Worth Capturing

A couple photos from the past weekend - rather random, but they were interesting enough for me to want to document photographically:

Josh and I went to Monticello to meet Jeremy for engagement pictures. It was a really nice day, and I'll be excited to see how they turned out! After the pictures, we figured we were too close to Champaign-Urbana to pass up some of our favorite places to eat.

We had some Mexican food at Dos Reales - and Josh was apparently feeling the Illini spirit from being back in the land of our alma mater:

On Sunday night, we were able to have my brother Josh and his fiance Jenna over to our new house. Jenna got the tour - and being the good hosts we are - we offered some generic soda to our guests. Unfortunately, the 3 liter had been dropped and none of us were able to open it. However, Josh and Jenna are not the type to walk away in the face of a challenge.

After several attempts to open it by force, they decided to try a knife:

(Spear is in the background - either encouraging the use of a knife to open a bottle of soda - or enjoying his bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. You decide.)

After much effort, the soda was able to be enjoyed. It did have to be poured by squeezing it through a coin-sized slot in the top of the lid. Josh & Jenna:1, Generic Soda: 0

The Wonder of the Internets

I love the internets. Don't you? What would like be like without it?

Here are some things I have appreciated lately about the world wide web:

• Last weekend, we moved all of Josh's stuff into the new house - and the really large items from my apartment moved as well. We had great help from friends, so it was not as intense as it could have been (says the person who did not carry anything heavy).
  Anyways.
  I tried to do my best to get everything ready for people to move them. I waited on the washer/dryer, however, because we wanted to do a few last loads before it left. So, on Saturday morning, I realized I had never unhooked a washer/dryer. Nice boys set it up for me, and they were not there to tell me what to do.
  Guess who was there for me? You got it. Google. (On my little Palm Centro!) With the help of the internets, I was able to unhook the washer with only minimal water in my basement. I know I was impressed.
• In my job, I have to find lots and lots of ideas/songs/readings/videos/creative things. Every week. The longer I plan worship services, the fewer original ideas I have, and the less I feel bad about looking around for ideas from other churches. There are a couple church blogs that post things from their worship services that I have found really helpful lately. (Quick disclaimer: I always want to plan our worship services with a sensitive, pastoral understanding of our local body. Just because something works somewhere else doesn't mean it should automatically be plugged in here. All I'm saying is that seeing other worship planners' creative process is usually a good thing for my creative brain.)
  Here are a couple cool sites and cool ideas I've found from worship blogs (most of which are linked in my sidebar):
  -Dangerous Women Creed - from Willow's Arts Blog
  -A recap of some Easter video- from North Point's Blog
  -Baggage Video from CCC (which was the inspiration for a piece we did during the Recycled series) - from the Multi-Site Arts page

What about you? Any internet finds?

Psalm 40

In the midst of my blog browsing this morning, I saw Nancy Beach's post recommending a close read of Psalm 40. (She said she's using this as a basis for her talk at the upcoming Arts Conference.) Lately I've been reading more from the New Living Translation (my eyes and ears are so familiar with the NIV that I'll occasionally gloss over things, so new translations are good for me). When I read this chapter in the NLT today - I was just in awe of what an honest and rich prayer/song this is.

Psalm 40
For the choir director: A psalm of David.

1 I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
3 He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.

4 Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord,
who have no confidence in the proud
or in those who worship idols.
5 O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us.
Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,
I would never come to the end of them.

6 You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings.
Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand—
you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings.
7 Then I said, “Look, I have come.
As is written about me in the Scriptures:
8 I take joy in doing your will, my God,
for your instructions are written on my heart.”

9 I have told all your people about your justice.
I have not been afraid to speak out,
as you, O Lord, well know.
10 I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart;
I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power.
I have told everyone in the great assembly
of your unfailing love and faithfulness.

11 Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me.
Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.
12 For troubles surround me—
too many to count!
My sins pile up so high
I can’t see my way out.
They outnumber the hairs on my head.
I have lost all courage.

13 Please, Lord, rescue me!
Come quickly, Lord, and help me.
14 May those who try to destroy me
be humiliated and put to shame.
May those who take delight in my trouble
be turned back in disgrace.
15 Let them be horrified by their shame,
for they said, “Aha! We’ve got him now!”

16 But may all who search for you
be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation
repeatedly shout, “The Lord is great!”
17 As for me, since I am poor and needy,
let the Lord keep me in his thoughts.
You are my helper and my savior.
O my God, do not delay.

