" For the doings of men are all dependent upon Thy good-pleasure..."

"Since Thou hast adorned them, O my Lord, with the ornament of the fast prescribed by Thee, do Thou adorn them also with the ornament of Thine acceptance, through Thy grace and bountiful favor. For the doings of men are all dependent upon Thy good-pleasure, and are conditioned by Thy behest. Shouldst Thou regard him who hath broken the fast as one who hath observed it, such a man would be reckoned among them who from eternity had been keeping the fast. And shouldst Thou decree that he who hath observed the fast hath broken it, that person would be numbered with such as have caused the Robe of Thy Revelation to be stained with dust, and been far removed from the crystal waters of this living Fountain."
-Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, Pages 67-69

Feast of Alá (Loftiness) "Meditation is the key for opening the doors of mysteries."

"Through the faculty of meditation man attains to eternal life; through it he receives the breath of the Holy Spirit—the bestowal of the Spirit is given in reflection and meditation.
The spirit of man is itself informed and strengthened during meditation; through it affairs of which man knew nothing are unfolded before his view. Through it he receives Divine inspiration, through it he receives heavenly food.
Meditation is the key for opening the doors of mysteries. In that state man abstracts himself: in that state man withdraws himself from all outside objects; in that subjective mood he is immersed in the ocean of spiritual life and can unfold the secrets of things-in-themselves. To illustrate this, think of man as endowed with two kinds of sight; when the power of insight is being used the outward power of vision does not see.
This faculty of meditation frees man from the animal nature, discerns the reality of things, puts man in touch with God."
-"Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 174

Sunrise/Sunset Times for Baha'i Fast March 2-20 in Asheboro NC

March 2009
Asheboro, North Carolina

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
1 Sunrise: 6:49am Sunset: 6:13pm	2 Sunrise: 6:48am Sunset: 6:14pm	3 Sunrise: 6:46am Sunset: 6:15pm	4 Sunrise: 6:45am Sunset: 6:16pm	5 Sunrise: 6:44am Sunset: 6:17pm	6 Sunrise: 6:42am Sunset: 6:18pm	7 Sunrise: 6:41am Sunset: 6:19pm
8 DST Begins Sunrise: 7:40am Sunset: 7:20pm	9 Sunrise: 7:38am Sunset: 7:20pm	10 Sunrise: 7:37am Sunset: 7:21pm	11 Sunrise: 7:35am Sunset: 7:22pm	12 Sunrise: 7:34am Sunset: 7:23pm	13 Sunrise: 7:33am Sunset: 7:24pm	14 Sunrise: 7:31am Sunset: 7:25pm
15 Sunrise: 7:30am Sunset: 7:26pm	16 Sunrise: 7:28am Sunset: 7:26pm	17 Sunrise: 7:27am Sunset: 7:27pm	18 Sunrise: 7:26am Sunset: 7:28pm	19 Sunrise: 7:24am Sunset: 7:29pm	20 Sunrise: 7:23am Sunset: 7:30pm	21 Sunrise: 7:21am Sunset: 7:31pm
22 Sunrise: 7:20am Sunset: 7:32pm	23 Sunrise: 7:18am Sunset: 7:32pm	24 Sunrise: 7:17am Sunset: 7:33pm	25 Sunrise: 7:16am Sunset: 7:34pm	26 Sunrise: 7:14am Sunset: 7:35pm	27 Sunrise: 7:13am Sunset: 7:36pm	28 Sunrise: 7:11am Sunset: 7:37pm
29 Sunrise: 7:10am Sunset: 7:37pm	30 Sunrise: 7:08am Sunset: 7:38pm	31 Sunrise: 7:07am Sunset: 7:39pm

Courtesy of www.sunrisesunset.com  Copyright © 2001-2006 Steve Edwards

"Make My love thy treasure and cherish it..."

"O BEFRIENDED STRANGER! The candle of thine heart is lighted by the hand of My power, quench it not with the contrary winds of self and passion. The healer of all thine ills is remembrance of Me, forget it not. Make My love thy treasure and cherish it even as thy very sight and life."
-Baha'u'llah, The Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah #32 Persian

..."show that love through deeds and not through the tongue..."

"Love ye all religions and all races with a love that is true and sincere and show that love through deeds and not through the tongue; for the latter hath no importance, as the majority of men are, in speech, well-wishers, while action is the best."
-'Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 68

Happy Ayyam-i-Ha!

Baha'is celebrate the festival of Ayyam-i-Ha each year from sunset on Feb. 25 to sunset of March 1 as a preparation for the Fast, which begins March 2 and ends March 20. During Ayyam-i-Ha, members of the Faith perform acts of charity, give gifts to friends and family, and attend social gatherings.

Baha'u'llah has said of Ayyam-i-Ha: "It behoveth the people of Baha, throughout these days, to provide good cheer for themselves, their kindred and, beyond them, the poor and needy, and with joy and exultation to hail and glorify their Lord, to sing His praise and magnify His Name."

"The Valley of True Poverty and Absolute Nothingness."

"This station is the dying from self and the living in God, the being poor in self and rich in the Desired One. Poverty as here referred to signifieth being poor in the things of the created world, rich in the things of God’s world. For when the true lover and devoted friend reacheth to the presence of the Beloved, the sparkling beauty of the Loved One and the fire of the lover’s heart will kindle a blaze and burn away all veils and wrappings. Yea, all he hath, from heart to skin, will be set aflame, so that nothing will remain save the Friend."

'When the qualities of the Ancient of Days stood revealed,
Then the qualities of earthly things did Moses burn away.' (fromThe Mathnaví)

-Baha'u'llah, The Seven Valleys of Baha'u'llah, p. 36