Diplomacy

The mother of one of my 8 year old piano students, informed me of one of her daughter's common phrases used regularly at home. It sounded to me like a diplomatic way of saying no.

" I like it.......but I don't want it ".

Musical Definitions

"Tempo" - the speed at which music travels.  It is always faster in performance than it has been in rehearsal,  usually by a factor of two.

"Orchestra" - the result of musicians having discovered that there is safety in numbers.

Felt the need to write in my blog today but the writing flow is not happening .  Hence I will just create some snippets of info which I would like to communicate to my readers.

Mission Statement

To use my musical abilities and gifts to help spread the gospel message to the community in order to fulfill the Great Commission.

Hence the ultimate purpose for me creating and producing my music CD's is to tell people about the gospel message through song and also encourage and build up other christian believers.

Prayer for Helpers

In the area of evangelism I believe this area of Christian service comes under more spiritual oppression.  Hence I would appreciate ongoing prayer for my helpers as well as myself as we carry out the duties of this venture.  For:-

Trent:  who is creating a video for the website

Nigel:  who is editing an audio interview for the website

Bob:  who has agreed to create another website for the search engines

Bev:  God's guidance and strength

Thanks for your prayers

Broadband

Apologies to those who have tried to log in to the website to listen to songs on the CD.  Apparently they are best heard only on a Broadband connection.  However I will try to get Bob to see if he can have them available to listen to on dial up as well. 

Alternatively I can offer a "Try Before You Buy"  option.  This is where I can send you a copy of the CD.  You can take time to listen to it at home and if you like it can then buy it.  If you do not wish to purchase it you can just post it back to me.  Please send me an email on beverleytang@gmail.com if you wish to do this.

Jephthah

I've been getting a lot out of studying the book of Judges in the Old Testament.   Today's reading is about Jephthah (Judges 11:1-14, 2/-12:7).  Jephthah's  father was Gilead but his mother was a prostitute. This made Jephthah only a half brother to his father's other sons who were born to the true wife. Hence these brothers totally rejected Jephthah,  saying that he would not receive any inheritance. Therefore Jepthah decided to flee from his brothers and lived in another land called Tob where a group of adventurers gathered around him and followed him.  

However later when Israel was under the threat of the Ammonites, these same brothers went back to Jephthah asking him to lead them in battle to save their nation from war and annihilation.  Naturally Jephthah was quite incredulous that these family members who had hated him were now asking him for help. 

Jephthah could have refused,but instead he was big enough to set aside the past, to help rescue the family and people who had once rejected him.  This account shows how God can use anyone no matter what situation they have come from, to do his will to bring salvation to his people.  This is similar to what God has done for us.  Even though people have rejected God,  he has turned around and still decided to help us and provide us with salvation.  This shows how much He loves us.

The passage also goes on to show how it is not wise to make vows towards God or to anyone for that matter since it can place us in bondage.

 Every Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at the church, the Pastor and his eleven year old son would go out into their town and hand out Gospel Tracts. This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and his son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold outside, as well as pouring down rain. The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said; "OK dad, I'm ready."  His Pastor dad asked, "Ready for what?"  "Dad, it's time we gather our tracts together and go out."  Dad responds, "Son,  it's very cold outside and it's pouring down rain." The boy gives his dad a surprised look, asking "But Dad, aren't people still going to Hell, even though it's raining?" Dad answers, "Son, I am not going out in this weather. Despondently, the boy asks, "Dad, can I go? Please?" His father hesitated for a moment then said, "Son, you can go. Here are the tracts, be careful son. "Thanks Dad!" And with that, he was off and out into the rain. This eleven year old boy walked the streets of the town going door to door and handing  everybody he met in the street a Gospel Tract.  After two hours of walking in the rain, he was soaking, bone-chilled wet and down to his VERY LAST TRACT. He stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a tract to, but the streets were totally deserted. Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk to  the front door and rang the door bell. He rang the bell, but nobody  answered. He rang it again and again, but still no one answered. He waited but still no answer. Finally, this eleven year old trooper turned  to leave, but something stopped him. Again, he turned to the door and rang  the bell and knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the front porch. He rang again and this time the door slowly opened.  Standing in the doorway was a very sad-looking elderly lady. She softly asked "What can I do for you son?" With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy said: "Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I  just want to tell you that *JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU* and I came to give you my very last Gospel Tract which will tell you all about JESUS and His  great LOVE."  With that, he handed her his last tract and turned to leave.  She called to him as he departed. "Thank you, son! And God Bless You!" Well, the following Sunday morning in church Pastor Dad was in the pulpit. As the service began, he asked, "Does anybody have testimony or want to say anything?" Slowly, in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her feet. As she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her face, "No one in this church knows me. I've never been here before. You see, before  last Sunday I was not a Christian.  My husband passed on some time ago, leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday, being a particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more so in my heart that I came to the end of the line where I no longer had any hope or will to live.  So I took a  rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic of my home. I  fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof,  then stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my neck. Standing on that chair, so lonely and brokenhearted I was about to leap off, when suddenly  the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs startled me. I thought, "I'll wait a minute, and whoever it is will go away. "I waited and waited, but the  ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and more insistent, and then the person ringing also started knocking loudly. I thought to myself again, "Who  on earth could this be? Nobody ever rings my bell or comes to see me."  I loosened the rope from my neck and started for the front door, all the while the bell rang louder and louder. When I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes, for there on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I had ever seen in my life.  His SMILE, oh, I could never describe it to you! The words that came from  his mouth caused my heart that had long been dead, TO LEAP TO LIFE as he  exclaimed with a cherub-like voice, "*Ma'am, I just came to tell you that  JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU."  Then he gave me this Gospel Tract that I now hold in my hand.  As the little angel disappeared back out into the cold and rain, I closed my door and read slowly every word of this Gospel Tract. Then I went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them any more. You see- "I am now a Happy Child of the KING". Since the address of your  church was on the back of this Gospel Tract; I have come here to personally  say THANK YOU TO God's little angel who came just in the nick of time and by so doing, spared my soul from eternity in hell." There was not a dry eye in the church. And as shouts of praise and honor to  THE KING resounded off the very rafters of the building. Pastor Dad descended from the pulpit to the front pew where the little angel was  seated. He took his son in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.   Probably no church has had a more glorious moment, and probably this universe has never seen a Papa that was more filled with love & honor for  his son.  Except for One. This Father also allowed His Son to go out into a cold and dark world. He received His Son back with joy unspeakable, and as all of  heaven. Shouted praises and honor to The King, the Father sat His
beloved Son on a throne far above all principality and power and every name that is named.  Blessed are your eyes for reading this message. Don't let this message die,  read it again and pass it to others. We will meet in heaven! "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving  it."

