Faith For Life

I was just having a conversation with someone about the strife one burdens through their 20's, dealing with plans for their future. Decisions having to do with ones career can be much more stressful than those found in your 40's. Simply for the fact that these propositions can lead to either warped and dilapidated or sturdy and self supporting foundations. And when you look at it like that one might produce a head of early grays. Ha, so I read this page recently, and thought I might share.

Remember, no more effort is required to aim high in life, to demand abundance and prosperity, than is required to accept misery and poverty. A great poet has correctly stated this universal truth through these lines:

"I bargained with Life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening
When I counted my scanty store.

"For Life is a just employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.

"I worked for a menial's hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life,
Life would have willingly paid."

-Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich

And so In the beginning of the summer I asked and stated my purpose. And now doors are opening. Doors I do not think would have been revealed if I had not originally stated my purpose.
If you believe you will receive anything you ask for in prayer. The Bible doesn't lie.

North Carolina

From one church to another it was a great weekend to sit with family and friends in the south. Goodness, what a weekend. I can't imagine that it is finally over. I was finally able to meet Melanie and her splendid church that she raves about in her e-mails. I was finally able to sit down and have chats with family I havn't seen since my higschool graduation.

Ham and Buddy were there with me the whole time; from church to church and getting lost all over North Carolina. I truely was blessed this weekend. Thanks to my Aunt Jackie for helping me sing at not one church, but two during the same Sabbath at the same time. Haha, a little miscommunication but it worked out fine.

Gosh Melanie's church, the Fellowship of Christ, was great though. We had a BLAST! And I was able to get out a hefty amount of Cds so I'm a well rounded shape of happy!

Two out of the three churches invited me back after the weekend. I think I will take them up on that some time. Anyway. It was a grand ol' time.

For info on my new demo click here -----> IF I FALL

it's all fun and games

If you receive news of an upcoming appointment in the mail and then travel 3 hours to be there, you should make sure that you have the right date. Because if you don't, you could end up arriving a month early and not realize it until 40 minutes into the waiting process. Well... what can I say? Despite the obvious blowing of 40 hard earned dollars, I really had to laugh at myself after that.
And it was good thing I remained in good spirits because my day brings great smiles. Truly there is nothing greater than friendship.
'Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If on falls down his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.' -Ecclesiastes 5:9-12
Although in todays case there were 4 of us. Even better.

One on One

This morning I had the greatest worship. Increasingly my worships with Him become void of time and clock watching. Though, not by conscious choice. I actually lose myself in His words. It's less of a morning/evening ritual, rather a thirst or addiction that needs a fix. Ha. Jesus is my drug of choice. And He leads me as such. Because with addictions you end up doing things that you never thought you would do in a million years. There are a handful of things I never had the foresight to see in my life, but here they are, placed in my right hand and left hand. Each touched with gleams of heaven. *sigh my Creator is I Am.

Here is the passage I found so overpowering this morning.

Isaiah 40
1-2 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she is received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.
A voice says "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?"
6-8 "All men are like grass, and alltheir glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."
28-31 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
-NIV (Italics mean I really like it)

What hits so hard about these words is that they they are not talking about the future. Not about when we finally get to heaven. Or after I accomplish this and do that. No, these words are for us. For me. Today. If I surrender and submit my will to Him every day, I will soar on wings like eagles, I will run and not grow weary. What a gift. Read it again.

Music Gives You Wings

It's an incredible thing to watch a song come to life. Tonight, while Dave and I laid some of the tracks for the demo, I was just awed at how the music came alive. When I get to heaven I'm going to ask Jesus to show me where the songs are born. Because I know that they are living breathing things. Just like people they have the power to change your life. But better than people, songs can do it by walking right through you. Or settling just so on your chest, seeping into your heart, and becoming one with your soul. You know what I'm talking about. Everyone has that song in their head that plays whenever your day is at a lull. It changes from time to time. But it has a lasting effect. Where would we be without these songs. These lyrics made live by adding wings, legs and arms.
So it was a beautiful thing to watch my song go from a simple strum and melody line to a track with 3 guitars and room for back up singers with harmony to boot. Sitting there watching the music play across the computer monitor I couldn't help but note how happy I was. I just feel so blessed friends. So blessed.

Creativity, you really can't waste it.

