Authenticity Resonates Well

The Swell Season just played at the Paramount this evening. My insides are still spinning. This is the second concert I have seen this week and this one, hands down, blew the other one out of the water, and I love the other band, I’ve seen them at the Triple Door three years in a row! There was something so Authentic about these two. Glen told stories that gave context to many of his songs. They had us sing along. They met a girl singing on the streets of Seattle today and asked her to play at their concert tonight… so she did!!!  He honored the Clancy Brothers, The Frames (his band before the Swell Season), a woman in an elevator with a blue coat, the woman up in the third tier who “opened up” to him and the entire audience, and he honored us, his audience… each with a song. He played one of his songs as he stepped away from all the mics… and the place was silent, you could have heard a pin drop. The Van Morrison song he played, made me nearly float, it was so amazing. The man can play a guitar!!! He broke strings on 3 guitars before the song was over!!! He told stories of real people in a way that you knew he valued them, not just the story he was telling about them. All of that was bonus… because then, they played their sweet music…. and all was well within me. …and did I mention the 6-song encore???? There is something so nice about seeing someone be who they are instead of putting on a show.

Sweet Google Doodle

 Go Grace Moon! Nice Doodle, even nicer explanation!!

A Beautiful Mess: Video Part One: Easter

A Beautiful Mess

011, originally uploaded by cynditabug.

At church this past Sunday, my friend Brenda and I painted on a canvas that had been painted on the week before by the whole congregation. Easter Sunday, we invited the people to come up and express themselves on a canvas with paint. You can see the whole stream of photos here. At the end of the service on Easter, we had a mess of a painting. Dean shared this Sunday about how God makes beauty out of our mess, and then we went into a time of worship where the band played and Brenda and I painted for about 25 minutes while the music played. I have no words for what happened during that time. I have not worshiped like that in a long time, or ever really in such a creative way. It was amazing to see God show up in such a way that literally felt like no one else was around. It was the first time either one of us had painted together or in front of anyone else. Normally neither one of us lets anyone see us painting. We looked at each other during this worship time and she whispered, “I’m not nervous at all” I agreed with her. We both were oblivious to the fact that anyone else was in the room. God just showed up. I can’t wait to do it again.

Texas Hold’em for Charity

So, I have this friend who always has super ideas…. AND follow through! Rarely does one person have both, but this friend does!! Every year, at Christmas time,  she and her husband host a Texas Hold’em tournament for Charity. They invite a bunch of people over and everyone brings food. We eat dinner together, then the games begin. In order to come, you have to bring a toy or a coat for a local organization who gives gifts to kids at Christmastime. And in order to play poker, you buy in at $10 per person. There are usually a few tables going at the same time, then the winners of each table play each other, etc. until there is one winner… This person gets to give the grand total of the buy-in to their favorite charity. Last night the guy who won, gave the total to Children’s Hospital!! Everyone comes with info on their charity, to share with everyone else!! She draws names every half hour and gives party gifts to the chosen name. To top it off… there is a prize at the end of the night for the 1st and 2nd place winners of the tournament.

 It’s a great time, great idea, and a fun way to give to others at Christmas!!