Making up for lost time...

Hey everybody.

I have a friend who described the environmental qualities necessary for blog-writing thusly: "I must have vast wastelands of time." I couldn't agree more. I haven't updated this blog in more than a month in great part due to my lack of real free time. Sure I have plenty of time when I'm not obligated to work on anything in particular, but I often end up feeling guilty for not working on something more pressing, so I completely waste my time with something mindless like watching TV or something. These are the times I miss having a normal nine to five where I have a concrete time I'm off and can do whatever the heck I want after getting off. Ah, sometimes I miss mindless work.

So let me give a quick recap of the month.

On November 20, Mandi and celebrated dating for a year, woot! It's been a good year for both of us, and breaks records on both sides for duration of relationship. And will continue to do so (still unofficially). *wink*

November 24, I went with a group to go see one of my favorite musical groups, The Swell Season. The two singers in the band were the main characters in the film Once, one of my very favorite movies of all time. (I recommend it with reservation, as it has a LOT of foul language. They're Irish, it's going to happen.) The venue is general admission, so we got there an hour and a half before the doors opened so we could get a good spot in the standing-only ballroom. We waited for HOURS for the show to start, and my body was tired from standing still for so long, but we were right up in front! I got to see one of my songwriting heroes as close to the stage as is possible. Click here for some of my youtube clips of the show.

I went to Bend for Thanksgiving with the folks, brother Drew and his wife Ashleigh, and sister Daylan. Had a great and relaxing time away from everything.

December 5 Mandi threw me a surprise birthday party at one of my favorite places in Portland, Backstage Pub. It's a poolhall built into what used to be the backstage part of an old theater. Huge 80 foot ceilings, with a couple more private rooms. I wasn't suspicious of any surprise party at all, and Mandi suggested heading down to Backstage to kill a little time before we headed to birthday dinner. I was completely clueless. She mentions to me, "We should check out what's going on in the upstairs rooms," and I see the "reserved" sign and tell her we shouldn't go up, so as not to bother the people up there. She insisted we check it out anyway, so against my better judgement I went up there with her only to discover it was reserved for me with 15 or so good friends there. It was pretty fantastic.

December 13 Mandi and I were driving somewhere when I felt something funny in my back, usually a precursor to the back going completely out. So I was careful not to do anything to aggravate it any further, doing what I usually do to avoid a really bad episode. Even though I think I made all the right decisions, treating everything with care, it seized up, and I was stuck walking bent 30 degrees to the left. I made an appointment to see my old osteopath even though I don't have any insurance. I figured with an adjustment or two I could at least get back on my feet. Well, a friend of mine suggested a different, more affordable option, one that may give me a discount as I'm in ministry. So I went the next day only to find out I don't qualify for their discount, despite being a poor uninsured person in ministry. So, in great frustration (no fault at all of the friend who recommended that particular clinic, by the way) I decided if I was going to pay full-price for an adjustment, I may as well go to my regular doctor. I called his office to find out the next available appointment was for December 27, which wasn't going to fly. So Mandi and I started calling several other chiropractic connections to no avail, and I was getting SO flustered because I didn't know when I would be able to walk normally again. We left messages at several offices as it was approaching closing time for most clinics. I laid down at Mandi's house in a state of helplessness when I hear Mandi talking on the phone. We have a couple new friends, Tim and Lauren, awesome people, and Tim happens to be a chiropractor. Lauren called Mandi and said Tim could hurry over to the office that same night, or open up the office especially for me in the morning and get things set straight. Wow! So we met them the next morning and Tim did some tests and cracked me back into place. Then he came over to my house that same night and did it again. Who makes house calls!? I've gone in to his clinic four times in the last week, and am walking upright and even sitting with little or no pain. I don't have insurance, but he's made it incredibly affordable for me to visit this many times. Starting this Wednesday we're going to start figuring out exactly what's causing the recurring problem and see if we can't eliminate it with some intentional treatment. Please pray we're able to figure out why this keeps happening. And pray a big old blessing over Tim and Lauren while you're at it.

We had our church's Advent service last night, the 20th, and it was by far the very best Christmas service I've ever attended. I got to help plan it, but it certainly wasn't what made it good. There was just so much genuineness! I love my church full of real people! Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Plus I finally got to play Sufjan Steven's "Holy, Holy, Holy" with Beth Johnson, my worship music right-hand woman and fellow future-missionary. We were supposed to play it last year, but a snowstorm forced the cancellation of the service. Anyway, the evening was a beautiful redirection of the season.

Well folks, that's the news from Lake Woebegon where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.

