[The Canticles of Light's Hope]

[Sun Gazing]

[tface=fellsc][SIZE="8"][COLOR="Orange"]The Canticles of Light's Hope[/COLOR][/SIZE][/tface]

[tface=fellsc][COLOR="Wheat"]"Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the Lord of my salvation; for you I wait all the night long."[/COLOR][/tface]



[tface=fellsc][COLOR="orange"]Written in the light of a new dawn, under the guidance of the Morninglord by Dawnbringer Ghentilara.[/COLOR][/tface]

[Sun Gazing]

[tface=fellsc][SIZE="6"][COLOR="Orange"]The Dawn[/size][/COLOR][/tface]
[tface=fellsc][COLOR="Wheat"]"In the dawn, beauty reigns, and the way is clearer."[/COLOR][/tface]

[tface=fellsc]S[/tface][tface=fellsc][COLOR="Wheat"]trive always to aid, to foster new hope, new ideas, and new prosperity for all humankind and its allies. Perfect thyself, and guard ever against pride, for it is a sacred duty to foster new growth, nurture growing things, and work for rebirth and renewal. Be fertile in mind and body. Consider always the consequences of thine actions so that the least effort may bring the greatest and best reward. Wherever you go, sow seeds of plants, tend the growing things you find, and plant seeds of hope, new ideas, and plans for a rosy future in the minds of all. Whenever possible, see each dawn.[/COLOR][/tface][tface=fellsc]TD 1:1[/tface]

[tface=fellsc]H[/tface][tface=fellsc][COLOR="Wheat"]is face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light and he had in his right hand the flame of the just: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.[/COLOR][/tface][tface=fellsc]TD 1:2[/tface]

[tface=fellsc]H[/tface][tface=fellsc][COLOR="Wheat"]ow manifold it is, what thou hast made!
They are hidden from the face (of man).
O sole Lathander, like whom there is no other!
Thou didst create the world according to thy desire,
Whilst thou wert alone: All men, cattle, and wild beasts,
Whatever is on earth, going upon (its) feet,
And what is on high, flying with its wings.
The countries of Waterdeep and Luskan, the land of Toril,
Thou settest every man in his place,
Thou suppliest their necessities:
Everyone has his food, and his time of life is reckoned.
Their tongues are separate in speech,
And their natures as well;
Their skins are distinguished,
As thou distinguishest the foreign peoples.
Thou makest a brightest light in the dark,
Thou bringest forth as thou desirest
To maintain the people Faerun
According as thou madest them for thyself,
The lord of all of them, wearying (himself) with them,
The lord of mankind, rising for them,
The Great Sun of the day, great of majesty.[/COLOR][/tface][tface=fellsc]TD 1:3[/tface]

[tface=fellsc]Y[/tface][tface=fellsc][COLOR="Wheat"]ou are in my heart,
There is no other who knows you,
Whom you have taught your ways and your might.
Toril come from your hand as you made them.
When you have dawned they live.
When you set they die;
You yourself are lifetime, one lives by you.
All eyes are on your beauty until you set.
All labor ceases when you rest in the west;
When you rise you stir everyone for the King of the Dawn,
Every leg is on the move since you founded the day
You rouse them for your loins who came from your body.
The King who lives by day, the Lord of the Sun,
The Son of Light who lives by day. [/COLOR][/tface][tface=fellsc]TD 1:4[/tface]

[Sun Gazing]

[tface=fellsc][SIZE="6"][COLOR="Orange"]The Day[/size][/COLOR][/tface]
[tface=fellsc][COLOR="Wheat"]"From death, Life"[/COLOR][/tface]

[tface=fellsc]H[/tface][tface=fellsc][COLOR="Wheat"]is splendor is like the brightest ray of sunlight. Rays shine from his hand, where his power is hidden. I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and hands were opene. Then another hand, glowing with the light of the sun was opened, which is the light of life. [/COLOR][/tface][tface=fellsc]TDa 1:1[/tface]

[tface=fellsc]F[/tface][tface=fellsc][COLOR="Wheat"]or the grace of Lathander has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and the shadow of evil, and to live alive, shining, and wholesome lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God Lathander, who gives himself each night for us to remember our humanity and to purify us as a people deserving of the rose hued light of salvation .[/COLOR][/tface][tface=fellsc]TDa 1:2[/tface]

[tface=fellsc]W[/tface][tface=fellsc][COLOR="Wheat"]alk in the beautiful sunshine,
Smiling so cheerful and bright,
Chasing the mist from the mountain,
Flooding the world with its light.
Hark! the sweet voice of Lathander
Whispers in accents divine,
“Take thou no thought for the morrow,
Only the present is thine.”


