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Walked 3.43 miles home from work while it was still light, a nice treat!  Tortoise climbed 219 feet along the 4.9 tortoise rated path.  It took 1:00:22 hours and 502 calories were burned.  Just delightful!  Please click below for a map and today's walking thought from "Spit and Mud and Kigatsuku", by Chieko Okazaki ...

Cheerio!

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2014 Stats:

865.04 miles walked, which is 86.42% of my 2014 goal.

272:52:31 hours walked, which is 87.18% of my 2014 goal

42,539 total feet climbed 

137,917 calories burned
82.75% of the year has passed

I've walked 33 consecutive non-Sundays since my last missed day on September 20, and overall have walked on 246 of the 259 non-Sundays thus far in 2014, a 94.98% consistency rating.

The purpose of the percentages is to have a higher percentage of distance and time walked than of the year. This tells Tortoise that he is on track. Yes, this is more numbers than you are likely interested in, all Tortoise can say is he's really good at setting high goals and having them slip away because he doesn't do them every, every day.

And now for today's message ...

"Kigatsuku means “an inner spirit to act without being told what to do.” 

"When I was just a little girl, my mother began teaching me to bekigatsuku. When she swept the floor, she would say, “Chieko, what would a kigatsuku girl do now?” Then I’d run and get the dustpan. I recognized my mother’s teaching when I read that wonderful scripture:

“Verily, I say, [you] should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of [your] own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;

“For the power is in [you], wherein [you] are [an agent] unto [yourself].” (D&C 58:27–28.)

"You are powerful! Where does that power come from to “do many things of [our] own free will”? It comes from the Savior himself. Feel that desire to serve in your own heart. Sense within yourself that strength to choose!

"Remember Jesus healing the blind beggar. He spat on the ground, rubbed the mud on the man’s eyes, and said, “Go, wash [your face] in the pool of Siloam.” (See John 9:1–7.)

"This story has a lesson about service in it for us. First, remember that Jesus and the man didn’t have an appointment. They encountered each other almost by accident. So look for little opportunities in your daily life.

"Second, Jesus saw the need of an individual. Sometimes I think we see programs instead of individuals.

"Third, Jesus performed the service immediately with just the resources he had—spit and mud and a desire to help. He didn’t transport the man to an exotic medical facility, organize a cornea transplant team, or didn’t make it into a media event. Sometimes we think we can’t serve because we’re not rich enough, not educated enough, not old enough, or not young enough. Remember, if we have the desire to serve, then our bare hands, a little spit, and a little dirt are enough to make a miracle.

"And fourth, Jesus didn’t just dump that service on the man and walk away. He gave that man a way to exercise faith and strengthen the faith he had by asking him to participate in his own healing. It was a simple thing—washing in the pool of Siloam. But what if the man had refused? Jesus took that risk and let the man participate in his own miracle."

To watch, listen to, or read this wonderful message in full, please visit https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1992/04/spit-and-mud-and-kigatsuku?lang=eng

The tortoise is smiling!