I have worked all year towards a major carols event. Twelve months of work for the community, preparing “The Gift of Christmas.”  Even though at times it was very frustrating and tiring, myself and my family were devastated when it was cancelled due to wet weather.

My eldest daughter sobbed for about an hour when she found out. She cried,”It wont feel like Christmas without the carols!” Part of me felt the same way.

It has taken a while to get back into the focus of Christmas, preparing our hearts for the celebration of the arrival of the Christ child. On the night of the schedule Carols event, the kids and I put up the Christmas tree and danced in our pjs and sang for a solid hour to our favourite carols.

It probably annoyed our neighbours, but it certainly lifted our spirits and filled our hearts with joy. There is something about being in community and taking time to sing about the birth of Jesus at a time where everything  else is screaming,  “Hurry, buy, put it on the credit card!”.

It binds us together.

It takes us out of ourselves.

It makes us think.

It can bring us hope.

It reminds us of the source of  love.
May you know the peace and love of God this Christmas.
Blessings,
Katie

We recently spent a day doing a photo shoot and exploring concepts for artwork for the new album.

During the day we were taking photos at an old country church outside a small town. Suddenly, what seemed like out of nowhere, a very cute dog appeared.

He was well fed and looked after and was probably from one of the various farms nearby. He was very friendly, and very keen on being in nearly every shot. So he is. He ended up spending the day with us.

I think he gives the photos character and life, and a bit of a country dog smell.  I wonder if one day someone will pick up the album and think…”Why is my dog there???”

Sometimes surprise visitors are nice.

Blessings,
Katie

I am currently working on some old songs, and getting them up to a standard to put into the “maybe I will record this” pile. I wrote a song a couple of years ago for my daughters. It is called “She Is”.

When I wrote it I wasn’t sure what was going to emerge, but what emerged was a song about what makes a woman beautiful and captivating. At the moment I have two girls who love to get muddy and don’t care if they don’t colour coordinate and have brushed hair. They love to laugh and rumble, and dig in the garden and go fishing at the river.

As I have been working through this song again, it has connected to me in a new way. It has reminded me about some truths for myself. I was looking at my hands yesterday, and realising that they look a lot older than the last time I looked! This song has come from deep within, and it is what I yearn to be seen as, regardless of my age or appearance. A woman of faith and substance, a woman of joy and dignity, a woman of God.

My prayer is that this song will connect with my girls when they are older, and remind them of my prayers for them.

It has been an intense few weeks. My weekend away was amazing. I finished my song, “Breathe”, and was refreshed and renewed.

I then ran two worship retreats for two different churches that I am currently consulting with, facilitated a band workshop and launched a new service at another church.

For the next 10 weeks or so, I am predominately concentrating on writing, with a few workshops and gigs peppered in between. I have been so excited to see what God is doing in the local church in Australia, and yet at the same time, I am aware that spiritual drought and apathy are still alive and well.

Yet the Spirit of God is also alive and well. I have witnessed a spontaneous baptism in the river late at night, people joyfully engaging in creative forms of worship, and committed churches addressing history and dysfunctionality as they look to the future of their worship ministry.

Yes, He too is alive and well.!!

Blessings Katie

I will be away all weekend…writing. Already the creative juices have begun to flow simply in anticipation!

Early this morning, a lyric began to form in my head for the new song I have been working on. Finally. It’s funny how some songs simply need room to breathe and they gently flow out. At this stage, the song is called “Breathe.” It fits in with a worship retreat I am running with the same name. In fact, The melody came to me the morning I woke up with the concept of that retreat….I think I will stick with, workshop it on the weekend, and see what happens.

Maybe I  will even sing it at the retreat. I will sing it to my kids first…they will tell me if it’s ready for a public hearing yet. If  I am told I am too loud, or to keep quiet, or Mummy you are too noisy, I think I’ll book another writing weekend away and keep working on it!

Blessings Katie

I have had a melody stuck in my head for a few weeks now. It is pretty,
light, and joyous. For the first time in a long time, I can not find
words to match it.

It simply floats around my head at odd times in my
day, always the same, and quite complete. I think I am lacking space to
sit and let it breathe. When I do give it the time it deserves, as in
the past, words will flow. If not, I will leave it for a while. 

 I don’t seem to be someone who can force a song. For me,  a song is gently born,
some faster than others. Meanwhile, I will sit back and simply hum.

Blessings

Katie

Blessings Katie

Katie