Ready to Break Forth!

This morning, we finally hit the Edmonton Mall (after much prodding from all my Facebook friends). I think I expected it to be more architecturally imposing, like the Eaton Centre. Instead, it was just huge and sprawling, with ice rinks, a water park, a pirate ship, China Town, and sea lions. We didn't buy a lot, but we did have a red velvet cupcake (still can't find one as good as in the South) and butter chicken poutine (surprisingly good!).

This afternoon we checked into our hotel, which has the most amazing view! This photo doesn't even do it justice:



We spent the evening relaxing, trying to continue my vocal rest, and prepping for the next three days. This conference is going to be huge, so I'm hoping a little planning today will help us make the most of the next few days. Can't wait for the morning!

Tonight's Concert is Canceled!

Well, God made the decision for us!

This morning, I woke up, still voiceless. Gerald called to cancel our participation in tonight's concert, but the organizer was still eager to find a Plan B for the evening.

Within 2 hours she called us back: the roads between here and Barrhead are completely shut down due to ice conditions, so the pastor has canceled tonight's concert!

Even if I was perfectly healthy, the concert still wouldn't have happened!

Well, I now have 60 CDs in my suitcase, if anyone wants to buy a few. *sigh*

Arrival in Edmonton!

All weekend long, we've been making jokes about heading to Edmonton to warm up this week. Well, after a near perfect flight, we touched down in Edmonton to +6 Celsius and glorious sunshine!

We spent the day reuniting with Gerald's longtime friend and our best man, Tim, and his family. It's been comfortable and relaxing. The day, however, has not been without my own conflicts.

I've been so excited to come on this trip, in large part because of our two concerts tomorrow. Last week, I struggled with a cold. I've been tired, but I still sang on the weekend and it was fine.

Yesterday, however, it was not fine. I woke up with no voice. I mean, no voice! Gerald and I were scheduled to play for a senior's home in the afternoon, so he rushed and rehearsed and, bless his heart, he performed a full solo version of our show with almost no notice.

I headed straight to my doctor, who was on vacation, so I saw a nurse practitioner. Even though I explained that I was a professional singer about to fly halfway across the country to sing 2 concerts, I knew she wasn't taking me seriously when she suggested I might want to try tea with honey. Really???

My real doctor (who is awesome) arrived home early, saw that I had visited, read the report and called me right away. She took me very seriously (which is why she's awesome), and prescribed a heavy dose of steroids. It's not something she's ever given me, but given the circumstances, she thought it was our best chance.

I'm feeling a bit stronger today, and my throat isn't sore, but I have no voice, and I still mean no voice! It's just killing me! I didn't want to mention it in yesterday's blog because I was hoping the steroids would start to change things today. I've already had to cancel tomorrow's afternoon concert, and the evening event hangs precariously in the balance.

I'm just heartsick about all of this! To come so far, to do all the planning - both by me and by the people of Barrhead - and then to be voiceless, it's all just so upsetting.

As I write this, I still have no speaking voice, much less any kind of singing voice. If I wake up in the morning and I think I can even do a few songs, we're going to go ahead with it, but if I am still voiceless, then I think our options are few.

Please keep me in prayer tonight - for healing, wisdom, and grace. Thanks.

Mike Holmes and Church Music

On today’s flight to Edmonton, I switched to HGTV and found contractor extraordinaire, Mike Holmes.

As I watched him lay a new tile floor, he said something that caught my ear. “Most people think a tile floor needs to be level, but that’s where they’re wrong.”

“What?” I thought, “How could level be wrong? Level is perfection. It’s accurate. Isn’t not-level wrong?”

“I’m more interested,” he continued, “in things being true. What house is level? You could make a floor level, but if your walls and counter are naturally uneven, then your level floor will look wrong. You need things to be true.”

You need things to be true.

My mind drifted to church music. Are we being true?

As a professional musician, quality is really important to me, but isn’t it more important to be true?

I don’t mean true as in right or correct, but true as in honest, authentic, and, to carry on with Mike’s thoughts, appropriate for your specific room.

