The morning, that is!
As I stepped outside to say goodbye to Jim in early morning dark, I noticed the moon, directly overhead. Sometimes Jim forgets to look up, so I pointed him toward the moon. It was only then that I noticed the half-ring of stars east of the moon.
As soon as my guy was on his way, I ran back for the camera and tried to document what I was seeing. Taking photos of the night sky is always a challenge. I have to have a very steady hand, or else use the tripod. Otherwise, my own breathing or heartbeat is enough to blur the picture.
If I don’t have time to get (find) the tripod, I can steady myself against something stationary: A porch post, the top of my car, or even a tree or utility post. I have used all of those and more.
In this case, Tony helped me by serving breakfast to the kittens so that they wouldn’t try to climb my legs while I was taking pictures. (I love that guy!)
I took one picture to map the sky, and I was amazed at the beauty.
I wanted a picture of the moon, as I do any time I see it, but I had a hunch that one of those stars around the moon was really a planet. I zoomed in as far as I could and looked for the tell-tale moons, and sure enough, I found Jupiter was the one closest to the horizon.
I didn’t get all of the moons, but it is unmistakable what planet this is.
Next I got a pretty clear picture of the moon, but he was shy, and hid his face.
I noticed that some wispy clouds were floating through, so I turned my attention back to the constellation. The moon moves pretty fast across the sky, so I knew that the conjunction wouldn’t last very long. And to complicate things, the sun was making his impending presence known on the very edge of the horizon, so the sky was beginning to lighten.
Why do we care about the sun, the moon or the stars? God made it along with the rest of this world and said it was good. It belongs to Him. And while I would rather name our stars after something other than Greek gods, I realize that even God uses those names in the book of Job, written about six thousand years ago. He refers to the Pleiades, (or the Seven Sisters), and He also talks about Orion. (Job 38:31)
Isn’t that something that the One Almighty God, who made everything, allows His creature, who was also made by Him, to name them? That just blows my mind. But God gave Adam the job of naming the creatures He made. And God honored man by letting those names stand, even if they weren’t the best, or even the most honoring to Him. That reveals a lot about God.
“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein.” (Psalm 24:1) Many scriptures clearly show God communicates to us through the natural world, and especially the sky.
God uses the physical things of this world as a way to reveal Himself to men. “The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)
Doesn’t it seem natural that we would look up at the things that God has made in heaven, and say “thank you?” And after I give thanks, while I am enjoying the mystery and wonder of it all, I feel sure that it’s only right to let myself be overwhelmed with love for our God, who is so much more beautiful than the things that He has made! (Don’t you long for the day when you can see Him?)
Have a beautiful week, my friends! How I long to be out there in the woods, kicking up leaves and smelling that woodsy fragrance! If you get a chance, do it for me, OK?
Beau and I are finishing up the last three or four illustrations for the Pirate’s Bride (there will be more than twenty). Tony hopes to record it this week, and we pray that it will be a blessing to you when it reaches you! Please continue to pray, for this is one of the biggest challenges we have done so far, and we are learning as we go.
God bless you!
The Fullers Four 