The following is a song I wrote a few weeks ago.  It is dedicated to the memory of Mark Evans a member of our church who passed away recently and was promoted to glory.

By Beverley Tang

Verse 1

I entered your world,  a few years ago, a stranger on the scene

Not knowing who to talk to, no one knew where I had been

But when I spoke to you my friend, it was just like coming home

You welcomed me with smile and cheer,  there was an instant bond

I’ll remember you I’ll remember you

With warm and fondest memories I’ll remember you

I’ll remember you I’ll remember you

For you I pray for peace and joy as I remember you

You were such a pleasant guy, full of calm and cool

You had your friends and fam’ly around, you were nobody’s fool

As time went by I began to see, through notices and friends

The thorn that never left your side, a struggle with no end

Chorus

Bridge

I wish I found out sooner, to help you with your fight

To tell you that you’re not alone, to live by faith and not by sight

I know now why we bonded, but it’s too late to see

‘cause you’re no longer with us now, in heaven you will be but….

Chorus

Chorus

Last line…”I’ll remember you……”

ã Beverley Tang 2006

Promotional Shot in the Park

 "Eukey" -Forest Glen Sanctuary

Youth With a Mission Outreach in Bombay India

Outdoor Church in Bombay Village

Indian Family

Hi folks

I thought it was time I stopped mucking around with my blog and finally get down to business.  I am a gospel singer songwriter who is forging a path into the music business.  Hence I will attempt to share my journey in the music world and hope to give any other budding young artists some useful information and things to look out for in their own musical path.

All Record companies and labels are a business designed to make a profit like any other business.  Hence your voice and/or songs have to be seen as an attractive money making venture.  Therefore it is good if you have already created a fan base of listeners who are ready to buy your music.  This can be achieved by singing in public as much as possible to create a following.  This will apply especially to bands but also solo singers as well.

If you are a songwriter your songs have to sound quite commercial (but still have a quality that sets you apart) for record companies to accept you.  Therefore, before I ever wrote my first song,  I made it my goal to write songs that were very commercial.  To me this meant songs that were simple,  catchy,  had a strong hookline in the chorus and lyrics that rhyme  (so listeners could remember them easily) , basically songs that are likeable straight away.  It is also good to make them radio friendly.  The introduction can't be too long and must be very interesting and catchy to draw listeners in.  If not they will probably change channels after 5 seconds into the song.

I also chose to write pop rock music since it sells more units then more specialised styles such as jazz or heavy metal which will only appeal to a smaller population group.  Also I especially made the songs "Middle of the Road" ie not too heavy but not too mellow . Hence in the long term it would appeal to a wider age range and therefore sell more units thus making more money.  If opera was the music form that sold more units in the music world I would have sung opera.

Some of you true artists out there may be horrified at my above logic,  however my initial goal had to be partly to write music to make some sort of living out of it.  Also I saw music more as a tool to be able to get a message out to the masses.  Since pop music is accessed by more people,  than I figured that more people could hear my message.

