Words of Wisdom

Last month I made a flying trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to perform/speak at an inter generational men's breakfast at Sandia Presbyterian Church. It was the first time they had tried this event, but hearing the responses from attendees, it sounds like it could become an annual event for them. I had a great time performing, as well as seeing some of Albuquerque with my host, Mike Molony. Mike is a performer in his own right, having worked in radio broadcasting for 26 years, and doing some stand-up comedy too. Mike, thanks for your wonderful hospitality while I was there.

While travelling in New Mexico last month, I had the opportunity to see a few sights in the Albuquerque area.

One of my hobbies is Geocaching (treasure-hunting with a handheld GPS), and this trip took me driving to the top of the Sandia Mountains. Take a look at my GPS screen: it went that way for 13 miles.

I visited Tinkertown Museum, which is an amazing creation of Ross Ward, a woodcarver/tinkerer. His museum houses 100s and 100s of hand carved figures, buildings, circuses and anything else you can imagine. Ross used to tell people,

"I did all this while you were watching TV."

I love it! I also read a sign that Ross had painted that I liked, but can't figure out who to attribute the original saying to. It says,

You don't stop playing because you grow old.

You grow old because you stop playing.

How true. I hope I never stop learning how to have fun throughout life, whether it is a time of harvest, or a time of trials. John 14:27 says, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world gives, give I to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." -AKJV I've grown into the realization that no matter what life can throw at me, I can still have peace. The world offers us satisfaction (peace) through the material things we get, or through power over others. The Bible's teaching is contrary to that, in that we can have peace at ALL times, knowing that God provides all of our needs, whether in slim times or hearty times.

If you are not at peace about your own life, let me challenge you do talk to folks at your church, or within your community of believers, and discover true peace for yourself. Or, give me a call, and maybe I can offer some words of encouragement, hope and peace. I would find it an honor to share time together with each one of you.

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April here in Minnesota has been WEIRD. That's the only word I can think of to describe it. Here's why:

I had some shows booked for April, and every one of them cancelled or changed the date. With no shows for the month, I set my focus on getting my DVDs filmed, edited and packaged. Due to construction at the studio, I had to cancel that time slot also.

I did end up with a few bookings near the end of the month, but I found out how I could spend my time accomplishing other things.

I went and watched Deanna (15 years old) earn a spot on the JV Golf Team at her high school. I played tennis with Dale (12 years old) and Debbie to get Dale ready for his summer on the tennis team. I honestly believe that tennis is Dale's sport. He has excelled so quickly, and plays it so naturally. Go Dale!

I have started a short course in the use of Adobe InDesign, a computer publishing program. My hope is to re-release my magic/clowning lecture notes from 18 years ago, "The Creative Mind", using this program, as well as compile many files from my computer into more manageable formats. The course is about 18 hours long, and I've completed the first 3 lessons (about 5 hours).

One more strange thing about Minnesota is that you can never predict the weather. Last week it was sunny and 70 degrees, so I planned a get together here in Mora with the East Central Minnesota Geocachers group. Saturday rolled around, and Minnesota got socked by a snow storm. In April. Mora only received about 2 inches, but other parts of northern MN received as much as 16" in 24 hours. Thankfully the folks that I had invited were all hearty outdoor people, and more showed up than were expected. Here is a photo of some friends out searching in the blowing snow:

--Doug, Jeff and Bill. I took the photo.--

As you read this blog, please feel free to post comments at the bottom of each listing. I love to hear from you all, and what is happening in your lives.

Until next time,

DonB!

DonB! now sells juggling equipment

I love to juggle, not only in my shows, but because it is great exercise for the arms.  And depending how involved you get, it is also great for your cardiovascular (I never thought I'd use that word in a real sentence) system.

Well, after years of folks coming up after my show asking me where they could purchase juggling equipment, now I can simply say, "From Me."

Higgins Brothers, out of Canada, has been making fine juggling equipment for a long time.  When I was searching around looking for someone that could offer me quality beginner equipment, as well as quality performer's equipment, I found these guys.

Feel free to browse their online catalog to find things you like.  Then simply call the office of DonB! Ministries to order.  Right now I carry juggling rings, clubs, scarves and flipping sticks (referred to as devil sticks, though I don't know why).

