Email from Teresa

Teresa was one of the dance team members that worked with Dad in Taiwan. We met her in LA a few weeks ago and I thought I would share some of her stories...

9/12/08

Dear Guy, Michele, Kymmie, Jayme,

I just thought about a cute story that happened about 5 years ago.

You guys must have seen all the photos of Pastor on Noel's Picasa. You may notice a young girl was with Noel and Pastor with Noel's family at New Years time. She is the girl I told Jayme about that the only father she knew in her life was Pastor. Her name is Joy.

When I read Jayme's email, I was so surprised that he called Pastor Papa. You know what? All the English speaking group here called Pastor Papa too. I thought you all called him Daddy. I hope it is not offensive to you that we called him Papa, after all he was really a father to us all. And because of your sacrifice of the time you spent with him, we could have him in our lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you again and again. As Papa always said, " Thank you. My mother thanks you. My father thanks you." ( with several bows.)

Well, the story is this. After my father passed away, for some reason, I started calling Pastor Papa. When Noel came back from LA and heard me calling him this way. She started to call Pastor Papa too. Then, we all started calling Pastor Papa. As time went on, each one of us started to call Papa in our own different ways. But, Papa always wanted us to address him Pastor while we met new people. For the older girls, we had no problem to change back and forth. But, for our little Joy, MAN, it was a big problem. One day, we went to meet a couple for the second time in a restaurant. Papa reminded us not to forget to address him Pastor. We all said OK. However, when the conversation started, every time when Joy wanted to talk to Pa, she would totally forget about the word Pastor. She would directly call him PAPA ( very loud, and very a too). Papa would remind her "Pastor". It happened so many times. Eventually, Joy would started calling him "PA pa p p….. Pastor". So, Pa gave up, he said, "OK, Papa Pastor." So, now she is the only person calls Pa "Papa Pastor". Even yesterday, when Joy and I were sharing some thoughts about Papa, we still laughed so heartedly on that one. Pa really helped her a great deal. She was one the the top dancers in the entire profession I ever knew, and was in Twyla Tharp's company in New York for a year. After she came back, she went to Cloud Gate, but the artistic director treated her so badly. She almost had a nervous break down. Pa taught her how to get out of the company before the contract expired without causing any trouble. But her demon possessed mom was so angry. She started other torments she could give her. Finally, with her own obedience to God and prayers of Pa and help from us, God took her to Hong Kong, and gave her a much better job there. I have told her to think of some stories that Pa had given impact on her life to share with you.

Today, I found out that my scanner broke down. So, I have no tools to scan some photos of Papa. I guess for more detailed things from me about Pa, you guys would just have to wait for a while. I hope this story would cheer you up a little.

With much love,

T

9/13/08

Dear Guy, Michele, Kymmie, Jayme,

This is my personal story that concerns your father.

I was adopted since maybe when I was only 3 months old, and nobody ever told me, or was allowed to talk to me about anything concerning adoption. My adoptive mom wanted to make sure I thought I was from her and my adoptive dad. But when I was 6, one day, I said to myself, "I could not possibly be their child. How can they misunderstand (or misjudge) me so?" So, from that day on, I believed I was not their real child. Until 13, we studied biology. It proved to me I was not their biological child because of the blood type.

Before I met your father, I never learned unconditional love, although heard about it, and really wanted it, but didn't know the nature of it. I thought if you wanted your parents to love you, you'd better win it with your achievements. And of course, I could never be good enough, since my father had children in China, and separated from them because of the war. And I had always been a strange kid myself. Nobody understood me, and I understood nobody. I became a Christian when I was 25. As a crazy young dancer, I shocked all the pastors who met me. Who in the world with a right mind at that time (1990ish) would want to have a dancer in their church anyway. When I read "For God so love the world….", I thought it was so beautiful and wonderful. But, I could never imagine I was part of "the world". So, I had been all alone and afraid for 33 years, till I met your father.

