Beginnings can be difficult....but wonderful too

I am compelled to start yet another blog due to a longing that has not been satisfied by posting elsewhere.

Thus far I've blogged about my adopted special needs daughter, Emma, who is such a wonderful blessing to us (as is her brother Matthew of course). I've also blogged about my new gluten-free lifestyle and my reasons for going gluten-free (multiple autoimmune diseases including celiac disease); that blog has a companion site which is my place to stash any and every good gluten-free recipe I come across or invent myself.

I even have a third "secret" blog that I began long ago about the ups and downs of being a mother and grandmother who is working (more than) full-time outside of the home and raising two adopted babies (my biological grandchildren) at the same time. That one has been my "catch-all" blog, where I have been able to vent, and express myself on nearly any topic....where I've talked about my illnesses at length. It's a bit personal and I want to keep it that way.

But it's time to be brave and blog about the profound as well as the mundane. To discuss my faith, to open my heart about the infinite and the unchanging God of this Universe. This is at least part of the purpose of the new blog....more may become clear as time goes on.

I am a scientist by profession, an astronomer to be precise.

Therefore I will begin this blog by listing some of the scriptures in His Word which mention the stars and the Universe they illuminate:

Psalm 19:1-4 (from both the King James and New International Version):

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world. (King James)

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. (NIV)

Other scriptures:

“He (God) made the stars.” (Genesis 1:1)

“He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names” (Psalm 147:4)

“(God) Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south" (Job 9:8 & 9)

I have felt the connection with God, with His handiwork, in such a special way when I've gone on observing runs. There's something incredible about being on top of a very high mountain in the dead of night, billions of stars wheeling overhead, as one who can use one of the world's largest telescopes to take data for a personal research project.

But the truly amazing privilege, to a Christian who knows the Creator of those stars, is just to be allowed to study His creation as part of my job. He put me in that job, and will no doubt continue to keep me there as long as it is in His plans.