January 21 – “Super Blood Wolf Eclipse”

Yet another fine day at Seaside has come and gone.  We had guests from as far away as Missouri and even Canada.  The folks from Canada are here because they want to do the “Texas thing.”  Seems they are from Alberta, the province of Canada that has a similar sort of “people are strange, rebel-types” reputation as Texas.  So they want to see first-hand what the Texas aura is really like.  They plan to head out to the Alamo today, so somebody gave them good information about the proper Texas pilgrimage.  I explained that as “unusual” as Texas is, they are staying on an Island off the coast of Texas.  Unusual times two or three.  They seem to be really enjoying themselves in spite of the cold weather, which, of course is not cold at all as far as they are concerned.  Oh, and they requested a copy of the visual verse so they could mystify and amaze their pastor when they got back home.  I like these people.

Last night we joined millions of other people enveloped in darkness.  Nope.  We didn’t lose power or anything.  We just kept going outside to bay at the moon.  Well, at least to look at it.  It was the Super Blood Wolf Eclipse Moon.  I hope I got all the adjectives in there.  One of the talking heads on TV finally explained what all that means.  Eclipse I had no problem with.  I’m old enough to have seen an eclipse or two, and I did have that lesson back in school.  Way … way … back in school.  It was those other words that really had no meaning.  Well, here are the answers you have all been waiting for.  At least those of you who didn’t hear the explanation seventeen times on TV last night.  “Super” is what they call it when the moon is in its orbit closest to the Earth.  “Blood” is just a description of the dusty, orange-y, reddish glow that happened when the eclipse was full (One of the coolest parts of the experience, by the way.  That’s what made it worth staying up for me).  And finally, “Wolf.”  That was pretty obscure, but actually it is the simplest of all.  Somebody back in the day just decided that the first time there is a full moon in January, he would call it a Wolf Moon.  Guess his idea just caught on.  The unusual thing about last night was that all of those things were happening at the same time.  Won’t happen again for eighteen years or so.  Not sure I’ll stay up then.  Been there, done that …

Psalms 135:1-2 says, “Praise the Lord.  Praise the name of the Lord; praise him, you servants of the Lord, you who minister in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.”

Father, thanks for that unusual experience last night.  It was a pretty awesome glimpse at your creation at work.  And a special thank you for my new friends from Canada and Missouri.  Amen.