You may or may not recall me mentioning the small group I’m involved with; I’ve blogged about them before. My observations today are less spiritual than, well, random, I guess. Anyway, as small as we are, I’m noticing a disturbing trend.

There’s only about ten of us all together, five couples made up of seemingly run of the mill people, nothing extraordinary about us that I can see. But in the past month or so, two of the women have fallen down their stairs at home, one breaking her wrist and the other her shoulder. The second was just the other day, and I heard the news from a brother who was golfing with her husband when he got the call that an ambulance was taking his wife to the hospital. I appreciated him letting me know, as he assumed I’d be wanting to take the family some meals, lift them in prayer, bear a part of their burden in some practical way. And I would have. If I wasn’t laid up from a recent arm surgery at the time. Yup, as Nancy was tumbling down her front staircase I was having a large cyst dug out of my upper arm, complete with smoke rising from my shoulder as the doctor cauterized my veins. (I only mention that part because it looked so cool. I even thought it was cool until later that night when I dropped to the couch for the next 40 hours).

Well, no worries, I’d just call another sister to take up the slack. Sounded good until she answered the phone in a strange croak, not unlike a rabid frog. Yup, sick with the flu and recovering from her own colonscopy. See what I mean? A bit spooky, I’d say.

Yes, there’s still one woman left still standing to make dinner and represent. But the problem is I’d have to climb a flight of stairs to get to the phone. A girl really can’t be too careful these days, you know.

A lot of trends start in Hollywood, and that ain’t necessarily a good thing. I watched a TV report this morning, complete with a pictorial array of ‘stars,’ on how famous unmarried parents have helped to coin a new word into the popular lexicon: baby daddy. Apparently that’s how you introduce your baby’s father when you’re unwed. “Please meet Henry, my baby daddy.” Creepy on a number of levels.

But I’m also picking up on another slowly developing rise of events that may or may not be something to worry about. When I read this morning about the depression struggles of Fall Out boy frontman Pete Wentz, and his newly revealed suicide attempt, it brought to mind the more highly publicized troubles this past fall of popular actor Owen Wilson, and a tiny alarm went off in the pit of my stomach…or the back of my mind… same thing. I wondered… is this too a trend that could reach into popular culture?

You think I’m making a mountain out of a molehill? Who could have foreseen 25 years ago the number of teenaged girls who would willfully starve themselves to the point of death to emulate celebrities? Stranger things have happened, unfortunately. And the briefest of searches on celebrity suicide attempts quickly turns up a surprisingly long and diverse list, including Halle Berry, Donna Summer, Greg Louganis, Drew Carey, Mike Wallace, Elizabeth Taylor, Robert Young, Adam Ant, Tai Babilonia, Drew Barrymore, Danny Bonaduce, and Johnny Cash, among many, many others. Some were more serious than others, but all were confessed by the celebrities themselves as sincere desires to end life at the time.

It brought to my mind a remark made to me yesterday in an interview with talented, upbeat indie performer Alyce Metallo. She mentioned to me that there needs to be more songs that tell the truth about the world’s need for a savior, songs with a clear-cut gospel message. I found it a provocative thought, and wasn’t completely clear just how much I agreed with her at that moment. This morning’s news, and the recent rumblings of my stomach/mind, make me wonder anew.

‘Tis a season of change, around CMCentral, Salem Publishing, and in the music industry at large. But say it with me, people: change is good. This is one that I think we will all enjoy anyway.

The present review scoring system was one I inherited upon my arrival as Editor of CMCentral a year ago. I never liked it, the readers never liked it, and I can only imagine that the artists found it confusing as well. But when questions were raised and sturdy arguments voiced against said system, the benefits of the 1-100 points were presented as a done deal. If it was good enough for grade schoolers, it was good enough for us.

