Once Upon a Moon
Good morning. It is Friday, February 18, 2022. Jeanette Stark here.
Have you noticed the bright, full moon the past several nights? It has been incredible. I see it in the eastern sky before I head to bed, it illuminates the property all night long. I saw it this morning in the western sky as I woke up. I started my morning, before even leaving my bed, by thanking our heavenly Father for such a beauty!
The moon has been full and bright for several nights. It was at its fullest Wednesday night but still I have been enjoying clear, crisp, well-lit nights for about a week.
According to the Farmer's Almanac this moon is called “Snow Moon” and its meaning is as straightforward as it sounds. This full moon gets its moniker from the fact that February is the month that experiences the most snowfall in the Northern Hemisphere. To the early American colonists, the optimal time for trapping beaver, fox and mink was the dead of winter when these animals' coats were at their fullest. So, to them, February’s moon was known as the Trapper’s Moon.
Did you realize that each month the moon has a different name or names?
January: Wolf Moon January's Wolf Moon is always the first full moon of the year. The full moon would usually appear during the coldest part of winter, when wolves would often run around in packs looking for food.
February: Snow Moon Although some referred to January’s full moon as Snow Moon, the name tended to be applied in February, when the snow was deepest and heaviest. February's full moon was also sometimes called Hunger Moon, given that it was difficult to find food at that time.
March: Worm Moon March's full moon, Worm Moon, was named after the worms that became able to move freely again as the ground thawed. The nightcrawlers roamed about, readjusting to the moonlight during that month. The full moon was also referred to as Full Sap Moon because maple trees became ripe for tapping in March.
April: Pink Moon April’s full moon, named Pink Moon, is a reference to the warming weather, as well as the return of mosses and ground flowers.
May: Flower Moon The full moon of May was named Flower Moon because of the abundance of blooming flowers. It was sometimes also referred to as Corn Planting Moon because farmers would begin to plant corn crops in the month of May.
June: Strawberry Moon June’s full moon is named for the strawberries that were harvested during the month. In fact, June was often the only month when strawberries could be harvested. It was also known as Honey Moon, since the full moon remained low on the horizon, causing it to appear amber or honey-colored.
July: Buck Moon The full moon in July was named Buck Moon, since deer would begin to regrow their antlers in July after shedding them months earlier.
August: Sturgeon Moon August's full moon was named Sturgeon Moon because it was the month when the species of fish was especially abundant and therefore easier to catch.
September: Harvest Moon A Harvest Moon, also referred to as a Full Corn Moon, gets its name from the fact that September was the month of harvest, as well as the time of year when the moon was brightest, which allowed farmers to gather their crops later into the night. There were also additional minutes of daylight in September, resulting in a longer day for harvesting. The Harvest Moon occasionally appears in October instead of September, since it is the full moon that occurs closest to the fall equinox, which changes yearly.
October: Hunter’s Moon October's full moon was named Hunter’s Moon because it was during this month that it became important to gather significant amounts of food to last the winter. It was the ideal month for gathering food since crops had already been harvested and wild game were easier to spot, especially before animals such as deer and elk become scarce in the winter months.
November: Beaver Moon The full moon in November was named Beaver Moon because it was believed to be the best month for hunting beaver. Although beaver are hunted much less frequently today, historically the animal was trapped as an important source of meat and fur. The full moon was also sometimes referred to as Frosty Moon because November was the month during which the temperature would turn cold.
December: Oak Moon The full moon in December has multiple names, including Oak Moon, Cold Moon, and Long Nights Moon, since it was the month when nights grew longer and darker. December was also the first month during which winter would take effect. (Source: worldatlas.com)
We know the moon plays a huge part on earth including its effect on the tides of the oceans and large lakes. But I do not want to focus on that today. My focus is simply its beauty and the Creator God who made it.
"Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the fourth day." Genesis 1:16-19 NKJV
The Bible tells us that Jesus is the Creator in John chapter 1 verses 1-3. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." NKJV
Jesus, the Son of God, our Savior, brother and friend is also the Creator.
"By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth." Psalm 33:6 NKJV
And just like the moon, that has no light of its own but relies on the sun to shine when it is dark, so we have no light of our own and rely on the Son to shine in a dark world.
To take it one step further, just as the moon was created to reflect the light of the sun, so we were created to reflect the light of the Son.
Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden." NKJV
John 1:4-5 "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness..." NKJV
We were created to reflect the light of Jesus. And just like the moon that helps people, and animals, see in the dark, so we are to help others see by becoming a reflection of a loving Creator God.
"Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12 NKJV
I hope next time you look up at the moon, your heart becomes filled with joy and wonder. I pray that you realize the same Jesus that spoke the moon into existence, is the same Jesus that wants to be your friend. He is the same God who longs to have a relationship with you, not just now, but for eternity. It is such an awesome reality!!