If I walk into a living room, I may not know if the floor was perfectly laid, or if the stitching on the couch is perfect, but I do know if I feel comfortable, welcomed, and able to be myself.

The same rings true in church music.

On the average Sunday morning, most people don’t know if every note is played perfectly, or if every syncopation matches the sheet music, but they will know how the music makes them feel.

Do they feel welcomed and enveloped by the music? Do they feel comfortable singing along? Are the songs and musical styles well suited to the congregation and their worship format?

Most importantly, do they feel inspired, worshipful, and somehow closer to God through the experience?

Yes, we should always aim for the best quality of music, for many reasons, but maybe this week, instead of trying to be perfectly level, we should aim to be truly inspiring.

Ready for a New Adventure!

Just a few months ago, Dad handed us a brochure and said "You two may want to check this out."

Within days, Gerald and I were making plans to attend Break Forth - 3 days of workshops, worship sessions, concerts, and keynote speakers in Edmonton, Alberta.

Then, I thought about a wonderful lady from Alberta named Heidi that I met while attending the Elijah Conference in Nashville. With one quick message, we started the process of booking concerts in her home town.

And now, we're hours away from our trip!

I've been fighting a cold all week, so it's been a rough week of planning and prepping, but I'm pumped up on high quality meds, and ready for a good night's sleep before our flight.

If you're the praying kind, please throw out a few for good health, safe travels, and a great week of music!

If you're in the Edmonton area, you can see our concert schedule here.

And, of course, I'll be blogging every night!

New Video!

I've just created a video of my recent cancer wig donation.

To watch the video, please visit the Cut for Cancer page of my website.

UPDATE (January 19): I also posted the video on YouTube. As of 5:41 tonight, it's had 2244 views! Wow!

Fireside Concert Announcement!

Gerald and I are thrilled to announce our new concert for winter!

Infinitely More Fireside Concert
Saturday, February 19, 2011
2:00pm

Comer House
11 Don Ridge Dr, North York

Tickets: $15.00

Come join us for an intimate afternoon of inspiring music
and the stories behind the songs.

Your ticket also includes cider, sweets, and other treats.

I'll have the poster soon. Very excited about this event!!

Photos of Infinitely More

In December, Infinitely More performed a Gospel and Christmas concert at St. Barnabas Church in Peterborough. A photographer from SNAP Peterborough captured the evening, complete with our tribute to the Victorian caroling era (which explains Gerald's hat)!

To see the photos, please visit here.

A DIVA No More...

I called my Mom this week and said, "Mom, I'm not a DIVA anymore."

She said, "Yes you are."

I said, "No, I'm not a Christian DIVA anymore."

She said, "Oh yes you are."

Funny Momma.

This week, after much prayer, and talking Gerald's ear off, I decided to leave the Christian DIVAs. I've been part of the group since 2007, my first summer in Nashville.

In my time with the DIVAs, I was part of a concert weekend in Nashville, had 2 songs included in our compilation album, did a tour of Illinois, and spent countless hours connecting with amazing Christian artists from across the States - praying, sharing stories, and just trying to encourage one another in our individual ministries.

But life shifts, and I leave the DIVAs with no regrets. Living in Canada and having a regular church position, it's harder for me to be part of the events, and with the launch of Infinitely More, I'm feeling less and less like a solo artist. The DIVAs are about to launch a lot of great new projects, and it just felt like the right time to leave and open a spot for another artist to join their ranks.

Our last night in Illinois, Leah, Tara and I were booked to sing for a Sunday evening service. As we arrived, a woman greeted us by saying "Oh, the Christian DIVAs are here!" In that moment, I felt like I was part of something bigger than myself, and that felt great. This year, when Gerald and I started to talk about becoming a duo, I had the same feeling - I have the chance to be part of something bigger than myself, and I'm excited to see how God is going to use that.

Happy New Year!

I realize we're a week into the New Year, but since Boxing Day, I've been in a self-imposed cocoon of family, food, films, and firesides ... and very limited internet. It's been lovely!

