playing catch up with whats been going on----check it out here:
coloring
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/
not all things are black and white
en-US
2007-01-29T12:51:04-05:00
Sacrifices in the Dark
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/sacrifices_in_t.html
There are times in our lives when we do something for somebody that they will never know about. Those are the genuine moments of caring in a relationship, when you sacrifice knowing that you will never be recognized for it....
There are times in our lives when we do something for somebody that they will never know about. Those are the genuine moments of caring in a relationship, when you sacrifice knowing that you will never be recognized for it.
Last night I went to bed early because I wasn't feeling well, but Robb wanted to stay up and watch TV. I got up about an hour later (you know the nights, you feel so bad you can't actually sleep) to check on Robb. He was sitting on the floor about two feet in front of the television. I asked him what in the world he was doing. He told me that he didn't want to bother me with the noise from the TV; he wanted me to be able to get some much needed rest. He did this for me thinking I would never know that he put himself out for me, yet he did it anyway. That means so much more to me than a hundred grand gestures.
shaula overholt
2007-01-29T12:51:04-05:00
Hollywood Came to Virginia Beach
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/hollywood_came_.html
The Style Channel was at Lynnhaven Mall yesterday filming a show in the center court, so Laney and I grabbed a seat in the food court overlooking all the action. This show is a real series with hosts that I...
The Style Channel was at Lynnhaven Mall yesterday filming a show in the center court, so Laney and I grabbed a seat in the food court overlooking all the action. This show is a real series with hosts that I have actually seen on TV. I start with that disclaimer because I was stunned at the ineptitude during filming. Hollywood could take a lesson from portable churches. We set up every week in a shorter amount of time with less expensive equipment and pull off a more seamless production (I hate that word in regards to church, but I think it works here) every week with volunteers.
shaula overholt
2007-01-28T20:40:00-05:00
More Like an Experimental Theater Version of Circus
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/more_like_an_ex.html
I was impressed last night by Cirque Eloize's performance of Rain. I was expecting a very elaborate overly-done production, a lot of eye candy (which would have been fine). I was pleasantly surprised to find the exact opposite. It was...
I was impressed last night by Cirque Eloize's performance of "Rain." I was expecting a very elaborate overly-done production, a lot of eye candy (which would have been fine). I was pleasantly surprised to find the exact opposite. It was stark in its simplicity of costume choices, use of lights (white lights only and nothing flashy), and haunting music. The acrobatics and circus acts felt more like a ballet, visually stunning movements, all necessary parts of telling the story and making the audience feel the freedom associated with rain. It was a very moving experience.
Such a good example of how the church can incorporate arts into expressing the biblical story without being showy and feeling like a production, more like a natural extension of the words being expressed.
shaula overholt
2007-01-26T16:15:09-05:00
Upcoming Art Show
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/upcoming_art_sh.html
At Epic we believe everybody is creative. We are, after all, created in God's image, and the first thing we see God doing is creating. We have incorporated artistic expression into our small groups and our worship gatherings, and now...
At Epic we believe everybody is creative. We are, after all, created in God's image, and the first thing we see God doing is creating. We have incorporated artistic expression into our small groups and our worship gatherings, and now an idea has emerged to incorporate art into community outreach. Two of our artists are putting together an art show for Easter weekend. The masterminds are Renee and Jennida, who have organized SALT and the Seven Cities Craft Mafia here locally. The show's theme is Creation / Resurrection and the juror will be none other than the editor-in-chief of Portfolio Weekly Magazine, Tom Robotham. Submissions are due by March 15th. Our kids are getting into the action too. As a part of our weekly children's program, Casey has been helping the kids create their own masterpieces for the art show.
shaula overholt
2007-01-25T15:49:56-05:00
Death of a Dream
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/death_of_a_drea.html
Logan age 5: Furiously drawing detailed pictures of theme parks, Mom, I want to have my own amusement park just for kids who don't have money. They can ride everything and even eat cotton candy and other snacks for free....
Logan age 5: Furiously drawing detailed pictures of theme parks, "Mom, I want to have my own amusement park just for kids who don't have money. They can ride everything and even eat cotton candy and other snacks for free. I don't want any kids to have to miss out because they don't have money."
Logan age 13: Still designing in amazing detail pictures of amusement parks including designs for thrill rides, when asked about his former plan for a park for underprivileged kids, "That's not practical."
