I'm Becoming My Father

He always had a guitar next to his chair, ready for when his country shows came on he could play along. I haven't done that much over the years. But last night Merle Haggard was on the AXS channel on satellite. I'm sitting there enjoying this thoroughly when I looked up and thought "Where's my guitar!". So I find myself playing and singing "Natural High" with Merle. That really felt good. Like visiting an old friend. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeU89VCq8c4

You can't run away from who you are, only what you've been. There are some traits of my father I never plan to visit. But it's funny as time passes you tend to remember the good stuff. Some scars remain but we always had music and that's what I miss the most from him. When I was a kid I always hated accompanying him while he played his steel guitar. I'd really like to do that right now.

Insects

Bernie Taupin and Elton John wrote a song called "Empty Garden" about their good freiend John Lennon who was murdered outside his home. Bernie wrote an incredible line
"...funny how one insect can damage so much grain".

 This is an absolute truth! 

So many times one person can make a huge difference. This person created misery and sorrow that we're still feeling today nearly 33 years later. This got me to thinking - could I be one of those insects? Maybe not to that extent but, do I cause issues with friends, family, strangers? We're told that as believers we are saved and will arrive in heaven. But am I living that way? It's one thing to believe, it's quite another to live a Godly life. At church this week we were challenged to write our own obituary to see what kind of life we have lived. I can say I honestly don't know.

Do you feel the same way?
Have you taken the opportunity to look into your life to see how you have lived? Maybe if we were to slow down and take stock now and again we would find there would be more grain and less insects.


...a gardener like that one no one can replace

A New Frontier

I got so depressed about music. Was force-fed by radio stations for years what I was told was important, up and coming, or just plain awesome - all fed by large record labels. Most artists
would drift into obscurity until maybe someone found them years later. By then it was too late.

But now we live in a new frontier when it comes to music. The internet provides a window
to anything and everything you ever wanted to listen to (and a lot you don't). Sites like Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, a simple search will find you an artist, genre, style, - whatever mood strikes
you. For someone like me, it's an open door fo the world to hear my music, my message.

This is where I start my music ministry. Now is the time to tell the entire world about my belief,
my faith, life, death, eternal life. Come join me in this. Let me know your thoughts, suggestions,
your stories.
Let's get this going!

http://about.me/stevewills

http://www.reverbnation.com/swillsongs?profile_view_source=header_icon_nav

http://www.swillsongs.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Swillsongs/148311998561077

http://www.indieheaven.com/artist_main.php?id=54774

Questions

Has there ever been a time when you heard, felt, or experienced something that made you ask questions? Made you wonder about something deeply entrenched in your psyche?

I think we all have times when we've questioned authority or asked why things are the way they are. I think this is very healthy. We can't keep walking the same direction and expect the path will one day change. 

We should always question who we are, where we come from, 
why we do what we do. In our spiritual life especially. I have found there's a big difference between blind faith and an understanding faith. I'm not going to pretend that I know all I need to know about my faith.
But I can say that in my 20 plus years of believing there is a profound difference in my knowledge, my understanding, and my feelings about my faith.

Are you strong enough to question your faith? 

What if someone else questions your faith?

Moods

Faith is the art of holding on to things in spite of your changing moods and circumstances. - C.S. Lewis

I'm not smart enough to write something as clever or precise as this. So why not lean on Mr. Lewis?


I get moody. I get melancholy. I get angry. I get disgusted. I get joyful. I get sad. I get tired. Mostly, I feel small when I think of who I am, where I've been. Sometimes I get excited when I think of what may come my way. But I can't let any of these moods change what I believe. I used to trust my gut feeling for all occasions. But I found that emotions affect me too much to make this so trustworthy.

What it comes down to is this: If your faith is not strong enough to withstand a mood swing then what are you really believing in? Whatever you believe, be strong, be sure, and stand tall.

I'd write more but I'm really not in the mood.