A Brighter dawn is Breaking

---

A brighter dawn is breaking,
And earth with praise is waking;
For Thou, O King, most highest,
The power of death defiest.

And Thou hast come victorious,
With risen body glorious,
Who now forever livest,
And life abundant givest.

O free the world from blindness,
And fill the world with kindness,
Give sinners resurrection,
Bring striving to perfection.

In sickness give us healing,
In doubt Thy clear revealing,
That praise to Thee be given
In earth as in Thy Heaven.

Matt. 17: 5

While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them:

and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said,

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;

hear ye him.

I pray that the brightness of the Son

will shine forth in my life,

that I can be the kind of daughter/sister/woman

He will be proud of.

“Better keep yourself clean and bright. You are the window through which you must see the world.”

George Bernard Shaw

New Eyes

"Living is being born slowly.

It would be a little too easy if we could borrow ready-made souls."

~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

"All Things Bright And Beautiful"

All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful:

The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,

Each little bird that sings,

He made their glowing colors,

He made their tiny wings.

The purple headed mountains,

The river running by,

The sunset and the morning

That brightens up the sky.

The cold wind in the winter,

The pleasant summer sun,

The ripe fruits in the garden,

He made them every one.

The tall trees in the greenwood,

The meadows where we play,

The rushes by the water,

To gather every day.

He gave us eyes to see them,

And lips that we might tell

How great is God Almighty,

Who has made all things well.

"Upturned toward the sun, eyes closed.

That color and warmth I see and feel is the soul on fire. "

~Jeb Dickerson

Instruments in God's Hands

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.”

Mother Teresa John 12: 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. Savior, may I learn to love thee, Walk the path that thou hast shown, Pause to help and lift another, Finding strength beyond my own. Savior, may I learn to love thee- Lord, I would follow thee. Who am I to judge another When I walk imperfectly? In the quiet heart is hidden Sorrow that the eye can't see. Who am I to judge another? Lord, I would follow thee. I would be my brother's keeper; I would learn the healer's art. To the wounded and the weary I would show a gentle heart. I would be my brother's keeper- Lord, I would follow thee. Savior, may I love my brother As I know thou lovest me, Find in thee my strength, my beacon, For thy servant I would be. Savior, may I love my brother- Lord, I would follow thee. Text: Susan Evans McCloud

D&C 93: 2, 9, 28

And that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world;

• • •

The light and the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who came into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men.

• • •

He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.

I know that my Redeemer lives.

What comfort this sweet message gives.

He lives, He lives who once was dead.

He lives.

peace...

Fill Thou My Life

Words: Horatius Bonar Music: Gesangbuch der Herzogl

Fill Thou my life, O Lord my God, In every part with praise, That my whole being may proclaim Thy being and Thy ways. Not for the lip of praise alone, Nor e’en the praising heart I ask, but for a life made up Of praise in every part! Praise in the common words I speak, Life’s common looks and tones, In fellowship in hearth and board With my belovèd ones; Not in the temple crowd alone Where holy voices chime, But in the silent paths of earth, The quiet rooms of time. Fill every part of me with praise; Let all my being speak Of Thee and of Thy love, O Lord, Poor though I be, and weak. So shalt Thou, Lord, from me, e’en me, Receive the glory due; And so shall I begin on earth The song forever new. So shall each fear, each fret, each care Be turned into a song, And every winding of the way The echo shall prolong; So shall no part of day or night From sacredness be free; But all my life, in every step Be fellowship with Thee.

Peace is more than a lofty ideal. It is a practical principle that, with conscious effort, can become a normal part of our lives as we deal with matters both large and small.

"Peace Within"

Joseph B. Wirthlin, Ensign, May 1991, 36–38

"Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward.

"Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.

"Behold, I do not condemn you; go your ways and sin no more; perform with soberness the work which I have commanded you.

"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

"Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven"

 (D&C 6:33–37).

the dark and the light, light will prevail

“When you have come to the edge Of all light that you know And are about to drop off into the darkness Of the unknown,  Faith is knowing One of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or You will be taught to fly”

~ Patrick Overton “God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.” ~unknown source “For light I go directly to the Source of light, not to any of the reflections.”  Peace Pilgrim     And that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world; D&C 93: 2    In him was life; and the life was the light of men.   And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1: 4-5 Be Still My Soul Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side; With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; In ev'ry change he faithful will remain. Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end. Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake To guide the future as he has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake; All now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.  Be still, my soul: The hour is hast'ning on When we shall be forever with the Lord, When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone, Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored. Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past, All safe and blessed we shall meet at last. Text: Katharina von Schlegel, b. 1697; trans. by Jane Borthwick, 1813-1897   That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day. D&C 50: 24 Though our trials be many,  our Father and Savior are there for us. Leading us to the best we can be. And so.... our life is like an onion.  Our first eighteen years we build up the layers, thick to conceal where we started from, then we spend the rest of our lives peeling away what has grown over, or hid in the dark, exposing the heart of our true selves, revealing our selves to light and what is real. Though it  may be painful at times, it is worth it to be as authentic as we truly are, see ourselves in our innocence and where we originated from. We came from a seed, a seed of light the Light of Christ that is in each one of us. And as each trial comes our way, our light is burnished brighter as we come to our  Father again and again, in silent  prayer. And then you know,  He lives. He lives for you and for me. He loves you. And wants you to live in His light.      “May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day. May songbirds serenade you every step along the way. May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that's always blue. And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through.”  Irish Blessings

