Looking through the windows of time

       

   Morning friends, as I was walking around the new shop today, I took the time to reflect for a few minutes on what went into building our new place. I just love the looks of The Old Homeplace, it is so cozy and welcoming. Old barn wood and rusty tin cover the walls and even the ceiling of our new place. The majority of our building materials were salvaged wood from barns and buildings in our area. I had so much fun scrounging around in barnyards and old building sites for this wonderful primitive wood. Most of this has been collected over the last few years, but many years before that this whole project had a start before I was even aware of it. I truly believe that God puts opportunities in your path and sits back and just watches to see what you do with them. He has a funny sense of humor that way. I honestly believe this was one of those challenges. One summer day a friend of our contacted us and told us that the old Bourbon Pharmacy was scheduled to be torn down soon and would we be interested in salvaging from it. What an exciting opportunity we thought, what would it be like? What will we find there in that wonderful old building  we wondered.  According to a friend of ours, her mother remembers going to the pharmacy when she was just a child growing up in Bourbon over 84 years ago. As far as we can figure, this wonderful old building  has been standing here for over 100 years. We were excited to see what this old building was like,  so off we went to check it out. Wandering around the old pharmacy was quite an experience and we had fun thinking of all the possibilities. We didn't have any plans for them in mind at the time, but when we were offered the windows from the front of the pharmacy we jumped at the chance. We collected 3 large windows, each with 20 panes in them, so each window measured 5 feet by 8 feet. Now that is a window!
              We carefully packed them away in the barn and they kind of went to the back of our mind. But as the years went by the Lord put more and more opportunities in front of us until we finally came to the conclusion that it was time to build our next building. As we started collecting materials we remembered these wonderful windows. There they were, safely tucked away in the barn just waiting to be put to use. As we started designing the new shop we found that we would  actually have to build the shop to fit around  that old wavy glass from so long ago. As we set the windows into their new home, we couldn't help but notice that the view in all directions is almost breathtaking . In the summertime the sunflower and dappled willows swaying in the breeze catch your eye. As I stand in the warmth of the sun and gaze out across the fields I can't help but wonder what sites these windows have seen. 100 years ago, the sidewalks were still made of wood and the streets were mostly unpaved. Horse and buggy was still the way many folks got to town on Saturday afternoon . Did the pharmacy have a place where the old men gathered and talked or played checkers on a warm summer day? Did children stand and peek over the counter at jars of penny candy and tiny wind up toys? I can only imagine what these windows have seen.
                As the sun warms me through these wonderful old pieces of glass from so long ago, I thank God for putting them in our path so long ago. I hope that if you stop by The Old Homeplace, you will take the time to stand and enjoy the view, feel the warmth of the sun and appreciate the many things these windows have seen.