Call my office during the week to place your order: 320-679-0060, and then let's get together and juggle sometime.

DonB!

Latest News from Minnesota

"There's no place like home. There's no place like home."

Those famous words, spoken by Judy Garland, in the Wizard of Oz, are so true. I have had the great opportunity to travel allover the United States in the last 3 months, but no matter where I go, or how amazing and scenic (and warm) those places are, it is always nice to get home, sleep in my own bed, kid my kids goodnight, and eat cereal in my pajamas. There really is no place like home.

My good friend, Greg Phillips, from Melbourne, Florida, made the trek up to Minnesota for a 4-day Kid's Crusade at Willmar Assembly, and then did a great lecture for the MN chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Entertainers. It was good to see him again, this time in Minnesota.

On March 19th I did a program at Bethel Church in Owatonna, Minnesota as a community outreach event. The comment cards indicated that as many as 13 people gave their hearts and lives to Christ that night during the message invitation. God still works his wonders every day.

My Easter program that was scheduled was cancelled at the last minute, so this actually turns out to be the first Easter that I spent at home in over 7 years! It was a busy weekend too. On Friday, our son, Dale, celebrated his 12th birthday by having 7 other boys sleep overnight through to Saturday. The boys headed home around noon, just in time for the relatives to arrive and celebrate Easter, and the birthdays. You see, on Sunday, was our daughter, Deanna's 15th birthday. So, we celebrated that too. Easter, plus our 2 kid's birthdays, equals some of the best reasons to celebrate.

This weekend I am heading to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for a Men's Outreach Breakfast at Sandia Presbyterian Church. Pastor Mike Molony invited me to be the entertainment/speaker at this 1st Annual Event for their church. And, because of the airline's goofy pricing policy, I get to/have to stay in the warmth of Albuquerque an extra day. I'm hoping to ride the Sandia Peak Tramway to the top of the 10,378 foot Sandia Peak while I'm there too.

Finally, I ask that you pray for me during the month of April. As busy as the first part of the year has been, April drops off to almost nothing in regards to shows. Income will be a little tighter, and with the production of the DVDs, pray that we use our finances correctly, and in a way that is God-honoring. Or, simply pray that a flood of shows comes flowing in for April. Or, pray for both. Either way, I thank you for your encouragement in this ministry work. I wouldn't trade it for any "job" in the world.

Happy late Easter to you all,

DonB!

Times fun when you are having Flies

I can't believe it has been so long since I updated this page. So much has happened.

I did two great shows at Groves Academy in MN for their Jump Rope for Heart event. While there, I happened into the wife of the Campus Life director I knew in high school. She recognized me, but couldn't think of where from. Hi George.

I then performed for the fundraiser banquet at Trinity Lutheran in Minneapolis. The senior highers used the banquet as a way to raise $$$ for their missions trip. What also amazed me about the event is that over 135 items were donated for the silent auction. I bid on 12 items, and won only two: a clear glass chess/checkers/backgammon set for my son, Dale, and a nice wooden clock for my office. I've heard that the fundraiser raised over $3000.oo towards the trip. What a blessing.

I then spent 8 days in northern California travelling with my good friend, illusionist Toby Travis. The shows went great, but the part I really loved was running around in a part of the country that expresses the beauty of creation everywhere you look. I've heard that northern CA was beautiful, but it was breathtaking in many places. We performed in El Sobrante, San Andreas, Bass Lake and North Fork, California. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. The last night was spent with my good circus friend, Nicole Portwood, and her family. We didn't get enough time to visit, but it's always good to meet up with them. Timmy, keep practicing that unicycle!

I then started my Upward basketball programs for the year, with the first one in Minooka, Illinois (say that one 3 times fast). I had a huge stage, and an audience of about 600 people, all of whom enjoyed the show, but also responded to the message. God is REALLY good!

I headed over to Bloomer, Wisconsin for another one, and again, had a great response to the message. It was great that even though the program was sponsored by the Lutheran church, they had families from all denominations involved with the basketball camp. I love it when I get to see different denominations uniting for the greater cause of Christianity, rather than using it as a dividing factor. Bloomer did a great job in their community!

