your kiddos. Whether you do art, or weave words, or take photos of a common gallinule AKA moorhen AKA swamp chicken--it's all shot through with poetry.
🌱
So pay attention. Find a poem.
🌱
Read more at https://www.tweetspeakpoetry.com/2023/01/10/its-poetry-at-work-day-2023/
Rising… Rising…
Everyone needs a little balance in life. And maybe Everyone needs a little balance in life. And maybe a beauty routine. And breakfast. Especially breakfast. I wonder if it consists of a few fire ants. I hope so. (Well, not mine. I'm having oatmeal with chia seeds. What are you having this morning?)
🌱
P.S. Happy Friday!
"Though your destination is not yet clear You can "Though your destination is not yet clear You can trust the promise of this opening; Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning That is at one with your life's desire." ~John O'Donohue 
🌿
A blessing for a new beginning in a new year. I'm sure he wrote it especially for me. At least I'm claiming it. Maybe it will speak to you, too.
🌿
Also, I'd really like this skirt --> 
🌿
Read the whole poem--> -->
🌿
Well, bummer... The whole page didn't print. Read it in the comments below.
"What precocity, a bird half the size Of an Anjou "What precocity, a bird half the size
Of an Anjou pear." ~ Stephen Kuusisto in "The Mockingbird on Central" (Find it in The Poets Guide to the Birds edited by Judith Kitchen and Ted Kooser)
🌱
"The morning pages are the primary tool of creative recovery." ~ Julia Cameron in The Artist's Way. 
🌱
I've been in a long creative drought, so I started morning pages--again. This time I've got a bit of an accountability group through @refineretreat's Refinery--which I finally also joined this year. I'll turn 74 this month. I'm not ready to grow old while I age--though everything does seem to take longer while time goes by faster.
🌱
#aweandwonder #tsaweandwonder
Tonight’s walk in the neighborhood. I’m still Tonight’s walk in the neighborhood. I’m still kinda amazed that out of all the places we could have ended up after moving from a place I said I’d never move from), here we are—planted right next to the northern Everglades. Six-plus years, and I still shake my head in wonder.
"So fancy is the world..." ~ Mary Oliver in "This "So fancy is the world..." ~ Mary Oliver in "This World." #aweandwonder #tsaweandwonder
Look, Mom! I can walk on water! #aweandwonder #tsa Look, Mom! I can walk on water! #aweandwonder #tsaweandwonder
Gazing into 2023 like… Let’s take it step by Gazing into 2023 like… 
Let’s take it step by step with hope and courage. Also I hope to be posting again more often.
🎉
Happy New Year!
The morning before the last morning of 2022. 🌴 The morning before the last morning of 2022. 
🌴
71 degrees. Heading to 83. I can live with that.
From the top of Brasstown Bald—the highest point From the top of Brasstown Bald—the highest point in Georgia at 4784 feet.
Winding roads… Winding roads…
Tonight's moon. It's kinda okay. Tonight's moon. It's kinda okay.
Don’t mind me. Just storking by. Don’t mind me. Just storking by.
I’ve gotten several messages asking if things we I’ve gotten several messages asking if things were okay. Yes. I’ve recovered after 3 weeks in Covid jail. Also, I’ve been a bit scarce on social cuz we’ve been finishing up house renovations, and there is SO much that now needs to be cleaned and stuff put away. Also, we’ve had the second oldest grand with us for two weeks. I “should have” at least shared some stories about our adventures, but we’ve relished the time and kept busy. One can’t leave South Florida without a gator encounter, though, right? Tomorrow the two of us fly back to Michigan, and then I will spend a week with my sister where I expect I will be put to work in the chicken house and the gardens and become a glad(iola) roadside proprietor for a day at the Four Star in while she and my BIL attend a family reunion. I’ll also get to see my dad in the nursing home and spend a couple nights with my daughter. D will hold down the fort here. Then maybe by the first of next month, I’ll be able to finish putting things in order, breathe, find some writing space and get back to normal. Whatever that is.
I tossed and turned all night. And then the storm I tossed and turned all night. And then the storm started. I finally got up about 5ish and sat outside to watch. Until a couple mosquitoes found me. Also, the jasmine hadn’t gone to bed yet and smelled heavenly.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Get the Mug

Embrace the life you have t s poetry mug

Privacy Policy

Full privacy policy is available HERE.

I Read Light

TSP-Red button

bibledude-net



Sponsor a Child

Join the Compassion Blogger Network

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2023 Sandra Heska King · Site by The Willingham Enterprise, LLC on the Genesis Framework by StudioPress · Log in