The Bursting

Although they were packaged in a red felt bag, ornamented tastefully with a Christmas motif, they were unimpressive looking brown dry orbs, nested loosely in the planting medium. I knew their type, though, so a couple of weeks after I planted the bulbs, and had fed them a few drops of water, I was not surprised to see the vigor that shattered the restraints. Not content to languish darkly, refusing to settle for an underground existence, the tiny shoots pushed and thrust for light…for the pledge of their mission. They were made to grow, to bloom, to flourish. Within each germ was a dynamic charge, a trust…and to such purpose were the Paperwhites true.

When a plane is launched from an aircraft carrier it is done in this way:

When the plane is ready to go, the catapult officer opens valves to fill the catapult cylinders with high-pressure steam from the ship’s reactors. This steam provides the necessary force to propel the pistons at high speed, slinging the plane forward to generate the necessary lift for takeoff. Initially, the pistons are locked into place, so the cylinders simply build up pressure. The catapult officer carefully monitors the pressure level so it’s just right for the particular plane and deck conditions. If the pressure is too low, the plane won’t get moving fast enough to take off, and the catapult will throw it into the ocean. If there’s too much pressure, the sudden jerk could break the nose gear right off.

When the cylinders are charged to the appropriate pressure level, the pilot blasts the plane’s engines. The holdback keeps the plane on the shuttle while the engines generate considerable thrust. The catapult officer releases the pistons, the force causes the holdbacks to release, and the steam pressure slams the shuttle and plane forward. At the end of the catapult, the tow bar pops out of the shuttle, releasing the plane. This totally steam-driven system can rocket a 45,000-pound plane from 0 to 165 miles per hour (a 20,000-kg plane from 0 to 266 kph) in two seconds!

From Catapulting an Aircraft

Photo courtesy U.S Department of Defense
An F/A-18 Hornet launching from the USS George Washington

Within the human mind brood ideas. Within the soul hovers mission. Both have preparation processes and sets, but at once comes the stage, the moment for emergence, for fulfillment. Let not such day pass unrecognized.

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My devotional blog is here.