Exploration

Time to Embrace the Space Coast

Shannon

While life has taken me to Washington, DC, I will always be a Floridian at heart. I cut my professional teeth on the Disney College Program and spent my time off making road trips to Cocoa Beach where I could lay in the sun, swim in the sea, eat Cajun seasoned boiled peanuts and watch a shuttle launch.  After college program, I continued working with Disney for ten years followed by five in the central Florida legal arena.  Through it all, the Space Coast was my getaway place of choice.

While living in abroad in 2010, I watched from a distance as NASA and its contractors laid off thousands of employees and the shuttle program came to an end.  It was the end of an era.  There seemed to be no plan to continue manned space exploration in this nation of pioneers.  The malaise that had fallen over the country during the great recession and the extended war in Iraq seemed to have infiltrated our national character robbing us of our ever-adventurous spirit.  Uncle Sam was in desperate need of Prozac.

The Space Coast was hurting – really hurting.  Unemployment skyrocketed to 11.9%. In 2014 Lynda Weatherman, president and CEO of the area’s Economic Development Commission told USA Today, “There was no other place in this nation that was as bloodied as we were by the recession, but we stood up and said we’re going to survive this.”

Lynda Weatherman was right. They did stand up and they did survive. In early January, I fled to the Space Coast escaping the “cyclone bomb” winter storm to go on a cruise and rediscovered this incredible little plot on the central Florida coast. You can see the battle scars for sure.  The hotels appear a bit war weary and, yes, growth has been stunted.

That said, the locals were kind, exuberant and entertaining as ever!  One young lady at the International Palms Resort and Conference Center made a mad dash across the resort to run my credit card so that I could purchase a $5 drink (I didn’t have cash).  She came back clearly out of breath from her trek and all for a $5 charge.  She also made a great mimosa!

The manager of the breakfast area was clearly passionate about his neighbors at the Kennedy Space Center.  He was animated as he shared about that evening’s SpaceX rocket launch, “The whole earth shakes!…but don’t stop watching after lift off!  Give it 15 minutes and then there’ll be a sonic boom as the Falcon 9 rocket booster returns to earth.  This is only the second time they’ve done that.”

I spent the day at Kennedy Space Center and then watched the launch that night.  The commercial space industry is a reality and growing all the time.  I heard the term space tourism used more than once. It’s not yet a reality, but definitely on its way.  Oh, and by the way – we’re going to Mars.  Now this is how Uncle Sam gets his groove back!  Somehow the re-energizing of the Space Coast lifted my spirits in an unexpected way.  I was inspired and hopeful.

What a gem this place is and ripe for investment!  Smart folks will waste no time in getting in on the action whether it’s in aerospace, hospitality, retail, or real estate.  We haven’t even begun to grasp the value of this hidden treasure. I don’t know of any other place on earth where you can hang out at the beach, go on a cruise, go deep sea fishing, explore a working space center, watch rocket launches, and one day in the not-so-distant future explore space yourself.  After that, you can go to Walt Disney World just an hour away.  That’s what I did when I got off the ship.  Naturally, I couldn’t resist riding Epcot’s “Relaunched! Mission: Space” that took me virtually to Mars.  Mission Space isn’t the only thing being relaunched these days.

The Bible's Calendar

Embracing the Beauty of Shabbat Prayers

Shannon

Shabbat, the biblical day of rest, is a beautiful time for family, friends, reflection, and spiritual renewal. Central to the observance of Shabbat are the heartfelt prayers and blessings that mark the beginning of this sacred day. These rituals, steeped in tradition, offer moments of gratitude, connection, and joy. Let’s explore some of the key prayers and blessings observed during the Shabbat meal.

Blessing Over the Children

A treasured tradition on Shabbat is the blessing of children. Parents place their hands on their children’s heads and recite a special blessing:

  • For Daughters:May God bless you as God blessed Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.
  • For Sons:May God bless you as God blessed Ephraim and Mannaseh.

Personalized blessings can also be given, reflecting each child’s unique gifts and circumstances. This intimate moment of prayer strengthens a child’s sense of identity familial bonds, and conveys hope and love.

Blessing Over the Wife: A Tribute to Virtue

Another beautiful tradition is the recitation of Proverbs 31:10-31. Known as Eshet Chayil, this passage praises the virtues of a godly woman, celebrating her strength, wisdom, and kindness.

“Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies… Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.”

This acknowledgment uplifts women and serves as a reminder of the value of dedication and love.

Blessing Over the Husband: Honoring Righteousness

In return, the husband is often blessed through the reading of Psalm 112, which speaks of the blessings that come to a righteous man:

“Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments… His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”

This reciprocal act of blessing fosters a spirit of mutual appreciation and respect within the family.

The Priestly Blessing: A Shared Benediction

Families often join hands to recite the Aaronic Blessing from Numbers 6:22-27:

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.”

This ancient and powerful prayer calls upon God’s protection and peace for the family and community.

Candle Lighting: Welcoming the Shabbat

Shabbat officially begins with the lighting of candles, accompanied by the blessing:

Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, Melekh ha’olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Shabbat.

Translation: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to light the Shabbat lights.

This simple yet profound act brings warmth and light into the home, symbolizing the spiritual illumination of Shabbat.

Blessing Over the Bread and Wine

The festive Shabbat meal is accompanied by blessings over bread and wine. This will no doubt remind followers of Jesus of sharing communion – that is no accident!

  • Blessing Over the Bread (HaMotzi):Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.
    • Translation: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has brought forth bread from the earth.
  • Blessing Over the Wine (Kiddush):Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha’Olam borei pri hagafen.
    • Translation: Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Conclusion

The prayers of Shabbat offer a profound opportunity to pause, reflect, and reconnect with God and loved ones at the end of a busy week. Through these blessings, families express gratitude, honor God and each other, and invite peace and joy of the Lord into their homes. Whether you are observing Shabbat for the first time or continuing a cherished tradition, may these prayers enrich your experience and bring blessing into your life.

Shabbat Shalom!

exploring eternity, Uncategorized

Reflections in the Wilderness

Shannon

Rosh Hashana began at sundown on September 9th.  This biblical holiday marks the beginning of a new year on the biblical calendar, the year 5779 on the Jewish calendar.  It also marks the beginning of the Feast of Trumpets or the 10 Days of Awe that culminate in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This is a time of reflection.  In part, It’s a time of asking God if there’s anything in your life that needs to change.

For me, it’s a wilderness season.  I’m asking God and myself a lot of questions right now.  My time of reflection is a bit more significant this year.

This morning God reminded me a of another significant time in my life.  For about ten years, I ran from God.  To make a  long story short, He chased me down and caught me.  One Sunday during this season, I was in a worship service and just discovering the power and presence of God in worship.  I was in the back row singing with all my heart.  After the service, a woman in front of took my hand and said “You have an amazing voice.  You need to be on the worship team.”  She then proceeded to take me to the priest who oversaw the worship team and told him the same thing.  He said, “Sure, just come to practice next week.”

I hadn’t planned on this nor was I prepared for it.  I was just a returning prodigal.  I had been out of the Christian music loop for ten years. Practically speaking, I didn’t know any of the songs! I went to practice and was overwhelmed stumbling my way through the music that everyone else knew so well.  Afterwards, the leader told me that if I was going to sing with them I had to sing louder.  He didn’t understand that I simply didn’t know the songs

That said, I didn’t want to get kicked off the worship team. For the next six months or so, the second I received the song list for the next service, I tracked down the CDs for every song and played them over and over so that I would be ready for worship team practice.  I was in very own Christian music intensive course catching up on the ten years of music that I missed.

So why did the Lord bring this to mind this morning? I’m not really sure, yet. I suspect it’s His way of reminding me that even when I feel unequipped or behind in my training, knowledge or abilities he can catch me up quickly provided I have the passion and drive to cooperate with Him. He did it then and can do it again.  My lack can’t become my focus.  My focus has to stay on Him and his ability to do “infinitely more than all I could ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within me.”

exploring eternity

Our Spiritual Ancestry.com Part II

Shannon

I was done – completely and utterly done.  Everything was impossible: work, home, family … nothing was working.  I was exhausted and felt so alone.  My bedroom was on the second floor of a beautiful old home in Southeast DC.  I could climb out of my window and escape to the roof where I could see the moon and the stars.  This was my habit.  I usually went out there to read, but on this night, it was the only escape I could find from the swirl I was in.

