Friday, April 25, 2014

Stepping into the Immigrant's Shoes

This documentary clip does an excellent job of giving you the feeling of having stepped into the immigrant's shoes as he or she comes through Ellis Island. You can hear their words and see what they would have seen (although in black and white.) I thought it was powerful so I wanted to share it with you. Enjoy!


Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Goodreads Giveaway!

In anticipation of the release of Annie's Stories, I'm giving away a copy of book one in the series, Grace's Pictures. You can enter on Goodreads:



Goodreads Book Giveaway

Grace's Pictures by Cindy Thomson

Grace's Pictures

by Cindy Thomson

Giveaway ends May 21, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter to win

Monday, April 14, 2014

New Irish Photo Giveaway

Some many of you liked the photos I shared last month on Facebook and Twitter, that I decided it was time for a giveaway! These are photos from a calendar I made in the past. They are photos I took in Ireland in 2010. See the giveaway below and enter (the more categories you enter the more chances you will have to win!) Please share with your friends! Oh, and the size is 12" x 9 1/4", despite what the giveaway seems to say. :)


Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Ellis Island: A Thin Place

The following video is such a great inside look at Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty that I wanted to share it with you. I felt the same way the visitors interviewed here felt--in awe. Everyone I've spoken to who has visited Ellis Island says the same thing. You get a feeling of appreciation, wonder, and respect. You might even sense the same thing by watching videos like this.

Seeing this caused me to contemplate the concept referred to as "a thin place" in Ireland. There are certain places where you can feel God's presence more than others. Many times these are settings in nature, but not always. Perhaps some places--because they are places of historical significance, because the people who came before us experienced something incredible there--hold a remainder of those experiences that we can still sense today. I've heard people say that about Gettysburg, for example. There are cathedrals and places of worship that exude emotion even when empty. Sometimes graveyards are the same way, and I have to wonder if it's because so many people have been there experiencing grief that still lies heavy on the place when they've gone away. In Annie's Stories there is a brief description of Annie wondering the same thing.

Thin places are often referred to in Celtic spirituality, but I believe it is a common experience with people all over the world where in certain locations, whether we seek them out or stumble upon them, the separation between heaven and earth is particularly thin.

What do you think? Is Ellis Island one of those places?