This Ethiopian Opal geode is beautiful!!! I was curious and went to Wikipedia for some information and was surprised to find out that an Opal is NOT a mineral, but rather a mineralite. The difference being that a mineralite does not have a crystalline structure. Even more surprising was that 97% come from Australia!!! So, I guess this makes this beauty quite rare!!! Whatever it is, it is a rock within a rock and that in itself is unusual. In a way its like us, in that we have consciousness within our bodies and a spirit. We not not just lumps of flesh, we are something MORE. Paul puts it this way...
1 Thessalonians, Chapter 5
23 May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
To me, this is interesting, as I can perceive only the difference between matter and spirit and I guess that why in other places, humans are referred to as body and soul. Now, we are matter and we do have life (soul), but that life is really two parts, the consciousness and that part which makes us God's, the Spirit. So, from man's perspective we are two parts and from God's, three. Body, soul and Spirit. The best part is that which we can not see; what is on the inside, something like the geode. Someday we all will understand this all more fully, but for now, just knowing there is a difference is enough. I wonder, does the spiritual side of man who is heavenward bound refract light like the opal in the picture? Could it be that those destined for hell that they don't shine? I am just guessing here, but those who will dwell in heaven may in fact shine like the angels we read about in the Scriptures. Gary, the geode; who would have thought it possible???????????