A mouse in the house!

Okay, actually two mice - Mickey and Minnie (aka Lil'E and Lil'er E). Ain't they sweet! Lil'er E had no problem at all getting into the idea of getting free candy at every house. He was, in fact, quite jealous of his haul - I would try to help him carry it, but trust was not forthcoming.

And here was my mask.

Happy Halloween!

The little show that could

Sara Groves has posted on her site the total giving results and child sponsorships from the Arts*Music*Justice tour. The tour was only 19 shows - not really very many. All told, the results were:

	Total	Average per show
International Justice Mission donations	$49,701.41	$2,617.92
Food for the Hungry children sponsored	555	29

Not bad for a show featuring people who, with one exception, I never hear getting airtime on Christian radio stations. Great tour, guys, and I'm extremely glad that your goals - to see children fed and justice done - are going to be aided by efforts you have put forth.

Tags: Sara Groves, Arts Music Justice Tour, International Justice Mission, Food for the Hungry

Euphrony-o-lantern

So, here is our jack-o-lantern for this year's festivities. The difference from years past is that all I did was wield the knife. Lil'E pull out the innards, designed and drew the face, and did a pretty good job of it.

It's been on our front porch since Tuesday night. By the time Saturday comes around, the inside will look like a science experiment in growing mold - gone out of control. The humidity here makes it impossible to keep a pumpkin once you've carved it.

How long will a carved pumpkin last in your neck of the woods?

Dear Derek Webb, please don't think me a complete imbecile . . .

Dear Derek Webb,

Please don't think me a complete imbecile.

This is Euphrony. I was chatting with you last night, after the Arts*Music*Justice concert in Houston. We were having such a nice conversation. I enjoyed talking about NoiseTrade and your plans for it. I really look forward to changes to the site you were telling me about. It's amazing how fast NoiseTrade has grown, and the caliber of artists represented there. I'm also excited that you've found more people to help with NoiseTrade, so that you can make more music.

I laughed when you said you're job is not to sell records, right after telling people to vote with their conscious even it that means not voting and before you sang "A Savior on Capitol Hill". The irony was great.

We also got to talking a little bit about great artists that just are not highly recognized by the public, after I mentioned getting the Steven Delopoulos B-Sides album on NoiseTrade. We talked about Pierce Pettis, who came up because everyone walked on stage to his song "Miriam" at the start of the concert. I was talking about how "Absalom, Absalom" is one of favorite Pettis songs, and a little of what it means to me, when I felt my phone vibrate - and so I thanked you and bid you good night, both to answer the phone and let you return to striking the stage.

It was only today that it occurred to me that I stopped in mid-thought about "Absalom, Absalom". In retrospect, from what I said, I must sound like a complete idiot who has no understanding of the song or art in general. While this letter may be further evidence to said conclusion, I assure you that I am not.

Again, it was a pleasure talking with you. I hope to get the chance again soon.

Euphrony

Tags: Derek Webb

Reality Shifted

The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear?
Psalm 27: 1

A wonderful passage, filling us with comfort and hope.

But how would you react to find this verse scrawled on the wall of a room six-feet by eight-feet, written by the hand of a fifteen year old girl, kidnapped by a family friend and sold into slavery in a foreign land? A girl sold to a brothel, where she was forced to accommodate ten men a day?

Does this shift your reality a little? Whom have I to fear, that this young girl has not faced, ten times over?

Elizabeth was rescued from that brothel. Noticed by an operative from International Justice Mission, a man of peace, who brought this before the local authorities, before another man of peace, who worked to save her.

Whom shall I fear? I fear myself. I fear my own ignorance. I fear my own apathy. I fear my own lack of concern; for that it my greatest enemy, as I sit in the comfort of my home.

Next Monday, at Inspired to Action, we will be hosting a day of fasting and prayer. The focus is the work of International Justice Mission. Go to their website and read stories of people like Elizabeth, whose lives have been changed by men of peace. Join us at I2A next Monday, and share what you have learned about IJM. Let your reality be shifted a little, for the better.

