Lights of the World Week 6: Naga Fireballs

Photo by J A Forbes at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beung_Fai_Phraya_Nag_(187)_ball.JPG

The Fall 2017 Lights of the World Fitness Challenge encourages participants to be physically active an average of at least 20 minutes/day.

Week 6, starting October 1 and ending October 7, features the Naga fireballs, also known as Mekong lights or bung fai paya nak, glowing balls that seem to rise from the Mekong River. Some are as large as a basketball. This unusual reddish light show generally peaks late October. Sometimes thousands of these fireballs are seen in one night around the time of the Phayanak Festival.

Could these glowing orbs be thrown by a legendary serpent that lives in the Mekong River? Could they result from a natural phenomenon such as plasma orbs called St. Elmo's Fire revered by sailors for centuries? Perhaps they are phosphine gas bubbles resulting from a marshy environment. Or maybe they are simply the result of Laotian soldiers firing tracer rounds from flare guns from the other side of the river.

Have you ever seen Naga fireballs, St. Elmo's Fire, or plasma orbs?

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;" 1 Peter 2:9

Lights of the World Week 4 Totals

Week 4 of the Woodleaf United Methodist Church Lights of the World fitness challenge ran from September 17 through September 23, 2017.  Thirty-two participants turned in totals for week 4. Altogether, we logged about 9,000 minutes of exercise. Although the calendar says that autumn is upon us, we are still having lots of temperatures in the 90s, so these numbers look really good to me, and I'm looking forward to seeing what folks will do once the temperatures are a little cooler.

Here are Week 4 totals:

To learn more about this or other fitness challenges offered through our health ministry program, click on the site map for links to all articles on our Healthy Woodleaf blog.

Lights of the World Week 5: Aurora Borealis

Photo by Moyan Brenn at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aurora_borealis_(14832459401).jpg

The Fall 2017 Lights of the World Fitness Challenge encourages participants to be physically active an average of at least 20 minutes/day.

Week 5, starting September 24 and ending September 30, features the Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, that can be seen from many different areas of the Northern Hemisphere. A sister light show, Aurora Australis, can be seen from portions of the Southern Hemisphere. The auroral electrons spiral around the geomagnetic field, producing a wide variety of lights in the sky after dark.

If in an area where the phenomena can be seen, observers may see patches or arcs of light. The lights may appear as curtains while some change constantly. A variety of colors may be visible, including various combinations of red, green, blue, yellow, or pink.

If you are in an area where Aurora Borealis is present, you may be able to hear a hissing or crackling sound if you are about 230 feet above the earth's surface. Have you ever seen this light phenomenon? If so, where were you?

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:5

Lights of the World Week 3 Totals

Week 3 of the Woodleaf United Methodist Church Lights of the World fitness challenge ran from September 10 through September 16, 2017. Thirty-one participants turned in totals for week 3. Several of those participants increased their exercise times, and a few are fitting in shorter exercise times several times throughout the day or week in order to fit it in a busy schedule - that's smart! Some weeks will be better than others, but I think it can help to look back over time to see trends.

Here are our Week 3 totals:

To learn more about this or other fitness challenges offered through our health ministry program, click on the site map for links to all articles on our Healthy Woodleaf blog.

Lights of the World Week 4: Kawah Ijen Volcano in Indonesia

Photo by Daniel Julie at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DSC00316_Java_East_Kawah_Ijen_Volcano_Caldeira_and_acide_Lake_and_Sulfured_(6224356958).jpg

The Fall 2017 Lights of the World Fitness Challenge encourages participants to be physically active an average of at least 20 minutes/day.

Week 4, starting September 17 and ending September 23, features the stunning blue glow of the Kawah Ijen Volcano on the island of Java in Indonesia. Atop the volcano lies Kawah Ijen Crater Lake, a large body of water filled with hydrochloric acid. This acid makes the lake appear green.

Those visiting the area may see a spectacular glowing blue show resulting from the combustion of sulfuric acids. The acids ignite as they come in contact with oxygen in the air, sometimes sending glowing blue flames into the air up to 16 feet. Some of these gases condense into liquid sulfur that flows down the sides of the volcano, giving the appearance of bright blue lava.

If you want to see this light show up close, don't forget your gas mask to protect against toxic gases released from these chemical explosions. You'll also want to stay after dark because the bright blue colored phenomenon can only be seen at night. Click here to see the glowing blue nighttime photos.

Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. Ecclesiastes 2:13

Lights of the World Week 2 Totals

Week 2 of the Woodleaf United Methodist Church Lights of the World fitness challenge ran from September 3 through September 9, 2017. Thirty-three participants turned in totals for week 2. Altogether, participants exercised over 9,000 minutes during week 2 - looking good, y'all!

Here are Week 2 totals:

To learn more about this or other fitness challenges offered through our health ministry program, click on the site map for links to all articles on our Healthy Woodleaf blog.

Lights of the World Week 3: Light Pillars of Laramie, Wyoming

Photo by Christoph Geisler at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Light_pillars_over_Laramie_Wyoming_in_winter_night.jpg

The Fall 2017 Lights of the World Fitness Challenge encourages participant to be physically active an average of at least 20 minutes/day.

Week 3, starting September 10 and ending September 16, features the light poles or pillars of Laramie, Wyoming. This phenomenon is actually in the family of halos and requires several circumstances in order to appear: a fairly large town with bright lights at night, temperatures below -4 degrees Fahrenheit, no wind or very little wind, tiny ice crystals in the air. This icy fog then reflects lights from below that appear to be poles or pillars of light reaching toward the sky.

Light sources for this optical illusion may also come from natural sources such as the sun or moon. Have you ever seen a light pillar? If so, were did you see it?

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

Lights of the World Week 1 Totals

Week 1 of the Woodleaf United Methodist Church Lights of the World fitness challenge ran from August 27 through September 2, 2017. Thirty-two participants turned in totals for week 1 - a record week for any of our fitness challenges to date! Participants were physically active through a wide variety of activities, such as walking, exercise classes, weight lifting, yoga, and one participant has been working particularly hard helping folks down in Houston after the hurricane.

Here are Week 1 totals:

Lights of the World Week 1 Totals

To learn more about this or other fitness challenges offered through our health ministry program, click on the site map for links to all articles on our Healthy Woodleaf blog.

Lights of the World Week 2: Blue Grotto

Photo by Glen Scarborough at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_Grotto,_Capri,_IT.jpg

The Fall 2017 Lights of the World Fitness Challenge encourages participants to be physically active an average of at least 20 minutes/day for eleven weeks.

Week 2, starting September 3 and ending September 9, features Blue Grotto in Capri, Italy. Known by locals as Gradola, Blue Grotto is a sea cave illuminated with a dazzling blue reflection as sunlight sparkles through the seawater. Items placed underwater appear silver due to air bubbles that surround the object.

The mouth of the cave is about two meters wide and one meter high; those wishing to enter the cave must time the trip during low tide when the sea is calm. The cave is accessible via rowboat; visitors enter the cave by lying flat on the bottom of the boat that is then pulled in by chains.

During Roman times, this grotto was a marine temple and the personal swimming area for Emperor Tiberius. This sea cave has inspired several writers, including Mark Twain, August Kopisch, Alberto Moravia, and Ann Weil.

Have you ever traveled to a sea cave? If so, what was the most memorable part of that experience for you?

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1