I found Deeper Water to be an unexpectedly interesting book about a young woman from a dedicated Christian home. She is a law student going to the big city for an internship. Since she’s a conservative Christian from a small town, life gets very different for her.

This book captured my interest in its conservative Christian focus. The stands that the family takes are some of the same ones that I have been raised on. Also, I’m occasionally interested in law-based books, but some get too technical for me to care to follow. (I’m a bit challenged, what can I say?) This book was easy to follow, as the technical aspects took a back seat to the story.

Some things that surprised me about the main character, though, were personality quirks. For the beliefs/personality setup we were given on the main character, I found her to be a bit snippy at times. Also, she can be rather evasive with the truth. These are qualities I would not expect, but ones we were shown right from the beginning, so I can’t really say they didn’t fit the character.

I can identify with her struggles both with her everyday faith and with her interaction with the big city. The best thing I can say about the book is not that it is great fiction but that it exceeded my expectations. (I guess Bryan would call that a cannarf.)

Granted the book is about a fictional character coming to terms with a fictional deity. Fiction is, however, the ultimate medium for allegory. A truth about people’s nature is true in fiction or non-fiction. Take a young man’s soul-searching, set it in an action-packed fantasy realm, surround him with lovable characters, pit him against a cunningly created foe, end with him embracing the supernatural that has been guiding his steps, and you have a tale that can be appreciated around the world

Jeremy Camp’s CD, Beyond Measure, reminds me a lot of Dishwalla, circa Pet Your Friends or maybe And You Think You Know What Life’s About though I don’t remember that CD very well.

For me, the similarity starts around track 3 and is validated on tracks 5 and 6. The intro music is what got my mind thinking Dishwalla. After my brain made the connection, I began to hear Dishwalla in most of the CD. Jeremy’s voice even reminded me of their singer after a bit.

One thing I’ll point out, so that you know if you should care about my opinion or not, is that I like band music. The one guy sitting down with just his guitar for a whole CD…that doesn’t interest me unless I’m looking for a cure for my insomnia. Jeremy Camp, though one guy who plays a guitar, has great backup with other band instruments such as the bass and drums, plus he has an orchestra on occasion. That’s what I’m looking for in music.

This CD has been in my car player for a month now and I’m not sure I’m taking it out anytime soon. I think the CD does very well on its own, but if you are or were ever a fan of Dishwalla, then I think the CD is worth you checking out.

There were, naturally, some things I could complain about. The Theatre for some reason deemed it necessary to drop the s-bomb a few times, and, at one point, had the physician and Vanya flipping each other off. I feel pretty confident in assuming that was not in the original translation, but there it was anyway.

Krissy was somewhat disappointed that nothing…happened. I mean, things happened, the entire play had things happening left and right, but nothing happened. It wasn’t a comedy, though there were funny parts. It wasn’t a tragedy, though there were, in my mind, tragic parts. It just was. It was merely the cross-section of the lives of one family over 100 years ago.

For me, that was enough. A cross-section of people’s lives, funny parts here, tragic parts there, historical parts in the middle, that’s all it was, and it kept me entertained for a couple of hours. The physician was a great actor and emoter. The young daughter, in love with him, was stellar. But it was probably Vanya I could relate most to, which is why, I assume, the play was named after him.

Vanya is a sort of everyman underdog. Vanya spends his entire life toiling for the sake of others, even to the expense of his own intellect. He could have been somebody. He could have made something for himself in life. He had the brains; he had the work ethic. Unfortunately, he was caught up in trying to help other people to the extent that there was nothing left to give for himself.

Vanya had hopes, dreams, and love. Unfortunately, again, that love was another man’s wife. Vanya didn’t have the guts, or was too polite, to force his brother-in-law’s second wife to see how miserable she was in life and how much she would like a man such as himself. His only courage came when he was under the influence, which is truly not impressive to a lady in the least bit. Therefore, Vanya saw himself always in the shadow of not only his brother-in-law, but also his best friend, the physician. The physician was the man who broke Vanya’s love out of her shell, kissing her until she acquiesced to her desires.

