Honesty

I was just having a wonderful discussion with a very good friend today. And one topic that came up was "honesty".

When we lie to someone, we are not only telling that lie to them, we are lying to ourselves.....and then we further that lie and try to justify our words to our Heavenly Father. The worst part of a lie is the fact that it always ends up growing like mad. One lie leads to another and another and another. It's a never ending cycle. And it's so destructive. It not only has the potential to destroy the person who told the lie, but it has the potential to destroy friendships, to hurt others in a way that never was originally intended, and worst of all, it destroys your testimony as a Christian.

As Christians we are supposed to protect our witness, protect our testimony. When we behave in a manner that can, and in most cases does, bring about shame to us, we not only shame ourselves but we also bring shame upon our whole house (this would include our spouse, our children, our extended family, our church family - particularly if we, or anyone in our house is in a position of leadership, etc....I think you get the point). This shame damages our witness. And telling lies is damaging in this way. How can one be an effective witness for Christ when he/she is known as a liar? And believe me, even when you do not think others are "aware" of your lies.....someone always is. Don't ever assume that your lie is going to your grave with you......it's not....it's already known....people have already seen through it.

You tell a lie because you might offend someone? LOL If you are honest with me and my feelings are hurt.....well, I might get upset (most likely will get upset with you). But I'll go home, lick my wounds, probably throw myself a huge pity party.....pray about it and finally see it for what it is.....a friend being honest and me needing to make some changes, and forgive you for hurting my feelings and hopefully ask you to forgive me for behaving in a manner that made you call me out to begin with. I get over it....we move on.

Or maybe you've told a lie because you are embarrassed of a mistake you've made? I can assure you, it's much easier to forgive someone of a mistake they've made (no matter how big it is) than it is to get past the lies. Once you lie to someone, you break their trust. They may continue to be in your life, or not. They may continue to go out with you, or not. They may even still consider you their friend, or not. But one thing is for sure, they will never believe one single word you utter without hesitation and without double checking and verifying - if they even care after knowing they were lied to to begin with.

So anyway, back to this wonderful discussion I had today.....we just don't understand why people cannot be honest with each other. I mean, if you mess up.....just admit it. "Hey ,I messed up. Can you please forgive me?" Don't make excuses. Don't make up a lie (because remember, your lie is not such a secret and the person you are lying to already knows you're lying...even if they don't call you on it). Why is it so difficult for people to be honest with each other? You want to salvage relationships? Don't lie. Don't even do it just a little tiny bit and call it a "white lie". There is no such thing as a little white lie. Just be honest.

Fond Memories

Just last week I was sitting down with my boys looking through old childhood pictures (my childhood, not theirs LOL). Oh the fun they poked of me with my big '80's hair and the clothes we used to wear. And then came the pictures from when I was really young and just watching the expressions on their faces as they looked at pictures with me was so delightful.

We came across some pictures that are very dear to me. Pictures that included my Grandma R (my great grandmother). My Great Grandmother was such a dear sweet lady. I loved her so much and I miss her dearly. When she passed, the only thing I wanted of hers was her Bible. I remember sitting at her feet while she read her Bible. She would check off each chapter as she read it and she would read it to me like you would read a book of stories to a child. She kept her Bible right next to her chair and spent time in it every single day. At that time (I was really young) I just didn't understand why a book, any book, was so important. But those passages she was reading to me was sinking in and I was getting God's Word in a passive sort of way.

I now have her Bible. Although I do not use it (it's pretty worn an fragile). But it serves as a constant reminder to me of how much my Grandma R loved the Lord. It is inspiration to me to be a lover of the Lord just as my Grandma R was. Every now and then I will take out her Bible and just flip through the pages and remember how I used to sit at her feet while she read to me from this very same Bible. In flipping through the pages I've also come across all the little notes I used to write to her while sitting in church next to her....and even some of the little paper projects we made in Sunday School. I'll look at them and then carefully place them back where they came from for safe keeping.

It fills my heart with such joy and all sorts of warm fuzzy feelings to know that my Grandma R loved the Lord so much and that she left just a small piece of her love for Him behind as a reminder to me of how important my relationship with the Lord is.

Side note: for some reason today (already and it's only 8am) I've been super emotional. Not in a bad way. But just weepy over things happy and sad. So today probably wasn't the best of days for me to write this because it did not come without tears.

Feel free to share one of your fond memories in the comments below. I'd love to read them.

Confirmation

We go through life sometimes never knowing if we've made the right decision, said the right thing, done the right thing, etc. But sometimes in life we get so many confirmations that we have, in fact, made the right decision and spoken just the right things.

I've many such moments over the last several weeks since publishing Just Be! When you step out in faith and in obedience and share your personal testimony with literally the world the enemy is going to try his hand at weakening your resolve. He's going to shout out at you that you're setting yourself up for failure or you're making yourself too vulnerable.

But then God steps in and shows you in a way that only He can that you are good to be obedient. You are on the right track. And no matter what the enemy would have you think, being obedient may sting a little at times, but it is the right thing to do. Ever since publishing this book I've been to women's conference, church, and just out and about and have heard the same message over and over and over that I've put forth in Just Be! That message is to just be who God created you to be. Be yourself. This was confirmation for me that I made the right decision in being obedient to God's request of me.