Be kind to one another, please

I am the first to admit that I have said and done things that are unkind to others. Knowing my human frailties, I will probably do it again, and again, and again. That makes me sad, because I know full-well the sting of being the recipient of unkind words. Who doesn’t, right?

So, before you poke fun at someone because they are high strung or laid back, before you comment on someone’s hair or lack of hair, before you speak in a cavalier way about someone’s quietness or boisterousness, before you comment on their height or lack thereof, their weight or the abundance thereof, please think twice, maybe even thrice, about what you are saying.

Indeed, before you label someone according to your perception of who they are and what is wrong with them, remember you are talking about God’s son or daughter. God might take offense at your judgmental attitude and
words.

Besides, you probably don’t know them nearly as well as you think. If you took the time to get to know them better, you might find some wonderful things hidden beneath the public-facing exterior of their lives.

People are beautiful, in general. Most people are beautiful in their own way. Some are artists. Some are engineers. Some work with their hands. Some let their brains do the heavy lifting. Some are raconteurs, for whom the abstract is essence. Some see essence only in facts, figures, and formulas.

You get the point, right? Humanity is a beautiful tapestry composed of billions of unique threads. Be dazzled by its beauty!

It costs us nothing to think kindly of others; but, it might cost us dearly if we don’t. It requires no special talent to refuse to speak harshly to or about others; but, it might do irreparable damage if our words wound another precious soul.

So, my earnest plea to all humanity, my sincere request of all who take the time to read these lines is simple: Be kind to one another, please.

©️Bill Williams
August 11, 2020

A peaceful evening

A Sojourner's Heartsong

The sun has not yet slipped beyond the western horizon, so the front patio is just too sunny and bright. Here on the back patio I am enjoying my home brewed americano.

I am grateful for another peaceful evening.

Swallows swoop by in a flash.

A lone black bird ambles by in the sky.

A pair of scissor tails playfully flirt with one another in the upper branches of our neighbors’ tree.

A crow caws in the distance.

Finches flutter from branch-to-branch and chatter up a storm.

A dove loops her way around the backyard and then whistles her way overhead.

A bird, whose song I cannot yet identify, sings loudly and repeatedly, as if to say, “Do you have it now? No? Okay. Listen carefully.”

Above it all. Silent. Strong. The beautifully bright and nearly full moon makes a delightful companion.

For eons of time that stoic old man…

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Alaskan Moments

From a sojourner’s heartsong.

A Sojourner's Heartsong

Yesterday, I was asked several times about our recent trip to Alaska. Of course, I was delighted to answer these questions.

One inquisitor asked, “What’s the best thing about going there?”

I hesitated, then responded, “There are so many different “bests” all rolled into one trip. It is very hard to boil it down to just one thing.”

Now that I’ve had some time to think about it, I would have to say the answer to that question is summed up in the word: MOMENTS.

Like the one pictured below. We were waiting on a transfer to our next destination in the lobby of the Seward Windsong Lodge (https://www.alaskacollection.com/lodging/seward-windsong-lodge/). This was one of those moments.

One of many moments.

The best thing about this moment is, well, the best thing about all the other moments like it during our recent land-cruise to Alaska: A picture really does speak a thousand…

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The promise is for all

A Sojourner's Heartsong

Here I sit enjoying a few minutes of reflection on the patio following a brief afternoon nap.

A gentle breeze is blowing from the south. Steady, but light, rain drums a peaceful cadence, with gutters singing along. Their song has never been heard before; it will never be heard again. Click here to watch the video on YouTube

A fresh cup of coffee fills my favorite cup, but not for long. Birds are frolicking overhead like school children on the playground.

Two dragonflies go zooming by. The swings seem to wish for children to make them fly. 

These are moments of pure peace. Sacred moments, they are.

Moments that make my heart rejoice in knowing that if I draw near to God, He will draw near to me. And, the promise is for all.

Yes! The promise is for all!

© Bill Williams, a fellow sojourner
2018.09.03

Permission granted to…

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Another beautiful new day

A Sojourner's Heartsong

A beautiful day in the neighborhood is underway.

We have 74 pleasant degrees on the back patio. A steady breeze animates the wind chime hanging under the eave. The sun is shining bright in the eastern sky. Clouds, full of promise for afternoon showers, are rapidly moving in from the southwest.

Birds are singing. I especially enjoy the delicate tweets of the finches in the oak tree to the north.

The neighbors to the south seem to have forgotten their dog. She is at their back door declaring her displeasure over having been left outside for far too long now.

I hear the faint sounds of a freight train rumbling southward in the distance. It is time for a fresh cup of coffee.

Enjoy the day, everyone!

Remember to give thanks and praise to the One from whom every blessing flows.

© Bill Williams, a fellow sojourner

2018.09.03

Permission granted…

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Do you want to change your life?

A Sojourner's Heartsong

Do you want to change your life?

