Under the Stars

How long has it been since you sat under the stars and just stared into space. Alright, some of us stare into space alot, but I'm talking about that true space we call the Universe. When my kids were younger, we would lay out on the slide and look at the stars and just talk about how bright and beautiful they were. With each child those times were fewer and now that boy scouts is a memory with Gregory, those nights are almost non-existent.

I don't know if you were able to witness the moon tonight or even last night, but it was gorgeous. Not a good night for star watching because the moon was full and so bright but there were a few bright enough and if you knew what you were looking at, you probably even saw Mars glowing orange. (I did)

Last night I fired up the camera and snapped off at least a hundred photos with different shutter speeds and iso settings, and no matter what, I just couldn't capture the beauty that my eye beheld. Tonight, I decided just to sit and stare into space and take in the sights and the peacefulness of the moment. A very comfortable night for this time of year made for the perfect setting and the sky was clear except for some stray fluffy clouds that continued to pass by like a slide show.

As I watched the clouds pass, I thought of those days of playing with play-doh and the fun shapes we made. I pictured the clouds as the play-doh that God allows those children that unfortunately left this world early play with in Heaven. (2 of those children would be mine that I never got to hold in my arms) As they passed I saw a bear, woodsie owl, (for those of you old enough to know who that is) an airplane and then a big fluffy heart. More importantly I remembered why I enjoyed doing this with my children. Not only did we see cool things, and bright stars, but we (they) saw God. They saw him in His creation. In the things we take for granted every day but also in the things that they often didn't get to see because of bedtime. Outside under the great expanse, there was no tv, no video game, no noise except that of His own creation. Those nights were the times that you knew the answer to the inquisitive child who wanted to know, "where is God?" He is all around you, you just have to take the time to look and to listen.

So tonight it was just me taking it in as we as adults also must stop from time to time and realize how small we are in this great world and yet how big He is when our problems seem to be to big for us. My advice to you if you have small children, is every now and then, make an exception to the bedtime rule just to go outside and look at the stars with your kids. If you are a teenager, or adult without kids, take time for yourself every now and then to relax under the heavens and enjoy His handiwork.