“Integrity is what you do…

…when no one is looking”. I can’t tell you who said this-heck-I even googled it (or as my mom says, “goggled” it). I have heard this my whole life-however-I have not adhered to it my whole life. Who doesn’t try to get away with the little things once in awhile?

Here are a few examples, embarrassingly enough, where I have been a woman of less than integrity and where God has knocked me down a peg or two:

“I just go 4 miles over the speed limit. Everyone else does.” Bam! Speeding ticket.

“Of course I didn’t stuff my bra, Mom. Those are kleenexes for later.” Bam! Grounded and forced to write 6 inches out of the dictionary.

“She forgot to charge me for the stuff at the bottom of my cart. It’s a big corporation, it won’t matter to them.” Bam! Convicted and went back to pay for my “free” stuff.

“They left it behind-guess it’s mine now.” Bam! Convicted and they asked for it later, which was awkward.

I hated being less than honest-and worse-I hated being caught. I felt like I had to weave more and more webs to cover up what I had done.

I decided long ago when I was humiliated for another lie, to no longer live that way. Black is black and white is white-even if the world seems to think there are 50 shades of grey.

Here’s what God says about integrity:

“In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.” Proverbs 12:28 (I’d like to have a long life.)

“The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.” Proverbs 10:9 (I want to be secure in who I am.)

Of course I still screw up constantly and make a thousand mistakes on a daily basis. But, above all, I want to make my dad and my Dad proud. This is what is promised me if I do:

“In my integrity, you uphold me and set me in your presence forever.” Psalm 41:12 (That sounds pretty awesome.)

“May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.” Psalm 25:21

Ever since I decided to live a black and white life, I don’t have to wonder what I need to cover up, who I’ve told what or what I’ve omitted from which conversation.

It’s so simple. It’s so freeing. Why didn’t I do this years ago?

The Double Rainbow-A Double Covenant?

This morning, I woke up to a smoky gray sky, the rumblings of thunder, lemon yellow clouds and this…

Um. Hello.

“Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” Genesis 9:16

“Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him…

…This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.” Ezekiel 1:28

I pretty much fell face down while enjoying the rainbow from my front yard. Yes, I was overwhelmed with God’s covenant and His glory, but I must be honest. It was mostly because I had the camera plastered to my face and stepped in a disguised hole left by a removed tree.

But hey-call it what you will. Worship. Clutziness. God loves me no matter what. He gave me a rainbow this morning just to prove it.

Pressing on to things that are ahead

Have you ever felt like the minister at your church was speaking straight to you and your circumstances? It happens to me all the time. (Maybe it’s because I’m so jacked up that any sermon covers some sort of “situation” in my life.) See self-deprecating picture below.

Spending daily time with God is important to me-I mean, look at what a mess I am. But it’s on Sunday’s that I experience community, I participate in worship with hundreds of other voices and I hear the sermon while I’m taking notes. All of my senses are heightened to what God is telling me.

Here are a few verses that stuck out to me this week at church. If you have everything together, you may as well just go browse my other posts. But for those of you who are trying to figure things out, are discouraged or are confused-read on. The best wisdom you will ever find is here in his Word.

(These wild Mustangs were shot by me at The Pioneer Woman’s Ranch)
“Forget the former things; do no dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43: 18-20

(I think I ran a little too far this day-but, I survived.)
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” 1 Peter 4:12-13

(One of our rental homes blew up. We were ok with that.)
“God’s divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3

(This was the last day of tour and I was both excited and anxious about how our life would be changing.)
“Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” 1 Chronicles 28:20

A Tattered Bible, A Healthy Soul

My BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) leader often said that “a woman whose Bible is falling apart, isn’t.”

I loved this thought, mainly because my Bible is in shambles and I can’t bear to get a new one.

I mean look at it. I am kind of embarrassed when I tote this around and see fancy new Bibles with tabs, maps and concordances.

My parents bought this for me in 1995 right before I left for college. I was going through a huge emerald green phase due to the fact that it was my birthstone, and I had only recently discovered this fact. I asked for all things green that year for my birthday.

 

It has seen two colleges, four changed majors, one graduation, a first apartment, one broken engagement, two European trips, one marriage that is still going, three cats and 17 years.

How do you get rid of something like that?

Before too long, every word in this book will be underlined, highlighted and starred. Eventually, I may have to recover it.

As this book starts to look worn out, it’s owner becomes more and more full of life. This woman, whose Bible is falling apart, isn’t. Amen to that.