Solar Eclipse 2017

Unless you were living under a rock last week, you surely heard about the solar eclipse of 2017. Other then the media frenzy about it, I knew it was coming because my parents had planned a trip to Jackson Hole, WY to experience the totality of darkness that was expected and in fact did occur.    (How amazing is our God?)  They'd planned a ten day trip centered around this phenomenon of the moon and sun, but I'd not planned to really experience it for myself or for my kids. Their school was taking a conservative approach (which I greatly appreciated) and had covered all the windows in the school so as not to permanently harm any curious onlookers eyes.

On Sunday afternoon I was chatting with a friend who had decided to check her kids out of school so they could watch it with a group of our friends who homeschool. As she was talking I thought, ya know, I probably should check my kids out of school as well.  So I contacted my friend who was hosting this little shindig and asked if I could crash their party.  She said, sure, so I set to work trying to think of cute pinterest-y snacks that I could bring and settled on an assortment of cheeses (cause the moon is made of cheese, right?), as well as summer sausage (sliced round to be our "eclipse") as well as Moon Pie bites and bottles of Sunkist (cause they needed more sugar, not!) I think for a party put together fairly last minute we did an excellent job of prepping with our shared eclipse glasses that got passed around quite a bit.

God's handiwork is spectacular! The fact that He can control the sun, moon and earth as it spins on its axis, is truly unbelievable and yet so comforting at the same time The fact that He is such a big God who not only controls the sun and moon but who also cares for the intricate parts of my little life and offers me hope and comfort each and every time I need it is humbling and leaves me both grateful and thankful to know Him as my personal Lord and Savior.

I do have to say that here in Arkansas where we got a 90% eclipse, if felt a little bit anti climactic. Honestly, I wasn't sure what it would feel like when 90% of the sun was blocked by the moon. Truly, I thought it would get dim, and I even brought glow sticks for all the kids, but I was sorely mistaken.  Even with 90% of the sun hidden behind the moon, its powerful rays were strong.  If I hadn't known the eclipse was happening, I'd have made it through that entire day not realizing what had taken place.  But the kids enjoyed it and it gave them a reason to be checked out of school and for them, that was the best part!

And honestly, time with friends is always a joy.  I had fun hanging out with these ladies, just ignore me though, I literally couldn't see anything with those glasses on, so I look a little bit on the blind side here.  Ha!  I hear that in 2024, Little Rock will be in the path of totality, you can bet we'll be ready to experience it first hand!