Recently, my family drove to PEI for the afternoon to experience one of those amazing Lobster Dinners. You know it’s going to be a tasty experience if I drive 3 hours just to have a meal.

We arrived before the restaurant opened and were the first in line. The 6 of us waited patiently ‘til the doors opened, and then we were ushered to a table that overlooked the water.

The first thing that arrived on our table was bread and homemade rolls. The rolls were not the size of tea biscuits, but more the size of softballs. I was quite pleased with myself as I only ate 3.

I had forgotten seafood chowder was on the menu, but I did recall how delicious it was last year (and very agreeable to my taste buds), therefore I had three bowls. Mm-mm-good.

Then came the mussels… bucket after bucket. I don’t know who ate more; me or my mother. (I think I had about 126 and she had 128.)

At that moment I should’ve backed away from the table and got back in the car, but no, the garden salad arrived… with the potato salad and coleslaw.

I licked the plate clean.

Then the main meal arrived; the Lobster Dinner. That lobster was one huge guy. I cracked every piece of shell and ate the lobster dry. Oh, did I mention that by this time I had also consumed a large glass of water and 3 large Diet Cokes? I am so glad I was drinking a diet cola; otherwise who knows how much weight I would have gained that evening?

At this point I was hurting. My stomach hadn’t been that stretched since the last year I was at this restaurant. Then came dessert. The options were many, but I went with something healthy – strawberry shortcake – and while I waited for my dessert to arrive, believe it or not, I ate another roll, and ordered another diet coke.

The strawberry shortcake arrived… and it could have fed a family of four. At this point in the story, a wise person would have pushed away from the table, but oh, no – not me. I ate a second strawberry short cake.

I waddled to the car and was in pain for the next 2 days.

There is a reason the bible talks about self-control. Now I know from experience why a little restraint can keep you from a lot of pain.

Pastor Donald Calder