I Must Do

I must do what I say and believe most deeply, at least as much as I say it, I must do it. I must repent and turn from the dark, I must understand and live the light....I must do.....

Right Versus True

It is often better to be at peace than to be right. Arguing with a fool won't change their mind. Now standing up for truth and justice is a completely different thing, but it still needs to be done in a way that measures conflict.

Jesus was confrontational and revolutionary, but often he simply stated the truth and walked away. When he was wrongly given over to be killed, he didn't fight, he didn't have a plan B to have his supporters come in and rescue him, he simply stated the truth about his identity.

The problem with "being right" all the time is that it is a lonely place. In the end you come out the bully. Steadfastly but humbly standing for truth changes the world, often more quickly and quietly than those who proclaim their rightness.

State of Christian Music in Canada

Developing? Growing? Improving?

I think it is all of those things. One of the challenges facing the Canadian scene is the lack of strong churches that are capable of being their own production house, and sustaining it. When you look around the world at the way the industry works there are really two models.

One is the still the traditional record industry model that signs bands, produces music, markets it, tours and tries to garner income from the various channels available to them. Nashville is the hub in the USA for that industry.

The second is large churches that have created a quality production houses. Most of them integrate with the traditional industry at the distribution level. The creative part, the Nashville part is the church itself. I think the behemoth in that category is Hillsongs, it used to be Vineyard with some serious Canadian content.

I think the next phase for Canada is getting more semi-professional production houses going, as well as churches who sustain writing and production. I also think there needs to be some form of Canadian distribution, digital or otherwise, that makes it easy to get your Canadian fix.

Anyway, those are just some thoughts. Love to hear some feedback about your thoughts....

What's Your Deserve Level?

I am simply passing on learning here, I am not an authority or originator of this concept. You may have heard the phrase "Your net worth will only ever be a large as your self worth." Cheesy? I don't think so.

Another concept that I have learned from this month's success magazine via Joel Harper is deserve level. Do I think I deserve to be in shape? Do I think I deserve to succeed in life and family etc?

Something to think about. In my life there are certain things that I value so highly, that I think I deserve, or my family deserves, that I do what it takes to get it or give it. Pragmatically, Joel talks about finding a way to transfer that deserve level to areas of your life where for some reason or another you have not accepted it.

I really do not think this is an easy one, but I do think it is incredibly important. Think about how you can raise your deserve level in an area that you are unsatisfied with.

Why "Do Overs" are ok

You have heard a little of this before on this blog, and maybe this is simply more self-justification, but I must say I believe in do-overs. Maybe I mean start overs, maybe I mean start a new, maybe I mean just starting late.

I have an aunt who I respect greatly. I would say that she has not had the easiest pathway, and at one point needed to do over, in her 40's. So she did. Got a law degree, became a lawyer, and is now, and will retire a judge. Nice do over!

When I was 16 I wanted a studio. I wanted to record my own music, I wanted to be that guy. Well it wasn't until about 5 years ago that I finally got one, and I feel like every song I produce I am getting better and closer to doing something of the quality I dreamed of all those years ago.

One thing I will tell you, is that you need support. In life you need encouragement, and it is important to surround yourself with the delusionally supportive (my children really think I am famous!), the unconditionally supportive (my beautiful wife speaks the truth in love) and the constructively supportive (I have a few voices that have generously critiqued my progress these past few years, and they are helping me get better). I would suggest none of the purely critical, it is hard enough sticking to things when you receive good feedback, negativity is just hard.

I can't encourage you enough. If you have found it and are doing it, good for you. You are blessed, keep doing it and get better!! For the rest of us, start now. Do over from scratch. Find a way to do your passion. I am not talking about being reckless and quitting a job. I am talking about being passionate and chasing a dream.

Yes it is a roller coaster and perspective is everything. Find ways to keep perspective. Last night I was up far too late, tired and bleary eyed, producing the next song, and it was great. The process was great, I kind of felt like that guy, even if just for a while.

How To Do Good

One act at a time. One of the themes that runs through my mind and I think this blog is trying to overcome obstacles that keep us from moving forward whether it be spiritually, physically, or relationally etc.

Obviously a big piece of my life is my day job at Speroway, the children's charity I work for. One of my daily challenges is trying inspire, awake, educate, and advocate for and on behalf of children who can't speak for themselves.

But how can you or I make a difference? How can we make a start? It really is one act at a time. No matter what you are trying to do in life, find a very small way to make a start and do it. A $10 online donation to a charity of repute, volunteering somewhere close by your house, dropping a meal off to an out of work neighbour, you get the idea. Pick one thing and do it. It will lead to another, it just will.

New Canadian Countdown

It has been several years since I last charted anywhere, and it was of course because of the great support I received from this blog. If you recall it was through Indieheaven in Nashville where I spent some time at number 1. If I recall it was for the song "We Cry Out" from my Noticing the Sky CD.

Well I just was interviewed on the New Canadian Countdown last Saturday night with James Kurtis. Great time! I will post the interview this week sometime. In the meantime if you click on the link above you can vote for my new single ("I Will Bless The Lord") to see if I can get in the top 6 at 6 this Saturday. If I get in I get more plays, if I don't then it is one and done....like the March Madness basketball tourney. I would love your support.

Look for interview in the next couple of days...