A Tangled Web

“Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when we first practice to deceive!”
– Sir Walter Scott (also made famous recently by Alex Murdaugh)

Deceive: to cause to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid.

Lie: to make an untrue statement with intent to deceive; to create a false or misleading impression.

Can we start by agreeing that there is no in-between- our words are either truth or a lie. Half truths, lie with a bit of truth mixed in, ultimately is a lie. If you disagree, then you disagree and we will leave it at that for today’s post.

Truth is, we all have lied. We have lied thinking it would: protect ourselves, protect others, give us a little longer to develop our excuses/story, heck sometimes we don’t intentionally lie- but we still need to admit we made a mistake, and yes, lied.

Lately, lying seems to becoming “normal.” YIKES, I really don’t like that sentence!! The evidence of blatant lying has become so incredibly apparent and influencing all parts of our lives. The false narratives that are being circulated and broadcasted are, to me, dangerous, massive, influential and are rising at alarming rate.

“Truth in BIG and little.” This was repeated in our house growing up, and still is a needful statement in adulthood! Also, the prayer “they will be caught and held accountable,” was heard many days in our house. These two things are still said and prayed in our home, for ourselves, as a mom, an aunt, a daughter, and I also said/say and prayed/pray these to/for the children I kept over the years. These are bottom line truths. 100% facts. And the prayer… it works – some may say too well! (I won’t name names though!)

Lies get under my skin to a degree that make me steam. When I have lied or if I am keeping something secret, it’s a guarantee that I will tell on myself. Example: When I first got my license I had a bad track record of forgetting that cars could possibly be parked behind me in our driveway. I started backing out of our garage, forgetting my dad’s truck was RIGHT OUTSIDE the garage, and yes, I backed into his truck. I did get out and see if it made any dents or marks- nothing to his truck – a little dent to my bumper- but I had to go, so I got in my car and went on my way. So I may have told my mom and we laughed about it and since it wasn’t anything big we shrugged it off. Couple months later, we traveled as a family to see some friends near the beach. We were picking up some things at the store, my dad was driving my car, as he was backing out of the parking place a car came flying around the corner and creamed the back bumper. My mom and I looked at each other and laughed, and then for some reason I burst into tears and confessed my whole story! Geez – this is what I mean! This is how much my secrets and lies eat at me.

Now you really only have to ask any child that has ever been under my supervision how others lies bother me. I am a no-nonsense babysitter. Tell the truth, even if you have made a mistake, you get a way better deal than if I find you are lying! Missing out on fun or a treat, usually only happens once or twice. Telling the truth is way better with Miss Anna!

When I sense somebody is lying – it automatically turns me into a fact checker machine. And if I can’t check the facts – then my sensors are on high alert. As I would want anyone to do if they sensed I was lying. Of course, the confrontation as adults seems to be more complicated, but really why do we have to go and make things so complicated? (thanks Avril Lavigne)

My message in writing about truth and lies today, is we must remember that others are watching! Our children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, our neighbors, parents, the nation, the world, our friends, people we encounter at the grocery store, the pharmacy, school, at activities, at the doctors office, etc. What truths do we desire them to truly know and take to heart?

All of our character, our values, our relationships – it all starts with whether we are living and breathing truth – or living a life full of lies.

Let me break it down a little:

Appearance: Does the way you present and carry yourself (what you wear, your presentation, your “look”) reflect your heart or just what everyone else says the “moments trends” are?
Countenance: What about your body language and facial expressions?
Words: Do the words coming from your mouth speak of honestly? Are you repeating truths that you have fact checked or just what someone else said?
Social: Are you presenting real and true life pictures and videos of your life? Or are you sharing a edited version of what you think you want or what others want to see?
Interests/Activities: Do the activities you are involved in reflect what makes your heart come alive, or is it just the next big trend and “everybody is doing it?”

Let’s be real. We are all imperfect. We are all guilty of lying.

However, the amount of lies we are facing at this moment on a grand scale, and in a wide range of situations and subjects, greatly troubles my heart. And I know that I am to speak up and say, Be Aware! Be Cautious! And when you are unsure – check the facts – and check from a variety multiple sources!

We can turn things around, we MUST make the Truth a Priority!

I am taking a big risk today on my life book of the week. But before I do let me make a few things clear: 1. The Bible is the absolute truth and must be your #1 source for all truth. Read it, sit with it, write it, sleep with it, memorize it. It is ALL true!!! 2. Excluding the Bible, I never ever ever agree with any book 100%. NEVER! 3. I am honestly baffled by all political parties – and have pros and cons for them all. At this time, I am not interested in sharing or discussing these, and really don’t foresee ever needing to. 4. I am a lover of history and that part of me and my hatred of blatant lies has me on my knees and in prayer a lot these days. Not a bad place to be at any moment! 5. I believe there is a great amount influencers with loud voices who are choosing fame over history. And I believe there are some true people of great integrity who are risking a great deal for speaking truth.

Life Book of the Week: Oath and Honor, by Liz Cheney. If you only read it for the history, it is worth it! But I hope you read it for perspective. Between her, her dad, her mom, and her husband – the perspectives that she provides is beyond what I could began to think about. This book will be a historical document for the ages!

Just some Resources for helping kids (I also use them for myself) understand news: True or Fake

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/news-literacy-101

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/fact-checking-tools-for-teens-and-tweens