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It Comes in Waves

Seems like busyness comes in waves. This last week I completed a wedding video, put together all the necessaries for Thursday practice and worship on Sunday, drove 300 miles (60 miles in the snow, and required to chain up... 75 minutes in each direction going 30mph) to pick up some gear for a banquet I was helping with, ran A/V for the banquet, and tomorrow I get to return the gear. Good grief. However, today is a great day because I really have almost nothing to do for the first time in a while. Which is one reason I'm updating this here weblog. A few quick points to make. Leading worship at The Well (it's the name of my church, for those of you not in the know) has been incredible in its intensity and the fact that every week is incredibly humbling. I am painfully and constantly aware of my own inadequacy in a way I had not previously experienced until the last couple months. Something almost always goes awry before we lead on Sundays, but it is SO GOOD when we actually lead. It's frustrating to the part of me who just wants things to go smoothly, just to run a practice according to some plan I have. But the fact that HE is faithful in the face of our annoyances means in my mind he gets all the credit to which He is entitled. Namely, all the credit. After Jacob, soon to be Israel, wrestled with God, God touched his hip socket and he walked with a limp as a reminder of his ordeal. I think the fact that practices so rarely go as planned may be one of many limps I have in my own life. Not that I shouldn't strive for excellence in all things, but need to constantly be reminded to hold everything with an open palm. He always has a better plan, which most of the time seems to be different than my plan. Time to learn to be a better pray-er, methinks. The banquet I worked with was for Lahash International, the guys who are letting me stay in their house in exchange for working with them. Over the last four months or so, the Lahash staff and volunteers have been spending huge amounts of time organizing and getting everything into place for their first banquet. There were around 250 people gathered together last Saturday to hear how God has been using Lahash over the last six or seven years. I'm not a big fan of events, but this one went beautifully, and I was inspired again for the work God has for me. I know I won't be able to leave permanently overseas for a couple years, maybe a bit less, but I was excited again to serve in the way He has prepared for me. The evening featured four videos, and with each one I was more and more ready to grab my camera gear and head into the world. Certainly there are some things I need to wrap up, some relationships to build, skills to develop, but I'm excited to get started, if only from here in Portland.

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Downing-Nasmythe Reception Highlights

I shot a wedding a week and a half ago and am in the process of editing it. Here is a sample. Enjoy.

Downing-Nasmythe Reception Highlights from Dayn Arnold on Vimeo.

This is a shortened version of Tim and Tara's wedding reception. Just about to begin work on the dancing and some additional highlights from the reception.

Hikes and Such

I was on a hike with Mandi and my sister Daylan, and Daylan and I were reminiscing about Kenya. Daylan taught at an international school in Nairobi, and her first Christmas there I went over for a few weeks. It was my first trip overseas, and pivotal in the development of desires to serve overseas. Anyway, we were talking about some of our funny memories, especially the awesome safari which turned into a huge mud pit everywhere we turned. I was reminded again how much I crave doing something for Him and having adventures on top of it all. I don't want to be impatient about the whole process, but I think there may be something like righteous impatience, something that makes us look to the future instead of growing lethargic in our current situation. We do need to be satisfied in every place He has us, but He has SO MUCH for us if we give Him the controls. I want that badly.

This last Sunday I was reminded yet again that I'm not in control. Our morning worship rehearsal was really rough, mostly due to sound system issues. It ended up being a huge waste of time messing with it, and it was a bit of a frustrating mess. For those of you who don't perform music, if your sound on stage sounds crappy, it can easily remove any confidence you have in what the audience is hearing. I've been in a similar position many times, but it's never very enjoyable. Before the service began, a few of us got together and prayed over the equipment, over the instruments, over the team, over those worshipping. By the end, there was nothing but peace and joy in my heart, and it turned out to be an extraordinary time of worship. I think God likes to let things fall to pieces to show us who's really in charge. Someday maybe I'll let Him be in charge from the beginning. I can only hope to grow to that point in my life...

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I'm Going to Shoot You

Shot video at a wedding last week because of a recommendation from my friend Fritz who was doing the photography. He sometimes sets up a sort of photo booth, where people at the wedding can have their picture taken doing whatever they feel like. I got a free one. Surly? Yes. Serious? Maybe a little.

