Ever since Carly Simon topped the music charts in 1972 with “You’re So Vain”, she has been quizzed about the person mentioned in the lyrics. The song tells the story of a lover who is as attractive as he is faithless and arrogant. Simon has always said she would never tell who the lyrics, “You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you,” describe.

Simon has been both flattered and irritated by questions about the song. In a 1990 interview with Diane Sawyer, she said, “Who cares? I can’t believe people care, you know? It was a riddle a long time ago and it’s best, as all those riddles are, it’s best unsolved.” In 2001, Simon told CBS News Correspondent Rita Braver “I could never really solve it because if I did, then no one would have anything to talk to me about.”

Recently Simon agreed to reveal the song’s secret to the highest bidder in an auction benefiting Martha’s Vineyard Community Services. The organization provides childcare, counseling, substance abuse treatment, and visiting nurses to the island community.

At the auction, president of NBC Sports, Dick Ebersol was the highest bidder, offering $50,000 to hear Simon’s secret. Ebersol will travel to Simon’s home for a luncheon of Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches, and a private performance of the song before learning who the song is about. Several male celebrities have topped the speculative list about the song. They range from Simon’s former husband James Taylor to Mick Jagger, who sang backup on the recording. The only catch with Simon’s secret is though Ebersol paid $50,000 to learn who the song is about, he had to promise not to tell anyone else. The mystery surrounding “You’re So Vain” will likely remain a mystery for years to come.

—www.cbsnews.com, August 5, 2003, Carly Simon Will Tell her Secret, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Colossians 1:25-26 NIV “I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.”

Friday, May 31st, Paula Carl of Kipnuk Alaska won an 8-day cruise to the Caribbean by correctly guessing the answers to twelve riddles. The Christian music network, K-Love had provided the riddles on the air, and on their website during the previous week Friday afternoon, when all the riddles had been revealed, the station asked listeners to call with their answers. Several people attempted to guess the right responses, but Carla was the first person to get all twelve correct.

A riddle is a conundrum or mystery designed to be solved by guessing. Often, the clues are based on a resemblance between very different items. Riddles often employ puns or plays on words to produce a witty effect and confuse those seeking to unravel the mystery. The word-questions usually have simple answers, but the obscure comparisons are often misleading.

Paula Carl discovered simple answers lead to a valuable prize. The Apostle Paul talks about the mystery of knowing God. God’s plan of salvation is not unsolvable or beyond discovering. Often, people get caught up in the mystery and miss the simplicity of believing in Jesus Christ.

Acts 16:29-31. NIV “The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, What must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

The Hope diamond has inspired many legends over the years. Recently the 45.5-carat diamond was removed from its protective display case in a secure room within the Museum of Natural history for testing. It was only the second time in 20 years the Hope has been removed from its necklace setting.

Curators from the museum hoped to study the diamond under special conditions. The lights in the room were turned off, and an ultraviolet beam was focused on the diamond. After several seconds the beam was turned off, and the diamond continued to glow a bright orange-amber color.

Scientists believe the blue color of the diamond is due to the element boron mixed with the carbon of the diamond. They do not know why the diamond glows after exposure to ultraviolet light. The research included two other blue diamonds. Compared to these, the Hope is slightly blue-gray. The Hope was mined in India, and the others originated in South Africa. When the other blue diamonds are exposed to ultraviolet radiation they also glow, but the Hope glows much longer. Researchers confirmed the presence of boron in the diamond, but still do not know what produces the strange glow, or why it is so pronounced in the Hope diamond. Scientists plan to conduct further research in the future hoping to discover the mysteries of the Hope diamond.

—www.cnn.com, Hope Diamond glows with mystery, October 3, 2003. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

On one level, I can understand the scientist’s drive to understand what makes the glow, but on another level, I don’t think it really matters—especially if the quest to understand detracts from mystery of its beauty. We are in danger of doing this when we rush past the mystery of godliness so we can make another anemic effort to understand the unexplainable.

Colossians 1:26 NIV “To them, God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Crews sent to clean up Britain's highest mountain uncovered an intriguing mystery. Under a pile of rocks near the top of 4,418 foot Ben Nevis, crews found a piano.

At first they thought it was just the wooden casing, but then saw the cast iron frame complete with strings. The only thing missing was the keyboard. They found a cookie wrapper with an expiration date of December 1986 under the piano, suggesting it may have been there for 20 years.

Nigel Hawkins, director of the trust that owns part of the Scottish mountain said the piano was probably part of a charity fundraising effort.

