In the Studio - LIVE BLOGGING!

Welcome to my first day of live blogging!

Today we're in the studio recording Gerald's demos, and I'll be blogging throughout the day in real time. I'll keep this post open, and just keep adding to the bottom. Check back often and remember to refresh this page so you can join in the adventure of the day!

9:18am - We're here in Antioch at the studio of Denny Martin. The players are arriving and enjoying the Krispy Kremes we brought with us. The coffee is flowing...




9:31am - The players are all here in the booth with us, reviewing charts for the first song. Everyone's nodding along as they listen to Gerald's worktape and review the charts. People are taking notes, figuring out the tempo, and debating how to play the details. Compliments are flowing - nice! These guys hear a lot of songs.

9:40am - Gerald is in the vocal booth to record a scratch vocal. The demo singer will sing the final vocal next week. The scratch is simply to guide the musicians. They've started - it sounds AWESOME!!!!! WHOO-HOO!!!! I'm grinning like an idiot :)

9:54am - Instruments on the session are keyboard, drums, electric bass, electric guitar, and acoustic guitar. Denny just explained that when the band is playing, the electric guitar will play rhythm, keeping along with the band. After he'll do an overdub to do more solo, wailing, cool stuff. Amazing to see all this creativity coming together.

10:00am - "I'm not very smart, but I'm a good listener and a good eater." as said by the guitar player. Possibly the best quote of the day :)

10:08am - Instrumental solos and licks are being improvised by the guitars and keys. Wow.

10:13am - First song done! On to the next!

10:20am - Reviewing charts for song 2. Gerald is showing them how he wants the hook played.


10:33am - Just received a note from Monika asking for song titles. So far, we've done "Watertower", and now they're doing "Last Payphone in the World." It's sounding amazing. The players are so tight and so fast, and in between takes they're sharing jokes, jabs, and kudos.

10:54am - Debating tempo. Tempo can make or break a song. Should it be more Kenny Chesney or more Brad Paisley? Playing it several ways right now, different speeds, different grooves.

11:13am - Here's how the music looks as Denny is recording the different tracks. Each coloured line represents a different instrument. The half lines on the screen are the solos/overdubs being added to the tracks that the full band just recorded.



11:33am - Starting "Me and Patsy Cline." Debating starting with just piano and building the track by having the band come in on the chorus. Making sure the key will work for Lisa on Monday. Making sure all the chords on the chart match what Gerald is playing on the worktape.

11: 40am - Gerald waving from inside the booth.


11:54am - Doing the first take of "Me and Patsy Cline." Finally understand what Gerald meant when he said they way we play it is too 'folk' for country radio. This sounds like something you'd hear on the radio. It has more drive, more power - really embodies the empowerment experienced by the lead character. Sounds different to hear it this way, but it's really cool.

12:30pm - Lunch!

1:27pm - Back from lunch. Awesome little Italian buffet with piles of pizza, eggplant, and mussels.

1:29pm - Starting the afternoon with "Johnny Cash's Eyes."

1:38pm - The players are getting back in place after the lunch break, new charts in hand. Retuning the guitars and making sure we have all the right sounds on the keys and drums. The drummer is behind the panels, and that's Denny on the left making sure everyone has what they need.



2:17pm - Just took a slew of photos. Going to post a few today, but I'll post lots of facebook and my site later, maybe when we get home. Getting ready to start "All Her Flowers are Wild" - one my favourite songs Gerald has ever written!!!

2: 27pm - Here's a shot of the chart for "Johnny Cash's Eyes." If you click on it, it should get larger and then you can see the Nashville Number System in action. The numbers allow the players to change keys without changing charts. Notice too how the foam is placed between the cymbal and its mic to act as a bit of a buffer (I'm sure there's a technical name for this? Feel free to add to the comments if you know it.)


2:57pm- Couldn't get online for a few minutes - freaked me out! Back now, and they're doing the first pass of "Fifteen Minutes of Shame." This is a song that needs a great band, and it sounds amazing. It's incredible how these guys can make a first pass sound like a song they've been playing for years.

3:14pm - My drum solo...

3:19pm - Adding B3 organ to "Fifteen Minutes of Shame" - we're all very happy!

3:47 - Don't think I've said this yet, but I'm realizing that session players are process-based and not product-based musicians. They're not saving and using all their creativity for their own completed songs or CDs. Instead, they get in the studio every day, sharing their creativity with other artists and other songwriters. They won't get copies of all their work and they won't get to play their arrangements every night on the road. Instead, the joy is in the process of making great music, in this short moment, and then moving on to the next great moment of creativity.

3:54pm - Moving on to the last song of the day, "When Saturday Morning was All Day Long." A few weeks ago, I suggested to Gerald that this would make a great duet, so that's how they're going to record it! Still pushing to see if that qualifies me for a co-writing credit...

4:04pm - Debating a last minute key change - whether dropping it a semi-tone will make it too low to sing nice harmonies next week?

4:10pm - After one take, we've decided the new key doesn't work, so we're back to the original. Going to slow it down a click or two. Gerald is showing them the vocal on the bridge so everything can get tight. Doing a water bottle run out to the vocal booth.

4:19pm - New key and new tempo sound great! Single take is done. Now the different players are going back and saying "Just let me redo bar 5 of the chorus..." and other such tweaks. Denny will just punch those in when he's doing the final mix.

4:34pm - Learning the history of the people we're working with. Our acoustic guitar player didn't start playing til after university. Amazing! Don't ever think it's too late to start following your dream...

4:41pm - Our songs are DONE! Whoo-hoo!!! Just wrapping up now. The players are going to do one more short piece of their own before we pack up.

4:53pm - After playing country music all day, the players have flicked the music switch in their heads and are now playing a 50's style film soundtrack.

5:11pm - Taking group photos and collecting email addresses.

5:22pm - Photo of us and Denny.

5:23pm - We're finished and packing up and heading out. Saying thank you and making sure we have everything we brought with us. Heading into Nashville for supper and to watch a round at the Commodore. Love live blogging! Hope you enjoyed it too :)

Elijah Conference - Day 2 and Demo Prep

First, an announcement:

Tomorrow, I'm LIVE BLOGGING!

We'll be in studio all day, and they have wifi. Instead of blogging in the evening, I'm going to post updates throughout the day about our experience. Tune in tomorrow anytime after 9:00am Central Time and I'll be posting updates. I'll try to post photos during the day too!

*****

Today was awesome. We spent the morning chatting with our producer, Denny Martin, and working through the arrangements for tomorrow. Last week, Gerald sent him rough guitar-vocal recordings of his songs. Denny took these 'worktapes' and wrote out all the musical arrangements, including the chords, the song structure, and which instruments will play on each song. We're recording nine songs, so this planning will make tomorrow run smoothly.

