Good evening all,
I thought I'd make mention of a new video clip that I've uploaded to my YouTube site.
My friends and I had the awesome privilege of leading a time of corporate worship this past weekend at the Calgary Dream Centre. Several Messianic congregations from across Alberta, as well as a representation from the Calgary Christian community, joined together for a night of exuberant praise and worship in celebration of the feast of Shavuot (Pentecost). The whole evening was charged with joy and celebration. It was a very special time. To see young and old from many different cultures and backgrounds, all joined together in praise and dance before the Lord was so touching. What a foretaste of what is to come when all nations, tribes and tongues stand before the throne and glorify the Lamb together!
Hope you enjoy this clip.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
The Fragrance of Spring
Hi Friends,
Spring has finally arrived in my fair city, and I couldn't be happier about the fact. After a barrage of snowstorms in April and early May, the present weather seems all the more wonderful. The apple trees and cherry bushes are now in full bloom and are filling the city with a fragrance delicately sweet and refreshing, both to the senses and to the soul.
Spring is the season of new life. Everything that lay dormant, bare and frozen, miraculously transforms into greenery, blooms and buds. It reminds me of what God desires us to have: life, and life abundantly (John 10:10). And what is life, but to know HIM -- our creator, our shepherd, our Abba Father. He wants us to know His nearness, like the warmth of the afternoon sun upon the face. He desires that we join with the songs of the joyful assembly of angels and saints gathered around the throne, just as the red-winged blackbirds, robins and house finches chime in sweet and ever-praising chorus outside my window. He wants to refresh us with His presence like the morning dew distilling on tender buds.
Oh Lord, how I desire YOUR life! Refresh the hearts of your saints, especially those who have been long enduring a spiritual winter, with your life-giving Spirit.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Music Therapy Stories: Part II
Heart Surgery
A few years ago, some friends and I were invited to lead worship at a conference in Calgary. Two of us from the team were being billeted by a lovely couple from the host congregation. The gentleman had been expressing to us throughout the weekend how he and his wife had been enduring a very difficult few months. They were dealing with many issues so common to life in the twenty-first century: workplace stresses, time pressures, busy schedules, and most unfortunately, some strained friendships. It had left the couple very weary in body, soul and spirit.
My fellow musician and I decided that, when the conference was over, we would take our instruments and provide a little private "concert" for this couple in their own home. So, the Sunday morning following the conference, we did just that. While the husband performed culinary magic in the kitchen (I have never tasted a better omelette), and the wife sat quietly at the dining room table, we serenaded them with a mixture of worship songs and spontaneous music. We gave it our very all - just the same as if we would have had an audience of two thousand, rather than two. It was such a blessing to see this couple "drink in" the presence of the Lord and enjoy the ministry of the music and lyrics. Tears streamed down the wife's cheeks. When breakfast was ready to eat, and we had finished playing, the husband said to us, "You have no idea what you have done. I feel like the Lord has done heart surgery."
Another one of those "eureka" moments. I was so blessed and excited to have been able to make a difference in their life. What else in life really matters, except seeing the Lord's hand move upon others in His goodness and love? Nothing material could ever compare to that.
A few years ago, some friends and I were invited to lead worship at a conference in Calgary. Two of us from the team were being billeted by a lovely couple from the host congregation. The gentleman had been expressing to us throughout the weekend how he and his wife had been enduring a very difficult few months. They were dealing with many issues so common to life in the twenty-first century: workplace stresses, time pressures, busy schedules, and most unfortunately, some strained friendships. It had left the couple very weary in body, soul and spirit.
My fellow musician and I decided that, when the conference was over, we would take our instruments and provide a little private "concert" for this couple in their own home. So, the Sunday morning following the conference, we did just that. While the husband performed culinary magic in the kitchen (I have never tasted a better omelette), and the wife sat quietly at the dining room table, we serenaded them with a mixture of worship songs and spontaneous music. We gave it our very all - just the same as if we would have had an audience of two thousand, rather than two. It was such a blessing to see this couple "drink in" the presence of the Lord and enjoy the ministry of the music and lyrics. Tears streamed down the wife's cheeks. When breakfast was ready to eat, and we had finished playing, the husband said to us, "You have no idea what you have done. I feel like the Lord has done heart surgery."
