Starry Heavens...

From Melissa and Scott Mellor (fellow BCC members):

One of my favorite quotes is from Immanuel Kant, in which he said "Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing wonder and awe: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me." I find comfort in this statement and its ability to challenge seekers questions about whether God exists and is active in our daily lives. I became aware the other day that I have sort of created my own mental "shopping list" of customized items I include to Kant's statement, which proves to me that he DOES exist and is very active in our lives.

When my wife first told me of Jim's condition, I have to admit my first question was "I know the name from church, but what does he look like?" After seeing his profile picture from the church directory, I was immediately reminded of who he was: the guy I shook hands with and spoke briefly with during a 2 minute "meet-n-greet" at church.

Now, this in itself doesn't compare to what everyone else on this blog is saying about him. Heck, I don't recall ever talking with him outside of this one time. But to explain to you how much passion and love he expressed to me about his girls, church, and life in that short two minutes, and for me to remember it from hundreds of similar greetings, is beyond words. When I told him I had a little girl and was expecting another, his face lit up and he went into excite mode, gushing about his two girls and how similar the ages were, and how incredible it is. I've heard it mentioned in this blog about his child-like love of things, and I could immediately relate based on an otherwise insignificant interaction.

Having just finished reading the book "The Question of God" by Armand Nicholi, and reading through the blog posts here, I felt that God was really speaking to me and giving me something more to add to my "shopping list". I found a comparison between how Jim is dealing with his cancer, and records of C.S. Lewis's last few months. Lewis kept his sense of humor, referring to dying as "solemn fun", but also stating to a friend "the only real snag is that it looks as if you and I shall never meet again in this life".

Nicholi posed the question "How could Lewis, or anyone else, be "prepared" for death, to face this "penal obscenity" with not only cheerfulness, calmness, and inner peace, but with actual anticipation? Did his worldview provide him with the resources that made this possible?"

Nicholi stated the answer was in C.S. Lewis's own words: "If we really believe what we say we believe-if we really think that home is elsewhere and that this life is a 'wandering to find home,' why should we not look forward to the arrival?"

Thanks Jim, for inspiring me to see the starry heavens in my life.