Well, I just thought about my blog today and realized that I kind of miss it, but man life is fully in changing mode right now. Tiffany and I just traveled to Dallas for our adoption interviews ( http://adoption.hollums.com ) And it went great it was supposed to last from 1pm-4pm, but we left there around 5:30pm, but I think that is a good thing because we really got to know our case worker! We now get to wait for 30 days to be “officially approved” by Edna Gladney, and then we get to take some online parenting classes that the agency offers online, and get to do some short local classes offered at most hospitals. We also get to start working on our books that will eventually get into the hands of the birth mothers and then they choose us and we go from there. So GREAT news there!
I also three weeks ago told the Florence UMC (the sponsoring church of Th3 Waters with the KY Conference) that I would no longer be the Cultural Architect of Th3 Waters as of June and will be up for another appointment. So, that most likely means that Tiffany and I will be moving in June. This is sad, but understandable, and we are working though it all transitioning Th3 Waters away from being lead by a full-time pastor. Tons of prayer needed for this.
I am also leaving tomorrow morning for Pasadena California to look into the PhD programs at Fuller Seminary ( School of Theology and School of Intercultural Studies). The more and more we pray about the PhD stuff, I think we would be best not to start a PhD program the same year that we might be getting a brand new baby in the Hollums family! But, I still think that God might be calling me to get a PhD and possibly teach at a Seminary level to encourage young clergy to remember how to dream with God, an area I think the church has forgotten how to do effectively! It would be a huge sacrifice, but if that is what God desires, then if you know me at all, I will go where He leads. period.
We had a great Christmas and New Year even though I was sick most of the time. heh heh…
And lastly, I am mildly addicted to foursquare a unique social media check-in system you can use via phone or computer. It basically brings the idea of Microsoft gamer points of PS3 trophies (a reward system) for visiting real life locations! I am finding that it is a great way to make getting out to meet with other people fun and rewarding. It is a great way to get geeks out into the world and adds a competitive fun aspect of going to places. And I think for Christians it is a great fun way to get out of our comfort zones, try new things, and meet new people….IN REAL LIFE!!! Tons of fun. Try it out.
Well, I guess I will type on here next year….if I’m lucky, heh.. in the mean time, please follow (and feel free to support) our adoption anyway you can by heading over to our adoption website.. It is updated much more often! heh. Thanks for staying with me here on this blog. Bless yall!
And as always, if you get bored, please check out my Flickr website and look at my photography. And remember if you would like a print or a few 100 prints of my photography, that I will print them for you send them to you and I will let you know the cost it will be to ship and print and anything over that amount I will put towards the adoption. So tell your friends and family! 
Bless yall!
Well, it sure has been a long time since I posted and I’m not sure if I am going to get back in the saddle here on the blog, but I am going through tons of wrestling right now, and while I can’t get into it yet, please know I am doing just fine, but I would appreciate your thoughts and prayers! Thanks for that!
So I’ve got some good news… I made it in the Capture Cincinnati Photography Book! I submitted about 10 photos and 3 of them made the book! I am thrilled. For a link to all of the photos that made the book go here, and for a link to purchase the book go here.
Also, I officially have entered the http://photofocus.com emerging photographer of the year award. I seriously doubt that I will even be considered, but I really do love taking classic Black and White Landscape and Travel photography. I realize that classic Black and White Landscape is not as popular in the world today (most want color), but I love the simplicity and contemplative aspects that it brings. And that brings me to the post that inspired this blog post.
Please visit my flickr photo page and look through my photos, I’d love to have some feedback!
Over at photofocus.com there was a blog post talking about art and spirituality and a few quotes from the Pope. Now, this subject of the arts in faith has been intriguing me as of late and I must say that there is a book in me somewhere to help others to see how art (especially photography) can be used to deepen not only a photographer’s spirituality, but could be used to bring about faith discussions with in communities. Anyway, I just wanted to give yall a sample from the Photofocus blog and since they do not allow comments over there at the blog I invite anyone to leave some here.
