Honeycomb Tombs

I'm kicking off this week by talking about grief.  Cheery, no?

Actually, what I really want to do is tell you about the new album, Honeycomb Tombs, that my friend Karla Adolphe is releasing on May 15, 2012.

I've known Karla for close to a decade now, and can honestly say that she is one of the few musicians who consistently draws my heart into a place of connecting with Jesus in the places I need it most, each and every I hear her play live, or listen to her albums.  Because of that, I'm delighted to be telling you a little bit about her new album, Honeycomb Tombs, today.

The following text describing the purpose of this album comes from Karla's website:

About a year ago Karla was privileged to be at the hospital when a dear family said goodbye to their daughter. In the midst of that beautiful and heart-wrenching day Karla witnessed music play an important role in the early stages of grief.

The goal of this project is to create a FREE digital album that walks alongside those in the midst of grief; a collection of music, spaces, poetry and stories that can be played while you journal, take a drive, cry or nap.

Over the last two years, a number of my close friends have lost people dear to them - parents, children, friends.  I've watched other friends grieve as they faced major and unexpected life challenges.  I've done a great deal of that sort of grieving myself.

Last Thursday I sat on a bus with my journal, heading off to an evening engagement, and listened to a pre-release copy of Honeycomb Tombs for the first time.  It had been a day full of many harder life realities, and Karla's voice and lyrics spoke directly to my heart in that space.  I found myself feeling teary, ushered into a place of knowing again that Jesus sees me, that he knows me, even in the spaces where my heart aches the most.

I've listened to the album several more times since that first time through, and each time it has met me in deep heart places, and carried me to Jesus, to a place of listening and conversation, to a place of feeling the things I'd rather not, and also to a place of healing amidst those things.  As I've listened, I've thought about the friends who have faced deep grief over the past number of years, and wished this album had been available for me to share with them.

Since Karla shared her vision for this album, I've been excited to support it.  I'm even more excited to tell you that on May 15, 2012 you'll be able to download Honeycomb Tombs for FREE at www.karlaadolphe.ca! I hope you'll all take advantage of this album download, and use it for your own times of meeting with Jesus in the deep heart places, but particularly that you'll share it with those around you who are walking a journey of grieving.

If you're interested in reviewing Honeycomb Tombs, or learning more about the album, please feel free to email Karla.

And if you download the album on May 15th, make sure you come back and tell me what you think.  I'm pretty confident that it will move all of you just as much as it has touched my heart.

Some Thoughts on Grief, and a Project You Can Support

I haven't talked about it a lot here, because none of the stories are mine to tell, but I've been an observer of grief quite a lot over the last year.  Several friends lost parents to cancer, others have children who have been terminally ill, or who face lives that won't play out in an "american dream" kind of way.  On a personal level, I've walked through the process of grieving changes in living circumstances, relationships, and many other things.  These days it seems like every week brings news of a new death, or someone else who is battling for life, or facing dramatic changes in circumstance that must be grieved.  At times the onslaught of news has been overwhelming and left me struggling to process and understand the pain I was experiencing and that people I care deeply for are walking out.

All of these experiences combined made my heart leap when my friend Karla Adolphe sent out an email indicating that the next album she was planning to record was aiming to be a resource for those walking through the process of grief.  More than that, her desire is to have this album be a free resource - not an album for sale, but one that she can give away to those who are grieving.

I was with Karla at a worship gathering where she led recently, and was reminded all over again of the power of her voice, and the way Jesus uses it.  I'm so excited to see the way God will work through this new album, not only because of the topic, but because of Karla's unique ability to invite the hearts of her audience to connect with Jesus.

This is a clip of one of the songs that will be on the album, played publicly for the first time recently, at a concert in Colorado:



The exciting part about this project for me is the chance that we have to support it. Maybe you remember a year or so ago, when the Blue Like Jazz movie went viral with it's Kickstarter fundraising campaign? Well, Karla is doing something similar to raise funds for this album. You can go to THIS site to participate. I've borrowed the following, explaining just a bit more about the heart of the album, from the fundraising site:

About a year ago Karla was privileged to be at the hospital when a dear family said goodbye to their daughter. In the midst of that beautiful and heart-wrenching day Karla witnessed music play an important role in the early stages of grief.


