Saturday, September 30, 2006

In Texas With My Family

While Brock is at an escape artist convention in California, I'm staying with my parents in Texas. It's nice to be able to relax and enjoy being with my family.

Yesterday, mom and I took Brock to the airport and then ran some errands together. Then, dad went with us to the movies. On the way home, we stopped by one of our friends' houses who had a baby this week.

Last night, we played cards and watched "Law and Order," one of our favorites. It was a nice day.

Friday, September 29, 2006

New Orleans

We went by New Orleans yesterday. It was a crazy sight. Whole neighborhoods were abandoned. The houses looked about the way that I expected them to look. Doors were open or completely blown off exposing the contents of the house which were thrown all around. One house had been moved about 6 feet. We saw one house where a hole had been cut in the roof of the house. Obviously, someone had sawed their way out.

The thing that I had not expected was the stench. After a year, I didn't know that the decaying neighborhood would still be so potent.

There were symbols written on the houses. They had a big "X" on them and the date indicating when it had been checked. Some of the houses said "Dog still here" or "gray cat missing." It was a sad sight.

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Night Three of FX

We had over 4,000 people at the show last night! It was incredible! The energy in a full arena is unbeatable. It was a great night. We had freestyle moto riders. They went so high! One guy did have to go to the hospital. He had a concussion. It took him a while before he got his memory back. That's scary!

So many people made decisions last night that they had not even counted yet. Several guys and girls from the last chance boot camp were saved. It was amazing!

We had King of Kings skate team, Chaos on Wheels, Team Faith, Group 1 Crew, Eleventyseven, and Tim Byrne with us this week. You could not ask for a better group. Out of all of those talented people, nobody has egos. Even the girl working at the desk of our hotel talked about how we were the nicest group that had ever stayed here. One worker of the event admited that she was a little skeptical going into this because so many of the guys have long hair and tattoos and piercings. The music is loud, etc. However, she said that it really did work to reach a different crowd. This group reaches the mainstream kid, but they also reach that kid that doesn't quite fit in or is maybe trying to fit in by doing the wrong things. Another lady that we worked with us said that we were the most godly group that they'd ever worked with. What an amazing group of people!

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Night Two of FX

I'm so tired! Today, we don't have to do school assemblies, but I woke up at 6:30 anyway. Maybe I'll be able to squeeze in a nap. Last night went good. The building is so big and I am running all over trying to make sure the lights, video, sound, security, etc. is right. We are very short handed and all of us are feeling it.

It's all worth it though. The counselors have told us that people have been saved from Satanism, wicca, etc. There have been people that have told about the abuse in their home for the first time. People's lives are being changed.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Night One of FX and Miracles DVD

Last night went well, but I'm so tired! We began at 6:45am yesterday and my head hit the pillow at 11pm. I didn't stop in between. Plus, we did very physical stuff like setting up and tearing down the sound systems at the school assemblies. Then, we had to set up our lights, backdrop, video, and everything! We didn't even get to set up our illusions until after the show had already began!

We didn't quite have enough volunteers to help us set up. At some point in the afternoon, a guy from the army called and asked if we needed help. He sent over 32 men from boot camp. Our host had been praying that they would somehow be able to come to the event. Then, THEY called us! Many of them became followers of Jesus last night.

DON'T FORGET TO GET A MIRACLES OF JESUS DVD TODAY AT YOUR LOCAL WALMART, BARNES & NOBLE, BEST BUY, ETC. GET IT TODAY!!!!

Sunday, September 24, 2006

FX in Mississippi

Pray for us. We are doing a Freedom Experience in Hattiesburg, MS. We have to leave our hotel at 6:45am tomorrow and will not stop until after the show tomorrow night. Also, we've got extra artists and athletes at this one. Plus, we are filming it to make a promo dvd for FX. So, we have a lot going on. Pray that everything goes well and lots of people attend.

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Best Honey in the World

We love honey. I love sweets, and since we only eat desserts once a week, I try to eat as much sweet stuff as I can. I love fruits and honey. They provide a natural sweetness that is almost as good as chocolate! I put honey on everything from granola concoctions I make for breakfast to salmon to plantains. I sometimes put honey on my fruit to sweeten it up even more!