My real mom came to me and told me who she was when I was 28. Before that, I always thought I was some bastard out of some mistakes and no one wanted me. For 4 years with my biological family, I felt really good. I really loved them. But, they wanted me to prove my love for them by telling my adoptive parents that we had acknowledged each other. I didn't want to do it, because I thought I didn't give myself away. It was not my responsibility to tell. However, under all the loving pressure, I reluctantly did what they wanted. Then, I called my real dad and said, "You can come to meet with my adoptive parents now." My dad said," Oh, good! But, I am busy right now. I will go up to meet you 2 weeks later." After I talked to him, my heart was pierced by him. I felt I was given away one more time. I almost had a nervous break down. In about less than a week, Pastor came to Taiwan.

When Wendy told me your father is coming, I thought, "So? I have met enough pastors, and none of them impressed me. Why should he be any different?" Meantime, I was totally broken inside and ready to leave everything behind, and disappear from everything that was just too familiar to me. But on the day of Pa's meeting, I was urged, coerced, lured, enticed to go to his meeting by the Holy Spirit. Very reluctantly, I went! But, when Pastor saw me from the first sight, I felt he looked into my deep down being. While worshiping, he came to me and told me something I only told God. I bursted out crying right then. When he started to give the sermon, the first thing he said was, " The Holy Spirit told me we are going to change what I planed to say. Today, we are going to talk about 'The Broken Heart'." I don't quite remember what Papa said that day, but I knew right then God knew my situation, and I was not alone. The most important part in the sermon was 'to die on the Cross', and 'to forgive', etc.. After his sermon was over, I already felt healed, and willing to die,but not just yet forgive. Than, Papa gave the altar call. Since I was one of the core group in the fellowship, I was so eager to pray for other broken hearted. So, I with all the rest of the fellowship members stood in line ready to pray for people. But, for quite a while no one approached to the poppet. Finally, your father was tired of this, he came to me and dragged me to the poppet and started praying for me. I cannot tell you how embarrassed I was, because I always thought I could be the last one to have the blessing. But, I guess that was not what God wanted, and I was ready to forgive. After I was prayed for, I turned around and looked, there was no one on their seats any more. All lined up for God's blessing behind me.

2 days later, Pastor called a meeting for all the core fellowship members. While we were listening to him, I saw the wildest vision in my life. You father was like a baggy cloth sag, and the person who was wearing this sag and talking to us was Jesus Himself. I started crying and repenting. It was the first time I came to the realization of what it meant by "To die is to gain, to live is Christ." I knew it is no longer a standard too high, but a reality all the Christians are supposed to fulfil.

All these years, I had made some mistakes. But, Papa was always loving and forgiving. Because of him, Jesus was not like what I felt before – hard bones, but with flesh and blood. It was so important to me, because it took me out of fear of making mistakes and not being loved again. Papa hated Chinese culture, because it somehow, carries hidden malice, and broke people in every way. But, because of Papa, I am no longer molded by my environment, I became one of God's own, and closer to Him each day.

So, once again, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for your personal sacrifice, so that I and we can take a look of who God is, and grow from there.

Love, T

9/14/08

Dear guys,

Papa always thought dancers are airheads. Even I, the least airheady one, was still one among the airheads to him.

One year, he came to Taiwan, we happened to have a dance performance called Alice Fantasia. Our dancers met Pa, they really enjoyed having him, although they were not Christians and they had fun together. But since they were so airheady, Pa started to make jokes about airheads. One joke was "How do an airhead tie her shoe laces?" The answer was: She put her left foot on a stew and bend down to tie her right shoe. Another one was "How do 2 air heads put a light bulb on?" The answer was: One stands on a computer chair with light bulb in hand, and the other one spin the chair to screw the bulb in. The dancers loved the jokes. And they told each other the stories all the time with excitement, and proud of being airheads, because they knew Pa could see the beauty of being airheady. I think no one else did it before in their lives. Finally, when they were graduating from our school. They needed a title for their graduation performance. Guess what they named it? "Fools (or more like airheads in Chinese) that Spin the Air." Then, we start to see the airhead jokes currenting on the internet here. Pa started the airhead trend here without intending to do so.