Well, readers, let the church bells chime and the people flood the streets in joy, for the system, she is gone. In the wind. Out of gas. No more. The good people at Salem Publishing have allowed us to move into the 21st century with a new review score system, one that imparts information in a manner easily grasped. A review, at its heart, is simply an opinion, after all. I try to do a general run through of an album’s significant moments, but what I find significant may be quite different than what you find significant, and I recognize that not everyone is sitting on the edge of their seats with bated breath waiting for my opinion to drop from the heights. So a simple icon might present the general sense of a review in a quick, easily accessed format. A 5 star system will be our new scoring mechanism, one that most readers are already very familiar with. Let the grade schoolers deal with the percentages; we like our stars and half stars. Look for the shining to begin next Tuesday, the day that new reviews post on CMCentral.

It began with his visit to assist in the cleanup work after the deadly tornados that ravished Macon County, TN on February 5th. Brandon Heath returned from that experience with a continued burden to help, rather than a self-satisfied smugness that he had gone at all. I say that I guess because I could imagine myself doing it; feeling so good that I had contributed at all that I missed the opportunity to do more. Not Brandon. In less than ten days he managed to put together a songwriters-in-the-round show to raise funds for his beleaguered neighbors. Seventeen people had been killed by the storms, and 150 homes and businesses were destroyed, but Brandon and friends Bebo Norman, Jason Ingram, Nathan & Christy Nockels, and Michael W. Smith came together to provide support, to shine a light into the darkness of those devastated lives.

The free concert took up a love offering of $18,690 for the survivors, and another 85 people committed to join in the clean-up project. It did my heart good just reading about it, for several reasons. The obvious, of course, is that one man cared this much. I love it that Brandon Heath didn’t just write a check; he traveled to the hurting community and picked up a shovel to show his concerns. And he broke through the scheduling challenges to bring together other artists who cared enough to give their time as well. To put together a concert in less than ten days is impressive in itself. Together the arts community raised a significant amount of support for the hurting survivors.

It’s gratifying to see people beginning finally to take up the cause of Africa. But it’s heartwarming too to see the same cup of cool water offered to sufferers close to home. I pray that the broken-hearted of Macon County feel strengthened by the efforts of Brandon and Friends. I know I do.

As I’ve mentioned before, one of the perks I enjoy most with this CMCentral gig is the opportunity I have to speak with artists passionate about their musical mission and the God who calls them to it. I’m so often inspired by their zeal, by their dedication. Today was no exception.

I spoke today to Braille, a hip-hop artist who next month is putting out his first nationally released album. But to tell you the truth, we didn’t talk at all about the new album. Instead, he shared with me a bit about his story, about how he lives out this life and Who he lives it for. I wish you could have heard him, because it’s one of those stories too easy to gloss over while reading, to see a few facts and make all the wrong assumptions.

If I tell you he’s been pursuing music full-time since he was fourteen, you might find that interesting. He describes himself as the lonely boy who sat on the bus with ear-phones, listening to music no one else dug. When his family moved across country when he was in his mid-teens, he used the opportunity to take buses to nearby cities every weekend and catch the latest rappers. As soon as he graduated he moved to the nearest big city and spent a year chasing the scene, crashing on various couches to do so. You might be thinking ‘slacker’ at this point, but wait, there’s more. When he married his wife a few years later, they both lived out of their car for the first few years as they followed his musical dream. Yeah, they cleaned houses to make a buck here and there, but they were all about the music and their calling. Are you thinking ‘selfish’? I wish you could hear him. As he speaks of those days, his voice contains nothing but excitement and gratitude for the way the Lord opened doors and provided.

They bought a house and had a daughter, but guess what? They just sold it, and are preparing to tour the country for the next year, with their 15-month old daughter, and perform music from the new album. He assured me that this time around, they’re getting hotel rooms so their child is comfortable. But still, the same excitement and passion floods his voice as he speaks of the coming year. He talked about avoiding pride, about the occasional doubts, about his motivation…. and the Lord is in all of his thoughts and considerations.

