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

Lil'E Sings!

Okay, so it's bedtime and she's a bit tired and lazy, but here she is singing "Grace Flows Down". Like me, even when tired she has nervous energy - note how the legs never really stop moving. And the hand motions would have worked out better if she had at least sat up to sing - but that was a no-go.

well, not like a sasquatch

Mrs. E and I were driving around Friday night and saw this on a billboard. We got the giggles. It's for a laser hair removal place here in Houston.

Go ahead, laugh.

Music Monday: Little Euphrony's favorites

So, this Music Monday comes with a little side of spite. Mrs. E passed on to me that a few of ours friends who blog (people we know in real life) are tired of all the music posts I put up. They want to read more about Lil'E. Well, just because I can, I have posted about both music and Lil'E. I can imagine the consternation I am causing these individuals now and can't wait to see if they skip the post (as they said they would do for any music post) or read because it is about my sweet girl. I'm just evil that way.

Here are two of Lil'E's favorite songs. The first, I think I've mentioned before, is "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" by They Might Be Giants. Okay, I've always loved TMBG - call it a personal weakness. I've got "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" on a CD and every time Lil'E rides in the car with me the first thing she asks for is this song - even before I can get my seat belt fastened. Sometimes she wants to listen to it ten or twelve times in a row. The best part of it is that it's made her curious: Who are the Turks? Why is it Istanbul and not Constantinople? I've been teaching her history and she actually lets me! Here's a video that was done as part of Tiny Toons (really, Steven Spielberg plus cartoons equals brilliant!).


The second song is "Grace Flows Down" by Christy Nockels. I believe I've heard people say that she could sing a math textbook and sell a millions copies with people raving about her beautiful voice. When Lil'er E was first born, this song was about the only thing that would calm him down; big sis loved to sing it to try and help sooth little brother. She loves the songs, and it is beautiful hearing her sing it. The video is just pictures with the lyrics, but the voice is why you listen.


What are your kids' favorite songs?

Tags: They Might Be Giants, Christy Nockels, Grace Flows Down, Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

Almost famous

Not everyone can be the best in their field; not everyone can even be in the top tier of practitioners in their art. And you know what, it's not always the most talented, the most brilliant, the most gifted who rise to the top. This happens for a variety of reasons: ambition, connections, perseverance, and even being in the right place at the right time have a big impact on potential recognition for one's work. Let's be honest, life ain't always fair in how things work out.

A story like this came over the wire today, relating to yesterday's awarding of the Nobel Prize in chemistry. For those of you who did not follow this prestigious award, the Nobel went to three researchers who took a gene from jellyfish that produces a protein that fluoresces under UV light and grafted it to other genes. This process allows them to track the movement of proteins in cells and is proving a tool of tremendous value for many areas of cellular and disease research. The jellyfish gene was given to two of the three Nobel awardees by the man who first isolated it, Douglas Prasher - you can read about how his work contributed to the Nobel winning work here.

Prasher was working at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute at the time, under a grant from American Cancer Society. It was difficult work to get funded, and he just managed to isolate and clone the gene before his grant ran out; however, he was not able to attempt the final step. Unable to get further funding he moved on, but not before gifting cloned gene samples to several people. Over the intervening years he went to a few other jobs, ending up at NASA in Huntsville, Alabama. When his project was cut and he lost his job there, 2-1/2 years ago, Prasher was unable to find another job in his field. To make ends meet, he has since been working as a courtesy shuttle driver for a car dealership.

One step, one funded grant, away from greatness. And now he spends his days driving a car. One of his former colleagues, upon hearing this, deemed it a "staggering waste of talent."

The point of this is not to feel sorry for Prasher (I get a feeling he is about to have some new opportunities in the field of science). The point is this: what did the people he has driven around every day for the last 2-1/2 years think of this man? Did they see him as just a peon, a loser who couldn't get a better job? Did they see him as just an ends to a means, a way to get around while their own car was inconveniently in the shop? Did they talk to him just like any other guy, treat him like anyone else? Did they ever suspect how close he was to fame? And, knowing it now, would they treat him differently?

Honestly, I'd feel the fool if I had been working with this guy, looking down on him for doing a menial job, then found out about his work being a big step towards a Nobel prize. But I really try not to treat people disrespectfully, not to look down on them for any reason; not because they could be someone great who is down on his luck, but because they simply are. Each of us is God's creation, each with the stamp of divine on our lives. Each of us fails, sometimes miserably, and makes a mess of our lives. Though a man may never rise above the circumstances in which he finds himself, he is still living out the bounty which God pours down on us all. We may feel superior at times, blessed in such a way that makes us seem better; this, too, is a deception that shows us the fool. God is no respecter of the differences between people, caring rather for the state of a man's heart. Should we not be the same?

