Random Space Facts

Some random facts about things in outer space:

The planet Venus rotates in retrograde motion, meaning the sun rises in the west and sets in the east.  The surface temperature of Venus is upwards of 900 degrees Fahrenheit, and the atmospheric pressure is similar to the pressure 3,000 feet deep in the ocean.

The combined mass of all of the asteroids orbiting between Mars and Jupiter is less than that of the Earth’s moon.  One of the asteroids, Ceres, was considered a planet for about 50 years before scientists developed the concept of asteroids.

Earth produces heat…90 percent of which is created by the decay of radioactive elements such as uranium and thorium.  Earth’s continents shift by a few centimeters every year…about as much of a rate as fingernails grow.

Saturn’s famous rings are hundreds of thousands of miles across, but only a few yards thick, for the most part.  Saturn is the least dense of all the planets.  It would float in the ocean, if there could be a large enough ocean to dunk the planet into.  The planet spins so fast that it bulges at the equator and is flattened at the poles.  And lastly, Saturn generates as much heat as it receives from the sun…through friction from droplets of liquid helium falling through the planet’s metallic layer.

The Earth’s moon has over a million craters that are over one half mile wide.  One of the effects of the tides of the Earth is that the moon drifts about 1.6 inches farther away from the earth every year.  The rotation of the Earth slows slightly each year because of those same tidal effects.

Summer day temperatures on Mars can reach as much as 80 degrees Fahrenheit.  Mars definitely had a wet past, and still has water both on the surface and under the surface in the form of ice.

The Hubble Space Telescope has over 600 craters and chips from meteorite impacts.  Meteors (or shooting stars) are usually seen when they are 45 to 75 miles high in the atmosphere, and can collide with the Earth at speeds of up to 44 miles per second.

The interior or Jupiter is home to a rarity:  liquid metallic hydrogen.  Jupiter emits 70 percent more heat than it absorbs from the sun.  Of it’s 63 known moons, at least one has active volcanoes, one is the largest moon in the solar system, and one may have oceans of water underneath a smooth surface layer.

The Measure of a Society

Yesterday, I attended the event that marked the beginning of public fund-raising for a new Child Advocacy Center in Sedgwick County.  The current place of business for those who fight child abuse and human trafficking is in the basement of the DCF building downtown.  It is cramped and uninviting.  There is not enough room for all aspects of the protection of children to be in one place, so families who are navigating the system have to travel from place to place and tell the story many times over.  The new center will have lots of room and be much more friendly to victims and families, and will have enough space to have everything in one place.

I felt a little like a fish out of water with all of the dignitaries and political-types who were there.  County commissioners, the mayor, the district attorney and other prominent people were there.  And then there I was, dressed in blue jeans with a rather ragged-looking wrap, compared to the others.

However, I believed it to be important that I was there.  Not because I have so much money to give to the cause, but because I believe in what is happening with this part of local society and want to support it any way I can.  Child abuse, neglect, and trafficking is a problem that should not exist; yet it seems to be getting worse rather than better.  Children should be loved, encouraged, valued, and appreciated.  Instead, many are considered objects of gratification, or things to be used.

It was heartening to see all who were there and the support they gave and are giving to this effort.  Perhaps we can at least send the message that we as a society in this place will not tolerate those who abuse their authority and misuse the trust children place in them.  Perhaps we can save a life and make a difference in the future of a child.  Perhaps we can enable an adult to change his or her way of life and become a productive citizen.

Child Advocacy is often one of those things that is pushed under the table or relegated to a corner of a building (or a basement).  Children don’t vote, and vested interests are strong to keep taxes low and the economy growing.  But, as my County Commissioner said at this gathering when I was visiting with him, “The measure of a society is how we deal with children and the elderly.”  Spot on.

Looking Forward

Well, the weather has been a rather wild ride this winter.  Unlike the winters of recent past (with some exceptions), this winter has been colder and appears to be snowier than the others.  It’s also been a sort of roller coaster, with temperatures in the deep freeze for a few days, then warming up to above normal temps for a few days…and right back down to the freezer again.

