The Blog: Ministry, Music, Media
Trust in Faith posted on May 29, 2009
Trust and faith seem to go hand in hand - or do they? It would seem that in our culture we spend a great deal of time talking about what it is that we do not trust, so says the Reverend Natalie Scholl in our Faith Parenting Podcast this week. What can we trust, what is it that we do not trust? When do we entertain the notion of trust as a fruit of the spirit that is worth cultivating?
There is a song, We Need Each Other, from the CD, Good Deeds and Mustard Seeds, by Kidz Tunes. It talks about how good it is to rely on one other as the body of Christ. The theology could be as simple as this: if God lives in you, you are to trust that which God has given to you through God’s grace. If you trust that God has gifted God’s people through amazing love and abundant grace, then are we to trust in what God is doing through one another? Is this defined as the body of Christ in the Christian tradition? Does this make us trusting, trust exploring and trust-worthy?
This notion of trust in our faith journeys is a prayerful discussion I hope you have with your family, today.
Blessing for the common good, Pastor Robin
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Planting Things, Faith and Music posted on May 27, 2009
It is spring and in the northeastern USA where I live we have leaves on the trees, iris and lilacs in fragrant, purple bloom, and little green leaves springing up from the garden beds. I actually picked some swiss chard yesterday and threw it into the meal plan! God’s earth and seeds making bounty for sustenance is joyful! It just has a natural resonance, doesn’t it? In an effort to contribute to the common good with what we do here at CGR, how could music support the idea of how to help parents and care providers of children, continue to feed one another faithfully and well, swiss chard or not?
As parents, what if we tried to re-frame the notion of the vegetable garden as not only providing life-giving food, but also as a faithful response to good parenting that includes good modeling, exercise for adults and children and just plain fun as something we can do together? Planting a garden also reduces our personal carbon foot print and that sounds like faithful environmental stewardship. Check out this article from The Good Guide about reducing your carbon footprint through food. If you do not have a community garden opportunity or yard to dig up for some seeds, could you fill a one galleon container with dirt and tomato vines and /or arugula and leaf lettuce? This actually works, I have done it. Kids can pick the salad for dinner! Can you plant a pot or row of something this spring?
I know that many folks do not have the time to plant things, but can support farmers markets to get whole, fresh foods into the home which is also cool. Or perhaps you will try fruit and vegetable based vitamins, especially if your kids are challenged to get excited over chomping into an apple or carrot as a snack rather than salty, fried chips and soda. Been there, done that. And to be completely redundant, sometimes that salty packaged stuff is fine as occasional food (not as a staple).
Here is the CGR contribution: music. I wrote a song about this notion years ago and called it, Ick Ick Ick. The song is silly and speaks about getting sick to your stomach from junk food. It was a “Top Ten Hit” on the Radio AAhs hit list (the national, commercial, terrestrial radio network that was based in the Twin Cities - I hosted and produced the mid-morning show for a few years). So, music was supportive of healthy eating habits for children and their families. Listen for Ick Ick Ick from my, Rainbow In My Heart CD on CGR! And, listen for Jay Mankita’s good material about healthy eating habits in songs like, Try New Foods. His stuff is well produced and fun to sing along with! Music helps new ideas take root in family life!
Could this spring be the spring when you plant some seeds, introduce more whole foods and find support through music on CGR? Please let me know how the kids like digging in the dirt!
blessings for the common good, Pastor Robin
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Remembering Freedom posted on May 22, 2009
As I write this entry, I am aware that many of you in the USA are preparing for a holiday weekend. We celebrate what we call, Memorial Day.
It was originally a tribute to those who lost their lives fighting in the Civil War that eventually brought freedom and rights to people who lived in the USA but worked as slaves, were invisible and without rights or were just plain marginalized by the majority. In the new year of 2000, President Clinton signed “The National Moment of Remembrance Act.” This act calls on all Americans to pause at 3pm local time, to remember the people who’ve died fighting for the United States. I know that many of you have lost friends and relatives who have served this country in various capacities and lost their lives. We hope and pray that we honor their sacrifices as we enjoy the chance to relax with friends and family in a city park, backyard, beach or living room.