After lunch, I returned to the Elijah Conference. I started my afternoon right with an awesome cappuccino, courtesy of my friend, Wess Adams. He and his wife, Susan, are some of my dearest Stamps-Baxter friends.

The friendships are half the reason to attend Elijah. There are so many sweet and talented people here. Today, I finally met my friend Rhonda Frye in real life - we met on facebook a year ago! And I also got to witness the birth of my friend Jennifer's new blog. Yay, blogging!

The teaching today was intense! To put it in a nutshell, Allison focused on being authentic in our ministry. Everyone gets tired of the church cliches - what can I say that is new and fresh and personal?

After this intense afternoon, I picked up Gerald and we went out to Antioch to see the studio and finalize the arrangements with Denny. I got to sing through Gerald's songs as we put the girl songs in a good key for our female vocalist (our awesomely talented friend, Lisa Mowry.)

Gerald and Denny started talking flat sevenths and minor fifths and diminished something-or-anothers and my head started to spin. That kind harmonic knowledge just blows my mind - not just the technical knowledge - I've got that - but the ability to use it to write songs and create new and exciting sounds. Love it!

We went back to the area where we used to live - had a late supper at our old Cracker Barrel (Coca-Cola cake!) and picked up provisions at our old Kroger. We're overwhelmed with how surreal it feels to be back. We're traveling in another country, and yet we're home. Pretty awesome...

Elijah Conference - Day 1

I have that bleary-eyed tiredness that only comes after a full day of good stuff.

After our two-day drive, I was in pretty rough shape this morning - not just tired, but my neck was really stiff. I treated myself to a gentle start of stretching and espresso, and arrived at the Elijah Conference during Allison's first performance training session.

The focus of Elijah is to train people in music ministry to balance their dual role as Artist and Servant. The core of the conference is Performance Training. Designed like a classical masterclass, each participant performs one song, which Allison then dissects and tweaks to bring out that individual's personal strengths and artistry. It takes real courage to allow yourself to be critiqued in public, and the singers today were awesome. I'm looking forward to singing for Allison later this week, but even as I say that, I can feel the butterflies doing a salsa in my stomach...

The training sessions are separated by guest speakers and lecturers. Stephen Hill dropped by this morning to share his passion about singing the Gospel. Stephen is huge, odd, and chock full of wisdom (and no, I'm not speaking about him behind his back - he'd be the first to say he's odd). I took tons of notes, and then marvelled (as usual) at his killer chops and awesome songs. Yes, I'm a fan.

This afternoon, Pastor Ken Dove spoke about "The Traveling Musician Through the Eyes of a Pastor." What makes a pastor love having a certain artist at his or her church? What can I do that will make sure I get invited back? What could I do that could prevent me from receiving a return invitation? Lots of wisdom, more notes.

And of course, one of the best things about Elijah Conference is the people! It's been awesome to see so many dear Stamps-Baxter friends, and meet all the new folks too. And we are in the South so, you know, there's some eating going on...

I had to miss last year's Elijah Conference. After our accident, we just couldn't afford to make the trip to Nashville. I'm so, so, so very happy to be here!

We're in Nashville!

We arrived around supper time tonight - tired, but very happy.

We had a great drive over two days with almost perfect weather, and an awesome hotel last night.

The final hour was all crazy thunderstorms, but there were no tornadoes, so we can't complain too much.

Resting and relaxing tonight. Up bright and early tomorrow morning for the Elijah Conference!

St. Philip's Anglican Church

In the midst of our crazy Nashville planning week, we've been rehearsing for an awesome gig booked for this morning.

St. Philip's is a great little church right on the edge of Etobicoke. The musical theme for the service was inspired by "Hymns in the Key of Grace" with songs like "Softly and Tenderly", "Come Thou Fount" and "Give Me Jesus." For focus and communion songs, we shared some of our originals - "Somebody's Angel", "A Church Song Broke Me Down", and "Living Manna, Living Bread."

The people joined us in song, and a good time was had by all!

After church, we finished packing, made the final arrangements with the house-sitter, and took the first leg our trip so we could bring our puppies to my parents for a vacation of their own.

Tomorrow, we start our drive to Nashville.

This is the first time we've done the trip by ourselves since before our accident.

I'd be lying if I said we didn't have some anxiety.

But we have a plan, and I'm always good with a plan.

We also have prayer, and faith, and each other, and that's better than anything.

If you're the praying kind, please throw one out for us this week.

Thanks.

Gearing up for Nashville!

Next week this time, I'll be blogging from Nashville!

It'll be the first time we've returned since moving home to Canada, which was actually a year ago yesterday.

I'm excited, nervous, excited...

Excited because we'll be recording demos for Gerald, attending the Elijah School of Performance, seeing friends, and singing at our Nashville home church, Church of the Redeemer.

I'm nervous because it'll be the first time I've done the Toronto-Nashville drive since our accident.

We have a plan in place, and that always makes me feel better - 2 days to do the drive, scheduled breaks, great play list on the iPod...

So right now, our days are filled with prep work. I feel a little like a wrung out face cloth, but I'm hoping to have everything done by Friday night so we can enjoy the weekend.

Oh, and I'm also excited to be heading to the land of pulled pork and red velvet cake... bring it on!

Gospel at the Moonshine Cafe

A few months ago, the folks at Chartwell Baptist Church in Oakville invited us to perform a night of music at the Moonshine Cafe for a very special part of their congregation. The members of the Kerr St. community live in the area, but don't attend a lot of events. Well, they came ready for a good time tonight!

We broke away from the usual singer-songwriter mode of the Moonshine to present an evening of inspirational music. We mixed Gospel, hymns, praise & worship, and originals to create a night that would be cool and fun. We invited people to sing on the familiar songs, and we shared the stories behind our originals. It was awesome!

The members of the Kerr St. community have faced some amazing trials in their lives. Despite the challenges that Gerald and I have both overcome - in our individual lives and in the past year - we still have moments of short-sightedness, when we allow the little things to become too important, and when frustrations and impatience rule our decisions. Meeting the people of Kerr St, hearing their stories and seeing their strength, reminded me of just how blessed we are.

I know that sounds like a selfish reason for appreciating people ("Seeing your pain makes me realize how lucky I am!") and we're all guilty of it (thus the success of daytime talk shows), but sometimes, hearing the stories of others really can remind us that we are abundantly blessed, and we should just get off our self-built pity pedestals and appreciate it.

Sermon's done - happy for a great night of music!

Are Dreams Selfish?

I'm feeling very inspired tonight!

