Sister Grace

Missing You!

2012-01-22T01:06:00.000-06:00

Hello Dixie Friends!

Just missing all our friends in Alabama and wanting to check in. It will only be 4 months until we're home again to stay and I must say I'm looking forward to that. I've been doing a little work on the website and the blog and thinking about some songs to learn. Can't wait to be singing again with my sisters!
We had a little New Year's visit but not near enough time. We didn't even sing!
Looking forward to Spring! Snowing in D.C. We'll be home soon!

Love y'all!
Tina

Guntersville Lodge with the Sistas

2010-02-19T23:02:00.000-06:00

We are just getting around to posting some pics from the great time we had at the Guntersville Lodge a couple of weeks ago. We performed for the sweetest group of people, a Sunday School class from Birmingham. They welcomed us with open arms and were a wonderful audience. We thoroughly enjoyed getting back to basics and focusing on our harmonies. There were some teary eyed moments and we felt truly connected to the people there. You could feel God's love in the room. I wish we had pictures of their smiling faces but here's some that they took of us. If you haven't been to the Lodge since the renovation you should see it...beautiful!
Please join us Sunday at First Light - 9:00 a.m. at the Beasley Center in Athens!

Happy New Year!!

2009-12-30T22:46:00.000-06:00

We want to thank each of you for your support during 2009 and wish you peace, happiness, and joy in the year ahead of us. Please join us at First Light at the Beasley Center of First United Methodist Church on January 17th.

Romans 15:13 - Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Join us at First Light Tomorrow!

2009-12-12T17:16:00.000-06:00

Hey!
Do you have all your shopping and decorating done yet? Don't get so busy that you miss church. Sister Grace will be singing at the First Light service tomorrow the First United Methodist Church's Beasley Center just north of the courthouse in Athens. Join us at 9:00 a.m. for worship. Carole Foret is going to join us tomorrow in addition to Pam Ennis. We hope that it will be a very special Christmastime worship service and we'll be singing some old favorites. Hope to see you there!

Also, don't forget to call for reservations for our Christmas concert at the Red Caboose on the 19th!

Wishing you a blessed holiday season!

Tina

Take the Time....

2009-12-03T12:13:00.000-06:00

     I'm told I need to talk more about how my original lyrics come about when we perform. Well, you never know when something is going to end up in a song so look out! Ha! I haven't written one in a while and everytime that happens I wonder if the well's run dry. Usually about the time I start thinking that is just when one will come along. That's it...they just happen. An original song that we performed at the Red Caboose last week is a special one at this time of the year. It's called "Slow Down". Here's the words:
                         Slow Down
The reason for the season is that love came down
A savior sent to save us from ourselves
It's so easy to forget what the season's all about
When your mind's on everything else

Slow down,
Hear the church bells ring
Slow down
Hear the children sing
Take the time to enjoy
All your blessings right now
And if you're spinning too fast
Slow down

You started in September and you're still not done
The shopping and the baking and the cards
While you polish every spoon, decorate every room
Don't forget to think about that star

and slow down....

     We women especially...and maybe men too.... spend way too much time during the holidays preparing, decorating, shopping, cleaning, baking, sending cards and so on. We all get caught up in "doing" rather than "being" and in our frantic state sometimes miss the joys of the season as well as the true meaning and blessing of our Savior being born. I guess I was in that state when that song "happened" a couple of years ago.
     Usually a song is a "conclusion" drawn from a lot of thinking about a situation and, as another songwriter put it, it's like throwing a bunch of stuff onto a compost pile and then suddenly something sprouts. It's such a joy when that happens...you just have to go and jot it down somewhere right then before you lose it. I hope that I'll be "here and now" enough in the busy month before us to soak in all the beauty and joy of the season...and maybe even write something! I hope that you will too! Like painting....writing it down is good therapy...even if you don't sing!

     Be sure to join us on Dec. 19th at the Red Caboose and we'll all slow down and enjoy being together, singing, laughing, eating some good food, and making memories.
See you then!
Tina
Bill Swindell & Steve Weber (Greg Young hiding in the corner)

with Sister Grace at The Red Caboose

Christmas is coming....

2009-11-13T00:26:00.000-06:00

Please welcome our new sister, Pam Ennis. Pam will be a great addition to our group. Many of you know her from her business "Pam's Home Furnishings" on highway 72 in Athens. Pam has been singing for years and you can tell she's a pro as soon as you hear her voice. You may have heard her at the Musical Explosion where she has been singing with Bill and I for ....too many years to count. We hope to see you soon and let you hear our new sound. She started out with us 3 years ago but decided she couldn't commit to it at the time. Now that Carole has decided to move on to other things Pam has stepped in to help us "keep a'kickin'! Join us at the Red Caboose in Elkmont on November 28th and December 19th and help us to make the season wonderful!

Love,

Tina

A Goodbye of Sorts...

2009-10-27T15:10:00.003-05:00

Greetings to you all! I hope that everyone is enjoying a beautiful fall wherever you are. We haven’t posted anything in a while as we have each been busy with our lives outside of Sister Grace. And as the holiday season approaches the band is grateful to be in demand with the request of 2 holiday concerts!

Something that has been on my heart and mind the past few months is the call to and practice of surrender. God wants that of each of us, and I can say that in regard to my family life and my art career, I have been working on that. It has been a blessing too! Surrendering to, first, a stronger walk with Christ as well as learning what He wants me to do is the first in a succession of many beautiful blessings that have come along. To surrender is scary. To surrender is to make decisions that lead to making changes, and as one floats down that river of the unknown with her Creator, she finds herself in places she never dreamed. Places of pain. Places of fear. But, finally places of reward. That is how it is in a life of surrender. It takes surrendering each day, each hour, each minute--a conscious effort.

In sharing this, I, Carole, can say things are new and great in my life! I am grateful. With these changes has come a turning point in my being a part of the ministry of Sister Grace. I will no longer be a part of the band. Being a part of Sister Grace has been a huge joy in my life--something I surrendered to several years ago! Being a singer and a drummer--haha--who would have ever dreamed? I feel that God led me through those roles in helping create a ministry, and it was great, but now it’s time to move into a fuller focus on my other gifts as a ministry. My true gifts. My art. My 20-year art career. And even more importantly, my being a wife and mother. With a husband who needs my support and 2 teenage daughters who need--need I say more? I need to be home more. In surrendering to this, many a prayer have been answered already, and my efforts have been blessed at home.

While I move ahead with a true knowing that this change is right, you all know that Sister Grace is a very special ministry made up of beautiful women inside and out who truly have a heart for Christ. I will continue to pray for Tina, Whit and Steph, support them and love them. As they make changes to, perhaps, replace me and add new members, it is my hope that you will continue to pray for and support them as well! I wish Sister Grace the BEST! I know God has great things in store for those of us who love Him!

In His Amazing Grace,

Carole Foret

Grand Time at The Red Caboose!

2009-04-06T21:20:00.000-05:00

Thank you to Gary & Linda at the Red Caboose for such warm hospitality for the 3rd time now! We were blessed to have a huge sell-out crowd of gracious people. It was amazing raising the roof for our Lord in such a beautiful way.

The venue couldn't be any more charming--old building, brick walls, tables & chairs to munch on great food, included in your ticket. ;)

Carole & Tina

Stephanie

Whitney rockin' the keys!

Passion!

Put a Little Love In Your Heart with trumpets!

A show-stopping moment when Mike Cole took the stage upon our insistence to play one of his songs from his just-released CD. He captured the crowd with "Don't Judge Me Brother"--one of his awesome originals. In the back there, is the awesome Bill Swindell on yet another instrument, his harmonica! Surprised us all! Also back there is Jonathon Young, who plays bass guitar for us. He'll be graduating next month from high school, and we are going to miss him so much!

Thank you to all who came and made it such a wonderful evening of music and ministry. Praise to our awesome God!

Sister Grace

Tina Swindell, Whitney Hubbs, Stephanie Fenton & Carole Foret

Spring Concert!

2009-03-27T13:37:00.006-05:00

We invite YOU to our spring concert at the awesome

Red Caboose in Elkmont, Alabama!

Saturday Night, April 4th, 2009

7pm - 9pm

Enjoy new music from the girls of Sister Grace including:
Lean On Me
Oh Happy Day
When The Saints
Jesus Loves Me

Imagine
All done in their signature dynamic harmony sound!

$20 at the door

Includes meal and show!

Reserve by calling:

256.306.6201

or simply emailing:

theredcabooseonline@gmail.com

The Red Caboose Site

First Light Sunday March 15th

2009-03-14T13:35:00.002-05:00

We had a great practice today for tomorrow's service. It is so exciting when we gals feel God's presence among us. Of course, He's always there, but the great thing is when we realize and acknowledge it like we did today. And why are we suprised when things run much more smoothly?? We have a few new songs that we'll be singing, and they are such passion-inspiring songs! (Is that even a word?) I love great music during the Lenton Season...Here is our song list:

Grace Great Than All Our Sin

Above All

How Great Is Our God (Chris Thomlin)

Part the Waters / I Need Thee Every Hour (Selah)

Jesus Loves Me (Jennifer Knapp)

My Redeemer Lives (Extravagant Grace)

Join us in worship at First Light at FUMC, Athens in the Beasley Center on Bryan & Marion Streets.

Blessings!

Join Carole and Her Twin Sister Claire!

2009-03-13T18:31:00.000-05:00

Hey Ladies! Carole & Claire have the deal of a lifetime! Now you can attend Southern Palette for less than you thought. This is a price that doesn't need much consideration. If you like to paint or THINK you'd like to paint in a getaway fun-filled weekend, then this is the weekend for you!

April 16 - 19

At Carole's Studio

Athens, Alabama

Historical downtown Athens Alabama in the springtime is a gorgeous setting. The dogwoods are in bloom, and there is an infectious energy all around. Claire and I have a great weekend planned. Check out the details at CaroleAndClaire.Com for a complete schedule of activities.