Love, T

You know! Once Pa said Gy looked like Ben Eflik, the movie star. HE said both of them looked almost exactly the same. I kept wondering how handsome he must have been. And I always have a intimate feeling about Kymmie, because Pa said one time, I think I did something, but he never told me what, but only said because what I did, all of a sudden he understood Kymmie a little more. I wonder what that is. But I know one thing, Kimmie made a lot of aroma products. And he said you built a product line or something. He said you Kymmie was very gifted in that area. And I remember Pa told us the tiniest chiwawa dog you had on earth. One day, Gy came home from outside, opened the door too quickly. The door hit the dog, and made it tumbled several times. From that day on, the door became the enemy of the dog, instead of Gy. Hahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And when your grandma from your mother's side passed away, he said Gy became a big man in the house, and was in charged of many things and took care of your mom well. He was very proud of Gy.

I am glad the stories brought you some warmth to heart. I think it is the least thing we can do for you and Papa at this very moment, since we are so far away. And I didn't mean to leave Gy out. I simply did have your (Gy's) email address. I will keep pulling stories together, funny and serious.

Love, T

10/14/08

Dear guys,

I want to thank you for letting us to pray for your father's ressurection while you were in great loss yourselves. However, it was very gracious of you all and we are very grateful that you let us do so anyway. But, we were also very humbled by the Lord to know that we were asking Him to do something we don't have enough anointing to have and not enough crediility to ask. We are all very humbled.

Guy once said Pa seperated himself from you. It was heart-breaking to hear that. While sorting through Pa's stuff for moving, I realized that your father is really an incredible man of God. I guess we never really understood how weak physically he was. I think with limited strength he had, he decided that he was going to put all he had physically to barely fulfil what God wanted him to do, and entrust the rest to the Lord to take care for him. You probably think he spent a lot of time with us. That "a lot" is about 4 weeks in one time a year or less. And that time was mostly for the ministry here. I remember he told me that no one could have him for long, because it was his destiny. He wished he could, but God didn't allow it. Nevertheless, look at you guys! You were all so beautifully made inside, and so strong and willful in your heart. I have never seen a family like this. I guess God really honored Pa's loyalty to Him and blessed his family in such a supernatural way.

After seeing you guys, we know you are the true Brauns. So sweet in the spirit and so tough in the inner man. I hope I can meet you again in the future.

Love you very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!

T

Email from Wendy

Wendy Yu was Dad's interpreter in Taiwan. She worked with him on and off for 19 years. These are a few email that we received from Wendy shortly after we found out that Dad had passed.

9/11/08

Dear ones,

Guess what treasure I remember to share with you!!

Here's a link to the sermon Pastor preached last September at a Filipino church *Chosen One* in Taipei. It is a joyful and powerful service! It will really lift your spirit up!!

http://www.chosenonesica.org/audio%20files/Rev.%20Steve%20Braum-Sept.16,2007.MP3
I'll be preaching at the same church this coming Sunday, exactly a year later. Please pray for me to carry Pastor's spirit to touch all the workers there. It is our time to reach and touch the world just like Pastor's message said. Let's all be strong together!!

9/14/08

(from Jayme)
In the message papa was preaching that you posted online. He said there was video of the Stone Man being healed and the grandma with the basketball tumor do you know where that video might be, or does Wendy have a copy of it?

I would love to get a copy when you come to LA in a few weeks.

(reply)

Dear Jayme,

Sorry, I don't have it on tape. The miracle happend 19 years ago during my first preaching trip I went on with Pastor.

It was in Taichung city, located in the center part of the Island, about 3 hours drive from the capital city of Taipei. We didn't have any contact with any churches in Taichung. We just performed "door" on the street and preached. One young man from a local church saw us and asked if Pastor could meet with their pastor and preach there. Pastor and I went to visit the local church pastor, it was a lady. She looked very pretty, elegant, but weak from the weeks of fasting. With a few quick words of exchange, she asked Pastor to preach there on Sat. night. She's been praying for revival for the church and she believe this complete American stranger is God's answer for her prayer.