I just sat there and cried.  iTunes was playing in the background and “When the Saints” by Sara Groves came on.  I didn’t hear it at first because the volume was so low, but I hadn’t heard this song in a while so its distinctive cadence caught my attention. Actually, It was Holy Spirit that caught my attention – this song was meant for me in that moment.

It put my current pain and struggles into context.  I wasn’t alone anymore.  I felt like those who came before me in faith saw me and were cheering me on.  That God himself was kissing me on the cheek saying, “hang in there – I’m with you just like I was with them.”

We find comfort, strength and encouragement in the stories of those that came before us in faith and in the ongoing stories of those who are with us on the journey. No matter who you are or where you come from, when you give it all over to Jesus you gain a whole new lineage and a vastly extended family as you find your place in God’s eternal story.

Here’s that song – enjoy!

Biblical Archaelogy

Our Spiritual Ancestry.Com

Shannon

Western Wall
The Western Wall of the Second Temple built by Herod the Great

History matters.  Context matters.  How did you get where you are and why are you doing what you are doing today?  I imagine that, like me, a whole series of events and circumstances have led you to the who, what and why of your today. To truly understand a person, you have to understand their history and the context of their journey.  Beyond that, to even understand yourself it helps to understand those who came before you and the context in which they lived their lives. That’s why DNA testing and sites like ancestry.com have become so popular.

For many of us, our spiritual DNA is even more important than our physical DNA. The Bible serves as our spiritual ancestry.com. It’s through the Bible that we get to know God and those who preceded us in walking with him here on Earth – that “great cloud of witnesses” as the writer of Hebrews puts it.   The Protestant Bible was written by over 40 people across the span of 1500 years.  As we dig deeper into the world of those people, the more we understand of what they wrote and why they wrote it.  This is why biblical archaeology is so important.  We get to know the biblical writers and those they wrote about as we uncover their world.  Biblical archaeology connects the people of the present to the people of the past. Discoveries are being made every day that help us better understand those who came before us in faith.

One of the amazing things about Israel is how well they care for and protect biblical sites.  They understand that these sites contain the history of not only the Jewish people, but also the spiritual history of all of us who follow the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  If you haven’t visited Israel, you should.  If you have, it’s time to plan your next trip and dig deeper!

However, Israel is not the only place where biblical history happened. Our spiritual DNA can also be found under the dirt of Iraq, Syria and other war-torn areas.  Many of us have watched in horror at the atrocities happening to the people of these countries.  The human cost is devastating.  At the same time, we are losing our history, as well. It’s not just an internal middle-eastern problem that we can ignore without consequences. ISIS ransacked numerous archaeological sites destroying everything that represented an opposing viewpoint.  Beyond that, the constant instability in these areas make archaeological pursuits and biblical tourism extremely dangerous.

To put this in perspective, a few biblical sites in these areas include:

  • Damascus
  • Babylon
  • The Tigris and Euphrates rivers
  • Shinar (ancient Sumer)
  • Chaldea
  • Akkad
  • Erech (Uruk)
  • Ninevah

There are literally hundreds more either directly under control of Islamic extremists or in areas where radical Islamic view are encroaching. We forget that in comparison to Christianity and most certainly Judaism, Islam is a young religion.  It immerged in approximately 600 AD. Prior to that, Christianity flourished in the region.  The followers of Jesus have a very rich history in the Middle East.  Biblical historical sites must be uncovered, excavated and preserved. Lying under the dirt and sand of the Middle East are the people, places and things of the Bible.  When studied, they often affirm and illuminate its story.  From a spiritual perspective, I’m convinced this is why we’ve seen such strife in the region throughout the millennia and especially over the last few decades.  That land contains treasures that will enrich our understanding of the Bible and in some cases affirm the narrative of the book, itself.

I don’t have the answer on how to bring peace to the region.  I know that we should support those that are doing good there both financially and through our personal advocacy within our networks and our elected officials.  Most importantly, we should pray.  The Bible contains a promise for all the sons of Abraham and we should remind Him of that promise:

“In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will go to Egypt and the Egyptians to Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together. In that day Israel will be the third, along with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing[b] on the earth.  The Lord Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.” – Isaiah 19:23-25

Note: The thoughts expressed here are mine and not an indication of my employer’s views on any topic.