Date: 07 March 1999
To: MitchMailList
From: Danl Blackwood
Subject: [MitchMailList 025]: Springfield, IL 02/06 review

Robin Woodson's Springfield review
as posted to the Ragamuffin Mailing List

From: Robin Woodson
Subject: [ragamuffin] Mitch Mc Springfield Concert Review
Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1999 19:28:28

Okay guys,

I finally found my detailed concert notes, but by the time I found
them, the Winona Lake and OKC reviews had been posted.  So, for your
visual pleasure I won't bore you with the song line-up.  I shall only
include my own observations and things that weren't already posted
from the other two concerts.  My first observation  is:  Although I
have never compared Rich and Mitch, I think there is one similarity
(at least for me).  No matter how much I enjoy his musical talents, I
appreciate his speaking abilities and the things he is willing to
share with his audience equally.  If he put on a concert in which he
would not be singing, I would be the first one with ticket in hand.

As should be expected, the three were nearly the same.

The size of the audience in Springfield was small.  I'm sure Mitch and 
his band weren't real excited about that, but basking in my
selfishness, I was happy.  We got there an hour early to get a good seat
and we were in the first row.  The best Rich concerts for me were always
the small, intimate ones.  (I know:  If more people were there, more would
get to hear Mitch,  and the gospel message would be offered to a greater
number of people, but I already admitted my selfish desires here.  So don't
respond by telling me of my wretched heart.  Just be honest and admit you 
would have felt the same way.)

The concert started a little late due to a sound check and the fact that
the band had not eaten yet.  Since my party had not eaten yet either, I
thought it would have been a nice gesture for the band to invite us to eat
with them.  Or maybe we just could have had a big carry-in dinner before
the concert and invited the whole town.  Now wouldn't that have been nice. 
(He he, Ha ha!)

Mitch said that they had just driven nine hours and had a flat tire on the
way.

When he introduced the Kid Brothers, he mentioned the bit about noticing
that Shelly wasn't a guy.  He said something about the woman in the
Franciscan order, Japone. I'm not sure if this is the right spelling, and
if my information is incorrect someone can post more accurate information. 
I thought the girl's name was Clare, but that may have just been her name
in "The Canticle of the Plains."  I had seen Shelly before, but had no idea
she could sing.  Wow, could she sing!  And it takes quite a lot for me to
be impressed with a woman's voice, because I just have the tendency to be
drawn to male vocal chords rather than female.  After the concert I had the
chance to talk to her a few minutes.  I asked her if she knew she could
sing.  (You know, some people find out later in life that they have gifts
they never had tapped in to.)  She said she did know she could sing and had
sung in the "Canticle",  but just started with the group the beginning of 
January.  I'm glad she did.

Mitch told how the song, "Where Did It Go" was inspired.  He said that when
you go around doing concerts night after night, people clap and cheer for
you.  They come up wanting autographs and telling you how great you are,
and you begin to feel like you really ARE something.  But the next day when
you're sitting in a McDonald's eating a Big Mac, no one around you even
knows who you are and you think, "I guess I'm not special."  After the
concert I had a chance to talk to Shelly and asked her to relay a message
to Mitch.  I said I knew he was already aware of it, but at the same time,
we all need to be encouraged;  and even when we don't "feel" special, we
are.  I told her to let him know  he is very special to me and to a whole
lot of other people.  I wish I had mentioned all those on this list.  I
would have by name, if I could have remembered you all.

Before "Fairest Lord Jesus" Mitch talked about the kingdom of God and how
EVERYONE WHO ACCEPTS CHRIST is a part of that kingdom no matter what
denomination we choose to worship in.  He said that the kingdom of God was
ushered in by the cross.  It was an ugly cross with knicks and gouges.  It
was smudged and there was nothing pretty about it.  But Christ carried
the cross anyway in order to usher in His kingdom, no matter how bad it
looked or even how bad it actually was.  He said the church is like the
cross.  Those on the outside think it is sleek, pristine and beautiful; and
those on the inside do their darndest (Is that a word?) to make it look
that way.  But in reality the church is ugly, smudged, knicked and scarred
and will continue to be so until He brings it into completion when we are
all together with Him.  He
reminded us that Christ will carry His church, no matter how ugly, smudged,
knicked and scarred we are.  (I got Jesus bumps at that, as this whole
denominational/doctrinal thing has got me down lately.) 

