“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” —Exodus 20:16

The ninth commandment, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor,” can be a little harder to keep than the others. We are not to lie. There are bald-faced lies, of course. (I resent that term, by the way.) But there are times when you don’t want to tell the truth because you know it will hurt someone.

In fact, when a survey was done in which people were asked their reasons for lying, the number one explanation given was the fear of offending someone.

Maybe you were invited to someone’s home for a meal, and it was awful. After the meal, you felt completely nauseated. Then the person who prepared it asked, “How did you like the meal?” “Well, I have never seen those particular ingredients put together in such a way!” You didn’t want to say what is true, so maybe you said something else.

We tell these little white lies, so called, every day. When someone calls your house and you don’t want to talk, you tell your spouse or child or roommate, “I’m not home.” Or you say, “I love your outfit” when you don’t. Or, “The check is in the mail” when it isn’t. Or, “I was just getting ready to call you” when you weren’t. Or, “I forgot” when you didn’t.

Gossip is another way we can lie. Gossip topples governments, wrecks marriages, ruins careers, destroys reputations, causes nightmares, spawns suspicions, and generates grief. Even speaking the very word makes a hissing sound like a serpent.

Apply the THINK principle before you repeat something: Is it truthful? Is it helpful? Is it inspiring? Is it necessary? Is it kind?

THINK before you speak. And if it doesn’t pass this test, then don’t say it.

Copyright © 2013 by Harvest Ministries. All Rights Reserved.

Received from Cup O’Cheer

The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.  –Martin Luther

My partner and I were in our police car when we were dispatched to break up a domestic dispute. We spoke with the couple and the problem was quickly resolved.

On leaving, I was admiring the craftsmanship of their turn-of-the-century home and reached for what I thought was the front door.

Realizing my mistake, I was turning away in embarrassment when I heard my partner say…. “If you have any more problems, we’ll be in your closet.”

Received from GCFL

Our moods may shift, but God’s doesn’t. Our minds may change, but God’s doesn’t. Our devotion may falter, but God’s never does. Even if we are faithless, he is faithful, for he cannot betray himself. He is a sure God. And because he is, we can confidently say with Psalm 23:6, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”

What a huge statement. Look at the size of it! Goodness and mercy follow the child of God each and every day. Think of the days ahead. He will walk you through. He will take your hand. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me—not some, not most, but all the days of my life. Release your doubts. You are no candidate for insecurity. You can trust God…all the days of your life!
From Traveling Light

A family vacation isn’t in our cards this year. Between time, expenses, and the age of the triplets, it looks like we will be staying close to the house this summer. My daughter is the only kid old enough to realize that we aren’t taking an actual vacation, but I’ve discovered that if I plan lots of fun, local things for her to do, then she is typically okay with it. I believe the modern term to not taking a vacation and hanging close to the house is called a “Staycation.” I’m in the middle of planning Staycation events for us this summer, and today I’m listing a few of the ideas that I’ve complied. Here are 30 Staycation Ideas, and feel free to add your own ideas in the comments section.

1. Invest in an outdoor toy all the kids can enjoy.

2. Head to a local park.

3. Visit an amusement park.

4. Camp in the backyard.

5. Have a s’mores night.

6. Create an at-home “water park” with water guns, water balloons, water sprinklers, or other water toys.

7. Explore the woods.

8. Visit a local farm.

9. Head to a local children’s museum.

10. Visit a local science center/museum.

11. Plan a day at the zoo or aquarium.

12. Sign up for the summer reading program at the library.

13. Go to a local sporting event. My husband and daughter enjoy
going to watch our minor league baseball team.

14. Go fishing.

15. Have an outdoor picnic at home or a park.

16. Plan a huge crafting afternoon with age-appropriate crafts for
the kids.

17. Take advantage of local attractions, such as the beach or
mountains.

18. Sign up for a membership at a local pool.

19. River tubing or canoeing.

20. Visit a farmer’s market.

21. Visit a local berry farm to pick what berries are in season.

22. Pick out a different new local restaurant to try a few weeks in a row.

23. Plant a flower or vegetable garden as a family.

24. Host a big play date with your kids’ friends.

25. Host a cook-out that’s not for a holiday.

26. Plan a progressive dinner with a few other families. Back at Thanksgiving, I posted about how my husband and I plan progressive dinners for our youth group. They are fun dinners where one family hosts an appetizer, one hosts the main course, and another one hosts a dessert. This could work for families, too!

27. Plan a day visiting garage sales.

28. Movie night or visit a drive-in theater.

29. Create a scavenger hunt for the kids.

30. Go mini golfing or bowling, depending on the age of the kids

from It Happens in a Blink and passed on by Cup O’Cheer