I listen to him from my comfortable chair. I’ve got a fire going a few feet away, and I’m feeling pretty cozy. And I wonder… it would be easy to pass judgment, but would I make the same sacrifices as this guy? And where did he find such a supportive wife?! We hang up the phone and I sit and give thanks that the Lord is still raising up servants to take out His message, no matter what the cost. I’m glad for these examples of sacrificial life-styles, and grateful that I get to speak to people this passionate about their calling. And as I rise to throw a log on the fire, I quietly ask God to expand the boundaries of my heart, so that maybe I can be as willing as this young family.

Check out Braille here. You won’t find pictures of him and the family in the car, but you can find out a bit of his amazing story and his music.

Ah, another year, another slew of Dove nominations to ponder. Let the head scratching begin.

Is it odd that the nominees are not generally the popular artists heard on the radio? Not necessarily, given that the Dove is more of an industry insider recognition than an artistic award. Voters include not just professional artists but record companies, publicists, agents, and print music industry people. Business people recognizing peers for their accomplishments. (Read: sales, not art). These voters may very well consider impressive sales an accomplishment worthy of note. But you’d wonder why they wouldn’t also then take note of artists who have ventured into the mainstream, selling significantly as well as carrying the message of light in viable, appealing form? Mat Kearney, Relient K, and Jars of Clay easily come to mind.

While Steven Curtis Chapman and Jeremy Camp are finally absent from the nominations, it almost seems as if GMA has gone to the other extreme and thrown up names just to prove they know some: Gerald Wolfe is up for Male Vocalist of the Year? A new name, yes, but who is he? And Amy Grant and Sandi Patty for Female Vocalist of the Year…. Ok, but in 2007? How is it possible for GMA voters to be this stuck?

I could go on…. and on. As could any music lover with half an ear and even a handful of memory cells. But at this point it’s almost as meaningless as the awards themselves outside of the insulated industry.

Michael Jackson is at it again. No, not that. I mean musically. Yesterday, 25 years after the release of Thriller, comes Thriller 25, an expanded anniversary version of the nine-song original that includes seven bonus tracks. Among them: remakes featuring collaborations with Akon, will.i.am and Fergie, and updated vocals and production by Jackson. Kanye West contributes a remix, “Billie Jean 2008.” I guess that’s a match we should have seen coming. The set closes with “For All Time,” a song recorded but not finished during the 1982 Thriller sessions.

I don’t negate the staying power of Thriller, or its groundbreaking spot in musical history. Prior to Michael Jackson’s innovative album and its cutting edge video, fledgling MTV wasn’t even playing videos by black artists. Actually the network itself hadn’t really found its groove until “Billie Jean” and “Beat It” started heating up the airwaves. It’s been said that Michael and MTV rode each other to success. But MTV is the only one of the two still at the top of its game, and some would say that’s questionable.

It’ll be interesting to see how Thriller 25 does in the marketplace, or is perceived by a public almost impervious to shock by this point, certainly to revelations from the Jackson camp. At the least it should get the public conversation off Britney for a day or two, and that alone makes it worthwhile.

A conversation I had yesterday with Sanctus Real’s drummer Mark Graalman got me thinking. I was interviewing Mark in regard to the band’s support and involvement with African Leadership and the Mocha Club, two social justice organizations doing significant work to help the poor of Africa and also train up indigenous leaders to see to the continent’s future. Sanctus Real is a band known for their example in this area, and I was more than happy to hear about their process, all of which was above board and exemplary, of course.

What struck me was when Mark mentioned how early in their career, they were encouraged by publicists and label people to pick a social justice group to get behind. Again, this is a positive thing, not something I’m bemoaning, although I’m sure there are cases where motives are questionable. Not the case here. But I couldn’t help noticing that our wealth of possessions and opportunities in this country is so great, that selecting a mission organization has come to be a part of a band’s promotional package. This wasn’t the case a few years ago, but it’s probably the unforeseen residue of the efforts of Bono and others to raise our social consciousness. Like Mark said, it’s ridiculous to think about not supporting the work in Africa.