The goal is to create a resource to help people through the process of grief, and because of this Karla will not recoup any of her $9800 budget with cd sales. The goal is to raise at least $7500 by April 1, 2012 to cover the costs of recording, producing, mixing and mastering and marketing the album.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the topic of grief, and I'd love to hear if you were able to support Karla in this project.  As always, leave me a comment!

CHECK OUT THE FUNDRAISING SITE HERE!

You Ask, I Answer, Take 24

Today's You Ask, I Answer question comes from Tea.

She asked, "What are some of your all time favorite songs?"

Oh dear.  I don't have any idea how to answer this one!

I have this habit of picking music based primarily on the lyrics, and not the style of music.  The result is that my taste in music is rather eclectic and that I tend to pick songs based on the way their lyrics speak to me at a particular moment or season in life.  It also means that I don't always have favorites per say, but that my favorites tend to change as the things that are going on in my life change.

So, here a few songs I've loved at various times, sorted out by genre.  I think many of these could be their own posts, really, talking about the significance of the lyrics to my heart at various times and moments.  Some of them, particularly the country and random ones are simply songs that have made me laugh over the years.  (Note that I don't really like all of the video links, but if you just listen to the songs and don't watch the videos, they're a great way to hear these songs.)

Christian/Worship
Here by the Water (Steve Bell)
Blessed Be Your Name (Matt Redman)
Not Alone (Jason Upton)
Just Showed Up for My Own Life (Sara Groves)
All I Can Say (David Crowder Band)

Country
I Wanna Talk About Me (Toby Keith)
Anything by Paul Brandt, but especially "I Do"
Hurt (Johnny Cash)
Bless the Broken Road (Rascal Flatts)

Other Random Bits and Pieces
Peace on Earth (U2)
Elf's Lament (Barenaked Ladies)
Breathe (Ingrid Michaelson)
Banana Pancakes (Jack Johnson)
Build a Tower (by a friend of mine Karla Adolphe as half of Jacob and Lily)
Let Go (Frou Frou)


How about the rest of you?  Do you have all time favorite songs, or even songs that are current favorites?  Do lyrics speak to you, or is it more about other things for you?  Leave a comment and share your thoughts!

Something Beautiful

I came across this video on several blogs this week, and knew I had to share it... It's such a lovely blessing and prayer...  May you know that you're an integral part of something beautiful this weekend!

Six Songs Collide

I came across this video yesterday, referred from a blog that I read.  I loved it - loved the way they combined all the different songs into something special.  I listened to it over and over all day, and knew I had to share it with you.  So, while I'm off answering phones and temping today, you should take the five minutes or so to kick back and enjoy this video.

Musical meme

Renee tagged me on facebook for the 15 songs musical meme.

Truth is, I always feel funny doing these.  I pick music based on lyrics.  I'm slightly tone deaf.  I love music, but mostly I listen to worship stuff when I actually turn music on.  I have a tendency to listen to speeches, sermons and audiobooks when I turn on something in itunes or on the bus on my ipod.  But here's my list anyway.

Rules are as follows:
you know the drill - music on shuffle, list the first 15 songs that show up, no cheating (please).

(Okay, so I skipped adding a couple of sermon/speech/audio book tracks that popped up, because, like I said, I have a large collection of that kind of stuff in my itunes library.)

1. Your Presence (Bethel Live: Here is Love)
2. Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley: Grace)
3. Soon I Will Be Done With the Troubles of the World (David Crowder Band: A Collision)
4. Shaken Up (Delirious: Cutting Edge)
5. Let me Love you More (Misty Edwards: Unplugged)
6. If I Could (Jack Johnson: In Between Dreams)
7. Welcome to our World (Chris Rice: Deep Enough to Dream)
8. Sleeping In (The Postal Service: from a mix CD my brother made for me)
9. White Horse (Taylor Swift: Fearless)
10. Gone (U2: The Best of 1990-2000)
11. Wanted (Andrew Osenga: Letters to the Editor, Vol. 1)
12. Great is Thy Faithfulness (Buller, Balzer & Aichele: The Hymn Project)
13. Out of Reach (Matthew Perryman Jones: Noisemakers Sampler)
14. Awesome God (Rich Mullins: Songs)
15. Run to Me (Paul Brandt: This Time Around)

Tag, you're it!  Leave your list in the comments, or a link to the list you post on your own blog.

