Please excuse the long gap between blog posts. I have been moving and though progress has been made, boxes abound and my office looks as if its contents were dropped into place by a windstorm. I took a few photos to use today, but can’t find the little usb cable I need to connectcamera to computer. Thus the clip art!
Despite the lack of time off to put my new place together, I have managed to make the flat livable, even pleasant, in the time I have had. Family and friends have provided unending support from spotting the apartment, to moving boxes, hanging prints and a mirror, and building a seven foot long counter high enough to double as an eating place in the kitchen.
Today, along with the Post Office confirmation of my change of address, I received a house warming gift all the way from the Netherlands! Our family stretches far and wide, and even though she and I will not be able to sip tea together any time soon, my cousin sent two beautiful dish towels (the Dutch ones are my favorite; the cotton is perfect.) to “dry your tea cups that you’ll share with other friends.”
Moving is more than transferring residence and possessions from one place to another, it is also creating a sacred space, a place where one can rest and be aware of Holy Presence. Such a space allows one to receive God’s Grace and share it with others, offering hospitality and a calm spirit.
In the midst of transitions, life can seem anything but calm and grace-filled. Uprooting from the familiar to an unknown is full of stress as well as opportunity. During the past few weeks I have lost any routines that I once had, including prayer routines. This morning I began Lectio again. Ruth 2, 12b caught my heart.
“…a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”
No matter where we are on our journeys, whether we are physically moving to another place or adjusting to new life circumstances and stages, we can feel adrift and alone. This verse reminded me that our true anchor, our true “place” is in God. We can move across town or across the globe, we can loses a spouse, a job, a family. We can be uprooted by natural disasters, war, or oppression. Yet, one thing remains constant: God’s love and presence.
I found that reassuring this morning as I looked at a pile of boxes and papers that will take more than my day off to organize. Slowly, this place is becoming my sacred space, and the most important task is not unpacking boxes. It is taking time to remember and receive the Grace that IS home.
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