Tuesday, June 30, 2009

and the beat goes on.....

So, I'm sitting in the office with the fan blowing on me, and Luke has his electric guitar plugged into the computer speakers next to me and is playing fabulous stuff like: "Close to Me" from the Carpenters, "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding. We've decided to try a couple of new numbers on Saturday at our concert in Liedolsheim. Luke will play guitar on those songs instead of cajon. What a fun son I have!!!!
The CVJM Lädle in Liedolsheim is celebrating it's 20th birthday on the Fourth of July. Now, that is a great reason to celebrate. And the 4th of July being a huge American Independance Day celebration, I'm looking for something red, white, and blue to wear for the concert. :)
I've been sick with the flu. 39.8° fever over the weekend. Very sore throat, achy joints, cough, etc. etc. You know how it is. But (drum roll) was it the swine flu? I guess we'll know in a few weeks time if I give birth to piglets.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

I wonder.....


On the day that Michael Jackson and Farah Fawcett died, my dog, Mokka, made friends with a hedgehog that had wandered into our back garden. Watching the two of them together made me think about people. Some people have spikes on the outside to protect their soft insides. This often hurts other people. Other people have soft outsides and spikes on the inside that hurt themselves.
Is it possible in this world to be soft on the outside AND on the inside?

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Luke sings


When we record at Kangaroo Studio we, the singers, are downstairs and Florian, the producer, is upstairs. We are connected to each other through closed-circuit television. He can see us, but we can't see him. It can make for some interesting moments!
Yesterday Luke, our 17 year old son, recorded for the first time. Here is a picture of what we saw up in the control room. After his first take, he was smiling from ear to ear and he was very pumped with the thrill of it all.
Florian thinks that Luke sounds like Paul Young. Could be worse!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Inner Sanctum

Eddie and I just got home from the studio in Karlsdorf. We are recording a new duet album! And Florian Sitzmann is producing the album. His amazing arrangements are what make this album so special. He weaves my voice in with Eddie's and out comes this surprising mix of pop and classic. The recording is coming along very well. We are SUPER excited about it.
Tonight, for the first time, our son, Luke (17) sang in the studio. He sang the third voice on "How Deep the Father's Love For Us" After getting over his nerves he did a really good job. And, perhaps not surprising, our 3 voices blend together really well.
I'll try to keep you posted about the development of our new album: INNER SANCTUM

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

last weekend in Zieglersche Anstalten

I'm still so full of impressions from last weekend. Heiko Bräuning invited me and Florian to come to Wilhelmsdorf for several performances.
Saturday night we did the music for a reading by Rainer Haak. What a lovely man! He is a Christian author and has sold something like 8 milliion books. He told stories of beautiful things that people do voluntarily. Time, deeds, money, given to help someone in need. His book "Lust auf Menschlichkeit" is full of these stories.
Sunday morning was a big old worship service in a big old tent. There were about 600-800 people there. I couldn't count that high, so I don't know how many people were there. We sang 3 songs for that service. It is sooooo hard for me to sing in the mornings! But it was a great experience.
Sunday afternoon we recorded 4 songs for a TV show that Heiko Bräuning will be doing starting this fall. Maybe on Bibel TV? I'm not sure.
And Sunday evening Florian and I did a concert in a church on the highest point over the Bodensee (Höchsten) for a small exclusive public. Among the guests were about 50 ladies who are in rehab for alcoholism at the clinic. They were fiery gals! They sang, and clapped and some even got up on their chairs. But they also listened so quietly and intensely. One lady told me a little of her struggle with alcohol. My heart goes out to these women. But the fact that they have reached this clinic with its' excellent staff and facilities is certainly a huge step in overcoming their dependency problems. Several of them bought Lifelines. They also believe that even if they aren't perfect in every way, they can be beautiful. And they were!

Lifelines


You do know that I make a line of jewelry called Lifelines. They have a beginning and an end and lots of surprises in between, just like real life. And each Lifeline has an imperfect bead in it. Because I believe that although we might be imperfect, we are still beautiful. That's what God has taught me. And is teaching lots of other women, too.
Thank you, God!
You can see some other Lifelines at www.lifelines-caegauntt.de

Monday, June 22, 2009

here goes.....

I am slightly handicapped at doing such computer things like this- I am over 45! But, by popular demand, I will do my best to let you, my visitor, take part in some of my life.
This past weekend was a doozy. Florian Sitzmann and I did the music for a reading by a German christian author named Rainer Haak. A very pleasant man with loads of stories about how wonderful people give voluntarily of their time and money .
Then Sunday morning we musicked for a big worship service held in a tent. Then recorded 4 songs for a television show to be aired in the fall. And then, to end the weekend, we had a concert in a cute ilttle chapel Kapelle auf dem Höchsten, which has a view of the Bodensee that you wouldn't believe!
I'm glad today is Monday. Home to rest and relax and take inventory and thank God for his blessings. S'isch Gnad!