Tags: International Justice Mission, Inspired to Action

Music Review: Sara Groves' O Holy Night

I've made not secret of the fact that I'm a huge fan of Sara Groves' music. Her artistry in combining words and music does more than tell a story, it draws you into the story. When I heard she would be coming out with a Christmas album I wondered how she would approach it. Would she do a traditional approach, with the holiday standards sung as we always do? Would it be full or original songs centered around the holiday theme? Or would there be the traditional songs with new arrangements? The answer, as you might expect, is a mix of these.

In general, there are two camps when it comes to Christmas music. The first group wants to hear the traditional songs sung as they have always been sung, thus invoking the memories of Christmas past and allowing for the sing-along. The second group may like the traditional arrangements, but also equally appreciates new versions of the old songs. Sara does both on this album, giving a new sound to well-loved carols and paying homage to others. I tend to fall into the second group, and found myself actually hearing the lyrics of these well-known carols for perhaps the first time in my life. That's a good thing, a reminder of the deep theology placed in these songs we sing halfheartedly and laugh as we fumble over words we don't really know.

As usual, listening to Sara sing these songs is like wrapping up in a warm, comfy blanket - something you can fall into and relax and really enjoy. Several of the original songs were penned with the help of Ben Shive and Andy Gullahorn - and excellent combination of tunesmiths, to be sure. With this combination you would expect a great album for the holidays - and the product lives up to expectations.

Read more . . .
For me, the highlight of the album is the "To Be With You". In the vein of many other holiday songs reminiscing of home, "To Be With You" dwells on the feelings of being with family and remembering traditions over the holidays. It's a song you can listen to and really feel in the mood for the season, ready to see family and enjoy the time together. Again, all delivered in Sara's smooth, lilting voice.

Clip of "To Be With You"

The title song is one of the traditional carols that Sara sings with her own arrangement. If you've heard some of the hymns that she has sung with modern arrangements then you know what to expect from this. With her arrangement, you hear the song you've known for so long in a way that is unique but brings to mind the original melody and harmony, but in a way that (as I mentioned above) highlights the words and allows us to hear their meaning anew. "O Holy Night" may not have the soaring melody and grandiosity of the original, but is down to earth - conversational, like most of Sara's music. The reminder that

"His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother
And in his name all oppression will cease"

is one that we may not expect from a Christmas song, but it is central to the reality of His coming to earth; and, it's a thing we need to recall.

Clip of "O Holy Night"

Sara also lets her humor show in the song "Toy Packaging". With a little bit of the sound you might expect from a Rankin-Bass holiday special, this song is not so much about shiny paper or pretty bows. No, this song is therapy. Because, really, who among us has not gone a little mad at the prospect of wrapping all the presents so they look just right under the tree?

Nothing makes me lose my cool like toy packaging
Ask the kids please leave the room, it's time for toy packaging
Every adhesive known to man
is holding down this Robot man
my self-esteem is in the can
toy packaging

Clip of "Toy Packaging"

All in all, this is an excellent addition to the collection of holiday music. Her traditional renditions of favorite carols are beautiful, her original arrangements are both appropriate for the tunes and enhance to old ears the words we too easily forget. Her offering of original songs are wonderful and will echo in you thoughts through the season. As usual, I'm not disappointed in she has chosen to offer us. The album, released through INO Records, hit stores this past Tuesday and is available iTunes. Enjoy! And, again, thanks to the kind people at INO for providing me with a copy to review.

Tags: Sara Groves, O Holy Night, Christmas Music, INO Records, iTunes

Questions for Charlie and Sara

I've mentioned that I'm going to me going to the Arts*Music*Justice Tour this coming Sunday, potentially a highlight concert for the year with the artists who are part of this tour (Sara Groves, Brandon Heath, Charlie Peacock, Derek Webb, and Sandra McCracken). Anyway, I'm really excited about the concert and the organizations being highlighted by the tour (International Justice Mission and Food for the Hungry).

And then last night I was told that I would get a chance to talk to a couple of the tour artists before the show about why they are doing this - specifically, I'll probably get to sit and chat with Sara Groves and Charlie Peacock. Okay, if it works out that way, chances are I'll be totally babbling gibberish trying to communicate with two of my favorite artists - too much to say, too little time. Nevertheless, I'll record the interview, do my best transcription job, and post it soon over on I2A.

