Randall Allen Dunn's Blog: Packing Action, page 5
December 19, 2019
The Nativity Story – Christmas Wasn’t Pretty
Most of us would not want to trade lives with our heroes.
Even the fictional ones have hard lives. Batman’s parents
were murdered when he was a child and now his single-minded war on crime keeps him
from enjoying any long-term relationship or having a family. Spider-Man works
for an overbearing boss, serves an ungrateful public, and constantly falls ill.
Harry Potter spends each summer with relatives who hate and abuse him and
spends the rest of the year hoping Voldemort won’t kill him.
Then there are the real ones. Would anyone really want to share
the same challenges, scorn, disappointments and heartbreaks suffered by Martin
Luther King, Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, Amelia Earhart, Harriet Tubman, Nelson
Mandela, or others who paved the way for us to enjoy certain freedoms? Yet their
sacrifices led to the success that made them heroes, and where would we be without
them?
[image error]
I just read a Christmas devotional about Mary, which pointed
out how almost all of us – myself included – miss the point of Christmas. When
Mary was chosen to be the mother of Christ, it was a great honor and blessing.
But it wouldn’t have felt like one. Not when everyone learned that the “virgin
Mary” was suddenly pregnant. Do you think her neighbors would have believed her
story of a miracle birth? Do you think she would have kept her reputation, and
all of her friends?
The angel that visited Mary told her she was blessed and had
found favor with God. He didn’t say her life would be easy, or even happy.
[image error]
My family’s had a really rough year. Rougher than most of our
recent rough years. There were times we wanted to give up on the things we’re working
toward, because it’s just too hard with no relief in sight. But we don’t.
Because we know we’re trying to make things better for our family and for
others. We’ve also been blessed by family and friends along the way when we
needed their help and encouragement to keep going.
And still, when we’re finally coming to a resting place
where we can take a relaxing breath, we get hit with another crisis. When we
feel we should be appreciated for all of our hard work and sacrifices, we get
criticized and falsely accused.
[image error]
I wonder how Mary felt nearly a year later, on that special
night. After being looked down on for her “miracle birth”. After being
ridiculed for claiming an angel spoke to her. After being rejected at first by
her fiancé for appearing to betray him.
I wonder how she felt that night in Bethlehem, ready to give birth and forced to
travel by camel to a distant city. Only to learn that the census had brought in
so many travelers that there was no place for her and Joseph to lie down.
By the way, you know that kindhearted innkeeper we always
see in Christmas pageants, who lets Mary and Joseph stay in his barn? I just
read the Bible account in Luke – he’s
not in there. Nobody took pity on this couple and went out of their way to shelter
them. That’s why they sought refuge in a stable – as in, a barn – and Mary laid
her baby in a manger – as in, an animal trough.
It was the only place they could find, or sneak into.
[image error]
The Christmas story wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t convenient. It wasn’t
inspiring or holly jolly.
The whole point of Christmas isn’t that God came to make our
lives shiny and beautiful. It’s that he came.
Into the dirt and grime of our hard lives. Into the tough
breaks and bad reputations and broken relationships that we call life. God
wasn’t afraid of our messes or our dysfunctional families or our poor choices.
He knew how messed up we are – how hard and frightening and disappointing our
lives are. And he came, anyway, to be with us, and to make a way for us to be
with him forever. His name, “Immanuel”, literally means, “God with us.”
When you look at your hard life this Christmas, remember
you’re not the only one going through terrible times. Remember that the
sacrifices you make might mean trouble for you, but might make a world of
difference for someone else. Remember that God loves you and has a plan, and
you have a purpose.
And remember that you’re not alone.
God is with us.
Click here for the trailer!
