15-357

Mile 1,084.  Another beautiful mix of clouds, sun, mountains, and snow in the horizon as Tortoise walked the return trip to his office this morning.  The day's walking thought is by Robert D. Hales ...

Cheerio!

Some cheerful early morning Christmas lights

Progress is being made on the new hotel next to Dairy Queen

This morning's route was the direct one along the highway

Today's walk was 2.91 miles and had a 5.3 tortoise rating earned by climbing 122 feet in the 1.46 mile uphill portion.  Average elevation was 3235. This walk burned 435 calories in 50:47 minutes.

Here are the overall stats so far for 2015:

1,084.30 miles walked which is 108.21% of Lou's 2015 goal.  On this day in 2014, Tortoise had walked 1,001.01 miles.  

332:59:08 hours walked which is 106.39% of the 2015 goal (which is to walk 1 hour a day on the 313 days other than Sunday in the year).  

59,905 total feet climbed, compared with 48,579 feet on this day in 2014.

162,995 calories burned.

97.76% of the year has passed.

Lou has walked 194 consecutive non-Sundays since his 8 missed days May 2-11, Overall he has walked on 297 of the 306 non-Sundays in 2015, a 97.06% consistency rating.  This compares with 291 days walked in the same period in 2014 (a 95.10% consistency rating).

The purpose of the percentages is to have a higher percentage of both distance and of 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.  (If you doubt this, compare Tortoise's walking record up until 2013 with 2014 or 2015 ... for him, it is what it takes to be consistent.  He hopes you find what works for you).

And now for today's walking thought ...

"The Savior met another test on Golgotha, where He could have called upon legions of angels to take Him down from the cross, but He made His own choice to obediently endure to the end and complete His atoning sacrifice, even though it meant great suffering, even death.

"Spiritually mature obedience is 'the Savior's obedience.'  It is motivated by true love for Heavenly Father and His Son.  When we willingly obey, as our Savior did, we cherish the words of our Heavenly Father: 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' And we look forward to hearing, upon entering our Heavenly Father's presence, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant:  ... enter ... into the joy of thy lord.'

"Using our agency to obey means choosing to 'do what is right [and letting] the consequence follow.'"

-- Robert D. Hales, "If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments", April 2014 LDS General Conference

The tortoise is smiling!