A few weeks ago I asked if anyone had any questions they would ask of IJM, given the chance. Only Texas in Africa and Kevin responded, but they had some good questions: How do you avoid despair in the face of such overwhelming need? How do you keep working when you know you can't save everyone? What can my family do locally to help in this important work?

Any other questions?

Tags: International Justice Mission, Food for the Hungry, Derek Webb, Sandra McCracken, Sara Groves, Brandon Heath, Charlie Peacock, Concert, Arts*Music*Justice Tour

Random notes

Two out of Three ain't bad
With all due respect to Mr. Meatloaf, while two out of three ain't bad, two out of four is. Specifically when it is 2 out of 4 family members having strep throat. Namely, when it is Mr. and Mrs. E who have strep throat. And we're just waiting for the Little E's to catch it. Really, what are the chances that mom and dad can have strep throat, take care of the kids, and the kids not get sick? It's times like this that I wish we had family living in the area. It would be perfect to tell the kids they're going to grandma and papa's house for the week, let them handle the kids, and let us get well. But, alas, it isn't so.

It's so sparkly
So Lil'E came home from school yesterday and told me that her teacher is getting married. Her ring is so sparkly (so I've been told). Don't know when the wedding will be, but there's a chance that Lil'E will have to learn her teachers new name before the end of the year.

Has anyone else out there had a teacher get married in the middle of a school year? I did, when I was in 4^th or 5^th grade. All the kids brought her wedding gifts one day - for a little boy, it was an odd experience.

Music on my mind
So, I have so many music-related posts in my head that I haven't been able to get them all out and on the blog. I had really meant to have reviewed Sara Groves' new Christmas album by yesterday, but the strep kept me down. Plus I've also got a few thoughts about worship music and a few new bands to introduce to you. Oh, and I'll be going to the Arts*Music*Justice Tour on Sunday, so that will be fun.

In review . . .

The Cheese Man

Today is School Picture Day at Lil'E's kindergarten. School Pictures are a racket, I think.

No, really, it's a load of crock how they work. We get the order form a few days before picture day. We then proceed to choose from four poses for Lil'E, including:

1. The lousy standing pose, with arms crossed and body twisted, half-facing the camera and half-running toward the exit.
2. The lousy sitting pose, with arms crossed and body twisted, half-facing the camera and half-falling toward the exit.
3. Same as Pose #2, but zoomed in on upper body/face.
4. Same as Pose #2, but zoomed in so close on the face you feel like you could count boogers

The choice then ranges to background color: fade to Gray, blend-in Blue, putrescent Purple, and oh my eyes are bleeding Green. The fun continues as you decide how many pictures to order. Order none and your child will be crushed. Order too many and you might as well invest in recycling for all the bad photos you'll be disposing of. And then, before the child ever sees the photographer, you pay for it all. Sight unseen, you have just become a victim of caveat emptor.

At preschool, they used a guy named Mr. Funny. I don't know his family, but a more auspicious name for a good child photographer there could not be. Sure, he ran into walls a lot, but all the kids laughed and we got some awesome pictures of Lil'E from his handiwork (see right). This year Lil'er E will benefit from exposure to his shutter, but it seems that big sis will be left out to rot by The Cheese Man.

Oh, and did I forget to mention the rash? Yes, Lil'E has had a cold, and recovering from the viral infection she has gotten a little rash. It is right above her upper lip and on her cheek. She's five, and she looks broke out like a teenager. On Picture Day! She even said this morning that she didn't like the way she looked - poor girl.

About the title - if you don't know, that is a chapter from a Junie B. Jones book, and it seemed apropos. What, you've never heard of Junie B. Jones? She is the star of a series of books by Barbara Parks, following the exploits of a girl in kindergarten (and now 1^st grade). She is everychild, and Lil'E loves the books. Some parents may not like the way the Junie B. acts (okay, most wouldn't) but it is realistic of kids that age and provides moments when we can point out good and bad behavior and actually have Lil'E listen to us. We were introduced by a book on CD from a Wendy's kids meal. Below you can listen to Chapter 1, "The Cheese Man", from Junie B. Jones Has A Monster Under Her Bed. Just try not to laugh.


Tags: School Pictures, Photographer, Bad Day, Barbara Park, Junie B. Jones, Kids Books