What happened in between? Me. I talked to him about economics. I said that it is not feasible to run an amusement park with no income. I should have encouraged him to keep dreaming. What a good heart he has. Our goal now: to help reawaken that dream.
shaula overholt
2007-01-24T23:02:28-05:00
Desperately Seeking Real Transformation
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/desperately_see.html
"You Christians look after a document containing enough dynamite to blow all civilization to pieces, turn the world upside down, and bring peace to a battle-torn planet. But you treat it as though it is nothing more than a piece...
"You Christians look after a document containing enough dynamite to blow all civilization to pieces, turn the world upside down, and bring peace to a battle-torn planet.
But you treat it as though it is nothing more than a piece of good literature." ~ Mohandas Gandhi
That quote really cuts to the core. I have been grappling with it since I read it on Lon's blog a couple of weeks ago. Then last week Ben wrote a post titled "I believe but help my unbelief." I can identify with that. My faith is what helps me follow God through this difficult journey, but what if I didn't feel fear while doing it? What if I could let go of the nagging doubts?
I have been wondering what my life would look like if I believed, really believed. What would my conversations sound like? Whom would I be talking to? What activities would consume my day? I think I have some more questions to think through, but I know I want to be changed as a result of reading both of these statements. I don't want it to just be about "cool quotes."
shaula overholt
2007-01-23T15:59:59-05:00
On Television
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/on_television.html
Thank goodness Studio 60 was back on last night. I have been watching too much Hannah Montana lately with the kids, so some adult humor was great. Of course the show is witty and clever, so it won't last long....
Thank goodness Studio 60 was back on last night. I have been watching too much Hannah Montana lately with the kids, so some adult humor was great. Of course the show is witty and clever, so it won't last long. I will savor every moment that it is on TV.
On the Daily Show last night, George Bush's comment regarding the economy: Spend more money! Hmmm...in such a materialistic society, does that need to be said?
In the news: I thought I would make a big announcement on my blog today. It is with much excitement that I declare I will not be running for President in 2008. There are so many people vying for the office that I thought it might be easier to announce who is not running. :)
shaula overholt
2007-01-23T15:37:55-05:00
Why I Started Blogging
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/why_i_started_b.html
5. I enjoy writing. 4. I did not see many female voices in the blogosphere regarding faith or church planting. 3. I despise networking. It feels too political and fake so I hesitate to get in the networking game. It...
5. I enjoy writing.
4. I did not see many female voices in the blogosphere regarding faith or church planting.
3. I despise networking. It feels too political and fake so I hesitate to get in the networking game. It seems to me that blogging is a way to get past that and read/hear from others.
2. It's a great way to share ideas and resources and learn from others without stressing over #3.
1. It is my hope that this blog can encourage and inspire people within my church and allow them to engage in a spiritual conversation during the week.
shaula overholt
2007-01-22T14:39:14-05:00
Can't Get Out of My Head Today
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/cant_get_out_of.html
Death or Action. Life begins at the intersection. Switchfoot...
"Death or Action. Life begins at the intersection." Switchfoot
shaula overholt
2007-01-22T00:44:28-05:00
Power of Teamwork
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/power_of_teamwo.html
I don't love physical labor; in fact, I abhor it. Last night at the warehouse, the girls were assigned the duty of scraping plaster off of cinder block walls. Not a fun task. Honestly, left to do this task on...
I don't love physical labor; in fact, I abhor it. Last night at the warehouse, the girls were assigned the duty of scraping plaster off of cinder block walls. Not a fun task. Honestly, left to do this task on my own, I would have whined (a lot!) and eventually quit. The kicker was we didn't have the appropriate tools for the job. The girls I was working with were ingenious and improvised. One lady used a shovel, one a chisel and hammer, another some kind of five-in-one paint tool, another something that looked like an exacto knife but much larger. (My lack of intelligence regarding tools should be obvious at this point.) The amazing part is that I really enjoyed the evening because we did it together. We could laugh and joke together. There was somebody to relieve you when your blisters got too bothersome. Trust me there was plenty to laugh about as several of the women were covered head to foot in plaster dust. A little red lipstick and some eyeliner and they could have been geishas.
shaula overholt
2007-01-19T13:00:42-05:00
"Following Jesus" Manifesto
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/following_jesus.html
Stop talking about Jesus. Just stop. If we loved the people around us half as much as we say we love Jesus the rest of this manifesto would be entirely redundant. Live a secret life. Invest the time, effort and...
..
- Stop talking about Jesus. Just stop. If we loved the people around us half as much as we say we love Jesus the rest of this manifesto would be entirely redundant.