Just a few thoughts that occurred to me this morning.

Tags: Nobel Prize, Chemistry, Douglas Prasher

Already!

One of the Lil'Es favorite evening activities with dad is playing on the bed. We could be on the dark side of the moon and if I said "Let's go play on the bed" you would find both Lil'E and Lil'er E there in a heartbeat. We play monster and hide under the sheets, the kids climb on me like a jungle gym - it's all a lot of laughs.

So last night, as we were playing, Lil'E starts bouncing around and starts singing. Here are the words that were coming out of her mouth:

Alexis and Jackson sitting in a tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G

What! Already! She's too young for this, right? Apparently not, because she said they also sing

Lil'E and Jaxon sitting in a tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G

Yes, there are two kids in her class whose names are pronounced the same but spelled differently. And one of the two is sitting in a tree with my baby! She's only five, for goodness sakes, and that is way too young for these kinds of things.

Right?

Or am I just being a dad? (Excuse me while I clean my shotgun while rocking on the front porch.)

Another example, from last Saturday: We go to Lil'E's first soccer game of the season (delayed a month by Ike). On her team is a boy who was in her preschool class. Another boy from preschool had been on the same team with him last spring, but wasn't playing this fall. Boy #2 game to the game anyway to cheer for his friend, but his mom told him before hand that Lil'E was on the team, too, this year. He looked at her and said "What? My Lil'E?" and proceeded to get a bit jealous at Boy #1 being on the team but not him. I thing we'll see him at every game, but who will he be there to see? And what's with this possessiveness anyway? His Lil'E? I don't think so! But, because women can do this in their sleep, Lil'E still managed to enthrall him by sharing some of her post-game snack and securing him his very own bottle of Gatorade - and he followed her around like a puppy dog. She's got him under her power, totally controlled.

Like I said, she's too young for this. Right?

How old were you when you had your first boy/girl friend?

Music Monday: Decyfer Down Crash EP

As I mentioned last Monday, I have recently received several new pre-releases from INO Records and I asked your opinions on what I should review first. Most people said they wanted to hear about Sara Groves' new Christmas album, with other people also wanting reviews on Decyfer Down and Building 429. Since the Decyfer Down EP is only three songs long, I decided to hit it first. Next will come Sara Groves and then Building 429. We'll see if I get the Disciple review out, since there was no interest from my normal readers (last chance to speak up if you want to see a review!).

For those of you unfamiliar with this relatively new band, here is something of an introduction to Decyfer Down. Their first album, End of Grey, released in 2006 and was generally well-received with a few hits but less enthusiasm from the critics. Some may ask about their name - this is from their website, telling how they chose the name:

Decipher means "to interpret," and the moniker Decyfer Down fit perfectly, as the band aimed to interpret truth based on God's Word while stripping it down from religious traditions and terms. States Josh, "We're simply out to give a positive message of hope that has truth streaming all the way down the middle of it."

They are getting ready to release their sophomore album in early 2009 and, in preparation, they have put out this three song EP with songs "Crash", "Best I Can", and "Now I'm Alive" (now available on iTunes). "Crash", the driving titular song, has already hit the radio and jumped to #1 on Radio and Records' Christian Rock chart. (listen to "Crash" on the player below)


Overall, I've got to say that I enjoy listening to Crash. Yes, I can see the critics complaints from End of Grey, that Decyfer Down is more a sound-alike band than an innovator in the genre. But I'm not sure if that is a fair basis for judgment as, ultimately, all music gets grouped into a genre because of similarities in sound. And perhaps the metal, or nü-metal, genre has a greater proclivity towards using the same sounds as many groups present similar music (to my ear). Regardless the music can be well enjoyed and I think that the work on the Crash EP shows maturation in the band's writing and style. Listing to "Crash" in my car I can't help but roll down the windows and crank up the volume, letting this 35 year old engineer pretend to remember his days as a drummer in high school whose musical motto was "loud, fast, and thrashin'!" And I don't care what the people in the car next to me think.

The other songs on the EP, while not as driving, are good listens. "Best I Can" can be considered the "ballad" of the EP, with lyrics that tell of the typical feelings of failure and guilt common to those who are not sinless but seek God's perfection, and talking about that to others. The third song, "Now I'm Alive" could almost be an answer to the failure felt in "Best I Can" as they sing about seeing what they can be and coming alive.

In the end, I can't place Decyfer Down as one of the top in their genre, but their music is worth listening to and enjoyable. With lyrics that are much more straight-forward in their Christian themes than many others in the genre they can likely find a more ready audience for their music (as opposed to, say, a P.O.D.). If you like the nü-metal genre you may well enjoy Crash, and as an EP it is a small, worthwhile monetary investment to find out more about the band. You can download the EP through iTunes and look for the full album release in 2009.