The wind is howling outside. That may be a bit of an overstatement. It is windy. It has been windy for a couple of days; but, this is Oklahoma in late August. One thing is certain: We will have wind. 

I am not a big fan of wind. My seasonal allergies are always much worse when we have winds that last for several days. For me, wind is always accompanied by a headache. I’ve read lots of reasons why this is the case, some even sound plausible. 

As far as problems go, wind seems like such a small thing. In fact, if I were to pause long enough to really think about it, I am sure there are many positive things about wind. If I were to think about these for any time at all, I am sure my attitude toward…

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Another Monday Morning

A Sojourner's Heartsong

So, another new week begins. The weekend was too short. Monday arrived too soon. For some, the things to do list you made last night haunted you all through the night — hopefully, it didn’t. 

Some who read this are eager for the new week to get under way. Others shudder at the thought of the ever-expanding list of essential tasks that keeps piling up. 

It is Monday morning. Bleary-eyed people all over the world are making themselves ready for what lies ahead by downing their first cup of coffee. Others are thinking they need a gallon of coffee just to think about tackling a new day.

Another Monday morning is upon us and we have to go to work! Or, do we? Think about that statement for just a moment. Now, I am not one of those people who think you can change something just be reframing…

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Three suggestions for maintaining healthy work-life balance

A Sojourner's Heartsong

For many people maintaining a healthy work-life balance is a major challenge. One of the primary difficulties in regard seems to be establishing sensible boundaries, which preserve and protect the various, essential parts of our lives.

In a quest to better understand how people address this challenge, I asked some friends for their input. I asked these questions:

1. Do you find it challenging to maintain healthy work-life balance?
2. What do you do to maintain healthy work-life balance in your life?
3. How do you establish sensible boundaries, which preserve and protect the various, essential parts of your life?

I appreciate each one who took the time to respond. These were both interesting and varied. However, there were several common threads, which I will summarize in the “take aways” below.

Chrisanne Mortensen replied as follows:

1) YES!

2) Pray for God to give me enough time in the day. I was once…

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What do you do when you visit Seattle?

A Sojourner's Heartsong

What do you do when you visit Seattle, Washington?

I wouldn’t want anyone to think I hold myself out as an expert on this topic. However, we have visited a couple of times and found some interesting and entertaining things to do. Actually, our visits have been brief, being tacked on either prior to or just after cruises taken out of Seattle.

My plan is to write about several of the things we have done in greater detail. In this edition of the “Travel Talk,” I will quickly touch on a few things.

In the photo which follows, you can see that we learned how many Seattle street workers it takes to fill a pot hole. Lots! 😉

The first big stop we made was at Pike Place Market. 

If you travel to Seattle, you definitely want to make this one of your stopping points. 

You will be…

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When is a tree no longer a tree?

A Sojourner's Heartsong

What do you think? When is a tree no longer a tree?

You can probably conceive of many answers to this question. Perhaps, a tree is no longer a tree when:

• it is firewood? 
• it is a table?

Yes, I can see how those answers make sense.

I have something a little different in my mind. You see, a couple of months ago we had an early morning storm blow through our neighborhood. It was intense. The winds were howling. The rain sounded like a thousand drummers beating on our bedroom windows. You can imagine the thunder and lightning accompanying such a storm, I am sure.

Well, at first light I went out to survey the damage in our backyard. Lots of things were rearranged on the patio; but, everything appeared to be in good condition. 

Then I noticed the damage.

The tree closest to our house…

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What do you do when your heart is full and heavy at the same time?

A Sojourner's Heartsong

As this week comes to an end, my heart is both full and heavy at the same time.

It is full, because I am wonderfully blessed. Time spent earlier in the day with a house full of children, their spouses, and grandchildren playing together throughout the house, and with everyone enjoying for the umpteenth time Nana’s world famous brisket, cornbread casserole, bacon wrapped green beans, and, of course, banana pudding, makes it easy for me to both feel and know I am wonderfully blessed.

It is heavy, because I wish I would have had more opportunities to share these beautiful children and grandchildren with their grandfather and great-grandfather, my father.  Ours was a late-blooming relationship, which is something I wish would have worked out differently more-and-more with each passing year.

Although we had been talking by phone for several months prior to this day, we met for the first time…

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Where do you find yourself this morning?

A Sojourner's Heartsong

Well, it is Wednesday morning. How is your week going?

Very often, when Friday morning arrives, I find myself asking:

Where has the time gone?

Who stole Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday?

If we find yourself asking questions like this on Friday mornings, perhaps it would be helpful it we prayed this prayer today (and every day):

Dear Lord,

Please help us to be more productive for you. Help us be more focused on doing good; and, less easily distracted by the things that rob us of time and diminish our effectiveness for you.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

© Bill Williams, a fellow sojourner
2018.08.15

Permission granted to reblog and share. Please reference the source as 
https://asojournersheartsong.com 

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What is the purpose of the Proverbs?