Want to know more about Athens? Visit the Spirit of Athens Site!

Read comments by those who have worked with Carole & Claire:

Carole and Claire came to Rosemary Beach to teach a few paint techniques to women, which they did. But they also spread broad brush strokes of joy, confidence, and effervescence. The beauty they brought to Girls' Getaway Weekend, on their canvases and in their smiles, was an integral part of the event. Their students left class glowing, happy with new skills and a masterpiece!

---Kim Jameson, Rosemary Beach, FL

"I've attended Carole and Claire's workshops and absolutely enjoyed them immensely. The ingredients that you can depend on in this "artistic" recipe are: relationship building, accomplishment, knowledge and most of all a large amount of FUN. Go, you will have the best time EVER!" ---Marcia Whitaker, Anniston, AL

It was such a joy to have you and your sister as our guests. Your artwork and sweet personalities were an inspiration to all! Thanks again...We hope to see you both again.

---Bev Sanders, Carmel, CA

Participating in the artist workshop was the best time I had all weekend. It gave me a chance to step outside of myself, in a fun and creative way. I met new friends that I look forward to seeing every year. And I love it when my friends in Atlanta visit my home and say "Did YOU paint that?" Then they want to hear about the whole trip and how then can attend one.....

---Sylvia Holler, Atlanta, GA

Our Own Carole Featured on WHNT 19

2009-02-25T23:22:00.000-06:00

If you missed our Sister and Athens artist Carole Foret and her husband Todd (avWORKS ) on the live show on Robert On The Road Monday morning talking about her art and Todd's theater, you can see the clips here that were filmed by clicking the links below. Thanks to Robert Reeves for coming out and doing a great job for Carole AND for the city of Athens!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Southern Nights and Broadway Lights

2009-01-27T10:22:00.014-06:00

Last Friday night Sister Grace had the honor of playing for the Southern Nights and Broadway Lights Fundraiser event for the Mental Health Foundation of Decatur, Alabama. We were so excited to be included among a great group of incredibly talented singers. We sang to a sold-out house at the beautiful Princess Theater in downtown Decatur. We performed "Put A Little Love In Your Heart" a great song performed by many great artists, like Al Green. "Shackles" was another one we sang--Mandisa's version of it with our horn section accompanying us. The closing finale was the entire group of singers singing "Let There Be Peace On Earth"--a very moving finale. If you misssed it, you should plan to be a part next year. It is for a great cause, and the entertainment is phenomenal. Thank you to Lynda Mullinax for her awesome organization of the event and thanks goes to Julie Leavitt for taking this great photo.

Get Your Tickets!

2009-01-08T10:35:00.004-06:00

Happy 2009 everyone! Sister Grace is excited to be a part of Southern Nights and Broadway Lights, a fund raiser for the Mental Health Organization in Decatur, Alabama. The event is going to be Friday night, January 23rd at the beautiful Princess Theater! Help us as we support a great cause--Join us and get your $10 tickets here!

Great Shows at the Red Caboose!

2008-12-25T13:20:00.002-06:00

On December 13th we had our highly publicized Christmas concerts at the awesome Red Caboose in Elkmont, Alabama! We had 2 sold-out shows, and we thank everyone who came and made it so much fun and very festive. We recorded live and hope to produce a Christmas CD to have for 2009--so plan on spinning some Sister Grace tunes next Christmas! Below are some images that were shot by Peggy Parks--thank you, Peggy!

Merry Christmas to you from Sister Grace!

Christmas Schedule

2008-12-03T17:13:00.000-06:00

Don't miss a fun, festive time with Sister Grace! We are recording live our Christmas Concert at The Red Caboose on December 13th. Reserve your spot now for a night to remember. Enjoy drink, hors d'oeuvres and traditional Christmas carols as well as a few originally written songs too. Let us share a warm Christmas wish with you!

Sister Grace meets one of our heroes...Sara Groves

2008-10-29T22:15:00.002-05:00

We took a night off and went to Franklin Tennessee last week and heard an amazing concert featuring Sara Groves and some other great artists at their "Art, Music, Justice" tour. We all admire Sara so much for her beautiful voice and truly amazing songwriting. My daughter and her friend were there too and we had a wonderful time. Kacey and I have been harmonizing to Sara Groves for many years. She was one of the reasons we tuned in to contemporary Christian music years ago. Through her songs, both of us have grown so much spiritualy. Thanks Sara for the inspiration and the beauty of your music. We're still tuned in! Sister Grace decided at the concert to sponsor a child in Africa named Josephine. We hope to be learning more about her in the future and will share with you. Here's a picture Kacey took of us when we had the pleasure of meeting Sara back stage.

More later!
Tina

Update on Benefit Concert

2008-10-08T08:38:00.002-05:00

We are so happy to let everyone know that the giving toward LeAnna's benefit has been tremendous. Since the concert evening, nearly $10,000 was raised! We praise God for people who have opened their hearts to her needs for her care and for her children. Thank you so much!

Giving to LeAnna

2008-09-26T12:54:00.001-05:00

For those who want to give to LeAnna Bennett privately, here is what they can do:

There are funds set up in her name at these places:

Reliance Bank:
112 N. Jefferson St.
Athens, AL 35611
256-232-1944
Send donation with a letter or notation in the memo line that it is to go to the "LeAnna Bennett Fund."
It is set up so that the money will go straight to LeAnna. In the future, the money will go straight to her children.

Central Church of Christ:
320 US Highway 31 North
Athens, AL 35611-4966
256-232-2014
Make check payable to "Benevolence Fund for LeAnna Bennett"
The church will make a check out to LeAnna
Donor would receive a receipt for tax write-off

First United Methodist Church:
208 E. Hobbs St.
Athens, AL 35611
256-232-2020
Make check payable to "Benevolence Fund for LeAnna Bennett"
The church will make a check out to LeAnna
Donor would receive a receipt for tax write-off

Happy Birthday Mom!

2008-09-18T21:40:00.009-05:00

I would like to wish my Mom a very happy, happy birthday today! I don't remember when this picture was taken, but I do remember Mom being there for me so many times throughout my life. She is still there for me today, too.

Motherhood is the strangest thing! I'm sure I have not always been the "model" child and have done things to disappoint my Mom (and my Dad) occasionally, but I will promise you one thing. No matter what I do or have done, they love me no matter what! Now that I have been a parent for almost 21 years, I understand this thing called unconditional love.

That's how God's love is for each of us. We usually don't deserve it, but that is His "amazing grace"! When I think about my love for my children and my parents' love for me, it helps me to understand how God can love us when we are at our best, when we stumble, just whenever.

Mom, thanks for always loving me--I love you!

Steph

P. S. This was the only picture I could find of the two of us when I was little. I wear more clothes now and we both look a little different now, don't we?

Cancer Awareness Program

2008-09-18T14:00:00.000-05:00

Click on flyer to enlarge...

Benefit Concert For our Friend

2008-09-18T09:25:00.002-05:00

Sister Grace is holding a Benefit Concert for our dear friend LeAnna Bennett who has been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. A beautiful, kind, loving mother of 2 has needs beyond her means right now, and we want to help her by praising God through this storm. LeAnna's spirit is amazing and is wrapped in love and comfort from the only One who can grant such peace.

She will plan to share in that the evening of the concert. We welcome 2 other praise bands from our church, Mike Cole's Band and 5 For 3. It will be a night of sharing and celebrating! There will be light desserts to enjoy too! Please make your plans to attend!

Benefit Concert

Tuesday Night, September 30

7pm

Love Offering Accepted

Beasley Center at

First United Methodist Church

Downtown Athens

The Corner of Marion and Bryan Streets

Share the Blessings

2008-09-13T15:59:00.001-05:00

I have known who LeAnna was for many years, but have gotten to know her much better this past year and a half. I heard she was looking for a job, while going through a divorce, trying to raise two children and caring for her mother with Alzheimer's. I was aware of a job opening where I work and encouraged her to apply. I thought it would be a good fit for her, not only the job, but the people she would be working with--two divorced women, another woman caring for her mother, people that could probably offer her much support. She got the job and I was right about the support group for her in that department.

Not too long after she started working there, she began to have health problems. She did not ignore her symptoms. She began trying to find answers and after undergoing many tests and surgeries and a trip to Mayo Clinic, she finally has a diagnosis. It is not a diagnosis that anyone wants to hear--stage 4 cancer.

LeAnna has started chemo treatments, but that too has not gone without complications. Every step LeAnna takes seems to have a roadblock. It is so frustrating for all of us, but let me tell you, she holds her head up high (to God) and inspires us all. She says if she had not gone through all of this, she would have missed out on so many blessings.

On September 30th, at 7:00 p.m., there will be a benefit for LeAnna and we thought "Share the Blessings" would be an appropriate name for it. LeAnna has been in on the planning and has requested that this be an evening to praise and honor God. There will be praise music, cookies, and a great time to also let LeAnna know how much she has blessed us! Instead of ticket sales, there will be a love offering taken that evening.

Hope to see you there!

Steph

Hazelgreen Retreat

2008-09-08T10:53:00.004-05:00

Sister Grace had a wonderful time at Hazelgreen United Methodist Church this past Saturday for their women's retreat. We were so impressed with the sound system, their set-up and their sound-man, Steve! He did a great job making us sound our best. Thank you, Steve!

Cheryl Clontz put together a fabulous set of talks for us surrounding the idea that we are all patches in one great quilt. She had us really thinking. Thank you to Kim Scites for putting this together with her great team of helpers. We felt very welcome, and above all, I think God felt the glory we were all lifting up to Him.

Above is a shot of us singing a new song for us by the great Sara Groves, "Jesus, You're Beautiful"---a beautiful, contemplative, prayerful song. Our awesome musicians played most of the day with us, but we all played our own instruments for the last couple of songs.

A big thanks to Maryleen Richardson for coming with us--she is one of our greatest fans. We love you, Maryleen!