For the past 8 weeks, I've been taking a course on manifesting your dreams. Run by creativity expert, SARK, the class offers practical and creative ways to go from "dreaming to doing." We covered topics like support systems, productivity, and self-care. SARK's approach to living your dream is holistic - don't just have your dream, but have a life that is happy and peaceful and healthy.

Each week, we would have an amazing teleconference phone call and a printable workbook. An interactive website allowed all the students (from across North America and around the world) to connect, encourage, and inspire each other.


When you focus on following your dreams, it's amazing how things start to link together:

Today, one of my favourite bloggers, Matthew Paul Turner, wrote a post on following your dreams.

This afternoon, my musical friend and AWARE partner, Deanna, sent me an article on following your dreams.

And on tonight's final teleclass, I chatted with a woman from Toronto!


All these little pieces swirling together to inspire and encourage!


We don't like to talk about "following our dreams" in ministry. I think we consider it flighty, or immature, or worst of all, selfish.


But the Bible tells us that God knows the desires of our heart, and that He has great plans for us.


Doesn't that sound like dreaming to you?


I could write for hours and hours about this, but let me just leave you with this thought for tonight:

What dream - large or small - has God given you that you've been ignoring?

What small step can you take towards making that dream come true?

Gage Park

Long day with a short blog.

Afternoon singing for seniors - mixed program of Gospel songs and senior 'classics'.

Never fails to amaze me how people will sing along to "In the Garden" - amazing!

Evening singing at Gage Park in Brampton. Mix of originals and our version of classic and praise songs.

Good music, great volunteers, and awesome audience.

Been racing around since NYC. Ready for a day off any time now...

NYC - The Day After

Friday was a whirlwind.

We packed, checked out, left our luggage at the hotel, and grabbed the subway to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's hard to describe the size and scope of this place in just a few words. "Mammoth" and "ginormous" (which is probably not an actual word) come to mind, but they pass over the intricate details of the place.

We spent hours and hours roaming through ancient Egyptian temples, Medieval sacred art, and Impressionist masterpieces. The Roof Garden was swamped by an ever-evolving network of bamboo that you could walk through and climb over. The special Picasso exhibit showcased room after room of sketches and paintings. Our favourite atrium was filled with gorgeous, glowing Tiffany windows and mosaics.

(this photo doesn't even do this window justice!)

After soaking ourselves in art, we wandered outside to explore Central Park. I fell in love with the ancient trees, the gorgeous stone carvings, and the absolutely charming Alice in Wonderland statue.



Our final few hours were spent visiting yet another Mac store, snapping photos of the Plaza Hotel, and grabbing souvenirs. After taking a speed demon cab out to JFK, we discovered our flight was delayed. Some time around 4:00 am, we arrived home.

There's lots to do over the next week, but today, we're just telling stories and looking at photos and nibbling treasures from the Time Square Hershey store... lovely...

NYC - Day 3

Between the heat and the walking, I'm pretty sure my feet are swollen to twice their normal size.

Highlights of the day:

We had a chess-filled morning. Gerald played speed chess with a guy named Bear in Washington Square, we looked at elaborate and expensive chess sets, and Gerald played a 20-year-old International Master in a chess store that's open 24-7. You can play, learn, or shop chess any time, day or night.



I have fallen in love with Cafe Reggio - possibly the world's best cappuccino.



Tonight, we went to the Barrymore Theatre to see David Mamet's new play, Race. The play itself isn't perfect, but provocative and well acted. Eddie Izzard is just excellent, and the play keeps you talking.



Can't believe we're heading back home tomorrow. The week has flown by, but we'll be back soon...

NYC - Day 2

Another long and awesome day in NYC!

The 2 musical highlights:

Rudy's Music store in Time Square is a tiny two stories packed with awesome guitars. Gerald played a Froggy Bottom (love them!) and a Lowden - combined list price: just over $20,000.00 USD. No, we did not shop there.

Million Dollar Quartet is a musical based on the one night Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash jammed and recorded at Sun Records. The cast is incredible, and if you love this music and this particular slice of history, it's a must see.



Tomorrow, more theatre, and hopefully, not too many thunderstorms...

NYC - Day 1

The Day in Two Acts:


ACT ONE

Arrive in NYC!

Strand Bookstore.

Vintage store.

Street meat.

Max Brenner's Willy Wonka-esque chocolate experience.

Guitar store.

Mac store.

Ipad.

Iphone 4.

Face Time!

Walking ... Gawking ... Walking ... Gawking ...

Check in.

Rest.

(wandering the stacks of Strand)

ACT TWO

Our rest was disturbed by a phone call. Our meeting was moved from tomorrow to tonight!

I don't want to talk about it too much, but let me just say that the meeting went really, really well. We walked in well prepared, and I really think we represented ourselves well. We left our music, and he's asked us to contact him tomorrow.

So, even though the meeting caught us by surprise, it also meant that it was done, so we could fully enjoy tonight.

Ever since our accident last year, I've had a heightened sensitivity to risky driving. Let's just say that the New York cab drivers are pushing my sensitivity to a whole new level.

We arrived at the Birdland just in time to order snacks and settle in for an amazing show with Charlie Haden and his Quartet West - tenor saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, pianist Alan Broadbent and drummer Rodney Green. The music was rich and interesting and dynamic. Haden is 72, and his vibrant stage presence is a testament to living a creative life.



After the show, we walked past the theatres and through Time Square.

People keep saying, "We want Dundas Square (in Toronto) to be like Time Square."

You know what, I don't think we do.

At the risk of sounding overly pious - as much as I loved the energy of Time Square, I also had to recognize that I was standing in a sea of advertising, and maybe a Temple of Consumerism isn't the best we have to offer?

Anyways - off my soapbox! New York is amazing, and so far, I love it!

Mark your calendar...

Gerald and I are going to host another Music in the Garden concert on Sunday, September 26.

I'll be posting details over the next few weeks, but I wanted you to know the date asap.

Mark your calendars, and let's pray for good weather!

Book Review: "The Voice - New Testament"

I first discovered The Voice project when I heard Chris Seay speak at Unite in Worship a few years ago. His desire to unite the voices of poets, songwriters, artists, and theologians to "rediscover the story of the Bible" sparked my creative interest.

The Voice has taken on several Bible books, and this year, they're coming out with their unique version of the New Testament.

Reading The Voice is different than reading other versions of the Bible. The "translation" is written in regular text. Extra words or phrases that give more information are written in italics. Boxed sections elaborate on certain topics. It sounds choppy, but the different sections flow to create a lively and dramatic reading of the Bible.

I started with Matthew 1, the dreaded "begats," and I've never enjoyed them more. Seriously! I could see the characters and their connections in a new way that was exciting and dynamic.

