Our place...

The scene is the Texas Hill Country just after sunrise. Each morning I sat rested against a tall tree in total seclusion facing an open field. The steady trickle of the river was audible in the distance. I could barely see the edge of its bank about 50 yards away. A misty fog hovered above the earth making everything appear as though it were in a dream. Dozens of deer mingled close by drinking dew from the grass. Although they were always there, each morning they were in a slightly different location as though they followed an unseen map. The feelings I had in this place were purely spiritual. As I spoke openly with God I half expected Him to answer me out loud. I have never felt closer to Him. I remember praying so freely and uninhibited that I would laugh out loud, cry, and rant as though conversing with a friend face-to-face. If the wind blew just right or a soft rain fell on my shoulders I felt like it was the Lord's special way of reaching down to touch me. I often thought that God was more present in the stillness of the Hill Country, but now I believe I listened harder there. I was not interrupted with the sound of traffic on the streets. The soft colors of the morning were not tainted by the harsh lights of the city. My mind was not distracted by to-do lists, ringing phones, and crying babies. I longed for my quiet place today. I was driving and reminiscing of its beauty. It's not the first time I have wished for that place. While living in College Station I used to drive down an old dirt road just outside of the city limits and park along the property line of an open field. I would back my Blazer up to the fence and crawl into the back hatch to pray. I would look out on the field and envision Medina. How silly that I thought the location could bring me closer to God. It's quite obvious that God doesn't leave His spirit in open fields waiting for people to come to Him....He is present even amidst the chaos of my home. He is free and open to receive my company whenever I offer it. He is always speaking to me; I must open my ears to hear Him. God's reality is greater than the butterflies I used to feel in my stomach. His love is more powerful than that place. I know this, but I still miss it. I miss Him. This is how I felt.