Glen Abbey Golf Club

Well as stories does this is a good one. My dad was a member of Glen Abbey before it went public, years ago. I remeber going there while he golfed when I was a kid. As I recall they had a pool. We swam as kids and dad golfed. Totally old school country club. I never played it. I think they filled the pool in. I also think it is a totally different course then when he played, re-designed by Jack Nichlaus.

Yesterday for the first time in my life I played the course. Really fun. Even better we (FTC Canada - Feed The Children) were invited by PeopleNet Canada to be the beneficiaries of some fundraising that went on there and it was a great success. Thanks Peoplenet!!

First time out this year, so I hit some good shots and more bad ones. By the second nine I was getting some pars, although it was Texas scramble, so I did not really score.

Regardless a great day, hopefully many more like that this summer.

Great Wooden Trio

I really like these guys, and they are friends. The percussionist Greg Woods has done the drums on my pending new release.

The Stewardship Dance

It has been a year since I left being a "professional Pastor" at a church. I am now an attender at a church. It is an interesting transition which is not complete.

North America (Canada) is a strange and critical place, and implementing the vision Jesus set before us in the great commission is complicated. Jesus never required a building or programs (it would seem) to implement His vision through his work. Of course, he did use the infrastructure in place quite a lot, so he did not seem to reject the notion that the places were useful.

The ongoing conversation (and one that I think needs to continue) is whether or not it is wise to spend millions of dollars on buildings, land, sound equipment etc., when the money could be spent to feed the poor in Canada and around the world.

Here is where the disconnect is for me. Remembering I work daily to feed children in Canada and around the world. Our mission as Christians is primarily to teach and live the teachings of Jesus. Literally, creating atmospheres and opportunities for more people to just hear about Jesus and what he taught. An outcome from living what he taught should be both extravagant worship of Jesus and God (think of the women who poured expensive perfume on Jesus' feet with His approval) AND taking care of the poor (think Jesus asking in heaven why we did not give water and food to those in need).

So for me the answer is an ongoing tension. To build a building that can communicate in the vernacular of our time musically and through teaching makes sense, even if it costs some money. What doesn't make sense is the Pastor or people in the congregation living high on the hog. That too, of course, is a sliding scale worthy of much debate, but at some point we must sacrifice things to live more simply and give more away.

Like I said, ongoing tension, but sometimes the tension can be created because the vision is not being viewed holistically.

Tony Campolo

I had the opportunity to go away for a day and hear Tony Campolo speak. It was a smaller group and the event was hosted by Leader Impact Group, an organization that was started (I believe) in Ontario by Paul Hendersen of "the goal heard round the world" fame. It originally started under another name, but has since merged and grown etc.

It was a timely set of talks and the discussion with the friend I went with was also very helpful. I personally struggle with the concept of living a life of significance. I also struggle with the degree to which music plays a part in the influence and impact that I have.

In the end there were a couple of themes that I am still dwelling on.

1. As some form of a leader, what am I doing to influence my sphere intentionally and positively ?
2. Am I doing anything to care for those outside of my sphere?
3. He also affirmed that prioritizing family at this stage of life is healthy and precedented. Jesus did not start his ministry until he was about 30. Life expectancy back then was 41. Why did he wait so long to do that? His father died, and he had to take care of his family until his siblings could take over. The he hit it hard.

No doubt, Jesus was doing things towards his mission on earth increasingly as he headed for his "time". His reluctance to really launch was seen in the story where he turned water into wine. At that point he said to his mom that His time had not yet come.

Part of life is balancing pushing forward in personal growth and maintaining and managing current realities well. Never easy or simple, always interesting.

The Miscellaneous

So the big push in on to finish the new CD. It seems pretty inevitable that it will be late, but it is coming along. I have purchased Logic Studio for the end push and I am already enjoying the increased professional quality of the software.

Another thing that has been interesting has been several projects that I have done since last September. They have all greatly increased my chops and confidence in producing. The Christmas single, I wrote the theme song for the Alliance Assembly I am leading at in July, and I did a jingle for a friend as more of a joke than anything, and I also did a fun single for my daughter. Perhaps they could be considered distractions, but I have really enjoyed the process.

It is now time to focus on the final push. There may even be a way some of you can help. I will let you know.

The Church

I have had several occasions to discuss the nature of the church lately. For me I have begun to use some terminology to help me understand and discuss it better. I have started to deliniate between the institutional church and the group of Christians who collectively make up the church.

Both are Biblical. The Bible does teach that we need to gather, practice our gifts, encourage, teach and take care of each other. Sometimes, though, I think that when we do that in community, in other words, in a more relational way, through friendships from made through the institutional church but practiced away from the institutional church, we end up achieving what we believe the institutional church should do mechanically. Pretty tough row to hoe, to create an institution capable of functioning organically.

Some may look at my life and say the the institutional church has let me down, or vice versa. I think of it completely differently. I have connected in community with several other Christians who have spoken into my life consistently for years. Most of the time, some of them go to the institutional church I am attending, but more often then not, the majority are influences that transcend the many geographical moves that have taken our family to different homes and churches.

Maybe we need to do a disappearing act in terms of what the institutional church is trying to do. Maybe it needs to be a gathering place and entry point to what Jesus teaches, and the community and relational stuff, which I think is the meat of what Jesus teaches in terms of actually becoming better people, can flow from that.

Speaking on church music at the Nova conference in Toronto

So I am speaking at the Nova conference this Friday. The topic I am dealing with is how to take a church from traditional to contemporary music without blowing it up. It is a challenging topic not simply because of style issues and preferences, but because there is so much organizational baggage we are carrying today as the church. We have been so homogeneous in our tactical approach to relevancy that it has stifled the artists in our midst from participating and taking us somewhere culturally. It should be an interesting and hopefully somewhat interactive talk.

Writing Tunes

So in the midst of it all I have been working on a couple of more tunes. One is for an event I am part of , and the other is actually producing a tune my oldest daughter wrote. She is eight, and I am impressed. I am also impressed that as we started recording it she is a good session singer. On pitch, hears well, and can lay it down. It was a fun weekend.

The Basement Studio

Again with the break in blogging. Sorry. With all that is going on I have been growing in my appreciation of the single parent. Currently I am doing it all. Working full-time and parenting full-time.

One of things I have noticed that helps is if I don't stop moving. That ironically helped last week when on a couple nights I built my "vocal booth", see the photo below.



I have been reading for months about how a small basement studio guy like me can create a proper space for recording vocals. It is amazing how many big bands have done the rehearsal space recording sessions turned full blown CD projects with a similar vocal space. I actually tested it last week to some fine results. I have more to do, but it was a great start.

The View From Here

I am behind again in my story telling. You will see why in a moment.

Feb 12

I was driving home for work, a minor snow storm was afoot. I was travelling cautiously through back roads, missing traffic and looking forward to a piano recording session the next day when KABOOM! Yes you guessed it, someone ran a stop sign in the snow and hit me. I saw it coming and slowed substantially, even in the snow, but the deed was done. No recording session, lots of hassles.


Feb 14


The first date my wife and I have had in ages, literally months. Very excited. We went to a restaurant down in Port Credit called "Ten" and had a fantastic date. Some pretty good live music, great food and atmosphere.

Feb 16

My wife breaks her knee cap ice skating with the family. Brutal, still working through that one.

Feb 17

My wife's mother falls down our basement stairs while she was here to care for the kids while we went to the Doctor to get Stef's knee looked at. She is "ok", with a few breaks, and a lot of pain and recovery time ahead.

I was supposed to be heading to Guatemala with work on a medical mission. Change of plans as I try to play Mr. Mom, full-time working dad etc. Thanks goodness I am wired at home. So far it has been tough, but I am getting somethings done and taking care of the family.

Quite a time.

Comments

By the bye, I have turned comments on again. I turned them off some time ago because I was getting some wierd ones and some unfriendly ones. Alas, I am trying to toughen up and create some community around some of the topics addressed here. I am still going to moderate them so no inappropriate stuff shows up, but for those of you who have noticed that function missing, it has been revived. Chat away!