March kicked off with business, doing a Cub Scout dinner, 4 days of office work, and then flying down to Pace, Florida, for another Upward event. On Saturday, I performed for 600 people for their Upward awards night, and then Sunday I had an hour to share some various messages in the Kid's Church ("SuperChurch") at Pace Assembly of God. This was their first year involved with the Upward program, but they did a fabulous job of organizing the season, and sharing the Gospel with players and families. I feel so honored to be a part of the ministry of church like this around the country. I not only get to perform, but I also get to share the simple message of what it means to me to be a Christian. How many people can honestly say that they love their job? Well, to make it official, I LOVE MY JOB!!! There, I said it.

I still have 5 more events this month, and then next month I begin the filming for my 3 new DVDs. I am hoping they are done by September, so watch here for the official announcements.

I have a lot of pictures from this last month, and I will try and post them here as soon as I can.

Thanks again to all of you that make it possible for me to travel around sharing the Gospel. Thanks for your prayers, the opening of your homes for me to stay in, the sharing of your time, and finally for your $$$ gifts. I don't know if I could do it without knowing all of you are out there supporting me in your thoughts and prayers.

Life is good for me, sop take a few moments this month and pray for someone you know that could really use an uplift at this time. Prayer can work wonders, even if we never see the final outcome of some of it.

Talk again real soon...

DonB!

How a child would write the Bible

This was sent to me from Sunday School Network.com. It is how a kid may re-tell what the Bible says. Whether it's for real or not, it does give me a chuckle to read it.

In the beginning, which occurred near the start, there was nothing but God, darkness, and some gas. The Bible says, 'The Lord thy God is one, but I think He must be a lot older than that. Anyway, God said, 'Give me a light!' and someone did.

Then God made the world.He split the Adam and made Eve. Adam and Eve were naked, but they weren't embarrassed because mirrors hadn't been invented yet. Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating one bad apple, so they were driven from the Garden of Eden. Not sure what they were driven in though, because they didn't have cars.

Adam and Eve had a son, Cain, who hated his brother as long as he was Abel. Pretty soon all of the early people died off, except for Methuselah, who lived to be like a million or something.

One of the next important people was Noah, who was a good guy, but one of his kids was kind of a Ham. Noah built a large boat and put his family and some animals on it. He asked some other people to join him, but they said they would have to take a rain check.

After Noah came Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jacob was more famous than his brother, Esau, because Esau sold Jacob his birthmark in exchange for some pot roast. Jacob had a son named Joseph who wore a really loud sports coat.

Another important Bible guy is Moses, whose real name was Charlton Heston. Moses led the Israel Lights out of Egypt and away from the evil Pharaoh after God sent ten plagues on Pharaoh's people. These plagues included frogs, mice, lice, bowels, and no cable. God fed the Israel Lights every day with manicotti. Then he gave them His Top Ten Commandments. These include don't lie, cheat, smoke, dance, or covet your neighbor's stuff. Oh, yeah, I just thought of one more: Humor thy father and thy mother.

One of Moses' best helpers was Joshua who was the first Bible guy to use spies. Joshua fought the battle of Geritol and the fence fell over on the town. After Joshua came David. He got to be king by killing a giant with a slingshot. He had a son named Solomon who had about 300 wives and 500 porcupines. My teacher says he was wise, but that doesn't sound very wise to me.

After Solomon there were a bunch of major league prophets. One of these was Jonah, who was swallowed by a big whale and then barfed on the shore. There were also some minor league prophets, but I guess we don't have to worry about them.

After the Old Testament came the New Testament. Jesus is the star of the New Testament. He was born in Bethlehem in a barn. (I wish I had been born in a barn, too, because my mom is always saying to me, 'Close the door! Were you born in a barn?' It would be nice to say, 'As a matter of fact, I was.')

During His life, Jesus had many arguments with sinners like the Pharisees and the Republicans. Jesus also had twelve opossums. The worst one was Judas Asparagus. Judas was so evil that they named a terrible vegetable after him.

Jesus was a great man. He healed many leopards and even preached to some Germans on the Mount. But the Republicans and all those guys put Jesus on trial before Pontius the Pilot. Pilot didn't stick up for Jesus. He just washed his hands instead.

Any way's, Jesus died for our sins, then came back to life again. He went up to Heaven but will be back at the end of the Aluminum. His return is foretold in the book of Revolution.

