Once in a Blue Moon

When the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve - Look up and Praise God in the Highest. A full moon will be shining down from its highest point, illuminating brightly [if the clouds will disappear]. It's a once in a generation thing, a special astronomical happening that reminds us that while life is unpredictable, the heavens, created by our Heavenly Father are NOT!

Of course, the name has nothing to do with its color. The old expression, "once in a blue moon," has more to do with something that is rare, special, uncommon-but not impossible.

It will be the second full moon of the month -- a phonomenon known as a ``blue moon.'' A full moon on New Year's Eve last occurred on Dec. 31, 1990; it won't happen again until 2028. A full moon occurred on December 2 and tonight's will be the second, a phenomenon that occurs every 2.5 years (the next will be in August, 2012). But the New Year's Eve blue moon is more exceptional. The next won't occur until 2028. The blue moon is expected to be visible to New Year's Eve celebrants across the U.S., Canada, Europe, South America and Africa, according to the AP's Alicia Chang. The above picture is of the 'blue moon" in Kenya Africa.

Thank you God for creating the sun and moon and stars and me.

Something I Learned Today

There is one Christmas Carol that I can never remember the order.

Today, I found out.
From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.

It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.

-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first 5 books of the Old Testament.

-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol... Merry (Twelve Days of) Christmas Everyone!