weorþnes.

Starting to see a theme this month? Entirely unintentional. Might as well make the most of it.

One thing I've learned in my life is the value of integrity. What is "integrity?" Well, dictionary.com says:




in·teg·ri·ty/inˈtegritē/

Noun:	The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. The state of being whole and undivided: "territorial integrity".
Synonyms:	honesty - probity - entirety - rectitude - wholeness

We'll focus more on the first one right now. "Having strong moral principles...." That reminds me of Merlin, and Prince Arthur. I think of the Knights of Camelot - willing to lay down their lives for the abstract concepts of justice, honor, loyalty, love. Arthur is willing to run straight into danger time after time. Lancelot is willing to sacrifice his life for the safety of others. Merlin lives a life of constant danger and secrecy because of a promise he made to Arthur, Giaus, the Dragon, and himself.



Enough being a nerd, the point is that they are examples of integrity. They believe something, and stand up for it, even when their lives are on the line.

I believe that integrity isn't just something in "a land of myth and a time of magic" (...And I said I was done being a nerd - DANG IT). I believe that it exists in our world. I believe that it is a talent that must be developed. I know that every person is on a different place on the journey. Still, I think that people should NEVER sell their integrity because of cowardice. The Abraham Lincoln quote I have in the previous post (titled I-N-T-R-O-D-U-C-T-I-O-N) declares that not only telling a lie is dishonest, but hiding the truth is as well. It's not only dishonest, but is immature and cowardly. Harsh? Maybe so. But I believe in telling people what they deserve to hear. Things are so much better when people are honest.

Think about it.


P.S. Is it ironic that "integrity" in Old English is a strong feminine noun? No.

Things I Think, But Don't Have the Guts to Say....

- I wish you'd at least try to change. I love you, and I know what you're capable of. This behavior only leads to dead ends. Please stop. I'll help you change.

- You are one of the most amazing people I've ever known. I think you're fantastic. Stop letting people rip on you. You are priceless. God loves you.

- I wish I could change your past. I wish that those things that happened to you hadn't happened. You were so young, and it's not fair. I know that Heavenly Father loves you, even though we call Him by different names.

- We are like sisters. We really are. We fight and annoy each other like pros. But we're like sisters. We laugh and love each other more than most people can understand. Know that when I am obnoxious and tell you what to do, it's because I love you. I see what you can become, and I want to help you get there. Thanks for taking my advice. Thanks for giving your advice. Sorry for being a brat sometimes. I forgive you for being a brat sometimes. :) I love you, my dear.

- Now, don't let awkward past feelings get in the way of a good friendship. You are definitely one of my best friends, and I understand you WAAAAY better than you think I do. I'm sorry if I was annoying to you during the last few weeks, but - come on. Really? You thought that was a good idea? And then telling me about it the way you did? No, man. Bad plan. Still, I think you're awesome and I have very high respect for you. You said "comfortable," and I agree. Let's keep it that way.

- I am SO GRATEFUL God sent you into my life. I love you so much. You are someone who I can relate to and learn from, and help you grow too. It is a very satisfying friendship, for that, and for all the silly stuff we do. :) I hope one day we WILL have a photographer follow us around taking pictures of all the cute stuff we do.

- You, my friend, are someone I haven't quite figured out. People tell me it's because you're too simple for me to understand. Lame, but possibly true. I'm not sure you even know that you hurt me a while back, but I'm not mad at you. You never meant to hurt me. Actually, I know you were trying to do the opposite. I know you were trying to give me space to do whatever made me happy. But, myself aside, learn to fight. Don't give up so easily on this one, ok?

- I'm so glad we're starting to be friends! I've always thought you seemed super fun, but our different circles never really met.... Until now. Hold on, buddy - this is going to be a BLAST.