Before "It is Well" Mitch told the story of how it was inspired.  (Again,
if someone knows a more accurate depiction, they are welcome to correct
me.)  A man was going to move his family to a different country and sent
the wife and kids over ahead of him.  Their ship sank and all the kids'
lives were lost.  On his trip to meet up with his wife, he wrote the song
at the exact spot his children were drowned.  

During "My Deliver" - I noticed just one word change.  I don't know if it
was intentional (or if he just forgot the right word and 
has more in common with Rich than I thought), but he sang, "I will never
doubt His promise, though I doubt my "faith" (not "heart"), though I doubt
my eyes."  Just an observation.   Prior to singing it, he said it was a
song that Rich had intended to sing himself.  I closed my eyes and pictured
the scene.  Mitch kind of growled the line I just mentioned.  It may have
been my imagination, but I think that is just the way Rich would have sung
that part.  (Sorry Danl for the presumption of what Rich "would have"
done.)

They moved some plants around Michael to hold an instrument before "The
Lemonade Song" and he kind of looked like he was in a jungle.  We all had a
good laugh.  (Mitch forgot part of the second verse.  I don't know how he
"felt", but he handled it so light-heartily that it gave me a warm feeling.

The urinal story:  He said he went in to the bathroom to take care of some
necessary business that had been on hold for a while.  
He noticed a post-it note right in front of him that said, "Attention: 
Jesus is coming back immediately."  The first thought was, "Oh, good!" 
Then he thought, "Oh no, can it wait for just another couple minutes?  I've
already been holding this for a half an hour and I don't think I can make
it an eternity."

To present Compassion International, he said we all want to be a part of
some big work of the Spirit.  "Well the Spirit is moving in a big way with
Compassion."  He spoke about it and said we all would have an opportunity
to get involved during the break.  

The "down side" to a small gathering is that there wasn't enough of a group
to demand an encore.  So we missed "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High" and "I
Love You, Lord."  What a drag!

Mecca said Eric did things on the cello she had never seen before.  She
ain't kiddin'!  My son played cello for about six months and we saw things
we had never seen before, but it was nothing like what Eric did.  Wow! 
Eric also played an instrument we had not seen before.  My husband asked
him what it was after the concert and he said a mandocello.  He said Rich
had bought it for him.  
Mecca also said that Shelly told her Eric would be leaving them soon.  I
don't know the details, but if it is true, I think he should get a lap top
so he can read all of these posts to be assured that we are praying for him
in his endeavors.  He has such a sweet spirit.  

I was awed by Michael's percussion the first time I saw him with Rich. 
This is the second time I had the fortune of seeing him and was very
blessed.  Michael and Eric both have that same sweet spirit that Mitch has.
 I can't put a finger on it.  It is kind of a meek, quiet and shy sense
that comes across to me.  Very peaceful.  It is a spirit that I admire in a
person.  My husband has the same spirit.  Mine is a more loud and projected
spirit that I fear tends to invade others' "space."

I know the extra part on "When You Love" was not recorded on Rich's
version, so I made the assumption that Mitch had added it himself.  But
that is not a fact, just an assumption.

There was some kind of a discipleship training weekend going on at the
church that weekend and Mitch & The Kid Bros. stayed for Sunday services. 
I had the opportunity of sharing a Sunday School class with them since we
were still in town.  It was a 15th wedding anniversary well spent.  I later
remembered that our 7th anniversary was spent in Greenville, IL on a Rich
Mullins retreat.  I wonder what we'll do for our 24th anniversary.

Love in Christ - R.W. (really wierd) Robin Woodson

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