Another one of those "eureka" moments. I was so blessed and excited to have been able to make a difference in their life. What else in life really matters, except seeing the Lord's hand move upon others in His goodness and love? Nothing material could ever compare to that.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Success!
Hi everyone!
As you can see by the "Buy the Album" link in the righthand column of this blog, Voice of Many Waters is now available to order online! Yay! The digital tracks don't seem to be available for download quite yet, but I imagine they will be within the next few days, as I just approved them yesterday. You can click on the "Buy the Album" button to preview, purchase, or to view my artist bio on CDBaby.com. Also, if you alrady have the CD and would like to leave a review, I'd be most appreciative! (Find the review section underneath the album notes) You'll have to create a CDBaby login name and password, but that's not such a bad thing -- you'll have access to a lot of great independent music by doing so. :)
Have a great day!
Melissa
As you can see by the "Buy the Album" link in the righthand column of this blog, Voice of Many Waters is now available to order online! Yay! The digital tracks don't seem to be available for download quite yet, but I imagine they will be within the next few days, as I just approved them yesterday. You can click on the "Buy the Album" button to preview, purchase, or to view my artist bio on CDBaby.com. Also, if you alrady have the CD and would like to leave a review, I'd be most appreciative! (Find the review section underneath the album notes) You'll have to create a CDBaby login name and password, but that's not such a bad thing -- you'll have access to a lot of great independent music by doing so. :)
Have a great day!
Melissa
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Eternity
Today as I went about my daily routine, I was pondering one of those subjects that will never be grasped by the mind of man: eternity. Lately, I've been finding myself thinking more and more about this mysterious reality -- that God has always existed, exists, and will always exist. I'm sure there aren't many who would not join me in saying that the thought short-circuits the intellect, and I find myself mentally spinning my wheels trying to grasp it. Perhaps what got me on this line of thinking was a quick e-mail from my brother, who is currently on vacation in South America, where the night sky is one of the darkest (that is, the stars most visible) on earth. In his short message, he noted that the incredible light given off by the centre of the Milky Way directly overhead was so bright that it casts shadows. "It really gives a person a sense of their place in the universe. I was at a loss for words really," was his actual statement. In our teenage years, he and I used to spend hours upon hours stargazing in the darkness of the great white north, and my reaction was always the same: complete and utter awe and wonder.
I've been thinking also, how as a child, I used to be afraid of eternity. Ecclesiastes says that God has placed eternity in our hearts. Deep down, we all know that there is more to life than the years we spend in this mortal body. Even for those who are saved by the Messiah's precious blood, who know that they will spend eternity in God's presence, the thought is still just so, well, BIG. Our minds are finite, and to try to comprehend something never ending, even something so magnificent, is impossible.
Lately, though, I find that deep within my spirit something is longing for this true reality -- to dwell with God, apart from the confines and of time and the limitations of this fragile tent that we call our mortal body. Perhaps it is the fact that there is just so much I want to do, and time always seems to be a hindering factor. There are moments of inspiration and joy that come, where you just want to linger and linger...but the next duty calls and you must abandon them. As an example, I spent my lunchbreak a few days ago at a local park. The sun was shining for the first time in a long time, and the presence of the Lord as I sat in my car and prayed, was sweet. Alas, I had to leave that precious kairos moment because I had to return to the office. I felt so sad, and in that moment, my longing for eternity grew just a little. It grows a little more every day.
I'm starting to grasp that one day, when the veil of this present world is lifted, the REAL reality will shine forth in glory -- the Glory of the Lamb, who was, who is, and who is coming again. No more tears, no more pain, no more sickness. No more limits. Clothed in the hope of the resurrection -- a new, incorruptible body:
1John 3:2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
I like to dream about the possibilities now, rather than being overwhelmed by the thought. I have all eternity to discover the Lord's goodness. All eternity to bask in His presence and in the fellowship of the saints (which is a wonderful thought indeed, for it seems the busyness of modern life has made the true fellowship rare). All eternity to enjoy the incredible beauty of the new creation, which must be beyond my ability to fathom in its loveliness. And maybe, just maybe, I will be able to learn new musical instruments and write all the music I want to without having to worry about needing to be in bed by 11 p.m. lest I ruin my health ;-)
Maranatha!