Did you smile? Good! -DonB!

Who are these clowns?

This photo shows 2 clowns.

Can you identify who they are?

The Auguste on the left wrote a funny paragraph

about the whiteface on the right.

To read it, click HERE.

DonB!

An Amazing Working Vacation

(Watch this slide show first)

On January 27th, our entire family flew down to Miami, Florida, to travel and work on the 2008 K-Love Friends and Family Cruise. This was my 3rd time working a Premiere Christian Cruises event, but the first time my entire family was able to go with. Very cool.

Monday morning we boarded the ship, Carnival's Fascination, and headed out to sea.

On Tuesday, we spent 4 hours in Key West, Florida (the southern-most spot in the United States), and then reboarded the ship to set-up for my show that evening.

My first show was in the Ritz Lounge, a nice room, but a low ceiling. I was on right after Earl & Kimberly Long finished their first show. My show went really well, with about 100 people in attendance.

Throughout the cruise, wherever there were people gathered while waiting for something else to happen (concert, dinner), I performed close-up magic for them. It is a great time to face-to-face interact with not only the kids, but the adults too.

Wednesday was spent at a hotel/park/resort just outside of Cancun, Mexico. It was terrible for me to have to imagine all of my friends back in Minnesota, bundled to the gills in the frigid temperatures, and there we stood in our bathing suits. Alright, maybe not "terrible". Maybe more like unbelievably cool. :)

My fan club, made up of our 6 family members that were on the cruise, all showed up at both of my programs wearing their very limited edition "DonB! Ministries" polo shirts. I was honored.

My second show, in The Palace, was filled with amazing blessings. A camera crew, onboard to film some other comedians, agreed to leave a camera set-up to film my show the next day. For very little $$$, he gave me a digital copy of my entire show! I hope to have some of it up on my website fairly soon. AND, Tom Wilson, the audio/lighting guy, hung a beautiful scrim backdrop for my show, and had it lit with some simple, but elegant lighting. Another blessing, for sure. Finally, as my show was coming to an end, many more people were filing in to the Palace to hear the debarkatiopn talk, and were able to see the Unicycle Medley at the end of my show.

As I carried my stuff backstage, a Carnival employee, affiliated with the entertainment department, came backstage and talked for a good 40 minutes about the possibility of having me cruise more often with them. If you want something to pray about, read this paragraph one more time, and imagine the door that would be open to me for ministering to the crew and other guests. Wow!

SIDENOTE: As great as it is to perform for and meet the guests on the cruise, I saw something that I felt I had to do something about. Since it was a Christian cruise, the casino and the bars were not very busy at all. There was one main bar, in the hallway where everyone has to walk to get from one of the ship to the other. The two people behind the bar (one from Romania, one from Peru) were always smiling, but seldom had any customers. Well, with all of the magic tricks I was loaded down with, I stopped and started showing them a few routines. 20 minutes later, when I was finishing up, there were at least 20 other bartenders and wait staff gathered to watch the magic.

Why do I tell you this? Because on the last day of the cruise, I asked one of the wait staff if the guests on this crew were any different from other cruises. "Oh yes, much happier, more polite, and when something DOES go wrong, they don't cause a scene" said the waiter. I asked if he knew why, and then simply explained "...that the love we try and show is only an extension of the love that God has for each one of us, including him." He thought it over for a moment, and asked when we would be coming back again. I told him I would be back in May, and he became really excited. He was probably excited about seeing more magic tricks and being treated politely. I hope for it to be another opportunity to tell him the reason for the hope that I have. - 1 Peter 3:15, Romans 5:1-5

So who was on he cruise? Other than 2500 guests from around the world, we travelled with MercyMe, Jeremy Camp, SuperChick, Natalie Grant(our next-door neighbor on the cruise), Sanctus Real, Big Daddy Weave, Aaron Shust, Nicole C. Mullen, Jeremy Riddle, Shane & Shane, Stellar Kart, Bebo Norman, Starfield, NASCAR chaplain Lonnie Clouse, Bob & Lary (the VeggieTales) and a crew of some of the funniest Christian comedians ever gathered on one ship. Ever heard of any of those folks?