Christian Music Community in Canada (Part 2)

Another thought that I often wonder about, is why there are not more bands made up of the music pastors of churches that play somewhere with regularity. My experience in trying to get this sort of thing started was negative. I don't know if it was a competitive thing, or whether the average music pastor is less interested in playing and more interested in the pastoral side. I don't think that is a bad thing, but I do think the music community suffers when we don't put the best players together with regularity and let sharper iron make other sharp iron sharper still. See what I did there?

Just thinking.

Christian Music Community in Canada (the start of a tale)

It is an interesting landscape in Canada, or should I say lack of landscape. I have to admit as a musician in Canada I am always surprised at the lack of opportunities to play. Having been a music Pastor etc. I understand many of the challenges of hosting concerts etc, but I am happy that I was able to host several artists successfully when I was there.

So what is the landscape?
Well there are a handful of artists, who have good Canadian profile, and I think in some way or another deserves it. This list in no exhaustive, but the usual subjects can be seen.

"Bigger Names"
Steve Bell
Jacob Moon
Carolyn Arends
Amanda Falk
Greg Sczebel
Thousand Food Krutch

There are a few other bigger names, Brian Doerksen is in the HUGE category and doesn't really fit in this list. TFK might be considered huge as well.

How about record companies? Really I only know of maybe two and I am not sure that any of them are full service (recording, publishing, marketing etc.)

Avante Records
and Steve Bell's Signpost Community (link above)

I have always thought that the arts are one of the best ways to share ideas and influence culture. I am more thinking of music, but I do agree that all the art forms carry weight in that discussion. It would be great to see more communities develop like the signpost one where artists of similar genre and goals could connect to a larger group of people who identify with their work, support them, and also use it as a tool to plant seeds of thought.

The View From Here

I think I may try and start a new repeating post type called, well, The View From Here. Thoughts on where things are and possibly going, and the mundane miscellaneous.

The New Album
I have decided to start uses the retro phrase album for several reasons. One being, I will be releasing this album of songs in several formats of which CD is one. So really it is a new album of songs. Anyway, February is a crucial month. The goal is to finish bass and track as much piano as possible. The goal for release is late spring still.

Gigs
I have three things on the appearances page currently, all of which I am very excited about. I am now trying to amp up the pressure on myself by booking release concerts for fall. If you are interested in booking a release concert do contact me through the website, phone number and email contact info is there.

New Opportunities
I am working on some expansion plans as well in terms of reach and scope of involvement in the music industry. Stay tuned over this year for periodic developments.

Super Bowl
I wanted to see undefeated history; I didn't want to see NY win. Not a big fan of any one team in the NFL, but liked that story. Ahh well, not a happy ending.

Community

So we have been trying to find and connect at a new church since leaving our last church, and the place I was a Pastor for 5 years (to the day) for the last 9 months. 9 months without a church home, for lack of a better expression, has felt odd. It has been an interesting experience. Here is why.

Several years ago I was musing with a friend over why people connected or stayed with a church, and why they left. Not differentiating why they left, just that they left was our parameter. They may have left because they decided Jesus was not the answer for them, or because they decided to go to another church, but they left. We surmised that when people were involved socially with other people in the church (a small group perhaps), or involved in helping out at the church they were more immune to leaving.

In retrospect that was a good observation, but the deeper answer I think lies in what that interaction produced. After several years as a Pastor, with arguably, more insight in to why people leave churches, I saw another thing. That VERY involved people sometimes leave churches. I don't view that scenario as disproving the former theory, but rather adding a deeper bit of data. Being involved in a church socially or as a volunteer is still only one aspect of the actual interaction. The interactions must be in a safe environment that allows people to ask questions and learn more, a environment where people can deal with hard issues and grow and change. When that happens, the real qualifier is that the social interaction quenches a deeper desire to move a long a journey, and if someone is trying to learn about God and Jesus, and they are getting no where, then they will leave to somewhere else, or give up. (I suppose it could also be they just did not get what they wanted, but the whole consumer thing I am not going to address here)

So here I am a former professional pastor who believes in connecting with community and who is having a heck of a time finding a community where I feel I will be accepted. Where I feel that who I am can mix in, and the questions that I have will be accepted and worked through with me so that I can grow. You think as a former leader I would feel it easy to connect with those who believe what I believe, but the truth is, places where dialogue instead of monologue are present are rare. Having previously taught, I value having a voice.

I also value, perhaps above all else, freedom. Freedom of expression. Freedom to be sad, freedom to still wrestle and not have to put on the persona of having arrived, when I know I have miles to go. Freedom to jump up and down in worship, or lay on the ground in grief. Freedom to test a religious piety that doesn't seem to agree with what Jesus taught.

My wife and I were talking, and I surmise that with some lack of clarity, we have always sought community that gives us those things. Most times it wasn't the church itself, but people within a church that we could relate to and who could relate to us.

I will say that we have finally landed. You will figure out where after a time I am sure. It feels like maybe it will be a place where both the church and the people we are already starting to connect with will be a new and real community, and hopefully, we will be that to them as well.

Fathead

No I am not calling names. I went and saw some live blues music last night. Fathead is a Juno winning Canadian blues band, and a friend and I went and caught them at a local eatery last night. Sound system was suspect, but fortunately the skill of the band still came through. Really fun to hear some talented players playing such great riffs and shots together. It was really great. The vocals were a surprising treat as well. The band had a guitar, bass, drums, and one fellow who played sax and harmonica. Four of the five sang. When the whole thing was smoking it was like listening to a 9 piece band. Great when pretty much everyone in a band can do two things well. The drummer uses all four limbs so we will cut him some slack. Not only do I need to get out and play more myself, I got to find a way to get out and see more live music. Great vibe.

Little Encouragements (some ramblings)

I think I am the poster child for struggling artists. Check that, I am the poster child for tormented artists. I am actually tormented by the art within. How does that apply to little encouragements....read on.

I am a strange combination of right and left brain. A musician that is good at administration. A creator of music who spent five years in the finance field..blah,blah, blah.

Therein lies some of the issues. My left brain tells me that the fight to create music given what life has thrown me is crazy, just live the life that is there, my right brain can't let it go...it must have an outlet.

So I am tormented, although struggling isn't fair, we are blessed as a family.

Lately I have been getting encouragement in the midst of this down in trenches production time. Compliments, sales, new gigs from connections out of the past. Where will it all lead? Hard to say, I am just trying to finish this next CD!

Everything old is new again!

I have been getting a few people commenting as they re-discover or find for the first time The Apartment Sessions, my acoustic work from 2000. It is only $10, tax, shipping and burned CD, although it is a nice studio EP : 5 songs with piano and voice. Pick it up now and get 10% off my new CD this spring - I will let you know by email personally when that drops!

You can buy the Apartment Sessions here:

It is nice to see the old acoustic songs show staying power. Very gratifying.

the $5 philanthropist

Just getting to know different people in my industry. I have not met this fellow, but I have seen him on TV and now have been linked to him recently because of his charity resource Give Meaning.com. Interesting to see his take on a few things in this video.

Happy New Year

As a rule I think our family is very representative of our demographic as it relates to Christmas activity, although we have a couple more kids then most (4). Trips everywhere. My parents, Stef's parents, seeing friends etc. Unfortunately, after a very long stretch without a break, we all got sick, three of us worse than the others, nyeesh. I think I am looking forward to being back in routine.

A year in review, that will have to come later, I haven't had time. I haven't had enough time to think about the year coming up either. The next couple weeks are going to busy charting a route for some big goals this year.

Here is one of the many top 10 lists of New Year's resolutions people are considering.

I think the big difference between achieving and not achieving resolutions is the plan. To write down some things we hope to accomplish is significantly different than implementing a plan by freeing up time, resources and money to accomplish those goals. Really, resolutions like weight loss or growing spiritually are life changes and require significant adjustments. Change is visible, if we don't do anything visible to move towards change, it won't happen.

Feeding Hungry Kids

So I generally try to separate day job and this personal/music related blog, but this is news worth sharing.