Though I find the entire theme of men fighting over another man’s wife to be extremely distasteful, I must admit to feeling kinship with the characters. Not only the character of Vanya, but the character of the young daughter as well, who never has her infatuation of the physician returned to her in even the slightest regard. The parts were well played, even the smallest part of the nanny, causing me to enjoy the experience overall.

Work is going pretty well. I’m rotating around registration departments at the hospital until the department opens that I’ll be supervising. There are some other fun registration departments around here. Some are fun-exciting; some are fun-boring-catchup sites. Right now I’m at the latter.

On the reading front, that Brian Jacques “Redwall” series is great! I recommend it to anyone who likes both Tolkien and “Watership Down”. The writing is really good; there is more than enough action and a great storyline. Heroes, quests, and cute though dangerous woodland creatures. Fun reading.

On the computer front, the DSL is fun and convenient. Very nice. I’m still stuck in my rut of what sites I visit, but that will slowly expand. I like that I can be more active on my friends’ websites, commenting and showing them I really do care (enough to read and write).

See how boring this is? The only other thing I can mention is that we are looking forward to our anniversary vacation in October. We are planning a road trip to North Carolina to 1) add yet another state to our anniversary list, 2) visit some friends I’ve not seen and 3) hit some amusement parks including Paramount Carowinds and Busch Gardens (in Virginia). If you are from the RMFO boards and are reading this, expect a threading in the Meetings Forum before too awful long.

Later,

GP Taylor uses many quotes from the Bible, but does not do a good job applying the quotes to the situations and the characters lives. He seemingly just throws the quotes out there so people can read them, but does not delve into the deeper meaning behind the scripture. For any reader not versed in the Bible, these additions could be confusing and out of place. If the author intended to use scripture as teaching material for non-believers, he completely botched his attempts. Yet again, Taylor’s lack of description and detail ruin any opportunity he had for capturing the reader�s attention and teaching them any kind of a lesson he may have wanted to get across.

Before reading this book I asked someone else what they thought of it and he told me it was ‘preachy.’ I can tell what he meant after reading the book. It is a definite example of �do this� (but not really, truly the deeper reasons why) and ‘don’t do that’ (again without the deeper spiritual reasons). While I didn’t consider it overly preachy (any more than, say, any children’s book that teaches a lesson), I did find the whole thing to be a very poor presentation of writing overall. Shame on everyone and anyone who has made this book popular in the least little bit.

PS: Have I mentioned that the guy is a horrible writer?

More reader reviews:

Amazon.com
Christianbook.com
Reviewcentre.com

I’m not going to do a big, long review like I did for Caedmon’s Call–Share the Well. I only want to say two small things.

1) If I had an opportunity to edit the lyrics, there are a few things I would change. Maybe minor things, but I think it would make the song sound better.

2) Get this guy a backup vocalist. There are a lot of places where a back up harmonizer would sound great, but apparently the band is lacking in this area. Spend some of that money giving another guy some vocal lessons. It will only help.

Those two things said, I like this CD a little more every time I listen. (I think I’m only on my third run-through.) A little more each time is a lot better than none at all each time considering my initial thoughts. Also, it’s worlds better than a little worse each time.

PS: On one song, “When You Spoke My Name”, the guitar reminds me of the band Who Stands? CD–For the Love of God (no link. Reilly culpa)

You can read the premise in the above link.

A couple things about the play:
1) It was advertized as a “family” play. This was not a family play. There were no swear words that are not now part of the social norm, but with its multiple suggestions and double entendres I thought it very inappropriate for children. That didn’t stop them from being in the audience, though…
2) When sister Sadie comes onto stage hilarity ensues. You almost have to put up with the fact that they play is building up to something before that point. The outfit they dress Sadie in is pure comedy. I’m sure it is made more funny by the way the actress hams it up, and ours did a great job!

Kudos to the performers (except the guy who played her agent…he wasn’t very good) but blah to the advertisers who showed no wisdom in decernment between a play suitable for adults only or suitable for the whole family.

(PS: I have tickets to the opera presentation of Hansel and Gretel for this Saturday night. I’ll post about how it went.)