Recently, we purchased the best honey in the world. Literally, it won a contest in Ireland with over 6,000 entries and was named the best in the world! We found it in a little town in Georgia. Our gracious hosts took us to this place way out in the country to buy this honey. There was a tiny shed with jars of honey displayed on the table. There was a slot where you placed your money. It was funny! We bought every single jar they had. The price of this world's best honey? $4.50 a jar. That's about as cheap as the generic stuff at Walmart!

I just had some on my spelt bread this morning. It's so smooth and perfect. I can see why it won the best honey in the world!

Friday, September 22, 2006

Show in Indiana

The show last night went well even though I didn't feel all that great. Brock was feeling good, so he picked up the slack. I had such a bad headache and I wasn't very quick mentally. Anyway, I forgot a key part of this act we do...The Puppetmaster. I didn't realize it until halfway thru the trick. Brock thought quickly on the spot. He talked me thru it, and we did a completely different Puppetmaster last night. He wears a mask in this particular act, so nobody could tell that he was talking the whole time to coach me on what to do. It ended up being good. The guy that came with us didn't even notice that something was wrong. Brock did a great job of improvising.

The crowd was good and the people who brought us in were excellant! They served us salmon and rolls with homemade apple-cinnamon butter after the show. They treated us well!

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Miracles are Coming

Yesterday, I was sick! However, I slept 9 hours last night and I'm feeling much better. Today, we leave to go to Indiana for a big show. Pray for strength! Both of us are not feeling quite up to par. Plus, anytime we must drive several hours, then set up a large production, perform, and then tear it all down, it's a killer.

I have a HUGE annoucement! The "Miracles of Jesus" dvd is coming to stores Tuesday. The reality of it hit me yesterday when we got our first copies of it. Please carve out time in your day Tuesday to swing by Walmart or Barnes & Noble to pick up one!

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Back in Ft Worth

We are in Ft Worth, TX performing at the seminary tonight. We got to hang out with Brock's sister, brother-in-law, mother, and brother last night. Plus, we were able to meet our little neice for the first time! We also ate dinner with my sister and brother-in-law. They are about to go to South America to be missionaries.

We are staying on the seminary campus. I lived near the campus with my family when I was a junior in high school. I remember walking around the seminary grounds and dreaming about my future. As I walked around this morning, I reflected on those dreams. All of my dreams have come true! Sure we have hard times, but the overall course of my life is better than I had imagined.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Pray for Brock

Brock is feeling sick. I think he is exhausted. We worked very hard this week. We came home at around noon and we'll leave again in the morning. We have a really busy schedule for the next couple of months. Please pray for our health and strength especially Brock.

I think that I've shared with you before that 30 minutes onstage is equivalent to an 8 hour workday. That's not to mention driving, setting up, and tearing down the show. We are tired mentally and physically. I'm praying that Brock will feel just fine tomorrow morning after a good night's rest.

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Shows in Cleveland, GA

We did a big show last night! I'm worn out! The only problem is that we have to drive a few hours and do it all over again. Please pray for strenth.

The show yesterday morning went really well. Pray for Truett-McConnell college in Cleveland, GA. They are praying for a revival and I think it is possible here! The school is truly motivated to serve the Lord. They are great!

Last night, the show seemed to be going rather well. All of a sudden, the crowd began laughing at an odd time. Brock checked his zipper onstage which was really funny! What they were laughing at was above the stage near an open window, the spotlight caught a big rat running along. Naturally, the crowd freaked out a little. That's a first!

Friday, September 15, 2006

Big Day

Today is a big day! Brock speaks again this morning. Then, we set up for a big show, perform the show, then tear down. I'm tired just thinking about it.

This week has been really great! We're at a small Christian college. It reminds me of the college Brock and I went to where we met. They have a fountain that is occasionally soaped as well!

It's great to be able to pour into these students. Pray that this morning and evening is powerful and people get saved.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

"Haunted" Hotel Room

We are staying here, in Georgia, for 4 nights. Brock is speaking each morning at the college here and we are performing a big show Friday night. It's been going well. They made a mistake on our room in our favor, so we have a suite for the week! It feels like we have a little apartment. We're actually getting a lot of work done and getting some much needed rest.