I wouldn't recommend this for your academic study or if you're trying to read several chapters a day (the extra text makes it a longer read), but if you're looking for something that will spark your personal Bible study, you may want to check out The Voice.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Que & Pew & the Studio Too...

This is very much a day-after post...

Yesterday and last night were amazing and exhausting, and just the kind of day musicians like to have.

There was the planning and organizing and pulling of charts and trying to find my tambourine and all the while humming and trilling and otherwise vocalizing...

Then in the afternoon, I brought Gerald to a studio in the Beaches where he was booked in to record some worktapes for next week's meeting in New York. We want to leave behind a CD that's simple but great. A generous friend lent us his studio, rounded up his bass player and engineer, and Gerald was set to record 4 songs.

Meanwhile, I rushed home to meet with Deanna (my AWARE buddy) to rehearse for tonight's Que & Pew. Because Deanna was a last minute sub for Gerald, I had to choose songs that we had done together, and that our mixed evening congregation would know.

We did a quick run of songs like "Shine, Jesus, Shine" and an uptempo version of "Fairest Lord Jesus." After enjoying the BBQ and fellowship, Deanna and I lead music for an awesome and summery service. Our youth leader and deacon-in-training (DIT?), Stephen Monk, has been leading the services, and they are the perfect cap for the end of the day.

But it wasn't the end of the day!

After a quick check on the puppies ("Yay! You're home... Don't leave again!!!! Arg!!), I headed downtown again to join Gerald. By the time I got there, the guitar tracks were done and the bass player was adding his part. Monika came, and we sat in her car as we worked out 3-part harmonies on "Me and Patsy Cline."

As the clock hit midnight, the guitar, bass, and lead vocals were finished. The bass player left, and Moni and I moved into the tiny studio to record our parts. There was no booth, so Gerald, Moni, the engineer, and I were all in one tiny hot room. Being in one cozy space, with no partitions between us, gave it a communal, we're-here-to-do-something-good-together feeling.

Moni and faced each other, sang what we'd practiced, and changed a few notes to adjust to what Gerald had just recorded. Because we've been singing together so long, our blend and phrasing felt natural and easy.

By 1:00, we were finished. Everyone felt that wonderfully satisfied kind of tired. We were grateful for the 24-hour drive-through and comfortable pajamas.

Today, we took the morning off. We have another crazy afternoon and evening ahead of us, but you know, I wouldn't have it any other way...

Big Opportunity!!!

The last few days have been a whirlwind.

Last week would have been a great week by any standard - great rehearsals, great performances, great teaching - but then Thursday night happened...

Thursday night, we found out that a writer had given Gerald's name to the head of a record label in New York City.

By yesterday afternoon, plans were in place for us to record song demos this week and fly to NYC next week to pitch songs to this label.

O-MI-WORD!!!

*deep-breath*

This particular label has a wide range of artists covering the genres of Country, Pop, R&B, Rock, and Gospel. For a multi-faceted writer like Gerald, this meeting could open a lot of doors.

Since the label represents Gospel, they've also asked to hear my music.

So, this week, we're in the studio. Gerald will record 6 of his original songs, and I'll sing harmonies. Next week, we'll fly to NYC, meet with this gentleman, play some songs live, and leave the demos and a copy of "Real Big Fan."

If you're the praying kind, please throw one out for us this week...

Please pray for us as we prepare for and travel to this meeting.
Please pray that we represent ourselves well.
Please pray that we get extra work to cover the financial aspect of the trip.

Thank you!!!!

Off to look for discount Broadway tickets...

Que & Pew - Week 1

One of my favourite traditions at St. John's York Mills has always been Que & Pew.

Each Wednesday in July and August, people are invited to gather outside the church at 6:00pm for a BBQ of hamburgers and hot dogs. You're asked to bring either a side dish, dessert, or small cash donation to cover costs.

At 7:00pm, we hold a short, casual worship service (the "Pew", if you will). Each week, the message is delivered by a different member of the congregation. Early on, we focused on telling the stories of different Bible characters and historical church leaders. This summer, we'll be focusing on the parables. Each presenter is invited to use their creativity in giving the message, so you often get a fresh perspective on a well known story.

This week and next, Gerald and I are leading the music. Because you get such a wide range of people at Que & Pew, we wanted to offer a good range of music. We started with contemporary favourites like "Holy is the Lord" and "God of Wonders," and used the classic "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" as our opening song. We closed with our version of "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" and that got everyone singing!

Great fun evening! If you're in the Yonge & 401/York Mills area, come join us next week!

(You can visit my Calender for more details.)

The Non-Stamps-Baxter Blog

As I write, hundreds of Southern Gospel students and teachers are gathering in Murfreesboro, TN, for the annual Stamps-Baxter School of Music, and for the first time since 2005 -

I'm not with them.

I first attended the school after hearing Ben Speer talk about it during a Gaither concert. I didn't even know that something like a 'Gospel singing school' could exist (which probably proves that I'm not Southern after all.)

It was because of that first school that I started this blog.

It was during that first school that I received my calling into full-time music ministry.

It was because of that first school that I had a job when I moved to Nashville 2 years later.

And it was at that first school that I became part of a community of friends and musicians who are still friends and colleagues now.

And for the first time since 2005, I'm not with them.

Ugh.

I'd be lying if I said my heart wasn't breaking a little this weekend.

But I'm trying to find strength in God's plan and this particular twist.

There's a reason why I'm here and not there for these 2 weeks.

Maybe that will be revealed to me in this time, maybe not - God's funny that way.

But I do know that I'm glad I'm missing my friends and the school, because it just proves that they are all dear to me, and dear friends are a rare find.

If you wish to wander through my July posts from 2005-2009, you can read about my experiences as both a student and a staff member at the school.

My wonderful friend and theory teacher, Shawn Degenhart, will be blogging about his experience this year. You can read about his adventures here.

Please keep the students and staff of Stamps-Baxter in your prayers over the next few weeks. It's a busy time, but I, for one, can tell you:

It can change your life.

Needles in my Neck

Today, I stepped outside my comfort zone. A big, wide, wobbly step.

On an almost daily basis, I'm still experiencing pain and stiffness in my neck from our car accident. (Yes, the accident from May 3rd, 2009!)

I've been in ongoing treatment since last summer, and today we tried something new:

Acupuncture.

Now, the word gives the heeby-jeebies to the average soul. What makes me above-average (or below-average, depending on your perspective) is that for all my childhood and a few years of my adult life, I suffered from a phobia of needles, and more specifically, blood tests.

"Oh yes," you're thinking, "I don't like needles either."

No, I said "phobia," from the Greek for "morbid fear." Imagine a 90-pound, shy little girl who needed two male orderlies, an extra nurse, and her Mom to hold her down so they could take a blood test.

Pho-bi-a!

