Lights in My Windows

So I didn't get my windows washed before Christmas.  They're looking a bit bleary.  It seems the candle lights in my windows don't sparkle as they might, had I cleaned them.  I've been wanting to try a new cleaning method my cousin Pauline used on her windows: crumpled newspapers and a spray bottle filled with half water and half vinegar mixture. 

Ever wonder how the inside of windows get that icky film on them?  I did some research and learned that the air in a house contains things we can't see: molecules of cosmetic-laced steam from repeated showers, spray wax and furniture polish, rug shampoo, and cleaners that are oil, wax, and plastic-based.  Soot from candles or a frequently-used fireplace are culprits too.  Stove-top frying, oven broiling, and steam from cooking plus dust particles add a grimy layer. 

Did you ever have lasagna or an apple pie run over in the oven, and then forget to clean it before the next use?  You just cranked that puppy up to 375 degrees and went about your business until you saw smoke billow out of the vents at the back of the stove.  You frantically opened windows and doors to keep the smoke alarm from getting excited. 

Or how about a pot that boiled over and made a mess on the stove top?  Steam hissed everywhere until you found a hot pad to grab the lid, placed it at an angle and lowered the heat.  All these interesting things have a profound effect on our windows. 

I like my windows to shine, especially at Christmas time, so the candelabra lights will dance happy sparkles on them and on my senses, too.  I like to think of windows as the eyes of the house.  It's also been said that the eyes are the window to a person's soul.

I like my eyes to shine, too, reflecting a clean soul.  Do you feel "smudged over", weary and bleary, unable to see clearly?  Perhaps your soul is clouded with "pollutants".  Perhaps you have neglected baked-on soul grime that begins to smoke when you encounter heat.  Perhaps you boiled over or spouted off steam during an argument.  I read that to help keep windows cleaner, one should use the vent fan above the stove when cooking.  I like to think that we Christian believers each have a Holy Spirit "personal vent fan" too.

To use it, you need the Holy Spirit's help.  Ask Him to help you change your thoughts and choose to pray.  Forgive your offenders and bless them in Jesus' Name.  He'll even remind you of that baked-on grime you haven't dealt with.  The Holy Spirit is the Wind that will blow away all those pollutants and clean you till you shine.  

Blessing those who offended you will keep those hurtful words or actions from sticking.  And your "windows" will stay clean as you use that "vent fan".  Your eyes can sparkle as you look people in the eye and let them see your soul at peace. 

"Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven."  (Matthew 5:16)

Copyright © 2011 Elaine Beachy