Here are a few quotes from the blog post by Scott Bourne:
“Recently, the Pope held a meeting with hundreds of artists. Discussing beauty and art, the Pope said, “Beauty … can become a path toward the transcendent, toward the ultimate mystery, toward God,”….I’ve always believed that the artistic expression available through photography reaches higher than most would immediately think.
The Pope went on to say, “In a world lacking in hope, with increasing signs of aggression and despair, there is an ever greater need for a return to spirituality in art.”
I think you can substitute any number of words for spirituality that mean something similar. The Pope believes that faith can nourish art. And perhaps it can. It can’t hurt.” -Scott Bourne
And why can’t art nourish faith? – D.G. Hollums (ha ha ha) Bless yall, and KUTPs!!!
This past weekend Gary (My Sr. Pastor) and I went to a Young Adult Summit where we presented and spoke about Th3 Waters and Young Adults. I thought I would put up the Power Point Presentation.
Creating Community from Nothing Presentation
Well, 1st up my 2nd hernia surgery went just fine and I am healing up good. I still can not lift anything over 10 lbs (i know I know, how will I be able to go to the bathroom? ha ha ha) for around a month, but other than that the pain only shows up if I twist a wrong way or bend over too far and I feel it, but I am not taking any pain meds, so I think I am in good shape as long as I listen to Tiffany and not lift anything over 10lbs.
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OK, on to the main topic I wanted tolet everyone know about. I have teamed up with a local internet start-up called photrade here in Cincy, that allows me to upload my photos, keep them safe (by putting a copyright watermark on them), and they even seel my photos for me!!! any photo that is a part of my photos on the site is available to purchase. And, you can buy just the photos (at practically ANY size!) but you can buy the photo to be on mugs, hats, shirts, etc… even to buy an electronic version of it, as well. Anyway, I just wanted to make evryone aware of the fact that now you can view the photos at very large sizes on my Flickr page as always, but now you can also purchase them for yourself, friends, or family! I just wanted to make everyone aware of the possibility. oh and the website shares the ad revenue from the site, so if your viewing my photo nd then click on the ads, I might get to see a few pennies from your clicking. anyway here is the link to my Photrade site:
Thanks and have a wonderful day! oh and I guess if you want to see a few of my latest photos. Tiffany and I just got back from our 10 year wedding anniversary and we went to Pipestem State Park Resort in West Viginia. I fo course took photos and so, here you go:
Here is the link to my photos (and a few samples)
D.G.’s Flickr Photos
(cool logo Carl…or who ever made it!)
Hey everyone here is a great link to summarize a few of the sessions and a few power points from the sessions at the event!
http://emergingumc.blospot.com
if you just want the MP3s/podcasts then go here:
This is a freaking awesome site and podcast BTW! (love ya Carl!)
And I think this is the first official podcast with my voice in it! So enjoy!
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I think this is a FREAKING cool logo:
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OK, Tiffany and I were in Michael’s the other day and I just had to buy these:
There will not be any question as to the gender this year of our Christmas Tree! Can’t wait to hang them!
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Oh and this one has a great story behind it!…As some of you know, I was at an “emergingumc: a gathering” event in Nashville, TN this past weekend! It was great and a fun time was had by all!
Now a few of you need some background on this picture. The unofficial headquarters of most of the world wide denomination of the United Methodist Church is found in Nashville. And the building that we had all of our sessions and discussions in was the General Board of Discipleship of the entire United Methodist Church. (GBOD for short). The building that the beer truck is parked in front of is this building! It was so funny that i just had to get a picture of it!
(now, please know that the truck was unloading across the street to a restaurant, and NOT to the GBOD, but it was too classic of a statement!) God bless yall, and KUTPs!!!
Well, I leave tomorrow morning @ 7:15 am for Guatemala…so please keep us all in your prayers/thoughts as well as the people God desires for us to minister to. Thank you all for making this trip a reality and possible! Now it is time for yall to all kick up the prayers a notch! Thanks and God bless yall!