Queen Of Ithaca

Ali is back from her travels of the other world. The world that is more educated and proper than the good ol' US! AUSTRIA. Yesterday we romped and played talked face to face for the first time in 9 months. I'm glad her traveling spirit has come to rest in my Philadelphian back yard. Seeing as how we are both the musician types we quickly fell to fiddling with those strings and notes and songs. I discovered that Ali is amaaaazing! on the guitar! man... She wont let me call her my better half so I'll call her my other half. Gosh, how I've missed that soul. I'm SO HAPPY that she's back. And if she ever tries to leave me again, I'll... just playing. I'm not crazy or anything. But seriously, she better not try. hahahahahahaha (muahahaha).

Git 'er Done

Recording for Grip of Grace the demo starts tomorrow night at 8pm. Pray for my efforts and wish me luck!

Live For Weekends

So, just some advice. If you are going to be away from a job for 4 days, you might not have a job when you get back. Which seems to be true for me. I guess I live for the weekends. During the week I'm running errands, waiting for contacts to get back to me, searching for scholarships, and floundering from one crappy job to another. The weekends are God inspired and God breathed. They literally take my breath away. I wish the rest of my week was more like Friday Saturday and Sunday. Although the week does have it surprises, I just wish that sometimes it included more of the money making! Ha... But... if every weekend is an assured chance to brush up against the robes of Christ, then I'm quite fortunate. Don't you think? Quite...

Barlowgirl

The other day I was searching out Christian book stores in my area and stumbled across a local one that is closing. This place has been open since I moved in. Everything was 40% off so of course I took advantage. I guess I was late though because when I headed straight back to the CD section all the really good stuff was taken. No nothing I was familiar with. Then I noticed a CD and book packaged together by Barlowgirl. USUALLY, I would be annoyed with the name alone and not even pick up the item but I remember hearing a song by them a year ago when Ali was still planning her trip to Austria... (she's coming back Tuesday by the way. The heavens rejoice!) and really loving it. So, seeing as how it was not even $10 anymore I bought it. And since then my CD player has been blasting this all girl Christian rock band... and loving it. I went to Michigan this weekend and read the whole book there and back. Soaked it up into my pores. Sometimes God gives you special gifts right? Well I feel like this was one of them. Reading that book I just kept thinking "this is gonna be me..." And then just praying and praying for the talents to get it done. AH! God is bigger. I keep saying it and every step I take into His unknown territory, I believe it more. His ways are not like the worlds. And that is a grand truth to remember.
So besides Barlowgirl, I can't get Leeland or David Crowder off my I-pod. I swear they are every other song. Good stuff.
Good to be home.

lyrics on mind

Every day is a blessing. Everywhere I look I see miracles. Everywhere I turn I'm being affirmed, in faith and in works. GUYS!!! HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD?!

we were meant to live for so much more.-switchfoot
with his breath in my lungs i am coming undone. and i cannot hold it in and remain composed.- David Crowder Band
we don't know what we're doing, lets do it again! -switchfoot
you make me want to be brave- nichole nordeman
im carried to the table, seated where i don't belong! -leeland

Rock on Jesus

I get really nervous when I'm on stage. Last Saturday I did pretty well tho. Any mistakes that I made I blame it on the fact that I forgot my music and had to write it all out by memory. Anyway,
So to eliminate stage fright I borrowed a mic stand and a music stand from the church and set them up on my back porch. Along with my amp, plugged in guitar, and mic, I was rockin! Actually, believe it or not whenever I imagined there to be a real audience my hands fumbled on the strings. Ha... yeah, I'll get it.
I was totally in my own moment out there when I looked up to find a white man standing off in the grass watching me. UM! Yeah! I was on my back porch, and wondering who this guy was. He looked so happy tho! Come to find out he was my neighbor from up the hill (seeing as how we are in the middle of nowhere I just thought that all our neighbors were considered foreigners.) He said he could hear me from his garden, where he had been working. Haha.. cool right? He heard me playing and had to come down.
So his name is Bill. He used to be a wicked awesome guitar player and would play for bands and travel all over. Then he gave up the life to be an electrician and work 10 hours a day. About a year ago he gave his life to Christ. Since then he's been playing for his church praise team and teaching youngins how to play guitar. How cool is that? my NEIGHBOR! Haha. Bill said he's still getting to know Christian music, but loves what he hears. The dude plays by ear. He ran up and got his guitar and the two of us ended up jammin on the porch till well after dark. The plan is to keep jammin as often as we can and hopefully in the near near future I can join him at his church.
How awesome is God. I swear, I'm meeting the coolest people this summer. And it's all by His grace. If this is the way He plans on playing my life, then I say Jesus Rock On! (haha yeah, a little corny there.. heee)

Lost In The Grip Of Grace

-Art work by Melanie Rich
Check out her one-a-day paintings. All original. All good stuff at. www.redheadart.blogspot.com


Doesn't the picture make you happy? Jesus holds everyone like this... Sigh. When is heaven? He's mesmerizing, isn't He? Brilliant.

