He's Always Been Faithful

I'm packing a few friends in the car and we're off to see this Sara Groves Girl in concert.

I. Am. So. Stoked.

Carols & Classics

Lilly designed this promo material.  It advertises our church family's first ever Community Concert.
The church will be decorated beautifully - greeters will warmly welcome you in the name of Jesus as we join to celebrate the most incredibly loving event in human history - Emmanuel, God with us!

An hour and 15 of the most beautiful soul-enriching music; beloved carols blended with sublime excerpts of Handel's Christmas Messiah and scripture narrative sung by a 70 voice choir - adults & children; all accompanied by an amazing professional orchestra.

December 15, 16 and 17 from 7:30pm in my church.  

Search Carols & Classics on Facebook for more details.

Baby Kae

This little guy is a heart-throb

Dare I say it?  I absolutely adore him.

He reminds me more and more of his daddy now -- not in appearance as much as manner.

 But did this delightful Déjà vu compel ME to go to the lengths that 

one of his daddy's co-workers did?

 .... Scouring one textile store after another in search of fishing pictures
to adorn a personalized baby quilt??  Did I say that the co-worker was male?

 ....or that it was a mission lovingly & joyfully embraced with and by his girlfriend
whom we don't even really know??

The gift is a sort of precious humbling thing that brings tears to the eye.

Hardworking Sloths: Disguising Spiritual Laziness | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

A Hardworking Sloth?

Yeah, I know it sounds like a contradiction.

This is an excellent article written by Carolyn Arends. She is one of my favourite singer/songwriters. She's Canadian. She's insightful, inspirational and a fellow pilgrim -- someone who lays out profound thoughts with the simplest turn of a phrase.
*sigh*

She completely nailed me to the floorboards with this one....

Hardworking Sloths: Disguising Spiritual Laziness | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Blessings

I've posted this once already.
But I think we all need a reminder.
It's essential to remember this, that difficulties of every sort are precisely what God uses to draw us near.
Away from our small mindedness, our hand-wringing short sightedness to Grand Canyon type perspective.
On the one hand, I weary of needing constant reminders of the FACT that God is 100% in control.
On the other hand, a daily reminder packaged in a song as beautiful as this one isn't so hard to take.
Listen and Live well.
For His Glory.
Blessings by Laura Story

Carols & Classics

In August just past (it did just pass didn't it??) I took action with a positively ancient pledge to organize the music in our music room.   By 'ancient pledge' I mean: a good intention verbally expressed far too often and lain dormant for about five years, give or take a few.
I have more music than could ever be useful to me.   I stare at shelves, boxes, binders, cupboards & corners FULL to be more precise and yet I can throw none of it away.  I tried.
I just can't bring myself to do it.
The very idea is akin to discarding that collection of RSV bibles shelved unreachably in the home library.
Classified unthinkable in terms of squeamishiness.
But I digress so conveniently.
I sort of stumbled across a copy of Carols & Classics which I opened at the keyboard and to which I lost the remainder of that afternoon.  Here's the online product description:
A rich treasury of choral works and Scripture for concert, pageant and service; suitable for choir and/or congregational singing, individual medleys during the season of Advent and Christmas, and in the retelling of the Christmas story. Blending the most cherished Christmas classics with beloved carols in powerful and unique combinations by Tom Fettke; ideal for medium sized choirs. 96 pages.


96 pages of sheer musical beauty.  I was captivated entirely.


I blush considerably a bit to admit this.
Compelled in ways convicting but difficult to explain, my reality is such that I am now immersed (almost exclusively) in a new Community Concert project for December and thus.....
still staring at shelves, boxes, binders, cupboards and corners of music waiting to be organized.

A girl's gotta do what she's compelled to do.

That's my story and I'm sticking with it.
Details to follow, stay tuned.

As per typical,

behind by almost a full season...

Songs & Stories Tour USA

We're in Valparaiso, Indiana -  "investing" in our marriage and other loves like golf, music, used bookstores, coffee shops, Amarone - the list goes on and on.  There are just so many good things about this life isn't there?
We are drawn to this place in particular, 8 hours from home, to attend a concert at the Valparaiso Nazarene Church, one of the stops in a ten week Songs & Stories tour through the USA by Steven Curtis Chapman along with Josh Wilson and Andrew Peterson.
*sigh*
It was SOOOooo good.  Man!  Was it GOOD.
But I have to go to sleep first before I launch headlong into a recap.  I have to golf tomorrow with my hubby and I want to beat him.  On the scorecard that is.  That's what I meant of course.
Here's a few snapshots we managed to snag tonight...