Gospel Sound

Will you forgive me if I admit that every once in a while I enjoy the Gaithers?  That I kind of like the feeling of down home southern gospel music?  A friend of mine posted this video to facebook early in the week, and it made me smile, so I decided to share.

From my musical library

 I saw this at Dana's blog and thought it looked fun, so I gave it a shot.  Play along if you like, and leave a link in the comments for me to see your lists.

Type these words into your iTunes library and name the first song that appears:

Happy: Our Happy Home (David Crowder Band)

Love: O Love That Will Not Let Me Go (Rocky Mountain College Choir)

Hate: I Hate Everything (But You) Derek Webb

Light: Light of Your Face (Chris Quilala and Kim Walker)

Dark: Dark Night of the Soul (Steve Bell)

Good: What a Good Boy (Barenaked Ladies)

Bad: Bad (U2)

Smile: Smile (Uncle Kracker)

Cry: Soul Cry (Kathryn Marquis)

Girl: Hey Girl (Ray Charles)

Boy: The Only Living Boy in New York (Simon & Garfunkel)

Sad: ...

Lost:Lost in this Moment (Big & Rich)

The Silence of God

Hope posted this song on her blog recently, and I had to share.  I wasn't familiar with the artist, Andrew Peterson, but I've definitely decided I need to become familiar with his music.  This video is hauntingly beautiful.

Bless the Lord

My brother T introduced me to this song, and I love how it builds towards the end... He led it in worship on Sunday with his new wife, and it was a powerful moment for me as I sat there...

Bless the Lord (Jeff Deyo)

For your beauty,
For your goodness,
And your wisdom.. Awesome God
Praise the Lord oh my soul, Praise the Lord.

For your power,
For your honor,
And your splendor... Mighty God
Praise the Lord oh my soul, Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord oh my soul, Praise the Lord.

Chorus:

And I will worship you,
I will bless your name forever,
I will worship you,
Bless the Lord oh my soul, Bless the Lord
Bless the Lord oh my soul, Bless the Lord

For your Kindness
For your Favor,
For your Mercy.. Gracious One
Thank the Lord oh my Soul, Thank the Lord.

For your fire,
For your testing
And your Spirit... Holy One
Thank the Lord oh my Soul, Thank the Lord.
Thank the Lord oh my Soul, Thank the Lord.

Chorus

Bless the Lord oh my Soul,
Bless the Lord oh my Soul, Bless the LORD!

For your Suffering,
For your Anguish
And your sorrow.. humble King,
Bless the Lord oh my soul, Bless the Lord
Bless the Lord oh my soul, Bless the Lord

For your Victory
For your Triumph,
And you'll soon come and reign over all.

And I will worship you, 
I will bless your name forever. 
I will worship you, 
Bless the Lord oh my Soul, Bless the Lord 

And I will worship you, 
I will bless your name forever. 
I will worship you, 
Bless the Lord oh my Soul, Bless the Lord 
Bless the Lord oh my Soul, Bless the Lord 

Bless the Lord oh my Soul,
Bless the Lord oh my Soul,
Bless the Lord oh my Soul,
Bless the Lord oh my Soul, Bless the Lord

If the storms of life, they come...

Dana and I have been having a mutual love affair lately for Brian and Jenn Johnson's "Love Came Down".  I got to attend a worship evening with Brian and Jenn a couple months back, and it was fabulous.  I'm loving their most recent album, but this song, "Love Came Down" in particular has been speaking to my heart deeply and fully lately.  This week, especially that first verse or so are hitting deeply again.

Dream

A friend posted this video tonight, and I found it lovely, and thought I'd share it with you.

