12.11.08 Birthday Cake And Ache

For Gabriella’s birthday this year, Becky baked…

I frosted…

Gabriella designed and decorated…

And Penelope licked assisted.

I’m not old enough to have an eight year-old am I?  I don’t feel so good. And I suddenly have the urge to dye my hair and buy a sports car.  Something red.

(This is the cake you dream up, by the way, when your sugar intake is severely limited by mom and dad the rest of the year.)

12.10.08 Aw Shucks

CMCentral (That’s Christian Music Central) has declared this here blog of mine the #1 Artist Blog of 2008.  This is quite a bit more meaningful than CMCentral may realize. You see, I’m the Susan Lucci of Christian Music, having been nominated for 7 - count ‘em, 7 Dove Awards - and never given the bird...I mean, the Dove.

But I’ve had my speech written since the first nominations in 2001.  Now’s probably the best and only time I’ll have to use that so here it goes…

Ahem.

Thank you. It’s an honor to be nominated alongside Zoe Girl, Sara Groves (no relation), Joy Williams and Downhere tonight for New Artist of the Year.  And this is a very important award. It’s the only one Mercy Me isn’t nominated for.  (pause for laughter) But also, if one day the inconceivable happens and my record label goes under and radio stations stop playing my music and retailers don’t recognize me when I come into their stores to shop for a Christmas present - if one dark day all that happens, at least I’ll have this award to prove that Jesus loves me and so do a lot of people currently employed by my publisher, distributor and record label.  So thank you. Thank you very much.

On second thought, this really isn’t so much an award as a list so I take all that speech stuff back.  I simply want to say thank you.  It’s an honor to be listed.  And quite unexpected to be #1.  Thanks, guys. Seriously, thank you.

12.10.08 Sheltered?

I rarely mention that we homeschool our kids.  This is primarily because I want you to like me and, let’s face it, home schoolers are one of the few groups it’s OK (and easy) to make fun of these days.  Two words folks: Denim jumper.

I also don’t mention it much because I have my doubts about homeschooling for two reasons.  You see, we homeschool mostly because if we didn’t, with my schedule, I’d never see my kids.  We’re not anti any other kind of schooling.  At all.  And I sometimes wonder if homeschooling is worth the work if you’re not doing it to avoid something really scary.  Like prom or organized sports.

Secondly, I have some very bright friends, excellent parents, who express their concern that by homeschooling I’m sheltering my kids.  I’m sheltering them from “real life,” I’m told, from meeting people with an entirely different world view from them.  I’m taking from them the opportunity to hear viewpoints that differ from those of their family and I’m robbing them of the opportunity to make the difficult but necessary decision to believe and behave differently from those around them.

And I buy this.  I totally get it.  And it’s worried me. Until yesterday.

My two oldest go to this co-op thing two days a week called an “academy.” It’s really just a place to be with other (homeschooled) kids, learn to take instruction from someone other than mom and dad, and do things you can only do in a group...like put on a Christmas musical.

Before the musical started yesterday, we were all told by the MC that its writers had no idea when they wrote it that “at the end of 2008 America’s political climate would change the way it has.” And then the lights dimmed and the heartwarming story of an “homogenous” and “politically correct” America celebrating “the holiday” in the year 2058 began.

In the story, only a few Christians knew anything about Jesus, Joseph and Mary.  Christianity was illegal. These few had the tough job of convining the highest government official they could access - a mayor with a British accent - to “worship the Father” and make him “Lord” of his life.  Which he did after a little finger pointing, pounding on his desk, and a protest in a city park involving a Christmas tree and a handful of kids gathering to take back the country for Jesus.  Also, they got the biggest newspaper in town to cover the protest.  Also, my kids sang two songs.  Also, it was a very well written and acted little production. I even teared up a little once.  Seriously.

Then the MC came out again and told us to say “Merry Christmas” to anyone who greets us with “Happy Holidays” this year and told us that America is becoming increasingly more European and increasingly more “evil” - two things that apparently go hand in hand.  Then we were reminded to “speak out” and “stand up.” She said this is being a light in the darkness. If we don’t do this, she said, we could lose Christmas altogether.

It was at that moment I realized I’m doing something to my children as dangerous as exposing them to a bunch of public schoolers with cable in their bedrooms and swear words in their mouths. I’m exposing my children to American Constantinian Evangelicalism.  And daily they have to choose what they believe, they have to remain calm and confident, while being taught by (some) folks who believe the sky is falling faster now that Barak Obama is heading for the Whitehouse.  Living in the Bible belt, that’s about as real world as an education can get my friends.

Here’s hoping they remember the Christ born under Roman rule to the powerless and persecuted, and the Church throughout the world that has weathered darker days than these.

12.07.08 Six Feet, Three Voices, One Show

With only nine stops on the Gloria! Christmas Tour this year, odds are you won’t be seein’ it.  Well, despair not.  Here’s a peak at the show’s fantabulous finale.

(Sorry it’s a bit grainy.  Webcams just aren’t what they should be ya know?)

Gloria! Christmas Tour from Shaun Groves on Vimeo.

And here’s a link to the show’s remaining tour stops.  Hope to see you there.  (Bring your dancin’ shows.  Obviously.)

(HT:EY)

12.06.08 Feelin’ Manley

I woke up this morning in the parking lot of Manley Baptist Church in Morristown, Tennessee.  On a tour bus in the parking lot of Manley Baptist Church.

Outside a few snow flakes drifted through the air.  The grass crunched beneath my feet.

The church sign announced the arrival of Travis Cottrell, Cindy Morgan and some guy named Shaun Grove while cars buzzed past and on through the busy intersection.

Good morning, Morristow.  I love you too.

------------------

No live broadcast from the concert tonight.  No Wi-Fi in the church.