- Live a secret life. Invest the time, effort and vulnerability necessary to delve deeply into the scripture and prayer. Spend long periods of time in stillness. There is no shortcut to this, there is no other way. Without a deep and secret life we soon find ourselves talking about Jesus instead of being like Jesus.
- Stop pretending. I'm a Christian, and I suck. So do you. Let's get that out of the way, shall we?
- Give more than you get. There will always be more than enough.
- Be present for those around you. Following Jesus has nothing to do with your work, your resume or your income. In fact, nothing that matters does.
- Treasure broken-ness. Our broken places are sacred spaces in our heart. Honour them. Value them. In doing so you love the unlovely, publicly declaring the beauty of God's image in everyone. Greet the broken with comfort and cool water.
- Throw a party.
- Know Jesus well enough to recognize him on the street. This is rather important, because he can always be found on the street - and he usually looks more like a pan-handler than a preacher.
- Accept ingratitude and abuse as a fixed cost. Embrace them, and then go the extra mile.
- If you follow Jesus, you will anger religious people. This is how you will know.
No, I didn't write this. This is from a blog entitled "Daily Life in a Homeless Shelter." Check it out here. I heard about this post through The Weary Pilgrim.
I would love to know which numbers resonate with you.
shaula overholt
2007-01-18T13:06:23-05:00
Inspiration from a Friend
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/inspiration_fro_1.html
Jennida posted this on Epic's MySpace page. I love the opening stanza. I have met too many people who are afraid to become the person God wants them to be. It is my hope that as Christ-followers we continuously help...
Jennida posted this on Epic's MySpace page. I love the opening stanza. I have met too many people who are afraid to become the person God wants them to be. It is my hope that as Christ-followers we continuously help others see the beauty within.
Our deepest fear is not
that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are
powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness,
that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves,
who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?
Actually, who are you NOT to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people
won't feel insecure around you.
We are all to make manifest
the glory of God
that is within us.
It's not just within some of us;
it's in everyone.
And as we let our light shine,
we unconsciously give others
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fears,
our presence automatically liberates others.
Marianne Williamson
From her book "Return To Love" (1992). (The quote is often credited to Nelson Mandela, but as far as is known, he never spoke these words.)
shaula overholt
2007-01-17T21:15:24-05:00
The Right Direction
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/the_right_direc.html
Tonight we met at the warehouse to work on the demolition project. Honestly, I am having a hard time breathing from all the debris that was stirred up, and I still can't get warm after spending several hours in an...
Tonight we met at the warehouse to work on the demolition project. Honestly, I am having a
hard time breathing from all the debris that was stirred up, and I still can't get warm after spending several hours in an unheated space. I find myself excited about the future of Epic and not discouraged though. I didn't work the hardest tonight. If you are a church planter, you will understand what I mean. For over three years, I felt like I worked harder than most anybody (except Robb) to make things happen at Epic. Tonight would have happened without me. That is a true sign that we are on the right path. Even better news, half of the people working their tails off tonight do not attend Epic. John Vanty has been in a hardcore punk band for several years and invited a lot of guys from that scene to be a part of the project. His goal is to get them excited about Epic and help them feel ownership, a great way to overcome the natural barriers that keep their friends from attending a worship gathering.
shaula overholt
2007-01-17T00:02:28-05:00
Unusual Staff Meeting
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/unusual_staff_m.html
We don't have an office, so staff meetings take place in our family room. We had just finished a moving time of prayer together for specific needs of our staff members. There was silence as we re-evaluated what to discuss...
We don't have an office, so staff meetings take place in our family room. We had just finished a moving time of prayer together for specific needs of our staff members. There was silence as we re-evaluated what to discuss next (the agenda needed to be tabled for now) when there sounded a knock at the door. It was a stranger; he said he took a wrong turn and walked through the woods. At this point, he saw the church trailer out front and decided to come to the door. We invited him in and had a most unusual conversation. I assumed this guy was spiritually searching and we would share our faith with him. Things didn't transpire the way I thought they would. He began to speak to us with authority and confidence about our calling and our church plant. He spoke specifically to issues our church was facing and issues we as individuals were facing. We prayed together, and he left. It was odd and simultaneously encouraging. God speaks in the most peculiar ways sometimes.
shaula overholt
2007-01-16T23:33:31-05:00
Living Your Convictions
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/living_your_con.html
I read this story originally at Jim Wallis' blog. I was stunned, apalled, and impressed. You can read more at Sojourners Magazine too. I have never heard of dumpster diving for food because of spiritual and ethical convictions Of course,...
