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Mile 651 .  It's a beautiful evening!  Let's walk home from work! Up and down the hills of Hurricane's 600 North Street, accompanied by a thought by Neil Andersen and later by some very high quality tunes (at least Tortoise thought they were) ...

Cheerio!

Today's walk was 4.83 miles, done in 1:25:59 hours at an average pace of 17:48 minutes per mile. This route had an average tortoise rating of 5.0, earned by climbing 265 feet in the 2.42 mile uphill portion. Average elevation was 3276.  

Here are the overall stats so far for 2016:

651.04 miles walked, compared with Lou's goal for this date of 633.76.

44,732 total feet climbed so far in 2016, compared to a year-to-date goal of 39,004.   Lou hopes to climb more than the 61,316 feet he climbed in 2015 -- but in less time each day than his 1:07:04 hour per day average in 2015.  So far in 2016, Tortoise's walks have averaged 58:48 minutes each.

His average pace so far in 2016 has been 17:58.4 minutes per mile, compared with his 18:25 minute per mile pace in 2015.

Lou has walked 400 consecutive non-Sundays since his 8 missed days May 2-11, 2015. Overall he has walked on 503 of the 512 non-Sundays in 2015-16, a 98.242% consistency rating.

And now for today's walking thought:

"Jesus told the leader of the synagogue, 'Be not afraid, only believe. (Mark 5:36)' Discipleship is believing Him in seasons of peace and believing Him in seasons of difficulty, when our pain and fear are calmed only by the conviction that He loves us and keeps His promises.

"I recently met a family who is a beautiful example of how we believe Him.  Olgan and Soline Saintelus, from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, told me their story.

"On January 12, 2010, Olgan was at work and Soline was at the church when a devastating earthquake struck Haiti.  Their three childen -- Gancci, age five, Angie, age three, and Gansly, age one -- were at home in their apartment with a friend.

"Massive destruction was everywhere.  As you will remember, tens of thousands lost their lives that January in Haiti.  Olgan and Soline ran as fast as they could to their apartment to find the children.  The three-story apartment building where the Saintelus family lived had collapsed.

"The children had not escaped.  No rescue efforts would be devoted to a building that was so completely destroyed. 

" ... They believed in the Savior and in His promises to them.  Yet their hearts were broken.  They wept uncontrollably.

"Olgan told me that in his darkest hour he began to pray, 'Heavenly Father, if it be thy will, if there could be just one of my children alive, please, please help us.'  Over and over he walked around the building praying for inspiration.  The neighbors tried to comfort him and help him accept the loss of his children.  Olgan continued to walk around the rubble of the collapsed building, hoping, praying.  Then something quite miraculous happened.  Olgan heard the almost inaudible cry of a baby.  It was the cry of his baby.

"For hours the neighbors frantically dug into the rubble, risking their own lives.  In the dark of the night, through the piercing sounds of hammers and chisels, the rescue workers hear another sound.  They stopped their pounding and listened.  They couldn't believe what they were hearing.  It was the sound of a little child -- and he was singing.  Five-year-old Gancci later said that he knew his father would hear him if he sang.  Under the weight of crushing concrete that would later result in the amputation of his arm, Gancci was singing his favorite song, 'I Am A Child of God.'

"As the hours passed amid the darkness, death, and despair of so many other precious sons and daughters of God in Haiti, the Saintelus family had a miracle.  Gancci, Angie, and Gansly were discovered alive under the flattened building.

"Miracles are not always so immediate.  At times we thoughtfully wonder why the miracle we have so earnestly prayed for does not happen here and now.  But as we trust in the Savior, promised miracles will occur.  Whether in this life or the next, all will be made right.  The Savior declares:  'Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)'   'In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.' (John 16:33)"

Neil L. Andersen, "What Thinks Christ of Me?", LDS General Conference, April 2012

For a Friday night bonus on his walk home after a couple of inspiring LDS conference talks, Lou put on his personal Pandora "radio" station.  Personal, as compared with the two dozen or so other stations he has also created around specific artists or themes.  This one is simply eponymous in name and is a mix of all the diverse musical interests of your smiling Tortoise.   The result is that one never knows quite what one is going to get when the station is turned on, but be patient, it will change after a random number of songs.

This evening it started with smooth jazz, and stayed there most of the way home.  Classic Rock didn't make its appearance until the final mile.  Here was his favorite number of the bunch tonight.  Listening to it always increases the smile on his face, maybe it will yours as well.  Give it a try and leave a comment for Tortoise, who would love to know what you think!





The Tortoise is smiling!