I am super honoured to announce that “When Your Answer Comes” has been short listed for SaskMusic’s Best Saskatchewan Albums of 2015! There are so many awesome artists on this list, it’s a huge compliment to be included, wow.
You can vote once on each device between now and December 20th!
Here’s the link:
http://www.saskmusic.org/news/view,article/6426/vote-on-saskatchewan-s-best-of-2015
. . . when your answer comes in the form of a catch up with your very wise and joyful spiritual director–who you haven’t seen in AGES. It was a great consolation to not have to rely on myself to know what I need today. Slowing down and simplifying with some new prayer homework . . .
Amen, sister.
(Nuns absolutely win at life, btw)
#spiritualdirection #amensister #catholicstuff #psalm131 #gratituesday #heartbeats #whenyouranswercomes
I had an entirely different Grati-Tuesday post planned for today. However, given world events during the past week, something else has bubbled up.
Today, I am deeply grateful to have found myself living out this life in a country where I have a great deal of religious freedom. In Canada, I am free to worship with my faith community, pray, and live according to my Catholic Christian faith without fear of violence or organized persecution.
I am grateful to see a lot of people grappling vigorously with questions about how to pursue peace and safety in the light of this week’s events, and how to balance this a love of our neighbours in the face of both a refugee crisis. I am grateful to see some intense and heated debates about these topics, because it means that apathy is absent, and apathy is a great spiritual plague. I do, however, also see prejudice, judgement, pride and fear entering into the discussions, particularly when they are heated. Often, the same person will warn against these things in one breath and succumb to them in the next (I include myself in this, by the way).
I have been praying that God would keep me mindful of what real love looks like. It is not fluffy and trite. Really loving my neighbour necessarily involves allowing myself to be vulnerable. It is an act of the will, not a feeling, and it cannot truly exist where there is pride, laziness (intellectual or otherwise), fear, selfishness, or an unwillingness to suffer for the beloved. This is hard for me, and even harder because my spiritual tradition urges that we are called even and especially to love our enemies (Luke 6:27-36). This means I must extend love & prayer to the people I think have the worst and most hateful opinions, to the people I vehemently disagree with, and even to the terrorists and persecutors themselves. This is so so hard . . . but it’s my homework, and I am trying to be grateful for that too.
#gratituesday #heartbeats #whenyouranswercomes
“Humour is the great thing, the saving thing after all. The minute it crops up, all our hardnesses yield.”
The first thing I’ll tell about Vanessa is that you’ll feel like the funniest and most interesting person in the world when you hang out with her. Vanessa loves to laugh. Her sense of humour and joy is expansive. How often do people say “I just don’t share the same sense of humour as [insert name]”? I have never heard anyone say that about Vanessa. Of all the people I know, she most ready to laugh, smile, and find joy in any given moment.
Last week, after releasing my album, I was exhausted and frustrated. I had caught some kind of plague after the show and I’d been in bed for a few days. I was restless for some company and to celebrate the milestone that had just occurred. Vanessa and I decided that we would go for pizza and a movie—Jem and the Holograms. We knew that the reviews were terrible, but as children of the eighties we couldn’t NOT see it.
It was AWFUL and also wonderful. Haha. Awful because it was poorly written, full of teenage angst & plot holes, rife with poor character development, and just not faithful to the spirit of the original.
Despite all this, we had a blast. We suspended our “cultivated” taste, revelled in the flashy music performances, eye-rolled at the teen angst and implausibility, snort-laughed at the contrived moments, and genuinely shed a single tear each at the father-daughter closure scene. It was so bad and so good. I think if I had attended that movie with anyone else I would not have enjoyed it half as much—if at all.
This is what life is like with Vanessa around. Anything and everything can be made fun and full of joy. Thank you for your friendship over the past number of years, girrrrl. You make life an absolute joy.
#heartbeats #whenyouranswercomes #gratituesday
Happy Hallowe’en! The folks over at CBC’s “In The Key Of C” added “Ghost” to their playlist for today! Thanks guys!
You can check out the Official Video for the song HERE!
Sarah
Some people like to talk a lot—redundantly even. Other people don’t talk much, but they save up all of their insight for the few sentences they do offer. My dad is the second type. (I am the first).
Today, as everyday, I am grateful for my dad. On Friday night, after two years of blood, sweat and tears, I was blessed to play at a release party for my new album. It was a wonderful crowd and a wonderful venue. I am blessed beyond belief to have shared that experience, along with the creation of the album itself with my DAD. How many people can say that?
