Amazing. This guy really rocks. He’s almost 71, his leg hurts, it looks like he’s struggling with aches and pains up there, but he didn’t let that stop him. His mind was as sharp as ever, his points direct, the conviction irrefutable.

He reminded us all of how important ministry to the poor is to God. He encouraged us to adopt a child through WorldVision. I was laughing one minute, and chocking back tears of conviction the next.

I’m so glad we went.

Thanks Tony! You were great!

~Jason

Why The Left Hates Sex

~Jason

What do you think so far? Like it?

~Jason

You are ‘Gregg shorthand’. Originally designed to enable people to write faster, it is also very useful for writing things which one does not want other people to read, inasmuch as almost
no one knows shorthand any more. You know how important it is to do things efficiently and on time. You also value your privacy, and (unlike some people) you do not pretend to be friends with just everyone; that
would be ridiculous. When you do make friends, you take them seriously, and faithfully keep what they confide in you to yourself. Unfortunately, the work which you do (which is very important, of course) sometimes keeps you away from social activities, and you are often lonely. Your problem is that Gregg shorthand has been obsolete for a long time.

What obsolete skill are you?
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The comments were typical responses to something called ‘emergent’ in evangelical circles. Contributors were musing about the latest evolution of the church. They all made some great points, but that’s not really what I want to draw your attention to.

One person mentioned that he had tried to walk away from the emergent movement, and was just unable to. Something sparked for me. I too have tried walking away from caring about this emergent thing— a church for post-moderns, a church for today’s culture.

But not because I don’t believe in being culturally relevant. Not because I don’t value communication. It has more to do with history than present, actually. Our church has rockin’ drums and guitars. We use video clips, drama, we engage people as best as we can. I’m not advocating leaving that behind.

This is why: I think the protestant church would do well to focus more on unity, and less on splintering. I’m convinced that through cooperation and sharing we can make a greater impact in the community for Jesus than through our attempts to be “relevant.”

I want us to stop being protesters. I think God wants us to stop protesting. But I don’t think it’s possible anytime soon. So sad.

I’ve noticed that the past seems to hav a trickle down effect that we’re mostly oblivious to. For example, Americans settled the wild west with guns and power… and one might argue that their culture is still permeated with taking the law into one’s own hands— good or bad. Canadians were given free land from a mostly benevolent but controlling government, and even today look to officials to take care of them. Canadians don’t value liberty, we value good government. Somehow we’re still all surfs on the land of lords.

Like our ancient protestant forefathers who paved the way for us, maybe we take too many opportunities to soapbox. If there is any characteristic I think we should try to leave in our past, it’s the nature of protesting. What if we valued tradition and the experience of those before us just a little bit more?

But maybe we’re so devisive at our core that this could never happen. We were borne in separation. Are we destined to relive it forever?

~Jason

Since CrookedBush.com Inc. is the name of my company, I’m going to move all of my blog stuff to the JasonSilver.com domain, along with music, hobbies, friends, and other info that is currently connected with CrookedBush.com. Then I’m going to make CrookedBush.com strictly an informational business-card-type-of-site.

Probably won’t be really soon though. I’m just always too busy!

~Jason

For at least three weeks I’ve been slaving away in my recording studio pumping out tracks for our church’s annual CD. This year there are eleven songs, and I must say they sound amazing. Like last year, I invited a number of our worship leaders to submit a song they’ve written, to come into my studio, and record some music.

So why is today great? Because I finished everything and dropped off the mixdowns at FonicFactory for mastering. I took some coffee over at nine this morning and we went through track by track. The guys there were really impressed with the mixes and the sound I got (actually, Jeremy Siemens and I did it together), so that was a real encouragement to me. They made a few suggestion for each track… more compression on vocals here, drop off the high end EQ there, lower the keyboards 1 db at this point, boost the bass 1 db at that point. Very subtle little things. I went home and spent a couple of hours remixing and then dropped the CD off. I’m excited. I can’t wait to get that delivery of CDs, to unwrap the shrink wrap, to see the vivid colour of the packaging, to smell the scent of ‘new’. Then the music itself filling the room in robust frequency. I am so excited!

