Well I found it encouraging or inspiring, maybe you will too! I am an instant fan of the show Studio 60. I really liked West Wing for the most part, and have really enjoyed the stylized kind of TV that Aaron Sorkin has put out. I have not personally ever experienced that intensely cool of a work environment, but then again I have never worked in a premier studio in all of the world, or the White House - so it makes sense. I get that may never be my reality in terms resources and environment, but one verbal exchange from the show was very inspiring.
One of the characters was slightly at odds with another character regarding some historic issues between them. It was crunch time and the one wanted to make sure with the other that they were good. Paraphrased it went:
"Hey about yesterday"
"Forget it, let's work"
So many things in life, so many successes and failures, and challenges. Sometimes so many "good things to do", or tensions. Too often they are distractions from the cause.
Jesus faced this too. I am still processing the learning I did from this within the last couple of years, but really early in Jesus' ministry (Luke 4:38-44) He was healing people and the people did not want Him to leave. His response, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent." Surely you can stay a while and heal Jesus, I mean that's good stuff right. Nope, got to work, at the right thing, not just the good things.
So what's the encouragement? Simply I think it is to stay focused on the mission of Christ. The other stuff will happen, but we must keep it from defining us. Jesus was known for His ability to heal, but His legacy is His message of the kingdom of God. We can know God through Christ. To be like Jesus, that needs to be what I am about. So back to work.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Shoulder to the Wheel
Someone asked me what's new today. I have to admit I kind of felt refreshingly boring. I have my CD project to work on and a whole lot of things to do at work, home and with the family. I pretty much have th next 8 months mapped out if God wills it.
Tomorrow shoul be a day of good progress on the pre-production on the CD. Gigs are copming in November and Deember and I anticipate a couple of more bookings as well.
See you early next week on the blog. Until then. Peace.
Tomorrow shoul be a day of good progress on the pre-production on the CD. Gigs are copming in November and Deember and I anticipate a couple of more bookings as well.
See you early next week on the blog. Until then. Peace.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Work and Play
One of my personal goals for this year at work is to makes some gains in my use of both technology for worship and make better use of the actual space that we have. I simply write that to write it. The things that I could do are immense. Use of moving graphics in worship, more video production and more use of others video production. Adding more lights to our rig etc.
Well that's work.
I have been reflecting on the past four plus years at my current church. One of the things that has brought a great amount of satisfaction is thinking of the people that I have been able to work with that whole time. There have been busy seasons and hard seasons and dry seasons, but years later we are still doing it and better for it. This morning was a great morning working with some of those people, and of course some of the new ones who are joining in and I hope feeling the positive vibe.
Ultimately we do life with people. When relationships are good, life is good. I gather Jesus thought the same thing when he told us we have to love each other. John seemed to agree when he said you don't really know God if you don't love your brother. I know I need to get better at loving, well everybody, but it is encouraging to see the harvest of friendships growing. Life would be very empty without it.
Well that's work.
I have been reflecting on the past four plus years at my current church. One of the things that has brought a great amount of satisfaction is thinking of the people that I have been able to work with that whole time. There have been busy seasons and hard seasons and dry seasons, but years later we are still doing it and better for it. This morning was a great morning working with some of those people, and of course some of the new ones who are joining in and I hope feeling the positive vibe.
Ultimately we do life with people. When relationships are good, life is good. I gather Jesus thought the same thing when he told us we have to love each other. John seemed to agree when he said you don't really know God if you don't love your brother. I know I need to get better at loving, well everybody, but it is encouraging to see the harvest of friendships growing. Life would be very empty without it.
Friday, September 15, 2006
So Much To Learn
The last few years have been ones of intensive growth. Thankfully, the majority of that learning has originated from the Bible, but I have found the experiences of others interaction with scripture has helped me learn more, and hopefully faster, than if I stared at the Bible in a vacuum. You can look at my book list for some of my reading, I have several more books I am into that I need to add to that list.
One thing I read last night was a monograph by Jim Collins on leading in the social sectors. In essence it was an extrapolation of his Good to Great book for organizations like churches, hospitals etc. His end conclusions were not changed from his book just tweaked. Rather than really do a poor job of summarizing a 30 page monograph, I suggest a quick read if this subject is of interest.
