I listened to an NSAI webcast today - an interview with our very own Brian White!  (Not to be confused with the "other" Brian White who was scheduled to appear "in the round" with him at Douglas Corner Cafe the last time I was out-on-the-town in Nashville.  Also not to be confused with the 20-something Brian White - yes, in Nashville - who sang a cool vocal for me on a recent demo.)  

The webcast was excellent!  I loved Brian's story, even though his journey is so different from mine.  Amazing.  Fun.  Encouraging.  And in pre-Nashville days he spent some time in Iowa.  Yes!  ...  I don't anticipate I'll be writing a country song with Craig Wiseman any time soon.  But at least one thing is the same - the recognition that God is behind it all.

BTW - If your last name is White, don't name your son "Brian."  On the other hand, maybe you should...

Signed,
Inn Spy Yerd

I've been here before.

Summer's end.  The kids are back in school.  You might think I would be discovering all kinds of time to write, but it eludes me.  I feel overwhelmed and out of practice - and I start questioning myself.

I've been here before.

And then I remember that "I've been here before" and so I trudge onward.  I do the "next thing."  I know that better days lie ahead - days when I'll wonder what in the world my problem was last August.  Days when every piece of the puzzle slips into place easily.  Days when I think I'm actually starting to see the big picture.  Days when I can't wait to hunt for the next piece.

Here's something I read recently (ala Psalm 92):  "We don't all produce at the same level, but we must all produce at some level.  Don't get intimidated because the other guy is producing a hundredfold and you're only producing sixtyfold.  You're only accountable for what God gives you!"  ....   I'm accountable for the talent God gives me and I'm accountable for the time God gives me.  No more.  No less.

I've been here before.  Pretty much every single August.  And it's really not a bad place to be.

September's coming....

Signed,
Day Zhja Vooo

I've bought tons of those super fashionable stretchy book covers over the years.  But now the school has decided good ole paper grocery bag book covers are better.  Naturally I didn't have any paper bags in the house this afternoon when my son came home and told me about it.

So I headed to King Soopers for a few things, and per the usual I would have totally forgotten to ask for paper bags if the bagger (an elderly gentleman named Bill) hadn't asked me what kind of bags I wanted.  Whew!  I want paper!!  When I told him why I wanted paper bags, he said he remembered making book covers just like that when he was a kid.  He even gave me some extra bags for good measure.  Thanks, Bill!

It's amazing how long it takes to make those things - even with the help of the instruction sheet - which by the way didn't make any sense.  Next my son wanted help decorating them with pictures from the Internet.  How could I refuse him?  I knew serving my son this evening was ultimately an act of worship. 

The next task was figuring out how to make new tabs for the expandable file we're recycling for him (left over from last year...from my daughter).  Why, I ask you, couldn't they just be insertable rectangles?  But, no.  We needed sticky arch shapes.

In between all that, I was reintroduced to geometry homework, compliments of my daughter.  ....  The Olympics were calling me, along with the mound of unfolded laundry on the couch (which would have qualified as multi-tasking at its best.)  Oh, and what about those lyrics my co-writer sent me?  But instead it's already bedtime.

Sometimes I wonder why I don't have more free time.  Other times, it's obvious.  Oh so obvious.  And yet I know I need to trust God to give me the proper assignments each day to educate me - to grow me into who He wants me to be.  And who is that?  Well, that may be a songwriter.  That may be a wife and mother. 

Or that may simply be someone with no claim to fame or title at all - as nondescript as a paper grocery bag book cover.  So be it.

Signed,
Miy Were Shipp

This past weekend I played for my niece's wedding.  When you plan a wedding - and outdoor reception - for August 16, 2008 in Denver, Colorado, you shouldn't have to worry that it might be pouring buckets of rain with a high of 60 degrees!  Go figure.  But it was still beautiful, and they ended up "married" as planned.

I played piano for the wedding!  I haven't played that much classical music in a long time, and this required very different technical skills than the chord charts I've come to frequent.  Throw in some lush Broadway and a little Rascal Flatts, and the challenge was complete.  !!  But I'm told it turned out just fine.

Sometimes it's good for the ego to go back and listen to something from a previous lifetime - like my organ recital when I was a college senior music major.  "See?  Once upon a time I could really play!"  I am not a loser.  I am not a loser.  I am not a loser.  (Just kidding.  Maybe I am.)  My kids aren't sure they believe that's me playing the organ - I try not to feel threatened by their lack of confidence.

So Ashley is married to Casey and they're off on their honeymoon in Puerta Vallarta.  The rain is ending, with sunshine predicted to return tomorrow.  Our three youngest are back in school, with the oldest headed back to college in one week.  And BEV is looking forward to a return to more structure in the weekly schedule!  Summer can certainly wreak havoc on songwriting.  So many ideas - so little time.  Here we go!

Signed,
Bakk Awn thuh Blokk

We missed the Opening Ceremonies because we were in Lake Powell.  But I've seen video clips, pics, etc.  Pretty awesome.

Well, I heard on the radio this afternoon that apparently the pyrotechnics of the Opening Ceremonies weren't quite as awesome in person as it was on the tellie.  They added "animation" to enhance the experience for television viewers.

And the little 9-year-old girl that song Ode to the Motherland?  She was lip syncing.  Apparently some government official didn't think the original 7-year-old singer was "cute" enough.  Quote:  Lin Miaoke lip-synced the song "Ode to the Motherland" in a performance during the opening ceremony, while Yang Peiyi's voice was actually heard.

I'm annoyed.

Signed,
Wutts Nekst

We're headed for our annual week of houseboating at Lake Powell.  Rocks, canyons, sand, water, sunshine.  1960 miles of shoreline.  Jordan tells me that's a little over 800 more miles than the California coastline.  Wow!

If you think of it, could you pray for our safety?  Out of 16 people on the houseboat, 11 of them are teenagers or "near"-teenagers...and specifically five are rambunctious teenage boys.  Those five even bought an extra wave runner this past week -  you can never have enough toys apparently.  Every year I thank God when we arrive home safe and sound without serious injury or loss of life.  I really do!  (Yup - I'm a mom.)

Signed,
Weer Awff