[image error]
November 25, 2019
Tom Hanks Shares 5 Things He Learned From Mister Rogers
5 Things Tom Hanks Learned from Fred Rogers in His Own Words
Hot cranberry juice is a perfect morning beverage. Not coffee or tea, but cranberry juice, heated up in, I guess, a microwave. The man got up at 5:30 every morning, so he knew what worked.Getting up at 5:30 a.m. every day means you can answer an awful lot of mail.A daily 20-minute swim does a world of good for you.Weighing 143 pounds was his full-body message of “I (1) love (4) you (3).” “It takes one letter to say ‘I’ and four letters to say ‘love’ and three letters to say ‘you.’ One-hundred and forty-three,” Rogers said on his show.“That which is essential is invisible to the naked eye”—his framed quote, in French, from Saint-Exupéry’s Le Petit Prince. This was Fred’s take on life, on being human. And it’s correct.
—Tom Hanks
from Parade Magazine
November 14, 2019
Raising Dion – Marked
In the early days of carnivals, carny operators had a trick
called “marking”. When they encountered a customer who seemed especially
gullible, one of them would draw an actual mark on their shirt so that other
carnies would spot that customer and know they could con him out of more money.
This is the origin of the con artist’s term, an “easy mark”.
Can you imagine discovering that you yourself have been
marked? To be considered and treated differently than everyone else because of
something you can’t control?
[image error]
In the series, “Raising Dion”, a widowed mother, Nicole,
discovers that her 2nd grade son, Dion, is developing extreme
superpowers that he doesn’t know how to control, including telekinesis and
teleportation. To try to protect him and keep his powers hidden, Nicole volunteers
at his school to keep a close eye on him. Unfortunately, a classmate named
Jonathan encourages Dion to give up the prize watch his mother gave him, and
then refuses to return it. Unable to make him give it back, Dion’s rage sends Jonathan
toppling to the ground.
The principal addresses Dion and Jonathan, and gives Dion
detention, letting Jonathan go. Nicole tells the principal that Jonathan is
wearing Dion’s watch, and the other kids all insist Dion never touched him, so she
asks why Dion is getting detention.
But she knows why. Dion is black, and the racist principal
assumes Dion somehow caused the problem, in spite of the obvious facts.
[image error]
Nicole’s sister urges her to explain this racism to Dion,
but Nicole doesn’t want to shatter his world at such a young age. “You want me
to tell him that people are going to slap him down, every chance they get?” she
asks. Her sister tells her “yes”, to prepare Dion for what he will face in the
world.
Dion has to know the horrible truth that he will always be
marked.
So Nicole tells him why the principal treated him
differently than Jonathan. How he was taught wrong ways of thinking, to make
him think a boy who looks like Dion is likely to do something wrong. How Dion
will have to try twice as hard as others, to give people no reason to suspect
him of trying to cause trouble for anyone.
And both Nicole and Dion are crushed by the injustice of it
all.
[image error]
But being marked is not just about race. You can be marked
for your education level, income level, being too young or too old, being too
pretty or not pretty enough, having the wrong faith or having no faith at all,
or even living in the wrong neighborhood or talking to the wrong people.
It’s very easy to become marked. And very difficult to get
that mark removed.
The only consolation you can have is in knowing that some
people don’t see a mark when they look at you. And you don’t have to see one,
either. You can focus instead on the things that make you special, which
includes your mark.
Later in the series, Dion uses his special powers to make his
new friend, Esperanza, float off of her wheelchair. He figures if he was in a
wheelchair, he would want to be able to fly.
But Esperanza doesn’t like it. Not one bit. And the fact
that Dion assumed, without asking, that she would want to be free of her chair,
makes her stop talking to him. Dion later apologizes for treating her like she
needed to be fixed when she’s not actually broken, and they become friends
again.
[image error]
See, it’s not only easy to be marked. It’s also easy to mark
people around us. But having a certain skin color or certain “dis”-ability
doesn’t make us any less of a person. Dion’s skin doesn’t make him any less
powerful or intelligent than his classmates. It also doesn’t make him any less
prone to making the same mistakes as others, in how he views his friends. Being
in a wheelchair doesn’t limit Esperanza’s mobility as much as Dion thought. When
Dion was upset at his birthday party, Esperanza was the only classmate who
followed him to try to cheer him up. Her commitment to their friendship makes
her far more mobile to help Dion than the rest of his classmates.