We arrived back in Miami on Friday morning, and headed up to Fort Lauderdale to pick up a rental car. We then spent Friday night at the home of the Greg Philips family near Melbourne, Florida. A nice, relaxing visit, preparing us for the day to come.

Saturday we headed over to the beach. Cocoa Beach to be exact. We made a stop at the famous RonJon's Surf Shop, where Dale purchased a "Skim-Board" and Deanna bought a "Boogie Board". From there we right to the beach and tried them out. As much as the kids loved the cruise, they were in their absolute prime playing at the beach. The water was cold, but they gradually convinced themselves it was worth it to try out their new boards.

We then drove up to Palm Coast, Florida, to visit with some of our best friends, Kevin & Laura Bechard and their 2 kids, Rachel & Joe. What was intended to be a dinner visit ended up finding us leave there a little after midnight. As tired as we all were, the kids slept in the truck while I drove back to the Orlando Airport.

We returned the rental car, boarded our plane at 5 AM, and headed back to reality: Minnesota.

It was such a great trip. We've created memories that our kids will remember for a long, long time.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Please look at the pictures of the cruise in the slide show above.

DonB!

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!

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

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!

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!

Merry Christmas to you all

As our family is in the middle of a 4-location process of celebrating Christmas with family and friends, I've found a few moments to stop and say a few words here.

First, I want to wish you all a merry Christmas. Each one of us has our own circumstances, and Christmas can be a time of anxiety for many, but no matter how you choose to spend Christmas this year, I pray many blessings for each one of you.

Second, I would like to thank each one of you that takes the time to read this newsletter, and laugh at the funny postings, ponder the thoughtful ones, and simply praise God for the many opportunities He has placed me into during 2007. Many new doors have been opened for me. Many new performing experiences have happened, in many cool places I have never been. I sincerely believe that many of these opportunities are because I have friends around the world like all of you praying for these times of ministry and entertainment.

And last, as we enter into this new year, I have no idea what will come our way, either good or bad. But I hope that each of you can experience, at least in part, the joy that I feel in my own life right now. I have a beautiful wife, two kids whom I love with all my heart, a roof over my head, a dependable vehicle, a home church that we are plugged into regularly, a "job" that I wouldn't trade for the world, and a Savior that was born 2000 years ago. I honestly wonder how other people live a life, with deep meaning and purpose, without knowing the God that created them. I don't understand it, but will try and spend the rest of my life introducing them to Him.

Jesus was born in a stable, and He is "The Reason" our family celebrates Christmas. Gifts, lights, trees; they're all the peripheral parts of the celebration. The focus, for me, is Christ.

It sounds so cliche when it is spoken, but when you think about it, it has real meaning:

Have a merry Christmas,

and a happy new year.

DonB!

How does your age define success?

I realize that this short segment isn't ministry oriented, but with all of the various age groups I perform for, I find it laugh-out-loud funny. Please excuse the potty humor in the first and last lines. -DonB!

SUCCESS:

At age 4 success is . . not peeing in your pants.
At age 12 success is . . having friends.
At age 16 success is . . having a drivers license.
At age 35 success is . . having money.
At age 50 success is . . having money.
At age 70 success is . . having a drivers license.
At age 75 success is . . having friends.
At age 80 success is . . not peeing in your pants.

Pass this on to someone who could use a laugh.

Winter Wonderland

Are you as cold as I am?

I am writing this from the Fort Wayne, Indiana airport. My flight this morning back to Minneapolis has been cancelled due to the freezing rain that has been falling here for the last 3 hours. I have been rescheduled onto a later flight today, and I am hoping it actually happens.

Last night I had the privilege of performing at Fellowship Missionary Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I was invited by Bill Hickle to be the entertainment/speaker at their volunteer group leader's appreciation dinner.

I performed in a beautiful, multi-purpose room. A better name would be "theatre", or sanctuary/gymnasium. The stage was huge, the sound was top-notch and the lighting had about a billion options. It was state of the art.