Our December was wonderful. Gerald and I sang for over 26 performances, in a whole range of churches and venues. On Christmas Day, we sang at two senior's homes before joining our families for Christmas dinner.

As we arrived at our first performance of the day, the administrator asked us to walk from floor to floor, singing for the residents in their rooms. Many of the people in this long term care facility were bedridden, and few had visitors that morning. In one room, we found two women who were clearly good friends. As we sang, they propped themselves up on their walkers and smiled. Partway through the song, one of them said, "Come on, let's dance!" and, like a scene out of a movie, they threw aside their walkers, leaned on each other, and danced! It was awesome!

I've been spending some time this week thinking about last year, and dreaming about 2011. I had a bit of a kick in the gut last week when I looked at my resolutions for 2010. It looked more like a five year plan! It was so unreasonable, and even though 2010 was an amazing year, in the light of my ridiculous list, it was hard not to be disappointed.

As we head into 2011, I'm making some great plans, but also being reasonable about what we can accomplish. I'm spending time in prayer, reflection, and discovery, confident in our calling, and seeking the next steps on our adventure!

Happy 2011, everyone!

The 12 Days of Christmas Blog

Happy day-after Boxing Day!

Yesterday morning, I attended church at St. John's Rockwood (near Guelph, Ontario) where my Dad is currently holding the position of Interim Rector.

He preached his awesome The 12 Days of Christmas Sermon, where he takes us through the traditional song and shows how each gift actually represents an aspect of the Christian faith and practice. Dad and I have done this sermon together a few times, with me singing each verse, Dad teaching about the gift, and then whole congregation singing the song together at the end. (Yesterday, the choir sang each verse.) It's so effective, and gives a whole new meaning to a song that many people consider just a secular ditty.

To expand on this, Dad is also blogging for the 12 Days of Christmas, starting December 25 and going until January 5. Each day, he explains the Christian meaning behind a verse of the song, and gives an action you can do to reinforce the lesson.

You can follow his blog here:

http://mossfromarollingstone.blogspot.com/

Combating Christmas Craziness

There were no carts in front of Costco today.

Usually, there are hundreds sitting in front of the store, waiting for customers, but today, they were all in use.

I took a deep breath and joined the stream of people entering the warehouse.

As I got close to the front door, the line of people was stopped by a screaming mother of two.

"You hit my ankle! Move your cart! You're hitting my ankle!"

The poor man behind her looked bewildered. Had his cart hit her ankle? Maybe. There were such throngs of shoppers, anyone's cart could have hit anything.

But this woman felt the need to stop everyone in their tracks and scream at this man and his shopping cart.

The tirade was stopped by a woman who said, "Wow, it's Christmas, you know."

As the line moved forward, I laughed and made a decision.

I am not, NOT going to complain about my blessings this Christmas!

Here's what I mean:

• I refuse to get stressed about last minute shopping. Instead, I'm thankful that I can afford to buy groceries for our Christmas Eve dinner.

• I refuse to get stressed about all the driving I have to do over the next few days. Instead, I'm thankful that my car is finally in great working order.

• I refuse to get stressed about working wild hours and singing Jingle Bells a hundred times. Instead, I'm thankful that I can make a living singing Christmas carols with my husband to people who appreciate what we do.

• I refuse to get stressed about having to balance visiting both sides of the family. Instead, I'm thankful that our families are healthy and living close enough that we can visit them easily.

So when I get that temptation to lean on my car horn, or push my cart in front of the woman who's taking forever to pick out a bag of potatoes, I'm taking a deep breath, saying a little prayer of thanks, and singing a Christmas carol to myself.... but not Jingle Bells!

Confessions of a Victorian Christmas Caroler

Two years ago, I wrote the following article for SGMRadio.com. Since we're in the thick of the season, I thought I'd share it with you today. Enjoy!

**********

CONFESSIONS OF A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS CAROLER

Each December, I dress up in costume, smile pretty, and sing Christmas carols to perfect strangers.

Yes Virginia, I'm a Victorian Christmas Caroler.