I so relate to the highs and lows that are expressed in this one chapter! Often when I read through the Psalms, I'll try to grab onto one or two phrases that really jump out/resontate/challenge me. Today - it's these:

• He has given me a new song to sing,
  a hymn of praise to our God.
  Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
  They will put their trust in the Lord.
  
• I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart;
  I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power.
  I have told everyone in the great assembly
  of your unfailing love and faithfulness.

What jumps out at you?

Photo Observations

I got a sweet camera last year for my birthday - and I'm trying to remember to use it more. I want to document fun memories, I want to try to use it to stretch my creativity, and I want to notice the beautiful things around me. Stretch my artistic abilities...that type of thing...

So I thought I'd share some of my recent shots:

If you can't see the license plate, it says "WYND N GO." I don't really get why you would do this to your car. UNLESS it's an alternative fuel method, in which case, it is GENIUS!

Josh LOVES generic cereal names. It's a favorite activity at the grocery store. Some past favorite finds include: Marshmallow Mateys, Freaky Fruits (which had me laughing hysterically in Schnucks), Cinnamon Toasters, Frosted Mini Spooners, and Crispy Hexagons. Here he is with 2 new finds, Happy Shapes and Tootie Fruities.

And finally, I leave you with my favorite artistic gem:

I think that speaks for itself.

Maybe I should take a photography class....

Signs of spring

We've been listening to the end of the Cubs game on the radio for several hours,
I've incorrectly guessed what inning it is twice,
and Spear just broke out the rally cap.

Ahhhhh, baseball season....

Album Review: In Christ Alone - Modern Hymns of Worship - Bethany Dillon & Matt Hammitt

I mentioned this album a few posts back, but I'd like to give it a quick review.

In Christ Alone - Modern Hymns of Worship by Bethany Dillon & Matt Hammitt
This is an interesting project - it's a worship project where 2 artists (Bethany Dillon and Matt Hammit, of Sanctus Real) cover worship songs written by other musicians. What drew my attention was their choice of songs - a number of the modern hymns that have been written by the likes of Stuart Townend, Tim Hughes, and Matt Maher. They're some really solid worship songs...in fact, I'd argue that they have some of the richest lyrics of the worship songs being written today. So why re-record them? Some songs, like "In Christ Alone" have been very widely sung by congregations and covered by lots of artists. However, the majority of the songs on this album are not as widely-known or sung.

Two things stand out when I listen to this album: first, the powerful lyricism/excellent song-writing and second, creative musical production. It's a great combination. Not all of the arrangements were done with congregational singing in mind...but that doesn't diminish my appreciation for the album. It has already been one that I've worshipped with in my car.

Stand-out tracks for me:

• "Clinging to the Cross"
• "Jesus is Lord"
• "The Wonder of the Cross"

(I will say that a few songs fall short - the children's chorus in "God of Justice" and "Adoration")

It's probably not an album for everyone, but if you're interested in worship music that sounds a bit different that most recent albums, I recommend giving this one a listen. (I'm not going to lie - having some worship music in a female vocal range is one of my favorite things. Self-centered as it may be, it's true.)

Other recent albums I've been listening to:

• Great God Who Saves - Laura Story
• Live from Las Vegas - Central Worship
• Spring EP - Jon Foreman
• Me and You and the World - Dave Barnes

Things that make me smile this Monday

My mood has resembled the weather lately (gloomy)...but I have much to be grateful for. An assorted (but not all-inclusive) sampling:

1. I don't often blog about church stuff here. However. We had a great kickoff to our church's series (Recycled) yesterday. I get really excited about the idea that the same power that brought Jesus back from the dead can work to put people's lives back together (Romans 8). We started a blog for people to share their Recycled stories throughout the series - and I'm already encouraged to hear stories from people in our church who have experienced God's transforming power in their lives. Amazing.
2. Josh was mentioning that I should blog about him more. I am always grateful for him....but today, I have to say I'm thankful for how he loves my family. Yesterday my grandparents came to see his school's production of The Wizard of Oz. He found seats for them early (so Granny could sit down) and took great care of them. My grandparents also may like him more than they like me. He can sing the French national anthem with Granny and play Rhapsody in Blue for Gramps. How can I compete with that??
   (Oh, and since today is opening day, Go Cubbies! This is our year!)
3. I had some really fun horn lessons tonight. I've taught lessons for a long time now, and sometimes it's fun - sometimes it's work. All of my students tonight were really excited about playing - and they're doing really well. My 4th grade student made me a picture (it says "I :heart: french horn" with a picture of a horn. My 8th grade student brought me Starbucks. Horn lessons rock!
4. I am in need of new music (which is really just an ongoing need in my life). Fortunately tonight, I just found a Jon Foreman (of Switchfoot fame) EP, Spring...and I really like it. Any other springtime music recommendations for me?

