New is Life

“If we stay where we are, where we're stuck, where we're comfortable and safe, we die there. We become like mushrooms, living in the dark, with poop up to our chins. If you want to know only what you already know, you're dying. You're saying: Leave me alone; I don't mind this little rathole. It's warm and dry. Really, it's fine.

When nothing new can get in, that's death. When oxygen can't find a way in, you die. But new is scary, and new can be disappointing, and confusing - we had this all figured out, and now we don't.

New is life.”

                                            Anne Lamott, Help Thanks Wow: The Three Essential Prayers

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Wallowing in the shit

Of greed and fear

Hate and anger

Slowly sinking into the morass of lies

Pulled violently down by our own essential selfishness

It is surely the way to die

Physically

Emotionally

Spiritually

God is constantly calling us to newness

To new understanding

New love

New openness

But we would rather wallow

“It’s safe” we say

“its more profitable” we insist

“It is how you win” we declare

So God’s new thing spins away on the wind

And we stand

Stuck

Ankle deep

Knee deep

Neck deep in our own mess

And wonder what went wrong

It is not that we are doomed to be here

We have a choice

We can vote in evil

We can give greed “a chance”

Or

Or

Or

We can connect with the God who is love

And we can go where the Spirit blows

And we can feed the hungry

Heal the sick

Comfort those who mourn

Its our choice

New is possible

New is life