I've been thinking also, how as a child, I used to be afraid of eternity. Ecclesiastes says that God has placed eternity in our hearts. Deep down, we all know that there is more to life than the years we spend in this mortal body. Even for those who are saved by the Messiah's precious blood, who know that they will spend eternity in God's presence, the thought is still just so, well, BIG. Our minds are finite, and to try to comprehend something never ending, even something so magnificent, is impossible.
Lately, though, I find that deep within my spirit something is longing for this true reality -- to dwell with God, apart from the confines and of time and the limitations of this fragile tent that we call our mortal body. Perhaps it is the fact that there is just so much I want to do, and time always seems to be a hindering factor. There are moments of inspiration and joy that come, where you just want to linger and linger...but the next duty calls and you must abandon them. As an example, I spent my lunchbreak a few days ago at a local park. The sun was shining for the first time in a long time, and the presence of the Lord as I sat in my car and prayed, was sweet. Alas, I had to leave that precious kairos moment because I had to return to the office. I felt so sad, and in that moment, my longing for eternity grew just a little. It grows a little more every day.
I'm starting to grasp that one day, when the veil of this present world is lifted, the REAL reality will shine forth in glory -- the Glory of the Lamb, who was, who is, and who is coming again. No more tears, no more pain, no more sickness. No more limits. Clothed in the hope of the resurrection -- a new, incorruptible body:
1John 3:2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
I like to dream about the possibilities now, rather than being overwhelmed by the thought. I have all eternity to discover the Lord's goodness. All eternity to bask in His presence and in the fellowship of the saints (which is a wonderful thought indeed, for it seems the busyness of modern life has made the true fellowship rare). All eternity to enjoy the incredible beauty of the new creation, which must be beyond my ability to fathom in its loveliness. And maybe, just maybe, I will be able to learn new musical instruments and write all the music I want to without having to worry about needing to be in bed by 11 p.m. lest I ruin my health ;-)
Maranatha!
Almost there!
Hi friends,
I received an e-mail from CD Baby today saying that they have received my discs. I'm very glad that it only took a week for them to arrive, as opposed to what the post office told me (up to two weeks!). So, within the next 5 days or so, Voice of Many Waters should be available for download and physical purchase. For those of you who haven't heard clips, you will be able to preview individual tracks there as well. I'll post a link to that page as soon as it is available. (For those of you in Canada, you can still e-mail me to order a physical copy. You'll probably receive it more quickly if I send it to you, as opposed to it going through the U.S. Postal System!).
I'm also hoping upload some singles from my home-released albums by next week sometime. I've done a few small-run (50 - 200 copies) albums that have always sold out in quick time, so I figure it might be a good idea to make the favorite tracks from those discs available to a wider audience. As much as I love making personalized CDs (and will continue to do so, as the Lord leads and inspires), it's so much easier to distribute electronically should more people desire to hear the music! I just have to do a little touch-up and mastering on those tracks, and then I'll start uploading.
As a note, all of the music that is available on CDBaby will also be available on Amazon and iTunes in due course.
In closing, I'd like to thank all of you who have sent e-mails of encouragement and support this last week. You have no idea how much your words mean to me!
Thanks,
Melissa
I received an e-mail from CD Baby today saying that they have received my discs. I'm very glad that it only took a week for them to arrive, as opposed to what the post office told me (up to two weeks!). So, within the next 5 days or so, Voice of Many Waters should be available for download and physical purchase. For those of you who haven't heard clips, you will be able to preview individual tracks there as well. I'll post a link to that page as soon as it is available. (For those of you in Canada, you can still e-mail me to order a physical copy. You'll probably receive it more quickly if I send it to you, as opposed to it going through the U.S. Postal System!).