One of the hardest things I have had to learn over the past few years is the [un]-importance of being right.
The one exception I will make to this is the importance of defending Biblical truth, but the how to and what is a very long and intensely dense discussion that this blog would trivialize.
So what do I mean? I suppose I continue to learn more, and realize the brilliance (or lack thereof) of many people. Some whom I know and many of who I look to to learn, read, etc. A lesson that Jim Collins learned in writing his book was that the qualities of greatness in a great leader are humility and an uncompromising desire to see the mission accomplished.
I think humility is so important, and I have had to learn that on issues not involving biblical truth that it is my pride that drives me to be right. It is arrogance and a desire to be seen as superior or worthy that causes me to defend myself or my decisions. Leadership requires a response to some things - it just does. But other times it requires a trust that God is in control and may, in fact, defend you to others. If you let Him He may actually correct you too. I think I have experienced both sides of that learning, but the Bible says that God disciplines those he loves. Let's just say I feel loved!
As with other very personal, very public issues of how you are to others in a public arena, I think your reputation precedes you most places you go. Moreover, these things can positively change as you let God take hold of you, to transform you. I am so thankful that others have seen growth in my life and that I too have experienced growth. The great part about it is that I attribute the positive change to God, because I have looked to God to help, and then the change has occurred. It is part of how I express God, by identifying the work He has done in my life through specific interaction with Him and His Son Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
Anyway, I haven't written a learning blog for a while. I hope this helps. One thing I know is that I need to keep growing in humility. I think to encourage any of my readers to do the same is a safe bit of Biblical advice. I know it is an endearing quality on earth, and I also know that God loves it too!
One thing I read last night was a monograph by Jim Collins on leading in the social sectors. In essence it was an extrapolation of his Good to Great book for organizations like churches, hospitals etc. His end conclusions were not changed from his book just tweaked. Rather than really do a poor job of summarizing a 30 page monograph, I suggest a quick read if this subject is of interest.
One of the hardest things I have had to learn over the past few years is the [un]-importance of being right.
The one exception I will make to this is the importance of defending Biblical truth, but the how to and what is a very long and intensely dense discussion that this blog would trivialize.
So what do I mean? I suppose I continue to learn more, and realize the brilliance (or lack thereof) of many people. Some whom I know and many of who I look to to learn, read, etc. A lesson that Jim Collins learned in writing his book was that the qualities of greatness in a great leader are humility and an uncompromising desire to see the mission accomplished.
I think humility is so important, and I have had to learn that on issues not involving biblical truth that it is my pride that drives me to be right. It is arrogance and a desire to be seen as superior or worthy that causes me to defend myself or my decisions. Leadership requires a response to some things - it just does. But other times it requires a trust that God is in control and may, in fact, defend you to others. If you let Him He may actually correct you too. I think I have experienced both sides of that learning, but the Bible says that God disciplines those he loves. Let's just say I feel loved!
As with other very personal, very public issues of how you are to others in a public arena, I think your reputation precedes you most places you go. Moreover, these things can positively change as you let God take hold of you, to transform you. I am so thankful that others have seen growth in my life and that I too have experienced growth. The great part about it is that I attribute the positive change to God, because I have looked to God to help, and then the change has occurred. It is part of how I express God, by identifying the work He has done in my life through specific interaction with Him and His Son Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
Anyway, I haven't written a learning blog for a while. I hope this helps. One thing I know is that I need to keep growing in humility. I think to encourage any of my readers to do the same is a safe bit of Biblical advice. I know it is an endearing quality on earth, and I also know that God loves it too!
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Looking Ahead
So I have three Christmas type gigs confirmed going into the winter season, and I will be warming up for and playing for Ali Matthews for FTC Canada awarenss concerts. It should be great time. I need to add them to the appearance page, but for now they are:
Thursday, November 30th at the Royal Botanical Gardens in HAMILTON
Sunday, December 3rd at the Lamplighter Inn, Crystal Ballroom in LONDON
Sunday, December 17th at the Church Restaurant in STRATFORD
I am anticipating an amazing time with these. It would be great to see many of you readers come out and catch the show nearest you!
