Ghia – How will I reflect on this fall equinox? I plan to mark my path on the way to Kolob.

Hurray gear here.

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I'm this week's host of the

creative, spiritual journey podcast.

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Where Judy and I talk about

those things that bring us joy.

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For me.

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I focus on connecting with

nature, connecting with Jesus

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Christ in our heavenly parents.

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Seasonal living.

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And anything else I come

across while negotiating this

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remarkable journey we call life.

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Sunday, September 22nd is the

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And my quest to live more seasonally.

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I am deliberately tuning into the Equinox.

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It would be quite easy to pass over.

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Does it really play any

significance in our lives?

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Probably not.

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But here's why I'm doing it because I want

to live connected to the earth, my home.

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I want to pay attention to its

rhythms and learn from them.

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I truly believe I will be

healthier and happier for it.

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Besides, I think God, like any

artist loves his work to be admired.

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So the fall Equinox.

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What role does it play in my life?

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Just like I said, during

the spring Equinox.

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Everyone talks about this

being a time of balance.

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But I don't feel balance.

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The weather is all over the place.

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In the summer I get up and put

on a t-shirt in the winter.

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I put on a fleece.

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Either way.

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I'm good to go for the day.

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In the fall.

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I don't know what to put on.

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Is it going to be warm or cold?

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I have no idea.

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Don't get me wrong.

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I love fall.

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It's probably my favorite time of year.

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In fact, if someone asked me what

my favorite color is, I say fall.

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Fall.

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Those are my colors.

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And I love fall because the

heat is dying down and the air

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is getting that cool crispness.

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That makes me happy.

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So happy.

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Oh, but the light, I

hate losing the light.

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I hate getting up when it's dark.

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So that makes me so sad.

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Sad.

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Happy, sad, happy.

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Sorry, but I find to know balance in that.

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But let me talk about what I do find.

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We get this time of the Equinox.

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When the sun passes the equator.

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And what does this cause?

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This causes the day and nights to be the

same length all across the entire globe.

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That's kind of cool.

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It makes me think that for a brief moment,

the whole world is United and it means

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that I have the same length day and night

here in the Northern hemisphere that

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Judy does in the Southern hemisphere.

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This wouldn't make such

an impression on me.

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If I didn't actually know someone

living in the Southern hemisphere

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for the first time in my life.

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Traditionally fall is when

we celebrate the harvest.

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It's a time of seasonal transitions,

hot to cold, light to dark.

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It's a time of gratitude.

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Uh, time to embrace change.

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Uh, time to wonder at the

cyclical nature of life.

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Uh, time to embrace the rhythms

and magic of the universe.

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And according to some,

it's a time for reflection.

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Hm.

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But reflecting on what exactly.

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Uh, Google search suggested

reflecting on the imbalances of life.

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Prioritizing values embracing flexibility.

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Or reviewing our progress.

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These are all great and surely

valuable things to ponder.

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For me.

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I have chosen a slightly modified topic

for my fall Equinox, time of reflection.

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Sticking with the topic

of astronomical events.

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I have decided to reflect upon my

life's position in relation to CoLab.

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You didn't see that coming.

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Did you.

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Let me explain.

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Our son, the center of

the universe is a star.

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In my mind, stars are worth a good ponder.

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While preparing for a middle

school Christmas concert ages ago.

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I tried out for a solo.

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Oh, I'm afraid I was a little off

key, so I didn't get the part.

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But I have never forgotten the song.

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It goes.

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I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

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How Jesus, my savior did come for to die.

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For poor ordinary people like you.

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And like, I.

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I wonder as I wander.

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Out under the sky.

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Do you stars make you wonder?

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They do me and today I want to share with

you a few of my thoughts about stars.

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Did you know, we are made of Stardust.

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It's true.

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Let me quote from the book rooted.

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Bye Leanne DIA Lynn Halpert.

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She says Dr.

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Ashley King.