We went there Sat. night, packed house... pastor preached about the woman who had the bleeding problem crawling on her hands and stomach, fighting through the crowd, because she KNEW if she could JUST touch the thread of Jesus' cloak, she would be healed.....!

When Pastor made the call for healing and having renewed faith in God, the grandma with the basketball tumor, and many others came forward... there was roaring sound of prayer at the altar, crying, laughing, Holy Spirit decended on us like waves, Pastor had to put an arm behind me to keep me from falling, and a few times he turned around to me and shouted, "INTERPRET", I was so dumbfounded with what was happening, I froze many times...

And then I saw Pastor laid hand on the lady... I thought she was pregnant.... but then before my eyes... the stomach went flat... she jumped around dancing, shouting, "I am healed, I am healed", and then Pastor prayed for her and she fell... and then Pastor turned around to pray for the man on the piano, "Bang!" It was like the man had an electrical shot, his fingers went wild on the keyboard, he was crying and playing, shocked at the anointing of the Holy Sprit making him playing the tune he never knew of.... and the next...the next...

What a different church we went back to the next day... a glorious Sunday!

Wendy

9/13/08

Dear Guy, Michelle, Jayme, and Kymmie,

How often have I heard Pastor talked lovingly about you...! You are his pride and joy. I remember now, how Papa said,

"Oh, you should hear Guy play the piano, so talented, it makes you want to cry!"

"Michelle, she is the only one who can go into my "room" and search for my things.... she would look and look and say, "I know I can find it, Daddy""

"Jayme has grown to be such a man! He is coming to LA this weekend, you know. I told him about the tube, the digital can never match up to it... he finally listened."

"Kymmie is so talented with the photos, she is really making something of herself, growing more confident, a real lady!"

I can't thank you enough for sharing Pastor with me. He has been the most important spiritual guide for me. Pastor had guided me, counseled me for every phase of my "adult life".

I have known him for 19 years since the day I met him at Kentucky Fried Chicken in summer 1989, I was due to work as the interpreter with the YWAM team led by Doug, and the New Hampshire church summer mission team. The team for some reason could not set up the sound system on the street, so they decided to have dinner at Kentucky Fried. But no one remembered to inform me, the interpreter, so I waited for more than a couple of hours on the street, hungry and worried about what might have happen to the team. So, I decided perhaps, they decided to have dinner first, I went into Kentucky Fried and lo and behold, they were all there. An elderly man threw me a basket of half eaten chicken, telling me to chill out and have some dinner. I thought, "Who is this guy? Must be the sound man or the electrician or something!" The next Sunday, I found out he was the Pastor!

It turned out that the basket of half eaten chicken was a test for me! Pastor was testing me to see what I was made of. On the way to Taiwan 19 years ago, Pastor told God that unless He provided a good interpreter for him, there is no need for him to add another country to his list. So, I was it, the "gate" of God's work through Pastor in Taiwan!

Pastor has done so much for Taiwan, for us... we've been through the revival meetings in the aborigine villages, seeing so many miracles, driven out demons, souls being delivered, and lives be changed!

Here are some photos that I would like to share with you..

http://picasaweb.google.com.tw/wendy.hsr/PastorBraun#5245681284184363218

Papa loved Sun Moon Lake. I remembered one winter, Teresa, Pastor and I went to Sun Moon Lake. Papa and I both like to share a good joke. So, on that usually beautiful winter day at Sun Moon Lake, Papa and I started talking about what a fine day it was in "Indian English", we were earnest at work, kicking back and forth in authentic Indian English, twitching our heads, curling our tongues, and all of the sudden, Teresa tagged our arms and said, "Look! And she kept laughing, now you've done it!"