I promise that there will be many stories to come after I get back!…I might try to blog while gone, but if not i will try to make up for it..and I can’t wait to show yall the pictures! KUTPs!!!
Oh and if any of you have time..call Tiffany, I am sure she could use the company! Thanks!
yeah available now…but not available to view yet!
So four of us jump into our car and travel up to the northern side of Cinci. to go watch a preview showing of Harry Potter! The ticket says: 12:10am 07/10/07….now to me that looks like the show is going to be LAST NIGHT!!!! Well, nope the theater is filled with either VERY worng computers or wrong employees! I went yesterday morning to go buy the tickets to the show (that I thought was last night) and the girl told me after I clarified several times that the movie was tonight (last night) and she said with another employee beside her that, “Yes it is tonight..it even says here on the ticket,” she says! So I drove twice in one day all the way up to northern Cinci for very little excitement…so guess what…yep, we get to go back tonight to get to see the movie that Tiffany is dieing to watch! Ouch! Oh well, So, pray for us to be able to make it back up there without killing a theater employee!
This is the shirt that will do the speaking for you when you travel… at least the necessities, heh. just point at the item you need (hotel, money exchange, hospital, food, etc…) and then the question mark and your off, heh. Here is the link to the site that has the shirt explained:
1st off…. Thank you soooo much to everyone who has helped make this Kingdom Event a reality! Your financial and prayer support is amazing, and beautiful to witness God’s love flowing through you all!
Financial support update! We are have way there! Woo hoo! I have got a total of $755!!!! Woo hoo! Thank you all so much and if you would like to still give please fell free to give via the PayPal button over there on the right for a non-tax deductible gift…or you can send me a check, and if you do want to make sure that your gift is tax deductible please send me (Florence UMC, 8585 Old Toll Road, Florence, KY 41042) or to Vineyard Central (Vineyard Central, 1757 Mills Avenue, Norwood, OH 45212) a check made out to Vineyard Central and make sure no matter how you give to put on the check in the memo line that it is a gift for D.G. Hollums’ mission trip to Guatemala. Thank you all so much!
So want to know what we will be ding? Here is a few thoughts from those that are getting everything ready:
“We are so excited that you will be making the journey to Guatemala in just a few short weeks! Sarah and I have been working hard to make sure this will be an unforgettable experience. In this email you will find a tentative schedule of the week, some ideas for packing, and a couple of questions we will need your response on immediately in order for us to make reservations.
First let me give you an idea of what you will be doing while you’re here. Guatemala is a country ravaged by violence, and just got out of a civil war only a little over a decade ago. There are so many broken families, resulting in a ton of gangs, specifically the 18th Street Gang and the MS-13. Part of our work will be to observe the work of the prison chaplaincy that Joel Van Dyke organizes and find ways to support them. We will also spend a good portion of time in La Limonada, one of the poorest neighborhoods in Guatemala. An amazing woman named Tita Evertsz started a school in La Limonada after spending several years doing gang ministry and seeing so many gang members being killed. Her work now is to try to prevent new gang members, and La Limonada is one of the biggest places gangs recruit in Guatemala. We firmly believe that some of the greatest kingdom work going on in Guatemala is with Tita and Joel. We will likely tackle a work project in La Limonada as a way to support Tita, either in the school itself or possibly by blessing one of her teachers with a bathroom in their home. I will be able to give you more information about our project shortly.”
And here is the tentative schedule:
July 17- Arrive in Guatemala at 12:35pm, drop off luggage and head to Antigua for dinner.
July 18- Begin project in La Limonada
July 19- Finish project in La Limonada, visit Amor Del Nino in late afternoon/evening.
July 20- Visit gang prison in morning, climb Pacaya Volcano with gang Chaplains in afternoon, dinner with Chaplains
July 21- Free Day which could include Antigua markets, another visit to La Limonada, or Mayan ruins.
(The rest is still being planned.)”
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So, as yall can see we will have our hands full, but we are all getting very excited about the trip! please continue your prayers and support! Grace and peace to yall and don’t forget: KUTPs!!!
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