Mark Schultz
This is what I came to the show for and, like FFH, boy was I disappointed when he began. Seems Mark, too, is a little nasally in concert. I don’t necessarily understand when this is the case. Surely someone along the way told these people they are too nasally. Luckily he wasn’t always that way, just when trying to sing some higher parts. Which, actually, is a good portion of his show. Either way, I overcame the obstacle because I like his music and his lyrics. He is a rather funny guy in between songs for a couple of reasons. When the song is over he puts on a shy façade while the applause and praise is going on. Jody McBrayer from Avalon pointed that out when he came out to talk for World Vision after the set. Mark also is funny in a humorous way in his between-song discussions. He made a lot of jokes, which I can’t remember now, but he was an overall funny guy. Someone had placed a Happy Meal toy (at least that’s what he said it was) on his piano and Mark proceeded to make a big deal out of the toy for the rest of his set. He brought it from the piano to they keyboard saying that he had grown quite attached to it rather suddenly. At one point he took it back to the piano and asked what he had done all his life without the toy.

Mark tried out a new song on us, the name something to the effect of “He Was Walking Her Home”. It is beautiful, really. The guy falls in love with the girl at the beginning of the song while walking her home (then he hums a few lines because he hasn’t written them yet) then at the end of the song the couple are in different rooms at a nursing home and the woman comes to stand outside the guy’s door and he has to walk her “home” (to her room) and sit by her side in order for her to fall asleep. As I said, it was beautiful, but made me sad to think of a day in the future when I might not have my wife to cuddle up to at the end of the night.

We had gone into the night hoping Mark would play the Legend of McBride (bottom CD) (which he didn’t) and my wife mentioned that to him after the show in the autograph line reminding him that the CD liner notes mention that the song is near and dear to his heart (since, as he says, the song is about a place that never existed and a fire that never happened). I only asked if he was going to write about the Portland stop on his website, which he said he should (and he did!) and showed interest that I visited the site. I really wish I could have talked to him longer, there was a bunch of stuff I wanted to say. I never get a chance the ‘hang’ with the band, though. Such is my life. Those of you who do shouldn’t take it for granted.

Jody McBrayer and World Vision
Before the intermission Jody came out and talked for a good while about World Vision, and organization that helps children in Africa whose parents die of AIDS. He was a lot funnier than I expected him to be, while at the same time being a little feminine sounding.

All in all I would call him a humble guy, regardless of all the fame surrounding him and Avalon.

After he was done talking, I had to run to the car to get an Avalon CD liner for the autographing after the show. From the beginning I was focused only on the Mark Schultz part of the concert, so only brought that CD liner in to the show with me. My wife corrected me before the intermission.

Avalon (Yes I did just link it. Deal.)
I didn’t know that Avalon was going to be at this concert until I called to order tickets for the Mark Schultz concert, but honestly it was an added bonus except for the fact that since Avalon was the headliner that meant Mark’s set wasn’t be as long as I expected it to be. They came out onto stage and went right at it, singing four or so songs before even stopping to take a breath. I would say that it is admirable that fame hasn’t gone too far into their show; they are not flashy and only have some colored lighting for special effects. Greg Long immediately ingratiated himself into my heart by wearing flip-flops during the show (he was also wearing pleather pants, but I willing to overlook that in my flip-flop wearing brother…for now). He was the one with the most energy and was the most showy, which I thought was interesting since he was the new guy in the band. I do like Greg’s voice and have to admit that I’m impressed with the guy who recorded “We Love You Jesus”.

The band that they had with them was pretty good; they also played with Mark Schultz. As usual, the best talent goes under appreciated in bands. The people were playing perfect renditions of both Mark Schultz and Avalon songs. The drummer was also a soul-full fellow wailing on the drums with enough pizzazz to catch even my wife’s attention.

At the end of the show, in the autograph line (I think autograph lines are really cool, we never had those in any ‘secular’ concerts I went to, and I attended a good number) Greg Long was still as full of pep as ever. He reminds me of how little dogs are always full of energy while bigger dogs get tired quickly. Greg, thin, and young guy for someone who has been in the business a while, was sitting straight up honestly thanking everyone for attending and looking like he wanted to have a personal conversation with every fan, though the people running the autograph line let us know from the start to keep it moving so everyone had a chance to get through before the end of the week…

I would have to say I came away from the Avalon concert thinking of them a lot less as stars and more as regular people. Jody portrayed that during his World Vision talk, and Greg, while flashy on stage, gave off the impression with his flip-flops and his caring attitude after the show.