You know exactly what I'm talking about. You've seen us in malls and seniors’ centers. Maybe we made an appearance at your office party, or your local craft fair. It all started innocently enough. In university, I needed some extra money for Christmas presents, and the opportunity was just
too sweet. All I had to do was wear a fancy dress, sing carols, and someone would pay me. How could I not accept that offer?

By the end of the first season, I was hooked. Within a few years, I had started my own quartet, and then my own company. I made costumes and assembled a book of my favorite carol arrangements. My friends loved me because I was now providing them with jobs for their extra Christmas money.

Victorian caroling has brought me some of the coolest, and silliest, Christmas memories ever.

One year, our alto decided she would send our brochure to the NBA Raptors office, just for fun. As the booking agent for the group, I almost fell off my chair when I received a phone call from the Raptors event coordinator! We were booked to sing their Christmas game. We walked into
the very large Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, gleefully dressed in our Victorian attire. We sang carols to fans as they entered the arena, and then, we walked out onto the court and sang the national anthems. We even got platinum level seats for the game! What a Christmas gift!

Then there was the office building that had a Christmas party in each of its 31 office areas. We were asked to travel to each area, sing a few carols, and move on to the next area. We would try to do a few fun songs, take a request, and then move on. Well, when you take requests at
Christmas, you probably know what's going to happen - 31 renditions of Jingle Bells!

But here's the reason why all the silliness, all the craziness, is worth it:

Last year, my husband, Gerald, and I were booked to carol in a seniors’ home for their Christmas party. After singing for the gathering, we offered to visit the rooms of any residents who were unable to leave their beds to attend the party. We wandered from room to room, singing a song
for anyone we met.

In one room, we found an elderly gentleman lying in bed. Standing with him were two women, who we assumed were his wife and daughter. They broke out in smiles as soon as they saw us. We asked if they had a favorite carol. “Do you know ‘Deck the Halls’?" Gerald and I found our notes, and started the joyful song. As soon as the song began, the little family moved closer
together. They held hands, and then, they started to cry. Silent tears fell throughout the entire song. Gerald and I took deeper breaths to hold back our own tears. After the last verse, they said, “Thank you." We said, "Merry Christmas" and "God bless," and then we left for the next room. In
the hall outside the room, we wiped tears from our eyes, held hands, and said silent prayers of thanks for our own health, and our own marriage.

I don't know what that family was experiencing, I don't know why they requested "Deck the Halls," and I don't know what they were thinking when we sang it. But I do know this - in that moment, they needed that song. And I praise God that He brought us to that little room on that night.

Sometimes it may be a fun job, sometimes it may be a weird job, but in all of it, I am reminded that these are not simply Christmas ditties. This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These songs tell the greatest story of the greatest birth ever. And I'm honored for the opportunity to sing that story again and again.

So this Christmas, when you see us in our funny costumes, singing our fourteenth rendition of "Jingle Bells," give us a smile and a nod, and sing along! The Christ is born, and we've got to sing it!

Merry Christmas!

Concert Canceled!

We are sorry to announce that our St. Luke's Palermo concert for this Saturday, December 11 has been canceled.

We love singing at St. Luke's, so we'll let you know if the event is rescheduled.

FREE Christmas Angels!

When we perform live in December, we offer lots of specials on our CDs, but since we have a new site this year, we wanted to offer an online special too.

For every CD purchased from www.AllisonLynn.com this month, we'll include a free Christmas angel ornament!

These charming crocheted ornaments are perfect for hanging on the tree or tying on a Christmas present.

Please visit www.AllisonLynn.com/Store for more details.

Victory Churches

At a time when so many churches are facing threat of closure, it's interesting to visit a ministry whose mission is planting new churches.

Victory Churches started about 30 years ago in Alberta, and have now planted churches around the world, including 9 in the GTA.

Tonight, Gerald and I sang for their local pastors' dinner. A small group of pastors gathered in the church for an amazing dinner, followed by a short message, and our music. We offered a few of our favourite songs - Just a Closer Walk, Your Grace is Enough, My Heart is the Manger - and ended with an awesome sing-along, complete with audience harmony.