Letters

Dear Comcast,

I am not a customer of yours, and yet you are messing with me. Why? You bought out Insight; congratulations. However, now 80% of my email contacts are changing their addresses. I receive an estimated 4.7 emails every day from people changing their address. It's most definitely NOT comcastic.

Signed,
My More-Full-than-Normal Inbox


Dear Reeses,

You know how much I love the peanut butter and chocolate combination. Every fall I am excited when I see the peanut butter pumpkins appear in my local Walgreens aisles. The yummy treats have a higher peanut butter to chocolate ratio than your average cup and are basically heavenly. (Scientific analysis is available here.) In the months that follow I can find Reese's trees, Reese's hearts, and Reese's eggs. However, now that all of the candy holidays have passed, I am left with a Reese's shaped hole in my life. It's no wonder the church calendar calls this "ordinary time." I'm left wandering the Walgreens aisles alone and wanting to petition for Reese's flowers, Reese's flags...SOMETHING for the months of May through August. My waist-line thanks you for the break, but my heart will always be true to you.

See You in September,
Weight Watcher in Withdrawl

from this morning's hours...

I'm not super-disciplined in praying the hours - but I wanted to make a point of trying more during Holy Week. This morning's was pretty amazing...here are some selections and thoughts...

Maundy Thursday - The Morning Office

The Refrain
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You trust in God, trust also in me.

This Psalm is one that reminds me of how God's people throughout thousands of years have made telling the important stories a high priority - and it reminds me of what we do during Holy Week as Christians.

The Morning Psalm
Hear my teaching, O my people; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable; I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.
That which we have heard and known, and what our forefathers have told us, we will not hide from their children.
We will recount to generations to come the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the LORD, and the wonderful works he has done.
He gave his decrees to Jacob and established a law for Israel, which he commanded them to teach their children;
That the generations to come might know, and the children yet unborn; that they in their turn might tell it to their children;
So that they might put their trust in God, and not forget the deeds of God, but keep his commandments;
And not be like their forefathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, and whose apirit was not faithful to God.
Psalm 78:1-8

The Refrain
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You trust in God, trust also in me.

I don't know if Jesus prayed the Lord's Prayer with his disciples in the upper room or when he was praying in the garden - but in that context, the words from that prayer are striking.

The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your Name.
May your kingdom come, and your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;
for yours are the kingdom and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.

The Refrain
Do not let your hearts be troubled. You trust in God, trust also in me.

The Prayer Appointed for the Week
Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that I, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord's resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

may i never lose the wonder

Found this song today - and it's kicking my butt. (I downloaded 2 versions - both are good. One's from an album by Bethany Dillon and Matt Hammitt; I ordered the album - and may do a review when it comes. The other's by the author, Vicky Beeching.)

It is so so so easy to get familiar with the story of Christ and treat it casually. I didn't intend to post song lyrics 2 days in a row, but this is SO my prayer today (except it's more articulate than I could be).

O precious sight, my Savior stands,
Dying for me with outstretched hands.
O precious sight, I love to gaze,
Remembering salvation’s day,
Remembering salvation’s day.
Though my eyes linger on this scene,
May passing time and years not steal
The power with which it impacts me,
The freshness of its mystery,
The freshness of its mystery.

May I never lose the wonder,
The wonder of the cross.
May I see it like the first time
Standing as a sinner lost,
Undone by mercy and left speechless,
Watching wide eyed at the cost.
May I never lose the wonder,
The wonder of the cross.

Behold the God-man crucified,
The perfect sinless sacrifice.
As blood ran down those nails and wood,
History was split in two, yes,
History was split in two.

Behold the empty wooden tree,
His body gone, alive and free.
We sing with everlasting joy,
For sin and death have been destroyed, yes,
Sin and death have been destroyed.

May I never lose the wonder,
The wonder of the cross.
May I see it like the first time
Standing as a sinner lost,
Undone by mercy and left speechless,
Watching wide eyed at the cost.
May I never lose the wonder,
The wonder of the cross.

