Book Reivew: Fourth Fisherman

I recently read The Fourth Fisherman by Joe Kissack.   The story tells of three fishermen who survive an 8 month ordeal on the Pacific Ocean while simultaneously telling the story of an entertainment executive’s path to God.   I found the book very easy to read and completed it in a couple of days.   Every other chapter details the fishermen’s account.  The intervening chapters detail the executive’s life.   Although it switches back and forth, it is not confusing.  

This is a book about seeing God at work in the lives of people.  It can be inspirational to encourage you to go after what you feel God leading you to do.   You see the themes of reliance on God, trusting in God, and seeing God work in lives of people.   I found it encouraging and interesting.   It was a bit biographical in nature.   I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

 

I received this book from Multnomah Publishers for the purposes of review, but all thoughts are my own.  

Last Day of September

I can't believe that October starts tomorrow.   This month has flown by!   I started my Christmas shopping this weekend.   I found a deal on something that I could not pass up.   Jason and I were discussing his flights tonight and I realized that we have 7 more weeks out here until we pack up and go home.   We have been here seven weeks already.   It feels like we just got here.   He has three more trips out here before we return home.  

In the spirit of trying to blog more, I'll try to share what is rolling around in my head.  Church today was great.   I watched our Houston church online this morning as I got ready to go to church here.   I heard two totally different sermons, but was completely blessed by both of them.   In the L.A. sermon, I was really challenged in my walk with God.   The pastor in L.A. is usually pretty deep and it takes me a few days to formulate my thoughts.   My statement above sounds simplistic, but what I am thinking about goes much deeper.  I need to think about it more, maybe listen to the podcast...

In other news, my daughter was on set all day yesterday finishing a short film.   I started thinking about what I have learned about being on set in the last year.   We were filming on location yesterday as opposed to a sound stage.    Locations are interesting because you have outside noises that disrupt filming such as an airplane flying overhead, a car driving past, the neighbor's dog barking, or the guy on a bike who rides past everyday at 5:00 pm blaring a trumpet.   I am not kidding about the guy on a bike.   When we filmed in San Pedro last January, he came by EVERYDAY at 5:00.   It got to be a joke.   Also, when you are in a house, you play musical chairs as they turn shots around.   My daughter is usually in my eye line and always in earshot.   Since I am so close, I usually am moving a lot as they finish one camera angle and move to the next.   Sometimes, they set up a monitor where I can watch what the camera sees.   That is pretty cool.   The air conditioning is turned off while filming because it is too noisy.   That is fine in January in San Pedro, but can get hot on a day like yesterday when the temperature was around 100.   Yesterday, they ran the A/C until the last possible minute and then cut it off.   Sound stages are cold and dusty, period.   My daughter shot a commercial on a huge sound stage at one of the studios.    It was warm outside and freezing inside unless you were under the lights, then you sweat.   Since I am a parent and not an actor, I layer on the clothes.  I have no idea where God is taking us with my daughter's acting, but it has been an interesting experience. 

Goodbye September, Hello October.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for."

Hebrews 11:1-2

Today is Thursday

Ok, it is the end of September and I am finally posting.   First, I have not done anything with the video of my son at gymnastics because things have been busy around here.  We are up and going with classes and auditions.   My daughter takes two 2 hour classes a week for acting.   Both the kids take violin once a week.   My son takes gymnastics once a week.   Once you sprinkle in homeschooling, daily violin practice, 3-5 auditions a week, and playtime with friends and our schedule is bursting at the seams.   Yep, the blog is the first to go.   I need to do as my friend Marilyn and post something every few days, even if it is a couple of sentences.

On the acting front, my daughter has filmed two short films since we have been out here.   Both films have given her some great connections and both were family friendly!    Family friendly is exciting because not a lot of things are not too family friendly.   We are asked about her friends seeing her work.   My daughter's part is not objectionable, but the film as a whole geared to adults not kids.   These shorts her friends can watch!  She still loves acting.   She comes bouncing out of every audition and class.   It is truly her thing.   She absolutely loves to be on set.   I think she really likes the challenge of it.  She has to make the character real.  She also has to adjust as directed.  It challenges her intellect and she loves a challenge.  

My son has made amazing strides at gymnastics.   Every week he is challenged and learns to do something new.   The coaches know how much to push without pushing him too far.   He loved his trial class.   It helped that he knew someone in his trial class.   He didn't want to go to his first class due to not knowing anyone, but now will go anytime.   We have to adjust his class time or day due to auditions popping up.   He just rolls with it.   The coaches are incredible.   I know that is one reason he loves it so much.  

My husband has been able to visit multiple times.   It is great to have him out here for 3 days at a time.   We have been back to Disney, hung out on set, and run around to auditions together.   The important thing is that we get quality and quantity time together.  Next time he is in town, we are planning to take a trip to the heated pool.  My son wants to demonstrate his forward tuck into the pool.   Yep, another thing he learned in gymnastics.  
  
We have some great friends out here.   They make the experience of being away from home so much easier.   The kids get along.   The moms are nice not nutty.   This is showbiz in L.A,  I have met some nut jobs!   Thankfully, my friends are blessings!   Oh...and last year they introduced me to curry.   Now, we have to order curry at least once a season.   We ordered curry last night.    Food, fellowship, and fun!   The kids even swam in the freezing cold, unheated pool.  

