Dunnigan

I went by Dunnigan again...

Let's pack up and move

Let's pack up and move to California!

Tire Gauge

I just got the coolest toy for my birthday. A tire pressure gauge with a digital readout.....ooooh. Miles and I went to radio shack and couldn't resist. It came with a carrying case and everything.

The coolest part: It looks like a phaser.

A great way to end the day

Last night, after all the trees were up, Miles and Dad got out the guitar, drums, and shaker toys and we all sat around singing John Denver, 70's, and some old revival hymns.

All the opera in the world isn't more fun than that...

The untimely end of Frosty

The Untimely End of Frosty the Snowman

Frosty the Snowman is really morbid. "He knew that it was hot outside that day" so he ran and danced around anyway and melted, and said he'll be back again someday...

Freaking creepy...

This is the day

Today's the day. Our official meeting by the coffee pot begins at 8:45. And Jeff promised to be here at 9:16:32. Exactly.

We have to go get a new circuit board. Miles had put one together, but then burnt out the board when he tried to jump a component he didn't have. The new board should make our outside lights slash at intervals, with a switch to control the speed. Or something like that. About halfway through "jump wire if not using part b-32" I zoned out completely. It never ceases to amaze me how much thought Miles puts into our lights. He says it's because our house is on a hill, so it better look cool. I think the Logsdons get decorating out of their system at our place. They still put up lights and a tree at their place...

So, I'm off to the shower so I'm not late to the planning session.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy giving thanks to God by eating yourself into a coma!

So many people to kill, so little time

There is so much to do after being out of town for four months. I got my winter clothes out of boxes. Found my favorite pair of jeans and promptly ripped a hole in them. Found my bedding and a couple of things to take to California. Went shopping.

Now I'm on to the mundane. My ledger is updated, and my freedom account ledger also, but I haven't done my spending logs. My dept repayment schedule and payoff record are updated. My bills are paid. Now I have four months of sermons to recopy into my notebook...

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, the next day decorating, one day to pack and hang out with friends, and I head out again on Sunday.

It will be good to be stationary for a bit. Once I get there, that is...

Merry Christmas to Me

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to me....a little early

I just bought me, my cats, and Allie the New & Improved Litter Maid Self-Cleaning Litter Box. Designer Series. No More Scooping! Easy, Clean and Convenient! Eliminates Odors!

Some people get excited about computers. Nope. Not cleaning a litter box ever again pretty much makes my day.

Way cooler than I ever was

Way cooler than I ever was

My little sister, Allie, took my ReliantK CD away from me and has been listening to it. I may never get it back. She even did some head banging on one song, which works really well since her hair is down to her waist.

She stopped after a minute because "it kills brain cells and I need all mine..."

I've whittled over 1700 down to 608. How much does it cost per print?

We sure had a great time, though.

How long does it take

How long does it take to transfer 1700 pictures onto a computer? I'm finding out.

My poor, six-year-old laptop can't handle anything taking up that much memory. So I'm copying my CD to my parents' computer, editing it down some for scrapbooking, and then burning another CD (in theory -- my practical computer knowledge is limited. I'm sure there will be a snag somewhere).

Time to get a new computer. Maybe after next tour...

Wierd

It's so odd to be constantly surrounded by eleven other people, then suddenly have them gone. I keep seeing things that one person or another would laugh with me over, but they aren't there to tell.

Home Again

I'm back in Yakima. On the flight in I sat next to an Eisenhower 2002 grad. We were trying to figure out where we were once the clouds broke. Cle Elum. And then over Ellensburg, right turn, over the firing range, Selah, then home. We were low enough to see the Applets and Cotlets warehouse off the highway, and the mall. It made the flight short anyway.

My cats sort of remember me. Chloe is still hiding under the bed. Cai came over for a chin scratch. He's always been a turkey. He lost his baby cowlick. He used to not be able to reach the spot over his tailbone, and his fur stood up. He got so big!

This afternoon I have to help pull the house together. Grandma is coming in at 5, and the house has to be spotless. So, I'll be stuffing flowers into the entryway garland for a while...

Old Shadows

Old Shadows

Rachel: "I'll have you know, people have paid me to sing."
Jessica: "Where? The circus?"

Jessica: "Sewing a lizard on your bag is harder than you think."

Bert: "A mail order tattoo gun? Good luck reaching your own behind."

Jonathan: "I want him to lose the next election so I can hear him say 'I'll be back'."

Aaron: "If you do something, then do it again, that's Dunnigan."