All in all a rather good show, while maybe not quite as good as the Warren Barfield/Big Daddy Weave/FFH show. I have no real complaints.

Share the Well
Great song to lead in with! I personally think this should have been the first radio release from the CD. This song sets the tempo and the underlying message for the CD, while also incorporating the indigenous sounds they worked with. This song uses Dalit freedom chorus and instrumentation that sounds like it was inspired by the country. We should all, as Christians and human beings, share the well (of wealth) that we have been given by our heavenly father.

There Is Only One (Holy One)
The song’s title is too long. But moving beyond that moot point, there are some (who have been around Caedmon’s longer than I have) who don’t believe this song fits on the CD, assumedly because it doesn’t have the indigenous sound that all the other songs have or because of the subject matter of the song. I would have to disagree and state that it does belong perfectly on this, or probably any other CD. It belongs on and CD because no matter what you are discussing, no matter where you go, no matter what situation you are in anywhere on this earth you can take comfort that there is only one holy one. There is only one God. When visiting a country such as Hindu India you do not have to be confused over their pantheon of multiple millions of supposed gods. Neither do you have to be confused over a Buddha or an Allah or a Voodoo religion. There is only one. God be praised; who could remember the names of a million gods? Jesus is all you need to know because he is the only one who is God.

Now as far as belonging instrumentally on this CD, I think this song fits because, regardless of having multiple band members and instruments available, it begins with just guitar (and a rhythm that gets the blood flowing when listened to at the appropriate volume). The simplistic feel fits this CD production perfectly. I think that is different and also when the percussion begins it takes on an aboriginal feel to it, both the percussion and the background noises the band makes throughout the latter part of the song.

Mother India
I like Danielle’s voice on this song. I can’t always say that, so when I get the opportunity it pleases me. I don’t have too much to say about this song except that I appreciate the change that takes place throughout the song, which the author points out, taking it from a sad beginning to a happy ending. Also I have to admit that when singing along with this song I often sing “Africa” instead of “India.”

International Love Song
I think I can definitely now make the statement that this is my favorite song off the CD. I know everyone has their own favorites, but here’s why I like this one:

Cliff’s voice: At first I thought everything was sung with the hint of a smile in his voice, but when I actually listen to it (instead of playing it in my head) he is using a softer voice. I like that. I like it here and in The Roses.

Cliff and Danielle: The are singing excellent together here, better than I can ever remember (though I’m willing to go re-listen to verify that) and

In the overlapping: Though they are singing ‘together’, Cliff seems to be in his own little world still singing parts regarding the verses while Danielle is in the chorus. It amuses me to think of it like she is trying to progress the song, while he is still thinking about the original topic:
“You know a perfect love (maybe I’ll stay here…)
Is a world without hunger (maybe I’ll take you home…)”
It amuses me greatly.

Instruments: I like the fact that it sounds like nothing more than a guitar and a 5 gallon bucket. If you had those two instruments, you could play this song anywhere.

There doesn’t seem to be enough good I can say about this, for some reason. It’s not a deep song. (Though I had to listen to it twice while writing up my review, though all my notes on this one song had already been typed out at The Rumor Forum.)

All I Need (I Did Not Catch Her Name)
Another title that’s too long, when you include the parenthetical title. Is there a pattern here? Randall Goodgame did “There’s Only One” and “All I Need”. Yup. Someone needs to help him pare down his song titles, IMHO

Now onto the meat of the song. This song tells an amazing truth that every single person on this earth needs to realize and live. The subject of this song realizes that whether rich or poor, happy or sad, surrounded by loved ones or alone Jesus is all she needs.

I like Danielle’s vocals on this song, too! I also think the background vocals are done really well. This song is the second time we hear Danielle sing a song written to be sung by a guy (“Tears in the eyes/Of this poor forgetful man”), the other time being “Climb On“. It seems some of Randall’s words are unnecessary since the liner lists a lot of “Ands” at the beginning of lines that she skips when singing. That’s the way things go sometimes…

Volcanoland
The title of this song initially confused me, why is it not just called “Volcano”? Looking past that, the instrumentation and rhythm of this song is extremely fun. The ?ankle bells, claps, maraca type sounds, and pipes add a lot of interesting noises, while keeping it just this side of chaotic. It’s just a fun, happy, little song.