A Sojourner's Heartsong

King Solomon’s purpose for collecting the proverbs is stated in 1:2-4, which reads:

Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. (NLT)

Oh! How we need wisdom today!

Oh! How we need the Book of Proverbs today!

We have tons and tons of information stored in every imaginable way. In general, people are more highly educated than every before. But, in spite of the proliferation of information and our ever-increasing levels knowledge, we are wrestling to grasp some of the simplest things in life. We are struggling to interact with one another appropriately.

It is as though we have lost our bearing.

We have…

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What is more important than people?

A Sojourner's Heartsong

My family is excited to be part of a church plant in north Edmond, Oklahoma. Although there are many challenges associated with church plants, it seems to be where I am most comfortable. That is not to say that I prefer hard metal chairs over padded pews. However, there really is nothing more exciting and fulfilling than starting fresh and new. It is also a time which calls for greater patience and forbearance with one another, which results in growing much closer to brothers and sisters.

This morning, Travis Akins, our minister at the Heritage Church of Christ in Edmond, spoke to us about the importance of being a welcoming church. He brought out some excellent points about Romans 12, especially the two word imperative found in verse 13. Here we are instructed by the Holy Spirit to “practice hospitality.”

Travis helped me see something in the text that…

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Are you sowing to please the Holy Spirit?

A Sojourner's Heartsong

A few years ago, as I was studying the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians, the feeling that I was missing something just wouldn’t go away. As I recall, I was looking at Galatians 2:20 and contemplating the ideas of being crucified with Christ and living by faith. I was wondering, “How can a dead person live?”

A phrase kept running through my mind. It was as though God was speaking to me directly. The phrase was:

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.

Of course, this is a direct quote from Zechariah 4:6. Once I opened my heart and mind to the Lord’s leading, the answer to my question became so clear. One verse after another came to mind, which affirmed over-and-over again the compelling answer to my question. It is by the power of the life-giving Spirit that we are freed…

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Three ways to make the most of our second chances

A Sojourner's Heartsong

Today is yesterday’s second chance!

I have seen this quote or something similar to it several times recently. Second chances! Oh, how we need them! Oh, how we need each and every “Today!”

However, today is more than yesterday’s second chance. It does provide an opportunity try again. This effort needs to be intentional, though. We are given a golden opportunity to make a difference in our own lives and the lives of others.

So, we tell ourselves, “Don’t blow it!”

Today is another opportunity to:

1. Seize the moment— Be very careful, then, how you live —not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs…

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Are you longing for a better place to live?

A Sojourner's Heartsong

Many, many moons ago, I was both humbled and blessed by being present for a momentous occasion. You see, a small group of ministers was gathered at Silver Maple Camp, which is south of Kingman, Kansas, for the annual Kansas Ministry Retreat. 

The day, as I recall, was much like most days at this retreat. We enjoyed our usual study times, praise and prayer times, fellowship with one another at meals, and, I kid you not, smash mouth volleyball.

I am not sure who directed the retreat this year. It may have been Brian Cobb. What I do recall, however, is that Brian did an excellent job leading us into the heart of God through the songs he selected for our times of devotion and praise. We were having a spiritually enriching and encouraging time.

The momentous occasion happened late one evening, probably on the second night. It was…

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What is the desire of your heart?

A Sojourner's Heartsong

This popped up in my FB feed earlier today. It is a memory worth sharing.

Thus ends the book “The Pursuit of God” by Tozer…

Lord, I would trust Thee completely; I would be altogether Thine; I would exalt Thee above all.

I desire that I may feel no sense of possessing anything outside of Thee.

I want constantly to be aware of Thy overshadowing Presence and to hear Thy speaking Voice.

I long to live in restful sincerity of heart.

I want to live so fully in the Spirit that all my thought may be as sweet incense ascending to Thee and every act of my life may be an act of worship.

Therefore I pray in the words of Thy great servant of old, “I beseech Thee so for to cleanse the intent of mine heart with the unspeakable gift of Thy grace, that I may perfectly love…

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Do you want people to like you?

A Sojourner's Heartsong

This is an excellent article.

I wouldn’t call them mind tricks, though. They are, based on my experience, accurate observations, coupled with helpful insights.

If you are in sales and/or management this could be helpful.

Click the link to read this article by Travis Bradberry:

https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/mind-tricks-people-like-you

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The journey begins today!

A Sojourner's Heartsong

So, the journey really does begin today.

Now, I am not a fan of the vague posts designed to create an air of mystery about something big which may be going on in someone’s life. That is not what this is. It is vague, simply because the time is not right to reveal all.

By God’s grace and for God’s glory, I am beginning a journey today. The destination I hope to reach in due time is a place I have visited briefly before. There is no doubt in my mind that this is a journey worth taking. Reaching this destination will be sufficient reward itself; however, I hope to learn some things along the way which will enable me to help others take the same journey.

So, here is why I am mentioning this today: would you please pray for me and the journey ahead? I would appreciate this…

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