A conundrum of sorts

Nearly two and a half years ago I completed my first (and only) feature-length documentary, "Bible Camp." It was almost entirely a solo project, and took up the better part of two years (and almost all my savings) of my life from conception to realization. The video was received well by the few who viewed it, but created a rift in my own heart: one part of myself wanted credit and to at least break even financially, and the other part just wanted the camp's story to be told and help bring new light to a great ministry. The latter has happened to a very small degree, and the former never happened. It's been something I've needed to move past for the last few years, but have never quite made it. I never recovered financially from the project, and every blue moon I let that get the best of me, much to my chagrin. It's not that I want it looming over me, but it comes up so infrequently that I rarely have to deal with it at all.

On top of those issues, the camp has changed in the years since I filmed it, though (debatably) perhaps not for the better. The current leadership has changed things so much that my family has almost entirely pulled out of the camp. It's a bit of a sore spot for many of us who have been involved for decades. Even a source of hurt and anger for some who have a vested interest in seeing the kids of the Koyukon learn of the grace and love of our Savior, even amid the despair and death of the village.

This morning I got an email from the current leadership saying they plan to make a documentary about village ministry, and would like access to the camp historical footage I shot. I have no idea what to do. I don't agree with where the camp is heading right now, but don't want to let my hang-ups get in the way of things. I'm so very confused as to what I should do.

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Like Being Punched in the Gut With Joy

Every so often I'll be sitting in a coffee shop, or driving in my car, or sitting outside and just get an overwhelming sense of just how blessed I am. It's so easy for me to become dissatisfied with anything and everything, so easy to put on my woe-is-me complex and glower in a pool of my own wretchedness. Sometimes I catch myself quickly with an oft-heard quip laced with sarcasm, American life is hard! Other times I don't catch it for an hour, or a day, or a week, growing increasingly sorry for myself. Were I to create a chart with self-pity over time on the x-axis, and stupidity on the y-axis, it would certainly grow exponentially upward for all eternity were it not for the additional variable of Jesus. I know with absolute certainty that without Him, I would be a perfect example of depravity, and my graph would permanently spike upwards. At times I am a vessel of self-pity, a tankard of inexplicable sorrow and loss until I am hit with that seemingly-random experience of true blessing. It's like being punched in the gut with joy. My life is amazing, and I always need to remember that. I get to play music for a living and increasingly abandon myself in worship of Him. I get to pursue my love of media and technology in relation to story-telling. I live in a city full of opportunity, full of the things I love (aside from sunshine in winter). I have family nearby, the cutest nephew in the world, parents who encourage and love me, and siblings I love dearly. And I have an amazing woman by my side who encourages and challenges me. Life is good, guys. Don't let me tell you otherwise.

Last Saturday our church held its first "Global Summit," a day of listening to speakers talk about various aspects of missions. My friend Kevin Nichols spearheaded the event, and brought in some really great and knowledgeable speakers to cover a variety of topics. It was an encouraging day, full of information and passion. I had the opportunity to lead a couple worship sets as well, which was pretty great. I feel privileged to have a creative missionary journey in the future, something that is mission-oriented, but geared toward my set of giftings and passions. Gosh He's creative in the way He orchestrates everything.

This last Sunday was pretty amazing too. I got to co-lead worship with my friend Michal. She is an incredible jazz singer, and has a great heart for worship. The set and band were awesome, a truly blessed time. On top of a great worship time, we got the privilege of having mission organization OM founder George Verwer speak. He is a dynamic, charismatic presence, simultaneously encouraging and challenging without making people feel unnecessarily guilty (something all too common among missionary speakers.) He's also hilarious, which I greatly appreciate, as certain speakers have a hard time keeping my attention. Check back here in the next couple days for a link to the sermon on The Well's website. I'll put the link up, but as it hasn't yet been posted (that's my job) it won't be up for a day or two. It's definitely worth listening to.

I have just begun talks with my future area leader for mainland Southeast Asia about how I can get started with CommNet projects within the next 6 months to a year. The gears are turning even while I'm here in Portland. Please pray with me that opportunities will arise to get a practical start to my work with Pioneers. I'm pretty excited to begin thinking along these lines.

I think that's about it for this post. I really need to update this thing more often, as many of you know. That is all.

Cheers.

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South Sister Video Album

South Sister Video Album from Dayn Arnold on Vimeo.

Like a photo album but with video clips!

This footage is from our trip up Oregon's third highest peak, 10,358 ft. South Sister. You gain approximately 5,000 feet over 6 miles, though the middle couple miles are pretty flat, so it's more like gaining 5,000 feet over 4 miles. Steep and exhausting. I brought the camera as an experiment, to see how much more of a pain the extra 7 pounds would be. With the camera, a little extra gear, and 4 liters of water, it was a pretty heavy pack for a day hike. My legs burned for 5 days after the hike. Major video discovery: it's hard to think about getting footage of moving up the trail because of exhaustion and irritation. Something to work on, for sure, as this video has almost no footage of us actually moving.