It was such a lovely and gentle kind of night, with good conversation and great inspiration.

St. Barnabas, Peterborough

Christmas has begun!

Last night, Infinitely More performed the first concert of the Christmas season, so our Christmas has now officially begun.

We sang at the wonderful church of St. Barnabas in Peterborough. Together with ROC, they do amazing outreach work, both locally and internationally.

They had requested a night of Gospel music, with a smattering of Christmas music, and I think we assembled a very eclectic and fun program. We mixed our originals with Praise & Worship and our own interpretations of classic hymns. We ended with a few classic Christmas songs, a boisterous sing-along, and Gerald's awesome Christmas song, "My Heart is the Manger."

A photographer was there from Snap Peterborough, so I'll post a link if the photos make it in next month.

Getting to and from Peterborough was a lot of driving on a Friday night, but it was more than worth it - an appreciative crowd, a fun night of music, and some of the best shortbread I've ever tasted. And we've been invited back for next Christmas!

Last night also marks the beginning of our 8-performances-in-5-days extravaganza. Or as I'm also calling it, "Sing, Eat, Sleep... Sing, Eat, Sleep... Sing, Eat, Sleep..."

New Infinitely More site!!!

Gerald & I have just launched a new site to celebrate our new duo, Infinitely More!

Blending Gospel, Praise & Worship, Country, and Jazz, Infinitely More wants to create a fresh new sound for the church.

Using original songs and fresh interpretations of the classics, we aim to encourage and inspire both the seeker and the lifelong Christian.

Our goal is to bring the Gospel message into churches of all denominations, as well as into unconventional and unexpected venues.

You can visit our new site at www.InfinitelyMore.ca

Cut for Cancer Updates

My hair has arrived at Pantene by now, and has started the process of becoming a wig!

I've built a new Cut for Cancer page on my site and a new photo album on Facebook to share my story.

I had long hair for years, but only thought about donating it because I saw someone else do it on tv.

If you have long hair, or you know someone who might be interested in donating their hair, please share this information with them. Donating is easier than you think!

My Hair Cut for Cancer

A few years ago, my aunt had cancer. At the time, we lived so far apart that I felt there was little I could do to support her.

I remember her talking about losing her hair, and thinking how fortunate she was that she could purchase a wig.

And then I realized what I could do.

I could donate my hair.

Last year, I decided that I would donate again. I start growing it, and growing it, and growing it, and today, we finally did the cut!

Here's my before shot. We did the cut at my cousin Laurel's fabulous salon:

And here I am after the cut! Almost 10 inches!
We gathered the hair in ponytails and snipped them off, elastics still intact.

After that, I was treated to a fabulous makeover!
Heather did my cut, and Laurel did my colour.

My ponytails were put in a baggie, and mailed to Pantene Beautiful Lengths.

I'm so grateful for this experience. I didn't know if it would be as profound the second time around, but it really was.

As I cared for my hair over the past few months, I realized that it wasn't my hair anymore - I was just taking care of it until I could pass it on to someone else.

In the past few weeks, I started praying for the woman who would get my hair. I don't know anything about her - her age, her looks, her background, her family - but I do know that she's going to be scared, and I know she's going to need faith and hope to get her through.

It takes 6 donations to make one wig, so my hair will join forces with the hair of 5 other women. I thought about those women, how different we all might be, how similar. I imagined having lattes with them and hearing the stories behind their hair donations.


So here I am, with my new look!

Laurel, Me, Heather

Many thanks to Laurel Richards Hair for doing my cut and making me feel fantastic! Laurel and her crew do an annual Cut for Cancer day each June. Be sure to look them up if you're close to Ajax, Ontario.

Pantene Beautiful Lengths collects ponytails and makes them into wigs for women who can't afford them both in Canada and in the States. If you're interested in donating your hair, please consult their site for all the details.

And a special thanks to my family for supporting me in this project. Gerald took a video, and I'll be posting that on the weekend. I'll also be making a page on my website and a gallery on facebook, so I'll let you know when all that is available for viewing.

And now, I just have to get used to using less shampoo!