Daily 5 - Day 220

Today's Daily 5:

1. 220 days of showing up to make a list like this.
2. Pie Jesu performed at the classical voice recital of a friend that I attended tonight
3. Lunch and a movie with a friend I've known since 10th grade
4. Wore a purple scarf all day.  I'm starting to feel like wearing scarves again lately, and that's definitely a reassuring sign that someday I will feel like "me" again, that I'll adapt to these latest curve balls of life and be me - just a me with even more ability to cope and face tough stuff under my belt.
5. chocolate.

Daily 5 - Day 105

Today's Daily "5":

1. I'm thankful for another night off from cooking, but still getting to eat a tasty homemade meal
2. I'm thankful for insurance coverage that pays for the occasional massage, especially in weeks like this one where the hour of relaxation it provides is truly a blessing
3. I'm thankful that I made it through the day relatively in-tact. There were a lot of moments when I wasn't sure that that was going to happen
4. I'm thankful that every day will not always be this hard.
5. I'm thankful that my heart is slowly in a place of being softened, every so slowly again, for others who are hurting and broken
6. I'm thankful for music and lyrics that move my heart, or simply stir laughter or joy
7. I'm thankful for morning drives to work that are being spent memorizing scripture with the help of an audio bible
8. I'm thankful for the first 10 or 15 minutes each morning when I arrive early at the office, and sit and journal thoughts from the day before, pondering dreams, and plans looking at the day ahead
9. I'm thankful for the various books I've read lately and am reading currently, and for the way they're stirring my heart to new things again.
10. I'm thankful, too, for the renewed desire to read. For the little bit of discipline that is restoring attention span and reminding me again why I have always been moved by the written word.
    

Daily 5 - Day 98

Today's Daily "5":

1. feeling relatively peaceful, despite two rather intense days and two rather intense nights in a row
2. the chicken gumbo I made last night was tasty!
3. grocery shopping went relatively smoothly (read: I didn't leave the store in an incredibly foul mood)
4. Wendy's for lunch - I was in the mood for a grilled chicken sandwich and some fries, and it was ultimately quite satisfying
5. "Maybe" by Ingrid Michaelson (played it on repeat almost all day)
6. both of my parent's calling me within 10 minutes of each other to tell me that a package had arrived for me (I get my mail at their address still - easier than changing addresses every time I move)... it was really quite funny to have them both call to tell me exactly the same thing, and added a chuckle to my day
7. telling funny childhood "word" stories at coffee break... those moments when as a parent or grown-up you just really want to laugh, but shouldn't.
8. chocolate cake
9. a few games of bejeweled blitz on facebook (sort of a nice way to relax)
10. finishing up my four days in a row of exercise for the week, and knowing I'm coming up on some days where I don't have to rush home from work and cram yoga in before cooking dinner.
    

Daily 5 - Day 97

Today's Daily 5 (and more):

1. quiet evening at home
2. pancake sandwich for supper (peanut butter and blackberry jam)
3. long hot shower and spending longer than usual caring for my skin and hair afterwards
4. trying a new recipe (chicken gumbo) while pre-making tomorrow night's supper
5. cranberry scented room oil for burning in my oil burner
6. updating my budget - though I don't love the work of it, right now I'm loving how much less stressed I'm feeling about money (one of the easiest stressors for me) because of needing to stick to a set budget for a while.
7. listening to Ingrid Michaelson
8. crawling in bed early, catching up on things
9. sending an email that may lead to a slight risk, and to checking out a house church this week or next
10. looking at the pictures we took last night (see below!) with F. and baby A. and enjoying them and the memory of cuddling A. all over again.

Daily 5 - Day 3

Today was officially nuts.

For the first time I've brought work home with me. Nothing too major, but a process and procedure that definitely needs to be rewritten before I have to rely on it on Monday morning.

I followed work up with a work related errand (and another one to come tomorrow), a stop at a bookstore (yep, came away with purchases, what else is new!), a quick grocery trip, and then an evening at my parent's house, letting my mom feed and love on me, and watching a movie together.