Needless to say there is a lot of competition out there.  I believe there are virtually trillions of people of all ages trying to make it in the music business. Hence you have to be super fantastic and talented to stand out from the crowd or at least be different in some way.  I heard an 11 year old girl sing a number who was absolutely fantabulous.  However one of my singing teachers once told me that singers are a dime a dozen.  What can help set you apart and bring you forward is to write your own songs as well.  Also you make more money in writing songs instead of just singing since you can earn royalties.  It is helpful if you can play and instrument as well to help with your songwriting.

Teaching Singing

I also teach piano part time which helps  in my singing career.  I also enjoy talking to children. When I was doing Aural (singing & listening)  exercises once, my student asked me if I could teach them singing as well.  Hence I thought I would give it a go.  I have always wanted to teach singing since I felt I would enjoy this.  It is also a good challenge because it is not like the piano where you can easily see and touch the keys.  You have to be skilled in carefully explaining how to manipulate the inside of the throat, diaphragm and face to achieve the right technique.  People say that when you teach a subject you end up learning a lot yourself as well.  For instance it can remind me of what I should be doing.  Also in speaking the techniques out loud and discussing them with the student it can clarify concepts for both parties and one can learn new tips.

That's all from me for now

See you later

Bev

One of my students told me about his recent school camping expedition.  Basically he described it as a total disaster. However as he  divulged the details it sounded like something straight  out of a comedy.

All the students were split up into groups.  Unfortunately the person in his group forgot to collect the food for the three day hike from the kitchen.  Hence,  instead of having the planned sumptuous spaghetti bolognaise for the next few dinners ,  it was replaced by toasted marshmallows.  Other groups were kind enough to donate some of their own food, but I had an inkling it was not really enough for a  team of ravenously hungry boys.  My student also mentioned the failure to make "plastic cheese" melt over the fire.  This cheese happened to be the cheaper processed variety. The word "plastic" was used since it just remained solid no matter how much heat was applied.

(Come to think of it,  I used to love eating plastic cheese when I was young).

The teacher who organised the whole camp happened to be the hiking guide for my students' team.  However they got lost.  You know you're in trouble if the head organiser of the whole camp gets your group completely lost.

However, it appeared that the climax of the whole 3 day hike was when a mighty explosion sounded through the vast bushland in the early evening.  As all the students wandered what had occurred, they eventually discovered that it was caused by one group trying to heat up a whole can of baked beans over the fire but not opening the can first.  Heat normally expands things so these poor baked beans got so big they just needed more room to manoeuvour.  They did eventually get their wish resulting in baked beans exploding into all directions eventually splattering all the tents in oversized orange beans covered in hot tomato sauce.

Needless to say when my student finally returned to civilization he guzzled down a generous serving of fish and chips from the nearest fast food outlet faster than your eyes could see.

Well,  at least it will be a good yarn to tell the grand kiddies in future years.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.   Proverbs 5:3-6.

God has not given us a spirit of timidity but of love and power and sound mind. 2 Tim 1:7

Fear not for I have redeemed you I have called you by name.  You are mine. Do not be afraid for I am with you. Isaiah 43: 1b, 5a

I have recently released my new CD called "Breaking Through".  You can listen to tracks and buy my new album . 

Just log into my website at  www.beverleytang.com .

Go to the Music Page to listen to tracks

Go to the Buy Music page to purchase the CD.

In 3 days time the website will be updated with the new bargain price of  $10-00.

Also go to the Blog page of my website and read about my earlier life in my first blog.

Cheers

Beverley

Hi Everyone

Welcome to my new blog.  I hope you like the new layout.  I chose this Blog brand since it seemed to be more versatile and user friendly than my previous one.  When I think about blogging I have this image of me talking to a group of three devoted readers who are willing to listen to my daily blurbs with great patience and kindness.  Or I have this picture of me evangelising to little green gremlins in cyberspace.  As a final analysis if my listening trio gradually diminishes my continual blogging can still serve as constructive therapy for self expression -  similar to a journal.

After my recent culinary disaster I succeeded in making a comeback .  My latest cooking triumph is described in the following recipe :-

Chunky Chicken and Vegetable Soup  -  Serves 2

Ingredients

1/2  tablespoon olive oil

1/2 carrot sliced

1/2 leek chopped

2 cups or 500ml vegetable stock

1 ripe tomato diced

1 chicken thigh fillet - cut in 2 cm pieces

A cheaper alternative for chicken fillets is to get 2 chicken drumsticks,  cut off the skin with a kitchen scissors then cut the meat off the bone and cut into 2 cm piece.  Throw in bones at the start of simmering.

Method

1. Heat oil in saucepan & cook carrot and leak over medium heat for 4 min or until soft

2.  Add chicken and cook for further 2 min or until it has changed colour

3.  Add stock,  cover & bring to boil

4.  Reduce heat & simmer for 5 minutes.

5.  Add tomato and simmer for another 5 minutes

6.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with bread.

Bon Apetite!