New Letter Coming Soon!!!

Hey everybody! I have a new letter coming out soon! If you haven't gotten one of my letters before, you might not get this new one. Email me your physical address ASAP to get your letter! daynarnold[at]gmail[dot]com

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Additional Blessings...

If you're looking for truly momentous news, see the next post. If you're looking for just plain awesome news, keep on reading.

I've posted before that I have some back problems, occasionally debilitating back problems. A couple years ago when I had insurance (man I miss those days) I started working with an osteopath, and I was told I have a short leg and that difference in length has been messing with my back for years. So I started wearing a lift in my right shoe to compensate for that short leg. The hope was that the lift would eliminate the periodic episodes I would have wherein I couldn't walk as my back freaked out.

Well, I had my two most serious episodes (to the left is a pic of me standing up as straight as I can in my last episode. Please forgive the horrible MySpace-esque pic in the mirror. It was the only way I could get the picture where I was.) within the last year, and I decided the lift wasn't doing me any good so I stopped wearing it.

Now I've been working with my buddy Dr. Tim to correct the problem for good, and even though he was giving me a phenomenal deal on the adjustments, I don't have any wiggle room in my budget for this kind of treatment. A couple weeks ago Tim presented me with an 8 month corrective care plan which should bring my spine back to where it is supposed to be for a normal 29-year-old. The plan involves three times a week of therapy and adjustments, x-rays, special weights, and pretty much everything else I will need for 8 months of care. I could split the cost into monthly payments (which was still incredibly affordable, but would mean I would need to have a decent amount of extra work monthly, especially as Mandi and I are going to be saving up for our wedding), or pay the whole thing at once (with substantial savings, but still a decent chunk of change.) I knew I couldn't afford the all-at-once plan, so I had pretty much decided to pay monthly for the care and figure it out as I went.

My dad likes to be in the loop on these sorts of things, so I called him to let him know what was going on. We both agreed that I can't afford not to do this, especially if I'm going to head into the field and can't afford to be grounded for weeks at a time by a bum back. So he decided then and there to pay for the whole thing at once without a thought of repayment aside from continuing to follow where the Lord is leading me. Wow. I feel incredibly blessed and am astounded that Dad would do that for me. Please pray that he and Mom will be blessed richly for such an act of selflessness.

I just got back from another adjustment and feel blessed all around because of it. God is just so good, is he not?!

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The Biggest News [UPDATED VIDEO LINKS]

Hello, my quasi-abandoned readers. As is my custom, accept my apologies for neglecting my post. Things have been a little crazy around here.

So, it's been coming for a long while now, with hints and whispers of its arrival, but now it's official: Mandi and I are engaged. To be married. To each other. It seems like so many things have been hinging on our getting engaged, it's a bit of a relief to have crossed over into this whole new world, a dazzling place I never knew. But now from way up here, it's crystal clear, that now I'm in a whole new world with her.

So now begins the fun of putting together a whole wedding event with very little budget. Huzzah! Actually, I am quite confident it will be the event of the summer. Or at least the day.

Now we get to start talking in concrete terms about our future together overseas, which is nice. It's been a lot of tiptoeing around the idea of going out into the world together, but not being engaged invited a lot of questions we weren't prepared to answer with confidence. We need to get Mandi to Orlando for Pioneers' Candidate Orientation Program (COP) at some point so she can learn the ins and outs of Pioneers, and we can finally work together to raise support. When she is able to do that, it would be great for me to go along and work with the communications people there for a week. Right now the plan is to be ready to head overseas in early fall of 2011, which seems like an eternity from now, but it will be wiser to be married here for a year before changing everything else in our lives.

Right now we're going to need a lot of prayer as we try to juggle work, church, pre-marital counseling (we haven't started that yet), working through a Perspectives course (we had a huge blessing the other day when we found out with some extra work we could both go despite having no extra income! Thanks Kevin and CJ and The Well!!!), moving forward with Pioneers, and all sorts of other things. Wow. Thanks for your prayers.

Just for me, I just had an interview with Portland Public Schools (again) to join the Ed Assistant sub pool, something I'm not super excited about, but I need the money. I may also have opportunity to do more videography in the near future, which would be even better. Please pray for opportunity to do more videography. Thanks.

If you're wondering about the engagement story, please see the video below. Celebrate this momentous news with us! Thanks.

(If you have trouble watching the video below, click here for a YouTube HD version. If you still have trouble watching the video, click here for a YouTube SD version. If you still have trouble watching the video, do your very best to imagine what the story could be like and let us know what you come up with.)

Dayn and Mandi's Engagement Story from Dayn Arnold on Vimeo.

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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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