Integrity... it's free

"INTEGRITY IS TELLING MYSELF THE TRUTH. AND HONESTY IS TELLING THE TRUTH TO OTHER PEOPLE." - SPENCER JOHNSON

I stopped in over at S30P to check out what the writing prompt for this week was, low and behold there is a quote... not a word, but a quote. I couldn't pass this one up. As many of you know I have had a great deal of turmoil in my life. Between problems with my husband and the loss of several friends, the words INTEGRITY and HONESTY have played a major role in getting my life, the life of my family, and my career back on track.

“The man who cannot endure to have his errors and shortcomings brought to the surface and made known, but tries to hide them, is unfit to walk the highway of truth.” ~ James Allen

I really don't understand why such a simple thing is so complicated. Honesty and Integrity... why is it so hard? Why is it so hard to be honest with people? Most folks don't realize that if they are upfront and honest to begin with, the repercussions are far less than if they have to explain why they were not honest to begin with? Oh, I was scared that you would be mad, I thought it would be better if you didn't know. Seriously? Let me make that decision, not you. And then there is integrity... Integrity people... If you don't act like "it", then you won't have to cover up and lie to other people about what happened and why you acted like "it" in the first place... oh and you won't be treated like "it" either. I put "it" in quotations because it would be unchristian like to call someone names... just saying. Name calling is simply childish.

I only have time in my life for people who are up front and honest with me.... hence the post about Honesty and Integrity. I do not have time for someone who says they are my friend, but run around telling my business to everyone. If you are one of those people who lacks the ability to be trustworthy... move on. I really hope that one day you will see that this type of behavior is unhealthy. I am not be the perfect Christian by far... but my Savior is. So with that in mind I will tell you I make mistakes, but I will admit when I am wrong. If you come to me and say.... Hey Rosie, did you say blah blah blah or did you blah blah blah? I'm going to be honest with you and tell you if I did or didn't. I may not be proud of some of the things I have done in my life, that is my business and no one else's. 

So as I'm writing this post, a song that I have grown to love comes on KLove... Matt Maher's Hold Us Together, and it all becomes crystal clear to me. You have got to be happy with yourself and the cards you have been dealt. You must make the best of everything you have. Happiness is not something that someone gives you, you can only give it to yourself. There is no amount of money or popularity that will make you love yourself and be happy. It took me forever to finally learn that as long as you are deceptive, as long as you lie to yourself and everyone else, you will never, and I mean NEVER be truly happy. I have found my true happiness... I found it with my renewed relationship with Christ, with my revived relationship with my husband, and my rewarding relationship with my children and my friends. I have learned that you have to have love and respect for yourself, to learn to love and respect other people. The only way to be a true friend and a happy person... the only way... it to have some integrity and honesty. Without that, you are setting yourself up for failure every time.

Thank you to my dear sweet husband, I love you Buck... and to my family and friends, thank you and I love you as well.  - Rosie

 “Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” ~ Dr. Seuss

“I love you, and because I love you, I would sooner have you hate me for telling you the truth than adore me for telling you lies.” ~ Pietro Aretino

 Love will hold us together, make us a shelter to weather the storm. And I'll be my brother's keeper, so the whole world would know that we're not alone  - Matt Maher