Tag Archives: Christmas

Tabatha is hosting this week’s Poetry Friday at The Opposite of Indifference

This past Wednesday, January 6th, was the Feast of Epiphany, aka “Little Christmas.” …You likely know the story. Three Wise Men from the East followed the new star to Bethlehem to worship the newborn King. …Thinking about their trek in search of the Child, led as they were by a heavenly sign, got me thinking about a heavenly sight I nearly missed on Christmas Day.

True, this December 25th, this Christmas Day, there was no Bethlehem star in the heavens, but there was a special sight, nonetheless.

Inspired by Donna Smith’s pictorial Christmas Eve post, which I read early Christmas morn, I overcame laziness and indifference concerning the day’s historical Christmas Moon.

Thanks to earlier-in-the-week televised newscasts, I knew that the last full Christmas Day Moon had occurred in 1977 (likely when some of you had not yet been born; though I was more than alive then, I have no remembrance of such a heavenly event). Thanks to the news, I also knew that the next occurrence would be in  2034 (no assurance I would be alive to see that one.)

Originally thinking I would be content to see an image of the Christmas Moon on the news, Donna’s enthusiasm and photo intervened.

Now or never. Not Christmas past. Nor Christmas future. This Christmas, Christmas present, held the best chance of witnessing such a phenomenon: the first full moon of winter, called a “Cold Moon,” occurring on Christmas morning.

Not sure if it were already too late, if I had already missed my chance, nonetheless, outside I raced to see the night light sight for myself. Then, not content with the sight of the Moon from my house–from between the trees–I quickly dressed, grabbed my car keys, and drove to our parish church, which sits upon a hill and sure enough, I got a much better look at the Moon.

In retrospect, I’m grateful to Donna for photographing and posting the inspirational piece Christmas Eve–not only because it led to my witnessing the full Moon in person, which was a moving experience. But, perhaps even more importantly, because this Christmas Moon “caper,” I’m sorry to say reveals a tendency in me to underplay through laziness or malaise the value of firsthand experiences.

This time, I was blessed to get a second chance! As we enter into 2016, I hope to learn from this near-miss to be more appreciative and enthusiastic when the Creator gifts us with a special sight, such as teh one just given on the day that commemorates the Birth of His Son.

Shame on me!  Thank God that the Wise Men did not share my malaise.

Thank God (literally) for Donna S. from Maine! This is not the first time her posts have made a difference to me. Main(e)ly, she keeps me eyes-open, humble–and moving!