Sister Grace in New Orleans

2008-08-25T21:52:00.005-05:00

The Girls of Sister Grace had the pleasure of meeting and singing with Hack Bartholomew in New Orleans over the weekend! He was such a taste of God's love that we can't wait to bring him to our church so that everyone can experience his soulfulness and love of the Lord. We were enjoying coffee and Beignets at Cafe' Du Monde when we heard this beautiful trumpet playing "It Is Well With My Soul". We knew we had to talk to the musician. We struck up a conversation and ended up singing a couple of songs with him and getting a round of applause from the crowd there at Cafe' Du Monde. It turns out he is a songwriter too and has a song on the Neville Brothers "Brothers Keeper" album. My husband Bill and I are long time fans of the Neville Brothers and this was a real surprise. In the video below he's speaking to his Pastor about us since we're hoping to visit with his church and sing for them when we're back there again in January. We never know what God has in store for us! This, as Hack said, "was no accident".

We also got to visit with some of Carole's sweet relatives in Baton Rouge and were treated to wonderful hospitality there. What a beautiful trip and a much needed break from our busy lives. Thanks Carole for taking us away! ...and thanks to God for keeping us safe in the questionable weather.

May your week be filled with joy!

Tina

Commercial

2008-08-09T12:07:00.005-05:00

Hear our Radio Commercial!

One NIght Only!

2008-08-08T12:09:00.003-05:00

Click on the flyer above to enlarge it--you don't want to miss this opportunity. We have been asked to sing in concert at the Red Caboose next Saturday night, the 16th. Grab your friends and make a reservation--great price of $20 per person, and that includes your drinks and food! The Red Caboose is the latest music venue that showcases Nashville talent! (We're not Nashville talent, but we're glad to be thought of as that good!) It is in downtown Elkmont.

For reservations, call 256.306.6201 of email Gary Compton at gcompton@ardmore.net

Living Without Worry

2008-07-16T21:18:00.002-05:00

We all go through times of worry. Despite the fact that God says not to worry through the verse of scripture Matthew 6:25: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?"
We hear those words and can logically rationalize God's greatness and His power, but then by day's end we find that we have only taken back that worry. Raise your hand if you do that. (My hand is raised!). Why do we do that? For me, I'm not too sure, but it seems like the days bring on earthy reasons and rationality that tell us that WE are in control and we forget that we have given that worrisome circumstance over to God. What are reasons that you take back YOUR worries? Do you give them to God as He asks? Let's work at trying to trust God more--not take back things we ask Him to take care of! He will take care of us. We just have to not only trust Him, but also His timing.

Share with me some of your worries that you keep taking back from God....

I wish you blessings galore!
Carole

Long overdue...

2008-07-11T17:28:00.004-05:00

Several days ago, this beautiful bouquet of flowers was stuck in my door handle on my big door at my studio the day after Sister Grace sang at the Presbyterian church in Athens. I was so excited to find them! They came from none other than sweet Kay Burlingame--thank you, Kay! Sister Grace really enjoyed singing there with such a warm and friendly congregation. Jaina Anderson did a fabulous job speaking about hospitality. Something she said made me stop and think about it over and over again. She said something close to this: "Hospitality is the cause and the consequence of receiving God's blessing." I loved that! Meaning that when you are hospitable to someone it is because you are extending God's blessing, then you AND the recipient receive God's blessing. Think about that. How many circumstances in life are both the cause and consequence of something? (Did I say that right? ) Makes me want to be more giving! Thank you, Kay for extending your hospitality beyond Sunday and making our day on Monday!

TONIGHT!

2008-05-30T10:55:00.001-05:00

Concert & Street Party

Zachary Kale (Atlanta)
Sister Grace (Athens)
The Gnomes (Tuscaloosa)
DATE: TONIGHT
TIME: 6PM
LOCATION: East Side of Square, Downtown Athens
MORE: Bring Lawn Chair and friends for an awesome time!
Zack is releasing his CD "Only Chance" tonight--Sister Grace is opening.
Food, drink, music-- We want to see you there!

myspace.com/zacharykale
sistergracemusic.com

This Friday Night!

2008-05-28T22:42:00.002-05:00

Come on out to the downtown Athens square as we will be in concert--opening for Zachary Kale who is launching his new CD that night! His gig begins a bit later. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the local restaurants, a wine tasting at Deisel and Lola's and a Southern Street Party. Wow! So much to enjoy. We would love to see you there. Come by and say hi to Sister Grace after our opening as we visit with folks and sell a few CDs--we can't wait to see you!

Double Your Joy....

2008-05-25T08:29:00.003-05:00

Yesterday as I was reading one of my many devotion books, I came across a passage that encouraged me for times that I feel in a struggle that has caused me to feel discouraged. It was

Isaiah 61:7 (English Standard Version)

7(A) Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion;
instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;
therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion;
they shall have everlasting joy.

Joel Osteen went on to explain that if we have the right attitude during our challenging times--keep our faith strong, that God will bless us all the more--a "double portion" of peace and joy. I believe God's promises... I want to have that kind of attitude at all times so that I will have everlasting joy!

Whatever you're going through right now--whatever it is. You can believe in God's promise--we just have to keep the faith.

God bless you!

Carole

WAFF 48 Interview Today!

2008-05-24T18:44:00.004-05:00

Thank you to all of you who have visited our site and/or bought CDs (iTunes, Carole Foret Fine Art and Pablo's) after seeing us on WAFF 48 this morning! Thank you to sweet Georgi Bragg for having us too--she is awesome. I hope we can post the video interview soon--keep checking back to see!

Lord You Are Good!

2008-05-08T21:09:00.002-05:00

Last night when we practiced we worked on a great new praise and worship song by Israel Houghton and his group New Breed. It is so awesome! It is Senior Sunday, honoring our graduating seniors at church, so we wanted to send them off with this song. I googled Israel tonight and wanted to share with you a little about Israel if you are not familiar with him and his ministry....

Worship leader, recording artist, songwriter, and producer Israel Houghton became involved full-time in worship ministry in 1989. From the start he looked to overcome cultural and denominational barriers. With this idea as the centerpiece, Israel formed his New Breed Ministries in 1995 with his wife, Meleasa, and a group of world-class musicians and singers. Touring extensively brought the Ministry's powerful and diverse sound to churches around the U.S., while Israel's two 1997 releases -- Whisper It Loud and Way of the World -- kicked off his recording career. New Season from 2001 became the first Israel & New Breed release and their first release on Sony. Sony also issued Real in 2002 and Live from Another Level (on both CD and DVD) in 2004. Alive in South Africa from 2005 featured a performance in Cape Town in front of 8,000 attendees. The holiday album Timeless Christmas appeared a year later. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide

Mandisa Rocks!

2008-05-04T23:03:00.002-05:00

The Sister Grace girls and our friend, Sherri Bassham, were thoroughly swept away yesterday by Mandisa and her fabulous band!
I'm so sorry the house was only half full. Her sweet voice and her sincere words were such a blessing to us all. I do believe that God has put her where she is to move millions to see His glory shine through her. I had a chance to speak to some of her musicians and we all met her and had our picture made. We'll get that up as soon as we can. It was such a thrill to meet her. We sing several of the songs off her album and want to do more...and we will.
If you have the chance to catch one of her concerts you MUST!

Have a great week!
Tina

In Concert!

2008-05-02T19:39:00.004-05:00

We are so excited to be opening for the awesome Zachary Kale at the end of the month! His new CD is releasing on the 24th, and we couldn't be more thrilled for him. What is going to be cool about this concert:

Zack is coming from Atlanta to his hometown of Athens to launch his CD.
The concert is going to be held in a historic old theatre on the beautiful square in downtown Athens.
Our music and his seem to go very well together--soulful, blue-sy, jazzy, down-home.
His brother's band, The Gnomes, will be playing too!

Come check out the concert--it will be awesome! Check back for more info & links.

Love, I mean, Sex Today....

2008-04-28T20:38:00.005-05:00

This cake-topper (or rather cake stopper) is me and my husband 18 years ago on our wedding day. Don't ask him if that's how things are now. But nevertheless, my husband married a woman who was on fire! Know why?

I was flipping through Travel & Leisure magazine last Friday morning at the tire store while I waited for my new set of wheels to be put on my SUV before I left for Orange Beach. This image made me laugh out loud as I flipped the pages to see it, and wasn't I embarrassed taking a picture of it? I just had to! I related it to it!

This day and age, one might assume this bride had been around the block with her now husband a few times. We would assume that for many reasons. Why? Not just because of "society." But what other reason would we assume that people today are not saving themselves until marriage? Are there any singles out there who are still "waiting?" Are they practicing abstinence? Are we as parents teaching the idea that abstinence is possible? If not, then why not?

Yes, it takes talking to your child about sex. It takes talking to your child about respecting the body that God gave them and treating their guy/girl with respect. It takes teaching them that the gift of sex is a sacred act between 2 people who love each other. Are you teaching your child that living within these boundaries is possible? My parents taught it to me, and I sure am teaching it to my children. It takes sending your daughter back upstairs to change out of the "too short" skirt. And it takes, confronting your son that his porn addiction is teaching him to disrespect women. Hard stuff. Hard times. But aren't our children worth it?? They are the next generation. They ARE worth it.

Hey, if I can do it--anyone can. Just wait! As I had heard before: "Why buy the cow if you can get milk for free?" I sure didn't want to be that cow. So that is one thing I'll never regret--having waited. Why was I on fire on my wedding day? Because we had waited....

Carole

Dogwood Festival!

2008-04-18T08:28:00.003-05:00

Join us in celebrating the glory of God's beautiful Creation this weekend--you will be astounded at the beauty of the dogwoods surrounding the courthouse. The square will be hopping with all kinds of great things to do--Sidewalk Sales, kids events, the Tour de Pig Bike Ride....Visit HERE for all the info. The East side of the square will be alive with music all weekend. Sister Grace plays at noon on Saturday.