Whoops, two Indian men ahead of us, turning their heads back looking at the American and the Chinese speaking their mother tongue.... Papa and I exchanged one look, "Too Late!" We decided to carry on, twitching our heads even harder, speaking louder even, to the horror and puzzle of our two new found Indian brethren, who had decided all dialogues all together. We went on board the tourist sightseeing boat with the two Indian Brothers and we went on all the way, talking about our hometown Bombay, and the two Indian dared not even to sit close to one another, occasionally stealing a look to see why we look nothing like from their hometown!

We laughed so hard when we were finally freed of the two Indian brothers, our tears came out, our stomach heard... and we would do another word of "Indian" and rolled on our seats... and said: "God sure got us that time!"

Thank you, Guy, Michelle, Jayme, and Kymmie, for sharing Pastor with us....

Love,

Wendy

LA

Our trip was awesome there were hard times but there were good times too. there was so much to learn about dads friends. and his life out there I want to thank Michele for "Keeping the peace" as best she could. You really shined Mich. Dad would be proud of you. I got the boxes Tuesday. It was a hard day. But I know it all is working out the way it is supposed to. I only wish I could have seen the look on Dads face when the Hupmobile started! I`m sure he was proud of all of us. Autumn and Belinda will be here on the 5th and leave on the 10th. I cant wait to see them. they were a special part of Dads life.

Jokes

On Sunday Scott & I had a chance to spend a few hours with his daughter Deborah. We only had a few hours to spend with her so instead of taking her out to dinner we decided to order pizza from my house and begin the 2008 halloween decorations!

Robbie, Deborah, Scott and I had a ball sorting through the decorations and putting together the graveyard and as many of the light up decorations as we could before Scott had to take Deb back to her grandmothers. We had so much fun and she loved the various decorations that I have collected over the years!

As mostof you know, I LOVE HALLOWEEN!! I believe I got that (whatever that is) from Dad! He loved Alford Hitchcock, Creature Feature (Dr. Paul Bearer), Tails from the Cript, and Elvira!

He always enjoyed seeing the pictures from my various yard scenes and the crazy costumes I came up with. I remember he was especially impressed with my witch costume last year.

All this (and Mich's previous post on daddy's laughter) got me thinking about dad's jokes. One of my favorites is the one about the polock that went to the eye doctor for glasses. After many failed attempts to get the polock to cover one eye so that he could read the eye chart, the doctor finally gets a paper bag and cuts out two flaps. He places the bag over the polock's head and lifts the right flap.... low and behold the polock is crying. The doc takes the bag off his head and begins to appologize! "I'm so sorry if I offended you..." The polock cut in and says "That's ok, I just had my heart set on wire rims"! hehehehe

Dad also loved the rhyme thingies (can't remember what they are called and when i typed this one into the yahoo search it came back with a whole page of stories from the bible ???)

I see, said the blind man. Who never saw before and never will again. :)

And limericks....

There once was a lady from Niger

Who smiled as she rode on a tiger

They came back from the ride

With the lady inside

And the smile on the face of the tiger

And one that I like....

No matter how grouchy you're feeling

You'll find a smile more or less healing,

It grows in a wreath

All around the front teeth

Thus preventing the face from congealing

And nutty things he said while on an outing....

(Pointing at a really fat person in front of you)

"Have you ever wondered what you look like from behind"?

I tried this on my friend Colleen years ago at the bradenton mall. We spent the day cutting up and were about to leave the mall when we decided an Orange Julius was in order!

As we approached the counter there were two rather large ladies standing in front of us.

(Finally, I thought to myself, a chance to use dad's line)

So I turn to colleen and quietly say...." Have you ever wondered what you look like from behind"? (Me Snickering)

Just about the moment when I'm really getting into a belly laugh the woman turns around and Colleen says "Hi Aunt Pat" (Horror of horrors!!!!!) It really was her aunt and cousin standing in front of us at the counter!!! I could have slipped right through the lines in the tile floor!!!

I never used that one again!!!