Although people gripe about the weather this year, they’ve griped about the weather every year, so that’s not news.  And I actually kind of like this weather.  We aren’t in the deep freeze for interminable days and nights, nor are the trees budding out on January 20^th.  The insect populations are being dealt with as God intended, which might make for a nicer spring and summer season coming up.  There’s enough moisture in the ground that we aren’t blowing away, although we could certainly use another three or four inches of snow, or a half inch or so of rain about now.

I haven’t a clue if the weather goes in cycles of certain time periods or not.  And I don’t think anyone else really and truly knows either.  Nor do I know if we are experiencing global warming, and if we are, is that phenomenon caused by pollutants in the air.  People smarter than I am, and without the bias of politics and conspiracy, will have to figure that one out.  I’m content to do my best to be friendly to this earth and live my life as God would have me live it (as best as I can determine).

So for now, I am enjoying the change in temperatures and the occasional cloudy days and cold days, along with the nice, clear days that we can sit on the front walk in our folding chairs and enjoy the warmth and out of doors.  You should also try to find times wherever you live to enjoy the winter, whether cold or warm, cloudy or clear.  I know that may be somewhat difficult for those who have piles of snow on the sides of streets, and navigate perpetually-icy sidewalks in temperatures that would freeze the bunion off of a gold prospector’s foot.

Winter is still with us, but calendar spring is a mere 8 weeks away.  And the normal start of spring, weather-wise, is just under 10 weeks away.  Before we know it, we’ll be checking the onion bulbs we planted, waiting for the peas and radishes to break through, and making decisions on the kinds of tomatoes and cucumbers we’ll plant.  And it will again be a time of bursting out and new life.  What a great time!

Heavenly Sunshine

OK, OK, so it’s been a couple of weeks.  Give me a break.  I’m getting older, and the brain doesn’t work quite as well as it used to work.  Or maybe I just don’t move quite as fast as I sued to move.  In any event, sometimes I get behind.

It’s been a roller-coaster winter for us here in Kansas.  We’ve had our warmer weather, but not too much of it.  And we’ve had our cold, below zero weather (again, but not too much of it).  We’ve had some snow, some rain, some ice, some wind, and some sun.  A patchwork of weather, I would say, has come our way these last couple of months.  This, I think, is what winter should be like in South-Central Kansas.

I’m sure we will yet have a time when there will come what seem to be endless days of gloom, clouds, fog, and drizzly-foggy-icy-ick.  There usually is at least one of those during the winter and early spring.  Times when for days at a time, the low clouds hang in and hang on, blocking out any notion of the sun and bright days.

These are the days when I am at my worst.  I am moody, irritable, and grouchy.  And if that isn’t enough, I am listless, hard to get along with, and temperamental.  And when the sun does reappear, it’s as if a dark veil has been lifted from my eyes, and it doesn’t take long for all to be right with the world again.

Some people like these days.  Some people live where there are many of these days.  And I suppose I could live there, too, if I had to do so.  But I’d really rather not, so as to be of maximum grouchiness a minimal amount of time.

One thing I tend to NOT do during these days of fog, low clouds, and gloom is think about the sunshine that is heavenly in nature, and of which several songs, many of them older songs, tell.  One such song is just called “Heavenly Sunshine.”  It goes like this…a simple chorus.

Heavenly sunshine, heavenly sunshine,
Flooding my soul with glory divine,
Heavenly sunshine, heavenly sunshine,
Hallelujah! Jesus is mine!

You know, maybe if I would think more about things like this during those days of gloomy clouds, and less about how I am inconvenienced by those clouds, my whole attitude might change.  I just might be a decent person and one who others would want to be around.  Hopefully, I’ll recall that I typed this blog when that time comes, and try it.