Walk in the beautiful sunshine,
Smiling so cheerful and bright,
Chasing the mist from the mountain,
Flooding the world with Lathander's light.

Walk in the beautiful sunshine,
Falling in waves from the skies,
Gilding the streams and the valleys,
Scatt’ring the shadows that rise.
Hear the sweet voice of Lathander
Softly and tenderly say,
“Trust for what may be tomorrow,
Live in the joy of today.”

Walk in the beautiful sunshine,
Lathander thy footsteps will guide;
While thou art safe in His keeping,
Evil can never betide.
Hear the sweet voice of His mercy
Kindly and lovingly say,
“I will take care of the morrow,
Be thou content with today.[/COLOR][/tface][tface=fellsc]TDa 1:3[/tface]

[tface=fellsc]B[/tface][tface=fellsc][COLOR="Wheat"]e a ray of sunshine everywhere you go,
Shining for Lathander with a steady glow;
Bringing smiles to sad ones, wiping tears away,
Make yourself a blessing every passing day.

Be a ray of sunshine everywhere you go,
Shining for Lathander with a steady glow;
Be a ray of sunshine filled with Lathander's light,
Sending forth a message beautiful and bright.

Be a ray of sunshine everywhere you go;
Comfort bring to others, stoop to raise the low;
Kind words cost but little, smiles bring pleasures, too;
They may lift a burden; let them not be few.

Be a ray of sunshine everywhere you go;
Cheerfulness is needed, this you can bestow;
Help to chase the shadows from this world away,
Bringing joy and gladness like a shining ray.

Be a ray of sunshine everywhere you go;
Stars will shine the brighter in your crown, I know;
Sunshine brought to others will reflect on you,
Lathander will be the sweeterâ€"keep the end in view.
[/COLOR][/tface][tface=fellsc]TDa 1:4[/tface]

[Sun Gazing]

[tface=fellsc][SIZE="6"][COLOR="Orange"]The Three virtues[/size][/COLOR][/tface]
[tface=fellsc][COLOR="Wheat"]Sacred to Holy Lathander[/COLOR][/tface]

[tface=fellsc]Respect[/tface]

[tface=fellsc][COLOR="Wheat"]The first virtue. The Holy Light of Lathander teaches that awareness of the self and the surround is a goal, one must also see the connection between others and the surround. Destroying other's happiness and severing other's connections with the light of Lathander is not serving Lathander's well being, and therefore not your own. Be not naive, however, and understand that trial, conflict, war, and suffering do happen; but strive to make the face of Toril a better place in spite of these hindrances.[/COLOR][/tface]

[tface=fellsc]Tenacity[/tface]

[tface=fellsc][COLOR="Wheat"]Faerun is much bigger than one lone soul; and while the world can change a soul in a day, it takes much more time to change the world. Only through tenacity can a servant of the Holy Light of Lathander hope to affect the surrounding world. If some young students feel like this is an impossible task, others take heart in the realization that if you truly believe there is a connection between the self and the most radiant Lathander, one cannot help but affect the other, no matter the size. Affecting the world can include anything from teaching and instilling hope in others to joining with other like-minded individuals to work together to create a bigger change.[/COLOR][/tface]

[tface=fellsc]Compassion[/tface]

[tface=fellsc][COLOR="Wheat"]After the first two concepts are mastered, the servant of Lathander can take on the final virtue: compassion. The connection between the self and the most radiant light of Lathander is strong, but it still is only one connection. If a follower of the Light of Lathander serve another to increase his happiness, his bond with Lathander grows stronger. The happiness he receives by helping someone also strengthens himself and the world around him, and he is able to affect the world even more.
Compassion is perhaps the most powerful â€" and yet most dangerous â€" virtue.

If someone is too compassionate, he can give help where none is needed â€" or wanted. This oversight can hinder one's growth and happiness. For example, one may help another with a seemingly impossible quest, when such a quest is not actually out of the abilities of the one making the attempt. Thus, Compassion (However well intentioned) has resulted in that person's inability to grow as the quest was essentially "done for them", hindering their growth and happiness.

Some helpers can be awkward and do more harm than good with their actions, increasing the suffering and unhappiness in the world. A well meaning follower of the Light of Lathander may rush to the aid of an adventurer(s) and wind up gaining too much interest of those attacking, and thus force those they try to help to rush to the follower's aid.

This is why compassion is taught last; only the wise and those fully understanding compassion may identify who is truly in need and who can grow on their own
.[/COLOR][/tface]

[tface=fellsc]W[/tface][tface=fellsc][COLOR="Wheat"]ith all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, let these virtues be a path to emulating the most radiant light of Lathander.
[/COLOR][/tface]