[image error]
You and I are going to get marked. And we’re going to make
the mistake of marking others. Just know that our assumptions about ourselves
and others don’t change the value of who we really are.
When you get marked, don’t let it make you feel marked down.
Click here for the trailer!
October 24, 2019
Addams Family Values – Focusing on Your Freaky Family
I recently watched the film, “Addams Family Values”. It was surprisingly hilarious.
It took me back to the time when I discovered the real value
of The Addams Family.
As a Christian, I don’t gravitate toward horror, though I
appreciate it as a literary genre. (that’s a discussion for another post). When
the first Addams Family movie came out in the 1990’s, I was a volunteer drama
director at my local church. I wrote and directed weekly dramas to help illustrate
the sermon’s message. They sometimes demonstrated everyday situations at home
or work, sometimes got very dramatic and serious, and other times were more
like an SNL skit that included parodies of familiar shows like Gilligan’s
Island or Star Trek.
[image error]When my pastor asked me to write a drama featuring The Addams Family, I was confused. I didn’t see how to use a horror comedy to illustrate a Sunday morning message. His daughters had seen the movie and begged to be part of an Addams Family church drama, and he wanted to support their eagerness to participate in something at church.
I sighed and said I would do it. I checked out a library
book about the original TV series and discovered something I never would have noticed:
According to the author, the Addams Family was, internally, the healthiest
family on television.
Whaaat? But
they’re creepy! And they’re kooky! And altogether ooky!
Sure, to us. We don’t get excited about death or
dismemberment like they do, or hurl knives at one another for fun, or practice electrocuting
ourselves like Uncle Fester.
[image error]But – all safety concerns aside – the family itself was extremely functional. Gomez and Morticia were madly in love and proud to show it, making time for one another while still supporting each other’s individual hobbies. Gomez had a passion for everything life had to offer, and freely shared his enthusiasm with everyone he met. The family extended to a grandmother and uncle who lived in the home, while keeping an open door to other family members, like Cousin Itt. They all treated their servant, Lurch, with respect and appreciation. The children loved and respected their parents, who loved and supported the children. The family unit itself was one to be admired and envied.
[image error]In “Addams Family Values”, that family is threatened by a con artist named Debbie, who creates a pretense of family to serve her own greed. She’s a black widow, who carefully seduces Uncle Fester so she can marry and then murder him to inherit his fortune. But for her plans to succeed, she must divide the family.
When the daughter, Wednesday, grows suspicious of her,
Debbie convinces the parents to send their children off to summer camp. Later,
she convinces Fester to cut off all ties with the family if he wants to stay
with her. Why does she do this?
Because she knows this family is strong. Their love and
support for one another will lead them to the truth about her schemes to use
Fester for her own ends. Wednesday can already see through Debbie’s games, and
Gomez and Morticia supported the relationship until Debbie claimed that Fester
wanted to break all ties with the Addams.
Unfortunately, Fester lets himself be deceived by Debbie
instead of reaching out to the family for help. It’s easy to believe a stranger
who offers the kind of relationship or opportunity we always wanted, instead of
believing the people who have known us the longest and probably know us the
best.
[image error]Thankfully, Debbie finally shows her true colors and reveals herself to be the scariest character of all, allowing Fester to return to the people who will always love him as he is. Warts and all.
Our families can be irritating and embarrassing. Sometimes
they seem downright freaky, with their nerdy hobbies, dad jokes, teenage
rebellion, and magazine quiz obsessions. They can also be our strongest
supporters and our best counselors. The ones who bandage our wounds, applaud
our achievements, bail us out of jail, and caution us against bad investments.
They can also help us avoid some really destructive
relationships.
While helping us cling to the most important ones.
Announcing the return of the Character Entertainment blog!
My first website in 2008 introduced Character Entertainment – Building Character Through Fiction. It presented books, movies, and music that were good for you. I spotlighted the life lessons that we learn through the stories and songs we enjoy, which are often overlooked.
