Skip to main content

Integrity

 Integrity is something that I became aware of in my twenties as I began to study the gospel and gain a testimony.  I wanted that sense of peace that I knew would only come from living an honest life.  That decision has been an incredible blessing.  It has taken a lot of work. I grew up afraid of harsh punishments and consequences for mistakes.  As a result, I discovered that if I just didn't say anything or if I lied, things would go smoother.  Lying and rationalization became a tool of survival.  As I learned about my Savior and began to partake of his atonement, I learned that I did not need this tool.  That in fact, it was a harmful tool that caused me deep pain, stunted my opportunities,  kept me from real relationships and created heavy anxiety.  Almost fifteen years later, I am amazed at the peace living a life of integrity brings.

 We read a talk by Sheri Dew on integrity this week where she says, "..trust, which can only be engendered in an atmosphere of integrity, is the keystone that holds every organization together–whether it is a marriage or a family, a business or a nation, or even the kingdom of God."  I absolutely have a testimony of this.  In fact, we have a rule in our home.  You will not get in trouble for anything in our house except being unkind and lying.   Our home is a house of practice.  We are all going to make mistakes.  We shouldn't be afraid to try and fail.   Lying however prevents any growth.  For example, if a someone were to spill paint on the floor and come get me, I will thank them for telling me because now we can find a solution.  However, if they don't tell me, then the mess might become a permanent stain as the window to clean it up closes.  I tell my kids all the time, "We can fix anything as long as you tell me."  

Here are the links to the talks we read this week:
https://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/Devotionals/2004_03_16_Dew.htm

http://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/Devotionals/2010_10_12_Robbins.htm

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Supportive Culture

Year two of graduate school- I brought our two kids to the city so we could see Dad on Halloween This week we did mini case studies that dealt with choices of whether or not to spend time with family or focus on career and for whatever reason I wanted to get on a soapbox and share some amazing advice my grandmother gave me early in my marriage that has had a large influence on our family culture.   We had recently moved to Virginia but it felt more like I lived in Virginia with our firstborn and my husband lived in D.C. where he was working and going to school full-time.   He would leave every morning before we woke up and take the train to get to work and then he would get home after dark, exhausted and have to study.   Sunday was often the only day we spent together.   I complained to my Grandma about being a single mom and she in turn shared what she had just read about Brigham Young and mothers who came to him concerned that he was calling...
Post a Comment
Read more

Personal Constitution

This year's "Standard of Truth" or "Armor Up!" In Alma chapter 46, verses 12-13, we read about Moroni.  He was the captain of the Nephite Army and he created a mission statement f or the Nephites. It reads, " And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole. And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land—“ Each year on back to school night, we have a fancy dinner and my husband Philip gives the children a Fa...
Post a Comment
Read more

Mastery

This week in class we began reading "Mastery" by George Leonard.  I quickly read my assigned chapters and then made my husband Phil read them.  I can already tell this will become part of our language as other books have.  In the first chapter of the book, George Leonard describes the process of mastery using tennis as an analogy.  He talks about the monotonous drills and exercises required before your body eventually develops muscle memory and you are able to move to the next move.  He describes progress as a series of climaxes and plateaus and the importance of each.  It reminded me of my quest to master the art of homemaking. Some people might roll their eyes at this goal but when I was first married I realized that I didn't have the first clue.  Growing up, the state of our house, laundry and meals were a constant source of stress and contention. I did not want to repeat this pattern in my marriage with my husband.  At first I stressed to m...
Post a Comment
Read more