 Andrew Peterson of Counting the Stars fame.   He was OUR drawing card for sure!

 This dude below with the cool hat played so many different instruments, he boggled the senses with his multi-talent.  His cello playing alone was enough to render one weeping - it was 'plugged' and the sound of it resonated so deep I felt it rumbling in my chest.  (We were in row 4:)

This Synthesizer man (pictured below) is Ben Shive, trusty sidekick to Andrew Peterson - shows up on all his albums including a soon to be released kids album called Slugs & Bugs Vol. 3  So much fun to watch in action.  That little blue thing at his elbow is a teeny miked xylophone (like a Fisher Price toy!) that peeled out sound like church bells. 

A long shot down the centre aisle of tonights venue.

These pic's tell a certain story about Daddy's Cinderella - perhaps I'll share that story tomorrow when I'm feeling a little less raw. There's a version of this song on Youtube as well.  I'll post that tomorrow too.  Tomorrow.  What am I saying?  It IS tomorrow already and I have a score to settle on some nearby fairways that require a good nights sleep!  *sigh*  

.....zzzz... shhh.... more tomorrow...

A first born son...

.... for a first born son.

Announcing the 'early' arrival of Kaelan Eli - the stunningly adorable new life that has just increased the world population by one - swiftly changing the status of every single family member to which he is connected and enlarging hearts to dangerous proportions.

             Welcome to our world you wonderful little world rocker.

Like many before you, you are born to a specific plan and purpose.  May you grow to be as beautiful inside as you are right now on the outside.

 But listen up now.  We've brought in your cousin James (otherwise known as J.B.)

for comment on this extraordinary event...  

Well, there you have it - limited vocabulary and all.

 Cousin James is almost four months ahead of you in this family scenario - and he is obviously pleased 

(it's written all over his face) that you have finally made your appearance and that you are (quite clearly) 

his equal in charm, gender 

AND good looks.  

Size?  

Don't sweat it.  You'll measure up in no time!  

Galactic God

Got a free hour today?
This video will change you.
You will never be the same afterward.

The Global God Who Gives the Great Commission

Thank you Jon for sharing this.
It is a worship experience like none other....

All Creation Sings.

The Universe is His Symphony...

Praise him, all you shining stars!  Psalm 148:3

Song of the Whales
Praise him, you great sea creatures and all deeps.... Psalm 148:7

Seriously, you cannot remain untouched by this... this... uhm... "experience" ??
Watch it and go have a blockbuster week!

Family Fete

 At a recent, long over-due Family Fest ~

  I tried to honour my promise to snag a photo

 of all the grandkids with their crocheted hat...

 The adorable products of Tricia at L'il Ones Custom Crocheted Creations ~

 (See facebook link in previous post)

 But...

 They were clearly NOT in the mood to have playtime trifled with...

 Pfft!

 *Sigh*

 I surrender all (of my agenda).

And submit evidence of the ... utter futility of the moment.

I think I need a nap.

Summer and Sundays

We've seen some crazy weather systems this summer.  

One early morning in June (and I mean '1:30' a.m. early) we found ourselves ~ a small band of the PJ-clad and the utterly fascinated, woken from sleep and standing slack-jaw in front of an upper story bedroom window.  

Slack jawed and naive I might add.

The violence & fury of thunder & lightning of that night (along with the hurricane force winds bowing our trees every which way) was matched, perhaps even trumped! 

at the end of August ~ 

a storm we watched from a basement window this time around.

Saner yes, but not near as much bang for your buck as the saying goes.

                            And yet ...

Who can watch such a display of power and might and not feel very small indeed?

This is what I've come to appreciate most about Storms in general, whether they be spiritual, physical, emotional or geographical...

they put me in my place and in a proper perspective.

Dependent and very much at the mercy of the Creator of the universe.

The same One who scoops the ocean in his two hands,

measures the sky between thumb and pinkie,

who marches an army of stars out each night, 

counts them off, calls each by name...

Calls each by name!

Seriously, who do we think we are?

Who even comes close to being like God?

We had a terrific sermon this morning covering 

the comfort message of Isaiah 40.  

What a great Word that is.

Need some encouragement?

You'll find it there in spades.

Happy Sabbath Rest to all.