Grammy's Tonight

Hopefully you'll be watching the 2010 Grammy's tonight. The night looks like its slated for some great performances.

Real quick I wanted to remember the BEST PERFORMANCE of 2009 (Radiohead's, 15 Steps):


Peace & Enjoy Watching,
Ross

Recommendations for Music, Literature, & Film/TV

So if you find yourself with any tidbits of free time, I'd highly recommend the following:

MUSIC
Poison & Wine by The Civil Wars

Hazards of Love by The Decemberists

LITERATURE
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller

FILM

TV

Just do yourself a favor and put these on the "to do" list, and thank me later...

-Ross

Please Read This - ANAPRA UPDATE

A few years ago, our best friends (the Schultz's) changed our lives when they took us to Anapra, Mexico. It wasn't a mission trip, or project oriented. It was just a trip to visit some of their friends. Our eyes and hearts were forever opened!

Today, Katie wrote of a recent phone conversation. The dialogue is full of both intense sadness and hope. I read it with tears in my eyes, and I hope you too will take a couple seconds and read it.

READ KATIE'S BLOG HERE...

Peace,

Ross

video's from last night's concert

so, if you couldn't make it, that's some of what you missed!

peace,
ross

Contradicting Eyes

I wrote this a few months back. Its essentially the story of all of us. When we approach faith from the human perspective, we are led through hypocrisy to who knows where. That's why I label myself a hypocrite in transition. I think that's pretty accurate.

Without further adieu, here it is...

Contradicting Eyes
(c)2009 Ross Christopher Donaldson

Contradicting eyes
Feed your lies
That break our faith
And keep us down
I’ve been told a thousand lies
Of where you ought to be
But here I am looking at you
And staring in your eyes

I don’t know
If I can go
To the place
I need to go

Look around,
They’re all just like you
Telling a perfect lie
Abuse the story
And blur the lives

I don’t know
If I can go
To the place
I need to go

Contradicting eyes
Feed your lies
That break our faith
And keep us down

There's Prison in my Future...

Last night Kate and I were watching Modern Family, and suddenly it hit me...there's about a 94% chance that I'll wind up in prison someday!

Why?

Because our girls will grow up.
They will date.
Boys will come around.
I will respond to that.
Thus, prison.

Its so clear to me...

-Ross

Build a Well with Us...

A week from today, I'm kicking off my first concert to raise money for the freshwater well we're building. I say we're because without YOU it won't happen. Doing nothing means people will continue to suffer the consequences of not having freshwater resources (and I can no longer stand on the sidelines pretending I can't make a difference). Unclean water contributes to more death than AIDS and Malaria combined. But it doesn't have to!

The solution is simple too.
The solution is YOU.

Kate and I decided that this year I'm giving all of my profits from touring and CD sales to build a freshwater well. The well provides sustainable, clean water to 250+ people for over 20 years.

Next Tuesday, JANUARY 26th, I'll be performing at Cicero's in St. Louis, MO. Music starts at 8PM. I hope you'll mark your calendar and plan to be there. It'll be a great show for a great cause. Come along and bring a friend, and together we can make this well happen!

If you can't make the show, you can give directly HERE, or purchase CDs online HERE to make a difference.

See you there,
Ross
www.rosschristopher.com

Haiti Update (House of Hope)

Last year I had the opportunity to help serve The House of Hope in Port Au Prince, Haiti. Our church has closely partnered with them, as its run by family. I'm daily trying to find out the latest stories on the ground at HOH.

HOH serves about 30+ girls, a small staff, and serves as a school during the day to about 100 kids. I'm including some pics and links to folks on the ground.

Pic #1 - Damage @ House of Hope

Pic #2 - This is a huge compound next door to HOH

Pic #3 - Medical care @ HOH

Pic #4 - More medical care @ HOH
(i had the opportunity of serving w/
the gentleman administering the meds in this pic)

Pic #5 - Smiles are beautiful!