Thursday, November 30th at the Royal Botanical Gardens in HAMILTON
Sunday, December 3rd at the Lamplighter Inn, Crystal Ballroom in LONDON
Sunday, December 17th at the Church Restaurant in STRATFORD
I am anticipating an amazing time with these. It would be great to see many of you readers come out and catch the show nearest you!
Friday, September 08, 2006
Running the Race
So I am taking this Sunday off, and in fact the next couple of days. I think I have done a very poor job of relaxing for some time now. And by relaxing I do not mean to say sitting on the couch and trying to take a load off. I do mean spending quality time with God, my wife and kids and doing the the things that keep all aspects of who I am as healthy as possible. Last January I started eating better and running and managed to lose 20 pounds and felt way better. Well that took me until May, and since then I have not been discipined in either area. I have managed, by the skin of my teeth, to keep at the weight I got to - so now I need to go to the next phase - another 20 pounds before Christmas. Although I am no where close to as cool as my buddy Sven
(http://svenwalther.blogspot.com/) I am trying to motivate myself anyway I can to run more and improve. The chart below is where I am starting from the last couple of days. Tomorrow will be an improvement I would think, and then the chart will be more interesting to look at over time.
Anyway, thought I would bring some of the mundane into the blogsphere!!
(http://svenwalther.blogspot.com/) I am trying to motivate myself anyway I can to run more and improve. The chart below is where I am starting from the last couple of days. Tomorrow will be an improvement I would think, and then the chart will be more interesting to look at over time.
Anyway, thought I would bring some of the mundane into the blogsphere!!
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
On the Horizon
Well as you know I have begun the pre-production of my next CD. Things are coming along. I have no way of knowing how long it is going to take to get this CD done, but I know I won't release it until I am incredibly happy with the songs and the production. Pre-production is a long way from that, but am having a tonne of fun adding bones to the songs I have written. I am almost 4 songs into the pre-production process and I think I will pre-produce ay least 14 to choose from. After that the process gets more exprensive as I hire musicians to put in the real deal.
On a side not I have been using the stuff I bought to enhance ministry at Valley View the church I am music pastor at. I have done a whole service with the drums and bass "programmed" into Logic, and I roughly did some production to a tune I wrote specifically for a sermon last week.
It has been fun to learn and experiment and create. I am looking forward to much more of the same.
On a side not I have been using the stuff I bought to enhance ministry at Valley View the church I am music pastor at. I have done a whole service with the drums and bass "programmed" into Logic, and I roughly did some production to a tune I wrote specifically for a sermon last week.
It has been fun to learn and experiment and create. I am looking forward to much more of the same.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Recent Things
My apologies, I haven't felt as inspired on the writing side of things lately, and thus, haven't written. A few little fun things to recount.
Last weekend I used my new-ish MacBookPro laptop running Logic to back up the worship band. The band consisted of 4 singers, myself singing and leading from piano and a led guitar player. The computer played bass and drums programmed by yours truly. Apple Loops are pretty amazing, I switched up the verse, chorus and sometimes even the bridge drum parts to make them sound as legit as possible. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do to keep the energy up. Reviews were actually really good. Everyone likes live, including yours truly, but a good experiment gone well.
The day before I spent the whole day rehearsing and the evening dong a live worship recording for Heather Thirsk (no website yet) in Barrie. Really a great experience, and I connected with some amazing musicians and singers who I have not connected with for a while or ever. Great to do that sort of thing.
I have a few more updates, but I need something to write about in the next few days so I will let you know more then.
Peace.
Last weekend I used my new-ish MacBookPro laptop running Logic to back up the worship band. The band consisted of 4 singers, myself singing and leading from piano and a led guitar player. The computer played bass and drums programmed by yours truly. Apple Loops are pretty amazing, I switched up the verse, chorus and sometimes even the bridge drum parts to make them sound as legit as possible. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do to keep the energy up. Reviews were actually really good. Everyone likes live, including yours truly, but a good experiment gone well.