I join you in that effort, visiting family that I don’t see on a regular basis. And, relaxing.
My mother beats me in Scrabble whenever we get together, my daughter creates yummy food and I praise God. I am blessed. I feel free.
I hope you will listen for songs on CGR that speak to freedom. One song that comes to mind is: All For Freedom, by Sweet Honey in the Rock. It is simple, easy to learn and easy to sing with your children. “If you’re all for freedom, clap your hands..” I also like, Everybody Ought to Know, by the same vocal group. “Everybody ought to know - what freedom is.”
With so many families dealing with war, parents who are far away for months and months at a time, children confused by the policies created and wars declared by adults - perhaps a simple song this weekend from Sweet Honey in the Rock, is a good thing to share to honor, everyone.
For those of you who are listening from countries across the globe: Tunisia, Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Brazil, UK, France, South Africa, Bolivia, China, Australia, and so many more - welcome to you. Please let us know how freedoms are celebrated in your country?
What should we be lifting up that speaks to freedom across the planet?
blessings,
Pastor Robin
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Hoping for the Best: Violence in our World posted on May 21, 2009
I am sitting in an airport waiting for my flight to board watching CNN and the morning news, with very disturbing images illustrating police chases, alleged crimes and cops beating on a man thrown from a car. The man is not conscious and on the ground, nor is he innocent in his activities - the police cameras showed his clipping a cop as he drove to get away.
I am not judging anything or anyone - but just wondering what you do if the children are in the room and these real life violent images come on to the screen as you are listening for the news any TV broadcast news organization chooses to bring to the world? It is a challenging question for parents because you want to catch the news and you want your kids around you. It is just that you sometimes find the TV news to be not age appropriate for your children.
I also hear parents wanting to instill personal values of integrity, hope, peace and respect as important for the children and the family, so TV news seems to be at odds with this parenting goal and lifestyle. Explaining how adults behave badly to one another - or even more pointedly, violently to one another is a fear parents have like having to explain sex.
It is difficult and one is wise to be prepared for honest and real dialogue (depending on the age of the children).
I invite you to listen to the songs on CGR for clues to good discussions with your children. If you are interested in having your children engage in peaceful activities, you can find songs that support this idea. Listen for example to the Kids For Saving Earth theme songs: The KSE Promise Song.
This song (sung by kids) invites everyone to pledge to treat the earth like your home and to keep it healthy and beautiful. It is a peaceful thing, with action as the peace. It becomes a really good context for explaining and living into peaceful, compassionate activity with your kids. When you have a context for something, it makes the discussion more understandable for you and the kids.
So, if violence on TV is unavoidable, or you choose to have a discussion about how you feel about violence between people (and the planet), you might be ready because you have put some context in place through the music on CGR. Even in a world where graphic violence comes into your home through evening news television programming, we can hope for the best because we are prepared. We have prayed and sung songs of peace and love, compassion and grace!
Keep listening and keep singing! We can make things better, everyday.
blessings, Pastor Robin
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Children in Worship posted on May 20, 2009
Parents involved in faith communities and faith traditions, like you, want to share that faith with the children they love. It is soul-affirming when your children accept a life of faith and speak to the God of creation with love and hope - in prayer and life. As the parent, you are the primary nurturer of this faith journey for your children. When it goes well with ease, praise God! When the children begin to resist, many parents are perplexed and do not know what to do. Prayerfully, I suggest playing the music programming from CGR, can help. It brings faithfulness of many voices to the children in your life. These voices represent many lands, traditions, musical styles, and are the voices of children as well as adults. We pray that the hope we offer will speak to you and your children on your personal faith journey, together.
Another way to stay inspired rather than discouraged in your parenting faith journey, is by listening to our Faith Parenting podcast. This week, Rev. Dr. Joyce Ann Mercer brings a couple of tips to the table to help us. I like her suggestions of singing together at home (like she did with her kids) and involving the children in worship. Give a listen to her advice.