Tags: Decyfer Down, INO Records, New Music, EP, Crash

Frame of reference

So, round here, we still have a couple of large piles of storm debris in our front yard. If it doesn't get picked up in a day or two we'll get it taken care of our selves. Don't want the grass to die out completely, after all.

They say that Hurricane Ike has left us with something like 15 million cubic yards of debris. It's hard to imagine how much that is without a frame of reference. Here's one. Let's imagine that WALL*E were doing his trash-compacting and stacking job with all this debris, placing it in an area one football field long and three wide. When WALL*E was done stacking, the tower of trash would be over 2400 feet high. That is taller than the current tallest building on earth, the Burj Dubai.

That's a lot of debris.

Tags: Hurricane Ike, Storm Debris, Burj Dubai

Questions, questions, questions (and music!)

Later this month I'm planning on heading to the Arts*Music*Justice Tour, featuring Sara Groves, Brandon Heath, Charlie Peacock, Derek Webb, and Sandra McCracken. This whole shebang, organized by Sara Groves, is sponsored by International Justice Mission and Food for the Hungry. I talked about it back in April and the time has finally arrived, with the tour having just started. I must say that I'm excited about all of these artists and can't wait for the show. I read a review from Relevant Magazine and that just got me even more ready.

But, in the meantime, I need a little help from you. Maybe not so much need as want your input. I'm also getting ready to sit down and chat with some of the people from IJM for an post to go up on Inspired to Action, talking about the work they do, things they hope to accomplish, the AMJ tour, and other topics. I've got a list of questions, but what do you guys want to know from IJM?

If you could pose a few questions for IJM, what would you ask them? Fill up my comments with some good ones and I'll pick a few from there to pose the IJM people when we talk.

Oh, and while you're pondering what to posit I'll give you something else to do. Go over to NoiseTrade and find the sampler of music from the AMJ Tour. You'll get a pair of songs each from Sara Groves, Sandra McCracken, Derek Webb, and Charlie Peacock for free, just by telling a few friends about it. You can even use me if you're running out of friends to tell.

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

So, about all that lack-luster CCM . . .

There's been much discussion, in magazines and on the web, as to the state and quality of modern Christian music. There are camps that love current music styles and see little wrong with the current trends in style and content. There are also camps that see the market as highly narrowed and filled with artists of mediocre talent. Some believe that those who market the music have become overly focused on specific sounds and artists, resulting in narrowed playlists and overlooking many good artists and songs because they don't "fit" the model. Others believe that doing this is justified because it is simply giving the audience what they want to hear.

And the talk goes on and on and on . . .

I'll admit that I'm pretty opinionated about this topic (just ask Mrs. E, she'll confirm that statement). But I'm also tired of talking about this topic; I believe that, for the discussions I've been in, the subject has been beaten like a dead horse. The conversation has become circular, and I want to break that loop.

But someone else has broken that look for me. Actually, I'll give two examples you should check out. First is my old friend Kat. Kat is as frustrated as I am about some of the trends, but this weeks she's asked for some input and wants to know one song that you think should be getting airplay that isn't. Go tell Kat what you think needs to get some spins, and why. (Now, Kat, once the list is filled why don't you forward this to your old buddies at KSBJ? Just a suggestion.)

And then there's Joy. Joy is in the music scene, having recently released her first album. She, too, feels skeptical of mainstream Christian music. In a post yesterday she commented how much she has been loving listening to Phil Wickham's album Cannons because it does not feel manufactured, off an assembly line. But she also posed a couple of questions:

What do you want to hear? What do you need to hear musically? Is there a part of the Christian walk that is not being addressed by artists? If you could make a request as to what kind of song you wanted someone to write, what kind of song would it be?

So, you want to break the circle? Go comment on Joy's post and give some creative suggestions.

That will be all for today.

Tags: Joy Whitlock, Phil Wickham, CCM

Assuaging my arrogance

I was looking to myself
And I forgot the power of God
I was standing with a sparkler in my hand
While I stood so proud and profound
You went and burned the whole place down
Now that’s a fire

from Sara Groves' "Jeremiah"

I'm not even close to this level of dedication and desire. Oh, sometimes I might think I'm getting there; but then I get reminded (sometimes less than pleasantly) that I'm not there yet. Maybe even going the wrong way without a clue. I completely understand the sentiment in this lyric, cause I'll start thinking I'm someone big or important.

I'm not.

I don't know about you, but I need this reminder. Often.

Here's the full song. I love the string arrangement on this - sets the whole tone of the song.

Tags: Sara Groves, Jeremiah, Pride, Arrogance, Reminders