Dad plays similarly to how he speaks. He is a busy guy, and I know he doesn’t get to play guitar nearly as much he would like. When he does play, he is full of soul. Dad’s playing is the music of someone in the childlike joy of being lost to the world and engrossed in doing something they love. He’s like a kid again when he plays, and that sense of fun is contagious. In the anxiety and busyness of releasing a new album, having dad’s relaxed joy around was a huge gift.
So, my dad is an amazing musician and collaborator, but he is also much more. My dad has one of the most selfless hearts of service I have ever seen. He works tirelessly and without complaint to help the people he loves. We sometimes joke that he is like the energizer bunny. All of his free time is spent fixing cars, cooking supper, running errands, or completing odd jobs and reno’s needed around the house (or his children’s, siblings’ or parents’ houses). Sometimes I wonder if he’d rather have a task on his day off than not. Once in a while you might see him sit down and read a book or play some guitar.
Dad does all of this without any complaints and proactively before he’s been asked for help (he’s been known to see the need for a repair AND fix it before I knew my car even had an issue).
He is also a professional listener (psychologist), with exactly the wisdom and perspective you need in a given moment. His words rarely fail to bring me peace or clarity when I can’t find it on my own.
I have been incredibly blessed by your heart, Dad. Thank you so much, and here’s to many more fun musical parties to come.
#gratituesday #heartbeats #whenyouranswercomes
Last week, the wonderful folks at the Saskatoon Star Phoenix ran a wonderful story about the new album on the front page of their Arts section. It’s a really interesting and lovely thing to read about your own journey through someone else’s eyes. Thank you Stephanie McKay for a fun visit, and for sharing your fantastic story-telling talents!
You can read the article at The Star Phoenix website (or click the picture above)!
–SFar
Today I am thankful for my friend Jen Lane. Two summers ago, Jen was just an acquaintance. I was in a state, because the studio I was recording at was closing, the producer was leaving, and I wasn’t quite happy with the music we were making but I couldn’t pinpoint why.
I needed advice, so I called Jen and her husband John and asked if I could buy them lunch. Jen and John together probably have more than two decades of experience and lessons learned about the music business. They can always be counted on for a coffee or brain picking session. Their generosity with their time, energy and knowledge is well known in the Saskatoon music community.
So we had lunch, and after Thai food and no small amount of venting from me, Jen offered a few producers’ names—including her own. “No pressure!” she said “Just think about it and I’ll see you at Ness Creek in two weeks.” I didn’t need to think about it, but she didn’t want me to feel even remotely pressured into a decision.
I made this record with Jen, in the end, and I am so glad I did. I have gained an amazing friend in my life, and my record turned so beautifully. Jen has a wicked sense of humour and is fantastic at putting things in perspective. She enjoys the simple things in life, and has a sneaky talent for helping the people around her slow down and do the same. When you’re stressed out around Jen, you’ll often find yourself fed, watered and laughing your butt off at some gloriously stupid Youtube video before you even know what hit you. I still haven’t figured out if she’s doing it on purpose or not.
Working with an inspired, talented and intuitive female producer was an incredible treat. I feel like my record was a newborn baby in a carriage controlled by four untamed horses and hurtling away from me at lightning speed. You whispered the horses, grabbed the reins and put the baby back in my hands. I am so grateful.
Jen has released a song and video this week, which you can check out below.
She will be joining us at at The Bassment on Friday night to do some SANGIN’!!! Can’t wait!
Jen Lane – Shoe (Official Video): http://exclaim.ca/music/article/jen_lane-shoe_video
#heartbeats #gratituesday #whenyouranswercomes
3 Days until “When Your Answer Comes” is out!!!
Roots Series: Sarah Farthing CD Release Show
Friday October 23rd @ The Bassment (202 4th Ave North, Saskatoon, SK)
Doors: 8:00pm, Show: 9:00 pm
Tickets $15/$20 at The Bassment Website
***If you cannot join us in Saskatoon, order your copy of the album now ON BANDCAMP***
I am SUPER excited to announce that I am now taking pre-orders for my new album “When Your Answer Comes”!!!
Get your digital or CD copy HERE!!
Those of you who order a physical copy of the disc before October 31st will get a signed copy of the CD & a handmade (by me) art card/thank you note mailed to you ASAP. Also the first three album tracks will be sent to your email inbox immediately!
Those who order a digital copy will also have the first three album tracks immediately sent to your email inbox!
Happy Ordering!
-SF
Production was made possible with support from Creative Saskatchewan's Market & Export Development Program.