I'll try to think of others but please help me out and post some of the jokes/limericks or other funny things that you remember dad telling/saying over the years!

Laughter is the best medicine!!

Kymmie

Daddy's Laughter

Daddy loved to laugh! He laughed at you, with you, and he often made you laugh, too! Think about the time that you spent with Daddy. Remembering the times that he made you laugh? Today I will share a just a few memories about Daddy, laughing, and shopping. I hope you will leave comments about your shopping experiences with Daddy. We would all love to share in your memories.

Shopping

Shopping was always a grand adventure with Daddy because you knew it would be full of little surprises. Moments that would be beyond your control that you didn't want to miss and knew you would laugh about it for years to come! One of the special ways he liked to begin was often used when entering the first store of the outing. He had the ability to trip over nothing and make a spectacle of himself and everyone with him.:) We all endured the looks of people around us as he would point, at nothing, and proclaim loudly he just couldn't believe they would leave something like that on the floor! Then he would draw you in by asking you questions. Did you see it? Can you believe they would be so careless? Then he would walk around the object that was not there and point at it repeatedly. By this time every person that entered the store behind you had looked, and you have to admit that you had looked, too. Then somehow you would find your self pointing to the invisible item and saying there is nothing there, come on, let's go! Then people looked at you like why aren't you helping him, he must need help. Just when you were sure a store manager would appear he would straighten up and tell you to quit fooling around and walk away from the offending spot to complete his shopping. His tripping over nothing ability was used in many locations outside of stores. Flea markets, restaurants, sidewalks, and anywhere in his travels that a crowd of people would have the chance to stop and stare!

Daddy almost always put on after shave before he went out on errands. However, if he didn't then watch out. Smelling good while shopping was a must therefore, while shopping he inevitably would come to the bottles of aftershave and you knew he was going to test the scents! He would carefully look at the bottles and then remark on the one that he seemed to like that day. I would simply say "Daddy!" repeatedly because I knew he was going to open the the box and then unscrew the top of the bottle! He would comment on the scent and then dab some on his finger and put it on his face! Satisfied, he would put it back and say,"They'll never miss it." or "They'll never know." I was always mortified, which would explain why he did it so frequently. I apologize to all those men that were missing the last drop of after shave in their bottle. Rest assured it was put to good use!

Daddy also had a way of making me speechless, literally! I can't begin to count the number of times he would say something I would be rendered speechless which he always would use to his advantage. Imagine that! He would get so tickled after he had done it until we were both laughing until we cried. One such occasion was in KMart of all places. We had just be through his hunchback dragging of the leg experience, more on this later. We were both making a concerted effort to get serious again. We both had something to purchase and he went first. Next, as the sales girl rang up my order and I got out my coins to give her exact change he announced that I didn't speak English!!!!! Now any normal daughter would simply say of course I speak English stop teasing the poor sales clerk. However, as everyone knows, Daddy had a way of stumping my normal abilities. So in that surreal moment I was literally speechless. I stood there staring at him and the clerk in shock that he would say something so outlandish. The clerk smiled at me in an exaggerated way counted out the coins she needed from my out stretched hand. She then handed my bag to me and said slowly and loudly to have a nice day. Now how that would have helped me understand her had I only spoken Spanish I'll never know.

Finally, as we were walking out the automatic doors my voice magically returned. I turned to Daddy and hit him on the arm. I speak English and Daddy's reply was "I know, but she doesn't!" He laughed so hard his body shook all the way to the car and by that time my sense of humor had kicked in gear and we laughed until we cried.:)

Daddy always wanted to find a bargin no matter what he was shopping for that day. He loved hunting through old stuff to find a treasure. Sometimes it was something specific, yet other times it was just to look and see if what magical item you might need for the future. Once when I was a young I went shopping with Daddy and Mom and I was exhausted from all the looking. We were not finding that special something and I finally asked in a tired voice,"Can't we do it the old fashion way and go to the store and buy it?" That question became a family favorite and was remembered and laughed about on many shopping excursions.