May I never lose the wonder,
The wonder of the cross.
May I see it like the first time
Standing as a sinner lost,
Undone by mercy and left speechless,
Watching wide eyed at the cost.
May I never lose the wonder,
The wonder of the cross.
- Vicky Beeching

write me into your story

It's Holy Week (aka the week leading up to Easter) - and I want to try to walk through this week with an active awareness of Christ's final week on earth. I didn't do much with the church calendar growing up...and so I have been rather interested in it over the past few years. While there are some seasons in the church year that are somewhat manufactured (though still valuable), remembering Holy Week seems to be the oldest and most important of Christian calendar traditions.

Seeing life as an interaction between God's Story and my story is a powerful idea to me.

Jesus
They say You walked upon the water once
When you lived as all men do
Please teach me how to walk the way You did
Because I want to walk with You

Jesus
They say you taught a lame man how to dance
When he had never stood without a crutch
Well, here am I Lord, holding out my withered hands
And I'm just waiting to be touched

Jesus
Write me into Your story
Whisper it to me
And let me know I'm Yours

Jesus
They say You spoke and calmed an angry wave
That was tossed across a stormy sea
Please teach me how to listen, how to obey
'Cause there's a storm inside of me

Jesus
Write me into Your story
Whisper it to me
And let me know I'm Yours

Jesus
They drove the cold nails through Your tired hands
And rolled a stone to seal Your grave
Feels like the devil's rolled a stone onto my heart
Can You roll that stone away?
-Rich Mullins

Promises promises

I have a ridiculous sweet tooth. I can pass up lots of salty snacks without much turmoil - but put something sweet in front of me and it's all over.

One of my favorite small treats is Dove dark chocolate. Occasionally I like the dark chocolate covered almonds. But the standard is Dove dark chocolate Promises. They're just the right size to have something small after lunch (just 1! or maybe 2!). My Granny keeps them at her house - and often they can be found at my parents. I like the Dove brand better than Hershey's for sure. However.

The people who make these feel the need to put cute little sayings inside the wrappers (hence the term, promises). At first, I found this fun - like fortune cookies!

I changed my mind however, when I ran across this one several months ago: "Chocolate always loves you back." Are you serious?? There are so many things wrong with someone putting that inside dark chocolate - that I don't know where to start.

If I were a stronger person, I might boycott the product until they improve their sayings. I just don't think I can do that.

Here's a sampling of today's "promises":

• Listen to your heartbeat and dance.
  That...would be a weird dance. And I'm in my office. No thanks.
  
• Flirting is mandatory.
  Says who? Are you going to come make me? And again...I'm at the office. That is not allowed.
  
• Get your feet massaged.
  Now you're talking...

(Yeah - so that was 3 pieces. But it's Monday!)

A Scene from the Malebox

Earlier this evening at the malebox

Spear: Want to find out your Sawyer nickname?
Me: My what?
Spear: Your Sawyer nickname. Mine is Rerun.
Me: Okay
Spear: It's "Moonbeam"
Me: What? That's dumb. It's a hippy name
Josh Stewart: Or your Native-American name
Me: Try my new (married) name - see if that's any better
Spear: Lots of laughing It's "Short Pants!"
Even more laughter from the boys
Me: No one better call me that.

A few minutes later
Lewis: Well, I'd better go. I'll see you all later. Bye, Short Pants.
Me: DO NOT call me that.
Lewis: You can call me "Quickie"
Me: No. No I will not call you that. Ever.

(Do not call me Short Pants.)

My Choice for Best Picture

I see a decent amount of movies each year - though most of them are the popular/blockbuster ones (rather than critics-choice/artsy types).

I'll admit, I haven't seen any of the Oscar nominees for Best Picture (though I really want to see "Juno"). Actually, now that I look through the full list of nominations, I've only seen 3 of the nominated films. I saw the 3rd "Pirates" movie, "Enchanted," and - my favorite film of 2007
- "Ratatouille."

I was on CNN.com tonight and saw this article about it - "Was 'Ratatouille' Ripped Off in Oscar Race?" There's no doubt in my mind, this is not a movie made with kids in mind. Don't get me wrong, it's clean - but the main subject matter is a little more nuanced/sophisticated than your average animated movie. I think it was a beautiful film - but more than that, it had amazing things to say about being an artist. I loved it SO MUCH.

Here's a quote from the article (from a NY Times critic):
"a nearly flawless piece of popular art, as well as one of the most persuasive portraits of an artist ever committed to film"

So the question remains - why isn't one of the highest-grossing AND critically-acclaimed movies of the year up for the big prize?