Things got so bad that I finally went in for desensitization therapy. In just three sessions, I received a blood test. No orderlies, no extra nurse, no Mom - just me.

Victory!

So, even though the phobia is gone, I don't particularly rejoice at the thought of a plethora of needles sticking into me at one time.

As we've already noted, no one likes needles.

So today, I had my physiotherapist explain and re-explain and demonstrate the process. It would happen on the back of my neck and shoulders, and I wanted to know what was happening so there would be no surprises.

I got into position, and even though I was doing okay, I started to feel nervous.


I prayed and took deep breaths.

I reminded myself that people experience this all the time and no one has ever exploded like a popped balloon.

I imagined my back as a beach and the needles were palm trees being planted in the sand.


After a few minutes, I found myself lying on the table with ten needles in my back.

Ten!

The physiotherapist left me for 5 minutes so the needles could do their work. I kept breathing and visualizing.

But one palm tree wouldn't stay still. The muscle was gripping and twitching.

When the physiotherapist returned, she could see the tense needle. She asked if I was okay or if I could handle another 5 minutes.

"Will 5 minutes be more effective?" I asked.

"Yes, but we don't want you to be uncomfortable if you don't need to be," she replied.

Uncomfortable??? I've been uncomfortable since May of 2009!!!


And with that, my Warrior Spirit kicked in.


"I'll be fine for the 5 minutes, " I calmly replied, breathing deeply and imagining sunshine and a gentle breeze on the beach.

Within a few minutes, the needles were gently removed. I felt a little tired (one of the expected side effects), but mostly, I felt powerful!

I had stepped way outside my comfort zone, and taken on a challenge that will only benefit me in the long run.


I was reminded of two simple truths I've learned time and time again:


#1. The more you step outside your comfort zone, the larger your comfort zone becomes.

#2. You're never alone when you step outside your comfort zone -
God is already there, awaiting your arrival.


Next challenge: Giving blood!

Farewell to the Choirgirlz

When I was Artistic Director for the Music on the Hill concert series, I always loved finding new musical groups. If they could combine great music with great personalities, even better!

One such find was The Choirgirlz - a trio of singers who met in the Mendelssohn Choir, were inspired to sing a few bluegrass tunes, and went to on record 3 CDs and sing in numerous festivals and concert series. The 'girlz' made a name for themselves with amazing harmonies, great arrangements, and original songs with a quirky sense of humour.

Tonight, The Choirgirlz ended their musical journey in the gorgeous Plein Air Salon - a backyard venue complete with waterfall, wooden pavilion, and an outdoor art gallery. The ladies charmed the supportive audience with their most requested songs and the stories behind them.

Tonight was a reminder of how precious it is to sing with your friends - the harmonies are tighter, the smiles are broader, the creativity is brighter.

Thanks for the music, girlz! You will be missed...

Photos posted...

I've just posted the rest of the photos from our weekend with Sally Barris.

You can see them in the Gallery of my site.

The Moonshine Cafe

Our weekend with Sally had a glorious finale tonight at the Moonshine Cafe in Oakville!



The Moonshine is casual, quirky, and just overall wonderful. It's like singing in an awesome, relaxed living room. Tonight, we took the stage for a Nashville-style round.

Sally opened with "Little Voice" and played a great selection of folk and country influenced songs. Gerald covered everything from rocking party songs to his always beautiful 9-11 song, "Angels in the Dust." I emceed and did my Gospel thing, including "Brighter, Happy Day," which got a few laughs.

It was great to do the round tonight - we've really had a lot of fun with Sally over the past week. We've kept busy and had a lot of fun, so tonight, we just relaxed and enjoyed each other's company on the stage.

The crowd included two 8-year-old musicians - one who plays guitar and one who plays drums. They both write their own songs. Amazing!

It's been such a successful and wonderful week! Gerald and I have a few things coming up on Canada Day, and then we're taking a few days off. I'll post photos from the weekend on my site soon, and we might have some more things coming up at the Moonshine in the winter - I'll post more info as things unfold... there's always a new challenge waiting to begin...

Music in the Garden with Sally Barris!

After weeks of prepping and planning and praying, we held our first Music in the Garden backyard concert today! Sally Barris arrived on Wednesday, and we've kept her busy with songwriting students, singing at church, and shopping in Kensington Market.

This afternoon, we started prepping for the backyard concert under serious threat of rain. We decided to be brave and set up outside. Then the rain started, so we moved it all inside. Then the rain stopped and the sun came out, so we pulled everything outside again.


A wonderful group of music lovers dragged their lawn chairs into our backyard, filled their plates with cookies and fresh fruit, and sat back for a great afternoon of music. Gerald and I opened with a short set of our own songs, including Gerald's "Saturday Morning" and my new song, "I Wanna Make Some Noise."

After a quick break to refill glasses of lemonade, Sally took the stage. Her gentle presence and great songs quickly won over the audience. The sun shone, and the whole afternoon was just lovely.

More lemonade, CD sales, and lots of great feedback followed the concert. People were thrilled with the venue and with the whole experience. Gerald and I have talked about doing more backyard concerts in the fall, so we'll talk about that in our postmortem.

And just as we were cleaning up, the rains came fast and furious. God is good!

Gerald, Sally, and I are singing at the Moonshine Cafe in Oakville on Monday night.
Join us if you're in the area!

Praying for Strangers...

Last night, Gerald, Sally, and I were on our way home from an evening of Thai food, when a young girl sat opposite us on the subway car. She couldn't have been any more than twenty - gorgeous, curvy, tanned, bleached hair, too much make-up, not enough coverage - but it was the shoes that gave her away. Not many professions require 5-inch bright red stilettos. Her awkward gait suggested a walker, not a dancer.

It was hard not to look at her - she was really striking - but what really caught me were her eyes. They held a quiet kind of sadness.

Every once in a while, our eyes would meet for just a second. I tried to smile, but she would quickly, without attitude, look away.

The other thing that struck me was the 50-ish tattooed man that found a seat opposite her - the perfect position to gaze upon her.

When we switched trains, she sat in our car again, and again, he found a seat next to her.

I had this strong desire to speak to her. I didn't know what to say, but I felt like I wanted to say something...

"Be safe."

"Do you need someone to talk to?"

"If you need a ride home tonight, give me a call."

I wanted to speak to her, but I didn't get that knot-in-my-stomach urge to say something. When I asked, "What do I do?", the answer came in one word:

"Pray."

So, I prayed.

Silently, with no showiness, I started to pray for her. I prayed over and over and over. I kind of couldn't stop. I prayed that she'll find friends and family to support her. I prayed that she'll discover God's love for her. I prayed for healing and wholeness of being. And again and again, I prayed for her safety.

