January 24, 2008

A Beautiful Family Photo

My brother took this at Christmas, of us, in all of our glory.

I love photos like this one, because they show who we really are.

DonB!

January 22, 2008

My latest itinerary

I am having trouble getting my itinerary updated to the top of this newsletter, but you can see it by clicking HERE. Not all of my shows are listed, but most are.

DonB!

DonB! made it on the Billboard Charts. sort of

Another cold day in Minnesota, with the thermometer reading -4 as the kids leave for school.

I am here in my office, finally feeling the beginning of the end of my bout with the flu. As the flu was leaving, it left behind one of the worst sinus infections I have ever had. The constant headache was almost unbearable, but thanks to a great doctor, it is beginning to ebb away. And that's a very good thing, since our family leaves on the K-Love Friends and Family Cruise in less than a week.

As I sat down to check on my email this morning, once again I hit the "big time" and didn't even realize it. My wonderful Google-centralized computer told me "DonB! has hit the Billboard charts". So, I followed the link, and sure enough, I had. Click HERE, and you'll see what I mean. I'm listed right there with Jeremy Camp, Salvador, SuperChick, MercyMe, comedian Mike Williams, Big Daddy Weave, Natalie Grant and Jaci Velasquez. The thing we all have in common? Once again, it's the K-Love Cruise (that starts in 6 days).

So, it's not really the big time, but it's a start.

DonB! - smalltime comedy entertainer

January 16, 2008

2008 is coming on strong!

I sit here and write this on January 16th, while I medicate my way through my first bout with the flu in years.

I've already done 5 shows here in Minnesota, with 3 more and a cruise to Mexico still to come this month.

Working with our Wednesday night Kid's Club has been great also. I play Jessie Crankshaft, the guy that runs J.C. Salvage. The theme is all about how God doesn't see us as junk, but rather as people that can be "salvaged", made new and usable once again. Jessie is slowly falling in love with Melba Toast, a bag-lady character that Debbie plays. Tonight, if I can keep my head cleared long enough, I am playing "Red", one of Jessie's brothers, along with two other guys playing "Green" and "Blue".

Right before Christmas we finished up the 10 Commandments series, and tonight we start down the Romans Road to salvation. Please pray that the impact on these kids can be as good as the last series was. I work with some of the best adult workers in our church, and it is great to hear them having one-on-one time with the kids, explaining all the various aspects of Christ, God, salvation, etc.

I have to get a short nap before tonight, so I'll write again soon.

Happy new year to you all.

DonB!

January 4, 2008

DonB! Travels - Near & Far

It is that time of year that I sit down and take a look at where I have been this year. I have been involved with many new secular entertainment events, but the ministry work is where my heart really is. Here's a list of some of the many places:


Minnesota Zoo - stilt walker
St. Joseph's Home for Children
K-Love Christian Cruise - Bahamas
Colonial Church of Edina
Cub Scout Blue & Gold Dinner Show
Mt. Airy Christian Academy - Maryland
Upward Basketball Awards Night - Virginia Beach, VA
...time with my sister, Amy, in Virginia
First Assembly of God - Fort Wayne, IN
Upward Basketball Awards Night - Fort Wayne, IN
St. Joseph Upward Basketball Night - Fort Wayne, IN
First Baptist - Owatonna, MN
Easter Show - Willmar Assembly of God
Slap Happy Clown Convention - Winnipeg
Calvary Church - Fargo, ND
Grin Doctors Show - Mora, MN
Elm Creek Comm. Church - Osseo, MN
Premiere Christian Cruise - Jamaica
Camp Lebanon Family Camp - Upsala, MN
Grace Chapel - Bagley, MN
Trout Lake Camp Family Camp - MN
Menominee Alliance Church - Menominee, WI
Fairview Elementary - Mora, MN
Mabel Tainter Theatre Outreach - Menominee, WI
Sandy Cove Ministries - North East, MD
Metro Connections Event - Mpls, MN
Woodcrest Baptist Church - MN
Macy's Plate-Spinning Event - Mpls, MN
Sunset Christian Center - Rocklin, CA
Creekside Community Church - Castro Valley, CA
Rogers, MN parade (our whole family on unicycles!)
High Point Church - Rogers, MN
Metro Connections Event - Nicolett Island, MN
Grindstone Lake Bible Camp - Sandstone, MN
Camp Lebanon Family Camp - Upsala, MN
Calvary Baptist - North Carolina
Sonshine Music Fest - Willmar, MN
TNT Clown Conference (speaker/performer) - GA
Crosspoint Christian Church - Selma, AL
New Life Church - Woodbury, MN
Cirq du Jour Circus Camp - Detroit Lakes, MN
Corporate Party - New Hope, MN
Cirque Imaginings tour - MN, SD, IA
MN State Fair w/Mannequin in Motion (MIM)
Calvary Comm. Church - St. Cloud, MN
Trout Lake Camp again
Inspiration Point Family Camp - Clitherall, MN
Trout Lake Camp again
Pinewood Elementary School - Moundsview, MN
Metro Connections Event - Mpls, MN
UofM outdoor cancer event - stilts & magic
MIM - Palace Guard at Jaguar Dealership
Ogema Baptist Church - Ogema, MN
New Life Church - Princeton, MN
Faith Church - Hudson, WI
MIM "Snowstorm in China" Event -Prior Lake, MN
MIM Private Event
Chaska School District - Chaska, MN
Northwestern College Alumni Weekend - Roseville, MN
Maple Grove Free Church - Maple Grove, MN
Stilts for Halloween event - Ramsey, MN
School Fun Fest Show - Chaska, MN
St. Paul's Lutheran Church - Melrose, MN
Christian Life Fellowship - Port Edwards, WI
Trailview Title I Show - Mora, MN
Variety Outreach Show - St. Cloud, MN
Verndale Elementary - Verndale, MN
Kilber Fun-raiser Show - Champlin, MN
MIM White Statue Event - Sartell, MN
Higher Expectations - Brooklyn Park, MN
Cathedral Press Christmas party - Long Prairie, MN
Hanco Christmas Party - Eagan, MN
Leadership Appreciation Dinner - Fort Wayne, IN
Chaska School show - Chaska, MN
MIM - MN Vikings Christmas Party
Inspiration Point New Year's Party - Clitherall, MN


Along with all of that, I worked 34 days for UPS leading up to Christmas, I performed in quite a few events for Mannequin in Motion, I played various super heroes at "Hero Headquarters" during the Wednesday night Kids Club activities at church, I attended a 3-day workshop with world famous clown, Avner the Eccentric, I ran PowerPoint at our church once or twice a month on Sundays, attended the leader's retreat for our kids workers at church, I performed in the community play with Debbie, I added 4 new routines to my shows, I read about 15 books, attended Men's Fraternity at our church, met an Ed Sullivan look-alike, flew on a few airplanes, put another 42,000 miles on our vehicles, and watched our kids continue to grow up and keep busy.

God is good, and He has shown much of that goodness on me and my family this year. If you want to see the many ways He has done so, please read back through the many posts that I have written this year. It's all good.

What is in store for 2008? Well, I have 23 shows on the calendar already, and look forward to another 50 or more. Open doors of opportunity to share the Gospel with folks around the United States and the world.

Thank you for reading this online newsletter. Please continue to pray for many lives changed in 2008.

My hopes and prayers for you all,

DonB!