While Deidre is taking some personal time away this week, I thought I would throw in a post of my own. It really doesn’t have much to do with eating right, or clean, or Keto, or kale chips – I do have to tease her sometimes about all that.
I want to talk about one of my favorite subjects – the universe – and I do think about it a lot.
What has that got to do with me, you ask? Well, plenty actually.
First off, do you even realize where we are in the universe? How big, or small, we are compared to other planets? Do we always turn in the same direction? Why do we have different seasons? Are there more babies born on a full moon? (Yes, there are!)
Because of some of these things, I have often wondered:
How are flight patterns made?
How did we first figure out time zones?
Why did we make the Farmer’s Almanac?
How bad does it have to get to say, “Houston, we have a problem!”
These are just a few, there are thousands more. I’m not trying to be silly; I really do ask myself these questions.
I guess this would be a good time to admit, as long as I can remember, my childhood desire was to be a starship captain – just like Janeway – although I’m a little pudgier. You can’t imagine my disappointment the moment I found out none of it was real – no starship, no Janeway, no five-year expedition tour out in the galaxy. I was heartbroken. I even wrote about it in my children’s book, If the Stars Were Mine.
One thing I don’t question is my belief that God, or a superior being – if you will, made the universe and everything in it – including us. As differently colorful, questioning, amazing, unique, fun-loving, aggravating, and just-plain-weird we all are – I believe there is a bigger plan for everybody and the universe proves it.
To put all this information into context, several years ago, I happen to hear Louis Giglio speak on the universe and I was completely blown away. I was amazed at the information he shared. I found his YouTube video and thought I would include it here so I can share it with all of you.
Now let’s talk about one of my favorite spacecrafts. Since its launch on April 24,1990, Hubble Space Telescope has been sending images back to us to witness our incredible world-within-worlds we live in. After all, you could be on the highest peak in the world, Mt. Everest, standing proud at 29,032 feet above sea level, and never get a hint of what Hubble can beam back.
We can now see stars and formations such as:
Pillars of Creation, inside the Eagle Nebula
Helix Nebula, otherwise known as the Eye of God
Arp 142 – which looks like a floating angel to me
The Cigar Galaxy
The Cat’s Eye Nebula
The Sombrero Nebula
The Orion Nebula – known as the stellular nursery. It’s where stars are made.
I, personally, believe we were formed and placed within a solar system that deliberately fits perfectly together. And, on top of that, a creator Who knows each of our names, as well as names every one of the stars He creates!
My long-term wish is that I will be able to fly around the universe He keeps building upon. I am going to stand fast on this. Perhaps it is to make up for any disappointment about the whole starship thing. I know they meant well.
Who wants to be my wingman? (Get it?)
What do you suppose we will see when we leave this earth behind? I think the most fun is ahead of us and what we have here is nothing in comparison to what it will be.
When I lose someone I love, I always think of a poem I heard long ago. It brings me such comfort. It’s by Henry Van Dyke and to paraphrase:
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then, someone at my side says, “There, she is gone.”
And, just at the moment when someone says, “There, she is gone,” there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, “Here she comes!”
Our post this week is dedicated to Deidre’s lifelong friend and neighbor, Reuben Earl Hart, from New Bern, North Carolina.
Fly high, Reuben!
Sheree
A Memorial to Reuben – Unshed Tears
Tears are streaming from my eyes
unbidden
From whence are they coming?
They will not stop
My dear one departed years ago
This kind of grief is past …
Or is it?
Why is my grief so raw?
How is it the faucet won’t turn off?
It seems there are unshed tears for
grief itself
Sprung to life with the passing of
a sweet neighbor
Sprung to life with the kind of
knowing
Only ones who have walked this path
know
I know what kind of a journey
She who is left behind is
starting
Tears for her pain
Tears for the fist pounding pain of loss
Tears for her birthing process in becoming
One who has lost
Everything will be rebuilt
That which we didn’t want rebuilt
New perspectives
we did not want
No
But we are thrust forward
So, these unbidden tears are for
both of us
Tears I had saved, unknowingly
That will buoy us all up in the river
of life
We float along toward the sunny spots
That await and will bless
But
For now
Just know
These tears
Are our Baptismal waters
You are strong and you can float
And you are not alone …
Deidre Edwards for Carole Hart
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