- I'm so glad that you're only kind of leaving next year. If you were full-on moving away, I might die. I love you so much, you dork. You are one of the people who understands me, and I love that. You are quirky and adorable. I don't know who else would listen to me rant and rave about Red Scarf and Bird Town, and then give their opinion too. I'm looking forward to next year. :)

- Hey you. I think you're pretty awesome. You are one of my best friends. I love hanging out with you. You always make me smile. Thanks for putting up with me when I'm annoying or being a total girl. It's payback, I guess, for having to put up with your nonsense. Thanks for seeking out moments when you can just talk to me - that means the world to me. I miss you when you're MIA. Don't forget the real world when you're traveling through your imagination. I guess all I can say now is.... Whatever.

- You are not alone. I know you feel that way sometimes, but you have SOOO many people who love you, including the Creator of the universe. Don't let your past dictate your present and future. You are who you choose to become. I love you, babe.

- You, my dear, are a very special young lady. You have artistic talents that I envy. Keep up the good work. Remember to say no, but don't always shirk your calling. I believe that God has put people into your life that He knows you can minister to. I thank you on their behalf. He loves you, I love you, they love you. I think of you often.

- You two are the ones that keep me writing. Thanks for your constant support and encouragement to keep writing. Sometimes I feel like my blog is a waste of time or that nobody reads it, and then one of you will make a remark to me about my last post. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You make me feel like the things I write have an impact. I owe most of these posts to you. Pick one you like, and it's yours. :) I love you.

Gendercide - Real or Imagined?

What is gendercide? It is killing someone based on their gender. Simple, right? Yes. Totally horrible, right? Yes. Not an issue today, right? Wrong. Gendercide is a serious issue that most people don't seem to realize is there. We don't hear about it much in the US, but it's definitely happening. This goes back to abortion and child welfare. Sorry for repetition.

I love diverse cultures. I love studying them, learning their customs, eating their food (especially eating their food.). But there is in some cultures a dated and incorrect practice - devaluing women and girls as burdens to the family. Girls are unwanted. The cultures require a dowry to be paid to the man that marries the daughter of the family. They place financial stress on a already struggling family. "A study of a Mumbai (Bombay) clinic found that 7,999 out of 8,000 aborted [children] were female. In families where food is scarce, girls ages 1-5 were 43% more likely than boys to die of hunger or malnutrition, according to another study," (James M. Rubenstein). While girls create a burden, boys create opportunity for financial gain. They can get higher paying work, as well as marry for a dowry. It is an awful practice that must be stopped.

Abortion. Giving the child lowest priority when it comes to eating. Abandoning babies. Having sex change operations when the child is an infant. WHAT KIND OF WORLD IS THIS?? It is the world we live in. Gendercide is a real problem. We should not ignore this as an "imagined crisis" or a "cultural custom". It is evil. We are looking for the Lost Girls that will never be found. Life is precious. We cannot afford to treat it like it is something that we can recycle.

A lack of women leads to another problem. Sex trafficking becomes more and more prevalent as the gender ratio difference gets larger and larger. We're talking about kidnapping and selling GIRLS into prostitution! This is all linked to the idea that we are smarter than we really are. That we can bend the laws of nature, limiting each couple to one child. I guess they forgot about the cultural variable in their equation. We are HUMANS. We are not all-knowing (even if some of us seem to think so). Let's please STOP trying to control the minuet details in other people's lives. It isn't only that it's girls that they're killling. It's that they are taking AGENCY and the FREEDOM TO CHOOSE from both the child they are killing and the parents they are regulating. This comes down to human rights. What has God given us as humans. Even if you don't believe in God, is slavery wrong? Is murder wrong? Is torture wrong? In forcing abortions/sterilization on those women who WANT to have more than one child, they are committing every one of these crimes.

All Girls Allowed is a foundation that is focusing on ending the gendercide caused by the One-Child Policy in China.

http://www.youtube.com/user/AllGirlsAllowed?feature=watch#p/u/1/OScOV2MPZiM

This is what I mean about being "pro-life". It's not just about abortion. It's about defending LIFE, physical and spiritual, from whatever may attempt to destroy it.

Think about it.