🌅 The Hors d’Oeuvres of Waking Early A gentle message for those who have tasted freedom a little sooner
🌅 The Hors d’Oeuvres of Waking Early
A gentle message for those who have tasted freedom a little sooner
Hello friends.
It’s me again — just the old man from the sticks —
sitting here thinking about the amazing peace the Lord is giving so many of us lately.
Yesterday I shared a message about how people wake up spiritually at different times.
Some rise at dawn.
Some sleep in.
And heaven is perfectly fine with that.
Well… that message touched a few hearts.
People wrote me and said:
“I’ve struggled for years.”
“I’m finally finding peace.”
“I’m not behind — I’m just waking up.”
And then one beautiful question came:
“If early risers get to taste the hors d’oeuvres…
what exactly are those hors d’oeuvres?”
Let’s talk about that — softly, gently, without pressure.
Just truth with a little sunshine on it.
🥗 1. Early risers taste the hors d’oeuvre of freedom from confusion
Many people I love — family, friends, neighbors — have suffered because of one painful story:
“Joseph Smith was a deceiver who secretly married young girls.”
Some were told he had dozens of wives.
Some were told he took teenagers.
Some were told Section 132 proved he was commanded to do it.
Some — like my wife — couldn’t even bear to hear it,
because her heart is clean and pure.
The thought of the Prophet behaving like that is unbearable.
Others — like one of my sons — looked into it and said:
“If Joseph really did this… I don’t want anything to do with it.”
And so they left…
not because they rejected Christ,
but because they rejected a story that violated everything Christ taught.
And then something amazing happens when you wake early:
You begin to see the hors d’oeuvre of clarity:
The Book of Mormon condemns polygamy.
The early Doctrine & Covenants condemns it.
Joseph publicly condemned it dozens of times.
Section 132 was published after he was dead.
The evidence doesn’t match the accusation.
The Spirit never whispered peace about the rumors.
And suddenly…
Your soul can breathe again.
Joseph becomes clean again.
Your heart stops hurting.
That’s an hors d’oeuvre worth savoring.
🥗 2. Early risers taste the hors d’oeuvre of a direct relationship with Christ
Another blessing comes quietly:
You stop depending on:
leaders
institutions
committees
academic claims
Church correlations
And something new grows:
Your own relationship with Jesus.
Early risers start to hear the Lord’s voice more clearly:
in prayer
in scripture
in quiet moments
in everyday life
You begin following Him instead of noise.
That’s hors d’oeuvre number two.
🥗 3. Early risers taste the hors d’oeuvre of peace about other people’s timing
You stop feeling urgency.
You stop feeling pressure.
You stop wanting to “wake people up.”
You simply let everyone sleep as long as they need.
You love them.
You walk with them.
You trust the Lord with their timing.
This is a gift beyond words:
Peace about other people’s journeys.
That’s hors d’oeuvre number three.
🥗 4. Early risers taste the hors d’oeuvre of understanding the story of the Restoration
You begin to see:
Joseph restored something pure.
The early Saints received something real.
Later generations changed some things.
God still honors the good people in the Church.
And the Lord is quietly preparing hearts for something higher.
And it all finally makes sense.
That’s hors d’oeuvre number four.
🍰 5. And yes… the Lord even serves dessert sometimes
(Just for fun.)
If you rise early and stay long enough,
you might even taste a little dessert before breakfast:
unexpected revelation
unexpected joy
unexpected healing
unexpected laughter
unexpected direction
Sometimes the Spirit even lets you see
a little glimpse of what’s coming in the next season of your life.
Nothing heavy.
Nothing dramatic.
Just a little sweet hint of the feast to come.
🌤 6. What the Lord whispered to my heart
Here’s the message that guided this blog:
“Everyone awakens in their own hour.
Those rising early are simply breathing peace sooner.
Those who awaken later will breathe that same peace.
Love them all.
Press no one.
Walk gently.”
And that is what I’m trying to do now:
Walk softly.
Speak only when asked.
Carry truth quietly.
Let the Lord handle the timing.
And enjoy the hors d’oeuvres while I’m up.
💛 7. Final Thought
Some in my life wake early.
Some sleep in.
Some love the sunrise.
Some love their warm blankets.
All are loved of God.
If you are waking early…
don’t fear it
don’t resent it
don’t hide it
Just enjoy the fresh air.
And if someone you love is still asleep…
don’t shake them
don’t worry about them
don’t feel responsible for them
Just sit on the porch,
enjoy the sunrise,
and trust the Lord to bring them out
when their hour comes.
We’re all headed toward the same Light.
Some of us just happen to be nibbling the hors d’oeuvres
a little before the rest of the guests arrive.
🌅🕊️
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