One winter all six family members went shopping together when Jayme was a baby. It had gotten hot in the store we had taken off our coats. Mom was carrying Jayme, so we pilled our coats onto the baby stroller. Some people had passed by and had taken notice of the over loaded stroller. That got Daddy's attention! He walked over to us and in a loud voice said, "Oh no! You have have smothered the baby! Oh the poor baby!" Heads all around us began to turn and look to see who had smothered the baby. People began to move near us so they could get a better look at these horrid people who would pile their winter coats upon a helpless baby in a stroller. No one seemed to notice Mom was holding Jayme and that he was fine. It was so funny that we all started saying poor baby, who put their coat on the baby, or the baby must be very hot as we moved through the store. Everyone looked at the stroller a we passed by checking on that unseen baby. Since this was back in the 70's no one ran to call child services! I am sure we were the topic of dinner conversation that night. :)

There are so many funny memories swimming around in my mind I couldn't begin to blog them all! Some make me smile while others make me laugh out loud. Another day I'll share other stories about being with Daddy, and how he made an ordinary event extraordinary with laughter! Daddy loved to laugh, joke, tease and make others laugh with him. I hope you're smiling now as an old forgotten memory has popped into your mind. Quick before you lose it make a comment on this post and share it with his other family and friends. God blessed us when he created us with the ability to laugh and again when he allowed Daddy to touch our lives with his laughter!

Love,

Mich

More from Imagination Station!

Calico the Clown was a character from the pilot of Imagination Sation and was played by Corey Blake. I contacted Corey via email last night and was delighted when he responded! We met for dinner tonight and he was able to paint a picture for me of what it was like to work with dad on this project. When he was hired dad gave him a book about clowns so that he could prepare for the role. Corey said it was obvious that dad had a clear vision of what he wanted out of each character and that it was important to him that everything be authentic. Even the makeup was researched because believe it or not a clowns make up has special meaning.

The following is from wikipedia:

The whiteface character-type is often serious, all-knowing (even if not particularly smart), bossy and cocky. He is the ultimate authority figure. He serves the role of "straight-man" and sets up situations that can be turned funny.

The auguste character-type is often an anarchist, a joker, or a fool. He is clever and has much lower status than the whiteface. Classically the whiteface character instructs the auguste character to perform his bidding. The auguste has a hard time performing the task given which leads to funny situations. Sometimes the auguste plays the role of an anarchist and purposefully has trouble following the whiteface's directions. Sometimes the auguste is confused or is foolish and is screwing up less deliberately.

The contra-auguste plays the role of the mediator between the whiteface character and the auguste character. He has a lower status than the whiteface but a higher status than the auguste. He aspires to be more like the whiteface and often mimics everything the whiteface does to try to gain approval. If there is a contra-auguste character, he often is instructed by the whiteface to correct the auguste when he is doing something wrong.

I found this very interesting! Ya learn somethin new every day!!!

As he was telling me about how he was hired, the role he played and information about his character he mentioned that his "Parents" (the clowns parents) were trapeze artists in a circus and he left the circus because he felt like a misfit because he was a clown. His parents were the Flying Esmeraldas. It reminded me that dad had named several of the characters based on family and friends.

The flying Esmeraldas are based on The Flying Wallendas who came to First Assembly in Bradenton many years ago, Princess Falling Star was based on Pam Thum who is also known by her Indian Name, Princess Shining Star, and both Autumn and Destinty were based on my niece.

He also shared with me about the set. He told me that he has never worked on another set that was as expertly propped as dads. All the props were perfect to that time period and he was amazed by the victrola and the recording that dad had of Abe Lincoln's speach. It was used in one of the scenes. He told me that the filming was in late 2000 or early 2001 so it has been a long time since he was in touch with dad, making his willingness to meet with me on such short notice even more special. It was such a treat to get to talk with him! Thanks Corey!!

Kymmie,

What a beautiful way to save memories of your Dad. I hope everyone will share.