Grandpa's Early Christmas

No church today. Too much snow and ice. Looking forward to peace and quiet on this the day the Lord has made. No such luck. Grandkids are coming over to open presents. Uncle Mike and Lauren also here. Ordered pizza for lunch. Pizza gets here 45 minutes before grandkids. In oven.
Grandkids show up with parents and pent-up energy. Consume three pizzas, four oranges, many grapes, and who knows what else. Open presents. Paper strung everywhere. Much hollering. Boy gets 600 piece Lego set. Am hoping he doesn’t open the plastic packages they come in. Presents being admired, opened, and fought over.
Grandpa goes out and shovels snow. Much quieter out there. Thinks about day the Lord has made. Comes in. Glasses fogged over. Can’t see. Grandchild number 3 asks for super glue. Grandpa hasn’t a clue why a 3 year old would want it, and dares not ask, but doesn’t, fortunately, have any anyway.
Legos are open and a fire truck is in the making on dining table. Drawing stuff, modeling clay stuff, and other stuff out on dining table. Grandbaby Hannah snarfs down applesauce and tapioca pudding. Clean up grandbaby and take out of high chair.
Grandpa gets next-to-last piece of pumpkin pie. Plan is to eat it by holding in hand and not using utensil. Grandbaby Hannah can smell it from ½ mile away and beats a path to Grandpa. Give Grandbaby Hannah last ½ of pie. Feeds first couple of bites with finger as there are no eating utensils handy. Grandbaby Hannah bites finger. Grandpa asks Grandma for spoon and something to wipe sore finger. Grandbaby Hannah smiles and gurgles as she wolfs down pie.
Grandpa surreptitiously gets last piece of pumpkin pie, hides in kitchen, and eats it quickly before odor gets to Grandbaby Hannah. Grandpa goes to basement to recuperate. Much stomping, moving of chairs, and other assorted noises coming from upstairs. Grandpa decides to write about adventure as noises and occasional yells and arguments waft downward. Grandpa wonders if neighbor would like to have snow shoveled…after all, this is the day the Lord has made.

Enjoy the Season

Today is December 17.  It is a week and a day until Christmas Day.  Now, I know and understand that Christmas has different meanings for different people and cultures.  And it has no meaning at all for many who inhabit this planet.  However, for many in our culture, Christmas is a time for giving, serving, and doing for others.  We take our cues for those actions and that attitude from several places, most notably from the life of the one whose birth we celebrate, Jesus, who is called the Christ of God.

I guess what I don’t understand about it all is the sense of frustration, harried-ness, and stress that seems to come with the season.  Although many go through the season with joy and gladness, usually those folks are the ones who, it seems, exhibit those attitudes all year.  It’s the rest of us who have our days and hours turned upside down with the sudden influx of parties, get-togethers, meals, errands, buying, traveling, and planning.  It’s the rest of us who seem to become a little discombobulated through the season and into the new year.

I’m not sure why that is unless it’s that we like, or at least there is a measure of comfort in, the ruts we are in and don’t like to be forced out of them and into another one for a few weeks.  I don’t think it has anything to do with the holiday itself, nor does it have to do with the celebration of the coming of the Christ.  No, I think it’s just a re-alignment of priorities which get us into a mood that is sometimes not very pleasant.

I’m not one to complain; I enjoy the season, the food and the fellowship; I especially am grateful for the coming of God in the flesh.  I don’t think I become frustrated or stressed out.  I’ve intentionally limited my shopping experiences during this time as well as my sense of “Gotta get this done.”  It seems to help me navigate the season with some external manifestations of joy and peace.  I don’t have to endure the comments from others more outwardly cheery than myself about being a Scrooge, and Eeyore, or questions about what may be wrong with me.

Nothing is wrong, at least in that arena.  I just don’t jump up and down with joy each time something good happens.

So, enjoy the time.  Enjoy the season.  Enjoy the goodness and mercy of God Almighty.  And understand that some of us are just a little more laid back, but enjoy those things just as much.

No Other Way

Yesterday was the sixty-eighth year that the Wichita Choral Society presented “The Messiah,” a work by G. F. Handel.  I sang in that group this year and last year, along with my sister.  Prior to that, I hadn’t sung that oratorio since high school days.  Although there were a couple of rougher spots in the mixture, all in all it was a good afternoon and a wonderful time of considering the words that were in the individual numbers.

Handel used words directly from the King James Version of the Bible for his lyrics.  He changed them very little, preferring to write the music to fit the words rather than the other way around.  The work tells of the prophetic announcements of the coming of the Messiah, His appearing incarnate and his life.  It works through his passion and finally his resurrection and the end time.

Although we didn’t do all of the parts, the presentation still lasted about two hours with a short intermission.  One of these days, I think I’d like to hear the entire oratorio and participate in its presentation.  I’d probably have to beef up, so to speak, because I’m drained at the end of the shortened performance, to say nothing of having another hour or more added to it.

