Date: 05 June 1999
To: MitchMailList
From: Danl Blackwood
Subject: [MitchMailList 036]: Texas, May 1st and 2nd reviews

Tina's San Antonio and Wells Branch reviews
as posted to the Ragamuffin Mailing List

Date: Mon, 3 May 1999 10:28:28 (PDT)
From: Tina Goin
Subject: Mitch's Texas weekend reviews

  Saturday, May 1, 1999, Harvest Fellowship Christian Church, San
Antonio, Texas:

  This show was so much more than we expected it to be.  I'd been told
by the people at the church office that it was not going to be a full
concert, but that Mitch would just be providing some special music
during their worship service, but that's not what happened!!  After
the pastor delivered a brief sermon, Mitch, Shelli and Eric took the
stage and sang for nearly an hour.  It was so nice having Eric there -
that cello adds so much!!  Again, the songs were more or less the same
as before, except we got to hear the song Mitch just wrote about
Kansas (great song!!).  One of the highlights of this show were the
"announcements".  Just before the concert started the pastor was
handed a note which said that there was a car in the parking lot with
it's lights on.  The owner got up and headed for the door amidst a few
friendly laughs.  Then, during the concert (I can't for the life of me
remember which song), Mitch stops singing, picks a piece of paper off
the floor and says "I have an announcement.  There's a car in the
parking lot with it's lights on" (it was cloudy, so lots of people had
their lights on).  Then he read the license number and color and so
forth, and said something to the effect of "I'm doing this now because
I forgot to do it earlier".  Shelli then said something about the
person's battery now being dead (because Mitch had waited so long to
make the announcement), but they had jumper cables if anyone needed a
jump!  It was much funnier in person, but I hope this gives you a
little idea of what the evening was like.  One treat that we got at
this show was Mitch and Eric playing "Awesome God" as we were leaving
the sanctuary.  Well, Mitch *said* they were going to play that as we
left, but I'll give you three guesses as to how many people actually
left! ;)  Afterwards, Paul and I met Shelli for the first time while
we were waiting to talk to Mitch.  We got at the end of the autograph
line, and for the first time we didn't have anything for him to sign -
strange feeling!  We said "hi, we're here", and he laughed - again,
I'm not sure why?? :).  We talked for a few moments about the drive
from Waxahachie, and told him "see you tomorrow" as we left.  It was a
really wonderful show, but then - aren't they always? :)

  Sunday, May 2, 1999, Calvary Worship Center, Wells Branch, Texas:

      The show was supposed to start at seven, but ended up starting
about 15 minutes late (they got back late from dinner).  This show was
considerably different from the other two.  We got to hear several
songs that they didn't do the other nights - the one about "Emmanuel",
and one other one whose title escapes me at the moment, and Shelli did
a wonderful job on "In Your Hands".  The rest were the same great
songs as before.  Mitch did the first plug for Compassion that he'd
done all weekend.  He got a bit choked up a few times, but he did a
good job.  He kept saying "I wish I was more eloquent with all
this...", but I think he got his point across.  This was by far the
*funniest* of all the shows.  It began with a discussion, mostly
between Mitch and Shelli, on how beans and traveling don't mix (use
your imagination, folks).  Then Mitch shared with us the story of how
when he first came out of the coma and couldn't talk, he wrote what he
wanted to say.  I won't spoil it for those who are yet to hear the
tale, but suffice it to say, it was quite entertaining to say the
least! Then towards the end of the show, as Mitch was introducing "The
Lemonade Song" as the song that "when he wrote it he thought it was
stupid but then decided it was profound",  we heard a phone ring in
the back of the room.  Mitch stopped, looked around and said "God??". 
Then through the laughter we hear the words "it *is* stupid, Mitch"
coming from behind a certain cello. Seemed Eric felt that God wanted
to speak through him or something...it was hilarious!!!!  THEN - as if
this weren't already funny enough, just before Mitch finishes
introducing the song, the phone rings again.  Mitch stops, laughs, and
in a deep voice says "you are right, it *is* profound, My faithful and
profound son"!!  I can't recall the last time I laughed so hard at
anything!!!!  Afterwards we were sitting with Angie (a fellow
listmember) in the front row seats that she had surprised us with
(thanks, Angie!!!!!!), and Shelli came walking up to talk to her.  She
remembered us from the night before, and even got our names right - I
thought that was really nice!  We talked for a moment or two, and then
Angie, Paul and I waited for things to calm down so we could get some
pictures with Mitch.  When I asked him if he had a minute for a few
pictures he smiled and said "third time's a charm huh?".  After the
pics, we chatted for just a minute or two before he got called in
another direction, and then we headed for home.  

  Whew - as those of you who made it this far into my post can tell,
it was quite a weekend.  Every time I talked to Mitch I told him how
much fun we were having and how much we enjoyed it all.  I have a
feeling that Texas has a bunch of new Mitch fans!  It's just such a
blessing to see him and know how far he's come in so short a period of
time - God is doing great and wonderful things in his life.  I have
three words for anyone who has the opportunity to see these folks
perform:  GO SEE THEM!!!!  Take it from someone who has now seen them
5 times, you won't be disappointed!!!  I just keep thinking to myself,
you know, when (not "if") the day comes that Mitch really makes it
big, I'll be able to sit back and say "I remember when...".  I'm
looking forward to that day. Mitch surely deserves it.

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