Living in Liminonium

Geographically, I now may be located in a town called Timonium, but spiritually, I’m in liminal space—a place between. When we’re neither here nor there, standing in the threshold between one room and another, it’s a liminal space for us. Although this unsettled state can be a bit unnerving, it also has a beauty of its own, and I’m relishing it.

I’ve taken three weeks vacation between my call to Holy Trinity, Charlotte, and my call to Ascension, Towson. The first week was hell. I packed my last few boxes and watched the moving company load them all onto a 24-foot truck. After spending a sleepless night trying to get comfortable on the floor of an empty house, Pooky, Guido and I drove away from our old home and toward our new one. It would have been a lovely drive if I had shared it with traveling companions who appreciated it. Lovely it was not.

For four straight days I ripped open boxes and found a place for all my stuff. Clothes unpacked, books shelved, pictures hung... in addition to transplanting some flowers in the yard and painting a room. Four days! And did I mention I charged up my drill and hung my own curtain rods. I am woman, hear me rrrroar!

Of course, it would have taken me much longer if I hadn’t had so much help from the people of Ascension. They were on hand in the beginning to help me with heavy lifting, putting stuff together and unpacking my kitchen. And they brought me food. I didn’t have to cook for a week. Not only was I well fed, but I also saved a lot of time that I would have spent on preparing meals. What an incredibly caring congregation! Something tells me I’m not going to have any problem loving them.

So now I have some time to relax and reflect. I’m detached from the congregation I once served and not yet attached to the one I will soon begin serving. And I’m not feeling like a pastor. I’m just me. I putter around the house, I walk around the neighborhood, I explore my foreign surroundings, I read, I cook, I sleep, I watch TV, .

And I’m praying these days in a way I can’t remember ever praying before. All the buzzing in my brain that I typically struggle to shut down isn’t buzzing. I'm not distracted with a list of things I gotta do, people I need to talk with, sermons I need to prepare. In this liminal space, contemplative prayer is easier, it’s freer, it’s deeper. I don’t know that this will continue after I step into my new life, but I’m treasuring it now.

Tomorrow company arrives from NY. Gretchen, Jon and Nick are driving down to see my new place. I’ve never shared a liminal space with them before. I wonder if they’ll notice the difference as much as I do.