I’m not in any way, shape, or form a professional singer, or even a good one.  I can follow and read music, have a good ear, and can hold my own in a large group of like-ability folks.  I thoroughly enjoy doing this and hope I can continue for a number of years yet.

But even if for some reason this happens to be the last time I sing this or any song, I have lived a rich and full life with the woman I love and the family I have traveled through life with.  It has been a great ride, and although I’m looking forward to more of the same, should something happen that prevents more from happening, I know that as Handel wrote in his famous (and some may say inspired) work, the Lord God omnipotent reigns and sits on his throne.  And because of that I can say with the Apostle Peter, when he was asked by Jesus if he and the other apostles would leave Jesus along with the others, “Lord to whom shall we go?  You have the keys (words) to eternal life.”

There is no other.  There is no alternative.  There is no plan B.  There is no other way.

"I Can't Believe How Much This Hurts"

My niece just today took her beloved pet cat “Smokey” to the Kansas Humane Society to have him put down following a long life and relationship with her and her family.  She did today what many people find themselves having to do…make “that” decision on behalf of a member of the family who cannot make that decision for itself, and for which death does not come naturally.

She Facebooked about her experience.  One of her posts is as follows:  “Gave Smokey some Benadryl, and hopefully that will relax him as we prepare to leave in about an hour. I can't believe how much this hurts.”

She then, awhile later, posted this:  “It took less than 5 minutes.  Smokey is no longer in pain, he is playing freely in heaven.”

I recalled myself when we had to make that decision.  I thought about others that I know who made that decision.  I thought about people who would say, “It’s only an animal.”  And I thought about the pain and grief that I have felt with the loss of a beloved pet.  I thought about how much it hurts…more than one would ever imagine.  I then wrote on her  timeline the following as a response.

"I can't believe how much this hurts." I can believe it. Your mother and dad can believe it. Those of us who have lost beloved pets grieve just as if we had lost a human family member. No, they aren't human, but they've been an integral part of our lives for however many years it was, and it hurts to have that relationship severed.
It hurts even more to know that death itself came about because the devil lied to Eve and she believed it rather than trusting God. We can be angry with Eve...we can be angry with God...but ultimately we must be totally bent at the devil who is the ultimate cause of death, decay, and destruction.
Yet we also know that God is at work even now through Jesus Christ to redeem the creation, and provide not only us, but (I believe) Smoky, Lydia, Susie, Dynamite, KoKo, and all the rest of what He created and called "Good" so long ago with life that is not sullied with the stench of death and decay.
May God Himself comfort you with the comfort of His peace and love.

The Small Things

On Monday evening, I had an appointment to keep at 7pm in the Wichita downtown area.  I left the house at about 6:30 pm.  As I accelerated on the on-ramp of eastbound Kellogg at Maize Road on that Monday evening, I looked ahead on the road as I approached Kellogg and saw directly in front of me, right over the roadway, a huge yellow circle hanging in the sky just above the road and just above the horizon.

It took me a minute or so to figure out what that thing was that was hanging there amidst all of the lights of the city, but I finally decided it was the full moon (actually, I think it was a day or so past full, but it sure looked full to me).  I merged into traffic, reluctant to take my eyes off of the sight of an apparently larger moon hovering near the horizon.  I continued to look at it until Kellogg changed directions slightly at Tyler and the moon moved over to the left and got lost in the maze of buildings and lights.

It has been awhile since I have been so mesmerized by the moon, or by any celestial body, for that matter.  The transit of Venus across the sun came a few years ago, and that was cool to watch.  Eclipses are always good to see, and there is occasionally a comet that is visible to the eye.  (There is one in the sky now that is supposed to get brighter over the next few weeks.)  The breakup of comet Shoemaker-Levy and the crashing of the pieces into Jupiter was one of the highlights of sky-viewing…that event was captured by the Galileo spacecraft and by the Hubble and other terrestrial telescopes and measuring devices.

Sometimes it is the small things…a full moon just having risen from the horizon…that set our minds to thinking and considering where we are and why we are here.  We begin to, if only for a moment, sense the presence of a Creator and Sustainer.  And we are thankful for the moment in time that all too quickly passes, never to come again.