Singer Schedule:

Entertainment Schedule:

Friday Lunch Break

11:30 -1:00 p.m. Barry Kay

Friday Evening Singing on the Square

5:00 p.m. Mary Crowell

6:30 p.m. Patrick Gunn

7:30 p.m. Tony Grigsby

8:00 p.m. Clear Title

Saturday Sensations

10:00 a.m. Athens High Jazz Band

11:00 a.m. Atomic Noise

Noon Sister Grace

1:00 p.m. Mike Cole Band

2:00 p.m. Barry Kay

Joining Kevin Derryberry

2008-04-13T16:19:00.003-05:00

Leslie and I will be heading down to Birmingham Thursday for a great cause! Kevin Derryberry is hosting a golf tournament to raise funds for his awesome ministry, and he is making it a fun time for all who want to participate. Kevin is an amazing singer and musician using his talents to serve our awesome Jesus through music as well as serving the less fortunate through raising donations for Lifetech and prison ministries. If you are a golfer you should plan to go. You know who else is going to be there?--Rick and Bubba! Yes, the radio duo will be there along with some well-known former Auburn and Alabama football players. Don't miss it! Read here for more info....

Oh! Leslie nor I play golf--we will be offering our artistic talents, Leslie will be photographing the event, and I will be offering a couple of paintings to the silent auction! Look for the paintings that will be auctioned off here on my blog before Thursday!

Blessings! Carole
caroleforet.com

Relay for Life Dinner in Huntsville, Alabama

2008-04-05T16:11:00.005-05:00

Sister Grace was honored to be the entertainment for the Huntsville "Relay for Life" Survivor Dinner that took place last night. In the picture above, we are with Lindsey Jones, the Alabama junior spokesperson for The American Cancer Society. What an inspiration Lindsey is with her positive attitude! Although she is blind due to cancer, she definitely doesn't let that slow her down. She is involved in numerous activities including ballet, tap, band (snare drums), and Girl Scouts.

I first met Lindsey several months ago when she visited the company where I work, seeking a corporate sponsorship for this dinner. She knew Sister Grace was singing last night and when she got there, she wanted to know if I was there. If you need to be uplifted, just attend an event where Lindsay is and you will be!

There were about 650 people in attendance at this dinner and I was so glad to have been surrounded by so many courageous heroes. Thank you Bennie for letting us share in your wonderful event!

If you would like more information regarding Relay for Life, go to:

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RelayForLifeMid-SouthDivision/848736431?JServSessionIdr004=4ogmbve092.app310a&pg=entry&fr_id=8858

Blessings,

Steph

Amazing the way God works...

2008-03-29T10:17:00.005-05:00

Reflecting more on our trip to Valdosta and tracing the way it all began, I realize the way God connects the dots in unique ways! It all started with my meeting the beautiful and sweet Jill Higgins in Chattanooga, TN at a photographers gathering of Southern photographers back in November of 2006. The gathering was organized through Open Source Photo--an awesome photographer's forum created by David Jay, a very talented photographer and Christian. David is an amazing successful wedding photographer and speaker.

He teaches all over the world, and is going to be speaking at the Alive Christian Music Festival in Canal Fulton, Ohio this summer (June 18 - 21). He gives back in so many ways....Read more about him and Jill on their sites.

Who would have ever thought that something so beautiful as our concert evening could have been born from events and people I met back in 2006?

I like to slow down and take time to see the way God works in my life. The busy-ness in our lives oftentimes keeps us from seeing His creative ways He works. Take time today to be thankful for something in your life, and trace back to see God's hands in it. You'll be amazed!

More About Our Georgia Trip

2008-03-20T23:42:00.019-05:00

We took so many pictures on our trip and I thought I would share some of mine, too. This is a picture of the Fairview Inn Bed & Breakfast in Valdosta, where we stayed. We had the whole house and it was great! Linda and her husband, Irvin, knew all about Southern hospitality! For more info on the Fairview Inn, go to http://www.fairviewinn.info/.

Check out the breakfast spread in their dining room!

Quitman, Georgia, is where we actually had our concert. It was to kick off the Women's Ministry group at the Quitman United Methodist Church. The concert was held in the gazebo by the courthouse (see Tina's picture in the post below). The women and some of the men from the church had a picnic table decorating contest on the lawn in front of the gazebo. Here are two of the tables. Pretty, huh?

Here's a pic of Tina and Carole with Jill Higgins, one of the gals that was responsible for getting us to Quitman. Check out her photography and blog by going to http://www.jillhiggins.com/.

Thanks to everyone in Quitman and Valdosta that made our trip so special. Blessings!

Sweet Time in Georgia!

2008-03-20T10:46:00.006-05:00

Thank you for a very sweet time in South Georgia! We had so much fun and felt so at home in Quitman and Valdosta. We're so happy to have new friends there and hope that we can visit again soon. Dara, Jill, Linda and Jay, we appreciate so much your hospitality. It was over the top! Keep in touch!

Quitman/Valdosta, Here We Come!

2008-03-16T16:45:00.005-05:00

We are packing up shortly for our trip to sing in the Valdosta, GA area of Quitman. Our venue is going to be the grounds of the beautiful old courthouse gazebo under the live oaks. Please pray that any rain will hold off so that we can share our ministry and praise our awesome God! Also pray that we have safe travels too. ;) Thank you so much--we can't wait to meet every one of you!Thank you, Jill Higgins and Dara Barwick for the awesome hospitality that we feel already--and we haven't even arrived yet! You are awesome!

God bless you all!

Morning Thoughts

2008-03-15T21:51:00.002-05:00

Morning Thoughts!

Well I was hoping to sleep late this morning but woke up of course to the rumblings of thunder and lightening. What a great day to sleep or just lie in bed and think. Well here I go again. I didn't want to watch TV so I just decided to turn off the lights and lay there and think and talk to God. While I was lying there I thought of the passage that says to “be still and know I am God”. About that time a big old clap of thunder shook the house. If you think about it that is really a cool way of letting us all know.........hello, I'm out there and I am strong and mighty......can you do this......no, I can. Weather in the natural disasters sense has always puzzled me. Now, here is a loving great God and why does He allow that to happen? I had a preacher explain it to me one time. He said that after things transpired in the Garden of Eden like they did God allowed two things to happen....well actually one, free will was already there. He allowed natural laws to take place. It is still hard to grasp when people are hurt but it still goes back to the fact that He is in control and He has His reasons. I really had to lean on that when a close friend of my daughters died. The little girl was 15, beautiful, full of life, just a great kid and died suddenly with Meningitis. The only thing I could say to try to bring them comfort was she was now walking with the Lord and only He understood why. He could have been saving her from something really bad like a car accident. The mere fact is....only He knows the big picture and the reason.

My second thought for the morning was FEAR! Need to write a song about this one Tina! Last night my 15 year old wanted to go riding around like we used to do when we were teenagers and then go over to her friend’s house. The friend had just gotten her drivers license that day. Now, I love that friend but she has gotten into some trouble in the past. Announced plans just happened so fast.......my daughter walks into my room and says her friends mother had let her take the car out to come over to our house and go for a ride. Now this is something the two of them have been talking about since they were 6 years old. I said okay and then the minute she left a wave of fear came over me. My chest started hurting to the point that it was ridiculous. I was having an anxiety attack. I was all of a sudden scared out of my mind. Now, I don’t do this. I get on stage and talk and sing in front of people. I have to give presentations at work in front of highly intelligent people and yet, I’m freaking out over my daughter leaving the driveway with a child I don’t trust. So, I called my daughter and told her to come back. Then the protesting began. She said that her friend was trying to do better and change her life. Well unfortunately I've heard that line before. Then she got smart and mentioned that God gave second chances and that I should practice what I preach. Hum…….. How dare she use that one on me. Well…… I just decided that that was it. I was not going to let her be around her again until I was convinced that it was okay. So much for turning it over to God huh? Well, here's the thing about that. I thought about it this morning and concluded that we all have fears or as a good psychologist said to me “the feeling that we are not in control”. What I have done in the past of child rearing was to ignore my gut feeling. What I have to learn to do are two things. Number one: turn my fear over to Him. Number 2: LISTEN to what He tells me to do to handle it. Here’s the trick….The way I’ll know if I'm trying to control the situation or if I'm listening to Him is by the way I react. The old Whitney would react in a "Your going to do this because I say so fashion....because I am your mother and I know best" and the truth is that situation still might come to that but first I'm going to try my best to handle things like Christ would. (LOVINGLY). First I will explain my concerns in a loving manner, still demanding a little respect and in the end try to put the monkey on her back. A really good psychologist told me one time when it came to most teenagers, if you offer them a choice, in a very calm quiet manner, they would normally choose the path in which causes them less pain.
So, my sermon for the day is..................................."Keep the Faith"...... He is in charge and as long as we realize that and do His will it's going to be quite a ride............."Hang on, hang on for the ride, let your little light shine, Don't Worry and let go of that FEAR!

Love in Christ!
Whit

WOW (Women of Worth) Retreat at Athens FUMC

2008-03-08T21:30:00.007-06:00

This weekend, we were blessed to be a part of the WOW Retreat at our home church, Athens First United Methodist Church. The theme was "Tea and Thee". Cathy Lee Phillips was the guest speaker for the weekend. Cathy reminded us that we need to take time for God--listen for Him and recognize the gentle nudges he gives us. She gave us personal accounts, some humorous and some serious, about some of the ways that God has worked in her life when she has been obedient to Him.

Sister Grace sang today at the retreat and we had so much fun! It was so nice having Bill, Jonathan, and Greg playing on some of the songs, so we could focus more on the singing. The highlight for me was when we did "Voice of a Savior". Whitney sang the solo, which really put her out of her comfort zone, but she did an incredible job. I believe God was nudging her to do that song and boy did He let her shine! The words to that song talk about how we try to fill the voids in our life with so many different things, but what we really need to hear is the voice of our Savior. We even branched out and did a disco song made popular by Donna Summer--"I Feel Love"! We were feeling His love, too!

Many thanks to the WOW worship team for all your efforts in making this a successful event. What a great weekend!

