I have always been a stargazer. One of my favorite things to do as a child was to lie on a blanket on the grass and wait for the stars and the moon to appear. From a child-like perspective the sun seemed to beat down on me but the moon smiled on me and so I smiled back. Some nights the moon seemed so very close even though I knew from science class that it was a quarter of a million miles away. I was fascinated by the lives of astronauts and had determined that if school children were ever to be included in space travel I would be the first on board. I never imagined for a moment that not only would we be able to circle the moon but that I would get to watch as a U.S. astronaut stepped out of the lunar module and put his foot on the surface of the moon.
On the morning of July 1969, forty years ago today astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins took their places aboard Apollo 11 at the Kennedy Space Center and at 9:32AM they had lift off. My sister Frances and I watched it on our television in Ayr Scotland. Fascinated as I was by the launch, it was the landing and subsequent walk on the moon I wanted to see. The trouble was that the moonwalk was to take place at almost 11PM Eastern U.S. time, which was 4AM Scottish time. My mom said that as we had school the next day we couldn’t possibly watch it, but it would be re-aired on television many times over. I was a very compliant child who didn’t give my mom much trouble at all, but this was simply unacceptable to me. “Mom, this moment will never come again in all human history and you want me to sleep through it!!!” So we made a deal. If I would go to bed very early that night she would wake me up for a ‘walking-on-the-moon’ picnic. I will never forget the wonder and exhilaration I felt as I listened to those now infamous words, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
When I went back to bed that night I left my bedroom curtain open and stared at the moon out of my window. I prayed for the men, that God would keep them safe, and return them to their families. “They are so far away Father. That’s how you seem sometimes, too – so far away.” As I closed my eyes that night I know that God was watching them as he was watching me as he was watching you. That is the great mystery of God; though at times he seems so far away he is as close as your next breath, only a prayer away.
posted July 20, 2009 at 2:40 pm
I’m praying and hoping that it includes me as well. Sometimes I don’t think anyone wants me around. My mind is bombed with thoughts and people die and I don’t know why…
posted July 20, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Sometimes I also wonder on why God is sometimes silent. I wonder why doesn’t God show me miraculous signs. But then a message spoken in truth touches my heart, and ever so tenderly I hear the soft, still, whisper of His small still voice. Why didn’t I listen? I cry out to Him and He says to me, Be still and wait on Me. I cry out to Him and He says, I have hope for you. I still cry out and He says, Cease to strive and trust in Me. My choice is whether I will obey and let Him carry me through a storm. A storm of emotions that are unending in understanding and a storm that I question who is behind the curtain looking down creating the storm. But then I hear the small, still, quiet voice calling me, beckoning me to Be still. Let Go. Wait on Me. And to cease striving. I may not understand, but I know God does. He is good. He is God. His tender love and mercies endure forever.
posted July 21, 2009 at 5:09 pm
I know God is only a breath away, but when you are in the midst of craziness it is sooooo difficult to remember to call on God. And, when the craziness is bitter it becomes difficult to hear God and know that he is right there holding us.
posted July 22, 2009 at 6:21 pm
I too feel as Walter does. Many times I wonder if God really hears.
posted July 23, 2009 at 7:22 am
We have a black light bulb that reminds me of the moon when I switch it on at night for my little ratties. Hopefully it gives them a sense of being outdoors.
Thank you for this message, I have to be reminded that God does answer my prayers, not every one at once, but he does things for me which he doesn’t have to do. Just his mere presence at times should be enough. But when it’s those silent times, and confusion is abounding, that’s when my faith is tested the most.
posted July 24, 2009 at 12:57 pm
One of the hardest things for me to do is sometimes I run to others before I run to God. When in need I am trying to re-learn to just be still with God, sometimes talking sometimes not, but knowing that God knows my heart in that moment. He will guide me if I just let Him.
posted October 22, 2009 at 1:45 am
I too share your admiration of the night sky. I work the night shift and occasionally go outside on my breaks to see the wonderous beauty. On one occasion it was cloudy and I couldn’t see anything so I then said a little prayer to our heavenly father asking to see the moon. Yo and behold ,I looked up and the clouds were seperating in every direction but only around the moon! Coincidence? I believe not for I choose to believe that he did that especially for me and I thanked him tearfully. Just recently I had another reminder thet he is always listening. I was again outside gazing up at the sky and I said God. its been a long time scince I’ve seen a shooting star and right then and their sprang a light with a tail across the night sky. Of course God has answered many prayers in my life but each answer is amazing just like him and just like all the beautiful gifts of the earth that he has bestowed on each of us .