The story is actually quite long, so I will cut to the climax. One of things we have been trying to do more of at FTC Canada is partner with others to help kids here at home. We are doing this a couple of ways, but here is one of them. In partnership with the Meeting House, The Salvation Army, The Freeway, the Hamilton Dream Centre, Parkview Alliance Church, Oakridge Bible Chapel, Lakeside Church, Koinonia, Hamilton City Kidz, and Faith Baptist FTC Canada has provided for the delivery of almost 700 Christmas Food boxes by Christmas this year. Our partners above are either connecting us to, or delvering the the food boxes to those in need.

• 200 of them are going to single mom families
• 200 are going to one of, if not the poorest, neighbourhoods in Canada
• 50 are going to 16 year old orphans under government support with no families
• and all of the rest are going to families with children who are in need.

Through our partners, kids in Cambridge, Hamilton, Brampton, and Oakville will be helped.

Trying to raise awareness and support for children in Canada and around the world is not a glamorous or easy job on a day to day basis. But when initiatives come together and do good, it is very rewarding.

Merry Christmas!

Selling Music (Part 1)

If you are reading this right now, you are a part of a very small community that checks into my thoughts and goings on from time to time. Thanks for that. It ebbs and flows. I have had as many as 600-700 in a week, and as few as 300. Generally, I think it is probably the same people that make up the 400 hundred on my email list. I also assume that the majority of you own something I have produced. I have no way of knowing, I am just guessing.

I have been reading and have been challenged a lot lately about what "business" model or delivery method would be best used to sell my music. I don't have a big fan base, but ultimately it is my sales that let's me produce more and different music, something I love doing. My expensive hobby. A hobby that is a micro business and palatable for my family because it basically pays for itself. Although it is a hobby, in a way, it is also a life's passion, so I am constantly trying to figure out ways to make it less of a stress and make the producing and releasing side financially easier, and I guess in the end cheaper for my "clients" and maybe even more profitable for me.

I have outfitted myself with "a studio" in my basement, and the first release from that is my current Christmas single. It represents an electronic production (e.g. no real instruments, except some guitar) and also an electronic release (download only). I have sold some, and I am very happy with the quality. I consider it good quality independent material that lets the song and the singer show. What more can I do.

My next release is more ambitious and will be a full CD with live production (all instruments live, drums, bass, piano, guitar if any etc.) It will also be released both digitally and in CD format.

I think it is both a liberating and hard time to be a musician right now. On the one hand, I have the ability to create some very interesting and high quality material from my own studio. On the other hand, selling music has become more difficult because price points are so compressed, and the duplication of music is uncontrollable. Ah well. All you can do is try to be open, creative and hope that you will be able to create some income from the art that you create so you can keep doing more and better.

Christmas Dreaming

So the single for Christmas is out. You can hear a sample below or on my homepage, www.cliffcline.com, or click the link to the right on the sidebar. You can also purchase it for $1.50 for instant download for your iTunes etc. through the links on my homepage.

It should also be on radio as early as tomorrow on Joy 1250 in Oakville. I didn't release it as early as I wanted, but that is life, so I do not know how many more stations it will hit, next year:)

Regardless, a portion of proceeds from both radio and download purchases goes to feed children through FTC Canada. Also, I am supporting Trinity Western University with a portion as well.

Fun to give and create, Merry Christmas!

Testing a Player

Powered by Podbean.com

I am looking at adding a player to my website and was trying it here. By the way, if you like these tunes you can always buy them from cTunes on the main site!!:) Great Christmas gift non?

Christmas Single

So I have been burning it at both ends a little the last few weeks. Not only has work been busy with travel and extras, I have been pushing hard to release a digital only original Christmas Single. Not to mention two jazz gigs last weekend, the quartet and the duo.

Production on tight lines has been hard enough, but it is also my first taste of the mixing process and I have more empathy to some of the time lines put on my last producer with far more tracks and instruments to mix, for a whole CD!

Alas, I plan to send it off to mastering tonight, and then I will try to release it for digital sale and download by the end of this week. I will keep you posted.

More Studio Time

Another night in the studio, not as productive as I would have liked. It is serious crunch time for a small project. Hopefully tomorrow will produce more finishing results.

Remember Me

What an intense period of time. I have producing every minute I get a chance, but even those have been fewer than I would like. The day job took me to Vancouver, BC last week and I barely got on the plane before I fell sick. Long days mixed with sickness, then home to a funeral, then the crash for a day, then back to work. In the last couple of weeks I have been to Peterborough twice, Vancouver and London, ON twice.

Anyway, all that to say that the next week is big on many fronts so I am hoping to release some news in the next week or so. Until then....

New Things Coming

Ok I am not great at the blog, so inconsistent. The good news is time away from the blog is equating to musical output. I am hoping to reveal some great news in the next few weeks…no it is not that I have finished my CD at long last, but it is a development anyway.

Location complications prevented last Saturday’s planned piano session for the new CD, but as I mentioned it did not stop other musical creation, so all in all I feel fine. I will keep you updated in the coming days.

Trinity Western University

So I had the chance to go out with some old friends from TWU last night. It is funny how strong the bond is to your Alma mater, the memories and the people. So much personal growth and formation happens during this time, and the relationships seem to be able to withstand huge gaps of time between visits because, when positive, the original experience carries such weight in your life.

All that to say it was a great time.

On another note, it is great to be back in Burlington. It has been less than three months, but I feel like we are starting to re-integrate into life. When I came home great friends were there hanging with the family and we hung out some more. Feels like home to me. Reminds me of a song.....

Working Through Worship (Music) Part 2

It has been a long time since my first post on this subject, and a lot of songwriting and "art" creation has taken place since then. One big difference for me since that time is I have actually had the chance to visit several churches and experience some very different worship environments. It has, in fact, confirmed in me the theory that we are missing a part of the mark when it comes to creating music that reflects all of the humanity that we might, maybe should, be bringing to God in worship.



For example, there is a general lack of lament, repentance, meditative or self examinational lyric present in worship services. The actually mood of the music generally never leaves "positive" land. It IS worshipful, but it one dimensional. I think the problem here is that as we try to reach for authenticity as churches (it is a buzzword used a lot anyway) that we are not representing all that most everyone experiences with consistency. There is a need to worship the way we do, with positive, upbeat lyric, but there is also a need to mourn over the state of the world, our personal worlds and the bad stuff that is going on. Even if we are just talking about our own shortcomings as it were. I DO NOT know how to implement this. I feel that it needs to be done. Not all the time, but in balance.



More of a musing than a conclusive thought I know, but just some observations.

link to Part 1

Some Movement

The last two weeks have been pretty good as I try and balance this crazy life right now. I finally spent a good part of a weekend mixing and finished the rough mixes of the drums. That is to say I still have some "micro" editing to do, but it is a beat or bar here and there, not whole songs.

So with twelve songs feeling pretty good, it is time to start recording the piano which should begin in the next few weeks and hopefully not take too long...heard that before haven't we.

I am going to be recording on a baby Yamaha grand that my in-laws have which is sweet. I love playing it, and it sounds great. The acoustics of the room should be good as well, and the set-up of their house might actually allow me to do some interesting things if I can get my hands on enough mics.

Great Time at St. Giles

Here is a pic of me a Bryn MacPhail, Senior Minister at St. Giles Pres. in TO. Sunday morning was great. Definitely good to be in a different environment and experience liturgy done well. Had a great time hanging out as families as well after the service with some burgers and dogs.

This Weekend / Email Updates

I will be at St. Giles Presbyterian this Sunday doing solo worship music. Bryn McPhail is the Senior Pastor there and a great preacher. The service will be traditional, the sermon will be great, so come out and say hi if you are into the traditional thing. (info)

I have joined the FanBridge gang for email updates, so if you want to signup, I plan on sending one update a month to keep people informed better.

Looking for a Church (Part 2)

Have I become a consumer of church products? In our effort to find a church we have, of course, gone to several and have started to return visit to some that seemed to offer the most promise. Then..disaster strikes. A Sunday experience resembling poor (meaning distracting) production value, vacuous content, and a lack of passion and focus that was very discouraging.

Hey I was a Pastor for five years. I know it is hard to hit every time, but scale and resources should be a factor as well.