Georgia on My Mind

2008-03-04T06:25:00.001-06:00

In just 2 weeks (March 18th to be exact), Sister Grace will be going to Quitman, Georgia, to share our ministry. Quitman is close to Valdosta. The "Soul Sisters" at the Methodist Church there are having a picnic spread and we will be singing in the gazebo in downtown Quitman. We are excited about this opportunity and want to thank Dara Barwick and Jill Higgins for working the details for us!

We have enlisted the help of three of our favorite musicians for this trip. We had so much fun at practice the other night just getting to SING! Check out some of the pictures from our practice.

2008-02-27T22:31:00.001-06:00

Tea & Thee Women's Retreat

2008-02-26T13:04:00.006-06:00

Join us and Cathy Lee Phillips for the 2008 Tea & Thee Women's Retreat at our home church, Athens First United Methodist Church! It is going to be a fantastic time of inspiration. You will leave so rejuvenated and more beautiful! We promise! Click on the flyer to enlarge it for all the details...Hope to see you there!

You Cannot Lose My Love

2008-02-18T07:08:00.005-06:00

Yesterday, Pastor Jimmy delivered a wonderful message about belief, trust and faith--very moving! Sister Grace sang praise & worship, and our songs seemed to fit so beautifully. I've had so many compliments on the song that I sang at the end of the service, and I want to share with you whose song it is and encourage you to listen to her music. The song was "You Cannot Lose My Love" by Sara Groves from her album "All Right Here." Her artistry in writing is second-to-none. You can find her music everywhere--Amazon, iTunes, etc.

Blessings for an awesome, joy-filled week! ~Carole

Visit with Good Shepherd

2008-02-15T21:59:00.003-06:00

We visited with our friends at Good Shepherd Methodist Church in Madison last Sunday and led them in two services. As always, we were so blessed by sharing our worship with a different congregation. It amazes me that each meeting place has their own unique culture and a "feel". Good Shepherd was warm, relaxed and sincere and so enthusiastic in their singing and praising God with us. We're going to go back to our church this Sunday and brag about that! David Tubbs is a great speaker and I so enjoyed his thoughts on our being a community of faith and how important that unity is, how important it is to support each other and share in our joys and our struggles. As David said, church is a place where everyone, no matter what their shortcomings or what hardships they've had in their lives, should feel accepted and loved. I felt loved at Good Shepherd.

After the services we were treated to some great chili and fixin's (never mind the great desserts that, no, I didn't pass up!). It's always a joy to go there and as always with my Sisters, we had a great time... as you can see in the picture where Steph's husband Jeff caught us all laughing. Thanks to Jeff and my Bill too for their help on the guitar and trumpet.

We appreciate Barry Kay's invitation and the all the great hospitality from the Good Shepherd. It was a sweet Sunday morning. We hope to see you all again soon. Hopefully some of the ladies can make it to our "Tea and Thee" retreat at FUMC in Athens on March 7th and 8th!

Joy!
Tina

Getaway to Rosemary Beach!

2008-02-08T22:36:00.001-06:00

Last weekend, the girls of Sister Grace all went to the Girls Getaway Weekend at Rosemary Beach. Carole and Claire taught an art workshop together, and then they all enjoyed a fabulous relaxing weekend together. The weather was simply beautiful, and the girls headed out to the beach with Claire Kayser and did a few new shots. This is one their favorites. Thank you, Claire for such a great time. Can't wait to see the rest!

Sister Grace Now On Reverb Nation

2008-01-13T22:03:00.001-06:00

Sister Grace has now been signed up on "Reverb Nation". Check out this neat little "widget" that we can now post on our blog or website. Carole, I don't have access to the layout so you'll have to post it there. There's a lot of Independent artists out there to explore (in your spare time). This internet is so amazing, there's always so much to learn. I know it keeps me busy!

Have a great week and look for joy and God's love in your world.
John 15:5....He is the true vine!

Tina

Carole's Wishes for Your New Year

2008-01-02T11:01:00.000-06:00

Oh, how I wish you the happiest new year ever! I'm back home in my own nest--nothing like that feeling is there? I have some new reading material that is very inspiring, and it's perfect for the new year or anytime. The message is LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE NOW!

In reflecting over the past year, I am actually pretty thrilled to realize I did what I should have done and what I want to do MORE in 2008, and that is to surrender myself to what God wants me to do. Yes! I can say that in most aspects of my life, I feel confident that I did that. And did He prosper me as He says He will? Yes!! A resounding yes! Not all is perfect though--I still have things to work on, but I have enough experience in that surrender now that I'm confident to do it more and do it in ALL THINGS.

Jeremiah 29:11 says: For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

We forget this promise and want to do it on our own. Our own wrong thinking can keep us from God's best for our lives. I don't want to be a stumbling block to all the blessings that I can have! Do you?

So let's start BELIEVING more. Believe. That takes a conscious effort. Believe is my mantra. Hence my fashion ministry:

Start living your life through eyes of faith. Enlarge your vision and see yourself rising to new levels. See your business grow. See your marriage restored! See your family prospering! See it. Hope with expectation that God will follow through--that's faith.

I challenge YOU right now to live with more faith. I sure am! God bless you and your 2008!

Baby G

Happy New Year from Sister Grace

2007-12-30T22:34:00.000-06:00

Sister Grace has been through so much in 2007. We spent 7 months in the studio and shared in the joy of releasing our first CD. We've visited other churches and enjoyed each of them as well as our own First Light service. We have grown together musically and spiritually and have been blessed in so many ways by being brought together for this ministry. We're looking ahead to a busy year full of exciting challenges. Please pray that we can spread more seed for the Kingdom. We will be plowing new ground!

May you all be richly blessed in the coming year.
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Mama G

We got elfed! Check it out! Click here for some Christmas Cheer!

2007-12-13T20:49:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas from Sister Grace!

Christmas at St. Pauls

2007-12-08T23:24:00.000-06:00

Sister Grace enjoyed a wonderful Christmas Party with the sweet folks from St. Paul's Catholic church in Athens last night. Special thanks to Mrs. Marla Horn and her husband David for the kind hospitality. We were treated to our choice of Talapia or Prime Rib, wild rice and steamed vegetables...ummm....and it was delicious. I hear it was catered by Chris Ryberg. We sang and couples danced ...lots of Christmas Carols like the one in the video. The decorations were especially beautiful too. Great job ladies! Thanks so much for everything. We had a great time. Merry Christmas and many blessings in the coming year.

Our Friend Jason Gray...

2007-11-21T16:40:00.000-06:00

and others have recorded an awesome Christmas CD. Check it out, purchase it! We met Jason a few years ago when he came to Athens, and we've remained in touch. My sister Claire lives up there near him in Minnesota, and their families have socialized together some too. Support his ministry if you can--you will be truly blessed listening to his songs!

From the Dry Erase Marker of Babes

2007-11-20T14:26:00.000-06:00

Last week one day, my 11 year old daughter asked if she could erase my dry erase board from the message I had on there. I figured she was going to do some of her typical drawings and play around with it. A few minutes later she asked me how to spell "strengthen" and I told her. A while later she put the board back upon its easel and said, "Look, Mom!" And this is what it says...

What a joy it is to share Jesus with my daughters. They return the blessing in their own precious ways. Sometimes people can be so challenging and unreceptive to witness to. So, I'm thankful for my sweet girls and the joy we share in Christ, and I just pray that it continues to grow through the years, and that they will always rely on the One who indeed strengthens us to do all things!

More of God's Beauty

2007-11-11T19:52:00.001-06:00

I was busy taking pictures yesterday, as well. I think the fall colors rank right up there with sunrises and sunsets for me. There are some gorgeous colors in Athens right now!

I've known Carole for about 10 years and during that time, I have taken a painting class from her and I've also tried my hand at taking photographs. It really makes you look at things differently and appreciate the little details. I thank God for Carole and the lessons she has taught me about so many things!

I'm so thankful for Tina and Whitney, too! I didn't have a sister growing up, so I feel like now I have been blessed with three sisters!

Check out the fall colors and think about all you have to be thankful for!

God bless,
Stephanie

Servant Leadership

2007-11-11T07:27:00.000-06:00

The most amazing thing I've seen this week is a leaf! How about that, a tiny leaf or cluster of leaves has sent me off pondering the majesty and glory of our God. I see that glory all around me every day but occasionally I'm stunned and stopped in my tracks with amazement. That's what happened when I picked some leaves to bring inside yesterday for our family reunion...here's quick pic to share that experience...

I've been studying leadership lately due to a Leadership Development Series that I'm taking. It's been an excellent course and great growth experience for me. Since I've been a Team Lead on my job for years and am leading worship with music, I really should have had this training years ago. Oh well, I believe God is telling me it's time right now to learn more in this area. I've come to appreciate more and more, the responsibility and "sacred trust" of a leadership role. Everyone is a leader to someone though, and whether we realize it or not, our lives are models for those around us. As Christians we are to use Jesus as our model:

"You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:42-45)

If you're interested in learning more about leadership, Google search "Servant Leadership"...and please comment by replying to this blog entry. I'd really love to know if you're out there and what you think!

Be awake to the joy and glory around you and have a wonderful week!

Tina

Sister Grace on last fm!

2007-11-07T13:23:00.000-06:00

Find us on last fm now and tag us, describe us, recommend us, share us! We would so appreciate it. Enjoy last fm too--it is really cool and you can put a widget on your blog or site to show all the music you love. Or just play a "radio" station on last fm by typing in an artist's name (like Michael Buble) and listen to similar artists (Frank Sinatra, etc.) . You may discover a new one that you love!

Creative Spirit

2007-10-29T08:55:00.000-05:00

Yay! Monday morning. Unlike alot of folks I love Monday mornings because of the sense of new beginnings I have for my week. It's a chance to use the refreshment and fun I've had from the weekend for my week ahead!