I'm also hoping upload some singles from my home-released albums by next week sometime. I've done a few small-run (50 - 200 copies) albums that have always sold out in quick time, so I figure it might be a good idea to make the favorite tracks from those discs available to a wider audience. As much as I love making personalized CDs (and will continue to do so, as the Lord leads and inspires), it's so much easier to distribute electronically should more people desire to hear the music! I just have to do a little touch-up and mastering on those tracks, and then I'll start uploading.
As a note, all of the music that is available on CDBaby will also be available on Amazon and iTunes in due course.
In closing, I'd like to thank all of you who have sent e-mails of encouragement and support this last week. You have no idea how much your words mean to me!
Thanks,
Melissa
Monday, May 10, 2010
Music Therapy Series
I'd like to start a series of posts about my experiences with the healing power of music. I already have quite a few stories to draw from...hence the need for a series! I'm sharing these stories in the hopes that they might inspire you to use whatever gifts God has given you to reach out to others. One of my gifts happens to be music. Yours might be carpentry, accounting, filmmaking, or janitorial prowess. Whatever it is - use it well, and use it for Him!
--------------------------------------------------------
Story One: Car Accident Victim
Two years ago, on a stormy December evening, I got one of those telephone calls that everyone fears they might get at some point in their life. A friend's mother had been in a severe car accident, and was clinging to life in the Intensive Care Unit. The prognosis was not good. Needless to say, when I hung up the phone, the first thing I did was pray. The second thing I did was ask myself, "What can I do, Lord?"
Having been placed on the visitor list, I arrived the next afternoon in the ICU, not knowing what to expect. Although I have worked in healthcare for seven years, and have been at the bedsides of very sick and dying patients, I was not prepared for the state in which my friend lay. She was swollen and bruised beyond recognition, hemovac drains coming out of her chest, intubated and on assisted respiration. What's worse, when I arrived, she was in distress. (I was actually a little surprised that the medical staff attending her allowed me to enter the room!)
I came to her bedside and started talking to her softly, in the hopes that her spirit would understand, despite all of the medications. As I watched her vital signs monitor, it was evident that her pulse was extremely elevated, her repiration rate was all over the map and her oxygen saturation was below normal. She was moving as much as she could in the bed, in a very agitated and uncomfortable manner, and the look of sheer terror on her wide-open eyes was one I will never forget. She had no idea what was going on or what had happened to her.
Speaking to her did not seem to be making much of an impact. I took her hand, and began to hum some simple melodies. She began to calm slightly. Then I began to sing softly -- whatever came to my heart, whether it be sponatenous Scriptures, or worship choruses. The transformation was incredible. Within the span of twenty minutes, her pulse, respiration rate and oxygen sats had stabilized. Not only that, she now lay calmly in her bed with her eyes closed, and as I kept singing, tears started rolling down her cheeks and she began squeezing my hand. It was one of the most remarkable experiences of my life. I left the ICU that afternoon praising God and thinking, "Lord, this is what I was born to do."
As a note, the lady in this story made a full recovery from her injuries! Hallelujah!
--------------------------------------------------------
Story One: Car Accident Victim
Two years ago, on a stormy December evening, I got one of those telephone calls that everyone fears they might get at some point in their life. A friend's mother had been in a severe car accident, and was clinging to life in the Intensive Care Unit. The prognosis was not good. Needless to say, when I hung up the phone, the first thing I did was pray. The second thing I did was ask myself, "What can I do, Lord?"
Having been placed on the visitor list, I arrived the next afternoon in the ICU, not knowing what to expect. Although I have worked in healthcare for seven years, and have been at the bedsides of very sick and dying patients, I was not prepared for the state in which my friend lay. She was swollen and bruised beyond recognition, hemovac drains coming out of her chest, intubated and on assisted respiration. What's worse, when I arrived, she was in distress. (I was actually a little surprised that the medical staff attending her allowed me to enter the room!)
I came to her bedside and started talking to her softly, in the hopes that her spirit would understand, despite all of the medications. As I watched her vital signs monitor, it was evident that her pulse was extremely elevated, her repiration rate was all over the map and her oxygen saturation was below normal. She was moving as much as she could in the bed, in a very agitated and uncomfortable manner, and the look of sheer terror on her wide-open eyes was one I will never forget. She had no idea what was going on or what had happened to her.