Rachel: " There's another city sign. We're at Dunnigan again."

Aaron: "You know the store Bennigans? I've only been once, but if I go again I'll have been again to Bennigans."

Vicky: "When in Rome do as the Romans do. When in Mexico..."
Rachel: "Don't drink the water."

Jonathan: "It was like a black church with white people."

Jessica: "Does your camera take pictures?"
Dad on Phone: "Nope, it makes mochas."

Character Flaws

Character Flaws

We were having a discussion the other evening at Camp Harlow about character flaws. What are they, what can one do about them in oneself, and when and if you should bring them to a friend's attention.

Our definition for the sake of the conversation was "part of our nature that, while not a necessarily a sin, is detrimental to yourself or others." Talking incessantly, for example. Is that a sin? No. But Poverbs says "when words are many, sin is not absent." So that flaw could lead to sin. Likely, if your mouth never stops moving, you also aren't allowing enough delay to think over your subject, or choice of words. And if your constant talking involves interrupting people or monopolizing a room, then you're bordering on selfishness and inconsideracy.

What about virtues. Can a virtue in excess become a character flaw? The virtue of temperance -- only taking what you need and no more. What if you walk into a restaurant and send back a plate because there is "simply too much" on it. Or go to a friend's house and refuse what is offered because "all you want" is something simpler and less costly than what is offered. C.S. Lewis in Screwtape Letters calls this gluttony. It may not be in excess, but you are still demanding what you want, no matter how much trouble anyone else has to go to.

One character flaw of mine that was brought to my attention (indirectly) in a desire for attention. I often do it through self-depracation or false modesty, desiring others to tell me that it isn't true. In that instance, I threw a football well. (Once apon a time one of my kids at youth group decided no girl could live without know how, so he spent one whole lock in teaching me how to throw one.) I, of course, couldn't be happy in the fact that I had done it well, I had to make sure everyone else knew as well. I woudln't shut up about it. I was annoying myself, even. Finally someone said, "You already said that you could, yesterday." Which I had.

So how does one fix a character flaw? The drive for approval is the easy part to fix -- recognise that God's approval is all that matters. But the attention part? I'm not sure. Throw in a martyr complex and it's a bad combination. Does anyone have any thoughts?

Three to go and laundry done...

Three to go and laundry done...

Last night was our first show in our last run this tour. It was a strange venue. The room fit the stage just fine, but couldn't fit the tables. So the tables were set up in another room across the church. So after the prologue the whole audience trouped across to have dinner and dessert, and then back for the combined first and second acts.

It went well. Two of our cast members are sick. Aaron was trying not to cough backstage. Just then, a guy in the audience started hacking up a lung. I told him to try and time them to coordinate with that guy...

Today we're off to Central Point. We're in Eagle Point now. Our homestay had the most comfortable bed we've slept in in a while. Well, we were in sleeping bags in bunks at a camp for our days off. The camp had covered wagons with bunk beds. I wanted to sneak into one the last night but chickened out. I did sneak into a movie that I didn't have a ticket for. We were going to see Taxi (eh) but watched the previews at Sing Out Loud and then left. That's the first time I've ever done that...see what tour does?

A whole day to myself

Yesterday, I had finally had enough of people (actually I lasted much longer than I thought I would).

So I walked two miles to the mall, bought myself a new book by Francine Rivers, went out to Thai for lunch, looked at scrapbooking supplies and yarn at a craft store, read in the food court, went to the hairdressers, walked to KFC for dinner, and walked home.

My hair is back to its natural color now. It's darker than I remembered, but its been six years. Maybe it darkened. But the top two inches of my roots didn't get dye, and it matches. Strange....

Booking

Drea, I can't get my comments to pop back up, so here's the info:

For more details please contact the Wycliffe Northwest office.

4200 S.E. Jennings Ave
Portland, OR
97267-6485
(503) 652-1662
or(800) 269-2007
(503) 652-1541 FAX

For info about booking the dinner theaterin your church, e-mail: brenda_long@wycliffe.org

Coming Back Again

Well, tour is a week and a half from being over. 6 of us, including me, will be returning in the spring. It was a hard decision for a lot of people. Not for me. I pretty much knew I'd be back three weeks into tour.

Our next tour will be in California alone, maybe with some shows in Oregon on the way back, but I haven't seen an itenerary yet.