Here is the rub. When did we all become such shiny, happy people holding hands. Life IS hard, for most (ALL) people. The Jesus I know lived that same life, maybe more on the rough edge than most of us. He did not start a shiny happy church, he started a real front line church, that dealt with the pain, social strata issues, hard issues of what truth is. Truth, that word that we seem to almost believe is relative, but is in actuality for all of us anything but. I know no one for whom life is perfectly relative. There is no relative bubble. We are all humbled by an absolute at some time or another.

I guess I am looking for authenticity, a buzz word with preferences attached I suppose. I have seen it, but at this point, I still haven't found what I'm looking for - at least as it pertains to a church.

Jarry Seinfeld, Business Coach?

I am in a time where the to do list looks longer than at any other time in my life. It is astounding. I am trying to stay calm and approach it like cramming for exams in University. A thousand pages a night for eight nights straight, each night a different subject, and then, well hopefully successfully done. Back then I think procrastination had something to do with it, now a days, sheer volume and multiple pressures.

What is a guy to do?

Well, although this is a little simplistic, it reminds me of the focus that can reduce the stress associated with having mammoth tasks to complete and limited brain space to do anything but, well do just do it.

Who knew, Jerry Seinfeld - business coach.

Hey Preacher Man

So I spoke at a college today about FTC (where I work) and how one can engage in community outreach.

My approach was to give 6 perspectives on life, as it were, to help the students contextualize what they should be doing for the poor in our midst.

Perspectives:

1. The current state: over 10 million children die every year from hunger in the world
2. What is my story (baggage) that effects my perspective on this matter (Gen X)
3. What is there story (Gen Y)
4. What about a leader's perspective on addressing issues www.jimcollins.com
5. What does the Bible say?
6. The great philosopher Jerry Seinfeld's thoughts

My boss asked, "So did you preach?"

I responded, "well I think I talked about the issues and introduced them to FTC Canada."

He said, "I think you preached, I know you, you always preach." (paraphrased)

I am going to take that as a compliment:)

The Van Man (the end of the story)

So Honda did not totally disappoint. I called up head office in Canada to discover that the warranty (extended) on my van had expired, one month ago. The transmission had fried and i needed a new one.

Long story short, they agreed because of the cars good service record (I did my trany changes) and because I am a loyal Honda customer (my other car is a civic) to pay for the parts if I covered the labour. Let's just say, that gave me the acceptable good side of the deal.

The bus is back, and with four kids, we need it!

Back Home

A short little one stop tour, my specialty I suppose, to Windsor ON and back to Heritage Park Alliance Church where I visited last year. Great fun to go back to a place where you have been before. Saw most of the folk that I worked with last year and then met some more new friends.

The church itself is pretty slick in a good way, well run and the sound and lighting side of things is very strong, a great venue to play without having to fight any of those side issues. The sermon was on worship and the songs were fun to play. I had actually never played four of them. A good challenge and some nice tunes. It was book ended with some great upbeat tunes and having a pro drummer backing us up was a highlight.

So Thanksgiving and then a return visit to St. Giles in Toronto. I as hoping to be promoting the new CD by now, but I am happy to get out playing again as I ramp back into the production phase.

Busted

So it has finally happened, a Honda that I owned broke. I am on my fourth Honda, 3 of four that I have purchased I have obtained used. The mini-van which is the bus for our family (four kids for those who do not remember) had its transmission die. Apparently this was a known problem, so there was an extended warranty. Of course that ran out a month ago. Transmissions are expensive, very expensive.

So I called Honda Canada to see if anything can be done. I am still waiting to hear. Only a month out of a manufacturer known problem, a little grace for all of the loyalty would be nice.

Gear

I don't know if I have ever laid out the gear that is the base of my home studio. The guts of it is a MacBook Pro laptop fully tricked out running Logic Express from Apple. That in itself was a massive decision point for me. Should I get something like a desktop or the iMac which would have a little more storage at the expense of portability, knowing I would be doing a bunch of remote recording. Obviously I chose the ability to move around. Getting Logic Express was also a hard decision because I have had lots of exposure and some experience with ProTools. In the end, it came down to the fact Logic Express had many desireable add-ons for the pre-production process that I would have to buy to add on to ProTools.

I had wanted to buy a high end pre-amp, but this time around it was not to happen. I still may rent one for the finish vocals.

The interface I bought was an M-Audio Project Mix I/O. Eight channels, eight pre-amps which allowed me to record the drums well, my most challenging tracking for this project.



Lastly I bought a Rode NTK microphone. A very nice moderately priced mic strongest in acoustic recording (vocal, piano, acoustic guitar). There I was looking for an emphasis on vocals with the ability to record a grand and acoustic guitar.

Apple, of course, has just released a new version of of Logic called Logic Studio.



It seems like a great deal for the money. It includes the Pro version of logic plus a bunch of other powerful software. Of course there is also a break because I own Express. There is also a Express upgrade available, but the real deal seems to be in Studio. Bottom line is I have a CD to release. Perhaps I should reward myself after the release.

Back in the Studio

So I am online again as I previously mentioned and I finally got a significant editing session in this evening. This one track is giving me grief and will test my limited editing chops but I already see the time is worth it. As I listen to some of the rough mixes there are only a few touch ups throughout the other 11 songs that are needed. Unfortunately this one song is a complete re-working of the drums and I think I am just slow because this isn't my full-time job. I learned a couple of shortcuts on th mac tonight that made life so much easier. I got a lot done, so I hope to finish the drums on this song by the end of the week, leaving only those few edits on the rest left.

I have made contact with the bass player, so I will be lining up that tracking in the coming weeks, and then of course are the real piano, all of the final vocals and BGs, mix down, mastering and then production. On top of that is the design and artwork.

The hard part, as with anybody like me, is that you rarely get into a groove because it is all so piecemeal. Hopefully I can have a good run at it this fall. I love the stuff that is in this CD and I can't wait to get it done and release it. On the other hand, you want to do it right, so I am trying to make sure there that balance. That is, after all, why I set my own studio up, so I could get it done with flexibility, accessibility and control over all elements of the project. It is definitely fun to be making progress again.

Looking for a Church

Well we are back down in the old neighbourhood after all of the transition. As those who have read know, this year has been a wild one. Back in Dec of 2006 I started taking over as the interim Lead Pastor of my church to cover for the Senior Pastor. That led to 4 months of leadership and a tonne of transtition. Around that time we learned we were to have our fourth child, near the end of that time was the wild change in jobs which necessitated a change in geography and of course we no longer attended the church I worked at. So now we are in the new location, I am at the new job, the new baby is 3 weeks old and it is time to find a new church community to hang with.

I wish I could do justice to the complexity of this issue for me. I think of a book like Revolution by George Barna (his greater work here) and so many more. Having been in leadership in the church, I am sure some would say "and it is better now that you are out of it", and having filled so may of the public and private roles that encompass leading a church, well I have too many opinions.

The debate can be seen raging right now within the Christian community and certainly outside of it. I am blown away by the American news coverage on the issue of "true" Chrsitianity, and all the iterations people are seeing.

Some, it seems, will die for the institution of church, others, although claiming to be Christian seem to think it needs a complete overhaul, a rebirth, maybe even a near death experience. Both parties claim an undying love for the teachings of Jesus. and there is the rub. How does one measure one's adherence to the teachings of Jesus. By how loud one yells that they believe? Or, as Jesus himself said, wisdom will be proved right be her actions. (Matthew 11:18-19) Note the context there as well, very interesting.

Without playing all my cards (is that a respectable metaphor?) I think I am laying some sort of a framework to the difficulties. Relevancy without heresy, great teaching with outward focus. Community and family support, without a sub-culture that kills the ability to relate to everyone who doesn't go to church - the majority of everybody I know.

So the journey begins. More to come I suppose.

Too Late to be Up

But I could not help it!! Man am I blessed, four kids!! Four kids!! All beautiful because they take after my wife, and all such a blessing from God. So the next part of this will seem strange, but I had to stay up and work a little. On what you ask? College and wedding funds:)

Yes it was time to actually get the "studio" back online and listen and get back into the editing process for the new CD. Great to listen through the speakers again and start to dream about the finished product.

So many more things to do on all fronts, but it is all very good.

Taking Care of Business!

