How much can be said with a look?

How much with a smile?

How much do seconds mean, or even fractions of a second? 

Have you ever looked into the eyes of a stranger, down past into the very depths of their soul, and realized you were looking at someone you knew? 

This is the most bizarre semester I've ever had. =.= Bizarre.

As all the semesters before, I seem to subsist by God's promises and hanging on for dear life. It's not so bad. Even semester gets just a little easier, even though it's still just as hard. (If that makes sense.) These are very curious times, not only in my life personally but things happening in the world. It's a blessing simply to have the chance to be alive during such a unique times -- living with the end of the world around the corner.

Thank You, God, for these trials and tribulations. Thanks You for the refiner's fire and Your steadfast salvation that does not depend on me. And thank You today, very especially, for lunch.

If I ever grow into an old woman, God willing, I hope by His grace that I shall be able to echo the words of David: "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed." - Psalms 37:25-26 (KJV)

Somedays it gets too easy to forget its just me and God on this road. It's only ever been Him and me. And it only ever will be Him and me. And that's enough.

The good road never the easy road, but is is nonetheless good.

"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and  the way is hard that leads to life, and  those who find it are few."

Of what worth are trinkets, tokens, and signs, when there is truth.

My heart may hurt all it likes, but it is never an empty heart. God lives here. And He's here to stay.

Amen.

            Anybody here know what integrity is? Most people think that when a person has integrity it just means they have trustworthiness. However, closer examination reveals that integrity, however, is more than simple trust. If you look into the word "integrity", you'll find it means "wholeness". It describes something that is in one complete piece with no inner divisions or compartments.

            As a human characteristic, when a person has integrity, you can count on that person being the same person regardless of the situation or environment.

The world we live in seems to have forgotten integrity. People compartmentalize themselves. They have a self to be around their parents. They have a self when they are around their friends. They have a self for their boyfriend. A work self. A nice self. A mean self. All these selves are different, in some cases vastly. (Then people complain how nobody knows who they really are; and I scratch my head. I wonder if it's because people never let themselves be known for who they really are.) More than that, if you have several selves, how do you know which is really you? You are what you are and what you are is only one thing. But when you have several different selves, that means you're not fully being what you are. In short, you're putting forth lies and facades, mixing it with what you really are. Sounds like a good way to lose yourself to me.

 I want to be a woman of integrity. The goal is to reach a point where I'm the same woman -- one woman -- around friends and family, in sunshine or in highwater. The goal is close, I hope. It's helped a lot, not forcing myself to be outgoing and extroverted all the time. I'm truthfully a shy, nervous, quiet type especially in new circumstances or in a new group of people, but become more outgoing as a know people better. It's the way I am.

I realize what I naturally am in some places is not a good thing to be. But covering it over and pretending I'm something I'm not won't change my flaws. Only coming forward in honesty and truth offers the chance for change. It's just common sense: a problem is easier to fix when you actually know what the problem is. It's better to be an honestly bad person than to be a hypocrite.

So do you, dear reader, have any thoughts? Do you want to be a person of integrity?  If so, how close are you or what areas do you think still need to be de-compartmentalized?  

Or maybe you take the opposite stand: is having compartments in yourself a beneficial thing? What are your thoughts?