My First Giveaway!!

** Contest Closed! Please head over to Keith's website to purchase his cd! **

Oh, yes, I AM!! I could not be more thrilled to be participating in the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival! If you're a freebie addict like me, check out the carnival. There will be over 1,000 giveaways listed!

So if you are here visiting via the carnival, welcome -- please -- have a seat. I appreciate you stopping by. Sometimes I write about my precious children. Sometimes typos. I'll be honest, quite often I don't write anything worth reading. And really, I'm just trying to get back into it all now that the Funk has lifted. You are so very welcome to come again.


Now, for my FIRST EVER GIVEAWAY! I am so excited to be giving away a fabulous piano cd by a friend of mine, Keith Martinson. The cd is called "Today", and it is brand spanking new. I was able to attend the cd release concert this weekend (well, well, look at me -- out of my house at fancy cd release concerts). It was a beautiful concert (David Ask was also performing), and I only wish our church would allow us to bring tasty hot beverage treats from the Caribou into our sanctuary, because I would have loved to have just leaned back with one and gone into a state of permanent relaxation.

Keith has a gift. I mean really. I love when he just plays under prayer or something at church, because he moves flawlessly from song to song, sometimes making it all up as he goes along. Furthermore, I remember once asking him if he knew a certain song. "I'm not sure, sing it." So I sang part of it and he just started playing. Did he know the song? No. But he could just hear the melody and was able to accompany me. It's sick. And I wish I was afflicted with it. But at least I get to witness it. And Keith is completely down to earth, which makes it impossible to hate him or even dislike him.

More about the cd: Keith's "Today" cd is entirely original music. From the liner notes: "It seems that Today is so often marked in the scriptures by God's action and our decisions. 'Today is the day of salvation... Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster... Today when you hear his voice... Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.' God is always doing something Today! My prayer is that this music will be a blessing to you and a reminder of God's presence today."

I started listening to "Today" today (ahahaha), and I love it. It made me want to stop what I was doing and just be. Instead I did some dishes and it was nice for that too. It would be nice to have on while reading. Fun to listen to in the car. It just made me feel reflective. And while I enjoyed all of the songs, I could put "All Things" on repeat for roughly, well, forever.

I have one cd to giveaway to a very lucky reader! If you are less lucky, please visit Keith's website where you can order his previous cd "Faith, Hope & Love" (another favorite of mine), and I suspect "Today" will be available... any day (ahahaha). Do you see this people? It's not quite even for sale online yet, but I have it for you. You're welcome.

To enter, please leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite musical artist/what's in your cd player/what's in heavy rotation on your ipod. Something of that nature. You have until 8 am CST Oct. 31, 2008. Then I will figure out how to use Mr. Random Integer to draw a Big Winner. You'll need to either leave me your email or a link to your blog so I might contact Lucky Lucky You. One entry per person. U.S. only please. I will post & contact the winner Friday, and said winner will have until noon Monday to claim this fabulous prize. After that, it's back to the random integer I go.

I want to thank Keith for helping me out with this giveaway -- remember, Christmas is practically around the corner and wonderful piano music would take care of a lot of people on your list. Also, check out another friend, Tony's site, but first read more here.

And -- BEGIN!!