Another Beginning

My heart spoke to her.

Go into the good night, dear one.

It is done.

So many arms wait to embrace you

through your diaphanous veil of existence.

It is time.

Her passage,

a sanctified  resolution,

of a sacred journey.

She goes into a different light.

Complete, 

though unceasing. 

She is gone,

and she is here.

Replete with 

joy and tranquility.

Death teaches that we do not experience a fulness of joy in mortality 

and that everlasting joy can be achieved only with the assistance of the Master.

Merrill J. Bateman, Ensign, May 1995, 13–14

Death is a necessary component of our eternal existence. 

No one knows when it will come, but it is essential to God's great plan of happiness.

Russell M. Nelson, Liahona, May 2005, 16–18; or Ensign, May 2005, 16–18

Death, though bitter to observe, is not the end, but is, rather, 

only another graduation 

from which we go on to a better life.

Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, May 1988, 65–68

I love my Heavenly Father

Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in Heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given.

God His own doth tend and nourish;
In His holy courts they flourish;
From all evil things He spares them;
In His mighty arms He bears them.

Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,
And their sorrows all He knoweth.

Though He giveth or He taketh,
God His children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.

Lo, their very hairs He numbers,
And no daily care encumbers
Them that share His ev’ry blessing
And His help in woes distressing.

Praise the Lord in joyful numbers:
Your Protector never slumbers.
At the will of your Defender
Ev’ry foeman must surrender.

Words: Kar oli na W. Sandell-Berg, An del i ga dagg drop par, 1858 (Tryggare kan ingen vara); translated from Swedish to English by Ernst W. Ol son in The Hymn al, 1925. Shortly before writing this hymn, San­dell and her father were on a boat trip, when he fell over board and drowned be fore her eyes. It is thought this tragedy gave birth to the lyrics.

Music: Tryg gare Kan Ing en Va ra, Swed ish melody, ar ranged by Os kar Ahn felt (1813-1882)

I love my Heavenly Father. 

Without Him, I am nothing. 

He is my Friend, my Protector,  my Teacher,  my Everything.

My dear, sweet, kind, tender Father.

I am grateful to my Heavenly Father.

I pray I can be a daughter 

He can be proud of, 

can count on,  

can trust, 

can use

as an instrument  in His hands.

I pray we can walk as child and father,

hand in hand,

towards a common purpose,

with unconditional love, 

towards all mankind.

I love my Heavenly Father...

dear Father.

Going Into the Good Night...

What is this occurrence? 

The blossoms of early spring just faded

and newly shaped fruits have begun 

to take form.

Soon  round, red, delightful

apples

will be plucked or dropped from the branch.

Eventually...

fruit decays.

Seeds take hold.

Winter snows atop the soil.

Spring will sprout

once more.

There is hope in this cycle;

the eternal pattern of repetition.

And  our lives,

are as the apple tree.

One earthly season

of birth to decay,

to rise again

from the seed of our

mortality,

and 

to live

forever more.

Let children walk with Nature, let them see the beautiful blendings and communions of death and life, their joyous inseparable unity, as taught in woods and meadows, plains and mountains and streams of our blessed star, and they will learn that death is stingless indeed, and as beautiful as life.  ~John Muir

For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?  

~Kahlil Gibran

Ps. 107: 10, 14

  Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;

      •  •  •

  He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.

Mosiah 15: 7-9, 20, 23

  Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.

  And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for the children of men—

   Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.

      •  •  •

   But behold, the bands of death shall be broken, and the Son reigneth, and hath power over the dead; therefore, he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead.

      •  •  •

  They are raised to dwell with God who has redeemed them; thus they have eternal life through Christ, who has broken the bands of death.

What is this thing that men call death,

This quiet passing in the night?

'Tis not the end, but genesis

Of better worlds and greater light.

O God, touch thou my aching heart,

And calm my troubled, haunting fears.

Let hope and faith, transcendent, pure,

Give strength and peace beyond my tears.

There is no death, but only change,

With recompense for vict'ry won.

The gift of him who loved all men,

The Son of God, the Holy One.

'What Is This Thing That Men Call Death'

By President Gordon B. Hinckley