What do you think? Could an animated film ever win best picture? (And besides "Juno," are there any other Oscar nominated films that I'm missing out on?)

Snow Day!

I'll confess - yesterday I said that all I wanted was for the snow to miss us. (We ended up with ~11 inches)

However, my day inside has been rather nice so far - probably because I have nowhere to go. I made myself CoCo Wheats this morning. (This is a family favorite on cold days - my mom would make it when she was trying to get us out of bed.)

It seems like a good time to catch up on all the things I thought about blogging but haven't gotten around to yet.

• My friend Chris is now blogging. Chris is a friend, a co-worker, an Illini fan, an artist, a fellow anti-condimentarian, and a junior high minister. I'm looking forward to reading his blog. Check out this video he posted this week - People in Order


• As Chris mentioned, my Nana turned 100 years old last weekend. She is amazing. We got a chance to celebrate (a few weeks early) in December. She was so happy - and she really enjoyed her cake!

• This summer is going to be a crazy one for my family. Josh and I are getting married July 12th - and my brother Josh is getting married not too long after that (they haven't set a date yet). Big fun!

New Worship Music

Now that Christmas is a distant memory and I have put away the Christmas music for at least a few months, I need some new, fresh worship music.

I will share one quick recommendation - Laura Story (best known for writing "Indescribable") is coming out with an album in March (which I'm very excited about). I got to hear her speak and lead worship at a conference last summer - and it was definitely a highlight. She's a worship leader at a church in Georgia; it's refreshing to see someone who's clearly about leading a church in worship above performing. Anyways, she has an EP on iTunes right now, which includes a song we're going to introduce this Sunday congregationally - "Mighty to Save." Check it out.

So does anyone have any worship music recommendations for me?

Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone

This past week there has been no doubt that winter has arrived in central Illinois. It has already been an eventful one - Josh and I were driving through the snow last Thursday night and lots of church events were cancelled yesterday because of the ice.

I have a love/hate relationship with winter weather. I hate that it slows me down (having to scrape the car, making road conditions questionable - and thereby affecting my plans). But...once I've slowed down...I usually realize that it isn't so bad. In fact, sometimes it's a blessing to be forced into a slower pace.

This weekend as I've been driving, I've been amazed by what ice does - how it attaches itself to literally everything. Yesterday, I realized that it had somehow attached itself to individual blades of grass. I don't remember ever seeing this before (though I'm sure it's not uncommon)! How is it that huge trees have branches fall because of the weight of the ice - and yet individual blades of grass can be covered with a protective coating of ice. It's as though someone came with a wand and froze things instantly. It's totally fascinating and distracting to me! I was at a stoplight this morning near church, and there were several tufts of grass sticking out of the sidewalk that were covered. They looked like little icy sea creatures!

I had some fun yesterday experimenting with my new camera attempting to capture some of these wild images. (I'm no photographer, but the artist in me enjoys trying to see the world through a unique lens.)

YouTube Moments

I know lots of YouTube links get forwarded around, but there are a few that I found worth sharing.

First, I'm super excited about the Kenya projects our church has been able to participate in lately. As a follow-up to their trip, my friend Chris made some videos to show his junior high students. I watched them this past week in my office, and I was a mess.

• Here's one that talks about what life is like for junior high age kids in Nairobi. The interviews with the kids at the end just floor me.
  
• Here's a two-part piece that shows what the junior high kids' summer fundraising project was able to accomplish. (We're showing a short clip from this in our worship services this weekend.)

Second, a video from the Worship Arts team at Community Christian in Naperville about slowing down. I'm convinced that some of the best ideas are the most simple.

Songs for Advent, Christmas, and Winter

Most of you who know me know I love Christmas music. You also probably know I love making the mix CDs. Last year I made a mix and gave it to a handful of friends, and I was pretty happy with it. Here is the track listing with some explanations (that I wrote when I made it last year):

Songs for Advent, Winter, and Christmas
The themes of waiting & watching for the light have been really present in my thoughts this Advent season so far. I grew up in a church background that doesn’t celebrate Advent – so I’ve been discovering this season of waiting/anticipation over the past few years. It’s a really mysterious thing – to live in this place in time that we both know that Christ has come but will come again once & for all.

