What did you go out to see?

The alarm went off at 3:30. That's 0330. That's before 4 in the morning. That's early. And I didn't have work, or an appointment or anyone I had to meet. I had to go 20 kilometres away and be there by 4:15 am. I wanted to see the moon. Tonight it was full. And then the longest lunar eclipse of the century took place. I didn't see it all as the clouds barricaded the moon away from me for a time. 

Then it happened, the white moon turned blood red. They call this phenomenon the "blood moon." The moon was at its apogee (the farthest point in its orbit around Earth), so the moon actually appeared smaller in size. Unlike the Super Blue Blood Moon, where it appeared much bigger in size. 

Even so, the moon was extremely present, and dominant to the cloud-filled sky. At just the right time, the clouds rolled back and the white eclipsed moon, turned red. It was quite a sight to see. 

I had my camera and many lenses. I was ready. But really I wanted to enjoy the moment and see the sight. It was a cold winter's night tonight, and my Sydney Swans beanie kept my head warm, but my hands were starting to chill too much. After I had seen what I went out to see, I went back into the car, thanked God (not my lucky stars) and drove home. 

What did I go out to see? The moon, and the ways of nature as it climbed into the sky and filled me and no doubt, hundreds of planetaria and tens of thousands of astronomers, with pleasure.

Earlier tonight I got home (a bit late from dinner out and working a bit later at the office) and watched the aforementioned Swans in their match against the Essendon Bombers in Melbourne. I recorded the game, so could fast forward through the stoppages and the major breaks. What did I want to see? After my side had lost 3 of their last 4 games, I was hoping for a victory. But that didn't happen. I saw the team go down to a 40 point loss and our Top 8 hopes are being dashed weekly. I wanted to see victory, but instead saw disappointment and defeat.

Back at the turn of the Christian era, about 2000 years ago, Yeshua from Nazareth was discussing his relative John, and posed these three questions, "When the messengers of John had left, Yeshua began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft ²clothing? Those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces! But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet." (Luke 7.24-26)

It's a good thing to consider. Why do we go where we go? What did we hope to see?  Those who checked the New York Stock Exchange yesterday morning perhaps were shocked to see Facebook had lost over $100 billion in value. In a day. They might have gone out to see victory and financial independence, but instead were met with despair and loss.  

When you retire for the night tonight, or wake up fresh in the morning, ask yourself, what do I want to see today? In what direction can I face, and what actions should I take to make those things happen? 

I really like the Serenity Prayer of the 12-step folks. "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference." Change what you can. Make a difference. Do the right things. Change the things you can. 

And yet, there are an equal number of enthusiastic folks in your world who can change things that you cannot. There are circumstances you cannot control. There are processes in place that you didn't create. Accept the things you cannot change. 

What did you go out to see today?
What will you do with your tomorrow?

Super stuff

This week, the moon showed up fully for the second time in a month. That gives it the title of "Blue moon," a term which means just that, a full moon appearing twice in any calendar month. And somehow this particular full moon was also labeled "Super." That term has to do with distance from the earth to the moon. During a 'supermoon' the moon is at perigee, that is, the closest spot to the earth in its elliptical orbit. OK, so we had a Super Blue Moon. I love double dipping. And it was pretty amazing to view.
Here's an example of what it looked like. The half moon on the left is the normal size; on the right is how it actually appeared last week.
The only ones who saw the moon of course, were those who looked up.

Tomorrow is 4 February and if you have a television and live in almost any of the 200 countries in the world you will know that there is a game of football being played in the north of the US, in Minnesota, between the New England (think Boston) Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles. A regional affair, but nationally and now internationally considered, watched, gambled on, and cared about. Over 100 million in the US will watch, at least the first half, and then the Super Halftime show with Justin Timberlake. Many watch only for the commercials! I will be in Berlin, Germany and the game will begin at about 1:30 on Monday morning, so I'm hoping that I will find a friendly pub open and with a comfy chair to watch the 4-hour contest. Isn't the game only 60 actual playing minutes? Yes, but they have to leave time for the super commercials which cost an arm, leg, and corporate equity for each 30-second spot. If you want the real cost in US dollars, it's 7.7 million. Yes, for 30 seconds. Yup. Super. Just to watch. You have to watch!

'Super' by definition means 'above' as in 'superlative' or 'superior' or even 'supernatural.' Great, marvelous, fantastic, tremendous, excellent, splendid, terrific, superb, brilliant, ace and cracking are synonyms. I consider the word overused, as most people are looking for alternates to 'awesome' or 'absolutely' in normal conversation. What most people mean by 'super' is actually 'ok.' I am in Israel as I write this and the colloquial here is "B'seder" meaning "everything is in order" but really it's simply "ok." Some say "nachon" which again means "all good." Or really simply "ok." I've actually been hearing more "OK" here this week than ever before. Maybe the Yank "OK" is winning over the Hebrew. 

Seriously, "OK" is normal. And I'm ok with normal.

This week I was on a bus sitting next to a woman named Lior. Her name carries the word "Light" in it. We spoke about the full moon, the supermoon, etc. I told her during the conversation that most of life is boring. That most of our world is mundane and ordinary. She took issue with that. She is young and enthused and was heading to a yoga class. No, she retorted, life is great. Look at the moon! And sunrise! I noted that the sunrise lasts only a few minutes. And to be fair, I love sunrise, but you cannot grow crops in sunrise. Most of the day is the long, slow, painful reality of sun blazing on us. Then again we have the inspiration brought us by sunset, but it's also ephemeral. She finally agreed; we just had to find what each term really meant. 

I agree; there are super moments in our lives. But not very often. Sunrise lasts only a very small percentage of the 24-hours we call a day. But there are sunrises. Those are wonderful and could be given the term 'super.' 

When people say 'every day is a miracle' I argue with them. But when they say that 'supernatural' things happen, I'm totally with them. Yes, and that's why the ministry of Yeshua was so noticeable. He went about healing and doing good. He performed miracles like feeding 5,000 folks from a little boy's lunch. He walked on water in the Galilee. He raised Lazarus from the dead. These were not ordinary; they were EXTRAordinary. They were not natural; they were SUPERnatural.  When the Romans killed and buried him, they thought the natural would carry on. Surprise of surprises! On the 3rd day he rose from the dead and was seen by 500 Jewish people afterwards. That's SUPERNATURAL.

I enjoyed the supermoon.

I hope to enjoy the Super Bowl.

I really love the God of the Universe who does wonders and brings his Supernatural life to us, each of us who look up.