Come alive

“The pattern in creation is one of transformation: out of death comes life…A dry brown seed is pressed into a dark space of soil and there it gestates into a new green shoot.”

– Joyce Rupp, The Cosmic Dance

Spring causes me to consider again the gift of new life, and especially fresh life coming from what has seemed dead or undesirable. On this first Wednesday of May I’d like to mention a few ways that good comes from what is apparently not-so-good, considering an example in each of the realms of physical, emotional/mental, and spiritual.

- in the physical realm -

* using what seems ‘dead’ (as in unwanted) to fuel life – in a case of microbes gone good, Bruce Logan, an environmental engineer at Penn State U, and lab researchers who study bioenergy technologies related to water treatment, are working on developing microbial fuel cells (MFC) that can generate electricity while accomplishing wastewater treatment; read more.

[** for a little bonus, see below]

- in the emotional/mental realm –

* embracing what is at first glance undesirable (our vulnerabilities) as bringing positive to life – these words “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brene Brown remind me to not shame myself for my limitations:

“Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy – the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light… our vulnerabilities are what force us to call upon…courage, compassion, and connection…the gifts of imperfection.”

- in the spiritual realm -

* watching anew the blah dormancy of winter morph into lush new life as spring unfolds - I remind myself that everyday living is similarly cyclical, and that God is about making things new.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. II Corinthians 5:17

"Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19

This May as you enjoy the vivid green of grass and budding leaves and watch the magical opening of splendidly colored blossoms, may you also accept invitations to step into new ways of being, to entertain new thoughts, and to explore new love. May you (and may I) come alive in fresh ways.

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman

Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal. – Jesus, John 12:24 (The Message paraphrase)

[**Some other research on new forms of power, that don’t exactly fit my theme of this message, but that certainly are noteworthy…

*on powering almost anything, anywhere - a group of scientists has demonstrated a new way to use sunlight, water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2)--some of the cheapest and most commonplace stuff on Earth--to make unlimited amounts of fuel to power almost anything, anywhere

*on harnessing physical motion for conversion to electrical energy - nanotechnology researchers are developing the perfect complement to the power tie: a "power shirt" able to generate electricity to power small electronic devices for soldiers in the field, hikers, and others whose physical motion could be harnessed and converted to electrical energy]