Integrity

"We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people."

~Dr. (Rev) Martin Luther King, Jr.

When will we realize, that our words have more impact than we could ever imagine? When will we realize that when we give our word to someone we must follow through? Little by little I am watching the word "integrity" be tossed around like a punch-line at a party, and each time it really sickens me. Friends, when you give someone your word to do something -- you need to do it. Period. Quit playing games with people's lives, with their emotions, and with their livelihood. Some of us actually get up each day and proudly strive to live with honesty and integrity and having to traipse through the muck and the mire left behind by our fellow citizens is really disheartening and honestly, quite disgusting.

Integrity is defined as having a morale soundness.
Its application means doing what is right even when no one is looking.

I think it's about time that a few more people learned this value -- and then put it into practice like their reputations counted on it. Why? Because ... it does.

A few updates for June 21, 2010

Yesterday, my family and I drove to Atlanta to participate in my Masters Degree graduation and to be honest, I was glad that I went. I mean, it wasn't the most memorable thing in the world (what event with 1,400 graduates and 6 key speakers that I had no idea who they are is), but it was nice to walk across that stage and know that my wife and kids were there to see it. Of course, driving to Atlanta (which is 3 hours away) on Father's Day and missing church was not what I had planned for a Sunday afternoon ... but all in all it was (like I said) nice to go and have that behind us.

Today, I was given the privilege of officiating a funeral for a young man who passed passed away last Friday in a drowning accident. He was 18 years old, and had just enlisted in the US Navy ... such a tragedy to see his life cut short. It is a good reminder to us all that none of us knows the day nor the hour when the Lord will call us home, and we need to be ready. While the funeral was a somber time, it was a celebration of his life and prayerfully God will continue to lift up the Odom family and allow them to heal and comfort one another through this time.

Lastly, I just checked my retirement calendar and we are just 37 days away from the "big day", that is ... the END of my military service!! This morning I gave the final go ahead on my shadow box and although the layout is still being tweaked and everything needs to be tacked into place -- I really think the designer did a fantastic job on it (see picture below)!


Well, that is about all that is happening here. I realized I had not posted in a while and so I thought I would get an update out to all on what is going on in our world. I pray that the Lord is blessing each of you in a mighty way today ... God bless you.

- Bro TJ