I heard the other night during the game that a 30 second Super Bowl commercial went for nearly 3 million dollars. The only way that kind of obscenity comes anywhere close to a reasonable rationality is if a portion of it goes in the same direction: toward helping the poor. Maybe we should be praying that the consciousness-raising movement spread into the public marketplace, where the really big dollars end up. If Sanctus Real can get teenagers to give up two mocha drinks a month to help the poor in Africa, I wonder if we could get network television to follow suit….. Hey, a girl can dream, right?

“You don’t have to break the earthly rules, but break through the molds of what people think Christians are.” Pillar frontman Rob Beckley said this to me yesterday in a conversation about recklessly pursuing God. He is a man who in the course of his life as a rock ‘n roller has had to face down the expectations and judgments of many Christians who don’t understand his path. And somehow feel they have the right to comment on it. This dynamic has forced the thoughtful believer to come to terms with his own understanding of the role God has for him as an artist and a follower of Christ. While he might not have enjoyed the process, I’d guess that he has moved far enough out of it to recognize it as a blessing. One of those painful blessings you’d like to do without, but a blessing nonetheless.

Actually our conversation was something along the lines of a blessing to me in my own quest to find my way. I don’t have the masses watching and questioning me the way the Pillar guys do, especially now that they’ve been nominated for a Grammy. But we all have a circle of influence in our lives, made up of friends, family members, and work relationships that have a front row seat to view our spiritual development or lack thereof. Maybe they feel free to question, doubt, or examine our choices, our behaviors, or our fruit as believers. And maybe you feel the need to break free of a few molds constraining you in the same ways that Rob felt restrained.

He makes a wise point in mentioning the earthly rules we’re called to honor. We cannot clamor for freedom to express ourselves on one hand and show disregard or a lack of respect for others in the same breath. Rob’s personal frustration came through as he talked of different occasions on which he felt unfairly judged by Christians, but his tone never revealed anything but a tender sadness at the cost to their own souls. He has processed these memories into fodder for his daily expression of Christ’s love. He has determined that rather than forcing him down into negativity, he will allow it to push him further into aggressively loving. He will actively pursue opportunities to display his hope and his peace as he does so will speak volumes to those who judge him, if they take the time to listen. But he leaves it in God’s hands. He is free. Free of the Pharisee’s molds, free of the prison of other people’s expectations. It’s a beautiful thing.

I’m not revealing any secrets when I say that the Christian music scene can be a tricky path between ministry and industry, difficult for the most sincere artist to navigate. I have to say also that among the many artists I have interviewed over the years, I have really only spoken to one or two who seemed to be in it for all the wrong reasons. The majority of the people I speak with are sincerely motivated to advance the kingdom of God, and many if not most of them actually sacrifice much to do so. But I had the good fortune today to speak with a woman whose sincerity shows up the good old-fashioned way: in her fruit.

Sara Acker of Inhabited has obviously been placed and gifted by God for such a time as this. Fans who spent even a minimum of time listening to the band’s first two albums, Innerview (2003) and The Revolution (2005), know that Sara and her brother Marcus deliberately target many of their encouraging, empowering songs toward the issues facing their young fans. Depression, cutting, isolation, alienation, divorce and abuse. No topic is too tough for these artists who are passionately genuine in caring about their fans. In fact, the Inhabited team often draws its lyrical focus from conversations with hurting fans who sense trustworthy hearts in the compassionate siblings.

Their new album, Love, releasing next month, is their best yet, sonically and message-wise as well. The ironic thing about it is that it may just send the big-hearted duo out into the mainstream waters, where their scope of ministry will increase exponentially. I can’t think of a band that is better equipped. Such a time as this, indeed.