I’ll upload the tunes when the mastering is done so you can hear it yourself.

~Jason

I found out that calling a restaurant a “greasy spoon” is not a compliment. Sorry to mom and dad for making them think I didn’t enjoy our local diner. I actually love mom’n’pop eateries, and the greasier the better!

So we ate breakfast together, which has become a fine family tradition. Then we met up with Stacy and her kids and everyone played together.

Later we stopped at nan’s care home, and spent a couple of hours with her. Nan was looking so good! She held Grace and got all teary-eyed. Uncle Clair stopped by and we decided to do some recording together… I’ll be sending him files to add pedal steel to… COOL!

Back at mom and dad’s we ordered pizza and chatted… then in the van to drive back home before Sunday morning’s 8:00 a.m. rehearsal!

Day trips can be fun!

~Jason

Joanne told me that Lucas’ school opted to criticise the past this morning. I can graciously understand the temptation to think we could have done it better. That’s akin to reading the Old Testament while shaking one’s head sadly. “Oh, stupidity of the characters— repeating their mistakes over and over again.” All the time we fail to see these very characteristics in ourselves.

What would we do if Hitler was taking over the world today?

“At least they read ‘In Flander’s Fields,’ Joanne said about the assembly today. But my friend Gary blogged today about the differences between this poem and another used in British schools on Remembrance Day. It pushed me to reconsider.

The British poem is called Dulce Et Decorum Est, (‘Tis Sweet and Meet to Die for One’s Country’. It paints a horrid picture of the effects of gas on soldiers at war.

On first glance my reaction was that this is yet another modern example of negative ‘war publicity,’ if you will. Nearly an insult to vets. War is horrific, yes. But I feel that focusing too much on this surely disrespects those young men who gave their lives for our freedom.

On reconsidering the British poem, I suspect that this honest appraisal of the terror of war does better to remind us of the price veterans have paid than our own ‘In Flander’s Fields’, which nearly, sullenly glorifies war.

Thanks Gary,
~Jason

It was really great to get away from the city; in the city. I stopped frequently when some interesting tree or rock caught my attention.

I really love photography. I wish I was as good as some of the people who post to Flickr. There’s something about

still life which grabs at my heart.

Take a look at my pictures on Flickr.com, and let me know what you think.

Thanks!
~Jason

Here’s the rundown, not in final order:

1. The Slightest View - Scott Orr - Done, not my studio
2. Name? - Rob Foster - Done, not my studio
3. Secret Track - Shawn Cowan - Done? not my studio
4. Lead Me On - David Heska - Done
5. Compelled - Ian Perry - Done
6. That’s Why - Jason Silver - Almost Done
7. Mercy Gate - Jason Silver - Almost Done
8. Why Do I - Jason Silver - Halfway
9. Lord of Me - Shermeen Chan - Underway
10. You Are Holy O Lord - Shermeen Chan - Underway
11. Show Me a Sign - Jay Forderer - Underway (lots to do)
12. In His Steps - Joanne Silver - Not started
13. Maybe two more songs, yet to be announced because they’re so cool

~Jason

Family crises have me down, I’m sick with Bronchitis, the time change here seems to be messing with my internal clock this year, blah blah blah. But I love autumn. And biking in autumn. And wind.

Joanne’s stepping out of my life for a day— **grin** that sounded bad— she and a few of her closest friends are tripping down to the United States to holiday and shop. So I just put Grace to bed, and Seth is asleep in front of Batman Begins. They love their dad who lets them eat as much candy as they want, doesn’t make them go to bed, sets up a camp-out in the living room, and generally promises adventure while mom’s away. I like the role reversal, as I’m usually ‘bad cop.’

Hopefully I get a full night’s sleep. The kids almost always cry in the night, and Joanne almost always is the one to get up. Yeah, I’m a lazy slob. So tonight it’s definitely either my turn to comfort and pat, and “now, now,” or I roll over with my head under a pillow… time will tell.

~Jason