Sometimes people cross over into eternity and take with them delicious recipes. I think how sad, and equally what a waste. Recently I was in the grocery store; and I couldn’t help noticing several very obese people. And I couldn’t help but observe what they were shopping for; most often snack foods. Every time I see this I want to walk up to the person(s) and empathetically offer them a quick lesson about counting fat grams. Out of respect for them, I restrain myself. The reason I have such an over-zealous yen to offer advice is because years ago I had a personal battle with weight. I had no clue what I’d do about it because like most people, I enjoy good eats. And in a Supernaturally defining moment, while sitting at a red light, I had an experience of the Holy Ghost kind. Out of the blue, the words ‘Count fat grams’ came to my consciousness. I inadvertently echoed the words out loud in question form, and couldn’t wait to get home to research the same. And there it was; an internet full of data on fat grams and relevance to maintaining a healthy weight. For a person my height and build, I learned that 30 fat grams a day was what I needed to lose weight. I added up the grams I’d taken in that day and it was well over 200 plus. I couldn’t believe that the “harmless” morsels of food I was eating were the culprit of my weight gain. As most mothers with young children; when they ate junk food, I ate junk food. The only difference was that their metabolism functioned far faster than my own. From that day forward it is very rare that I will eat anything without first reading the label to see how many grams of fat are involved. I’m glad that vegetables and fruit are for the most part, fat free. During my season of dropping the weight I never completely deprived myself of anything; but I did divvy foods up and share to keep from consuming more than the daily count. There are times I’ve gotten away from the habit of counting fat grams; but I’m eternally grateful to Father God for blessing me with the wisdom that came from a place that I will never truly be able to explain. All I’ll ever remember is that regular, ordinary day I was sitting at a red light, with two kids in the backseat, and a trunk full of groceries, thinking about the next dress size I’d be getting into if a revelation didn’t come my way. Oh how I’d love to share this wisdom with the strangers I see in the store. I know the frustration of carrying the excess weight. Today, avoiding fattening foods just makes me feel better; though I still enjoy them as the Spirit leads. If my palate craves something, I allow that to be a gauge for partaking. A good brisk walk or jog is good to counteract a splurge, too. But, I’ll say it here and maybe it’s you or your family member in the grocery store that I see. It's for you that I pass this tidbit forward. It’s all about the fat-gram count and the vow to cross the sin of gluttony off your list. It’s about reading the labels and going in "jaw-dropping" shock at how many grams are in a simple chocolate bar. Thirty grams a day is a good beginning for most women wanting to lose weight. But do the research. And then read a few labels in your kitchen cabinets. Ask for a fat-gram chart at your fast-food restaurant or better yet Google it online. I love the Burger King Whopper. But at 40 grams for one I learned to cut it in quarters and give the rest away. It's a way to enjoy something delicious and not do much damage to the day’s count. I used to enjoy a can of Pringles in one sitting before I read the label and allowed my jaw to drop at the number of fat grams per serving. I learned to enjoy the Baked and Fat-Free variety of chips instead. But enough for now. I think you get the point. Counting fat grams is a quick way to decide if a food is really worth the taste on your lips transferring to the pounds on your hips. They really are a handy tool for measuring which foods are your friend; and, potentially which ones are your foes. Like a special recipe, God-gifted wisdom should not selfishly go to the grave without sharing with those who'd benefit the most.