She won't be aware of my prayer, but I trust that God heard me, and that He'll do the work that needs doing. I don't know how, but I know my prayers will make a difference.

I'm not saying this because I think my prayers are so great - I'm saying this because God has promised to hear and respond to our prayers - always.

So it got me thinking -

What if we prayed for the strangers
we encounter each day?

The guy who cut you off on the 401, the telemarketer who called during dinner, the neighbour with the dog who poops on your lawn - what if we prayed for them? What if we asked for their protection, for healing in their lives, for their salvation?

Imagine a world where everyone is walking through their day, covered in prayer...

I wonder how this could change us, our communities, our world...

Picture yourself here....

... lounging in a lawn chair, sipping lemonade, enjoying the beautiful songs of Grammy Nominated songwriter, Sally Barris....

Only a few more days til our backyard concert! Sally has arrived in the country and will arrive at our house in just a few minutes. I've been cleaning, gardening, and just getting everything ready for days now. So excited!

We'll set up the sound equipment on the slate patio (where I'm standing with the camera) and the area in the photo is where the audience will sit. We'll also have a table with lemonade, cookies, and CDs.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, here's the info. Comment or email me with any questions. Hope you can join us!

Sunday, June 27, 2010
MUSIC IN THE GARDEN:
an intimate backyard concert with SALLY BARRIS
Also featuring your hosts & opening act,
ALLISON LYNN & GERALD FLEMMING

Comer House
11 Don. Ridge Dr, North York
3:00pm - Rain or Shine!

TICKETS: $20.00

Near Yonge & 401, and York Mills subway
Free street parking available.
BYO lawn chair
FREE cookies & lemonade will be served.
Please feel free to bring your own snacks & beverages.

Sing in Peace, Maureen...

Today, Canada has lost a musical icon.

Maureen Forrester's rich contralto voice and beautiful stage presence endured her to audiences for generations.

I remember watching her from the stage one night. I was singing in the Opera in Concert Chorus - she was our superstar guest artist. Every word she sang had intention and clarity. I remember feeling overwhelmed by her combination of awesome talent and genuine humility.

In 2002, I, along with the cast of "Most Happy Fella," had the privilege of singing for Ms. Forrester in a tribute concert. I was so nervous, so honoured, to sing for this amazing lady. So gracious, so elegant.

Today, heaven's choirs sound just that much better...

Thank you for the inspiration....

Dreams are Resilient...

Dream messages have been coming to me all day.

This afternoon, I was a judge in the Senior Star talent competition. We watched a dozen seniors sing and play in an attempt to win the trophy and move on to the next level of competition.

Some had been making music their whole lives.

Some had finally found time to do it in their retirement.

I spoke with one lady who only had the courage to follow her musical dream after receiving her cancer diagnosis.

It reminded me of SARK's statement that:

"Dreams are resilient - they will wait for you!"

A well-timed thought, indeed, because this evening, I spent an hour listening to SARK in another cool teleclass. In the class, we focused on doing a few active things each week towards pursuing our dreams.

She reminded us that dreams are meant to be a part of our daily lives, and not pushed into a corner like an old and unwanted piece of furniture.

I'm feeling very inspired tonight...

Music in the Garden with Sally Barris

This is what I've been working on all day.
Mark your calendars and join us for this intimate and unique music event!

MUSIC IN THE GARDEN
with Sally Barris
Grammy Nominated Songwriter

With your hosts & opening act, Allison Lynn & Gerald Flemming

SUNDAY, JUNE 27, 2010
3:00 pm - Rain or Shine!
Comer House
11 Don Ridge Dr., North York

TICKETS: $20.00

Near Yonge & 401, and York Mills subway
Free street parking available.
BYO lawn chair
FREE cookies & lemonade will be served.
Please feel free to bring your own snacks & beverages.

Comment or email me with any questions!
Allison@AllisonLynn.com

Turn, Turn, Turn...

This month, I've written my final article for SoGospelNews.com. You can read it here.

As much as I love the site, I've decided I really need to reshape my focus and prune away a few activities.

I think I explain it well in the article. Hope you like it, and of course, if you keep reading this blog, you'll know where all the redirection is heading....

Please Don't Jump

So yesterday I went on one of my favourite blogs, Post Secret.

People write their secrets on postcards and mail them in. The secrets get posted on the blog and get made into books. They reveal deep, beautiful, and sometimes disturbing pieces of our humanity.

Yesterday's offering contained a secret that was completely frightening.
On the postcard, the person wrote:

I have lived in San Francisco since I was young.
I am illegal.
I am not wanted here.
I don't belong anywhere.
This summer I plan to jump off the Golden Gate.

My stomach dropped when I read this. I flashed back to the night I got the phone call about Steve - how I wished he had told someone his plans, how I wished he'd revealed how dark it had gotten, how I wished we could have known what was coming so someone, anyone could have stepped in...

I'm not alone my reaction. People around the world have immediately sprung into action. Some have sent emails through the Post Secret blog. Tens of thousands have joined a facebook page to send notes of love and encouragement to this anonymous friend.

I pray that this secret-writer will see the notes, will call for help, will change his or her mind.

But my heart still hurts because I know there are countless others feeling that lonely, countless others who are trying to decide if today will be the day they end it all.

To anyone who is feeling this way, please let me say this:


Don't! Please don't!

You are not alone.

You are loved by people in your life, even if you don't feel it at this moment.

You are loved by God, even if you don't feel it in this moment.

There is a better day coming, if you don't feel it in this moment.


If you're feeling overwhelmed today, please call someone for help.

1-800-273-TALK (8255)
U.S. and Canada
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

Please feel free to share this post with anyone who may need an extra hand today.

Another St. John's Double Header!

Gerald and I continue on our quest to sing at every St. John's church in Ontario.

(Just kidding, but it does feel that way!)

This morning we sang at the beautiful St. John's church in Rockwood. Dad is doing an interim there, and it worked out that the one Sunday we had available was the one Sunday that their organist had to take off!

We started with a few originals, and then led the congregation in "How Great Thou Art." When you have a smaller crowd, the fear is always that they'll be shy and not sing, but let me tell you, these people SAANG! (say "saang" with a Southern accent for full effect.) It was awesome!

We led all the hymns, and did some originals and signature pieces throughout the service. It was just a wonderful service, and so great to hear Dad preach.

After a short turn-around time, we made our way over to St. John's York Mills for the Gathering service. Drew had asked us to kick it up a notch this week, and we were up for the challenge. Our team included us, Brian on drums, and Monika and Derwyn on vocals.

I'm not bragging, but I have to say, tonight felt great! There was a flow to the songs, and the energy was all very positive. We had some great harmonies happening, and they all kind of built and flowed very naturally. Gerald's guitar grooves kept the energy moving, and Brian's rhythms lifted us in all the right places.

