Talk about a lesson!

A few things:

One, I rode another 18 miles for a total of 2, 559. Lost 4 pounds this week. I've been on a yoyo trip with Weight Watchers © lately. So I've posted my weight loss record on the right over there. Yes, right over there. In like, I dunno, 32 point font. Instead of just my weight loss, there is my actual weight. sigh...I started out at the most I have ever weighed in my life. I almost qualified for the Biggest Loser show. In fact, I would have applied, but the people who are on that show are either independantly wealthy or unemployed so that a multi-month trip to the ranch is either a vacation or food stamps, so to speak. I have a job, and that is good, but it will not allow for my absence for that long, without resigning.

So there you go. I weighed almost 310 pounds. I've lost 25 pounds and still going.

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This is the lesson.

I was riding the other day after I picked up my bike. It was early in the morning and I had my new jacket on. Cold out, but I was fine. I rode down Highway 25E south toward Newport. I decided to ride up into the NC mountains. When I got south of Newport, and started up the windy road, I hit a thick fog bank. I could not see and the road was very curvy with lots of side roads and driveways and traffice coming and going and pulling out from the side. I got the strongest impression that I should just turn around and go home. I obeyed.

I found a spot to turn around and pulled off. It occurred to me that this was like the mists of darkness that Nephi saw when he had the vision of the iron rod. Throngs of people wandered away from the iron rod and were lost in the mists of darkness and never came back. I could have chosen to ignore the warning I got and I believe that I would have had an accident. But I chose to obey, having nothing but the "hunch" the Spirit gives. I sacrifice my ride but I felt safe and came home.

The road I was on was fine and the visibility was great, blue sky and sun. But there was this sudden drop to near visiblity and the road was slick and objects in the way. Life can be like that. We go along with no problems, and then all of a sudden there are obstacles and threats. They come along without warning. We can minimize the dangers by keeping an eye out and listening to the Spirit. Even though we are enjoying the ride, we still need to keep the rules and commandments during the easy times, to be prepared for the sudden fog banks.

Life is very good right now, and I aim to be faithful.

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A funny thing happened tonight. Small but funny. I felt that I should be more friendly toward a man at church. I will not name names. He is a very good and nice man with some social skill challenges. I went to Priesthood session and got there a little late. The chapel doors were closed and so I went into the gym and sat at a table with two chairs. Within a few minutes the man himself walked into the gym. I motioned him over and pointed to the other chair. I had already heard one talk, but I will confess to not hearing any others, because he and I sat and talked for the duration of the session. It was my calling for the night. I got the distinct impression to approach him about another thing, and spoke to the bishop about it after, who approved it. When i invited the man to do this things, he was so jazzed up about it. It will change his life for the better.

But here's the funny thing. I admit to not liking the Priesthood session very much because I always feel guilty after. I don't ever feel like I measure up and never will. After the first talk, I felt wonderful. Cindy had told me to write down all the good stuff. I said, no, I'll just listen and that's it. Sour attitude. You know me. I often have one of those. Anyway, I sort of got humbled and texted her after the talk and said, "Well, the first talk was great. Glad I came."

Ok, I'm being straight up here, no pride, just humbly admitting my error. So you'd think she would cut me a little slack, right. No, sir. She texted me back:

"I would love to say I told you so, but I won't."

Nice, right?

She was NOT saying I told you so.

In fact she was NOT saying it so much that she sent the same message twice, back to back.

In one minute I got the same message:

"I would love to say I told you so, but I won't."

Talk about piling on.

I've had that same thing happen to me with my phone so I knew what happened. It was just the message itself that made it funny.