And, as you and the children are listening to CGR, keep in mind what songs you can sing together, in faith. If there is something that the kids really like to sing - sing it a lot. I like to think of music as praying, twice. Once for the words and once for the melody. I like it that children can use their whole breath and body to sing praise to the God who loves them. It is our hope and prayer that CGR is a tool of enrichment to the good and faithful work you are already doing.
Please let us know what some of your faith practices are at home that nurture the children you love.
blessings, Pastor Robin
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LIfe Affirming posted on May 16, 2009
Jesus said, “I came that you may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10)
What a great scripture passage! It is filled with hope and love. Each time I read or hear it, something different speaks to me.
At CGR, we have lots of music that speaks to life and the joy that the Creator takes in how we honor life. Listen for Linda Arnolds’s, Find a Peaceful Thought.
Ms. Arnold makes it peace personal, ‘find a peaceful thought, plant it in your heart, maybe then a peaceful world, will really start to grow’.
Children only know to make things personal - why not peaceful thoughts? Loving, life affirming, peaceful thoughts are faithful seeds to plant in the hearts and minds of the children we love. We can do this intentionally - and maybe our part of making things better will take root.
Life affirming music is here on CGR. What else can we play that will lift your spirit and make it soar in love?
with blessings,
Pastor Robin
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CGR , Odyssey Networks and Media Literacy posted on May 15, 2009
A big thanks to Odyssey Networks and how they offer tips, helps and hopes to the community of faith. These good folks have created a national religious website speaking to the nation’s largest coalition of Christian, Jewish and Muslim faith groups. All this past week, the website offered brief thought-provoking video messages each day to ask readers to enter into dialogue about media literacy as part of a faithful lifestyle. I was invited to host the conversation. Topics included: Video games versus homework, the evening news and your children, commercial advertising and the kids, and more.
My contributions were just a small part of the good work these folks at Odyssey Networks bring to the faithful. Please check it out, you will find much that is good and helpful on this site.
Media Literacy is part of what we do here on CGR. Helping children and their families navigate the media landscape is part of being a media literate person in a media society and we hope that by not hearing commercial advertising in between the songs on CGR, your family will hear the music for the sake of the music. Where the music takes your heart is up to you and part of the beauty listening to music offers. We delight with you that there is music in the world speaking to hope and all things good. We are grateful it matters to you as part of character and faith enrichment in your lives.
Beause we have no advertising revenue, we pay the bills on grants and donations. Help if you can.
I will write more on media literacy in the days to come, but for now, big thanks to The Faithstreams Community at Odyssey Networks.
blessings, Pastor Robin
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Mother’s Day! posted on May 10, 2009
Love it, can’t help it! Don’t want to help it!
Parenting is a blessing and privilege. It is not for everyone but indeed, for many.
If you have a mother, thank her, today.
If you are a mother, thank you from all of us.
If you are a single mother, double thanks for the good you are in the world to your children and others.
If you want to be a mother, praise God for you and bless you.
Let’s all pray for women who hold so much love in their souls for the children of their bodies and their hearts that if it were expressed out loud, the world would melt into an infinity of loving.
So, what if we just have to express this love a little everyday so the world can keep spinning and not just, melt? What if we have to work to pay the bills, grow the food, make the sandwiches, scrub stains off the knees of pants, and read bedtime stories - to eek out this love a little at a time? What if we have to drive someone to the first job interview, learn to cook for food allergies and teach songs for the school musical, to meet a need with our love? What if we have to go to bed exhausted but get up early to find clean socks for gym day and not forget to reach for the tooth under the pillow? What if we hold their tears, laugh with their joy, guide them to have their feelings, be respectful and compassionate while learning to trust the God of the universe in all things?
What if we understood the Creator loves them at least that much?
Happy Mother’s Day and God bless you,
Pastor Robin
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Honoring Mothers posted on May 8, 2009
Isn’t everyday Mother’s Day? I feel blessed everyday. And like you, I have stunning children…;-).
