No Longer A Slave (Acoustic, Wesleyan Southern University Singers)

No Longer Slaves | University Singers at Freedom's Hill Chapel YouTube · Hello Grafted In Readers,

Today is Wednesday, July ninth in my corner of blog land. How goes it today, this season?

Writing and planning writing have been at the forefront of my life activity recently. I figure it will take up to three months to birth my forthcoming title, "From The Red Chair", a short story collection of about 11,000 words total. The theme, finding mental health.

Steps to birth include: paying the editor; blogging and promoting on GoodReads and elsewhere; re-reading manuscript after edit to approve or make corrections; formatting and a cover design; publishing to Draft2Digital and some other popular platforms; publish on Google Play as an auto-narrated book; promote, relax, celebrate.

My father used to often claim that anything worthwhile takes time and effort. I agree with dad.

The title of my post is also a song found on YouTube. The performers are a small ensemble from Southern Wesleyan University located in the USA. Freedom from enslavement is a personal choice, and a choice aided by someone, something, and one's God.

The alternative is freedom to be a human being, human doing.

Until next time we visit, feel free to say hello, comment, and may God bless and keep us!

No Longer Slaves | University Singers at Freedom's Hill Chapel

YouTube · Southern Wesleyan University

1.1K+ views · 4 years ago

About this result related to YouTube 

Story: Etudes and Inventions (David C. Russell, Mellow Rock)

Hello Grafted In Readers,

This post is somewhat celebrative in nature! Welcome to my corner of blog land as we enjoy July 1, 2025. Also, sentiments to our Canadian readers, and Happy Canada Day to you!

The following is a story I wrote for a contest by Reedsy Editing online. Out of over 300 stories, it was approved and is posted at the contest URL below.

A young adult recalls a summer nearly ten years prior when he was a pre-teenager. For me, that was years ago but in retrospect, fun to recall what is remembered.

Here is the URL, which I cannot turn into a link.

 

https://blog.reedsy.com/short-story/3bflb3/

I know the story will be available to read, like, and comment on through the third of July.

https://blog.reedsy.com/short-story/3bflb3/

Until next post, God bless and keep us. Enjoy this season and value the lessons we learn.

Mellow Rock,

David C. Russell, Author

 

Speak No Ill Chofetz Chaim Daily

Hello and Sabbath Greetings Grafted In Readers,

This post we are going to look at some advisements on how to tame our speech, our tongue. There is a Jewish website devoted to improving one's speech named after a nineteenth century Jewish Author from Poland whose name is Chofetz Chaim.

Below are a few advisements taken from the website, Chofetz Chaim Daily. These are short and concise advisements.

I hope you derive benefit from these nuggets of wisdom. Let me know!

Note: LH means Lashon Hara, evil speech.

Chofetz Chaim Daily 1 Taamuz 2:3 If one was in group of 3 that heard LH, SOME say that he may repeat the story, because we assume it is now public knowledge. However, even this view only allows random repeating, not with intention to spread story. 2:4 Applies only to those who heard in group of 3 Chofetz Chaim Daily

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Jun

CHOFETZ CHAIM 

Chofetz Chaim Daily 30 Sivan 2:1 The sin of LH increases with amount of people listening to you speak. 2:2 Something that can be understood as neutral/slightly negative is mutar to say before three people. It will get back to the subject so the speaker obviously is not intending for the negative interpretation.

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Chofetz Chaim Daily 29 Sivan 1:8 Asur to write or hint LH. 1:9 Asur even if one degrades himself at the same time.

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Chofetz Chaim Daily 28 Sivan 1:5 It doesnt matter who is asking for information, it is always asur to speak LH. 1:6 Asur even if it will cause a financial loss, even job loss. 1:7 Asur to speak LH even if it will create an awkward/embarrassing situation.

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Chofetz Chaim Daily 26 Sivan. Beginning of LH laws 1:1 Asur to speak negatively about anyone. If true, called LH. If false, Motsi Shem Ra. Biblical source: Lo selech Rachil 1:2 This is the specific verse for LH, there are many other sins one transgresses as well. Chofetz Chaim Daily 27 Sivan 1:3 Someone who habitually speaks LH is called

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 Chofetz Chaim Daily 24 Sivan. 13)Midvar Sheker tirchak, if its a lie. 14)Vihalachta bidrachav, to act like Hashem and not speak LH. This concludes positive commandments. Chofetz Chaim Daily 25 Sivan Arurin: 1)Arur makeh reiehu basaser. Curse for one who speaks LH. 2) Arur mashgeh iver baderech. Curse for one who places stumbling block 3)Arur asher lo yakim es divrei

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Chofetz Chaim Daily 23 Sivan 11)Es Hashem Elokecha tira. Fear G-d. 12) Limud HaTorah. One could have been learning instead of speaking LH

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Chofetz Chaim Daily 22 Sivan 9)V’kidashto. Do not speak LH about a Kohen in front of him. 10)Kabed es avicha v’es imecha. Also applies to step parents and older brother

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Chofetz Chaim Daily 21 Sivan 7)Umikdashi tiraoo. Do not speak LH in shul. 8)V’hadarta pnei zaken. Do not speak LH about a chacham or old person, definitely not in front of them.Chofetz 

Note: For more detailed study of these advisements see "Ethics of Speech Archive" at torah.org.

May God bless and keep us.

Mellow Rock

David C. Russell, Author