I'm off to bed.  Tomorrow is a big audition.   The Lord willing she will go forward in the process.   If you want to pray for us.   We would love it!   If I can pray for you, make a comment.   I would love to pray for you as well.  

"Instead you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."
James 4:15

Thursday Night Ramblings

This week was quiet, which is nice.   Last year on Labor Day, we went to Santa Monica beach, this year I changed locations to Zuma Beach in Malibu.  Last spring, I pinkie promised myself that I would learn the canyon roads here to get places.   I am finally making good on the that promise.  So far, I have been on Beverly Glen get to from the Westside into The Valley.   I tried Laurel Canyon last week to get from We Ho (West Hollywood) to the Valley.  It was horribly trafficked, so I found another way.  On Monday, I tried Malibu Canyon to get into Malibu.   The views along Malibu Canyon are breathtaking.  I absolutely need to stop next time and take pictures.  

I went to Malibu with another Mom we met here at the apartment.  We got to Zuma around ten which was great because it was not crazy crowded yet.   I KNOW I saw a famous person, but have no idea who.  We were driving through the neighborhood near Point Dume.  We saw this lady walking with an umbrella.   What drew our attention was that she stopped, turned around and hid behind the umbrella when we drove past.  Once we were past her, she turned back around and kept walking away from us with the umbrella at her back.   That the most extreme case I have seen of keeping an identity secret.   Don't worry lady...we had three kids who wanted to go to the beach, we don't want your picture!

Malibu was beautiful.   We saw about 20-30 dolphins at different times about 20 yards off shore.   We attempted to explore the tide pools at Point Dume.  It was high tide, so that was a no go.   We watched about 30 surfers catching 8-10 waves off Point Dume.   At Zuma beach, the waves were high. We wouldn't let the kids go in past their ankles.   They played in the surf for a while and then dug a giant crater in the sand.   We ate at an Italian restaurant of PCH and headed home.  

Tuesday was quiet.   We were home all day doing school.   Wednesday, we went to my daughter's acting coach to have an audition taped.   Today brought another audition.

My son started gymnastics a couple of weeks ago.   We went last week, but at a different time due to my daughter having an audition.   He absolutely refused to go into class.   My husband and I spent an hour begging, pleading, threatening, and bargaining with him to go to class.   He refused.   That kid is stubborn!   He finally relented and agreed to go on the floor after the class was over.   He said he refused because he didn't know anyone.   For the past week we have talked about going to class and not refusing.   He was ready to go.  My daughter was called for another audition this week which caused him to have to change his class again.   I was worried he would refuse again.   I let him rule the show.   I sat where he wanted me to sit.   I walked to the edge of the floor with him.   While we waited for him to be called, I could tell he was getting nervous.  He slipped his hand into mine.   When they called his class, he went!   Whew!   He did great and had a great time!     I got a video of him doing his first back tuck with help from the instructor.   Now, I need to figure out where to upload it and post it.  

Tomorrow is the great "scoot over" as I am calling it.   We are moving to the apartment that is next door.   It is slightly larger and has another bed.   I will no longer have to share with one of the kids!  I hope our scoot over doesn't take too long, but it is essentially moving.   I hate moving.   That is why I prefer to think of it another way.  

This weekend we have a photo shoot for the short film on Saturday, filming for the short on Sunday, and maybe Disney on Monday.   We plan to eat with the Ewings tomorrow night.   Enough rambling, goodnight.  

Slow Sunday

We are enjoying our slow Sunday.   Our Sunday mornings are always really relaxed here because church does not start until 11:15.   The kids and I wake up at our regular time and then have the morning to just relax.   We don't have to get a jump on school like we do during the week.  

This week the auditions picked up.   We found out my daughter was cast in a short film for company that produces films that are family friendly.   She works next weekend and then a day at the end of September.   Yesterday, she auditioned for a film at USC.   I've been to USC multiple times, but yesterday was the home opener for the Trojans.   The filmmaker warned up to leave extra time.  Wow!   There were a ton of people there.   I planned to go an hour and a half early, but I got stuck in horrible traffic on the 110.   I got off the 110 cut through Koreatown and headed down to USC.   I kept my eye out for a parking space.   As I got closer to campus, the traffic got worse.   I turned around and started looking in the neighborhood for a parking space.   I finally found one a block from the I-10 freeway and ONE mile from the building on campus I needed.  Thankfully, I had the kids' scooters in the car and we needed exercise. They scootered and I walked.   We made it right on time for the audition.   At the audition, the parents were talking.  One parent saw a place that was charging $100 to park.   People were renting out their driveways for $20.   I parked for free, a mile from campus.  What an adventure!   We got home and the kids swam and played.   I drank a Dr. Pepper, ate tortilla chips with lime, and relaxed.   These was the hardest to get to audition we ever attended.   At a typical audition, you find a parking spot, park, walk 1-5 minutes to the building, go in, audition, and leave.   Yesterday, my daughter also auditioned for a casting director that cast her in the feature film she did in January.   That was neat to see her again.  

It is time to feed the littles and get ready for church.