Prayer partners, please pray for our bookings. We have 25 booked, but need at least 35 to tour, and a full semester would be 45 shows. Also pray for those of us who will be returning. We'll need the time off to rest from this tour, and I'll be working in California over Christmas. I will get to be home for thanksgiving and the day after (our bigger holiday -- we put up the Christmas trees). Christmas I will be solo with my cats -- rather like Sandra Bullock in While You Were Sleeping.

So that's the tour update. The next one starts January 10 and runs through the middle of May.

Friendly Public Service Announcement

Friendly Public Service Announcement

I just received the year end report from Compassion International. It is a child sponsorship program I've been involved with off and on. For $28 a month you provide a child with education, sanitation, heath classes, and you have the option to sent extra money (there is a limit to how much you can give per year) to the child's church for their family. The church then decides how best to use it to better their living conditions.

This program's mission statement impressed me. In order to meet the requirements for charitable organizations, 80% of donations must directly benefit the children. And they have a policy of staffing their overseas programs with people from that country. And, the decision of who needs sponsored is made by the local church.

I've loved sponsoring my kids, and getting letters and pictures from them makes my day. If anyone has every wanted to try it, there is only a one year commitment (when I first started you pretty much assumed you'd have the child all the way through their education, if possible). So, here's a copy of the report they sent me. It contains their annual report, and some statistics on sponsorship.

"Thank you for your faithful support of Compassion?s ministry. In a continuing effort to be good stewards of the gifts and resources that have been entrusted to us, this year we are making Compassion?s 2003-2004 Annual Report available online...It was an extraordinary year at Compassion.

Sponsorship is up worldwide: 83,988 children were sponsored during the year.

Thousands more children than expected were registered in our program.

Compassion?s ministry is launching into new countries around the world.

The Leadership Development Program continues to attract students with great potential.

Maintaining a Strong Tradition and Trusted Reputation At Compassion, we?re doing everything possible to maintain our strong tradition as a leader in Christian child development and trusted reputation for good stewardship. Thank you for partnering with us. Sincerely in Christ,

Dr. Wesley K. StaffordPresident and Chief Executive OfficerCompassion International

Releasing children from poverty in Jesus? name"

Peter and the Starcatchers

Peter and the Starcatchers

I just finished reading this book. I've read a good deal of Dave Barry, and hadn't caught the memo that he's writing fiction. I found another book of his on the shelf that I didn't buy, but will eventually.

I thought this book was excellent. I've liked Peter Pan stories for a long time, and love the movies based on them -- especially the latest Peter Pan live action, and Hook.

This book deviates a bit from the original stories (because, we wouldn't have a pre-Neverland Peter if he's carried off by Tink right away). Instead, he is the leader of a group of orphans being sent as servants to a barbaric King. He doesn't know his age, but as the leader, he is always one year older than the oldest boy in the orphanage. The five boys are put aboard the Neverland, a run down ship also carrying Molly, a young girl with a secret. She can talk to Porpoises for one thing. And she seems to be in the possession of a mysterious trunk that is heavily guarded, and when touched, shimmers and sounds like tiny bells tinkling.

Eventually, as a result of Peter's snooping, he is let in on the secret. Bits of stars that fall from heaven have magical powers. Their dust can make people fly, and turn ordinary beings into magical ones. She and her family are part of a secret society to keep the starstuff from falling into the wrong hands. Fast on their tail is a pirate ship, with none other than the Fierce Captain Stash. He has heard that the Neverland is carrying the greatest treasure in the world. And the Captain of the Neverland seems to have his own secrets.

After a battle on the high seas in a storm, the trunk, orphans, starcatchers, shipmates, and pirates are marooned on an island populated with 'savages'-the Mollusk Tribe. As all involved chase around after the trunk, some hints of the Pan stories yet to come are given.

My favorite part of the book is when the trunk drifts into a blue lagoon. It is leaking starstuff into the water, transforming the ordinary fish into Mermaids.

I didn't know what to expect, but it was worth the money I spent for the hardcover. I assumed that a book by Dave Barry would be parody, or at least comedy, but it is legitimate storytelling. If you've read any of Barry's books and newspaper columns, there is some dialogue that you could bet he wrote. I don't know the other author at all, so I can't make any comparisons there. A good, if fast, read -- geared for kids, and produced by Disney -- so watch out for the movie to be out in theaters sometime soon. I hope they'll be smart and get the kid that played Peter in the live action version. I suppose he'll be too old, but it would be great for continuity.

Stats

My blog has just reached it's 800th post. I thought that was pretty impressive. My word count to date is 110,124. If it had a plot, it would be a book by now.

I just looked at my blogcounter and someone came to my website looking for Vargus Pinup Girls. Does that frighten anyone else?