The day before I spent the whole day rehearsing and the evening dong a live worship recording for Heather Thirsk (no website yet) in Barrie. Really a great experience, and I connected with some amazing musicians and singers who I have not connected with for a while or ever. Great to do that sort of thing.
I have a few more updates, but I need something to write about in the next few days so I will let you know more then.
Peace.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Thanks Windsor!
So last weekend I lead worship at Heritage Park Alliance Church, (link) Sat night and two Sunday morning services. Man I had a great time. The worship experience was great, I really felt a vibe between the people there and myself, and the worship of God was amazing - the point of course. Those of you that know me know I pound the piano pretty hard. It ended up being a patch chord, but the last song of the last service the piano just quit. A funny moment to say the least.
I always find it interesting to work with other worship bands, especially under tight time conditions. It challenges me to assess quickly and see what I have to do to make the band sound its best with very limited knowledge and personal experience with the players. All in all I think it went very well.
The real kicker for me was the spiritual side. I REALLY felt at ease, at home. I remember praying and thanking God before one of the services for the body of believers - His church. I really felt like, man, these are not strangers, these are my brothers and sisters - it was very cool. Anyway, we connected very well. Not only with the band but with other people in the church.
Another fellow I met and had lunch with was Terry Lesperance a pro drummer out of Windsor working in Detroit. A real cool connect and lunch.
I feel like it was one of those important connections in life, maybe as much for what it taught me about the church (BIG C) as it was for the experience itself.
I always find it interesting to work with other worship bands, especially under tight time conditions. It challenges me to assess quickly and see what I have to do to make the band sound its best with very limited knowledge and personal experience with the players. All in all I think it went very well.
The real kicker for me was the spiritual side. I REALLY felt at ease, at home. I remember praying and thanking God before one of the services for the body of believers - His church. I really felt like, man, these are not strangers, these are my brothers and sisters - it was very cool. Anyway, we connected very well. Not only with the band but with other people in the church.
Another fellow I met and had lunch with was Terry Lesperance a pro drummer out of Windsor working in Detroit. A real cool connect and lunch.
I feel like it was one of those important connections in life, maybe as much for what it taught me about the church (BIG C) as it was for the experience itself.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Ebb and Flow
I still have not grown accustomed to the ebb and flow of music life and gigs. Granted I am still a part-timer with a real day job - I think I always will be, but as an organized guy I would love to pace and book things out perfectly. I don't think too many artists get to do that.
So last week was the surprise of the Rick Warren service. Obviously that was a thrill (granted for some wrong reasons like I get to say I led worship for a Rick Warren event) but it was great regardless. This week I have known for some time that I am going to Windsor to lead worship, should be a blast. Then next week, unscheduled until this week again, I am going to be part of a live worship recording in Barrie for Heather Thirsk (http://www.freshwind.ca/guests.asp). So it is fun, it ebbs and it flows.
Going away for a few days so I will talk to you in a day or two.
So last week was the surprise of the Rick Warren service. Obviously that was a thrill (granted for some wrong reasons like I get to say I led worship for a Rick Warren event) but it was great regardless. This week I have known for some time that I am going to Windsor to lead worship, should be a blast. Then next week, unscheduled until this week again, I am going to be part of a live worship recording in Barrie for Heather Thirsk (http://www.freshwind.ca/guests.asp). So it is fun, it ebbs and it flows.
Going away for a few days so I will talk to you in a day or two.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Rick Warren In Toronto
So I did end up leading worship for a Rick Warren event last night. Wow, that already seems like so long ago. It was an intimate event and it was certainly last minute from the putting together the music standpoint. In the end, the event was most likely life changing. I say most likely, because my life hasn't changed yet - but I am praying and working towards clarity on how I might make it life changing.
I have also been processing a lot of information lately. Some of the snippets of thought have come out in this blog, but over the next couple of weeks I hope to collate some summary thoughts on some of the most important things I am learning and applying. Hopefully you will find it helpful.
Good night!!
I have also been processing a lot of information lately. Some of the snippets of thought have come out in this blog, but over the next couple of weeks I hope to collate some summary thoughts on some of the most important things I am learning and applying. Hopefully you will find it helpful.