The Bridge Builder

An old man walking a lonesome road
Came at the evening cold and grey
To a chasm vast wide and deep
With waters running cold and deep.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim
The rolling stream had no fears for him,
But he turned when safe on the other side
And he built a bridge to span that tide.

Old man said a fellow traveler near
You're wasting your strength with building here
Your journey will end with the passing day
You'll never again going to pass this way
You've crossed the chasm deep and wide
Why build you this bridge at even tide
The builder lifted his old grey beard and said
Good friend, in the path that I have come he said
There follows after me today
Youth whose feet must pass this way
The chasm that was not for me
To that fair head youth be a pitfall be
He too must cross in the twilight dim good friend
I'm building this bridge for him
-Author Unknown

Just Add Tape

I havn't printed them yet, but I think this is the final design. Good?

Lyre Praise

This world is filled with beautiful people with beautiful souls. You never know who you will share company with. From one minute to the next life is a crazy whirlwind of change, ha ha. And if you take the time to make plans, like I did, you could very well end up in the presence of the kind of subtle greatness that will sweep you up into the whole tornado of a mess.
My unplanned and random travels lead me to the living room and then the concert of Dave and Kris. Dave, being an amazing guitarist/produce/singer, and his wife Kris a lyrical genius/guitarist/singer. It was William who introduced me to these two diamonds. And William who took me to their Coffee House concert where we praised the night away. I guess you could say that music is their hobby, but it's so much more than that. I wouldn't call it a career either. It's more of a calling; something ingrained in the life they made together, in their insides.
And these two wonders of people are going to help me make a demo. Remember that one that I wrote about in my last blog? The demo I need to sing for Leeland? alsdkjllgasdflashdgoasjdljndns! Of all original Crystal Cheatham music?!
Sing Hallelujah! Like King David said, Praise Him with they Lyre, with singing and dancing. Praise Him

Ha Ha

Just a little Sabbath humor. Hardy har har. Happy weekendings.

Open it and Mic it

Yesterday I found out about an open mic that is held about 45 minutes from my house. On a last minute whim I got redressed for the day and headed to see this place. It's actually a pretty chill coffee house. I'm sure that on a weekend that place is packed. I arrived to late to actually participate, but you could tell that those guys were really having fun. But as my 45 minute stay wore into an hour, I started to wonder where a Christian artist would fit in. Doing open mic is a great idea, but I wonder how all of that would go over, seeing as how most of the people there were homosexuals. Ha, not that I have an issue with them. I think it's they who might have found issues with Christians. So sad...
So do I cross open mic off the list of venues? Is that it?!

I'm finding so many questions and so many obstacles. God point me to an open door...

LEELAND!

Today I'm sending in a demo so that I can open for Leeland in the fall. HOW SWEET IS THAT! I'm also trying to be one of the summer performers at Hershey Park. *sigh... As long as there's a crowd right?

Singing at TrueWind was a big thing for me. But after doing that I feel like I can do anything. They say that performing in front of a crowd that you know is often harder than performing in front of hundreds of strangers. Which I believe to be true. In all my singing experience I have never been more frightened than when I was singing in front of my peers at AU or in this case TrueWind. BUT God was there! Dave Ferguson took the time, before my performance to pray over my shaking hands and I was able to pluck away on my guitar without any bother. It was so much fun. I'm craving crowds.

And I just wrote another song. It's called Fall. Probably my favorite thus far. I want feedback so I'm going to figure out a way to get the song onto my blog. Anyway, good day yall.

Guys, Guys Look At This!

This image has been in my head for the longest time. And I told Melanie about it and she drew it...
Words are few, more on this later.
JUST LOOK!

This is for my next CD. The one featuring ALL Crystal Cheatham hand written music. JUST WAIT TILL IT IS IN COLOR!
(insert virtual hug for Melanie)

Knowledge For Life

I don't know how many of you noticed but on the left side of my page I have a tiny column titled "Fruther Musings." And there I have placed a link to a book blog I started ages ago. Although I have yet to keep up on it I have placed something there for your ultimate enjoyment. You see, gentle audience, I am not the only writer in my family (I would say house but Anthony is his own echo system now). Although our styles are completely different, I know great things will come of my brothers words. I posted something that I believe is wonderful. It is a speech he made for his class. His teacher loved it so much he is presenting it to the board of PennState. How 'bout them apples? So click on the link yall! "I Turned These Pages"
And if and when you see my brother, tell him he needs a blog.