I (Carole) am reading some material to prepare for a "Creative Spirit" workshop I am planning to teach in January, and I am reminded of so many important things. One is that our Creator made us to be creative. Are you creative? You may say, "No, that is not my gift." But really we all are meant to be creative in some way. What happens in our lives whether you are an artist or not is that our Censor/Negative voice inside of us has shamed us so much that we believe that we can't be creative. Has inward negative talk convinced you of other negative beliefs about yourself in other ways too?--I'm too old. I'm too fat. I'm not pretty enough. I'm too busy. I'm not creative....

These thoughts go against what God has made in each of us. Let's stop our Censor from sneaking into our thoughts and convincing us that we are "too" anything. Start listening to God's voice inside of you. He calls us to a higher creativity--greater joy!

In the coming days, I'll post 2 ways to jump start a new beginning to finding your creative self.

Blessings,
Carole

Concert Footage!

2007-10-11T20:17:00.000-05:00

Well, when two or more are gathered in His name...! It took Tina and me (Carole) with Wendell's help to finally get concert footage downloaded from our concert 7 weeks ago from our CD release concert. It was an awesome evening--over 500 people in attendance who came out to help us sing praises to our awesome Lord. The above video is from our title track God Is Calling. Let us know what you think!

Habits of Happy People

2007-10-04T21:07:00.000-05:00

This article is wonderful! It was taken right from the MSN Homepage on the web and written by Nancy Kalish of Prevention magazine. I love her thoughts on happiness...

How to Think

The Happiness Factor—Scientists know that positive people are happier, period. Tapping into your bright side is easier than you'd guess.

Find More

Joie de vivre. We all know people whose engagement with life can only be described as joyful. Fittingly, nature rewards these happy-go-lucky types: Being optimistic in middle age increases life span by at least 7.5 years—even after accounting for age, gender, socioeconomic status, and physical health, according to a large Yale University survey. What's behind their hardiness: They minimize the destructive effects of stress.

"Of course, optimists get stressed," says David Snowdon, a professor of neurology at the University of Kentucky who studies aging. "But they automatically turn the response off much more quickly and return to a positive mental and physical state."

Here are four habits that longevity experts say are at the heart of a sunny disposition—and that you can adopt, too.

1. THEY WORK THEIR CELL PHONES

Perhaps your neighborhood gossip is on to something: All that chitchat keeps her plugged into a thriving social network—and people who socialize at least once a week are more likely to live longer, keep their brains sharp, and prevent heart attacks. One reason: "Just talking on the phone to a friend has the immediate effect of lowering your blood pressure and cortisol levels," says Teresa Seeman, PhD, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at UCLA.

"Our research shows that having good long-term relationships provides as many physical benefits as being active or a nonsmoker." Make the effort to connect with the friends you already have. Call now, and before you hang up, schedule a lunch date—personal contact is even better.

2. THEY EXPRESS GRATITUDE (WITHIN REASON)

Buoy your spirits by recording happy events on paper, your computer, or a PDA. People who write about all the things they are thankful for are optimistic about the upcoming week and more satisfied overall with their lives, according to a University of California, Davis, study. They also feel physically stronger.

"It's hard to be bitter and mad when you're feeling grateful," says Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, author of the upcoming book, "The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want." But don't overdo it. Women who kept a gratitude journal only once a week got a bigger boost in happiness than those asked to record their good fortune three times a week. Find the frequency that works for you - giving thanks shouldn't feel like a chore.

3. THEY'RE RANDOMLY KIND

Do you perform five acts of kindness in any given day? That's the number of good deeds that boosts your sense of well-being and happiness, according to research by Lyubomirsky. Your karmic acts can be minor and unplanned - giving up your seat on the bus; buying an extra latte to give to a coworker. You'll find that the payback greatly exceeds the effort. "You see how much you're appreciated and liked by others," she says. Be sure to keep up the good work: When Lyubomirsky asked her study subjects to space their five good deeds over the course of a week, the actions started to seem routine and lost some of their therapeutic effects. But don't fret if you can't make the quota daily. "Being spontaneously kind also delivers rewards," she says.

4. THEY REAPPRAISE THEIR LIVES

Yes, you can rewrite history—and feel better about yourself in the bargain. Set aside a little time each week to write about or record—or even just mentally revisit—an important event in your past. Reflecting on the experience can reshape your perception of it, as well as your expectations for the future, says Robert N. Butler, MD, president of the International Longevity Center-USA in New York City. When creating this "life review," you get to list all your accomplishments—an instant self-esteem booster. Organize your historical review by epochs: your postcollege years, early marriage, career, motherhood. Subdivide each section into triumphs, missteps, and lessons for the future.

It's helpful to look at the bad times as well as the good. Perhaps now that a few years have passed, you'll be able to see how that breakup or failed job opportunity opened other doors and finally forgive yourself—and your ex-boyfriend or would-be boss. "Even if a memory is painful, it's good to work through it," says Butler. "If you can come to terms with past events, you'll be better able to handle tough times down the road." So be honest, but also go easy on yourself. Remember: You are the heroine in this tale.

The Best Kind of Pessimist

If you're an irritable sort who thinks of your eternally cheery neighbor as a delusional Pollyanna, are you doomed to poor health? Not if you're an active pessimist, a feisty spirit who loves to complain, criticize, and generally mix it up with others—but then takes action. "Active pessimists do battle with life. Being that engaged is actually good for them and can provide some of the same benefits that optimists enjoy," says Toni Antonucci, PhD, director of the Life Course Development Program of the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan.

Passive pessimists, on the other hand, feel paralyzed by gloom, have given up on themselves and life, and will likely live fewer years because of their bummer attitude.

Download US from iTunes!

2007-09-29T20:29:00.000-05:00

Distribution of our ministry is happening all the time. Now listen and download us from iTunes! To the left is a permanent link.

Front Page!

2007-09-23T17:16:00.000-05:00

We have the honor of being featured on the front page of our local paper, "The News Courier" today. Thank you to Karen Middleton for such a wonderful article. (Karen's writing is always top-notch!) The link is here if you would like to read it!

Photos from 8-17-07 CD Release Party

2007-09-19T21:59:00.000-05:00

I wish I had taken my camera this morning when I put on my Ipod and went for a walk. I was listening to Mandisa's great new album that Carole got us all into and just loving the beautiful Fall morning when I suddenly looked up to see a "gaggle" of geese...they weren't flying, they were strolling along the street right in front of me in the new medical complex that's going up in our neighborhood. It's nice and quiet right now because there's only two buildings finished. I slowed down and just watched them and they slowly sauntered over towards the open field and ran into another "gaggle"...possibly some old friends. The leaders of each group quacked a few words to each other and then the leader of group 2 came over and joined group 1. They all stood there quietly and looked at each other for a minute and then all of a sudden group 2 all started quacking loudly and took off. They were so beautiful. Just another of God's creations to leave us awe struck at the wonders of this world. I strolled on down to the pond at the end of the street and danced on the edge while Mandisa sang "...nothin's gonna steal my Joy"... yeah! ...and about "True Beauty" ...the real stuff that is in our hearts that really matters. You must check out that cd! Great work out stuff and it really gets you moving when you're walking!

Oh well, just had to tell about that little encounter.
Finally got some photos uploaded from the concert last month that I thought you might like to see.
Enjoy!
Tina

SG CD Release Party 8/17/08

Devotion: Increase Your Faith!

2007-09-17T10:02:00.000-05:00

Today has been a day that I am getting back into my normal life after being away the past 4 days. What I miss about being out of my routine is not always getting to have my quiet time and devotion with my Lord while I'm in a different place. I want to share the Upper Room devotion with you that was for last Saturday. It deals with increasing our faith. I was praying about that very thing this morning when I posed the question to my family during our devotion, "What does God expect of me?" We can all ask that. We can all have our varying answers. but one answer can apply to all of us too, and that is for us to grow our faith in Christ through knowing Him more by praying and communing with Him more. That is my prayer for you and me as we start this week.

Be abundantly blessed!
Carole

GOD HEARS OUR PRAYERS
_________________________

Luke 8:22-25 (NRSV)

One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side of the lake." So they put out, and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A windstorm swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. They went to him and woke him up, shouting, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" And he woke up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, "Where is your faith?" They were afraid and amazed, and said to one another, "Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?"

_________________________

[Jesus] said to them, "Where is your faith?"
- Luke 8:25 (NRSV)
_________________________

MY family and I were returning home from a family gathering. We decided to take a newly-opened road. The road had no lights and ran through a wide section of uninhabited land. As we traveled along, we were caught in a rainstorm, complete with lightning and violent gusts of wind. The lightning cast light on the road, but it also frightened our children.

Our car began to stall. In the middle of the storm, it came to a complete stop. I got out of the car and lifted the hood to assess the situation. Some of the electrical parts had gotten wet. Nothing could be done. I put on the hazard lights, hoping that someone would stop to help us. No one came.

As the storm increased in intensity, I could see the fear in my children's faces. I said to my youngest child, "Guille, would you like to lead us in a prayer?" He prayed with passionate faith. Soon afterward, a bus that normally did not travel this road stopped beside our car. The driver offered assistance. We left our car by the road and took the bus home.

God heard my son's prayer in the midst of the rainstorm, as surely as God heard the fearful cries of the disciples in the boat during the storm on the lake.

Prayer: God, we join the apostles in asking, "Increase our faith!" Amen. (Luke 17:5)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
God hears our prayers at all times and in all places.

-- Benigno Camiña (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

PRAYER FOCUS: For faith in challenging times

_________________________

Sold Out at CD BABY!

2007-09-11T09:12:00.001-05:00

Yay! Our CD is selling well. CD Baby will have more CDs by Monday, the 17th. So please be patient as we keep up with the demand. Thank you to all who have bought our CD and are supporting our ministry through purchasing our music as well as through your thoughts and prayers. Be blessed and find the JOY!

Carole

Concert Photos

2007-09-07T09:21:00.000-05:00

We still want your photos from our concert on the square. This is a screen shot of us on TV filmed by Cooper & Company--our great local Z-TV hosts, Jamie and Gloria Cooper....This was a fun night! Want Sister Grace to come to your town for an outdoor concert this fall? Just call us!

