Lunar Eclipse

I am not quite together this morning.

I was up way beyond my usual bedtime watching the lunar eclipse.

It was cold out but so worth bundling up, filling a flask with hot coffee, grabbing my binoculars and craning my neck to watch the incredible sight. One of the good things about frequent load shedding is that Harare doesn't have a lot of ambient light, making star and in the case of last night, moon gazing something that can be indulged even in town. Somehow I felt that there should have been a music score to accompany the splendour of the event, music that built to a crescendo as the moon went from bright light to orange to dark and through the other side again.

For me it was not just the eclipse, it was also the changing display of the stars revealed by the changing moonlight, as the moon started to go orange the constellation of Scorpio suddenly stood out with clarity, other lesser stars hidden leaving only Scorpio, proud and easy to identify in the night sky, scattered like bright jewels on black velvet. Yet as the moon darkened other fainter stars were revealed, and so the stars ebbed and waned through the night.

Instead I had the much more entertaining sounds of the neighbourhood children, allowed to stay up late and playing with high excitement under the changing moon.

I was drawn to Psalm 19..

The Heavens declare the Glory of God

The skies proclaim the work of his hands

Day to day pours out speech

and night to night reveals knowledge

There is no speech, nor are there words,

whose voice is not heard.

Morning Prayer .... once more

I am a "morning" person, the only one, as it happens, in my household. I have savoured this silent quiet time when there are no immediate demands on me since my sons were big enough to sleep the night through. Despite the growing cold I had a urgent, childish need to be outside this morning.

And when I got out and lifted my eyes to the East there, rising above the first faint amber blush of dawn, were Venus and Mercury almost chasing each other ahead of the sun with Mars and Jupiter close by. All the other stars had faded leaving these four bright on the horizon. As I gazed in wonder at this rare sight, a robin opened the dawn chorus just above my head and the Crested Snake Eagle flew down to perch on an electricity pole. My small grey cat pranced delicately while the mad Valentine and Spot the dalmatian danced delighted at the prospect of  an outing.

And the Psalmists prayers of wonder and praise came to mind.

Particularly this morning Psalm 19

     The heavens tell out the glory of God
      the vault of heaven reveals his handiwork.
      One days speaks to another,
       night with night shares its knowledge
      and this without speech or language or
      sound of any voice;
      Their music goes out through all the earth
      their words reach the end of the world.
      In them a tent is fixed for the sun,
      who comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy
      rejoicing like a strong man to run his race.
      His rising is at one end of the heavens
      his circuit touches their farthest ends,
      and nothing is hidden from his heat.


      The law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul.
      The Lord's instruction never fails,
       and makes the simple wise.
       the precepts of the Lord are right and rejoice the heart.
       The commandments of the Lord shines clear
       and gives light to the eyes.
       The fear of the Lord is pure and abides forever.
       The Lord's decrees are true and righteous every one,
       more to be desired than gold, pure gold in plenty,
       sweeter than syrup or honey from the comb.
       It is these that gives thy servant warning, 
       and he who keeps them wins a great reward.


      Who is aware of his secret sins?
      Cleanse me of any secret fault.
      Hold back thy servant also from sins of self will,
       lest they get the better of me.
     Then I shall be blameless
      and innocent of any great transgression.


      May all that I say and think be acceptable to Thee,
      O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

This is my prayer today.