ADDITIONAL LINK #1
ADDITION LINK #2

From the stories I'm hearing: the girls were outside playing when the earthquake happened, thus avoiding much potential damage. A couple girls were injured when the security wall fell, but nothing serious. The staff is not 100% accounted for, and 1 staffer was killed. All staffers homes were lost.

Please pray for peace, strength, and safety!

Peace,
Ross

Restaurants That Donate to Haiti Relief

Kate just showed me a link of a handful of St. Louis restaurants that are donating their NEXT WEDNESDAY profits to Haiti earthquake relief.

Imo's Pizza
Chris' Pancake House
Cafe Napoli
Oceano Bistro
Dominics
Tortilleria
The Dubliner

So, if you're gonna eat out anyway, make your money go even further. And if you weren't planning on going out to eat, do.

::CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION::

Peace,
Ross

Do Something for Haiti...

Last October I had the opportunity to spend a week in Port Au Prince, Haiti. The sights will never leave me. The abject poverty is like none I've ever witnessed. Haiti is currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, yet only a 4 hour flight from St. Louis. That doesn't set well.

The infrastructure was already in shambles. The population didn't help matters. A city originally designed for 50,000 holds over 2 million people. You can imagine the cluster that creates!People literally lived on top of the town dumps. Piles and piles of trash were the foundations for entire villages. There's a biblical term for that - gehenna, which means "hell."

And now that gehenna has been devastated even more with yesterday's earthquake.

I imagine over the next few weeks the death tolls will rise and the diseases will get even worse. And even though it may seem a world away and overwhelming, you can make an impact now by clicking this link: HELP HAITI!

Keep Haiti in your prayers and please do whatever you can...

-Ross

Book Entry #4 (HEALTH - a quick preview)

Here's another quick glimpse into the book i'm working on, Outsourcing God...

A church can very quickly become fully engulfed into a season of dysfunction and retreat to months, if not years, of disunity, gossip, slander, which slowly destroys the bride of Christ. Outsiders will continue the rant of, “I told you so,” as they point at a church in turmoil as a poor reflection of the Christ they supposedly worship. A church in this season of funk can quickly create decades of stepping backwards. The community is not blind and will not ignore a church that cannot love internally. And church splits that result in new church plants aren’t any healthier. Bitterness within never is a spirit-led launching pad for the bride of Christ.

Seasons of conflict are usually placed on the shoulders of the leaders. As a leader I claim responsibility too. After all, when things go good and lives are being transformed, I selfishly cherish a sincere complement. But when things are rocky and status quo, I can displace blame with the best of them. However, the notion that you can adequately gauge a church’s health by the condition of the staff is a lie. A healthy congregation lives and breathes together in a loving/transparent kind of wave that celebrates and argues together. Like the beauty of marriage, it’s not all honeymoon! Open communication and dialogue strengthen the bond. Being able to successfully ride through a conflict together typically strengthens the relationship, and with grace and ownership, can provide the most valuable lessons in relationship and love.

Peace,

Ross

Someday Means Never

Last week I made a post about truly living, taking chances, being willing to fail in the pursuit of your dreams, etc.

This week I wrote a song.

Its a discussion on the ill-fated situation that most of us fall prey too. It's a song about the intoxicating blandness that is comfort (and I'm as addicted as anyone!). Comfort blurs passion and dream beyond recognition to the point that its nearly forgotten. Comfort is plateau and status quo. Comfort is "the way we've always done it." Comfort has to go!

So here's a song/poem about dreaming and doing nothing about it. Enjoy!

Someday Means Never
(c) 2010 Ross Christopher Donaldson

(Chorus)
Someday means never, I know
Someday is clever lies
Someday means I don't want to
Someday never happens


(Verse 1)
You've got your dreams of what to do
Carry them out and be
Freedom looks and stares you down
Do it now or die slowly

(Verse 2)
Tomorrow comes and next year's here
Comfort killed the great belief
Triumph lost to complacent
The slow death set it (the slow death set in)

Bridge
I chose this way
I chose to be
I lost my dream
And comfort is hell

Cora turns 2 on Saturday...

