liar

"I swear on my dead dogs grave", "I swear on the Bible", "I swear to God"... have you ever made a statement like that?

Why do some people feel like they have to "super double promise" or swear on something in order to be believed? I like the person that when you ask them a question they respond with "you want me to tell ya the truth?"... what kind of idiot do you think I am? "NO, I want you to lie to me!!!"

People who make statements like that make me feel like they are always lying unless I ask for the truth, then and only then, will they be so kind to offer words that are not false. I guess I just don't get it.

When I was growing up my dad used to always tell me to "say what you mean and mean what you say." He used to also tell me to put the toilet seat down but that was for the good of my mom and 2 sisters. Both statements are very good nuggets of wisdom to pass on to your children.

My dad was very strict on lying. Lying was not tolerated at all. I learned it was better to tell the truth and take the consequences than to lie. Even if I thought I got away with a lie, I was wrong because I lost my integrity. If I got busted, my punishment was A LOT worse. I grew up when parents still used the belt. Taking a nice bite off the ol' bar of irish spring was a suitable punishment for the lying tongue. Message was LOUD and VERY CLEAR. Do not lie!

Let your Yes be Yes and your No be No.... Wait a minute. That sounds like something Jesus would have said. He did. Matthew 5:37.

Now if Gary Sr says it, that is good for me but if Jesus said it, now it applies to all of us.

Maybe we have all said yes to something and later had to cancel or said no to the piece of cake when we really wanted it, but when you say you are going to do something - DO IT!!! Other people rely on your word. If you don't have your word what do you have.

One of the things some of our volunteers are dealing with is when people say they will help then just "forget" or just pull the ol' "no show" thing. Unfortunately it puts other people in a tough and even unfair spot. Wouldn't it be nice if we could take people at their word.

My point: say what you mean and mean what you say. Don't be a liar.

Did you say you would be there? Did you say you would pick it up? Did you say you would help? Did you say you would be together until death separated you? Then DO IT!!!

Do I think Jesus was being that literal when He said those words?... "YES!!!"

(that is a picture of my dad showing off the catplant I got him for Christmas.)