Star of Wonder

Last night, Melinda and I had a quality sister night out, complete with Subway and a Christmas program at a church in Phoenix. When we arrived at the (mega-)church, we were expecting something amazing because Dad has told us a little about some of the animals that were in the show and we knew Monica was playing in the pit, but we were not at all ready for:

• A 40-foot singing Christmas tree
• Silk aerial artists
• A full orchestra and choir
• A host of flying angels
• Pyrotechnics
• Confetti cannons
• High School Musical-style performers
• Rappelling
• Break-dancing toy soldiers
• Bing Crosby (via vintage video)
• A stunning laser light show
• Exotic animals-including camels, a tiger, an elephant, and a kangaroo

This was not your grandmother's church Christmas play. That is, unless Granny attends Phoenix First Assembly. We were completely amazed and impressed by everything we saw, and the show was QUITE good! The story began with a little girl who is sitting in her bed wishing upon a star when she realizes she has everything she wants. The star (another little girl--both of whom were FANTASTIC actresses) flies in from the ceiling and takes the girl on a journey between three seemingly-unrelated families (you find how they are linked in the end) to try and help them find the holiday spirit and pass on the good news.

My favorite dialogue throughout the show was a singing interaction near the end between Sam (the girl) and the Star...

SAM: "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are!"
STAR: "Star of wonder, star of light, star of royal beauty bright!"

I have always been fascinated by stars and the sky--learning about constellations and the stories they tell, dating back to the beginning of time. One of my favorite things to do is lie in the middle of nowhere and just watch the sky in amazement as the stars pass by.

"Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years," -- Genesis 1:14.

On my way home last night after meeting up with some old friends after the show, I was lucky enough for the clouds to let the moon shine through so I could see the lunar eclipse. After some research, I found out that this was the first total lunar eclipse on the winter solstice since 1638. (Luckily we don't have to wait that long for the next time in 2094). Through some more research, I accidentally came across a star-sky video and other papers with evidence to believe there was a total lunar eclipse on the day of Christ's death.

How completely AWEsome that there is a new moon on the magnificent day of birth. New moon. New life. The Star of Bethlehem completely illuminated in the sky, even more bright with the lack of light from a moon. Now, the counterpart event: a total lunar eclipse. Full moon. Full life. Blotted out with an amber glow, almost as if blotted out by blood.

I think the stars are awesome evidence of a greater work and an additional purpose, all a part of the great celestial poem.