I read this story originally at Jim Wallis' blog. I was stunned, apalled, and impressed. You can read more at Sojourners Magazine too. I have never heard of dumpster diving for food because of spiritual and ethical convictions Of course, I still think that it seems unhealthy to eat unrefrigerated food.
shaula overholt
2007-01-16T23:01:12-05:00
MLK Remembered
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/mlk_remembered.html
Martin Luther King's own words regarding his funeral and what he would want to be said about himself. This is an excerpt from a speech he gave two months before his assasination entitled The Drum Major Instinct. I'd like somebody...
Martin Luther King's own words regarding his funeral and what he would want to be said about himself. This is an excerpt from a speech he gave two months before his assasination entitled "The Drum Major Instinct."
"I'd like somebody to mention that day, that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others. I'd like for somebody to say that day, that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody. I want you to say that day, that I tried to be right on the war question. I want you to be able to say that day, that I did try to feed the hungry. And I want you to be able to say that day, that I did try, in my life, to clothe those who were naked. I want you to say, on that day, that I did try, in my life to visit those who were in prison. I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity...And that's all I want to say...if I can help somebody as I pass along, if I can cheer somebody with a word or song, if I can show somebody he's traveling wrong, then my living will not be in vain. If I can do my duty as a Christian ought, if I can bring salvation to a world once wrought, if I can spread the message as the master taught, then my living will not be in vain."
shaula overholt
2007-01-15T16:14:11-05:00
Inspiration from the Mundane
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/inspiration_fro.html
God uses his creation to inspire me, but honestly it's usually the grandiose elements of nature - fiery sunsets that look as though they have been handpainted in the sky or the sense of God's greatness as I stare at...
God uses his creation to inspire me, but honestly it's usually the grandiose elements of nature - fiery sunsets that look as though they have been handpainted in the sky or the sense of God's greatness as I stare at the ocean that stretches farther than my eyes can see. I rarely see the beauty in the small everyday aspects of my life. I was moved by John Greer's photography. His photos are of the mundane but captured through the lens of one who finds beauty in the ordinary. I hope you are moved by the beauty in the patterns and textures found in these photos.
I think that's how God sees me. Like the concrete, the toilet paper, and the water, God sees beauty where others see the ordinary.
shaula overholt
2007-01-13T23:43:37-05:00
From the Mouths of Babes
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/from_the_mouths.html
We have been having a lot of discussions in our home about the value of telling the truth. Then last night, we went to a one-man performance of the Gospel of John. Laney, my eight year old, said to me...
We have been having a lot of discussions in our home about the value of telling the truth. Then last night, we went to a one-man performance of the Gospel of John. Laney, my eight year old, said to me during the intermission, "Jesus said, 'I tell you the truth' all the time." At the end of the night she kept repeating that simple phrase again and again. She said, "I can't get it out of my head. Jesus tells the truth." A simple but profound message.
shaula overholt
2007-01-13T14:02:39-05:00
Not the CEO Model
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/not_the_ceo_mod.html
I read an article entitled Synergy by Erwin McManus yesterday. I was struck by a similarity between his thoughts on leadership and comments in U2byU2.Friendship is a vital part of New Testament ministry and leadership...In the end working with your...
I read an article entitled "Synergy" by Erwin McManus yesterday. I was struck by a similarity between his thoughts on leadership and comments in U2byU2.
"Friendship is a vital part of New Testament ministry and leadership...In the end working with your friends or at least building friendships with those you work with may be more complicated, but exponentially increases the leadership potential of your team." Erwin McManus
There is a pervasive theme in U2's book. Their friendship. It is a key ingredient to the band's success and longevity. Don't get me wrong, the band is not leaderless. Everyone has a voice. Everyone's input is valued. In the end, it is Bono that gives direction.
"Everything that we're about is community. The music comes out of the community." Bono
shaula overholt
2007-01-12T11:57:43-05:00
Switchfoot's New Disc
http://shaula.typepad.com/coloring/2007/01/switchfoots_new.html
We just downloaded Oh! Gravity by Switchfoot last night and I am already hooked. Their sound has changed a bit, but every great band has to evolve to stay relevant. This CD is a bit more rocking and seems to...
We just downloaded Oh! Gravity by Switchfoot last night and I am already hooked. Their sound has changed a bit, but every great band has to evolve to stay relevant. This CD is a bit more rocking and seems to have a pop-punk influence. Great tunes!
shaula overholt
2007-01-11T18:02:55-05:00