Hiding Places

One of the youth groups favorite games is Hide 'n' Seek. There are certain rules that we put into effect to make the game a little more fun. The big one is that if you enter a room and the lights are out, then the lights stay out. It makes the whole game a little more fun as well as frightening.

My favorite place to hide is in the conference room, in a closet where the choir robes are (secrets out!). It is so much fun to listen to the youth open the door of the room and cautiously enter this very dark room. They usually freak themselves out so much that my yelling "boo!" when they open the closet door, is more of a relief than it is frightening. But I sure have fun!

I appreciate a good hiding place. As an introvert, I treasure my hiding places. They are where I go to be restored, to regain my sense of well-being, to revive my soul. Usually my hiding places don't include a lot of people. My room at home, with a good book or movie. My car on a long road trip by myself. Grandma's patio. There are other hiding places, though, that aren't so hidden or secluded. I can hide while walking through a mall, trying on clothes, sipping coffee at Starbucks. I don't have to be completely alone to hide, I can do that right before your eyes as I retreat into my own thoughts and head, watching the world around me but not really paying a whole lot of attention.

I got to thinking about hiding places today when I disturbed a little rabbit that had been hiding under our porch. I got too close, not knowing it was there, and it scurried quickly away. Sometimes people get too close to my hiding places and I, too, scurry away. I find that place inside me where I go to be safe, to be revived and ignore the rest of the world. My hiding places are sacred places and sacred times, where I go to be filled with the strength, peace and grace to walk this path that God has me on. I'm grateful today for hiding places.