"Beauty and the Light Divine" by Brother Jon Linford, Dean of Foundations and Interdisciplinary Studies http://www2.byui.edu/DevotionalPlayer/BYUIplayer.htmlStartCue=811&EndCue=2485&VideoName=2012_05_29_DV_Linford
"Value of Adventure" by Brother Scott Wood, Faculty Member, BYU–Idaho Department of Health, Recreation, and Human Performance http://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/Devotionals/2011_08_16_Wood.htm
"Stand in a Holy Place: Sanctify Your Own Space" by Ann N. Madsen, Honors Education Faculty, Brigham Young University http://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/Devotionals/2011_3_29_Madsen.htm
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Thoughts On Things That Are
There are times like now when you feel that bearing the hurt of an entire loss would be much more preferable than enduring the pain of a partial loss. What you found when it was whole has lost some pieces and you cannot find them, nor do you understand the cause of the loss…and that which was discovered is still in your care. You surely have the freedom to choose and therefore could opt to discard it entirely, as it is broken and you do not seem to have the means or ability to mend it because of your lack of knowledge about why or how it has been ruined. You could sever the simple, strained connection and find another one, even knowing that it might be a long time before another is made; even if another would be made, you would still have to face the possibility of suffering the very same burden of loss in the end. You could just put it away and focus on something new… but as has been the experience before, though broken it may be, you cannot do away with it and that has everything to do with you having found it -or rather it having found you and that increases the feeling of responsibility for it- and feeling a deep-rooted, unrelenting sense of endearment towards it. When you find a thing so rare and very quickly develop a bond with it, there is nothing -if anything- that can be done to break that connection. It may be beaten, torn, stretched and ripped but never broken and it remains true even while the thing has let go or given up on you...
...And that is the partial loss, because your heart never lets go. You are wise and strong enough to put thoughts aside and focus on other good things, but ever are assaulted by the small “reminders” that appear from time to time. You go on and think that you have let go, but realize that you are very wrong in assuming when just a simple reminder causes you to halt, puts a lump in your throat, dizzies your head, makes you angry, even causes you to ignore something new and very good...
And what is done about all of this? Well, I comprehend this all very keenly and it leads me to say… have faith. Have faith that there is a reason for the repeated hurt and a purpose for the charity-like love that feels wasted on those who won’t receive…and have faith in beginning anew. Have faith that what you lost is incomparable to what may be yours if only you open your heart to receive it. You will surely find things that will be “the best you’ve ever had” but you can only know that there is still something much better after you have lost that best thing and found indescribable joy in discovering a new, unexpected gift. Every good thing comes from a knowing Heavenly Father. You may have a knack for not knowing what to do with some of those good things but if you trust Him and seek to learn from Him what He would have you do, you will know just what must be done, regardless of how inconvenient, unwise or difficult the direction may seem to be: The Lord’s way is not a frustrating way, and we may find that to be true if we relent, become humble and seek and give in to the perfect enticings of the Spirit of the Lord.
Thoughts On Things That Are
There are times like now when you feel that bearing the hurt of an entire loss would be much more preferable than enduring the pain of a partial loss. What you found when it was whole has lost some pieces and you cannot find them, nor do you understand the cause of the loss…and that which was discovered is still in your care. You surely have the freedom to choose and therefore could opt to discard it entirely, as it is broken and you do not seem to have the means or ability to mend it because of your lack of knowledge about why or how it has been ruined. You could sever the simple, strained connection and find another one, even knowing that it might be a long time before another is made; even if another would be made, you would still have to face the possibility of suffering the very same burden of loss in the end. You could just put it away and focus on something new… but as has been the experience before, though broken it may be, you cannot do away with it and that has everything to do with you having found it -or rather it having found you and that increases the feeling of responsibility for it- and feeling a deep-rooted, unrelenting sense of endearment towards it. When you find a thing so rare and very quickly develop a bond with it, there is nothing -if anything- that can be done to break that connection. It may be beaten, torn, stretched and ripped but never broken and it remains true even while the thing has let go or given up on you...
...And that is the partial loss, because your heart never lets go. You are wise and strong enough to put thoughts aside and focus on other good things, but ever are assaulted by the small “reminders” that appear from time to time. You go on and think that you have let go, but realize that you are very wrong in assuming when just a simple reminder causes you to halt, puts a lump in your throat, dizzies your head, makes you angry, even causes you to ignore something new and very good...
And what is done about all of this? Well, I comprehend this all very keenly and it leads me to say… have faith. Have faith that there is a reason for the repeated hurt and a purpose for the charity-like love that feels wasted on those who won’t receive…and have faith in beginning anew. Have faith that what you lost is incomparable to what may be yours if only you open your heart to receive it. You will surely find things that will be “the best you’ve ever had” but you can only know that there is still something much better after you have lost that best thing and found indescribable joy in discovering a new, unexpected gift. Every good thing comes from a knowing Heavenly Father. You may have a knack for not knowing what to do with some of those good things but if you trust Him and seek to learn from Him what He would have you do, you will know just what must be done, regardless of how inconvenient, unwise or difficult the direction may seem to be: The Lord’s way is not a frustrating way, and we may find that to be true if we relent, become humble and seek and give in to the perfect enticings of the Spirit of the Lord.
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