Up Past Bed Time

Charles Krauthammer in the Washington Post on Sputnik:

Fifty years ago this week, America was shaken out of technological complacency by a beeping 180-pound aluminum ball orbiting overhead. Sputnik was a shock because we had always assumed that Russia was nothing but a big, lumbering and all-brawn bear. He could wear down the Nazis and produce mountains of steel but had none of our savvy or sophistication. Then one day we wake up and he has beaten us into space, placing overhead the first satellite to orbit the Earth since God placed the moon where it could give us lovely sailing tides.

Much has followed that.

Satellites map the earth, show us the weather, guide us down the road, bounce our
communications. The world as we know it would be totally different.

The space program has brought man to the moon and unmanned ships to the end of the solar system; with the space telescope we can almost see the beginning of time.

The spin off has made thousands of products that would never have been developed if the space program had not done the basic work first.

Without the space program the world would be much poorer place

And we have the dream that we can find the resources in space that will solve the physical part of many of mankind’s problems. If we don't lose the vision and courage.

-------------------------

Mom and Dad found when Sputnik would be overhead and dark enough to see. We went out in the back yard and watched until we saw it. A star moving too fast in the wrong direction.


And to my seven year old self I knew it was important.
It was a school night and we actually got to stay

up past bed time.

Follow the Star

Little known details about the visit of the three wise men seeking the birth of Jesus.


Being wise men they knew this was to important of an event not bring their wives, so they gladly hired the extra camels and tents so their wives and families could come.

Being wise men they went on the Star Web and got Astrology Positioning System (APS) coordinates and instructions to “follow the star”

Being wise men they always stopped and got directions when their wives suggested. Also being wise men they realized the directions were mostly useless; checked the APS coordinates and “followed the star”.

They and their wives were truly overjoyed at visiting their Savior and His family.

The whole trip was a great success except for stopping to ask directions in Jerusalem. That was a bummer.

The moral: Wise men and women still seek Him.