“But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.
For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.
So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.
Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk.
But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.
For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.
Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.
So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:4-11 (NLT)

• "O Come All Ye Faithful" – Rich Mullins
  Rich Mullins ranks as possibly my all time favorite songwriter. Ever. This song is from the album “Here in America” which is a bunch of tracks that were never officially released. I love the emotion of Rich’s piano playing here (usually I play air piano when I listen to it). And even though it’s just him & a piano – it sounds huge. Love it.
  
• "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" – Sufjan Stevens
  Yeah, he’s a little weird. But he creates music that sounds cool & organic. And I really like all of his Christmas stuff.
  
• "Prepare a Place" – Christine Dente’ w/ Michael W. Smith
  This is from a Rocketown collection from a few years back. It reminds me of a Taize’ style worship song – repetitive for a purpose.
  
• "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" – Steven Curtis Chapman
  I love this arrangement. It’s hard to write new music to such a familiar text, but I think one does a great job.
  
• "Anthem for Christmas" – Michael W. Smith
  The 1989 MWS Christmas album is my family’s all-time Christmas favorite. There’s lots of orchestra/boys choir – and very little MWS. This album is what the Christmas season sounds like to me.
  
• "A Great Light" – Kendall Payne
  This uses 2 texts from Isaiah that I love (chapters 9 & 60 I think). The song is new to me this year – but I really really dig it. It’s from a collection by Don Chaffer from Waterdeep (Songs from the Voice).
  
• "The Glorious Impossible" – Carl Cartee
  We used this in our Christmas services at church last year. It’s a fun one to sing congregationally – and I think it’s important to tell the whole story of Jesus at Christmas. This song does a good job of that.
  
• "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" – Jim Brickman
  Simple, piano – can’t go wrong.
  
• "No Eye Had Seen" – Amy Grant/Michael W. Smith
  This track with the next one are my favorites from the 1989 MWS album
  
• "All is Well" – Michael W. Smith
  
• "Jesus Born on this Day" – Mariah Carey
  I love the kids choir in this song – so real! And believe it or not, she wrote this. Something about Christmas brings out the class in everyone…
  
• "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" – Charlie Brown Christmas
  Simply nostalgia
  
• "Joy to the World" – Whitney Houston
  This may be one of my most favorite re-makes of a Christmas song – ever. It’s from The Preacher’s Wife soundtrack. I love the gospel choir, the brass, and the energy. I usually bounce up and down – with soul – while listening. (Sometimes I listen to it when it’s not Christmas.)
  
• "I Saw Three Ships" – Sufjan Stevens
  A Christmas song you don’t hear all the time, performed by a wide variety of instruments.
  
• "Stille Nacht" – The King’s Singers
  I think it’s really pretty in German. I’m sorry if the volume is at different levels for the choral tracks – but I couldn’t resist them…
  
• "Christmas Hymn" – Amy Grant
  When I was a little girl I wanted to grow up to be Amy Grant. (Though I’m not crazy about her voice here, I really like the song itself.) This is another song that tells the whole Story.
  
• "Here With Us" – Joy Williams
  This is one we’re using this Christmas Eve at church. I first heard it a year ago at the Willow Creek Christmas service. At the Hallelujahs, there were dancers – and it was one of those moments when the truth & beauty of the whole thing just “got me.” I was a bawling mess.
  
• "Noel" – Millikin University
  Millikin is a small college near where I live. They have incredible choirs & every year they have a Vespers service in early December. Most of the evening is really reverent, but this is a guys piece they did the first year I went. It’s much cooler live – but still pretty fun.
  
• "We Three Kings" – Jose Luis Madueno y Ricardo Silvas
  An arrangement I found this year while I was looking for world Christmas music
  
• "Main Title from Home Alone" – John Williams
  I am not the biggest John Williams fan – but his score totally makes this movie.
  
• "Song for a Winter’s Night" – Sarah McLachlan
  I love Sarah McLachlan – I got this on a compilation CD a few years back. It’s very wintery and romantic I think….
  
• "Winter Wonderland" – Harry Connick, Jr.
  From the When Harry Met Sally soundtrack – it’s fun

I am working diligently on a new mix for this year - it's coming along. (If you haven't received this Christmas mix, let me know...I may be able to work something out.) I promise to update on the 07 version very soon.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

The Other Side of the World

As I mentioned previously, my best friends are in Africa right now. During their trip they've been blogging about some of their experiences, and I have loved reading their stories. This one about a woman named Elizabeth was incredible. It humbles me that God allows us to partner with Him to help people. I encourage you to check out their stories - and to pray for what God's doing in Nairobi, Kenya.