I have been thinking about the sermon last Sunday. As I reflect on seeds and top soil, I wonder about the characteristics of the seeds. I think about the emerging of a butterfly from its chrysalis as I think about a seed dying and opening up to take in nutrients. When the time is right, the butterfly works hard to break through the chrysalis. It has to work hard as it is important to the strength of the wings to carry it into its next life as a butterfly. What are the things that a seed needs within itself?

For a seed to die and transform, it must have three external elements: water, oxygen, and light. But what are the internal characteristics of the seed that contributes to its transformation? Vitality or the ability to germinate is important and it is dependent on the stored food inside it, the size of the seed, and the health. All of this would be important strength and sustenance for the seed’s transformation into a plant. The second characteristic is the viability or the window of time within which it can germinate and grow. Different seeds have different viability. Finally seeds can go dormant due to internal conditions that inhibit germination.

Much like the hard work a butterfly’s wing must do before it can ever fly, what do the characteristics of seeds have for us to understand? It seems to be that feeding oneself internally is incredibly important. So, what feeds you internally…what brings health and vitality (see what I did there :) ? In what ways do you take care of yourself? It seems important to be sensitive to one’s interior movements as they may provide opportunities of transformation. I also think questioning those movements and leaving silent space for you to lean in to listening for God.

Much love and green thumbs!
--Dianne