Opus 2: Secret Place

Posted by john on Oct 4th, 2006 | no comments

I grew up on the county line between the towns of Ontario and Webster in New York State, just a mile and a half south of Lake Ontario. My father owned an acre of land, which was surrounded by woods on three sides. Across the street there was a small farm with a few beef cows, some chickens and goats, a few noisy guinea hens, and three dogs. I had many adventures exploring the farmland and the wooded areas. Just south of the farm a cornfield had been harvested; and, oddly enough, in the middle of the field was a small, round patch of woods.

As I walked through this patch of woods I saw squirrels running up and down a fallen tree trunk. I heard the subtle hum of bees high in the treetops, and I watched the chipmunks stuff their cheeks with acorns in preparation for the snowy winter ahead. I approached the other side of the woods where there lay a pile of rock that had been plowed up from the cornfield. On a flat, elevated spot I dropped my bag of books and sat down.

In front of me row upon row of bent, brown corn stalks lay interspersed with glassy puddles of water, each reflecting the golden hue of the setting sun. It was there that I marveled at a God who could have created such wonders. I sat there for hours at a time doing my schoolwork, reading the Bible, singing songs and developing an intimate relationship with God. It was there that I talked with God about my day. It was in that secret place that I caught a glimpse of what being in his presence is really like.

Copyright 1999. John Albert Thomas. All Rights Reserved.

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