But, there were some great moments, so, without further ado, and before I head off to journal and hopefully sleep, here's today's daily 5:

Image via Wikipedia

1. Listening to the same song (Jesus Lover of My Soul: It's all About You) on repeat for my entire commute this morning, and letting it resonate in my heart.
2. Watching "Chariots of Fire" with mom (and dad at times) and being challenged again by the depth conviction of Eric Liddell, and moved by the music (and remembering the first synchro duet my partner and I ever choreographed and self-coached, performed to music from "Chariots of Fire")
3. A few blackberries snitched from the fresh ones mom bought at the farmer's market today, and mom being willing to make popcorn (a favorite snack of our family, consumed in enormous quantities) at my request, because it had been quite some time since I'd had good homemade salted and buttered popcorn.
   
4. Wearing jeans to work.
5. Waking up this morning and feeling like sleep had brought a bit of rest.
   

Smile List (Redux)

A few more items, because I'm still needing to remember to be thankful and joyful this morning, and remembering that is still a definite struggle...

• plans to get both a manicure and a pedicure after work tonight. I'm cringing just a little (with the very practical side of me) at the thought of spending money on something I can do for myself, but know that being pampered a little is probably a good thing right now.
• a mandarin orange for breakfast
• that it was easy to find the appropriate maps and directions for the trip I'm making this weekend
• that I did sleep for at least a few hours last night
• Friday casual day at the office - hello blue jeans and a nice t-shirt!
• my turn to leave the office early on a long weekend - someone else is manning the phones for the last hour and a half today
• "Revelation Song" by Kim Walker
• "Be Ok" by Ingrid Michaelson
• Hemp hand protector and Hemp lip balm from The Body Shop
• the art in my office (a post on that coming soon)
• that I'll only be working 3 days next week
• that George seems to be running well, and I won't need to rent a car for this weekend's trip

Did I shave my legs for this?

I was thinking this morning about the way music influences our lives. About the "soundtrack" of my life if you will. Much of mine could be played in country songs.

Now, before you all run away horrified that I do in fact not only listen to, but actually like country music, let me just say this: there is an awful lot of down to earth straight up truth and humor in some of those songs. And, just for the record, for all those authors who talk about how music influences their writing, let me just say that the soundtrack for the moments I'm writing is pretty much limited to dead composers, or artists who don't sing in English, so that their words can't interrupt the formation of my words. That means that these days I'm listening to a lot of Beethoven.

But I was thinking about one particular line from a country song I heard back in junior high today. I can't remember who sang the song, or even what it was really about, though I think it might have been Deana Carter, and I suppose the song must have been about a date that didn't go quite as expected. The line? "Did I shave my legs for this?" (in my head the emphasis is always on the "this".)

I heard it in the days before I was old enough to worry about shaving my legs, or really could have understood what the singer was referring to. But it made me laugh then, and it has stuck with me, coming back at all kinds of moments. It's come to symbolize the moments that just don't go quite the way you were hoping or expecting. When anticipation of one thing falls flat, and you find yourself dealing with something entirely other. It's become a mental category in my head - the "Did I shave my legs for this?" moments.

It's a wry sort of humor I suppose. But it works for me. To inject humor into situations that are often less than funny.

I was thinking about the line this morning (actually while I was shaving my legs!) and smiling ironically to myself.

I've been having a "did I shave my legs for this?" weekend.

It hasn't been the weekend I'd been hoping for or expecting. It hasn't necessarily been bad. Just different. And definitely in need of the injection of humor that comes from it being classified in the "did I shave my legs for this?" category of life.

Sci-Fi Geeks

Can I just say that I always forget just exactly how into a theme some sci-fi geeks can get?

I attended the "Lord of the Rings Symphony" with my brother, roommate and a friend tonight.

There were people - audience members - in costume. To attend a symphony. And not just one or two in costume, but dozens.

We took pictures - the sneaky kind where you stand in front and off to the side of what you're actually trying to photograph. My roommate even asked one particularly elaborately costumed person to pose with her. He obliged, in between skulking around corners to startle people arrived to attend the symphony.

I'll upload the pictures when I get a chance. But for the moment, I'm finding infinite amusement in remembering the rather goofy looking people scattered amidst those dressed up to attend the symphony.