February 12

Whisper in the Wind

Our son, Jim Perry (the one on the right playing guitar), and his Christian band, Bro-ken, have written a new song, “Whisper in the Wind”  We are pretty proud of him.  Here is a link to a video of the band at last Sunday’s church service.   http://vimeo.com/36299755

In·teg·ri·ty

noun \in-ˈte-grə-tē\
1: firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : incorruptibility 2: an unimpaired condition : soundness 3: the quality or state of being complete or undivided : completeness

"Do you have integrity?" "Do you want integrity?" "How do you obtain it?"
These are all questions that no matter what walk of life we come from, sooner or later we begin to ask ourselves.

When you endeavor to tackle the subject of integrity, you don't have to travel far before you run into a man known for his integrity and personal honesty - Abraham Lincoln. During his bid for the presidency, he was known as "Honest Abe" even by his opponents. It was a quality he nurtured, and some would say, was the chief gem of his character.

Prior to his running for public office, Lincoln had a private law practice in Springfield, Illinois. Back then, as it is today, lawyers tended to be the butt of many jokes concerning dishonesty and lack of integrity.

From Lincoln's own lips, he admitted that in his day there was a "popular belief that lawyers are necessarily dishonest." So to bring a sense a decency and respect to his chosen profession, anytime he was granted the opportunity to speak to law students, His advice to potential lawyers was this: "Resolve to be honest at all events; and if in your judgment you cannot be an honest lawyer, resolve to be honest without being a lawyer."

Lincoln carried his integrity from his law practice into politics – it was said that because he was considered honest, he didn’t have to convince people he was, and could therefore concentrate on leading. Despite what we see today, it's my assertion that integrity and politics are not mutually exclusive terms! I’m thankful for the men and women of integrity that hold office as we speak, and without getting into the murky realm of partisan politics, I do offer this observation...It's my opinion that though integrity and politics can and should be related, I would have to say they've become distant cousins.

We get our word integrity from the word "integer" which is a number that is whole, not a fraction. Integrity then, has at its core a completeness, a unity, and a soundness about it. You can bring it into practical terms this way - Integrity is who you are when you’re absolutely sure no one else is looking! We've all seen surveillance camera footage of people doing stupid things in convenience stores isles and Wal-Mart parking lots because these people were convinced no one was watching them. People are definitely following their own code of ethics when they're driving on the road. The problem is, though they're alone in the car, they tend to forget every car on the road is surrounded by glass windows...including their own!

Do you have integrity? It's a question best answered by someone other than yourself. Ask your wife and/or children. They'll tell you the unvarnished truth.

Do you want integrity? If not, then read no further. If yes, then start here. Since integrity has to do with wholeness, stop compartmentalizing every area of your life. Understand that one area effects every other area. When we're consistent, that's when we begin to get traction in life. The ”Titanic Myth” is that we’re safer when we compartmentalize our lives, but in reality, we should be the same no matter who we’re with. For example, if you're upset with a decision you're boss made that affects you, take some time to talk with him or her about it. Don't make the mistake of fuming over it all day, then going home and starting a rant on your FaceBook page about how you feel!

You may feel safer hiding behind a computer screen and keyboard, but understand that you've still gone public with your lack of self-control! Your boss (or friend or spouse) will respect you much more if you take the time to confront in private. Here's something worth understanding: Transparency increases your influence…it adds and doesn’t detract!

Every day were faced with small, seemingly insignificant choices that can erode away at our integrity:

Do I return the change the checkout lady gave me by accident? I find a tool my neighbor loaned me three years ago, do I still return it? I get the credit for something someone else did at work. Do I correct the mistake? Do you do what’s right, or what’s easy? Moral, ethical, Biblical, and essential decisions and actions are the fruit that stems from our character and the buried roots of our motives.

So the question really comes down to: How do I obtain it?

As great a man as Abraham Lincoln was, it's best to look to where he found it. After all, isn't the best way to obtain something to go where it's being offered? I like to go to the source, and in our culture, the prevalent source is from the Judeo-Christian book known as the Bible. For hundreds of years it's been the plumb-line for what we consider right and wrong. It's also the place where we're presented not just with a standard, but the standard-bearer Himself, Jesus Christ. What He said was not only true, He is Truth. He not only pointed out the way, He is the Way. He not only lived a life, He is Life.

When we approach and receive righteousness, integrity, and honesty on His terms, we never walk away empty-handed or disappointed.

GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

At the 30th Annual Golden Sweetheart Celebration we celebrated the 50th Wedding Anniversary for ten couples at our park.

Our greeter, Phyllis, with a friendly smile handed out the programs.  Nice job, Phyllis.












The clubhouse was decorated with full sweetheart decoration.  Each of the hearts that you see on the wall encased couples pictures that had celebrated their 50th wedding celebration here at Ho Ho Kam.  This years honorees were seated at the head table.

It was a pleasure to be a part of the Ho Ho Kam Celebration Choir led by Irma sang four numbers including the Anniversary Special with words written by a past Ho Ho Kam Resident.

Larry and Loretta Reckling                                           Buck and Jean Logsdon

Jay and Joyce Smith                                                 George and Carol Bumpas

Other couples, not pictured, are Bob and Jan Berghuis, Armand and Judy Godin, John and Karen Meyer, Tom and Jan Scott, Blaine and Janet Strong, Marty and Dee Trecker

INDIAN MUSIC FESTIVAL AT THE HO HO KAM RUINS IN COOLIDGE, AZ

The guitar and flute music was performed by Indian performers from the local reservation.  Some good entertainment.

The Indian Tacos were delicious.  We had our share.  Yum!

To hear this week's message, click here.
Continue to pray for us as we seek to serve the Lord here in the desert.
*********************************************************************************************
It would be encouraging to us if you would let us know that you received our newsletter.  We welcome your comments.