Our Copenhagen Friend!

2007-09-03T21:41:00.000-05:00

On our recent trip to Cairo we were sitting by the pool at our hotel, the Oasis, and befriended this beautiful lady from Copenhagen, Denmark. Her name is Susanne Hansen and believe it or not she's a policewoman there! She's writing to me of riots where some young people are throwing rocks and bricks at them and it's hard to believe that she works in a situation like that. I respect and admire her courage. As we talked and got to know each other I played her our song "God is Calling" on my ipod and she loved it. I was telling her that we were about to release a CD when I got back to the states and she was very excited for Sister Grace. We've been keeping in touch and she is contacting some radio stations there for us. She's starting a fan club in Denmark. So, she's our honorary "Sister" in Denmark! Just by chance I ran across an article in a magazine since we returned about Copenhagen and I can't wait to go. Susanne, you must book us a gig over there! Has anyone been there? Please comment on our blog and tell us about it!
Susanne, we'll be praying that the riots stop and that you're safe on the job.

Find Joy!
Tina

Sister Grace Store on our Site!

2007-09-01T21:51:00.000-05:00

Our CD can now be purchased at CD BABY--see the permanent link to the left? Click it and you'll be on your way to some "blue-eyed" soul ministry! Notice on our site that our store is up. Click the "Store" tab and you can see and contact us to order YOUR awesome, cotton & comfy, tee shirt! We offer a girls fitted tee in a dark chocolate brown and 3 other classic tees with different choices of logo designs on our "latte-colored" heathered brown tees. We love seeing people wearing their shirts and supporting our ministry. Thank you to all who have purchased CDs and declared them your favorite--we are thrilled to hear that. We are thrilled to have sold over 100 CDs in our first weekend! Praise God! Be blessed and let us hear from you.

Carole

A Special Night

2007-08-26T19:03:00.000-05:00

If you weren't there for our CD release party on the square in Athens last Friday night you missed a great night. The rain came and scared us and cooled things off before we got started and we had a wonderful time. We gathered for a few minutes this week and discussed how there were so many little miracles that happened just in that one day that made the concert special for us. It was so nice to play with the Valleycats and Kelvin Holley and to finally have our CD available...a finished product. We've been through so many ups and downs in the past year and God has led us through it all. We're all exhausted this week and enjoying some down time. Next step is to get these songs on the radio. We're busy filling up our calendar for the coming months and will be sharing as much as we can here on our blog as we spread some of God's love and joy in other places. How fitting, to have our CD release party in our sweet home-town of Athens. I love this photo taken by Robye Andrews with the flag and the beautiful sky in the background. Thanks to all who came out to hear us, to the guys in the band who had to learn all our material in a hurry, and especially to Greg who worked so hard all day getting equipment set up. Thanks also to our new sound guy, Tom McGruter, to all of the ladies who sold CD's and to our families for hanging in there with us those last few weeks. It was a very special night.

Find Joy!
Tina

It's Here!!

2007-08-20T09:02:00.000-05:00

Yes! We are so excited! Our CD is hot off the press and we released it Friday night at the outdoor concert on the square in beautiful Athens, Alabama. It was a magical time for sure as we performed and praised God with over 500 people in attendance!

Get your CD at Carole Foret Fine Art and Pablo's on Market downtown Athens--and soon on CD Baby online!

Here is what one person emailed to us since Friday night:

I listened to my cd ALL the way to Bham on Sat morning and again this afternoon coming home! ... the cd is now my favorite, bumping Chris Tomlin's "Arriving" which has been my favorite for several years now!!!

You each are so beautiful and God has blessed you, not only with great talent, but such a love for others--keep shining!!!!!

Send us your responses to all those who purchased CDs over the weekend. We want to hear from you! Be blessed and keep shining for the Lord....

Carole

Send Your Photos!

2007-08-19T08:12:00.001-05:00

Send us your photos from this weekend
from our 2 concerts and we'll post them with your name!

Thank you to the many who came out to hear us and praise God with us--be blessed!

Church of No Color Praise & Worship Festival

2007-08-18T07:39:00.000-05:00

Our time slot is 8:15 tonight at the festival. Swan Creek park on Hwy, 31 beside Athens High School. This awesome event is sponsored by Habitat for Humanity.

Join the thousands who will be gathered to praise God, putting down our differences, enjoying live entertainment, free food, free drink, free children's games--all FREE to you!....Just like God's grace. We just have to take it....

Hope to see you tonight! Our CDs and t-shirts are available now and selling well!

Thank you for your love and support last night in downtown Athens where we held an awesome concert for our city. It was amazing! Email us your photos and we'll post them on our blog!

A Devotion of Sorts....

2007-08-10T10:09:00.000-05:00

"...hearts full of joy, bowls full of beans. They'd talk about the Bible and what it all meant, sing harmony that was Heaven sent..."--lyrics to our song, "Home Again" on our CD coming out next week.

In these dog days of sweltering summer here in North Alabama--these words conjure up such memories of wholesome times when we were younger growing up in this beautiful farmland of Athens, Alabama. Sitting on the front porch swing, shelling beans and talking about the real things of life, like Jesus, the Bible. Those are sweet memories.

With all the technology available today from iPods, to impressive flat screen TVs with Wii games, to cell phones with text messaging, it's just hard to think we can still relax and swing on the porch swing and think about the real things in our lives.

But we can. We should. We're missing that in our lives. I know my family and I are. What about yours? I think God would like us to slow down, relax and give Him some time in our minds and hearts and share spiritual talk with others. Afterall, that is what really matters in our lives--our relationships and being a light to others. I'm going to work on that....

Be blessed today!
Carole

Kevin McKendree

2007-08-09T11:18:00.000-05:00

Continuing our feature posts on the fabulous musicians who are playing on our CD, we would like to feature Kevin McKendree. Man! He totally rocks on our CD--especially on "Don't Worry" where he "Kevin-ized" the song for us.

He is one amazing pianist with some great bluesy-jazz tunes on his CD. I bought it last month and have really enjoyed it. Kevin is a grammy-award winning keyboard player for Delbert McClinton and tours with him as well. We almost had him playing for our concert until they got a show planned in Georgia for the same night. Shucks! Maybe another time....To the right is the CD cover to his "Hammers & Strings" CD--you gotta get it!

This is a shot of Kevin from his CD....Kevin's MySpace.

Kelvin Holly

2007-08-05T21:57:00.000-05:00

Our rhythm guitarist on our CD is the awesome Kelvin Holly. We are thrilled to have his funky, smooth sounding guitar licks embellishing our songs--he is a true genius! Do you know that Kelvin plays for Percy Sledge as well as Little Richard? He's been on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno--this guy has been around. We're honored to have worked with him. Kelvin will be playing with us at our concert in downtown Athens on August 17th! Don't miss this concert--get your lawn chairs and praising hearts ready!

Kelvin at Ducktape Studio - studio of Johnny Sandlin

Tina come home!

2007-07-26T13:40:00.001-05:00

Tina and Bill, we miss you! Get off those camels and that Eiffel Tower and get on back to the U.S. and good ol' South!

Really, we hope you're having a great time--we know you must be. Our CD details are almost 100% done, and it's just waiting time to get them in. We should be right on time for our concert on August 17th!

Join our newsletter, folks, at the upper right area on this blog. It's fast and easy! That way, you can stay up - to - date on any and all news about us. You might even receive an E-Devotion every now and then. Be in touch with us--we want to know YOU.

Carole

Demand Us!

2007-07-23T17:03:00.000-05:00

David Hood--a Legend

2007-07-18T20:43:00.000-05:00

On our CD coming out next month, we have enlisted some awesome musicians, and I don't know if you all know how amazing they are. I'm going to post some things about them. I'm starting with David Hood, from the original Muscle Shoals Rythym Section and he was one of the Muscle Shoals Swampers. As in the song, Sweet Home Alabama--it says, "In Muscle Shoals they got the Swampers..." Yes, David Hood. Amazing that he is playing bass on our CD, and he is such an awesome, nice man too. Thank you, David! Check out this video interview of him and the drummer of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section...

CD Almost Ready!

2007-07-16T13:19:00.001-05:00

We are so excited to be at the final stages of producing our first CD! What a dream come true for us, and we thank all who have supported and prayed for us. We are currently having our music master-mixed and the CD packaging designed. We are going to have our CD debut at a free concert on the square in Athens, Friday night, August 17th. Save that date and join us!
Enjoy a video I shot while recording the song "Don't Worry." You'll see our awesome musicians who played for us: David Hood, Kevin McKendree, Kelvin Holly and Lynn Williams. You'll also see our producer Johnny Sandlin and one of our engineers, Jeff Coppage. Visit their sites/links to read more about these renound musicians who we are so honored to have on our CD. You'll see Kevin playing keyboards--we asked him to "Kevin-ize" this song and, boy, did he oblige! I'm excited--I just ordered his CD from his site and can't wait to receive it....

Carole

Happy Birthday Sister Steph!

2007-07-09T21:41:00.000-05:00

Yea! Stephie's lookin' good in that new red car she got for her birthday! We had a little cruise around Athens tonight. We even saw some "fans" at Starbucks! Now I did say RED car didn't I. Missed you Carole! Many more Happy Birthdays to Stephanie.
Love you Sis!

Tina

test

2007-07-04T21:18:00.000-05:00

This is a test
Whit

2007-06-25T22:01:00.000-05:00

Possibilities.....new friends...Atlanta! Sister Grace was on the road over the weekend meeting our new friend Mr. Hughes who has some ideas that blew our socks off! We enjoyed the company of he and his wife and our friend Cathy Lee Phillips and her project manager Debra. It was a great brainstorming time for us to get to know each other and we hope to be able to partner with them in some exciting new adventures soon. More later on that! We thank Cathy for being kind enough to invite us, and Dale and Cindy for their gracious hospitality.

