Saturday, November 12, 2016

Swinging On A Star




“Would you like to swing on a star?
Carry moonbeams home in a jar …”

“Swinging on a Star,” by Jimmy Van Heusen & Johnny Burke was introduced by Bing Crosby the year I was born.  World War II was winding down and people were looking for lighter music and hope. That song was propelled to the top of the charts for much of 1944.

Maybe that’s why I’ve always loved to observe the stars and other celestial bodies.  As a child I was fascinated by the constellations and the Greek and Roman mythological figures that identified each one.

As I grew older, I was amazed by how the stars spoke of God’s hand in creation.
Psalm 8:1&3

“O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
    The moon and the stars, which You have ordained …”

My late bloomer husband, Charles enjoys going outside on a clear night to marvel at the expanse of the heavens and feel the presence of God. He often wishes we lived away from the city lights so he could have a clear and unobstructed view.

November 2016 will be filled with celestial events, with the most enjoyable being the supermoon that will appear on November 14. As the moon’s orbit brings it into close proximity to the earth, it will appear 14% larger and 30% brighter than a regular moon. The supermoon will be the largest it’s been since 1948–68 years ago–and will not make another close up visit until 2034. With clear skies promised here in Georgia, Monday should be a good night for moon watching.

As the moon fades and once again becomes a crescent in the sky, it will appear in close proximity to Jupiter on November 25. That sighting will probably require a telescope.

When you tire of watching the skies, you can tune into the National Geographic six-part fictional television mini-series about an astronaut crew on a mission to Mars, the red planet.  Or maybe watch the Comedian John Stewart pack for his outer space trip.  He told People magazine in August of this year that if Donald Trump is elected President, “I would consider getting in a rocket and going to another planet because clearly this planet’s gone bonkers.” Maybe he’d like to join singer, Cher, who has declared her intention to go to Jupiter.

When I look up into the heavens, I know without a doubt that God has it all under his control. I hope you will join me in resting in that assurance.


1 comment:

  1. OK YES to all above! Gazing into God's wonderful handywork, the sky, we are really amazed and blessed. We lived in the Puinave Tribe in the deep jungles of Colombia when man went to the moon and returned. Sitting on logs in the village with the Puinave until late at night we would talk about men on the moon. It seemed quite alright to them. When we asked them questions about their understanding of it all, they assured us that there were chords on this end attached to the men on the moon... no problem, just pull them back to safety. Besides the moon wasn't that far away. ... Our focus on God's greatness also comes from Scripture. Praise God that today, the Puinave people have the Bible and are learning enough to put their trust in this God of Wonders. Thank you Frieda. Love from Carleen and Ken

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