I did about a 50-minute show, including my testimony. I was given a few names of folks to incorporate into the show, and every one of them did a fantastic job! I really enjoy getting the folks onstage, because it really makes the show what it is, and folks like to see people onstage, as long as "I don't have to be the one he picks". As for message, I didn't share anything "deep", simply because I'd be "preaching to the choir". Instead, my goal was to help each of them have a good time, and maybe even be inspired by the amazing ways that God can use each one of us to reach the unsaved, whether it is with juggling, as an accountant, a small group leader or a full time parent. God's purpose runs through every facet of life, no matter how big or small we might consider it

I also want to thank Tom and his wife for opening up their home at the last minute for me to stay in, as the time constraints on getting to the airport would have been tough if I would have stayed with my friend, Pastor Barry Jorris. Barry, I'll catch you next time you are in Mora. It was also great to talk with Tom about how proud he is of his son, willingly serving in the armed forces. Tom's a proud Dad, as all parents of military personal should be. Thanks to the freedoms that they've fought for over the years, I am able to freely write my thoughts here on the internet. Thanks to all military folk.

I also was able to attend the 8:15 service at Fellowship church, and I am amazed on many levels. The church is very active in their community, including the pastor (25 years in this church) whose focus is serving his commmunity through the resources that Fellowship has. I great service, with a great message, in a great group of believers.

Well folks, it's about time for me to head over to my gate. The rain is still falling, but I'm still hopin' and prayin' that we eventually get out of here. It's a nice place, but I don't want to "live" here...

I'll try and write again soon, but for now, let me wish you all a very Merry CHRISTmas. God has really blessed my family this year, and I pray that all of you will find the peace and opportunities that only God can offer us.

Thankful every day,

DonB!

Am I an antique, or a flea?

Last night, at my program at Brooklyn Park Evangelical Free Church for the Higher Expectations Program, a friend that I hadn't seen for quite some time showed up: Jack Nordin! He's the magician/juggler/clown that actually invited me to go do my first ministry program with him, even before I knew what ministry was.

Anyhow, Jack brought his beautiful wife, Phyllis, along with some grand kids and their friends. After the program, Jack gave me this important piece of information: While traveling in Maryland, as well as in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, Jack was going around in antique/flea market stores. Lo and behold, (imagine the sound of angels singing here) he found a copy of the DonB! video! That's right: my stuff has been circulated enough that it actually has started appearing in antique stores!

Life is a little more complete for me. I only wonder, am I an antique, or a "flea market" item? Hmmm

Stay safe in all the snow (if you are in Minnesota). Stay safe everywhere else too.

DonB!

DonB! Partial Itinerary

These are some confirmed dates so far:

1/19 Central Bi-Products Christmas Party

1/25 Mannequin in Motion (MIM) Event
1/27-2/2 KLove Friends and Family Cruise

2/14 Groves Academy School shows

2/16 Trinity Lutheran - Minneapolsi

2/24 Cub Scout Pack 042 - Bloomington, MN

2/26 MIM Event - Mille Lacs, MN

2/27 Upward Event - Minooka, IL

2/29 Upward Event - Bloomer, WI

3/8 Upward EVent - Pace, FL

3/9 Pace Assembly - Pace FL

3/19 Bethel Church - Owatonna, MN

3/23 Good News Church - Mosinee, WI

A sure sign that you live in Minnesota.

Some sad news. Some joyous news.

For all of you in newsletter land that have read the last few postings of this online newsletter, I have some sad news.

Althea Kilber, after fighting 2 good fights with that creepy thing called "cancer", passed away last Sunday. The funeral service was yesterday (Wednesday) at Grace Church in Champlin, MN. It was a short, but very good service. It was very hard for my family to participate in the funeral. For me, as a pallbearer, I felt close to the Kilbers, even though I only saw them once a month or less. Bruce has been a friend in the magic community, and Althea was the world's best garage-saler. If there was a bargain in the Twin Cities in some one's sale, Althea would find it. It was also difficult for our family, because it really put in front of us the thought about, "What if we were losing our own Mom?" It really puts you in a compassionate mode, even barely knowing the grief that a family can face in times like this.

The good news is that Althea loved Christ, and devoted herself to sharing love with everyone she met. Whether it was with the kids at the daycare she worked at, or with adults at church, she showed what "love with skin on" looks like. She now gets to share her love, along with her big smile, with Christ himself, as she begins her own eternity in Heaven. How cool is that?!?

The Kilbers didn't seem to live a fancy life. They spent their summers camping as a family. They actually were given an award for having camped in ALL of the Minnesota state parks. That's a lot of camping, and a lot of family time. But family has always been their first priority. They went to magic conventions around the country as a family, and there are not too many wives and kids that would do that!