He believes the group that carried it up the mountain decided it would be easier to bury the instrument under a pile of stones, known as cairn, rather than carry it down. Hawkins says, "People have played rugby up three, and someone drove up a herd of llamas. It does attract a lot of wacky things."

—http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0519PianoMystery19-ON.html. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Ephesians 1:8-9 (BBE) "Which he gave us in full measure in all wisdom and care; [9] Having made clear to us the secret of his purpose, in agreement with the design which he had in mind, to put into his hands."

When Massachusetts fisherman Antonio Randazzo pulled in his nets recently he found the usual assortment of haddock, cod, and flounder. Among the fish, Randazzo found something that did not belong, a mud caked wallet. He thought the billfold might belong to someone who had been lost at sea, but closer exanimation showed that the expiration dates on the credit cards were from the late 1960s.

Randazzo got a copy of the phone book and began looking for the name on the cards. Eventually, Randazzo located the owner, 74 year-old James Lubeck. Lubeck lost the wallet in Marblehead Harbor in 1966. Though there was no cash, Lubeck said he did not care. He searched for an adjective and finally added, "It's incredible. Life is full of mysteries."

—World Magazine, Catch of the Day, September 3, 2005, pg. 9. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Job 11:7-8 (NIV) "Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave—what can you know?"

Two days after they were reported killed in a Montana plane crash, two Forest Service employees emerged from the wilderness astonishing their family members, and baffling rescuers looking through the wreckage of their plane.Jodee Hogg and Matthew Ramige were spotted along a highway more than 48 hours after the crash that killed three other people on the plane.

Flathead County Sheriff Jim Dupont was sifting through the burned wreckage searching for human remains when he learned there were survivors.He said, "It's just an unbelievable miracle. You could look at the crash site, that wreckage, you'd never believe anyone could have survived. It's incredible, truly incredible." Dupont says the airplane went from more than 100 mph to zero in less than 40 feet. After the crash, the resulting fire literally melted everything. Dupont asked, "Who can survive that?"

Linda Wood was a friend of survivor Ramige, and another person who was killed in the crash. She said she and another person had tried to organize a group to search for the victims, but their offer of help was declined.She said, "We sat on the couch and cried instead of being out hiking and searching. And we just accepted what we were told." Bob Bryant, the father-in-law of one of the victims said, "Can you imagine these families? They've been told their kids are dead. And now they are resurrected."

—The Associated Press, Two Survive Plane Crash Thought to kill 5, September 23, 2004. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Some things in life defy explanation.Things like why two survive a crash that cannot be survived while three others perish. There is mystery in the physical dimension, but greater still is the mystery in the spiritual world. Instead of trying to explain it, we should sit back and take a moment to marvel in the unexplainable.

1 Tim. 3:16 (NASB) "And by common confession great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Beheld by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory."

Authorities in Harwich Massachusetts are not sure if it was a prank, a theft, or an attempt to bring a little cheer to their lives. They are still investigating the mysterious appearance of a piano, in good working condition, in the middle of the woods. A woman walking along a trail near Cape Cod discovered a Baldwin Acrosonic Piano. The instrument was in perfect tune, and had a bench positioned in front of it as if someone were about to play.

It took several officers to load the piano into a vehicle to move it to storage, so authorities are sure it took more than one person to bring it to the woods. When asked whether the police department might hold a holiday party in the storage unit, to utilize the instrument while the investigation continued, Sergeant Adam Hutton laughed and said “No.”

-- Mystery Piano in Woods Puzzles Police; http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/23/massachusetts.piano/index.html, November 23, 2008, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Some things can’t be explained, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be enjoyed. I understand that the police had to move the piano and investigate its appearance, I just hope that somebody sat down on the bench and made some beautiful music in that beautiful place before they carted the thing up and hauled it off. Sometimes we are better off to enjoy a mystery instead of trying too hard to solve it.

1 Timothy 3:16 (HCSB) “And most certainly, the mystery of godliness is great: He was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.”

Could a photograph taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in early 2010 be a sign from God? The telescope photographed a mysterious X-shaped object in the heavens that has many astronomers puzzled. Science fiction buffs have suggested the object, located about 90 million miles from earth, resembles Hollywood created spacecraft from programs such as Babylon 5, Star Wars, or Star Trek. Others say the object looks more like a ninja throwing blade, a flying cross, or even the Jewish Star of David.

