Once in a Blue Moon

 Once in a Blue Moon

When the moon is closest to the earth in orbit, it is called a perigee, and the moon therefore appears thirty percent larger than usual. The Christian calendar depends on the phases of the moon to determine Easter or the Paschal Moon, as well as the Lenten moon.

In our unique South African context, load shedding coincided with the most wonderful view of our moon on the evening of the 31st of August. Our section of the city had a blackout and thus the moon became the best entertainment on a winter’s night. We went outside and gazed up. Apparently, Saturn was also very close to the moon, although you needed a telescope to see it. A clever astronomer who had the camera lenses and telescopic attachments, managed to snap a photo of the event.

Why is it blue?

The apparent blue tinge of the moon could be atmospheric effects of water vapour but could also reflect some of the terrace elements of titanium oxide and iron on the moon itself, being made up of similar metals as the first 4 planets from the sun.

Apollo 11 Photo

I have reconstructed an artistic version of the planet Saturn aligned with the Blue Moon this week. The moon photo I have used was taken by the Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins. While Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong were bouncing on the lower gravity of the moon and planting the American flag, with “one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind,” commander Collins remained on the service module Columbia in lunar orbit, ensuring the team had a way to return to earth!

Those who serve in Secret will be rewarded

When we are involved in ministry, there are moments that capture everyone’s attention and seem more exciting. Yet, in my experience, it is the secret diligence of the one’s who volunteer to keep the fort that elicits beautiful memories and captures the awe of the moment. We can’t all be the ones who do the miracles, reach the crescendos of a beautiful hymn, go to the far reaches of the earth. But we can orbit in prayer and take snapshots of God’s vision of His creation to share with generations to come.

Prayer and journaling are a valuable resource in the kingdom of God. Keeping track of what God is doing in the earth is indeed a privilege and a joy!

Pleasant surprise

This year the Lord spoke to my heart not to book too many travels as I have done the year before. Last year was amazing and exciting. This year I felt as if I had been grounded in a way! When my daughter told us she could visit in May, we had not expected it. We had prayed for three years to see her again after her time with her Christian dance company, Ballet Magnificat. Once, I had wept about it during a sermon on Sunday, much to my own embarrassment, but the congregation had graciously comforted me. Then it happened, and Cherie had to stay on for three months because of her visa application!

When God tells us to do something, we seldom understand the implications. We try to figure it out with our minds and reason away all the scenarios.

Being still before the Lord, finding Godliness with contentment is, indeed, great gain!

Once in a blue moon, God may surprise you and reward you for all the sacrifices and secret services you have performed for Him and for others. You will be surprised by how beautiful the moment becomes, if you’d only take a moment and look up beyond the earthbound rituals, we call our lives.