Cora turns 2 on Saturday.
A lot happens in 2 years.
She's changed SO much!

THE END

Out With the Resolutions in 2010...

This year Kate and I set out to create some "goals" (not resolutions - those get broken by mid-January). We spent a couple days building our lists and then set aside a night in front of the fireplace to share them and plan for the future.

Here's a few of my goals:

- save up 6 months living expenses

- finish recording the "parables e.p."

- build a freshwater well (funded solely from my touring & CD sales)

- finish & print my book, "Outsourcing God"

- book a speaking engagement discussing, "Outsourcing God"

- schedule & plan a family vacation and a backpacking trip for Kate and I

- say the word "need" less - work on understanding/living the difference between "want" & "need"


That's my list. I'll give you updates from time-to-time as to how I'm succeeding or failing. Feel free to share your goals/resolutions. And feel free to hold me accountable - i'm sure i'll need it!

Peace,
Ross

I NEED YOUR HELP IN 2010...

Cheers to 2010 and cheers to everyone that made 2009 an incredible year!!!

I'm gonna try and make this quick, so hold on...

2010 is going to be one to remember. The shows are gonna be fresh and exciting, there's gonna be a new album, the ways to get connected are going to be easier, and TOGETHER we're gonna generate some real movement and justice in the world!

MISSION: this year RC is going to embark on a couple projects.
PROJECT #1- BUILD A FRESHWATER WELL from its tour & CD sale earnings. The freshwater well provides a village of 250+ people with clean drinking water for 20 years. (READ MORE HERE)
**its seems fitting that THE RIVER CHILD go toward providing water...

HOW CAN YOU HELP???
1. Book a show in your area and bring a crowd
2. Help promote existing shows and bring ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS
3. Buy RC merchandise (via the store & iTunes)
***FOR A LIMITED TIME, YOU CAN BUY 'THE RIVER CHILD' ON SALE FOR ONLY $8.99 by clicking the STORE link on the RC site (click here) - ALL PROCEEDS WILL GO TOWARDS BUILDING A WELL!!!
4. Cold hard cash donations will also work... :-)

::UPCOMING SHOWS::
JAN 10 - Felix's - St. Louis, MO - 8:30PM
JAN 20 - Best of STL (tv appearance w/ The Constant) - St. Louis, MO - 7PM
JAN 26 - Cicero's (w/ Rescue Signals & Chris Hawkes) - St. Louis, MO - 8PM
FEB 5 - The Birds Nest - Chicago, IL - 9PM
FEB 6 - The Verve - Terre Haute, IN - 10PM


::KEEP IN THE DAILY LOOP::
(click on the links below & enjoy!)
BLOG
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
MYSPACE

::FRESH WEBSITE UPDATES::
Thanks to Brandon Schultz of BRS Photography the RC site is looking awesome with brand new updates, pics, etc. Check it out and spread the word!
www.rosschristopher.com


This is just the start to what I think is going to be an AMAZING YEAR! There's going be a major West Coast tour in March (more details to come...). So stay tuned as it all unfolds!

Grace & Peace,
Ross

2009: bad, fair, or good? (hope in expectation for 2010)

CNN.com ran a poll asking how you'd rate 2009 - bad, fair, or good. The overwhelming vote went with fair.

Fair is dangerous. Fair is content. Fair is status quo. Fair is un-memorable. Fair is luke-warm. Fair keeps us comfortable without the push of any sort of urgency, and is too easily repeatable.

In my opinion, fair is the worst place to be.

Think about it...bad gets your butt in gear to make improvements. Good makes you analyze what went right and pushes you to create more of those good experiences. Fair just happens again and again, not bad enough to inspire change, not good enough to push you (and others) further.

Don't have a fair 2010...go out on a limb, take chances, pursue your dreams, and embrace the fact that you might fall hard doing what you believe in and are passionate about; but also be prepared for the best year ever!

Peace in 2010,
Ross