Earth and All Stars

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls; from the NASA website

Earth and all stars, loud rushing planets,

Sing to the Lord a new song.

Hail, wind and rain, loud blowing snowstorms

Sing to the Lord a new song.

God has done marvelous things!

We will sing praises with a new song!

(Herbert Frederick Brokering, 1964; Presbyterian Hymnal #458)

I have great respect for NASA and the USAF space program and all space programs. Most of my favorite TV shows and movies are science fiction, and I have great memories of watching Star Trek: The Next Generation with my dad.  More than anything, NASA's programs have opened our imaginations to push beyond what we thought were human limits. In high school I was convinced by the time I was middle aged the human race would have colonized at least the moon if not further. Today was the last launch in NASA's shuttle program. I understand the economy is difficult and the US budget is difficult, but I can't imagine a US without an active NASA shuttle program. Not only does NASA employ a lot of people, a lot of people want to work for NASA. People want to grow up to become astronauts, engineers, software writers to work in the space program. If NASA ever decides to hire chaplains, I'm applying ASAP. (How awesome would that be?) The International Space Station has been a symbol of what connects us as human beings. We need NASA. We need events, for both the national and international, that bring people together for a common goal that ignites our imagination. We need the shuttle program.