As life evolves so does this blog. Ultimately I have tried to use this blog for promoting and informing people about what I am doing musically. Thing is, I am not full-time in music, so often there are dry spells. How often do people really want to hear that I am still working on my second CD? (I am by the way)

For the last five years I was a Pastor and that definitely effected some of the content here, and now I am working for FTC Canada which works to save children from all kinds of wrong.

Alas, to try and keep my life a little separated I will reserve this blog for music and meanderings of the mind and point you to my FTC blog for things related to work. Fair warning, my FTC blog will be about giving opportunities for you, things or projects I am working on to try and push the cause of helping children forward. Please check in there from time to time if you would like to know what I am doing and might be able to give to help. There are some exciting ways to see your money radically effect one or more children's lives. Check out this week's post now!

If you are looking to get the same kind of thing that this blog has always had, it will still be that, have no fear.

A New Boy!

So my lovely wife produced another gorgeous child, this one a boy last Friday very early, and we are six. Wow. Four beautiful children. I tool a couple days off work to help with the adjustment, and as usual the fam is helping out a tonne with the transition as well. I suppose that is normal. It makes you feel very dependent in a god way. I love that we have such a strong deep and wide family, and I definitely believe that God has everything to do with it. God in the majority of your family, a lot of health. If He is not...well my observation is that it is often way tougher.

Speaking of family and friends, they are all probably hoping that I stop using this massive life change stuff as an excuse for fatigue etc.I mean come on, now we have moved, changed jobs and had the baby, get the CD done and get on with it!

Maybe, but I think I will milk it a couple months longer anyway:)

Peace.

Spontaneity

So driving back to the office in my car after two great meetings over coffee and lunch yesterday I get a call on the cell. "Cliff, do you remember me?" Of course I say, knowing what comes next. "I don't suppose you are free for a vocal BG session in the studio in 3 hours?"

Well of course I wasn't, I have a day job, but I was free for the second ask, an evening call which I did last night. An unexpected and nice creative break from everything I have going on right now. My wife, due NOW, was fully supportive, as long as they were prepared for the call to the hospital!! An exciting night of working fast....just in case, and because I like working fast in the studio.

It was also fun to see a couple of old friends and catch up a little.

The Coming Year?

Traditionally I would have cause to be thinking big thoughts as it pertains to life and direction etc. at the end of calendar year, like most. This past transitional phase, however, has led to the need to be in constant evaluation of what is going on. Work is fantastic, but the newness of it brings huge challenges as it is a new environment and requires tonnes of creative energy to get things up and running and moving forward.

The new house has been a great experience. With the help of family and friends (unbelievable amount of help) the whole house has pretty much been painted, including a kitchen reno (cheap version of re-painting it etc.) and newly finished wood floors. It is an old house (39 years) so character comes with a price.

A fourth child is imminent and brings with it the accompanying anticipation and stress of making room in the heart and the head for another beautiful child.

And lastly is the CD. Kind of been on hold this past month or three. Late August should bring a re-launch of effort and represent the last leg or two of production. It is amazing how far the project has come and yet how much there is to do. This is going to be a serious accomplishment when it gets done.

Child Hunger

Jesus said "You will always have the poor among you." (John 12:8) Deuteronomy 15:7-8 says "If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs."

I think maybe there maybe hope for those of us trying to do good in the world. You see, sometimes it is overwhelming when you think of trying to change the world for good. Certainly you can't end child hunger or poverty. Sometimes Christians cite Jesus' words as proof we will never win the war. Maybe that is just too pessimistic. True, we may always have the poor amongst us, but there is a long way from poor to starvation and poverty. If we embraced the Deuteronomy passage, maybe, just maybe we could end poverty and child hunger.

We have a ways to go, but if Coke can have a vision to have every person in the world drink a Coke, certainly we can have a vision to end hunger...for good.

Articles of interest:

Herald Tribune

Reuters

The Louisiana Weekly

The Toronto Star

Re-Invention

Invention of something new, notwithstanding Solomon's perspective on such matters, is extraordinary. Some of the TV shows that deal with inventors on the Golf Channel and on network television show how difficult it is to come up with something new.

I had lunch with a creative friend the other day and he touched on that. He, unlike me, has been highly successful at inventing and re-inventing himself many times.

I will say, however, that I think I am finally doing one or the other on this new CD project, even as it pertains to my musicianship. One friend that heard a rough mix said she thought I had finally captured "my" sound. I think so too.

Anyway I wil keep working towards the release, looking forward to it.

How to save the world

Ok, so this blog will not actually outline how to save the world. In a sense it is a day in the life blog. Many of my readers know my new day job is develop relationships and resources that will help feed children in Canada and around the world. It ends up being much more than that. You can't feed sick children very well, and so if their life can be saved you give them medicine and then the food sticks as it were. Sometimes you help get them clean and healthy and keep them healthy, but the bottom line is to help them reach a baseline existence that is so far below our expectations it still seems like desperate poverty to us.

The story is simple, and the actions aren't clever. They are simple. But we live in a complex developed society with market leaders in raising money - and of course we still have massive world child hunger. Sadly we still have incredible Canadian child hunger. I just want to buy them food, hook them up with a loving church community and say, ok now, get better. But it isn't that simple is it. The great divide between church, state and the poor is massive. Yes we have Salvation Army and bright spots of hope through other successful churches in some communities. But the church is shrinking, its influence is shrinking, and the need is getting bigger.

So what is the innovation. In a world with staggering technology, the ability to communicate clearly and quickly (this blog is at least quick), how is it that we cannot actually as a Christ following people transform communties with lavished love. How can the x thousand of Christians from all denominations etc. not join to love every poor person into health, every orphan into family, every terminally ill person to their maker. I am cursed? with the utopian thought that we can and should. Moreover we must.

We have leaders studying to be better leaders and not learning that humility is what they lack most of all. I still marvel that the findings of Jim Collins the secular leadership guru were that great leaders possessed two qualities: humilty, and an unquenchable thirst to see the vision accomplished.

God help me find a way to do much, much more.

So it has hit

A new template on the blog and a whole new website. Check out, and preferably buy!, my songs from the latest CD on iTunes and songs from The Apartment Sessions on cTunes.

The latest CD is Noticing the Sky, so not brand new for those who have been following for a while. Still a new CD in the works, always updates as they happen.

A New Website..link to iTunes, eMusic

I have been trying to figure out how to update the website and gain more functionality and not lose any. Part of the complication has been my switch to a mac computer and the fact that I am not a power user of programs like Dreamweaver. Did I say power? I meant I a dummer than a sack of hammers. Anyway, I have been searching the web for a Frontpage equivalent for mac (current site is a mix of FrontPage and iWeb), kind of ugly and awkward. But finally I found one and I am getting really close to a re-launch. More on that later.

For those that skip by my website right to here I now have a link to the right go to my site AND....I also have a link right to iTunes and eMusic if you want to buy a couple of songs!!

More to come...

Old Friends, New job, and Starbucks

Had a great lunch the other day meeting up with a good friend from yester-year. It is amazing to see how journeys evolve and people change, and stay the same. It wasn't so long ago I had lunch with another old friend who was able to relate to my new job and give some great advice on the transition. FaceBook, now there's a old friend connection hub too. It has been great connecting with so many.

So it has been about 6 weeks at the new job and things have been advancing in many ways ahead of schedule. I am responsible to create many things here which is both exciting and tiring as you have the creative juices flowing everyday. I ave never been in the charity "business" so there is also all the learning and terminology changes that are fun to navigate and learn. It is great connecting with a whole new set of people though, both new co-workers and partners in the work.

There's a new, big, Starbucks going in near the office here! I am very excited. Great place for meetings and thinking sessions I can already see it. I should not be so excited, but I am. Triple shot latte please! Coffee has been key in keeping the energy up through the 3plus hour drive everyday and in the office. Got my grinder and Starbuck's beans bien sur.

At Some Point

At some point the questions get answered
Maybe at a crossroads, or just the side of the path

At some point the way becomes clearer
Often through revelation, rather than inspiration

It leaves humility intact
It brings reality in focus
It causes hope to build, and love to renew

At some point, the road becomes longer

Not from transformation, but darkness dispelled

CD Progress

Well this week needs to be a return to the process. Last week was a week in Florida with the family and this week should be a rough mix of all the songs with the live drums. Next phase is final vocals start and getting bass done. That may happen simultaneously. Let you know how it goes.

