The sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. Matthew 29:24
We Survived
Picture it- New Year’s Eve 1999, a young, big-haired Erica was set to go out with her boyfriend. You know, because everyone was supposed to party like it was 1999. I graduated from college earlier that month and was on top of the world. The clock was ticking toward Y2K and a lot of people were freaking out a bit, including my mother. Computers were said to crash, cars malfunction, etc, but according to her, people were about to start acting “crazy.” I thought she watched too much Oprah or whatever show she heard on earlier in the week. She did not want me to go anywhere that night. I remember her telling my dad that it wasn’t me she was worried about, it was all ones nuttier than squirrel fertilizer she was concerned with. He gave a classic, “Oh JoAnn” and went about reading his paper. Dad wasn’t a worrier. They were polar opposites, those two, a match made in Heaven for sure. I went ahead and went out against her wishes. I survived Y2K in one piece.
Fast-forward 24 years to April 8, 2024. A lot has changed, and some things have not. I’m the mom now, and I’m not much different from JoAnn.
The major news networks have been telling us to get our special glasses ready for a few weeks now. (I still don’t know why we just couldn’t wear regular sunglasses. If we wear regular sunglasses all the rest of the days of the year, I guess that’s scientific, and there’s a video on that somewhere.) However, several optometrists have posted that you shouldn’t even look directly at the eclipse at all because it will ruin your eyesight. (My 47-year-old eyes don't need that ya'll, I am already in readers!) If you’ve been on any kind of social media for the past month or so, you’ve seen the suspenseful preparation for 4/8/24. Titles of such videos have been Biblical Prophecy Truth 2024, Eclipse Warnings 2024, and Spiritual Awakening 2024. Some say it would be the Rapture of Jesus (which is actually wrong; Jesus isn't raptured; He will be rapturing His church), and some say it is a sign of the end of days. My husband said he even saw a video saying that animals could possibly lose all control during the eclipse, so you better secure your pets--- are we talking werewolf stuff like Jacob in Twilight? Now I’m not here to talk about conspiracies today, although I do like a good rabbit hole, especially if that rabbit has meat on it.
Most of the talk of the eclipse has been comical. This weekend, I saw a meme saying, “I’m not worried about the eclipse. Kid Rock didn’t see the sun once for three darn days." (except it didn’t say darn) You have to be over 40 to find that hilarious probably. I laughed out loud when I read it and had to read it to my husband, who also laughed out loud! He gets me. (sidenote- girls- marry a man who thinks you are not only cute but funny, too!)
Guess what y’all- it’s okay. We survived. P.S. My dogs are still their normal, sweet selves.
The Fear of the Unknown
Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. Matthew 24:4
What we fear the most- the unknown. This week alone, we heard news reporters in different towns across the eclipse route give warnings to fill up gas tanks, get some cash out of the bank, and ensure you have a paper map in your car. Yikes, you mean my GPS isn’t going to work? I’m doomed for sure! I’m a Realtor with no sense of direction without that thing! Social media started adding fuel to the fire. Reels and TicToks have been full of the what-if videos. Then schools started canceling left and right. People started arguing about it on Facebook. Schools that were opened were passing out the safety glasses. Then-- wait--- some of those glasses aren’t regulated and aren’t the correct ones! So they had to cancel school. Our school system didn’t shut down but we already had an educational day planned for our family for the event a few weeks ago since it was right after spring break. I am my mother's daughter after all.
You’d think that after we all survived the years of COVID, we’d be used to this kind of propaganda; I mean, we almost ran out of toilet paper once, for crying out loud, because of this kind of outrageousness.
Friends, I think there are some deceivers out there.
The truth is that the creator of our universe simply made our sun, which keeps us warm, makes our plants grow, appear the same size as the moon on April 8, 2024. There are some scientific numbers in there. I believe (if Google is correct) that the moon has a diameter of 2159 miles and the sun has a diameter of 864,938 miles, and our amazing God made them appear the same size in the sky above us. God doesn't do things to scare us, He does things to AMAZE us. We just have to look up and see it.
Jesus is Good, All the Time
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
My daddy’s chicken scratch handwriting is posted on my bulletin board by my desk. It’s a little note from his Bible that says, “If you are going to pray, don’t worry; if you are going to worry, don’t pray.” I told you Larry was no worrier! I guess he just had to remind himself to pray instead of worry, too. This is taken from Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Here are a few more examples of giving all your anxieties to Jesus, He already took them all to the cross.
2 Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.
Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
1 Peter 6-7 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
I saw a video this morning of a pastor's sermon this past Sunday saying that God uses his sky as a billboard and that this eclipse most certainly is a sign from the Heavens. Do I think that is true? Yes. God made the sun, moon, and the stars. Luke 21:25 There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. But also, in that same message, Jesus warns us again not to be deceived. He tells us to be careful and to be on the watch. You can find all of this in Luke 21: 7-36.
I am sure this isn’t the last of the major news events that are going to have us out running for groceries, stocking up on toilet paper, or filling our cars with gas. Hear this, though--only the Father in Heaven knows when Jesus will return; Jesus said so Himself. Mark 13:32 But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. He is coming when God says “Son, it’s time, Go get em!” Not one man on this planet can predict His arrival, so do not be deceived, especially by people on social media.
However, when it is time for Jesus to return, I know that me and my house—well, we are ready. How about yours? You can have all the stashed-up canned goods, TP, and funny-looking eclipse glasses in the world, but if you don’t have Jesus in your heart, none of that is going to matter.
Love you to the moon and back,
Erica