In an official statement, NASA officials say they believe the unusual formation suggests a head-on collision between two asteroids. Astronomers have long thought collisions in the asteroid belt occurred, but had never seen evidence of such activity before. The agency believes the unusual shape represents an X-shaped debris pattern and trialing streamers of dust resulting from such a high energy cosmic collision. Some chatter on the subject questions whether the object, known as P/2010 A2, might be a sign from God, associated with end-times scenarios. Whatever it is, Ray Villard, a contributing writer for Discovery News said, “I’ve seen thousands of astronomical images over my career, but this is one of the few absolute jaw-droppers.” He added, “Whatever it is, nothing quite like it has ever been seen in the heavens.”

--http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=125439; February 17, 2010, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Mark 13:24-26 (NIV) “’But in those days, following that distress, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; (25) the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' (26) At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.’”

In Forgotten God: Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit, Francis Chan writes, “While these serve as cute metaphors for an unexplainable mystery, the fact is that God is not like an egg, a three-leaf clover, or the three forms of water. God is not like anything. He is incomprehensible, incomparable, and unlike any other being. He is outside our realm of existence and, thus, outside our ability to categorize Him.”

-- Forgotten God: Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit P. 66 Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Deuteronomy 5:24 (NIV) “And you said, ‘The LORD our God has shown us his glory and his majesty, and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a man can live even if God speaks with him.’”

The appearance of a mysterious noise has residents of a small English community baffled. Residents of Woodland in County Durham say the noise, termed “the hum” has been heard every night for the past two months, and resembles the sound of car engine. Sometimes the hum is so strong that it shakes beds. It is sometimes louder in different parts of the same home, but no one can figure out where the noise is coming form or how to silence it.

The hum besetting the community of Woodland routinely begins around midnight, and continues unabated until 4 am. There are no abandoned mines, factories or other large structures in the area. Residents say so far they have been able to trace a source, it seems to be coming from everywhere in the one-street village. One resident says she knows the noise is not in her head because she can drown it out by covering her ears. She says every night the noise returns to offer a restless sleep. Citizens say they are at a loss to know what to do, all they can do is shrug their shoulders when asked about a solution.

--Mysterious Night ‘Hum’ Plagues British Village, http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/06/15/mysterious-night-%E2%80%98hum%E2%80%99-plagues-british-village ; June 16, 2011, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Colossians 1:25-27 (CEV) (25) God's plan was to make me a servant of his church and to send me to preach his complete message to you. (26) For ages and ages this message was kept secret from everyone, but now it has been explained to God's people. (27) God did this because he wanted you Gentiles to understand his wonderful and glorious mystery. And the mystery is that Christ lives in you, and he is your hope of sharing in God's glory.

Education officials in New Jersey say they decided to stop using a standardized test question asking third graders to reveal a secret and then write about why it was difficult to keep. The question appeared on the writing portion of the test given to 4000 students in 15 districts. It drew criticism from some parents who thought it was inappropriate. Parents were concerned that authorities might be required to report some of the secrets revealed, when the purpose of the test was to examine the child’s critical reading skills. Most felt the question went into topics that should be keep quiet, and it would raise too many serious complications.

After complaints, Department of Education officials admitted they were only trying out the question and it would not be counted in the student’s scores, nor would it be used in the future. Though the question had previously been reviewed and approved by the school board and a panel of teachers, state education officials agreed the question was out of line. Department of Education representative, Justin Barra said, “We’ve looked at this question in light of concerns raised by parents, and it is clear that this is not an appropriate question for a state test.”
--NJ to no longer ask 3rd-graders to reveal a secret, http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/nj-longer-3rd-graders-reveal-secret-16335471, May 12, 2012, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

Luke 12:2-3 (GNB) Whatever is covered up will be uncovered, and every secret will be made known. So then, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in broad daylight, and whatever you have whispered in private in a closed room will be shouted from the housetops.

Rebecca Northfield, writing for “Engineering and Technology” shows how a mystery can be solved through science. She explained one mystery like this: “At California’s Death Valley there are hundreds of trails from large, rough blocks of rock in the aptly named Racetrack Playa. It clearly means the stones are moving, but nobody pushes them, and no one has seen them move. Supernatural theories for the phenomenon include the rocks being remains of a UFO crash, mysterious ‘unseen hands’ that move the rocks, or magnetic fields of some kind.”

How does science explain it? Although Death Valley’s temperature has reached 134°Fin the summer, the lake can freeze in the winter nights. When the ice melts, it breaks into plates that can weigh over 600 pounds. Throughout the winter months, the contraction, melting, and shifting process can move a rock over 200 yards, leaving a trail of mud in its wake. —Jim L. Wilson and Jason Blankenship