An Overwhelming Reality

Blogging is by its very nature a risky adventure, in that, it is very difficult not to be self-absorbed in both your posting and desires.

I blog in main to stay somewhat connected to those who might be interested in my musical pursuits. As much as it feels like I am doing a lot right now I know that by a professional musicians standards I am standing still. Nevertheless I fight on.

I also jabber about how hard life is, blah, blah. How I have left one job, on to another another, - yawn - blah, blah etc.

The new job. Helping hungry, sick kids around the world. God help me:
a) make a difference
b) thank you every minute for my healthy children
c) have the energy to do all of things I should be doing, not just what tickles my fancy

A mild self reprimand of sorts. Lots to do, some of it really counts. Better more that counts than less.

Last Week of Work

Hard to believe that after 5 years I will be moving on to another day job in less than a week. As seems to be the case almost every time I do this it involves a move (selling the house) a baby - Stef is pregnant, of course the new job and then some spice like a big commute until we move, a CD project on the go - and maybe even some consulting work thrown in for good measure.

Obviously I am very excited on all fronts and am relishing the challenge of it all. I am also trying to take some time and actually mark the transition. I have basically spent 33% of my working life at this job, the number will go down, but right now - that is a significant chunk of investment. I have learned tonnes, done much, had life altering experiences, met great people, seen some of them move on with job change and life change and now I am one the ones moving on.

Interesting though. We have made some connections as a family that I think will be life long. It will be very interesting to see things progress.

Major Milestone

Finished the drum bed tracks for the CD today, HUGE. So much more to go, but finishing that at the quality we are at feels amazing. Getting closer!!

Lots of mixing and editing to do, but a major milestone.

New Site

For those of you who come directly to the blog just wanted to let you know that I have made the site a little more updated. (check it out) Moreover, with the changes to the job, I am selling the house, and yes I am doing it on my own for the third time! You can surf the site and see pics of where I live. Not quite the Much Music show about pads or whatever, but if you know anyone... get them to drop me a line through the site.

Last Saturday was great for recording the drums. I am hoping this Saturday will close off the drums part of the recording. I will let you know. Four to go.

Progess

Well three more songs in the can for drums yesterday was a very successful day. Certainly I am really enjoying the producing side of this experience, but it is totally amazing to be working with a drummer that brings so much to the table. The tunes on this CD seem to be shaping up more to be more complex as well. I think that has something to do with the writing for this CD, but it may also be a little of my producing style. It is an experiment and an experience.

Overall with some of the life things that have gone on (taking over as lead pastor for a time, and now leaving for another job, having to move, expecting another child and all of the preparation and transition that those things bring) the CD is way behind schedule in my mind, however, I will keep pressing on towards a finished project and the concerts that will follow. Hopefully drums will be finished tracking this week, and then we can continue with other instruments.

The Changing Times

So a chapter in my life is coming quickly to a close. I have been a Pastor here in Newmarket for 5 years as of May 1st. That is pretty much the longest I have ever been at any job, and although I am not trying to prove the Gen-X definition true, I am heading to another post starting the first week of May.

I am heading to FTC Canada and I couldn't be more excited about the opportunity. I am sure I will have many refelctive thoughts about my time here as time goes by, but at this point I am trying to come to grips with all of the changes on the way. New job, selling and buying houses, new vehicle for the long commute (at least to start), baby on the way this summer. Shouod be an interesting few months.

On top of that I will try and keep the very behind schedule CD coming. Should be done drums this month which will help, and then on to bass and other live instruments.

Your Turn, Let me Know!!

So I have been less frequent with the blogs which is a result of a heavy day job work load, I have been doing the better part of two jobs since December of last year, lots of recording activity, and some extra curricular and social on top of that. All in all a great last few months.

I have been pleased and surprised to find that the traffic to the site and this blog has been very high (for me) in spite of the intermittent blogging. The host service I use only provides the stats in unique visitors per week. I would love to see it per month, but maybe I can find that out another time. Right now I am over 400 unique visitors a week - and - some of you are starting to download the sheet music from the CD, I am assuming to use for church or personal use. Obviously that is exciting to me, so let me know how you are using it and how it is going. Drop me a line, or a comment.

Talk to you soon.

Life's Little Questions

The ebb and flow of life has been poetically described in so many ways. I do like the biblical metaphor of hills and the valleys. I think it is nearly impossible not to identify emotionally with that metaphor if you can breathe, and you have ever taken in more geography than a flat square few miles of the prairies.

And what do you do when you ride the roller coaster ride of life, trying to piece together the bizarre, the illogical, and the blessing of family and friends?

You stay the course. What course? For me, the course that Jesus Christ set in His last words here on earth, to fulfill a promise God made to provide a way to know Him. Jesus said, what Ezra modelled - Learn, Do, Teach. He said go and make disciples teaching everything I have commanded you. (ref: the whole passage Matt 28:18-20)

I would love to say staying the course flattens the hills and valleys - but it doesn't. It does give you strength, hope and vision to keep walking when at times you would rather not.

Day 2 or Drums

Well another day of tracking on the drums for the CD. It was a great day in terms of getting some amazing cuts, but I had more technical difficulties today than I have had since the day I acquired all the new gear. It was a minor frustration to the sessions, and now I need to figure out if there is some tweaking I can do to prevent similar issues in the future, but all in all very exciting as we got three more tunes in the can.

200 Posts and 2 songs

I picked up my repaired M-Audio board tonight, or should I say brand new board, which was a relief. When I brought it in for repair under warranty the good news was that the fellow at Long and Mcquade said hat he had never sent anything in to M-Audio before. He was actually referring to the fact he did not know how fast their service levels were, but I took it to also mean he rarely saw their product go south. I was a little nervous though, because if even a good manufacturer can have a lemon, and I did not want to suffer after the warranty was out with a machine that was serviceable but not overly reliable on a fluke.

Well the good news is they replaced the board all together, so hopefully I will have no future issues, as I have big plans for this thing. Four or five Cd's worth or more if I can!

Needless to say, I was very pleased with both Long and McQuade and M-Audio. I feel well treated and taken car of in the process. Always a good feeling.

And 2 songs! In the end I only missed one mini-session, and I have rough mixed the second track we captured drums on. It too sounds amazing, so I am looking forward to the next session which will hopefully net us at least 4 songs, maybe more.

Oh yeah, and this is my 200th post. I am slow, but what can you do.

Woo Hoo!!

So I had a successful drum tracking session on Saturday - really successful. I am using a loaner board (same model as the one I have in for repair M-Audio Project mix I/O - picture in previous post) Obviously there is some fear and trembling as I go deeper into this project. Drums will be the hardest thing I do in terms of capturing sound. I have a limit of 8 inputs so choosing the placement of the mics is a big deal, and with a little experimentation and a drummer with some studio experience knowing how he has found great sounds from his drums in the past, it was a real treat. We did some things that I haven't seen before, but to be fair I haven't paid a lot of attention to how drums were mic'd in my own studio experiences.

It was a short session, something we won't do again because the set-up and tear down time is intense, but we still got two tracks in the can. Listening to them over the last two days I am getting more and more excited. They sound really great. My drummer has a great kit which always helps. I have some serious learning to do on the editing side of things, but now it is play time. Create some back-ups and learn - I am having a blast. As the beds go down instrument by instrument this thing will start to sound really different. I remember that being an amazing process with Noticing the Sky as songs went from an idea to a produced sound.

I am really enjoying be the producer this time. I think I have been blessed with solid producers over the 5 projects I have done. In some respects one of my first and the last being the strongest of those. It was time to grow into this role though for both artistic, desire and logistical reasons, and did I mention I am loving it.

I will keep you posted - pardon the pun.

Minor? Setback

Like so many Canadian musicians I am a moonlighter. You take some of your precious "personal" time and you work away at creating something. Unfortunately that puts an emphasis on high productivity to get things done when you do have the time.

