bethlehem star

i'm nothing if not curious.  always have been and always hope to be inquisitive about life.  my first reference to the bethlehem star was at age 4 when my cousins taught me the rubber cigar version of "we three kings".  when i heard the real version of the song, i took it literally, wondering, for an embarassingly long while, where "orient r" was on a map and which star was "yonder star"?  fast forward to this winter when i am preparing what is supposed to be a rather simple devotional thought for our school staff.  except i get on a tear about the star, this time as an adult.  my questions now become, "what was the star?  was it a planet?  what is the difference between astrology and astronomy?  how can a star just stop?  who were the wise men anyway?" and i look up references online which go to some pretty crazy looking sites that use rainbow colored fonts and spaceship icons. the only site that seems normal and doesn't have pictures of aliens on it is the one about german astronomer johannes kepler. but i have a devotional to give and so my research will have to wait. this week, all of my questions were answered when i found a dvd called "the star of bethlehem:  unlock the mystery of the world's most famous star" produced by stephen mceveety.  a lawyer, who also happens to be a committed christian, named rick larson had some of the very same questions i did, starting when his daughter wanted to display the wise men on their lawn one christmas. his relentless mind-heart quest for scientific evidence, historical accuracy and biblical truth culminated in this truly amazing dvd presentation.  he is funny, doesn't take himself too seriously, and is whip-smart logical about the details of presenting this centuries-old mystery.  what he discovers using advanced astronomy software absolutely astounded me.  so much so that i went outside under the stars, tears in my eyes and simply looked up.  i could say so much more, but it'd be simpler for you, if interested, to check out the video or his reputable website for yourself at www.bethlehemstar.com.  like the wise men, i hope it will inspire you to come and worship the One who made the heavens and the earth.  happy new year, dear readers!