Wanted to post this yesterday, but it got late. spent most of yesterday thinking about some things I learned over the weekend. We all feel good when people turn to us for advice or answers. When they think that we can really affect change. But, trust me, it ain't that easy. It's nice when others have that kind of confidence in you, but do they think about what it might take out of you to even try.

I'm a sucker for those people who are so effective at getting others to fight their battles for them. After all these years, I'm finally learning to concentrate on my own battles. Actually,what I have learned is that most things are not worth battling over. It is so much better to walk away.

This brings me to the important thing that I learned over the weekend. It is: The Spirit testifies of truth. Teach truth and trust the Spirit to testify of same. Once people have a testimony of a truth, it is much harder for them to fall away from it,they are more likely to stick with it and live it. In the end isn't that what all the battles are over truth and untruth (that sounds so much nicer than lies, but alas, it's all the same).

Someone is always asking me to "stick my neck out" and promote their method of teaching, when in fact all I am going to do is to teach truth and trust the Spirit. Then, those people who do not want to learn, or who deny the Spirit, or who hear the prompting of the Spirit and turn from it... Let it be on their head. To those people who want me to "stick my neck out", teach truth yourself and you don't need me. Remember there is only one truth and if we're both teaching the same thing, we'll only reinforce each other and the testimony should be that much stronger.

I'm trying so hard to keep contention out of my life and this "truth teaching thing" looks like the way to do it. After all, it was taught to me by people who are much smarter than I am and by the way; the Spirit whispered to me that these teachings were true.

On another page...I finished the self-edit yesterday. If feels good and scary at the same time. Good because it's finally done. Scary because now it's time to turn it over to the "editors". What if they hate it? What if they think I write at a third grade level? What if I stink in general? I guess I have to find out.

Last night for FHE we went to the beach and then had dinner at "eat" (my favorite restaurant on the island. When you come to visit you'll know if I really like you, because I only take people there I really like.). Rick told me he had not had this much fun since 1978. I'm taking that as a good sign. The beach is a place where I solve a lot of my problems. Some days any water will have to do, but the beach is the best.