To get here, you have to travel thru the woods and over the mountains. It was so dark and deserted on the way here, so we started talking about scary stuff. I think that it's fun to get scared when you are with people, but I seem to pay for it later. That night, I woke up to go to the bathroom and I saw a black form about 4 feet tall standing not 5 feet from my bed. I jumped over closer to Brock who didn't even stir. Right before I woke Brock, I took one more look at the thing. There was just enough light cascading from the window to see that it was indeed a black form...created by Brock's black jacket that he had draped over the handle of our suitcase!

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

"Family" Dinner

Last night, we stopped to eat at a Japanese restaurant. They only had the habachi grill open, so we sat at the table with several other people. On one side of us were 4 businessmen. On the other side was an older couple. It was fun talking to the businessmen about restaurants around the country. The older couple got out there map to figure out the best way we should go to get to Cleveland, GA. They even called a family member that lives here to tell me the way. It felt like a family dinner only with people I didn't know. It was fun!

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Leaving Town Today

I definately felt your prayers yesterday. I had so much to do and not enough hours in the day to do them. The day before we leave is very stressful. It does help that we aren't leaving until after lunch today. I decided that I can do some more errands while Brock is having his meeting this morning.

Then, we both have a meeting with our office. Please pray that this meeting goes well. It's difficult for me to focus my attention on a meeting or any other thing for that matter when we are about to leave town. I'll have several checklists going through my mind. Last Tuesday, we had a meeting right before we left town and I freaked out when we started talking about 2008. I was just trying to get through the day. I'm a little more prepared this week.

I think that it's an epidemic how many women in our country feel overwhelmed. It doesn't matter what job you have...even if you are a stay at home mom, women tend to take care of everyone around them. However, we don't take care of ourselves. This is a disservice to the people we are taking care of. Women out there, sometimes, you must say no or be honest and tell people that you have too much on your plate right now.

Monday, September 11, 2006

Pressure

I learned something about myself this week. I don't know my limits or how to set them. I take on too much and then explode with stress. I feel fine, but then, out of nowhere, I either resent the person that I'm doing all of the work for, or I'm on edge because of the load I'm carrying.

I am Brock's assistant which is a fulltime job. However, I am also road manager, stage manager, production manager, illusion consultant, and housewife. I've got a list mile high of things that need to be replaced or fixed. I haven't even got to the stack of mail yet, let alone e-mail. We leave tomorrow for three weeks and I am not prepared physically, emotionally, or spiritually. We have so many illusions that we cannot do unless I make sure they are fixed and we cannot get to the shows unless I make sure the truck gets fixed.

I'm crumbling under the pressure, but if I don't get everything done, who will? Brock's too busy with meetings and e-mails and such to even think about this stuff. What should I do?

Sunday, September 10, 2006

Motorcycle Riding in the Woods

We took our dirtbikes out to some trails yesterday. The weather is perfect here now. It gets about 80 degrees in the afternoon. That's my favorite temperature...not too hot, not too cold. We road together. I would video Brock taking some huge hills that look impossible to climb up. In fact, I tried to walk up by foot to get a good shot and could not get up. It was too steep! Brock zips right up on his motorcycle and then charges down.

Since I don't go up the big hills or even take the jumps like Brock, I get my fill of riding quicker than Brock. So, I strapped my fun bag to my back, rode into the woods, and found the prettiest spot in the shade by a lake. I layed out a blanket and read for a while.

Just after we got the bikes loaded up and were heading home, it began to pour. We made it out just in time. What a perfect day!

Saturday, September 09, 2006

So Much To Do, So Little Time

We are about to leave for a little over three weeks and I am stressed. I cannot get everything done before we have to leave. So many things are breaking that I cannot keep up with the repairs. I have so much to do at home. I just did laundry last time I was home...can you believe that I have more to do this time? I have a stack of mail. Plus, I need to balance the checkbook and pay bills.

However, I am not going to work on stuff today and tomorrow. I need to rest my body and mind before we take off. I hope that I can get it all done before we leave!