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Planetary scientist and star dust, expert,

and enviable job description states.

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It's totally 100% true.

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Nearly all the elements of the

human body were made in a star.

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And many have come through

several supernovas.

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And quote.

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How Bert goes on to write.

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Oxygen carbon, hydrogen nitrogen, calcium

phosphorus, potassium, sulfur sodium

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chlorine, magnesium equal star human.

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Maybe I'm being a little fanciful, but

I love knowing I am made of Stardust.

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And it seems reasonable to me that

God would use the same stuff to make

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the stars as to make my human body.

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And while we are being fanciful.

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Did you know, the sun

moon and stars can sing.

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It says so in doctrine

and covenants 1 28 32.

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And let the sun moon and

morning stars sing together.

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And let all the sons and

daughters of God, shout for joy.

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Some people wouldn't take this

literally, but me, I certainly do.

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I can't help it.

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That's the way I am.

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And I know that someday, just like

I can see the celestial bodies.

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I will be able to hear them as well.

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Speaking of stars.

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Turns out our son has the ability

to stop in its tracks, so to speak.

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Joshua had the faith to ask the

Lord to give him more light.

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So the sun stood still in the

midst of heaven and hasten not

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to go down about a whole day.

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Oh, to have that kind of

faith, the faith of Joshua.

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But let's not stop now.

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Let's talk about another group of people,

people with enough faith to follow a star.

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And not just any star.

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The star.

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I can't help, but wonder

about the Wiseman in the east.

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How much time did they

spend watching the stars?

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Did they wonder what they meant?

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Did they wonder how are, if

they would ever see the star?

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And when they saw it.

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Where their doubts.

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Did they question if

a king was truly born?

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And what were the consequences

of following the star?

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Did her require selling their

home to finance, such a venture?

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Did they know how to

put together a caravan?

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By all the supplies handle the

camels, traverse the wilderness.

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They were scholars after

all, not merchants.

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We always assume they saw

the star and were so joyful.

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They never doubted.

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I don't know about you, but

that's not the life I know.

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Life is rife with doubts

and uncertainties.

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And while on the journey each night.

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Each night that this guy wasn't

covered with clouds anyway.

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Would they have taken a bearing

on the star and the next day done

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their best to follow that bearing.

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But think of all the things that

could have blocked their way.

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Mountains and rivers.

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And how about great expanses

of desert without water?

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It couldn't have been an easy course.

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And we know the star didn't lead

them directly to the Christ child.

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Otherwise, they wouldn't

have stopped at king Herod's.

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There must have been some

room for interpretation.

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I believe the journey they were

on required faith every step

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of the way, despite the star.

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And that it is much the same for us.

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We know where we are going home to

our heavenly parents yet we need

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daily guidance and course correction.

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So all this StarTalk is finally bringing

me around to the point of this podcast.

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And that is the star called CoLab.

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One of the unique books of scripture in

the Canon of the church of Jesus Christ of

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latter day saints is the book of Abraham.

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Abraham three, one through three reads.

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And I Abraham saw the stars that they were

very great and one of them was nearest

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and to the throne of God, And there were

Benny great ones which were near unto it.

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And the Lord said unto me.

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These are the governing ones.

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And the name of the great one is

CoLab because it is near and to me.

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For I am the Lord, thy God.

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I have set this one to govern all

those, which belong to the same order

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as that, upon which they'll stand this.

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Wow.

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What does this mean?

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In the encyclopedia of Mormonism.

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Did you know, there was such a thing.

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It was written by a

BYU religion professor.

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And it says, quote, The book of Abraham

states that God's physical domain.

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I E throne is located

near a star called CoLab.

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While it might seem reasonable to

suppose that this refers to some

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distinguishing feature of the universe.

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All efforts to identify

it are speculative.

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And not authoritative.

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Wherever CoLab is located.

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It's purpose is to govern all the planets

that are of the same order as the earth.

