R.I.P Gumbo

I was given a zucchini today. It was the biggest one I have ever seen.
We dressed it up in christmas pajamas and then beheaded it.
Sounds brutal doesnt it.

Those are my friends. We are crazy. We dont mind doing things that other
people would think we were insane for. We tryed playing moffia tonight but it didnt
work out cause there was too many people.

Man. The friendships I have made this summer have impacted me so much. I dont
think those people truly know how much their complete acceptance and love has affected me. I feel like I'm leaving home. I feel like I'm leaving family and its so hard. even as I type this the tears stream down my face cause I realize how much I will really miss them. I know this isnt the end- I know that I will do whatever it takes to keep in touch with them.

My heart is so attached. I feel like a piece of it is being left here, with them. I really do.
My prayer is that they will grow into the great Godly leaders they are called to be, and will change the world through living lives of love, integrity, faith, and passion.

Tess

Little Fact of Life: Drama is a relationship killer.

Lets not make things bigger than they really are.

Fill in the holes.

Rid them of these lies
embedded in their heart
and in the place they used to be
your love will make its mark.

Were you told you'd never succeed
Believing that no worth could be found
within who you were

Were you told that you were alone
No one could ever understand
the pain and grief deep inside

Were you told no one could like you
unless you covered up who you really were
and did what others said

Were you told that were ugly
and needed to lose weight
in order to be truly accepted

Were you told that what you'd done
could never be forgiven
you would live in shame and guilt forever

Were you told that drinking soothes the pain
it'd help you to forget
the memories that haunt your thoughts

Were you told that the familys brokeness
was because of you
it could never be repaired

Were you told that causing yourself pain
was better than being numb
cause at least you felt something right?

What lies have you been told?

Integrity

Heres a valuable little piece of insight I came across today..

What is True Integrity?

An integer is a math term meaning a whole number like 5, 20, or 100.

The opposite of an integer is a fraction like 1/2 or 1/3.

Integ-rity means wholeness, completeness, or entirety.

Another similar word is integ-rated- this is when all aspects are working together in harmony.

Ever wondered why when Galatians 5:22-23 refers to fruit as a singular noun but then lists nine character traits?

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Why isnt it plural?

This is because when we strive to become more Christ-like in everything we do, we bear all varieties of the fruit at once. We cant be gentle and at the same time unkind. We cant be loving and at the same time unpatient. When we allow God to work in us and change us to be more like him we grow in all of these character traits together, they are all integ-rated. We arent going to be fragmented when Gods character is developed in us.

Integrity is the wholeness or fullness that results from developing a Godly Christ-like Character.

Another person wont make you whole, the right partner wont make you whole, marriage wont make you whole, the right group wont make you whole, and the right job certainly wont make you whole.

Only a love relationship with God will produce the Godly character that will make you a person of integrity-a whole person.

I want to make my love relationship with God the most important thing in my life and I want it to be evident in everything I do.

In Psalms 32:8 God says "I will guide thee with mine eye."

How can that be? How can God guide a person with His eye? If the eye is silent and makes no noise, the only way I can recieve guidance from God's eye is to be looking directly at Him.

If I keep my eyes focused only on him and follow his guide-I know he will make me whole. I know he will make me a person of true integrity.

Tess