From Death Into Life

One of the songs we sing at my church has the lyrics "from death into life." The meaning for us in the church is two fold one we believed Christ arose from the dead on Easter and the second meaning is our belief in life after death where we will be reunited with our loved ones in Heaven after we die here on earth.

There are parallels in our own life however. Two news stories caught my eye this morning. The first one dealt with the forming of a new government in Northern Ireland. Two men, Ian Paisley and Roger McGuinness are heading the new government. Both men have blood on their hands. Both in the past have incited their followers to death and destruction. Now they are both trying to give peace a chance. In a country that has been torn by strife and hatred and bloodshed the fact that two mortal enemies can now sit down and try to give peace a chance is very heartening.

The other story I have been following is the massive explosion in space of a star. Stars at the end of their life if they are large enough will end up going nova or supernova and will expand and eventually explode throwing off their gases in a spectacular manner. The thing about the death of stars is that the matter they throw off will become the building blocks of new stars and planets. Out of death will come new life.

We are now in spring and out of the death of winter is coming new growth. The earth is renewing itself and blooming with beauty. The death we see in winter is not the end but a period of rest that is needed before spring can come and renew the earth. From death into life.

I am at a renewal period in my own life at the moment. Last night I finished combining the short stories into a novel form. I have two people already who are willing to be beta readers for me to see if I have been successful in my endeavors One friend I was especially hoping to get because she will not hesitate to give me the criticism I need to get this into publishable form. She has edited literary magazines before. It will be nerve wracking for me waiting for the results but together with my friends I will be able to hopefully come up with something that has a good chance of being published. I am taking my dreams to the next step and it is scary.

The picture is called Birth of a Galaxy. Out of the stellar explosions of old stars new stars are forming. From death into life.

The real counter is 5101.