Moon's magic reminds all to see God's glory

Just about everybody has a collection of moon memories — romantic, sentimental, spiritual or a glory moment from the natural world. The Bible mentions there is “one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.”

With this week's supermoon being the first of four consecutive appearances — when the full moon's orbit is nearest the Earth — it's a time for recognizing the beauty of this celestial wonder. 

Years ago, my husband Terry and I hiked the trail to Priest Lake's iconic Chimney Rock before crossing a boulder field to stand at the base of the mountain. Our intrepid border collie tried to follow but couldn't negotiate the terrain, so she waited for us to cross back. By the time we made it to our truck a brilliant round moon shone on us — as if congratulating us on our climb. 

There was the time on his parents' front lawn in Spokane; Terry murmured how beautiful I looked in the moonlight. I had to tell him the truth. “Uh, that's the streetlight.” But he gets a star for effort — albeit a falling star. They are even better.  

Another backyard lawn moonlit memory is sitting out beneath its glow while our young children danced across the grass, singing night songs for the sky. I'm surprised God didn't draw a smiley face on that moon. They must have touched His heart deeply. 

One evening, this one where we are now living, the moon's full reflection in a small pond seemed more real than its source in the sky. I had the feeling I could leave our deck, make my way down to the pond, and dip net the moon. Once driving across South Dakota, the slightly lopsided, newly waning orange moon appeared to nearly sit on the earth. It looked gigantic. I wanted to leap from the car and run across the prairie to touch it. 

Another time driving our teen daughter to a high school event, the bright Alaskan moon shining on the empty pavement ahead. I flicked off the headlights and drove by the light of the moon. Kelly began to recite from “The Highwayman” poem: “The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor.” A priceless mother-daughter experience. 

What a fun Minnesota lunar eclipse memory. Our next-door neighbor and I watched Earth's shadow slowly cross the surface of the full moon. I remarked to Tim how amazing to think that the very place we were standing — our planet was casting that shadow. He said, “Shall we wave to ourselves.” And we did. 

I've written in the past from this collection of moon memories. With consecutive supermoons lined up it seems a time to bring them out again. The disappointment would be to not notice. To travel through life, literally in the dark, and miss the light and beauty above. 

There's another mention of the moon in the Bible. God says His covenant is enduring — like the moon — and “the witness in the sky is faithful.”