We returned to our home church on Sunday and sang with our sweet church (including Dr. Curtis Coleman who we were so thankful to have back with us.) We were treated to a beautiful sermon by Patrick, our youth minister, on faith to step out of your comfort zone and trust in the Lord. Oh how appropriate! We're looking forward to whatever God has in store for all of us!

Joy!
Tina

2007-06-24T15:27:00.000-05:00

Here's a quote to go along with the great one Carole posted below...I keep this in my jewelry box so that I can stumble across it often:

Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.

Napoleon Hill motivational author

In addition to cherishing our visions and our dreams we have to look for joy and follow God's direction in our lives. I believe these are the keys.

Joy! (That seems to be one of my favorite words, keeps popping up in my songs : )
Tina

2007-06-19T12:16:00.001-05:00

Today's Heartfelt Blessing:

Sure Thing

"Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside themselves was superior to circumstance. To choose the sure thing is treason to the soul."

--Bruce Barton
from "The Man Nobody Knows"

Whatever your dream may be, no matter how grand or elaborate, you have within you all that is needed for making it come true. The dream would not have arisen were the materials for turning it into reality not present within you. To avoid your dream because going after it would remove you from the safety of your comfort zone is like refusing to enter your house because you've heard most accidents occur at home.

May you always dare to follow your dream.

2007-06-10T12:30:00.000-05:00

Awesome time with Cathy Lee Phillips...

Sister Grace met with Cathy Lee Phillips who is an awesome Christian speaker from Atlanta. She came over for 2 things: To have some new promotional headshots taken by me (Carole) for her upcoming book as well as to meet with Sister Grace about some awesome news she has received. We had a blast. Her shoot was fun--she brought Stoney, her Alasa Apso dog who was too cute and so well-behaved as he stayed in my studio all alone while we were getting Cathy's hair and make-up done. After the shoot, and after Whitney's grandmother's funeral where the other Sister Grace gals sang, we met at Casa Blanca for dinner and our meeting. We are so blessed to have met Cathy at our women's retreat at our church last March. We fell in love with her gifts of being an amazing vessel for the Lord through her storytelling. She had us laughing so hard at times our faces hurt! Well, she fell in love with Sister Grace, and that is why she was in town to share some good news. As it unfolds, we will tell more!

Here are a few images from our evening....

Cathy Lee and Tina.

Steph and me.

Whit and me.

2007-06-05T14:10:00.000-05:00

Walter Jr.

Sunday when we were at Johnny Sandlin's recording our vocals, a cool guy came walking up the driveway as we were outside warming up our voices. He said he had just gotten off a plane that came from Lafayette, Louisiana. That's MY birthplace! We started talking some cajun language and shared some common stuff, and it was really cool. He told us he had come to work with Johnny on his own CD project, and Tina's husband Bill chatted with him about a bunch of music stuff--we all seemed to connect with him pretty easily. Not surprising since us Cajuns tend to be able to get to know people pretty eaisly. Ha! Meet Walter Jr.

Well, Monday, Tina called us to tell us that Walter Jr. wanted to see if we could come back to Johnny's Monday night to record background vocals on his CD. We were thrilled! We had a blast! We missed Whitney being able to make it though...Walter's CD sounds like it is going to be really awesome. You'll have to check him out at his site. He said that when he walked up and heard us singing--that blend of harmony was just what he had been dreaming about. Well, we are now "angels" to Walter Jr after we finished recording with him. It was a fun time. Hopefully we can hook up in Louisiana some time soon!

Pictured here with us is Scott Boyer, and Walter Jr. I'm tellin' ya-I am looking so much like my sister more and more--it's amazing!

2007-06-04T22:25:00.000-05:00

We lost a sweet lady this week. Whitney's Grandmother, Mrs. Lillian Shaw, passed away on Sunday at the age of 86. She was a wonderful lady with a beautiful smile as you can see from the picture with her Grandaughter, Tevvy, after her graduation just last week....or was that a month ago? We have so much going on in all our lives. Tomorrow we will stop and honor one of the great ones that we've had the pleasure of knowing and celebrate her life. Yes, heaven is real Lillian and we know you're there! Save us a spot!

We love you!
Sister Grace

2007-06-03T11:51:00.000-05:00

My daughter, Kacey, is safely in Egypt as of yesterday morning and has started a blog so everyone can keep up with her during the 6 weeks that she will be there on her study-abroad term. Here's the link if you'd like to keep up.
Isn't technology wonderful!

http://web.mac.com/alalpha/iWeb/KaceyS/Welcome.html

Tina

2007-06-01T10:16:00.000-05:00

WE ARE LIVE TODAY!

Our website is finally here--and we thank Bludomain for creating such a beautiful site for us. They totally rock! Please bookmark us! Our site name is: Sister Grace Music dot com: www.sistergracemusic.com Take a minute and go browse our site and let us know what you think! Blessings to you as summer starts!

2007-05-13T20:48:00.000-05:00

Paul and Silas...For those who haven't heard us sing the very moving song "I Bless Your Name," this is the scripture behind it, coming from Acts 16. Click this link for the entire chapter.

The exact scripture is this from Bible Gateway online:
The Philippian Jailer Converted
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. 27When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." 29And the jailer[f] called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God

2007-05-13T05:47:00.000-05:00

It WAS fun being in the studio yesterday! ...so why am I up at 4:30 a.m. wide awake this morning. Excited I guess. It is so important to me that we do this right....as GOD would have us to do. I've been reading the Bible this morning and, as usual, I was led to just what I needed to think about. I hope you'll read Ephesians 4:1-7 where Paul talks about "one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God", and that "everyone is given GRACE according to the GIFT of Christ." Most importantly, in the first verse he says "I, the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk WORTHY of the vocation wherewith ye are called...with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." We members of Sister Grace talked about this verse when we were coming up with our name "SISTER Grace" as opposed to "Sisters Grace" and this is why we chose to go with "Sister", because of our unity in the one Spirit. Go ahead and read that whole book while you're at it...it's only 4 chapters and Paul says so much more than this. Reading my Bible brings me so much closer to the Spiritual person that I want to be and it's so important to take the time...to keep that fire burning, that passion for becoming one with the Holy Spirit. What a wonderful time to read about these things, while the birds are singing outside my window and the sun is rising. To think that Paul was in prison for preaching these things and, like other heroes of faith (Hebrews 11) throughout the bible...Noah, Sarah, Abraham..., it was their faith in God's promises that sustained and comforted them through all things. I'm so thankful for God's gifts of grace and the freedom and opportunity and gift we have been given to help bring others to that faith. I hope and pray that we can "walk WORTHY of the vocation" to which I believe we have been called with our ministry....."oh, nobody's perfect, and none of us have it all figured out....just have faith"...and read your Bible! It's the kindling for that fire/passion for coming closer to God. (Julia, that's what I was trying to remember that you said at Starbucks, gotta use that in a song, "the fire")

Hey, could somebody tell me where to read about Paul and Silus praying that night? ...and Carole, what was the scripture that Cathy Lee Phillips quoted at the FUMC women's retreat that I had been looking for?

Everybody have a happy Mother's day! Hope my baby makes it home.
...and Carole, I love the little video thingie! I had to run it several times to catch the words!

Love,
Tina

2007-05-11T23:22:00.000-05:00

Tonight was fun. We practiced our vocals tonight--we're headed into Ducktape studio with producer Johnny Sandlin (of that Muscle Shoals sound) again tomorrow to record our second set of songs for our first CD. Should be awesome! When we finished we went to Starbucks for a nightcap of decaf cappuccinos and banana nut loaf. Mmm. We had some nice discussion and had fun watching all the cute people coming and going.

Cute girl who let me snap a pic:

Thank you to Sam who snapped this of us gals...

This is Sam--he makes great cappuccinos and lattes!

And so does Josh--he and Sam have visited my gallery downtown. Nice guys...

Wish us luck in the studio--say a prayer for us. We are prayerfully trying to go where God is leading us...Be blessed and have a great weekend. Blessings to all the mothers in this world! Have a wonderful Mother's day. Carole

2007-04-22T18:00:00.000-05:00

Sister Grace at Jason Gray's Concert!

When we heard that our friend Jason Gray was going to be at "The Rock" worship center in Huntsville, we just had to go. Jason has been to our church twice and we love the way God has blessed him with his music ministry. Wow! We were also fortunate to meet his wife and children this time--what a sweet family.

In addition to hearing Jason, we also heard "Circleslide" and "Down Here". They were awesome bands! The neat thing about Jason and these bands is to see how they are using their gifts to glorify God.

Carole and I enjoyed talking to them afterwards and just HAD to get our picture made with them. Here's one of us with Jason.

2007-04-22T07:39:00.000-05:00

Keeping the JOY!

We often feel happy as Christains and even joyful too--I know that I do. And I long to keep that joy as long as I can. You know--those spiritual mountain-top experiences...

People often confuse happiness with joy, but they are actually pretty different.

I discovered an awesome online site that talked about this. Darla Knoth at WT Online says that happiness is usually tied to our circumstances and fluctuates up and down between good times and tough times. Joy, on the other hand, transcends the rolling wave of circumstances.

Happiness comes as a result of pleasant circumstances. Inward joy comes from knowing and trusting God.
Happiness is unpredictable. Inward joy is steady as long as we trust God.
Happiness covers up discouragement. Inward joy DEFEATS it.
Happiness is temporary. Inward joy is lasting. (Praise God)

I pray to get to know my Lord more and more despite the busy-ness in my life, and I'm thankful that the chance to have joy is always there. Do YOU know joy in your own life? Remember that true joy comes from allowing Christ to dwell in us!

Carole

2007-04-10T08:04:00.000-05:00

Sister Grace in Concert Tonight!

If you have never heard our ministry, you can tonight! We will be singing (and playing our instruments) on the historical stage of McCandless Hall at Athens State University. Take some time out to enjoy and be uplifted by some great Christian music. Some songs will be familiar and some are our own originals. Hope to see you there!

7pm Tonight