I Just Finished Reading

Fire of the Covenant by Gerald N. Lund. It tells the story of European Mormon emigrants traveling across the vast American wilderness by handcart in 1856 to Utah. Most of the book follows fictional characters as they travel with the ill-fated Willie and Martin Handcart Companies (not fictional; this link leads to a video clip from "Sweetwater Rescue: The Willie and Martin Handcart Story" a 2006 PBS documentary). It is a long, but very well written book. I especially enjoyed the historical footnotes and summaries at the end of each chapter.

Just over one year ago, Chris and I had the opportunity to serve as "Ma" and "Pa" for a re-enactment trek for the youth. Once I find the pictures from that I will share them and the story. But for tonight it is enough to say that that experience has made me forever grateful for and empathetic toward our pioneer ancestors.

I cannot say if I will ever face a trial comparable to that of those two handcart companies. But if I do, I hope that I will have the fortitude and resolve they did to bear whatever lot I am given without complaint, giving praise to the Giver of Life until I draw my last breath. And when I do pass on, I hope to be able to account to those who gave all, both patriot and pioneer, that I did not squander the gifts of freedom and faith they bequeathed to us, their posterity.

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1. I did a 30 minute walk on the treadmill to warm up my tight calves from yesterday and followed that with a good 30 minute workout on the bike.

2. I did indulge in a small amount of caramel popcorn and kept the sweets to that one and only treat. Although, even as I write this I am desperately craving anything and everything I know I shouldn't have! ;P

3. My breakfast omelet was probably too large. But I'm OK with that since it wasn't because of too many eggs, but because I couldn't decide which yummy veggies I wanted so I put them all in (it was good, too!)