“Hey, you kids, get off my lawn!”

       -Barry Karasiewicz

Well, no,

I didn’t actually say that, yet.

I’m not that old geezer who yells at kids for being kids, and shouts at clouds, but at times I feel I may be on my way.

I most definitely don’t want to fall into that “kids these days” trap. Adam was the first guy to say that, and look at what happened to him. But there is something to be said for the generational differences in perspectives and worldviews that each and every generation faces.

World War One had roots that can be traced back to a man named Maximilien Robespierre, the sick, twisted-by-bloodlust godfather of fascism, who brought us the French Revolution. World War One was the Petri dish for World War Two, which in turn bought us to the Cold War and the Space Race.

Yes, the Space Race was a product of the Cold War.  The Cold War, like any war, was about strategic and tactical advantage, which is always about the high ground. Space is the ultimate tactical high ground. In short, the Cold War is what bought us to send a man to the moon and returning him back safely.

In the list of human achievements, the Apollo program, the moonshot, is beyond argument, the top of the list. Unfortunately, it has only a brief if any mention in our Highschool history books. It has been like that for a while.

About 20 years ago or so, I was speaking with some college students, and there were somewhat aware of what happened on July 20, 1969 but had no conception of the impact the achievement had on everything from instant breakfast drinks, car doors, WD-40, and cellphones, not to mention that we were able to boldly go where no man has gone before.  During our conversation, I was told “I don’t care about all that, it happened before I was born.”

Sure, I can’t lump an entire generation together with one knucklehead, and I can’t fault them for being victims of a public school system that is not interested in teaching, but there is something to be said about them that have become complacent about curiosity.

Hey you kids, get off my lawn!

Am I geezering yet?

I sure hope not. If I am, somebody please kneecap me!

“Houston, this is Tranquility Base. The Eagle has landed.”

Neil Armstrong spoke those words on July 20, 1969 from the Moon, specifically the “Sea of Tranquility,” which we learned actually is not a “sea”, but a level plain suitable for landing a manned craft.

 For untold centuries, we have been gazing at the night sky, pondering the stars, and speculating what is on the moon. We named part of the moon “tranquility” which is defined as a state of serenity, calmness, and peace. On top of that, because of many wars, spilt blood, and spent treasure, we went there to find tranquility.

Somebody forgot to tell somebody else that Tranquility is already here. He’s been here for quite a while now.

But I digress…

Hopefully by now everybody has learned that the moon has no light of itself, but it merely reflects the light from the sun, and the various crescents, half’s, full and new phases of the moon are the result of earth’s shadow on the lunar surface.

The light from the moon is nothing more than the reflected light from the sun, which varies in intensity by what gets in the way.

…For then you will be seen as innocent, faultless, and pure children of God, even though you live in the midst of a brutal and perverse culture. For you will appear among them as shining lights in the universe… 

– Philippians 2:15 (TPT) –

You are reflecting the light of the Son, which varies in intensity by what gets in the way.

We all got something that gets in the way. I got my stuff, you got your stuff, the other guys got their stuff, we all got stuff. That “stuff” is part of that “brutal and perverse culture” we live in. We really can’t escape it, nor should we try to escape it. The entire concept of shuttering yourself away from the world lest we become defiled is the exact opposite of what Jesus said when He told us “…go ye, therefore…”

Besides all that, consider this:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.   

– John 1:1-5 (ESV) –

Other translations say the darkness could not . . . comprehend, grasp, understand, grapple, etc.

Darkness cannot fight against light. Darkness is confused and overwhelmed when it comes to fighting against light. When it comes to fighting light, darkness always loses.

Now consider when the light is not mere physical light, but from the Father of lights, and the Prince of Peace, the Sea of Tranquility Himself is abiding and residing in us, and we are the reflection of that very light.

Not only are we smack dab centered in Tranquility Base, but we ARE Tranquility Base wherever we go!

“Houston, this is Tranquility Base. The Eagle has landed!!”

Thanks for letting me take up some of your time.