Last Thursday night was my first session recording the drums for my new CD. Unfortunately, despite my testing and preparation, I had equipment failure. My new M-Audio Project Mix I/O just quit. Now I have been incredibly happy with this board through pre-production and love it as an interface, but was obviously dissappointed. Drums set-up, sounding amazing and then - system failure.

It is still quite new, so warrantly should get me back on my feet and Long and McQuade will lend me one until it is back, so hopefully minimal down time on the project, but man a disappointing night.

Back at it soon, I will let you know how the next session goes.

The Cliff Cline Jazz Club Gig

So the Club is playing this Wednesday night. Really excited about that. We have played less than we would have liked up to this point but the gigs have been evolving more and more into who we are. This Wednesday should be an amazing progression from Christmas as we continue to develop our sound. You can still get tickets I think. Click on the FTC link on the bar to the right and contact them if you are interested.

I think this year is going to be a very interesting and promising one. We will definitely be hosting another Christmas gig, but we will need a bigger venue, and it will be much more of a concert. We will also be hosting one or two other concerts in yet to be determined venues so you will have to keep posted.

This year is supposed to be the year for my next solo "pop" release. Next year should be the Jazz Club's turn for a CD, so over time we will let you know how those plans are building.

Anyway, trying to write once or twice a week these days. I hope to see some of you out at the FTC gig. Good cause and it will be a great night.

Simplicity

I have been wrestling with this topic for years. I think I have made some spiritual progress in growth along the way, but I am amazed at how slowly my understanding and successful implementation of Biblical principles on this matter has been.

I certainly think it can be over-simplified into a discussion about how much is too much, what is necessity and luxury, but that quickly becomes a discussion about rules or opinions and boundaries (legalism) and stops being about why one should approach life, Biblically with simplicity.

Tomorrow I have to go deeper and preach on the topic at church. Link through here mid next week and the mp3 should be there for a listen if you are interested.

I think it will be an interesting time of reflection.

The Load

There are a few things I have been trying to do more of lately. I would say this year, but the way things have gone with work and family and music I didn't really have a, "oh now it is 2007" kind of start. The beginning of December marked some significant changes to normal life, the November before that was a great social time with many cool milestones, and January this year has been a transition into different things. One of the things I am doing more of currently is preaching. You can check that out here.

We have been visiting more and more people, as well, new friends, old friends etc. I am constantly amazed by how busy we all are. Work with everyone is busy, whether it be homemaking, career work, or both for some. Combined with home renos, other hobbies or interests, dedicated service at church and beyond it is a heavy load. But is it bad?

Maybe I am justifying, but I think not. I think it is all about balance.

Incredibly short and incomplete context: I write this from the perspective of someone who thinks that God is real, created the universe, wrote a book to reveal who He is to humanity, through real, mystical, and symbolic means provided one way to have a real interaction and relationship with Him through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit's guidance and direction.

So, with the balance that priorities based on a relationship with God begets a certain work ethic and enjoyment of the creation that God has given us by placing us in the middle of it, I think hard work, a kind of busyness that allows relationships to grow in love and thrive in an environment that is about being someone who increasingly follows the the Bible with all this in balance isn't really foolish busyness, but worship in all things.

The load, it is heavier, but I thank God for all that it is.

American Idol

I don't know why, but I haven't really been that interested in this show - really ever. Truthfully, I am still not. I definitely would go out for it if I wasn't such an old dude, but that is an old story.

The funny thing is that the last couple of nights I have been like a deer caught in the headlights. I actually can't believe the stuff I am seeing, and I get that it is about TV, but man. It is hard to watch, I don't know how the judges can stand hours upon hours of mediocrity, that much awful stuff. Anyway, it is wild.

Flip side is I am taking a vacation day tomorrow and working in the studio all day trying to get phase one (pre-production)done. Should be fun.

Fun Times

Into the New Year and we are off. Some more responsibility at work these days and trying to keep everything in the air. Getting back into running huge, not enough time in the studio, but it is coming. The next two months are huge in the production schedule for the new CD.

Anyway, just wanted to break the silence. Talk to you soon.

The Break

It has been a very busy couple of months for gigs and work and social things. The social stuff has been amazing, starting with a friends 40th birhtday party and ending with our friends annual, now Burlington, Christmas party, it has been great.

The Cliff Cline Jazz Club is starting to gain some great momentum (with and without me!) an I am looking forward to making tonnes of music with the guys this next year. The CD, as expectd, has slowed in December but will have to resume on the break week and into January.

With some transitional things at work, the CD, The Jazz Club and the hopefuly more gigs in general this year should be very busy in a good way.

An Interesting Season

Ironically I am not talking about Christmas, although what I am pondering is related - closely. Life throws many different things and experiences at you. I would have to say that I have not experienced anywhere close to the harsh or tragic things others I know are dealing with or have had to deal with just to survive.

Have I had a easy life? No, I don't think so, but everything becomes very relative quickly, and really it is not a contest. What I do know is that being able to go through life with others and do more than survive, indeed to thrive and grow, is a blessing.

Now you do get into the issues of what is surviving, growing etc., but I think if you read this blog at all you realize that, although I may struggle with materialism and the like, I uphold the ways of God as the ideal, and try to follow what the Bible teaches in that regard.

The mystery is in this. The Bible is simple enough that a young child can grasp and believe its fundementals, but complex enough to keep one pondering its meaning for a lifetime. Moreover, it seems as we get older, living those fundementals becomes more difficult to do, not easier. And yet, the basic concept never changes. Truth about life and its "keys" are given to us through the Bible. Christians believe that the Bible is the supernatural (although strikingly simple by today's standards) method by which the Creator of the universe has revealed everything we need to know to survive this chapter of existence. 1 Peter 1:3

What strikes me as most important as a person who believes in Jesus and in God (Yahweh, the name that the Bible uses to describe the God of Israel) is that I live a life that is defined by my submission (a dirty word today) to what the Bible teaches. A life that truly seeks to learn what the Bible says, to do what the Bible says and to teach others what the bible says. That progression can be seen well in the life of a teacher of Israel from the old testament times Ezra. Ezra 7:10

I think the opposite is true as well. It is important not to be defined, if one calls oneself a Christian, by thoughts, actions or proclamations that do not help others see the truth of the Bible more clearly. In the end, too much time spent on ideas or thoughts not aimed at doing what the Bible teaches as the keys to life is simply a waste of time.

Living a life akin to that of Ezra harvests a God honouring crop as it were. That is a narrow focus I admit, and one which I am striving to regain. Simple, focussed and true. It is hard to vacate the mind of the wisdom of this world which can seem all too enticing and logical in favour of the wisdom that is contained in the Bible. 1 Cor 1:20 All to often techniques and thoughts that the world reveres are the exact opposite of what the Bible would teach.

The simple focus is that success will come with a life lived in the truth of what the Bible teaches. John 17:17 Jesus was clear on that. Success of course looks very different than what the world thinks is successful. That concept is true, but very unpopular, cliche, unrealistic and trite to many. But it is a simple truth to dwell on and study. Look at Matthew 5: 1-13, Jesus' teaching is simple but completly counter to every human instinct it would seem. I am looking forward to preaching on that Dec 31.

So what is so interesting about this season? Well at a time when I could wrongly try to conjure up all that I think is right by the standards of this world to aid in succeeding in the eyes of many who may be watching, I am prfoundly pleased that I don't have to rely on my own wisdom, or the wisdom of other men, but to jointly rely with other trusted friends on the wisdom of God to stay focused on this simple truth: I need to learn more of what the Bible teaches, do more of what the Bible teaches and teach others more of what the bible teaches everyday. There may be other strategies out there, but I think that is a simple way of describing what Jesus would have us do for life. John 8:31.

KISS

Do you ever feel that for all of your striving, you are ever failing? A walk around the block is a circle, not a journey, and a debatable amount of exercise.

Sometimes I relate too much to the movie It's A Wonderful Life. By that I mean, I can't see the good stuff. It might be there, but I can't see it. As some other movie said, after a while the bad stuff is easier to believe. (because it is just way more prevalent)

I have been reading several blogs lately. Quite a few of just folk, linking through a friends blog to their friends etc., not artists or intellectuals, not "thinkers" or writers, just folk.

