Church Seasons: In Between

At some point the Christmas tree comes down, the creche scene is wrapped carefully and put away, we hang our new calendar on the wall, and we enter a season in the church of "in-between".  We have celebrated another Advent/Christmas/Epiphany and we are anticipating another Lent.  Some years, this in-between time lasts a few weeks, other years it can be closer to two months.  It is not exactly the most exciting season.  There are NO great decorations to put up in the church and the liturgical color green (which I find ironic in the north...where the tree shed their green leaves months ago and the green grass is covered with snow upon snow upon snow...feel free to visit Florida at that point).  

Usually to be in-between something is not seen as a good thing.  We talk about being between a rock and a hard place or in the messy middle or caught in a sticky situation where you are darned if you do and darned if you don't.  But, then, I found the above picture.  Let's face it, whatever they put in the 'stuff' in-between the two Oreo cookies is AMAZING!  Who hasn't twisted the cookies, peeled off the 'stuff' to save the best for last?  Sometimes being in-between is okay and can be even good.  I look at my kids who could be called 'tweens, they are in-between childhood and teenagers.  That is VERY good, especially since I don't have to teach them to drive yet!!  But it is a magical, beautiful time.  My kids have great, unique personalities.  It is fun to see them growing up in that place of letting go of childhood but not quite ready to face the realities of adulthood.  Being in-between might be just as sacred as belting out "Silent Night"...which always gives me goosebumps.  Maybe it is just that we have not always seen the in-between that way.

Where are you in-between right now?  In one sense, I am in-between with the church I presently serve.  I have been there almost two years...my new pastor smell wore off a long time ago.  Yet, I have not been there a long time yet.  Trust is still earned day-by-day, decision-by-decision.  But I know the people well enough to start laughing at jokes together and sharing in the sacredness of everyday human life.

True is we live most of our lives in-between and in the ordinary (which we will arrive at in a few posts after Pentecost).  That is just as holy and sacred a time as Christmas or Easter.  So may you this week think about places where it feels like you are in-between.  May you prayerfully ponder what God might be up to in that space...and by all means feel free to buy some Oreos to help!

May you sense more than a trace of God's grace in these days.  Blessings ~