We also featured a song Gerald wrote last year with Sue Smith called "My Soul is Spoken For." It fit in well with the theme, and at the end, we added a repeating refrain so the audience could join us.

We really felt like a team tonight. Awesome.

I've said this before, but it's so true:

Church is always pretty good, but some times, it's just really good!

Today, it was really good!

Tin Pan North - Hugh's Room

I'm writing this the morning after as things went late the night before.

Last night, I attended the closing night of Tin Pan North at the always awesome Hugh's Room. After such a busy week, it was great to just sit back and enjoy the great rounds.


The first round featured country artist Codie Prevost, singer-songwriter Madeline Slate, and Nashville whriter Steve Leslie.

Gerald has been working with Steve for at least year, so he was first on my list to bring up for the festival. Steve is a killer writer and an awesome guitar player. He'll have the whole audience laughing, and then break their hearts with a song like "Full-time Sinner, Some-time Saint" (a personal favourite).

Steve had my favourite line of the night: "We songwriters don't owe the truth a thing."

Codie is a great performer, and Madeline was the discovery of the night with her rooted and passionate songs.


The second round featured ASCAP VP Ralph Murphy, country artist Patricia Conroy, Nashville writer Tim Johnson, and Canadian writer Dean McTaggart.

There was a ton of mutual respect in this round, and lots of comradeship, which made the whole thing very entertaining. Great stories mixed with amazing songs for a round that ended far too quickly.

The rest of the night was peppered reports from the week's shows and cool conversations with creative people of all disciplines.

Tin Pan North is a huge undertaking, and it's been a long week. I didn't book a service for us this morning (we're playing for the Gathering service at St. John's tonight), and I'm so glad I didn't! We're exhausted today, and thankful for a few hours of down time.

Of course, tomorrow I'll need to get my car towed, but that's another story...

Tin Pan North Gospel Show

Tonight was the first ever Tin Pan North Gospel Show! Whoo-hoo!

The show was sponsored and supported by the Tin Pan North festival, but most of the organizing fell to Gerald and me. We pulled together volunteers, did some advertising, and secured a great line-up of songwriters.

We gathered at the church around 6:30 with NSAI songwriters Paul Grady and Tom McInerny and headliner Ali Matthews and her guitar player, Rick Francis.

Two of the committee members provided a sound system for us (yay!), but at the last minute, we lost our volunteer sound person (not yay).

So Gerald and Tom started working on the sound system, trying to make it all work, when Rick showed up and announced that he owns a studio and running sound is second nature to him (cue the Hallelujah Chorus!). Rick set the whole thing up, ran our sound check, and then continued to tweak and run sound the entire show, while also playing guitar for Ali. (final chord: Hal-leeeee-luu-jaaaaaaahhhhh!)

The show began, and it was awesome! We had a total of 6 people on stage, and did 4 songs each in a Nashville round style. Paul's songs were calming and folky, and Tom's songs had a dramatic twist. He also made use of the church's grand piano, adding another cool element to the show.

Gerald did a wide range of songs, including his 9-11 song "Angels in the Dust" and his original rocking version of "Real Big Fan" (as opposed to my jazzy version.) Most of my songs were written in the past year, like "Living Manna," "Brighter Happy Day," and the brand new song I debuted last night, "I Wanna Make Some Noise."

Ali and Rick were amazing together! Ali has a beautiful voice and gorgeous songs. Rick would add guitar solos, and at one point he used his pedal to loop a guitar riff and play a solo over it. If you've never seen a guitar player do this before, it's very cool and he basically ended up playing a duet with himself.

For the inaugural Gospel Show, I was very pleased with the results. The crowd was very appreciative, the players were great, and the energy in the room was wonderful! Tonight, we're exhausted, but it was so worth the effort.

Mark your calendars for next year!

Tin Pan North - Trane

After months of planning, Tin Pan North has begun!

The official start was the London show last night, and tonight we kicked it off in Toronto. Gerald and I played the early round at Trane, a neat little jazz club in the Annex. Karl Widmeyer was the third NSAI member, and Katherine Wheatley was our headliner.

Sometimes, a round can be a tedious thing, but not tonight. Karl has a great voice and cool songs, and Katherine is just awesome - wonderful songs and a gracious stage presence.

The room was mostly full, so that felt good as well.

One show down, one to go. Come join us for the Gospel Show tomorrow night!

It's coming soon......

Just a reminder that our Tin Pan North Gospel Show is this Friday!

If you're anywhere close to the GTA, come join us for this awesome night of Christian songwriting!

A Double St. John's Sunday

It amazes me the number of churches we sing at that are named after St. John. We currently have 3, and we've just added a fourth.

Today, we hit 2 of them.

In the morning, we sang at St. John's West in High Park. The request had come in for a service full of old Gospel hymns, so we sang "In the Garden," "Just a Closer Walk," and our own version of "How Great Thou Art." St. John's has been our friend for a long time, and it's always good to go back for a visit.

In the evening, Gerald and I were on board to lead the music for the Gathering service. Our focus was songs of comfort and encouragement, so we asked a member of the congregation to open the service with Matthew 6:25-34. We wanted to build a bit of a team for the service, so our friends Derwyn and Deanna joined us on vocals, which meant lots of great harmonies. Deanna did a solo of "All Who are Thirsty," and we were able to build the harmony from one-part to two-part and ended with 3 parts. Awesome!

There's always a little apprehension when you bring new musicians together for a performance that only has one quick rehearsal, so we went back to basics - listen, sing with sensitivity, and rely on your strengths.

In the best moments, working with other people makes you better...

Better because you bring your best to the table...
Better because you learn to offer and receive grace...
Better because you discover your own strengths and weaknesses...

It can take us outside our comfort zones, but if we can make great music, and learn a little more about ourselves, it's always worth it.

Lessons from Backwoods Barbie & the Gambler

Friday's Oprah guest was the one and only Dolly Parton. She was funny and charming and just so Dolly.

She told an amazing story about the time Elvis wanted to record "I Will Always Love You." She was over-the-moon excited, until Colonel Parker told her that Elvis wouldn't record the song unless Dolly gave them half her publishing. It had already been a hit for her, and she had decided to hold onto that song and leave it to her family.

Imagine what an amazing recording Elvis would have done of that song! We would still be downloading it today, debating its status as a 'classic.' Dolly admitted to crying for days after losing the cut, but her "no" meant that she got to keep her song. Years later, when Whitney Houston recreated "I Will Always Love You," Dolly got to celebrate full ownership of this awesome song.

Sometimes a "No" leads to a bigger "Yes."

