Lessons of Light

I wanted to learn something this week.

I didn't know what to ask for though.

It came into my mind that I should focus on light.

So I tried to think about light.

Stars, sunlight, moonlight, Light of the World, darkness, light under a bushel...

Lots... of light.

I was overwhelmed by the breadth of the one word. I sat and looked up and saw this amazing chandelier. And then I saw this brilliant piece of galaxy designed into a tiny piece of stained glass. I let my mind just focus on light.

And I began to make the most elementary connections. I thought about how the star we see in the sky is millions and trillions of miles away.

This is Sirius. It is the brightest star in the sky. It is bright because the light is only traveling across 8 light years.

I was thinking about stars as points in the sky as I looked at the tiny points of light in the chandelier.

I was thinking about how the light travels across space to reach us.

In my mind, I pictured each star traveling along a beam from one far away place in the sky.  Or rather--each point of light was attached to this far away place by this beam.

I pictured something sort of like this:

*=======================================================HUGE STAR

Doctrine and Covenants 88:11



11 And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;

Psalms 36:9

9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:45

45 For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

John 8: 12

12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Here's the lesson I learned from contemplating light this week:

We are the little dot in the sky. Shining little stars. Dazzling! Jesus Christ is the ray of light. And Heavenly Father is the big starting place.

It's not meant to preach some astrological lesson or even some doctrinal lesson--but it helps me to understand my relationship to the Father--and more than that--I now see the mission of Jesus Christ as being a connector--a beam of light that shows me the straight path back to my Father in Heaven.

Simple, but effective.

Today, I am grateful to learn. I am grateful for the sun's rays that warm my heart and remind me of warmth of the love of the Savior.  I am grateful for light.

And Megan, I am also grateful for LIFE cereal. It is crispy and good.