There is so much criticism in our society. It seems that many many people feel judged, not good enough. Like they don't measure up. I am there. How can you not be. Almost everyday I/we are told how we do not measure up to someone's standard.

Ironically that is a message that can too often come from the people who bare the responsibility to pass on the message of God's hope for the world. The hope that the world would try and know who He is and hat He's about. I know I mess up with this all the time.

So what is the message of God. On one hand, yes you don't measure up to God, but.... you can. As has been said often, it is not easy, but it is simple. KISS, keep it simple stupid. Man do I need to remeber that. Just be the truth that is in the Bible. When you fall short, just try and be more the next day, knowing that the very exercise (humility, repetence, trying to live the truth, not just know it) is success in God's eyes. Following the teachings of Jesus and the Bible (accepting and following them) allows us to live in this positive and hopeful reality. We are better than ok with our creator God.

Yes it is incredibly difficult to keep that simple focus, but I write this to remind myself, and I suppose others - Just Do It.

Had rehearsal tonight with the Jazz Club. Quite a blast. Drums, piano, stand up bass, sax and vocals all in my basement. I was blown away by the fact that my kids just fell a sleep. It was not quiet by any stretch, but they were out. Thought that was a neat experiment gone right. A little jazz to put them and keep them a sleep!!

The band itself, although behind schedule in our aspirations, is starting to realize our vision in some of our repetoire. (not all yet) We are doing standards, but are starting to out our own spin on several, with the goal of doing that to all plus starting to wrtie our own jazz tunes etc.

Anyway, our Christmas jazz party is next Thursday night December 14th at Not my Dog link to link. Love to see you there. We can't wait to make music and enjoy everybody's company!!

Just One Thing

A lot of reflection lately on many things. One of the things that has been bubbling to the surface again is purpose in life. As a middle leader in an church I often have to consider how am I doing at conveying the one important thing that all members of this community need to know and do. What is that thing. I think the answer is simple, the process is also simple, not particularly easy, but simple.

We are to make disciples of Jesus Christ Matthew 28:19 and of course be disciples by following the teachings of Christ, The Bible John 8:31. That is very Christian sub-culture language, but I do not know how else to say it.

As with anything it goes much deeper. Look at these thoughts on leadership:
link 1
link 2

One of them talks about Marcus Buckingham who talks about the need for clarity from a leader. I like the picture in the other article that shows the "one thing" a leader needs to be.

Nevertheless, I think this underscores some of my thinking and learning. You must be known for something. One thing. You must lead people towards one thing. That one thing may have incredible depth and breadth, but it must be clear and you must lead people towards it.

Simply, I need and want to be someone who follows the teachings of Jesus and helps others, who want to, do the same with passion and integrity. Not just a Christian nominally, not from the Christianese perspective a disciple because that's the right term. In the end someone who says what they will do and be (this is part of that) and then outside the blogsphere (the hard part) actually does it. Oh yeah with depth and breadth.

A Long Week

Hey Guys,

Sorry again for the lack of blogging. It was a great week, but incredibly busy.

The FTC gig went great in Burlington last week. There I played with Ali Matthews and also warmed up with a little set. Moreover, I had a jazz practice and a board meeting at church, two "gigs" last weekend and a tonne to do at home and work.

I spent a little time on the CD today after the service this morning at church. I am still optimistic that I can get this thing done "on time" (lot of ""'s today eh?) but I need to find time to press through December so I am ready for some heavy recording in the New Year.

Anyway, more as it comes. Thanks for reading and keeping up. Hope to see you at a gig or church or something soon.

Gigs a Coming Come on Out

Hey it's been a bad week for blogging, sorry. Lots going on.

I had a rehearsal this week with Ali Matthews who I am warming up for and playing with 4 times this Christmas in the FTC Christmas shows. I have done very little playing for other people in my life and this is a great experience. So fun to be able to "sit back" and have fun in the background. The whole band is great and the music is all Christmas and fun. You have got to see this!! We wil be playing in Hamilton first Nov. 30th at the Royal Botanical Gardens, sounds cool non! Then a few days later in London at the Lamplighter Inn in London on Dec 3rd.

For tickets call FTC 1-877-382-2262. Hope to see you there!!

The Cliff Cline Jazz Club Christmas Party

So mark your calendars Dec 14th, 2006 and come out to Not My Dog for our first annual Christmas bash. Love to see you there. We will have lots of the Jazz Clubs guys out that night, should be a casual hoot!! Come by and say hi, love to hang for a few hours.

Computers - Yeesh

So I am not technically much of a computer geek. I know enough to be dangerous and generally right a wronged ship, but I am not energized by the process. I run the computers at church - three went down last month. Without boring you with the details, it si also crucial in a small environment that all of computers work, well all of the time. There is no pad. Needless to say I have been wokring like crazy to make us ready for this weekend and the staff able to do their respective jobs. Now they are back to normal, I better go and catch up!!

The Cliche Police - A Tribute

I was recently cited and fined (rightly) for cliche (Christianese to be exact) use on my blog, something I try very hard to avoid. I was reminded by this fine, payable with remorse and apologies, that sometimes trite sayings or expressions get in the way for what you are actually trying to say. I will take better care in trying to write with more intelligence and clarity in the future. In fact, I will definitely put my best foot forward and give it 110%, take it one word at a time, and leave nothing on the keyboard, put my sholder to the computer, and not accept cliches as an answer.

Phew, now that I got that out of my system, maybe I will stay clean for a while.:)

Joy In Work

I definitely think it is a struggle to keep constantly motivated. I also think it is tough to stay totally positive in the midst of high pressure and high goal setting. On top of that I think it is very difficult to keep balance across all areas of life in the midst of pushing on all fronts, positively with great motivation.

That is, however, what I think we need to do. I am reading a couple of John Maxwell books right now. In one of them he cites Edison as an example fo a incredibly positive thinker who succeeded through positive attitude and thought.

Many of the thoughts have caught my attention as I read these books. The one thought recently is this: Remain positive, hopeful, persevere, don't give up.

I am totally pumped by the work I am doing both at church (and at home for the CD and book etc.) I am working out, trying to do even more with and for the kids, and the decision to keep it positive is helping me get up in the morning. When you decide life will be good, it tends to agree - even when all of the circumstances you ind yourself in are less than ideal.

Technical Difficulties

I have been having some technical difficulties as of late. I think I have figured out it is FIrefox and/or the Mac OS. Alas, I have put in a couple of backdated ones that you may have read when I publihed a couple of posts in iWeb format, or maybe not. Just letting you know.

Cool Find

So one of my laments over the years has been the lack of ability to record and keep easily accessible demos of all the songs I have done. For obvious reasons, when you have written as many songs as I have and you are not performing and recording, well every year pretty much, unless you are diligent at writing them down and/or recording them, then you are in trouble.

I have always known that I have lost a few good ones, but lately I think it has become worse. In part because I have written so many "secular" songs that I am not really using in any venue right now.

Interesting the journey I am on in life (to me anyway). This CD project is pulling and pushing me to, perhaps, re-find my voice artistically.

Anyway, I did a concert 7-ish years ago, if you can believe it, at a friends photography studio downtown (link). He no longer has that place. I found a video tape of the concert, and have hence found several songs that I must consider now for recording. I am starting to think I am going to have to release a volume one and two under the same title a year a part or something.

Anyway, re-finding the songs in my hands and voice tonight. Very fun. Thought I would share.

Studio 60

So there is a new episode of my new favourite show (apparently already cancelled) on tonight. After a long but productive week, and at the start of what looks to be another one (Sunday is my first workday of the week) I am excited to chill with my bride and catch some entertainment.

Was at a friends triple cool 40th birthday party last night. Great friends he has. You can tell a lot about a person by their friends (or lack of them I suppose). The people were amazing, and the so was the get together.

Going to be a busy month of singing which I am excited about. I will be in Stratford, Burlington/Hamilton, London and Toronto over the next few weeks with Ali Mathews and FTC Canada. Should be a blast!!

Blogger has been having some problems, so I put up a couple blogs from the mac. I will have them re-entered under this format in a day or two.

'til next blog.