Friday, September 08, 2006

The Illusionist

We saw that movie The Illusionist last night. I was just going to see it almost out of obligation. The magic community has been talking about this movie for over a year now. I didn't really know what to expect. In fact, it's not playing in many of our theaters here. We had to drive across town to watch it. However, it was the best movie of the year in my opinion! It was so intriguing. The storyline was incredible. The ending was the best!

Edward Norton, who is one of my favorite actors, learned all of the slight of hand magic tricks. He didn't use a stunt double. What he did may not have looked very difficult, but it was. He rolled an orange and a ball between his fingers like he had been doing it for years. He must have practiced that so much.

Throughout the movie, they showed portions of the magician's show. The story took place back before electricity, so the show was so different from any modern show. There was no music played. For lighting, there were massive candles lining the front of the stage. During the show, everything was very quiet because they had no microphones or sound systems. Everyone had to listen really closely to the magician and they did. The movie enabled us to go to a magic show from years ago!

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Shows Over

This is my favorite time. I've got everything packed up and I'm in the empty church. Everyone else is out in the hall talking with Brock or going to their cars. It's quiet and I have a sense of accomplishment.

Brock tends to do random stuff during a show. Tonight, he came onstage with an apple. He took a couple of bites out of it and then threw it on the floor. All night he made reference to that apple. It was funny!

Many were saved tonight, but I especially liked what Brock said after the invitation. He told people who didn't know if there is a God to question it. Ask the Lord to reveal Himself to you. Brock continued to say that it might not be tonight or in the way you think it will happen, but the Lord will reveal Himself to you. Seek Him and you will find Him because He's not hiding.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Overwhelmed

We are in Brandon, MS right now. Tomorrow, we leave our hotel early in the morning to go to perform a school assembly. Then, we go straight to the venue to begin setting up. Then, we grab a quick lunch and on to another school assembly. Then, we go back to the venue, finish setting up, and begin our performance at 6pm. We're doing all that without a road manager...ugh! I'm overwhelmed to say the least. Please pray for us.

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Wonderful Weekend

We have had such a great weekend so far. Brock and I stopped at our favorite beach, Pensacola, on the way home from Palm Coast. We spent the day there. It was so relaxing and just a perfect day. There was not a cloud in the sky. The water was crystal clear and not too cold but not too hot. One time when we were in the water, Brock was floating face down. A big crab crawled underneath him, so I touched him to make sure he didn't put his knee or foot down on it. Brock jumped up with a start. In the minute he was underwater, he had fallen asleep. He actually had a dream. That tells me two things about him: 1.He was too tired Friday, and 2.He's too comfortable underwater.

Last night, we went to dinner and the Cocoa Tree with friends. One of the girls has a birthday this week, so we had a surprise party for her at the Cocoa Tree. Brock distracted her at the entrance of the Cocoa Tree while we went to our normal room in the back and decorated with birthday stuff. We had a candle in her trouffle. It was perfect!

Then, some of my friends that I grew up with in Daytona, Kevin and Tiffany, walked in the door. They are married with two kids and live in Murfreesburo now. Also, his mom, Mrs. Godbey was visiting, so she was with them. I saw her at the FX and the Cocoa Tree...twice in one week in two different states!

Today, we plan to go to church, then lunch, then a movie, and dinner at some friends' house. What a fun weekend! What are you guys doing on this Memorial Day weekend?

Saturday, September 02, 2006

One Testimony from FX

We heard several cool stories from this FX, but this one caught my attention. A lady told someone at her job that her son had gone to the FX the night before. When he came home, she could tell that he was different. He told her that he had given his life to Jesus. This guy had a learning dissability and could barely read. One of the counselors had given him a Bible. The boy began reading the Bible that night with no problems whatsoever! The mother was amazed at the quick change in her son. It's also cool that she was talking about it at work. We know that people are talking about it at the schools. We were hoping that it was affecting the whole town including the workplace, but we didn't know for sure until now.

If you want to see a clip from the FX, go to Brock's myspace and click on the "Chaos on Wheels" blog entry.

This was a little bit of a sad FX for us because it was Stephy's last. Read Brock's blog (brockgill.com/blog) and I ditto everything he said. We had so much fun on the road with her. I'm going to miss her!