Good night!!
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Growing Up!
It is my firstborn's Birthday today, she turns 7!! They grow up - fast. Funny how at 7 the parties go from family, and well that's it, to seven different occasions at all the families houses and of course the HUGE friends birthday party. Honestly it is so cute to see the hostess side of her personality come out. You start to see the joy she is getting out of the preparation alone and you realize how important relationships are going to be for her over her lifetime. It has been a fun couple of weeks building towards the big day. The party should be a blast, followed by two parents falling into chairs exhausted!
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Cliff Cline Ring Tones
Come on, now this is funny!! I didn't do this, nor did I know it existed until today. Check it out!
link
link
Leading Worship with Rick Warren
I have confirmed today that I will be leading worship for a service where Rick Warren will be speaking that is coming together in Toronto around the massive aids convention (link). For those of you who are unfamiliar with Rick Warren, he has become more and more interested about solving some of the worlds problems - literally. His P.E.A.C.E. plan can be seen here, and how he got there can be seen here.
Anyway, unless anything changes I will let you know more when I know more.
Anyway, unless anything changes I will let you know more when I know more.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Sorry, I was wrong
I don't know if I have ever been so humbled by how stupid I am. You see, I believe in Jesus Christ (that's not the stupid or wrong part). For years now I have called the place where I gather with other believers church. The building we meet in church. I have said stupid things like you should come to our church.
Christians en masse are the church. Wherever we gather, we are the church - at least potentially. If you are a Christian you can't really stop going to church, you can only stop doing the things Jesus said we need to do and be to be the church, which is Christians being as God/Jesus/The Holy Spirit would have us be together and apart.
If Christ were to come back for His bride tonight (tonight to us in Toronto anyway) we would most likely be asleep in bed. OH NO, we are not at church (the building), so we are not the church (Christ's followers, the bride of Christ), so to hell with us - literally - NOT.
I think we have been living the language we speak, and the language we speak belies what Christ and God's word, the Bible, tells us being "the church" is. Every minute we follow Christ's teaching more fully, we are set more free (John 8:31-32) to be His followers, and let me think, think, think, what's the word - to be His church across denominations, platforms, organizational models, and blah, blah, blah. Live it more with more people. Sounds good to me.
Christians en masse are the church. Wherever we gather, we are the church - at least potentially. If you are a Christian you can't really stop going to church, you can only stop doing the things Jesus said we need to do and be to be the church, which is Christians being as God/Jesus/The Holy Spirit would have us be together and apart.
If Christ were to come back for His bride tonight (tonight to us in Toronto anyway) we would most likely be asleep in bed. OH NO, we are not at church (the building), so we are not the church (Christ's followers, the bride of Christ), so to hell with us - literally - NOT.
I think we have been living the language we speak, and the language we speak belies what Christ and God's word, the Bible, tells us being "the church" is. Every minute we follow Christ's teaching more fully, we are set more free (John 8:31-32) to be His followers, and let me think, think, think, what's the word - to be His church across denominations, platforms, organizational models, and blah, blah, blah. Live it more with more people. Sounds good to me.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Tough Times
I think one of things that is most perplexing today, for me anyway, is how much time we as Christians spend debating morality, politics etc. My take on that is that we end up defining ourselves by what we do not believe in, rather than what we do believe in.
An example of this kind of dialogue can be seen here and here. ( Aug 2, 2006 about Colson)
There are visionaries out there that keep on claiming the same message day after day, month after month, year after year. They do not veer off course, because although they could spend time defending what they are not, it is far more productive to say and be what they are. You need to ignore to some degree the criticisms and just be.
Yes I am talking about being like Jesus Christ. We need to be Christians. People who are defined by love, guided by the Bible and the Holy Spirit, defined by caring for others, taking care of the poor, the sick (of every kind), the friendless, the homeless etc. When someone asks us an opinion on an issue we need to be like the new Chrysler commercials link (wait through intro to get to commercials). We need to tell them follow us through our day of helping people, telling people about Jesus, caring for people in our community etc. and be done with it. If they can't follow us through a day and get that message through our example, than we are preaching the wrong message somehow, don't you think?