As a Christian, I try to practice values of humility, self-sacrifice, compassion, acceptance, courage, generosity, and other traits modeled by Jesus Christ. I spotlight these same characteristics that I see demonstrated in fiction, because if we learn to practice the right habits, we can improve our lives and the lives of those around us. If we learn to recognize the positive morals that we’re already being taught by the media every day, we can become the kind of people we want to be. The ones who change the world around us for the better.
After my Character Entertainment site ended in 2013, I was offline for a couple of years, until I started a new site that focused strictly on my writing. I started the Packing Action blog, to talk about the kind of action I put into my stories. However … I just wasn’t that excited about discussing that. It’s fun to do and I do it well, but that doesn’t mean I want to talk about it much.
So I’m returning to my original blogging passion: Character Entertainment and the life lessons we can glean from stories. I hope you enjoy this renewed direction and that it becomes something fun and meaningful for your life.
Keep believing!
– RAD
December 12, 2018
Nephilim Name Contest ends Dec. 31st! Enter TODAY!
Nephilim Name Contest
Send your chosen creature (Centaur, Mermaid, Minotaur, Gargoyle, Giant Roc, Fairy) with the first 10 letters of your first and last name to: Randall@RandallAllenDunn.com
Get your new Nephilim creature name & start gathering votes! You could be named in the final fantasy trilogy book, Escape from the Island of Myste, releasing in January 2019, and receive an Amazon gift card worth up to $25! Contest ends December 31st! ENTER TODAY!
November 22, 2018
BLACK FRIDAY ADVENTURE BOOK BLITZ! Happening right now!!!
Ebook Adventures for only $1.99!
[image error]
THE RED RIDER
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1539111539/
[image error]
HIGH ADVENTURE: THE SOLOMON RING OF KILIMANJARO
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06WGXBWVC/
[image error]
THE ISLAND OF MYSTE
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K3QP5JL/
BLACK FRIDAY SUSPENSE BOOK BLITZ! Happening right now!
[image error]
The nail-biting action thriller,
D E N
only .99 cents on Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYPA5TR/
only $9.99 in paperback!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1539150860/
[image error]
SUSPICIOUS: 2 TALES of SUSPENSE now in paperback!
The perfect gift for mystery lovers!
Stuff your stockings (or backpacks) with 2 quick easy reads that keep you on the edge of your seat! Featuring accidental amateur sleuth Sybil Strang!
Haunting stories that stay with you long after the last page!
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/171989082X
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G81TYVT/
[image error]
DEVIL IN THE DETAILS: 2 TALES of SUSPENSE
only .99 cents on Kindle!
2 suspense tales about unseen danger! Paperback coming soon!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FLDY33Q/
November 6, 2018
First Review for THE ISLAND OF MYSTE!
It’s always really nice when your first reviewer tells people they have to read this book! 
November 1, 2018
F A N T A S Y C O V E R R E V E A L ! ! !
Hello, Readers!
Announcing the cover reveal for an exciting new fantasy!
It’s about a 9-year old adopted girl named Yumiko …
who gets drawn into an incredible action-packed adventure …
on a mysterious island …
filled with amazing creatures, both beautiful and deadly …
a place from which no one can escape!
Not even Yumiko and her parents!
Sound good?
Ready to see the cover?
Good! Here we go!
Wait for iiiiit …
Wait for iiiiiiiiiiiiiiit …
Almost there ……
Wait for iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttt …
Finally …
It’s time
to discover
your destiny
on …
[image error]
So excited about this!
Huge thanks again to my awesome designer, Jessica Ozment! And here’s the full wrap for the paperback version!
[image error]
The book will soon be available for pre-order, with mermaids, minotaurs, and a giant sea serpent, among other creatures. And the paperback version will be available when the book officially launches on Friday Nov. 16th!
Thanks for joining me on this cover reveal. I’m eager to welcome you to the Island of Myste.
And did you know you or your kids could be a character in Book 3, Escape from the Island of Myste, publishing in January 2019? to check out my previous blog and learn how to get your Nephilim name so people can vote for you!
Looking forward to bringing you along on this exciting adventure!
Keep believing!
– RAD
Packing Action
- Randall Allen Dunn's profile
- 56 followers