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Since Abraham says no more than

that, it isn't clear whether

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he is speaking physically

metaphorically or allegorically.

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Thus to govern might mean a

physical bonding as with gravity.

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While order could conceivably mean

planets similar to the earth in size or

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planets in the same region of this galaxy.

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Uh, or even the entire Milky way galaxy.

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And quote.

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CoLab.

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Do we know anything else about it?

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Another reference I found is in the him,

if you could hi to CoLab by William W.

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Phelps.

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Before we go any further,

I have to ask the question.

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What does high to Cola mean?

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I don't know how many times I have

sung this song and I have never known.

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So today I looked it up.

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Hi means to hasten or go quickly.

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I particularly liked the synonym Beryl.

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I can see myself so excited that I barrel

to CoLab, tripping over myself as I go.

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Hi has been used since the

12th century and Shakespeare

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used it in Romeo and Juliet.

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Then hi, you hints to

fryer Lawrence's cell.

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There stays a husband to make you a wife.

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So now I know the definition of high.

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Another question, what prompted

the writing of this hymn?

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In the history of hymns, it says.

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In a way William W.

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Phelps had experienced just that.

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Meaning a desire to hide to CoLab.

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For, he had been scribed to Joseph.

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Had sat at the side of the prophet.

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When the whole room was filled with

the light and knowledge of God.

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He had seen and felt and experienced.

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Wonder's given to few

men in this mortal life.

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And quote.

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Oh, that must have been a truly

breathtaking and amazing experience.

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And it explains the passion

and mystery in his lyrics.

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Now the words to this hymn are set

to the music of an Irish folk tune

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dating back to the middle ages.

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And while I love the tune, in my opinion,

it doesn't do much for the lyrics.

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At least not the way we sing

it in sacrament meeting.

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Given a choice.

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I would much prefer reading the words.

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Let me share them with you.

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If you hi to CoLab in the twinkling

of an eye and then continue onward

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with that same speed to fly.

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Do you think that you could ever

through all eternity find the

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generation where gods began to be.

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Or see the grand beginning where

space did not extend or visit the last

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creation where God's and matter end.

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Me thinks the spirit whispers,

no man has found pure space.

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Nor seen the outside curtain

where nothing has a place.

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The works of God.

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Continue.

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And worlds and lives abound.

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Improvement and progression

have one eternal round.

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There is no end to matter.

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There is no end to space.

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There is no end to spirit.

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There is no end to race.

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There is no end to virtue.

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There is no end to might.

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There is no end to wisdom.

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There is no end to light.

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There is no end to union.

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There is no end to youth.

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There is no end to priesthood.

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There is no end to truth.

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There is no end to glory.

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There is no end to love.

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There is no end to being,

there is no death above.

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Isn't that beautiful.

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I want that to experience what William W.

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Phelps.

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Uh, experience at the side of the prophet.

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The light and knowledge of God.

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CoLab, where is it exactly the

star that governs the universe?

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I don't know.

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But I want to be there.

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So I ask myself, where am

I in relation to CoLab?

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That to me is a topic

worthy of reflection.

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So my plan is to scratch a

few notes about my location.

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Meaning where I am in relationship with

God, both physically and spiritually.

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I am not going to set goals or beat myself

up for not being where I wish I were.

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I am simply going to mark my path.

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Perhaps I will reflect on the stars.

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And then like the Wiseman

I'll take my bearings so that

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tomorrow I can move forward.

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Next Equinox and each subsequent

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I plan to retrieve my scribbles brush off

the Stardust and note my location again.

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And during those occasions, when

I wish the sun would stop or I

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long to hear the star sing, I

will recall the words of the hymn.

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Improvement and I have one eternal round.

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Duty, and I know your time is precious

and that you have many choices.

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We love that you have chosen to

walk with us for a few moments as

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we traverse this remarkable journey.

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And if you like this podcast, thank

you for sharing it with a friend.

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No one should feel they're walking alone.

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Nama stay.