Thin Places

Tucked away three miles off of Wortham Bend road in Bosque County Texas is a small “tank” surrounded by an open field of grass that backs up to a boarder of cedar and oak trees. It is, in my estimation, one of the most gorgeous square acres in Texas. Right by the Tank there is a big oak tree whose branches shoot out over the water shading the birds and squirrels as they gingerly nestle up to the water’s bank and drink.

I first found this little slice of heaven when I was ridding my horse through the area. Mary and I had just gotten married and moved to her grandparents ranch and I was exploring a little. Mary always talked about this spot…about how much she loved it. …if memory serves, she had showed it to me once or twice before… But I didn’t really experience it until I was wondering through the pasture riding Gus (my horse). I just happened upon it in the Spring time….I came through the path out of the trees and there it was….this acre from heaven….covered in bluebonnets and Indian paint brush flowers. Gus and I stopped…and we both stared at the startling scenery for a moment….it was like we were about to pass some invisible barrier….like we were about to enter some other place….that was in this world but not of this world.

Thin places….that is what the Irish would call that square acre. They believed that there are places in this world where the veil between this world and the next is so sheer…so thin… that it is easy to step through. Old Cowboys picked up on that idea and changed the description to “a little piece of heaven.” But I like the Irish term – thin places.

For some it is a noisy roof top, for others a small creek…for others it is a front porch…but make no mistake about it, thin places….little slices of heaven dot the landscape world over.

For Jesus, the thin place was mountains. He loved mountains. Scripture tells us that often Jesus would sneak away from his disciples and the crowds….and he would wonder up into the mountains alone to pray and be with God. For Jesus, the air up there reminded him of home. Funny isn’t it….he snuck away into the mountains during his ministry….he died on a mountain….and he ascended into heaven on a mountain. He was in “a thin place” when he did those things. I suppose he wanted to feel close to his father, he wanted to remember his heavenly home.

Remember what Emily Browning wrote, “Earth is crammed with Heaven, and every bush ablaze with the fire of God….but only those who see, take off their shoes….the rest just stand around and pick blackberries.”

I love that quote (and so would the Irish) -- The whole earth is one big piece of heaven! “Thin places” are everywhere….Where is your "thin place?" And, my goodness, why don't you go there more often?!