Reflections from the Home Team - May 2, 2020

“Our future is always uncertain… and as we find ourselves facing major life transitions in this pandemic environment, and sometimes feeling lost, stuck, confused or aimless, remember - these are all signs of an invitation for growth. This is a time between the ‘what was’ and the ‘next‘, a time of transition, a season of waiting, and not knowing.” Richard Rohr

Greetings from Cedar Falls!

One of the things that has upset me about this global pandemic is the uncertainty it has brought into our lives. I have been having some issues recently due to ongoing side effects I have been experiencing since treatments and I have a sense that my life on this earth has at times been an “endurance” contest. I look at it that way because then I’m not shocked or disappointed by the number of trials encountered along the way. I guess I may be focused more on that now given our current situation. Ultimately life is very short. None of us knows when it is time for us to go. Our time on this earth is shortened every moment, whether we like it or not, and once a moment is gone, it is gone forever.

I recently read a piece from author/theologian Fr. Richard Rohr which has really helped me through this difficult time.  He has been a morning quiet time “main stay” for me over the years.  His focus was on one of his editor/authors who received a cancer diagnosis two years ago which required a difficult surgery. Like many individuals who face serious health challenges, she allowed the painful and challenging experience to transform and guide her to greater wisdom. Obviously, I related to that as a cancer survivor, but I also connected it to the current situation we are all facing with the virus pandemic.

In the piece, Sheryl Fullerton, a cancer victim, talks about “Liminal Space”. The word liminal comes from the Latin word ‘limen’, meaning threshold – any point or place of entering or beginning. A liminal space is the time between the ‘what was’ and the ‘next.’ It is a place of transition, a season of waiting, and not knowing. Sounds an awful lot like what we are all going through right now!

Fr. Rohr describes “Liminal Space” this way:

“This is the sacred space where the old world is able to fall apart, and a bigger world is revealed. If we don’t encounter liminal space in our lives, we start idealizing normalcy. The threshold is God’s waiting room.”

These thresholds of waiting and not knowing our ‘next’ are everywhere in life, especially these days, and they are inevitable. Each usher in a new chapter of life and holds varying degrees of disruption. Whatever the change, it’s a seismic shift for us as our future seems uncertain.

Change never exists in a box…No matter how hard we might try to contain it, change in one area of life spills into others. There is a ripple effect. Community, careers, spirituality, vocation, relationships, our physical well-being, friendships and emotions do not exist mutually exclusive from one another—they all intersect with each other. For me, that has been pretty obvious over the past couple months. When we become aware of our liminality, many of us, if we’re honest, don’t know who to become or how to navigate the transition. We often miss the real potential of ‘in-between’ places – we either stand paralyzed or we flee the “terrible cloud of unknown.”

When thinking about this, I couldn’t help but recall a book I read a year or so ago that put this in perspective for me.  In fact, I pulled it off my shelf and began reading it again. The book is titled The Closer: My Story by Mariano Rivera, probably the greatest relief pitcher of all time who shares his extraordinary story of survival, love, and of course, baseball. The man who intimidated thousands of batters merely by opening a bullpen door, began his incredible journey as the son of a poor Panamanian fisherman. When first scouted by the Yankees, he didn't even own his own glove. He thought he might make a good mechanic. When discovered, he had never flown in an airplane, had never heard of Babe Ruth, spoke no English, and couldn't imagine Tampa, the city where he was headed to begin a career that would become one of baseball's most iconic pitchers.

What he did know was that he loved his family and his girlfriend, Clara, that he could trust in the Lord to guide him, and that he could throw a baseball exactly where he wanted to, every time. With astonishing candor, Rivera tells the story of the championships, and the struggles of being a Latino baseball player in the United States while maintaining Christian values in professional athletics.

Mariano represents to me the concept of how to make the most of liminal space. He is a classic example of walking through “what was” and into “what is to become”. His story shares how he encountered a number of challenges/pain along the way, going from a poverty stricken, dirt poor son of a Panamanian fisherman who actually caught the eye of a Yankee scout while throwing rocks on the beach to the best reliever baseball has ever known… Quite the “transformation”!

The only player to be elected unanimously to the National Baseball Hall of Fame had a rough first nine months in Yankee pinstripes, a stretch that lasted between May 1995 and spring training the following year, when he was shelled in his major league debut, demoted to the minors and was almost shipped to Seattle as part of a trade package during the beginning of the Joe Torre era.

The Panamanian-born right hander says that those early setbacks, in particular being sent down to Triple-A with Derek Jeter on the same day early in their careers, were “pivotal” moments that helped shape his character and Hall of Fame resume. He obviously used his “liminal space” wisely!  He shattered bats, struck out 1,173 batters during the regular season, and gained respect throughout baseball due to both his dominance and humble nature. Rivera has spent his post-baseball life building a church in New Rochelle, near where he lives, and continues to expand his ministry, charitable efforts and foundation work.

As Fr. Rohr points out, our future is always uncertain… and as we find ourselves facing major life transitions in this pandemic environment, and sometimes feeling lost, stuck, confused or aimless, remember - these are all signs of an invitation for growth. This is a time between the ‘what was’ and the ‘next ‘, a time of transition, a season of waiting, and not knowing. Just as Mariano used his “liminal space” to improve his game and life skills, we can successfully transition during this time if we learn how to wait and listen while working on bettering ourselves and developing a clear path forward.

The good news is that you don’t have to go through transition alone! This doesn’t have to be something you endure and survive. I think the following  verse from James 1:12 says it best... “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.”

I can relate to that thought as I reflect on some of the trials I have faced along the way in my life. Even in the midst of some of my hardest times, the joy of God’s presence has always been available to me. The “crown of life“ seems similar to the wreath that was awarded for athletic victory in biblical times, and yes, even the first unanimous selection to the Baseball Hall of Fame for Mariano. Those athletes were competing for a perishable crown of greenery, and in James 1:12, God has promised to give His reward of the “crown of life” that will never fade away to all who love Him, despite what trials we may face in this life.

I am trying my best not to obsess about these problems and continue to  bring them to God in prayer. I know God is near me, and instead of wasting time worrying, I am devoting my time trusting Him to supply what I need, when I need it to get through this. I am praying that He will equip me to handle whatever comes my way. He is the God who provides, and I plan to rest there, each day, right smack in the middle of all His abundance.

Wishing you a wonderful, safe and joy filled day in the middle of all the craziness going on around us. Remember, Jesus dwells within us and transforms us into new beings, which guides us and empowers us to live a good and beautiful life.

Dave

Are you or someone you know fighting cancer... struggling with the physical, emotional and spiritual issues that accompany a cancer journey or other serious health issue? Making ourselves available to others can open up the doors of opportunity for deeper relationships, healing, and transformation. For many, time is one of the most valuable commodities in today's fast-paced world. Sharing time with others is a wonderful gift. It says, "Here I am... for you. To listen, to care, to serve." The power of presence should never be underestimated!  

Be an encourager in someone else’s life!

To learn more about being an encourager, and to view the Reflections blog, visit the Reflections from the Home Team website at:

www.reflectionsfromthehometeam.com/