Speaking to her did not seem to be making much of an impact. I took her hand, and began to hum some simple melodies. She began to calm slightly. Then I began to sing softly -- whatever came to my heart, whether it be sponatenous Scriptures, or worship choruses. The transformation was incredible. Within the span of twenty minutes, her pulse, respiration rate and oxygen sats had stabilized. Not only that, she now lay calmly in her bed with her eyes closed, and as I kept singing, tears started rolling down her cheeks and she began squeezing my hand. It was one of the most remarkable experiences of my life. I left the ICU that afternoon praising God and thinking, "Lord, this is what I was born to do."
As a note, the lady in this story made a full recovery from her injuries! Hallelujah!
Progress
Now that I've welcomed you all, here's the pertinent news:
I'm making great progress on my website. It's been a while since I've built a website (and I was never an expert to begin with...), so it seems every few years I need to refresh my memory on WYSIWYG editors and HTML... Lord willing, I'm hoping to have the site live by the beginning of June at the latest!
Progress is also being made toward having my music available for purchase online through CDBaby. Stay tuned! For now, you can still view my videos at www.youtube.com/VOMWMusic
The last few weeks have seen a lot of really late nights in front of the computer getting all of this online stuff figured out. It really is time consuming, isn't it? I'm anxious to get it all finished and to return to pouring all of that energy into composing and playing. It's been my heart's desire, ever since I purchased my King David harp last spring, to produce a new CD focused on this beautiful instrument. Not only that, but everyone's been asking for one! It's been four years since I released Voice of Many Waters, and I've had many inquiries on when my next album is coming out. I've given out many homemade discs in those four years, and composed a LOT of music (from solo piano, to harp, to vocals, to orchestral style music, to silly children's songs)...but the time has come to focus on a unified collection of music -- something more professionally produced. In the meantime, you can sample some of my homemade and quickly-captured ideas in the ReverbNation player on this blog.
Well, back to work...!
I'm making great progress on my website. It's been a while since I've built a website (and I was never an expert to begin with...), so it seems every few years I need to refresh my memory on WYSIWYG editors and HTML... Lord willing, I'm hoping to have the site live by the beginning of June at the latest!
Progress is also being made toward having my music available for purchase online through CDBaby. Stay tuned! For now, you can still view my videos at www.youtube.com/VOMWMusic
The last few weeks have seen a lot of really late nights in front of the computer getting all of this online stuff figured out. It really is time consuming, isn't it? I'm anxious to get it all finished and to return to pouring all of that energy into composing and playing. It's been my heart's desire, ever since I purchased my King David harp last spring, to produce a new CD focused on this beautiful instrument. Not only that, but everyone's been asking for one! It's been four years since I released Voice of Many Waters, and I've had many inquiries on when my next album is coming out. I've given out many homemade discs in those four years, and composed a LOT of music (from solo piano, to harp, to vocals, to orchestral style music, to silly children's songs)...but the time has come to focus on a unified collection of music -- something more professionally produced. In the meantime, you can sample some of my homemade and quickly-captured ideas in the ReverbNation player on this blog.
Well, back to work...!
First Post
Hi Friends,
Welcome to my official blog. I am new to this online world, so please be patient with me as I fiddle with all of the features to get the blog looking the way I want it to!
I hope to use this site to keep everyone up to date on any news related to my musical and artistic endeavours. But, because I'm also a prolific writer and a deep thinker, you might see the occasional (or frequent) posting totally unrelated to music or art -- perhaps meditations on nature, the Scriptures, or life in general. I'll play it by ear... (no musical pun intended) ;)
Blessings,
Melissa
Welcome to my official blog. I am new to this online world, so please be patient with me as I fiddle with all of the features to get the blog looking the way I want it to!
I hope to use this site to keep everyone up to date on any news related to my musical and artistic endeavours. But, because I'm also a prolific writer and a deep thinker, you might see the occasional (or frequent) posting totally unrelated to music or art -- perhaps meditations on nature, the Scriptures, or life in general. I'll play it by ear... (no musical pun intended) ;)
Blessings,
Melissa
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