Please pray for the Kilbers, as they move into this new, and probably difficult phase of life.

At the Fun-raiser that I participated in, a family picture was taken of Bruce, Althea and the kids. Sadly, it was to be their last picture of all 4 of them. To see their family photo, please go the Caring Bridge site that Althea regularly posted at HERE

I leave you with this great 3 verse poem printed in her funeral bulletin:

God saw that she was getting tired

And a cure was not to be

So He put His arms around her

And He whispered, "Come with me."

*

With tearful eyes we watched her suffer

And slowly fade away

Although we loved her dearly,

We could not make her stay.

*

A golden heart stopped beating,

Hard working hands to rest.

God broke our hearts to prove to us

He only takes the best.

Back online...after 2 weeks off.

Greetings everyone. It is so nice to be back online. My Internet connection was not working for almost 3 full weeks, but thanks to my 11-year-old son, Dale, playing with the ActiveX controls and the Add-Ons menu, it's working again. Yay!!

On 11/8, I did a Character-Building Show for the Title 1 Program at Trailview School in Mora. There were 65 kids and 75 adults in attendance. It was a great opportunity for our hometown school to get the word out about what Title 1 Enrichment is and how it can benefit the kids that really need it.

On 11/11, my illusionist friend, Toby Travis, asked me if I would help out at a show at the historic Paramount Theatre in St. Cloud, Minnesota. I met his crew there at 8:30AM, and helped load all of his equipment into the theatre. We (there were 7 of us) spent the next 5-1/2 hours setting up the show, including his very extensive lighting system. He did 2 shows, one at 3 PM and one at 7:30 PM. My parents came out to see the 3 PM show, and some other magicians from the Twin Cities came to the 7 PM show.

The shows were a lot of fun. Nick Sharpe, from here in Minnesota opened each show with his "Street Performing" character presenting card manipulations and finding a signed card in a lemon! It was great, as he was able to really warm up the audience and get them into "show mood". Toby carried the rest of the show by performing his illusions, as well as some smaller mind benders such as linking rings and a very cool dancing handkerchief routine.

I performed a 12-15 set in the 2nd half with my ring juggling, Headmover illusion, Bowling ball juggling and finished with the Unicycle Medley. The audiences were both great, and they set me up for some funny moments of improvisation. Thanks Toby.

What I learned while in St. Cloud is that these 2 shows were the last BIG illusions shows Toby will be doing for some years. With his main female assistants (his daughters) growing up and doing their own things, Toby has decided to pursue more of his overseas ministry work, utilizing mostly props and routines that can more easily fly to the locations. Please pray that direction from God will be clear for Toby and MAGI Ministries, and that many more doors will be opened to share the Gospel in the countries where he ministers.

On 11/16 and 11/17, I had the wonderful privilege of watching our daughter, Deanna, act and dance in the Mora High School musical, Hello Dolly, here in Mora. She was great, as was the entire show, including all of the choreography (done by my wife, Deb). Wow, what a talented family!!!

The FUN-raiser that I have previously mentioned for Althea Kilber took place on November 17th. There were games for kids, a bakery sale, hot dogs, cotton candy, pop, a HUGE silent auction and a variety show featuring many different magic talents from across Minnesota and Wisconsin. Norm Barnhart, the organizer of the show, asked me to be the closing act. Once again, thanks to the great acts that performed before me, the audience was roaring with laughter and having a good time. So my part was even easier. I finished with the unicycles, and my son, Dale, rode his unicycle off the edge of the stage (on purpose), and successfully bounced all the way back up the steps to the stage again. The audience loved it, and I am a very proud Papa.

And, I have to say, for all of you that were not able to make it to the event, Althea looked great! Even with cancer throughout her body, it obviously has not hurt her spirit. Her smile was an uplift to all in attendance. There were so many people there, it was wonderful. I don't know the exact amount the event raised, but it was around $5000.00. Very cool. Please continue to pray for the Kilber family as they continue the struggle with the uncomprehedible thing called cancer.