Today was the perfect way to spend a cold, gloomy afternoon. We spent our days off at a camp and retreat center in Eugene, Oregon. We're just about the only people here besides the staff, so we kind of have the run of the lodge. After breakfast, three of us went into the fireside room and crafted. Jessica was knitting a scarf, Julie collaging a card for her brother. I was thread crocheting. Later, Aaron joined us. He didn't craft, but he did hang out, look out the window at the fall weather, and entertain us with his guitar. And Tasha joined last of all, working on a quilt. In the afternoon everyone left except Jess and I, and we spent three hours working on our various projects. And she'd never heard Odyssey, so we listened to half a dozen episodes. Now she's got one of them. I've sucked someone else in! (maniacal laughter)

Tomorrow our homestay is going to take Ashli and myself to fabric and yarn stores. Once I finish this project, I'll need to start another. After all, Christmas is coming. And tomorrow night we have a show here in Springfield.

Flashback

Flashback to the 90's

At dinner I looked down at my watch and went "6:20! Star Trek is on! I'm missing it!"

Haven't done that for a while...

Christmas Wish List

Christmas Wish List:

Sorry guys, this is not a blatant attempt at being mercinary, but my mother asked me to put a list of things I need (or just want) somewhere where she can be sure to find it, what with Christmas and my birthday coming up so quickly...

1. socks. really.

2.gloves.

3.black long underwear top.

4.CD walkman.

5. Reliant K's 1st and 2nd cds.

6. Hawk Nelson CD.

7. Jacob's Well "You Are Better." CD
8. Stamps and Stationary.

9. Sleep mask and earplugs.

10. Ginny Owens CD

11. Travel coffee mug that has the clip to attach to your bag. They have them at starbucks...probably other places too.

Ok, everyone else go about your business. I'm done now!

Crazy!

We had a crazy venue the other night.

Our stage was put directly on top of their stage in the sanctuary. So instead of the front platforms being two and one half feet off the ground, we were more like six. The trick there? Twice during the show we have to either scramble on, or jump off the stage. Their stage was sort of a hexagon, with our rectangle across it at the widest part. And there were five steps. So, in the pre show, in pitch black, we had to come tearing through the audience, down one level in their congregation, between tables, miss the imaginary step (a dark line in the carpet...Got us every time), up the stairs, and onto our stage. The other direction we had to plan more carefully. Off our stage onto the bit of their stage that stuck out far enough to land on, down the steps, and through the house.

On the upside, I've never heard so much praying during a show. "Please God, don't let us kill ourselves doing this! PLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASE PLEASE!" Only one person fell. Coming offstage you hit the backside of the drop-off and even more steps. Someone missed it in a blackout. (Big silent emotional moment onstage...Blackout...Aaaaannnnd.. KATHUNK!...thudthudthudthud...Muffled hysterical laughter.)

The terror during the locust scene has never looked more realistic. We had resorted to crossing ourselves by then.

I'm alive

Hey, we're in Salem. Or somewhere around there. 8 more shows on this tour. If I haven't said so already I will be coming back on next tour which begins in January.

Tonight we set a new record. Kitchen crew was done by 9:45, with the trailer locked up. Stage crew pulled in at 9:57. The show ended at 9:15, so we're pretty stoked. That's at least worth a pizza or something instead of adobo. It was odd to be at Mocks Crest in Portland. We unpacked and were all geared up to fly out. Then realized we had 10 more shows. It was a great two nights there. What a trip to get to hang out with all 12 of the group on our off time. Usually we're split up into homestays.

We watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I really really really liked that movie. The premise was great. If you could erase bad memories from your mind, would you? One great part of the movie was when Jim Carrey stopped just reliving the memories, but began interacting with Kate Winslet in them. And the last memory, when she tells him "this is the last one, and it's almost gone. What do we do?" Just enjoy it. Every second. Some of the forced perspective work was great. Instead of relying on post-production special effects, the director actually built the set to create the effect on camera. I think they used hand held cameras for the majority of the filming. Oh, and if you watched the behind the scenes footage, one scene was completely improvised. The cast was filming in New York in the subway, and they heard a circus passing overhead. Then cast and crew chased the circus around New York City to ad lib shots to put in the film. And what an amazing cast. When Elijah Wood is the bit part...

Tomorrow we're off to our last show in this set. It's my day for devotions, and we're still working our way through the first chapter of James. I get to do verses 16 through wherever I decide to end. Probably around 21. I'm nervous. I like imputing into a discussion, but I'm not sure if I'm skilled at leading one.

