Tuesday; July 16

Where were you fifty-five years ago? Now, let me start by saying that a growing number of people may be reading this and smirking with the comment, “I wasn’t even alive back then.”. Okay – I get it – but don’t give up on me quite yet … even you young pups might find some inspiration in what follows. On July 16, 1969 a good number of us were watching the Saturn V rocket lifting off from Kennedy Space Center carrying the Apollo 11 crew to the moon. It was an exciting time – not just for star-stuck kids fascinated by our heroes (the astronauts) or even the Americans who were funding the adventure – a lot people where fascinated by what was going on. At that point in history, no one had walked on the moon and despite an international war going on Viet Nam and a cold war that was separating much of the rest of the world, we watched and hoped and prayed that history was about to be made. In a sense, a lot of the world interrupted their day-to-day routines to follow the antics of Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong.

As I think about the influence Apollo 11 had on us back in the day, I wonder if there is something that could possibly draw us all together today in a positive way. Maybe it’s a stretch to hope that there is an international event that might unite us (even in an Olympic year), but I do believe that on a more localized level we can use events to unite us. Whether as a community, church or even as a family is there something coming up that can be a unifying force? What would it take for that to happen? Can you be the catalyst to instigate it?
It is easy to give up hope of being unified but imagine for a minute how good it might feel to come together for a common cause. Maybe we should give it a try – what do we have to lose but the barriers that are keeping us separated?
Think About It!

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