As a 5th grader, I got to bring the most astounding Show and Tell to class! It was around 1976; my dad worked his way up from a clerk to supporting the government’s space program. My creative Dad got copies of those Mars photos from the Viking mission, and I was so proud of the coolest Show and Tell of my life! In the 1970s, America was fascinated with space. It permeated culture as reflected in some of my favorite TV shows, like “Star Trek” and “Lost in Space.” (I even named my dog Penny after one of the characters. I’d been guilty of doing the Vulcan “Live long and prosper” salute and applying the Vulcan nerve pinch, though that almost always ended in a test of my running skills. We had Trekkies in school, with Spock and Jim haircuts, donning colored shirts, talking into little notebooks as communicators. Through practical ways, my dad made sure we had a solid foot in the real world, so I never got that involved, but I appreciated our resident Trekkies from afar.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him
Psalm 103:11
Beautiful Object Lessons
Since the first man and woman walked the earth, humans have studied the night sky with awe and fascination. Over centuries, humankind has passed down heaves of knowledge, noting the patterns of planets, stars, comets, and meteors in the night sky. Perhaps it’s the joy in the beauty of the well-designed intricacy of the heavens that the mere sight peaks our fascination and desire to discover more. It also inspires the truth deep within us all that more exists beyond what our eyes can see. The sky is a nightly reminder that there’s a universe of possibilities unknown to us but well known to the master designer. As we are still trying to conquer our galaxy, there is so much more we don’t know. Maybe we can take it as a message, an object lesson, and a daily reminder to believe that there is so much more than the limitations of our sight or understanding.
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above[a] proclaims his handiwork.
Psalm 19:1
Quadrantid Meteor Shower
I got to my parents’ house on the 11th of December to help with my mom’s COVID diagnosis, not expecting to stay long. It’s January 3rd, and because of my COVID diagnosis, I’m still quarantined here. I only had yoga pants, fur-lined boots, and a few shirts. At 5 am this morning, I quietly scrounged around the house, bundled up in my dad’s wool-lined blue jean jacket, mom’s old sweatshirt, and one glove, and ventured out to catch the Quadrantid Meteor Shower. It was supposed to peak at 6:30 am, and I was there early. Despite the light pollution, I experienced the jubilation and honor of catching a few, and the excitement was as fresh as it was in my childhood. This year, I had to do it; it was in a strange way to honor my dad for the love of space he instilled in us all. Thanks, Pop, for that appreciation. I hope I can enjoy the rest of my years.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
Romans 12:15
Trust and Rest
I don’t have all of the answers; none of us do. When I’m trying to figure things out, I realize I can’t describe an infinite God or his will with my finite mind. I can go to his infinite word, pray it, and get revelation, but my mind isn’t as great as the one who created the millions of stars, the endless universe, and all that we have yet to discover. When I stress over what’s to come, I must tell myself to take a break from trying to figure everything out. I need to trust, to live, love, and have joy, to weep with those who weep and laugh with those who laugh and make a difference with what I and who I’ve been given, and have faith to leave the rest to him.
…yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
James 4:14
Just Know
He loves us with an everlasting love. He has died for a relationship with us. My dad had a generous soul; he would do anything for family, neighbors, or friends. I prayed that he wouldn’t pass until he could take Jesus’ hand and cross into heaven. Though he couldn’t speak, I called him almost every day during his 2-week hospital stay (except two days when I was too weak and sick from COVID-19) (see my post, “The Blessings Within the Tragedy“) and his ability to respond was nearly gone. I spoke forgiveness; I thanked him for what he did for me and everyone for the strength I got from him in many ways. Every time I spoke with him, I asked him to take Jesus’s hand and cross over so we could see him again. In the end, I had that blessed assurance of knowing he did. I saw the peace come over him right over Zoom as he stepped from this earth to heaven. So, as I look at the shooting meteors today, they remind me of how fast our life goes by. Like that of a shooting star or a meteor, let us, oh God, make a difference with the moment of life and light of our time on the earth.
the Lord appeared to him[a] from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Jeremiah 31:3
therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
Poetry