One special memory I have is of the night you were born. We left Sweetwater earlier in the day on Friday, March 16th, as the roads washed out behind us due to a terrible storm. At the hospital, your Dad was able to be with me through labor and delivery. Things happened very quickly. Your Dad ran down the hall carrying the IV pole as the nurse rushed me to the delivery room. In just a very short time you were born. Dr. Ruff placed you on my tummy and within a minute you took your first breath. Your Dad watched you and at that point said, "That's a miracle." He loved you from the first minute you were born, just as he did with each of his children.

Love,

Mom

Braun 1:1

Dad always said:
"Blessed is he who expects nothing for he shall never be disappointed."
but he also taught me the opposite of that, and it is an awesome tool that has gotten me through so many difficult times over the years.
Dad said that we should prepare for the worst, not to expect it, but definitely prepare for it...
Then pray like hell that it doesn't happen. If it does happen then we can handle it, we were prepared...
And even tho at the time he said this next part I didn't really believe it was true. It is true!
Dad said that even if all hell brakes loose, the end result will not be as bad as we originally feared.
I have found this to be true so many times over the years.
Dad told me this when I went away to college. As I have looked back over the years he was teaching me this even as a young child. How to work on motors so I would not be completely lost if my car broke down. Or packing for a trip... all the what if`s Dad would prepare for even tho most of them didn`t happen. I have seen that each one of us have learned that same lesson in different areas of our lives. that is an awesome gift that Dad gave us. The cool thing about this is that each of us took something Different, and that together we have enough of him that we as siblings collectively have all we need to get through anything.
He would expect us to use it now, as hard as it is. Stephen James Braun had his faults, we all do, but there is so much good that he left us all we have to do is look in all the unlikely places and the treasures we will find will amaze us all.
I miss you Dad

I found this image on stumble upon and thought it fit perfectly here so I thought I'd share it with those of you that might come to visit this site. Maybe it will speak to your soul as well!

Imagination Station

As most of you know, dad was in LA to try to put together a kids television show. Unfortunatly the web site is no longer available but my very clever cousin Jay found an archive site where you can view the pages!! Below is the email i received from my Aunt Blanche. It gives the instructions for viewing the site!


I had a bit of luck this morning!
My boss showed me a website that brings up archived material and it seems to
have most of the original content!

First go to:

http://www.archive.org/web/web.php

At the top of the page there is a place to type in the website that you're
looking for and then press "Take Me Back"
This will give you a list of all the pages that are still archived.

The website was called:

www.imaginationstationkids.com

My visit to LA

I've been in LA for 5 days now and have met some really neat people who knew my dad! It's been interesting, frustrating, uplifting and sometimes sad but being here and talking to people who knew him has been a balm for my aching heart. Seeing and holding some of his things, being in spaces that he occupied and walking his paths has brought me closer to a man I will miss everyday for the rest of my life! My visit to Friscos was fun (above pictures are of Friscos) and I really enjoyed eating a meal in a place that my dad really loved to go. He went to Friscos almost every Wednesday for the car show they host. I hope that we will be able to take his antique car there in a few weeks and show it for him. I look forward to talking with the people who knew him from here and experiencing something that he truly enjoyed! October will bring more revelations when we meet with Noel, Teresa and Wendy. I look forward to sharing with them about the man I knew as Daddy and also hearing their stories of the man the knew as Pastor.

Remembering Daddy

Hi all,

I have decided to create a place where we can all share memories and stories about the man I called Daddy. We each had a different name him. I called him Dad or Daddy, Jayme called him Papa, Mom called him honey or Steve or STEPHEN JAMES BRAUN! :) Many of you called him Pastor Braun or Brother Braun. No matter what you called him, I want to hear your stories, testimonies and memories. It is my hope that by Christmas I will have enough pictures and stories to put together a book about his life.
Thank you for loving him, thank you for loving his family!
Kymmie

PS The easiest way to post here is to log in with my user name and password.
The user name is kymmiebraun@gmail.com and the password is robbie2453