Old Shadows

Jonathan: "We haven't been together since that phat house we stayed at. That's P. H. phat."

Vicky: "They were quite rude and unhelpful."
Walter: "The circuits or the people?"

Vicky: "It's not unattached, it's my hair."

Tasha: "You shall find her wrapped in a headscarf, lying in the suburban."

Ashli: "You should have been there when you were gone."

Jonathan: "Under $6? Oh no, I can't even get a frosty on top of my biggie size meal."

Vicky: "Do you want to know an interesting turkey fact?"
Aaron: "They're stupid?"
Jessica: "They can't fly?"
Jonathan: "If they look up during a rainstorm they'll drown?"
Amy: "They can make 30 different noises?"
Tasha: "Ok, Vicky, what's your interesting fact?

Vicky: "Don't be an enabler. Be a disabler!"

Tasha: "Is this what a homeschool convention sounds like?"

Amy: "Are we doing laundry?"
Ashli: "No, we thought we'd make a pile nd jump in them."
Rachel & Tasha: "Here's your sign."

One the road again, and again, and again

And, for those who are interested, we are on our way back to Portland. Tonight, I think, we are in a town an hour and a half due east from San Francisco. Tomorrow night we stop outside of Redding, and the next evening we will be back in Portland. Then we'll take trips out from Mocks Crest and back again for our last 11 shows. 31 down. Can you believe it? How did Fiddler on the Roof run for something like 6500 in a row.

Halloween part 2.

So, yes, after church I went home and slept for several hours, waking up to hack up more bits of my lungs and rolling over. That evening I was feeling better, so I grabbed my costume and headed to another of our houses. Most of the girls were going trick or treating with their host family's kids, but three of us stayed home and watched Princess Diaries for Julie who hadn't seen it, and Finding Nemo so I can quote it with my sister when I get home.

My costume: A homeschool mom. Complete with pregnant belly and denim jumper.

Halloween

Yesterday was Halloween, which should have been loads of fun, but of course I caught a cold from the Ichaw Bird. One big problem with traveling with 12 people all the time is colds go around like the plague. And my body doesn't react well to Dayquill. Well, my body does fine, my brain takes a hiatus.

So yesterday I was well enough to go to church at Sunridge Community Church in Temecula, California. I really enjoyed the church. The band at the front was great -- especially the front row guitar on the left who reallys seemed to be enjoying worship. They sang some songs that I knew, and some that were completely new. The sermon (whose notes I'll post somewhere -- I liked it that much) was on finances. It wasn't a sermon on percentages, or contribute to our building fund (Thank God. I realized recently that I haven't gone to a church in my life that hasn't either built a new sanctuary, or put on a new roof at least). But it was about spending money wisely. They had given about a dozen people $100 dollars several months ago saying that it was God's money, and had to be used to build his Kingdom, but with no other restrictions. The places the money went were as varied as the people. One lady took her money and raised more for hurricane relief for a church that was leveled. Another lady gave a hitchhiker a meal, fixed his broken bicycle, and gave him the rest. Another gathered enough money to ship baseball equipment to Cuba for a church hat was starting a program. Another made morning and evening aid boxes for missionaries. And then, one lady heard of a young girl diagnosed with cancer, who wanted a real hair wig (which costs between $1,000 and $1500). Her money went there, and she got the word out to her friends. One of their friends' five-year-old son heard about it and started a lemonade stand to help. Construction workers came by, and the boy told them why he was doing it, and he alone raise almost $500. At five years old.

That was the set up for the sermon on giving. It was mainly about why God gives us resources. He read some of the passages directed to the "rich man." Then he stopped and told us that most of us just zoned out what he'd just said because we're not "rich." Guess what. If you have food, clothing that isn't worn out, a shelter that doesn't leak, and reasonably reliable transportation, you are part of the wealthy 15% on our planet. If you own two vehicles, congratulations, you are the top 5%.

One of the testimonies from the "Kingdom Assignment" that really got me was a lady who realized that it isn't the big sacrifices that matter. Anything you can do to simplify your life and give to others will make a difference, not only to someone else, but to your own outlook on your God given resources. She looked down at her hands and decided to give up her weekly manicure and put that money aside to be given away instead. The pastor went a step further. Do your really need that bigger house? Second vehicle? Expensive hobby? What can you do to simplify that would mean a difference in the way you use your money. And the closing thought was, maybe God gives you more prosperity not to increase your standard of living, but to give you more opportunities to give to others in need.