A 'Thin Place' in My Life

Mary DeMuth is a wonderful author.  To celebrate the release of her new memoir, 'Thin Places,' (which I will be reviewing soon), Mary is conducting a contest for an Amazon Kindle at her 'Wanna Be Published' blog.  The topic is this: "tell us about a time you experienced a 'thin place' in your life. These would be aha moments, beautiful realizations when the Son of God bursts through the hazy fog of our monotony and shines on us afresh, times when God has reminded or reassured you that he is real and present."  More information is available here.  


Here is my essay - exactly 259 words long!

My ‘thin place’ was during the time that my mother was dying in December 2004.  I was an only child whose parents divorced before I was born.  In addition, I had not yet been married.  Therefore, my mother and I were very close.  She was suffering from congestive heart failure and a host of other maladies.  Her 80^th birthday was December 19, 2004.  She lived to be 80, but ultimately succumbed to her illnesses on December 24, 2004.  It was, needless to say, bittersweet, as it was Christmas Eve.  I had been at the hospital for what seemed to be weeks.  I had decided to leave that day to spend some time with a friend and to get out a little bit.  I received the call from the doctor around 1 am on Christmas morning to tell me that she had passed around 11:30 pm.  I knew she was enjoying her new home with the Savior of her heart and soul.

The Lord had graciously brought Fred into my life around Thanksgiving.   He and Mom had the opportunity to meet, and she lit up when she saw him!  Fred & I knew the Lord brought the two of us together, and Mom seemed to know, too.  I think she felt safe in leaving me to his care.

Fred and I married on June 10, 2005.  It was a joyous day.  It would have been even more of a celebration if Mom had been there, but we will have a wonderful reunion one day.  I rejoice in that wonderful hope!

December 19: 12 Pearls of Christmas: He is Always Enough

Today's Christmas Pearl comes to us from author Mary DeMuth!

Christmas in a Barn
by Mary DeMuth

The Christmas of 2006 we were homeless. We didn't have keys. Not to a car, not to a home. We'd flown halfway around the world, leaving behind a ministry we toiled over. Much, particularly in our hearts, lay in ruins.

Some friends had a camp, and on that camp stood a barn. In the corner of the barn was a tiny apartment, flanked by this caboose and hundreds of acres of Texas pasture. We'd never been there before, so we followed directions at night, making plenty of wrong turns.

When we found the place, we drove a borrowed car over the cattle guard toward what would be our home for a month. String lights illuminated a small porch, a window and a door in the corner of an aluminum-sided barn. We hefted large pieces of luggage to the apartment.

And when we opened the door, Love welcomed us.

The place, usually completely unfurnished in the winter, was decked out with just the right amount of beds, couches and tables. The pantry was full. We had dishes and garbage cans, and cups and forks and food. But even more, we had a Christmas tree. Friends had hijacked the place, decorating it for Christmas. Cookies preened on the table.

I will never, ever forget that Christmas. We had so little. We felt the painful burden of failure. But we were loved, so terribly and wonderfully loved.

Christmas felt right there, in a barn. We heard the nickering of horses, the meowing of kittens, the clop of hooves against the barn floor. Chickens and goats and cows served as a holy object lesson of the incarnation. Although we were warm and clothed, we understood more keenly the Savior's homelessness, how He left the splendor of heaven for the sodden earth. We experienced barnyard life alongside him, without much to call our own except our Heavenly Father and our sweet family.

He was enough, that Christmas. And He will always will be.

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Mary DeMuth writes fiction and nonfiction. Her latest book, 'A Slow Burn,' released in October and she has a memoir entitled 'Thin Places' coming out in February of 2010. You can meet her: http://www.marydemuth.com, http://www.thewritingspa.com, on Facebook and Twitter!

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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year's Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is leave a comment here. Come back on New Year's Day to see if you won!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info