An example of this kind of dialogue can be seen here and here. ( Aug 2, 2006 about Colson)
There are visionaries out there that keep on claiming the same message day after day, month after month, year after year. They do not veer off course, because although they could spend time defending what they are not, it is far more productive to say and be what they are. You need to ignore to some degree the criticisms and just be.
Yes I am talking about being like Jesus Christ. We need to be Christians. People who are defined by love, guided by the Bible and the Holy Spirit, defined by caring for others, taking care of the poor, the sick (of every kind), the friendless, the homeless etc. When someone asks us an opinion on an issue we need to be like the new Chrysler commercials link (wait through intro to get to commercials). We need to tell them follow us through our day of helping people, telling people about Jesus, caring for people in our community etc. and be done with it. If they can't follow us through a day and get that message through our example, than we are preaching the wrong message somehow, don't you think?
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Le Justy
The clean sweep. Seats out, rug out and washed out!
Two views, why not?
And of course, the new high tech, unbelievable cup holder!! No more spills man, no more spills!!!!
Two views, why not?
And of course, the new high tech, unbelievable cup holder!! No more spills man, no more spills!!!!
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Smelly
Those of you that know me, or that have listened to more than one of my Cds knows there is a theme of coffee that runs through, well most things to do with me. Well the other night coming home from a gig I buy a tall latte (Starbucks bien sur). You know, keep me awake for the drive home. The Justy doesn't have a cup holder, so I place the drink temporarily on the dash. You guessed it, it spills all over. No need to buy another, the anger seething through my veins kept me awake.
Humid weather we are having don't you think? I have shop vac'd the car, Febreezed the car etc. What a stink.
Well, one of my freinds and readers is about to fall off his chair, because he knows how much:
a) I hate tinkering and doing manual labour and;
b) Working with tools on a job I have no familiarity with.
So I decide I have to get this carpet out. I mean out of the car until I can decide how to clean/get rid of it if need be. The problem with that of course is you have to take the seats out of the car. Kind of scary.
Well the Justy is stripped like an old piece of furniture. Pictures to follow - you wil laugh.
No, that does't mean I am giving up coffee. Cream and lattes in the car, maybe, but let's not get crazy. I usually drink it black anyway. Americano anyone?
Humid weather we are having don't you think? I have shop vac'd the car, Febreezed the car etc. What a stink.
Well, one of my freinds and readers is about to fall off his chair, because he knows how much:
a) I hate tinkering and doing manual labour and;
b) Working with tools on a job I have no familiarity with.
So I decide I have to get this carpet out. I mean out of the car until I can decide how to clean/get rid of it if need be. The problem with that of course is you have to take the seats out of the car. Kind of scary.
Well the Justy is stripped like an old piece of furniture. Pictures to follow - you wil laugh.
No, that does't mean I am giving up coffee. Cream and lattes in the car, maybe, but let's not get crazy. I usually drink it black anyway. Americano anyone?
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Speaking Tonight
I have been asked to speak offsite (not at my home church) a few times this past year, which is a great thrill. Interestingly it has been pretty much a split between speaking specifically on worship, and speaking on any other biblical theme.
Tonight I am speaking on worship (link for when and where). The thing that never ceases to amaze me is how I can never seem to force myself to speak the same talk twice. I attribute that to continued learning for sure. Usually there is enough of a break between engagements that I have learned more, thought of better ways to express the same thought etc. Although much of the material builds on previous thoughts and talks I am excited about the opportunity to explore again with new fresh thoughts (at least to me) the musical side of worship and its implications for the Christian community today.
Tonight I am speaking on worship (link for when and where). The thing that never ceases to amaze me is how I can never seem to force myself to speak the same talk twice. I attribute that to continued learning for sure. Usually there is enough of a break between engagements that I have learned more, thought of better ways to express the same thought etc. Although much of the material builds on previous thoughts and talks I am excited about the opportunity to explore again with new fresh thoughts (at least to me) the musical side of worship and its implications for the Christian community today.
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