Tuesday, the 20th, I did my first human statue event for Mannequin in Motion. I was made up to look like a marble statue, and stood on a platform in the middle of the room at a party for the big $$$ contributors to the St. Cloud Hospital. Some big names were there, but the one we had the most fun with was "Aunt" Mable Coborn, the founder of Coborns grocery stores. Debbie was there as my "spotter", making sure no one messed around with the statue too much. Other than a cramp in my left leg, it was quite an experience.

Well, let me finish by reminding all of you to take some time today, and give thanks to God above for the many blessings He has brought into your lives. If I had to list all of mine, we'd be here for an eternity. Even in the hard times, remember to give thanks.

I'll leave you with this verse:

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you

in Christ Jesus.

-I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, from DonB! and the whole Bursell family.

DonB!

----that's my beautiful wife, Debbie

Last week was very busy

Starting on Thursday, Dale & I drove down to Grace Church in Roseville, MN, to attend a workshop by a friend, Steve Kissell. He talked about adding small things into your shows to make them more exciting, more fast-paced and more fun, especially for kids. It was great to see him again.

Then on Friday, I had the privilege of going back to Maple Grove Free Church for 2 shows during their Fall Frolic. It was the first time I had ever been in their new sanctuary, and what a beauty it is. I thought my first show, with "Homer", was going to be the best one, but with all of the people packed into the sanctuary for the 2nd one (the DonB! Variety Show) the house was rockin'! Everything was "on" during that show. All the jokes were funny, the kid volunteers were great, the energy level that I put out was 110%, and the message went really well. I even met up with some friends that I hadn't seen for a long time. I met Dale & Lynn Sorbel (7 years), Ingrid ??? (3 years, whom I used to work the State Fair at Dodge with) and Keith Newberry (25 years) and his family. These programs are becoming like little reunions for me. That's cool.

On Saturday, I walked stilts in Coon Rapids for an outdoor Halloween event for kids. My stilt friend, Dave Braddock, and I have been doing this event for 5 years now, and we already have it booked for next year too. Nothing so good as repeat business.

Then I drove down to Chanhassen, MN, where I set up the DonB! Variety Show again and performed for 500 kids and adults in the community center. As my show ended, I introduced Jonathan Bryce, a magician from Minnesota, that was trying to set a new world record by performing 24 escapes, in 24 hours in 24 different cities. He looked a little tired, but he managed to escape the chains that held him to a bed of nails. Weird, but exciting for him.

Sunday Dale & I drove up to Melrose, MN, and did an outreach program for St. Paul's Lutheran Church. They had games for the kids, treats for everyone and finished up the party with my show. I had the opportunity to share the Gospel with about 275 community people in the show, and received some great feedback from the pastor afterwards.

Dale performed his newest unicycle trick: he free mounted his 4-foot giraffe without any assistance. Proud Papa moment. (If you'd like to see the first time he ever made the free mount, click HERE to watch it on YouTube.com)

On Wednesday, I drove over to Port Edwards, WI, to do a community outreach event in the local shopping mall Christian Life Fellowship. Games lined the hallways of the mall, and the stage was set-up directly in line with the hallway. So, when I started my programs (I did 3 of them), the music started and everybody's head turned to see what was happening. They then came and filled the seats up. The chairs were almost all full for all three programs.

My thoughts: I've heard and read many things about churches getting/not getting involved with the Halloween "season". Of the six events that I did, 4 of them were put together by churches. What I saw was the opportunity for each of these churches to reach out and "get in touch" with community members, most of whom would probably not step foot into a church building for any other event. Were the guests happy with the church's events? Absolutely. Kids were smiling, adults were talking to each other, and there was nothing anti-Christian about any of the events. I simply see this as the church taking advantage of the "season" to make connections with the families in their neighborhoods. After all, it was the invite of 2 of my friends that got me into a church that I first heard the Gospel in a way that I could respond personally to. Should October be any different than May or December for outreach? Hmmm...

Christmas is obviously the best time to tie in our Christian messages with the season, but it's not the only one we can take advantage of. We're not promoting the dark side of Halloween. We also don't have to try and make Halloween into a Christian holiday, but we can use it to reach people, make connections and share the Gospel.

I have a difficult time believing Christ would shun us from doing that. I would love to hear your comments on the subject. Drop me an email at donb@donbministries.com .

Now, let us look forward to Thanksgiving. There is plenty to celebrate there.

DonB!