Early in my media life, I claimed a number of years in the television shopping industry as a TV shop host spending time on a variety of channels but most prominently on CVN before it was bought by QVC. I mention this only because as a consumer retailer, we lived by the calendar of things like, Mother’s Day. Big sales were expected in the weeks prior to these sorts of western culture holidays. I glanced at HSN and QVC on television last night just to make sure that selling stuff to honor mom was indeed in full swing. It is. I am glad people have jobs and we can give gifts to one another; I hope it does not replace real affection but perhaps expresses it.
How could we faithfully honor mothers (and fathers) not only for a special day of the year, but daily offer love, respect, thanks and prayer? Gold bracelets and golf clubs (and GPS’s or good books) are cool, but prayers and loving and being together is irreplaceable. Praise God!
This week at CGR, we are honoring mothers with a podcast from Marilyn Sharpe who is a mother and Christian Parenting educator with the Youth and Family Institute, Minneapolis, MN. Parents of any faith tradition will delight in Marilyn’s presentation of family rituals in ordinary moments. She has an energy and humor that is contagious, in a good way. Listen to her and let us know how her parenting tips made a difference for you.
And for those of you who pray for mothers everywhere to know the kind of joy and love you have in your family life, check out this report from, Save the Children. It appears that some countries offer support to mothers in their mothering, and others do not.
Sweden, Norway and Australia are the top three countries on the planet giving support and affirmation to mothers, Niger is where it seems to be the most challenging. The USA ranked at number twenty seven on a list that was 158 spots long. We have prayerful work that needs doing as we strive to be a loving human family on the planet.
You may not wish to make big purchases this year for Mom, but you can certainly honor your mother or a woman who has been loving to you by lifting a constant flow of thankful prayers to the God of creation. Lift those who suffer to be mothers. Whether you are a birth mother, grand mother, foster mother, adoptive mother or other mother, thank you. Praise God for you.
And thanks to Joselina, from Costa Rica, who sent us this picture of her mother and father and patience as a fruit of the spirit in her family!
With blessings, Pastor Robin
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Spring Day and Grassy Grass Grass posted on May 2, 2009
I just came in from yard work outside on a spring day, it is glorious. My hands smell like fresh dirt and cut grass.
Pulling weeds and trimming grass from the edges of the flower bed, I could not help but think to myself with a smile, Grassy grass grass….tree tree tree..! Perhaps you have heard Elizabeth Mitchell’s version of the Woody Guthrie song, Grassy grass grass, on CGR? If you have then you know it is, charming. I think her music is just charming and I hope you will listen for it here on CGR.
This particular little song was selected for the programming line-up because I like the way the beauty of the natural world could be tied so simply to a song that even the youngest listeners among us can appreciate. It is an easy way for parents to chant little things which involve the children in rhythm and vocabulary and invites them to see the beauty of creation with the sound of their voice and breath, as well as their eyes. Then when you hear it on CGR, you will be able to sing it, together!
If you have a spring day, smile and say, grassy grass grass…! Don’t be afraid to make up your own words to play with - blue blue flower, red red rose, brown little bird, and heaven knows!
blessings, Pastor Robin
http://www.youaremyflower.org is Elizabeth Mitchell’s website. It is charming, too.
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Arts as Faith Expression posted on May 1, 2009
I found an article through a friend on Reuters that speaks to people turning to music in hard times. Written by Aarthi Sivaraman, there is support for how people love having music in their lives.
“About 94 percent of the 1000 people who took part in the telephone poll said playing an instrument was relaxing, while 87 percent said music was a very important part of their lives.”
The article goes on to talk about the challenges of picking up an instrument, playing and exploring the music with your instrument as a partner in fun! I searched for the part about how you could sing anytime and anywhere - but it was missing! 
Sigh (yep, I am a singer). So, enjoy your music and sing. Sing with the songs on CGR, sing without CGR. Sing in worship, walking around, with friends, and at the ball park. I know folks who sing the blessing of the evening meal just to enjoy the moment as a singing family. This is a good idea.
Music is a blessing in good times, hard times, regular times. Listen, play, sing and enjoy this blessing. Music is a valid expression of faith for people of all ages, at all times.
What is your favorite song and what should we add to the music line-up on CGR?
Blessings, Pastor Robin
