Episode 35

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Published on:

20th Sep 2024

Where is Kolob

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

Transcript
Speaker:

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

date of 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.

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About the Podcast

Creative Spiritual Journey
one small, deliberate step at a time
We are all on a journey—a journey home to our heavenly parents. Any experienced traveler knows there are days you laugh and days you cry.

We aren’t here to tell you how to live—we are here to share how we live—how we survive, thrive, and even find joy!

The journey gets messy with rainstorms and sleepless flights but the hard times—the miserable times—those make the best stories.

And the vistas, the sunsets, the little birds outside the window—those are the reminders that God is in the details, he is aware of us, he has trod the path before.

The Creative Spiritual Journey Podcast is hosted by Judy and Ghia Cooley—two sisters in their wisdom years—who love the savior and are dedicated to making this journey one small, deliberate step at a time.

Join us!

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Ghia Cooley