Enjoy.

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Scattered smattering of stories

I'm not sure what it is, but I think I missed the memo that the rules for public display of affection have been seriously altered, if not eliminated. It has been my understanding (hope) that facial caresses and scalp massages may be better suited for any place other than the table directly in front of mine. It's just a bit awkward, that's all. And completely irrelevant to the rest of this blog.

I realize it's been far too long since I last made a posting. I was reading my friend Jessi's blog today, and I concur with her sentiment that writing so often comes out of a complete lack of anything else to do. I enjoy it immensely, but can feel guilty if I have a half-dozen other things I should be doing instead. Plus, I'm so stinking wordy when I write, these things can take an hour or two to complete. I may not often talk your ear off in person, but put me in front of a keyboard and I'll write your eyes off. Figuratively, of course.

Five days ago, Mandi and I got back from our week-long trip to Michigan. We went to support her brother Taylor as he got married. The wedding went smoothly, and though I was not needed to help set anything up, I managed to stay busy, finishing two projects, and trying to arrange worship schedules and sets for the week I would be back. I got to experience several more rounds of Stonehouse-family grillings, wherein I am often asked questions of huge generalities, such as "What is your family like?" or "What do you do?" I think two major things are accomplished through these Q&A sessions: Mandi's extended family gets Gladiator-esque opportunity to give me the executive thumbs up or down, and I get to practice my social skills. I've been told that I'm passing these tests with flying colors, which is certainly a bonus. It was great to spend more time with Mandi's immediate family, I enjoy them thoroughly. We took a couple trips to Lake Michigan, and while I was in awe of the giant land-locked sea, I missed the power and majesty of my beloved Oregon coast. I know the water's freezing, but going in the water is not why I love the coast.

We returned from Michigan, and went straight back to regular life, hitting the ground running. We got in Wednesday night around 11:00, and I had a church staff meeting the next morning at 6am. Then worked on church stuff, went on a short hike with photog friend Fritz, finished putting the worship set together, met with two other people, had worship practice and went to Kennedy School for food, pipes, and a little more work. Friday evening Mandi and I headed to the coast near Tillamook to meet up with my parents for a little coastal camping. Daylan joined us the next morning, and we all went on a five-mile hike to an incredible viewpoint jutting out into the ocean. If there's something I really love, it's old-growth forests, seeing trees that are hundreds of years old thriving in a harsh environment. My dad and I both love nurse logs, the fallen trees that become the foundation for other trees and various other plant life. Occasionally a seed will plant itself in the stump of a fallen tree, grow to full-size around the stump, and the stump will rot out from beneath the new tree leaving a full-grown tree with a root structure that begins three or four feet above the ground. It's a beautiful picture of death providing nourishment for new life, like a certain savior whose death gave us life. (I want to get a tattoo of a nurse log and a sapling on my arm or leg as a constant (and perhaps more missionally-friendly than a cross in a closed country) reminder of this ultimate gift. The hike was stunning with cliff-side vistas of the ocean and beautiful old trees filtering the sunlight, harboring the perfect temperature for our entire hike. At the end of the trail, we were delayed for quite a while because some idiot decided it would be a good idea to climb over the side of the cliff to get closer to the water for some fishing. He got stuck, so when we got there, they were about to rappel down the cliff's edge to rescue the guy. My dad and I sort of helped pull the rope to get the guy and his rescuer up to the top, but mostly we just coiled the rope as the guys in front of us did the real work. (A pulley system with 5 to 1 ratio made our jobs pretty much worthless.) It was a bit more adventure than we were expecting, but fun to be around these volunteer firefighters saving a helpless idiot. They were a pretty cool bunch. Actually, made me wish I had the funding to make a short documentary about their lives in a small coastal village and the shenanigans they get to solve.

Today is the first day in a while I haven't had much pressing work, and wanted to spend a while writing on my nearly abandoned blog. I need to write more often, if only to get a bit more focus and stop only writing about how my week was. I'm shooting for more focus next time. Until then...

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Don't worry, I'll write a real blog in the near future

We climbed 10,350ft South Sister 4 days ago. My legs are still paying for it.

Sisters Timelapse from Dayn Arnold on Vimeo.

Lugged my EX1 up to the top of Oregon's 10,350ft South Sister. The mountains in the shot are Middle and North Sister. One frame per second, 24fps. Didn't have a tripod, so had to find suitable rockface to set it on. Right on the edge of the cliff, as it ended up. A little nerve-wracking, but nothing happened.