Fly Me To The Moon

My heart was saddened to hear that Neil Armstrong died today.  This man has done so much for NASA and our country while never seeking recognition for anything.  Neil simply loved science and space and was willing to risk all he had to see America succeed in reaching aerospace goal after aerospace goal.  It makes me chuckle that he lived mere miles from Isaac's family for years in small town Ohio, and here's Isaac back in Houston trying to keep on something grand begun more than 40 years ago.  The cycle is a beautiful thing.


This humble man rarely gave interviews, and only his family and close friends seem to have access to much of his private life.  I suppose this is how most of us want our lives to be, but for someone who is such an inspiration to so many, I wish we knew a few more details.  From what little interview documentation I can find, it appears that The Man on the Moon knew Jesus, and knew Him well.  Oh, how I hope it's true!  We know that he participated with Buzz Aldrin in communion on the moon, and it seems he did take a trip to Israel to walk where Jesus walked.  I suppose I'll know the truth when I reach my Father.  Few things make me as crazy as tributes that envision the deceased 'among the stars' or 'in a better' place when the person was clearly not a Believer or if it was simply never known.  Just leave that stuff out! 

The discouraging part of living five minutes from NASA is having our aging heroes begin to pass on.  While 'the end of an era' was reached quite some time ago, the definitiveness of it sinks home as these astronauts begin to die.  What's next?  What's left?  Neil jumped onto Congress pretty aggressively back in 2010 for not giving NASA clear direction.  Good for him!  He lived in a day when our president practically demanded our nation to explore, explore, explore the vastness of space.  My, how my heart aches at the change!  What are my students supposed to obtain if no one is challenging them?  How is sweet Tina supposed to be the first American born girl with Zambian parents on the moon without a government with a vision for such things?  Oh, Neil, how I pray your legacy lives on and puts a rocket fueled fire under enough bums to send Americans back to the moon and beyond!