As Dolly was singing, she brought out her friend, Kenny Rogers, for a surprise duet. When Oprah asked the secret to their great creative relationship, Kenny said something that all artists should take note of.

He said that every performer has 3 versions of themselves. There's the person the audience sees, there's the person we portray ourselves as, and there's the real us.

He said that if you really want success in the music industry, those 3 people need to be very similar. The closer those 3 people match up, the better it all seems to work.

I guess it all goes back to that word we love to throw around so much: Authentic.

Something to think about on a Friday afternoon...

Jazzy Sunday

We decided to step outside the box a little tonight and start incorporating a little jazz into the Gathering (evening service). Gerald worked up 2 great arrangements of "Be Thou My Vision" and "People Get Ready." We met before the service for a quick rehearsal with Monique on piano and Brian on drums.

We ran the songs a few times, and then played on all the songs for the service. Drew preached on 'conversion', basing his discussion on Paul's conversion in Acts. It lead to an inspiring and challenging discussion.

After the final song, we ran our 2 jazz songs. By that time, the vibe was just right, and the songs were musical and spiritual. After the second song, one of our friends in the congregation told us how much she loves our rendition of "Give Me Jesus," so we offered to play it for her. We've never done it with drums before, but it all just flowed and felt fantastic.

There are times when the music, the message, and the worship all swirl together to take us to the next level, and it felt like we were touching on that tonight. And trust me, there's no ego in my saying that - when things get to that level, it has very little to do with us.

Choir... Jazz... Gonna be a Good Sunday!

We had a terrific rehearsal tonight! Gerald and I are going to join the Gathering service Sunday evening to sing a bit of Gospel jazz, so we ran through those songs this afternoon, and then brought them to Monique tonight. She's going to add a little piano, Brian will add a little drums... it's going to be good!

But first, the morning service will host St. Stephen's Youth Choir as our special guests. The school-aged children were part of our Advent celebrations, and it's awesome to have them back with us again. The children will join us for 2 songs, they'll do the offertory on their own, and one young girl is singing a solo. After tonight's rehearsal, we shared subs, social time, and a few good knock-knock jokes. Really looking forward to Sunday...

New project in the works...

I love a new project! It's like Christmas and Easter and Birthday Week all rolled into one!

Every week, Gerald and I have our Weekly Creative Meeting. That may sound like the weirdest thing ever to some people, but I assure you that it is one of the greatest things we do together. In that time, we postmortem past opportunities and dream up new ones. We make plans and celebrate our progress.

Yesterday's meeting was a kicker, and it's got us on a new project that's occupying a surprisingly large part of my brain. I'm not quite ready to lay it out here yet, but I promise I'll do that soon.

In the meantime, we're pulling together details for our upcoming performances at Tin Pan North, including our awesome Gospel Show, and also working on some cool church stuff.

I also had a great chat today with Sally Barris, who will be coming up for a weekend tour in June.

All the details for Tin Pan and Sally can be found on the Calendar of my site. More details coming soon!!!

Seriously - it's like Christmas and Halloween and Canada Day and Valentine's, all in one!

Radio Interview airing Saturday!

I started my day with a radio interview! I chatted with Jim McLachlin of UCB Canada about my new site, "Hymns in the Key of Grace," and the Tin Pan North Gospel Show.

(On a cool side note, I first met Jim when he interviewed me and Tara Jackson at NQC in 2008.)

I just found out that today's interview will air tomorrow night!

Here's the info, if you'd like to listen in:

Saturday, May 8,
some time between 7:00-8:00pm

UCB Canada 89.3 FM

It will also air online at http://ucbchathamkent.com/

Photos from AWARE Weekend

After taking a bit of much needed quiet time this week, I've finally posted my photos from the AWARE conference this past weekend!

You can find them either on the Gallery page of my Site or on my Facebook page.

One year ago today...

... Gerald and I survived our car accident.

I don't have much to say about it tonight, other than this: I am so incredibly grateful for my family, our friends, and God's faithfulness.

Carpe diem, everybody.

AWARE Conference - Day 3

When I think back over the last 3 days, all I can say is, “Amazing.”

Deanna and decided to have some quiet time this morning. We rehearsed by the lake, and after brunch, spent some quiet time in the chapel. We wanted to be well prepared - musically and spiritually - for this afternoon’s Communion service.

The service started outside with a parade around the chapel. Ladies carried flags and banners, I played the djembe, and we all sang, “We Are Marching.” The sun was shining, the air was clear, and the whole thing was glorious!

The Communion service was a wonderful way to end the weekend. The ladies sang and praised in all the songs, the prayers were beautiful, and the sharing of the peace could have gone on for hours.

After lots of hugs and long goodbyes, Deanna and I left for Toronto. I made it home in time for a quick clean-up and then went to hear Gerald sing a little Elvis in the church’s annual Musicfest concert. He was a hit, and it was great to just sit back and be in the audience after such a busy weekend.

AWARE Conference - Day 2

Today was a long and wonderful day with the women of AWARE. We started bright and early with a few solos as the women were entering the chapel, which lead into a joyful time of worship. These women really came here to sing! When they see a song come up on the screen that they love, we get a collective gasp of surprise, followed by joyful and boisterous singing.

This weekend has been crazy busy, so Deanna and I took a little time this morning to sit by the lake with our tea. Lovely.

Gospel artists often debate (ie: argue) about “preparation” vs “following the Spirit.” Well, today was an example of how good preparation can allow you to follow the Spirit. When I was packing my music on Friday, I decided to throw in a few charts for some of the Gospel hymns I like to sing: “Just as I am,” “He Touched Me,” “Jesus is Lord of All,” and so on. This afternoon, we gathered in the chapel for the much anticipated Taize service. We moved our instruments to the floor so we could sit on chairs and be closer to the people, the candles, and the small altar. We did a quick sound check, and as we were waiting for the service to begin, the organizers informed us that, following the service, there would be a short time of annointing. Did we have a few gentle songs we could sing during that time, perhaps something like “Just as I am”?

Why yes, yes we do.

The service was wonderful. We sang about 8 Taize choruses, and in between each one, different women would either read scripture or say a prayer. There was a gentle stillness about the whole thing. After the service proper, I took the guitar and played my collection of hymns. A few people gently sang along. I needed one more, so I played my own song, “I Call Out Your Name.”

The times in between services and worship sessions has been filled with chatting, laughing, deep breaths by the lake, and lots and lots of food! What is it about church folks and eating???

Our evening worship was awesome! They sang and danced and waved flags and it was beautiful! I wish I’d had my camera up on stage with me to take a picture of it, but a photo couldn’t have captured the beauty of the faces and the voices. After our session, Melanie spoke again and then did a short concert of her songs.

We’re all very tired tonight, but it’s a satisfied tired.