El Senor es siempre bueno: God is always good.

The Roses
This slow song tells a ‘simple’ story with a profound message. This is a beautiful tale of a man and his family who grow roses and live a life of those who really know Jesus. This is contrasted with the overly busy lives of us in the hectic United States. Cliff and Andy sing really well together here. It is well written, well played and well sung, both primary and back up vocals.

Bombay Rain
Andrew Osenga’s (of the Normals) singing debut for Caedmon’s Call. I think this song describes the overwhelming experience that a “small town” boy feels when traveling through the foreign city of Bombay. The sights and experiences may be overpowering, but the author knows that here, like everywhere else, he is a child of God and that here, like everywhere else, the rain falls on the just and the unjust. When boiling things down to some of the very lowest common denominators, we are not always as different as at first glance

The Innocent’s Corner
Mostly this song confuses me because I don’t grasp enough of the story behind it. There’s too much in the lyrics that you d0n’t understand if you don’t have a good grasp of the background story. “Promises made by her father/no match for hunger’s incline” what is that talking about?

Again, I like Danielle’s voice, so that’s not my problem with the song…I guess, according to Josh that this is where the CD began, this started everything off. Unfortunately I understand the whole CD except this song. I’m an idiot.

Also, I don’t like the term “quicksand indifference”. I’ve mulled it and chewed it over many different ways, but my attempts at understanding continually reject it.

Ending: At the end, especially, I would add some haunting background vocals behind Danielle. This would mean using Andy. I think some haunting, counter, background vocals would be great. Not just “ooooohhh”, etc, but actual words, lines. And lastly, why the false ending? I don’t like it. The song should have ended the first time. Resuming the music doesn’t add anything to it.

SaraLa
The only song on the CD with Cliff’s name as inspiring the words and music. I keep hoping that Cliff will become a songwriter as well as an awesome vocalist, but so far my hopes are in vain (not because of this song, I just meant because of his lack of writing lyrics in general).

When I went over the lyrics really quick, I thought this was just going to be some kind of “filler” song, but hearing it and delving into the meaning behind the lyrics makes this song so much more. It’s a very upbeat song (musically), though SaraLa is probably not feeling upbeat. Maybe the tempo reflects all the things going on around her and overwhelming her?

The story could not only be of SaraLa visiting a strange place for the first time, but also the band. I love the harmonies in this song, as well as the upbeat rhythm.

Wings Of The Morning
I want to like this song, I really do. It just has too much going against it for me. The first and biggest problem I have is with Danielle’s voice in this one. I don’t like it at all. It’s too high. Also, what’s up with her own background echo as she sings?

I don’t like the phrase “The message every politician knows,” not because it is untrue, but just because I don’t think it fits in the song, maybe in any song. I know it fits as in it’s appropriate in what is going on in that land, but I don’t think it fits as in I think it is too gaudy for lyrical value. The following line “When we’re fed that we are nothing we’ll believe it/And then do what we are told,” to me, says all you need to say.
Similarly the phrase “Ask any good detective he will tell you” seems out of place and gaudy to me. Again the following line “It’s the eyes that always give the truth away” seems to tell all that needs to be said. Unfortunately I don’t have any good replacement suggestions for Andy and Josh on those lines, so maybe I shouldn’t voice my complaints at all.

I like the music for this song, but not the vocals and those two phrases. I’ve forced myself to listen to the song many times, trying to like it, but I think it’s going to be the one and only skipper for me on the CD (regrettably, since the music is pretty cool). Don’t feel too bad, guys, I skip almost every single one of Derek’s Caedmon songs. Also, it’s not your fault that Danielle is the one recorded singing it…or is it?

Dalit Hymn
Great vocals and percussion on the last song. The message is a strong one, were it ever to reach the Prime Minister’s ears, but you have to wonder how seriously they would take an American band’s call for social and political reform. Isn’t that like listening to Bono or Bruce Springsteen tell us how to vote? Nevertheless, the song contains nothing but truth, as far as I can tell.

Have faith. Sub Kooch Ho Sak-ee Dey: Anything is possible with God.