tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81183055047170272812024-02-19T04:08:38.798-05:00Sheila Atchley Designs...art and life, well designed...Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.comBlogger1240125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-92149673957779380252017-08-03T15:44:00.000-04:002017-08-03T15:44:08.270-04:00My Brand-New Art Course Launches Monday {...a little behind-the-scenes...}<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmle0pRnxZHLW2qWNaM3a7MFJWPCf_hmWSSSTtOcTnmYULhl4qo7YOyhNLn72hiK1otBvzgmPAXonzlUcTRgiXmqpWQEtgIw_UUfBDV8r8lTJuhvm01iBYuNxwWW5uGCnafE7Ye_SVetB1/s1600/LUMbanner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="1600" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmle0pRnxZHLW2qWNaM3a7MFJWPCf_hmWSSSTtOcTnmYULhl4qo7YOyhNLn72hiK1otBvzgmPAXonzlUcTRgiXmqpWQEtgIw_UUfBDV8r8lTJuhvm01iBYuNxwWW5uGCnafE7Ye_SVetB1/s640/LUMbanner.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm so excited to tell you about my very first, all-my-own art course I have entitled "Let Us Make".<br />
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You may view the trailer <a href="https://vimeo.com/221530263">here</a><br />
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I've written the course description:<br />
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<div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #4d4749; font-family: "Century Gothic", AppleGothic, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: merriweather; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>An artful, playful exploration of creation, purpose, theology and story, as we rediscover them all in Genesis chapter 1 of the bible. </i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: merriweather; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This course is built around each of the “6 days of creation”. We will take one day at a time to make art based on “let there be light” (day 1)…firmament art (day 2)…botanical art (day 3)…moon art (day 4)…birds and fish (day 5)…culminating in day 6, where we create art celebrating a land mammal and, most of all, human beings who are </span><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Imago Dei</b>:</span> made in the image of God. </span></i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: merriweather; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Even though we are taking our text from the bible, you do not have to be a Christian to take this course. This class is </span><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">for anyone who loves nature, art, and spirituality. Together we will play with techniques such as abstract flow art, mixed media, collage, botanical art, and expressive portraiture. We will try our hand at painting things that fly and things that swim, and we will "paint with light" at least two or three different ways. </span></i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: merriweather; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">If you</span><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">’</span><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ve ever wished you could have an excuse to make art and spend more time outdoors; if you</span><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">’ve ever wished you could </span><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">gain some perspective on your own story, and come to know for sure why you are alive, this is the course for you. </span></i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: merriweather; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: merriweather; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">All these things will be explored through art and scripture, in a safe, </span></span></span><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #111111; font-family: merriweather; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">nonjudgemental, even playful atmosphere. I’m excited for you to join me in “Let Us Make”. </span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: merriweather;">I have stuffed this class with art instruction, Bible study, and encouragement. There is, all total, about 8 hours of content, all of it either direct art instruction or direct Bible teaching, and the cost is only $48 for lifetime access!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: merriweather;">And here is the link to join: </span></div>
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<a href="http://jeanneoliver.ning.com/group/let-us-make">{...join the class "Let Us Make"...}</a></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: merriweather;">Now, for a little behind-the-scenes. This is for those of you who might be curious as to what goes into the making of an online course! If I can talk you out of it, I will. Because friends...it isn't for the faint of heart. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: merriweather;">For me, the work of creating this course was much like the work I put into creating the various series of messages I bring, when I travel and teach at women's conferences...only, I had to add art to everything, which tripled the workload. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: merriweather;">And then I also had to video tape myself, which was awkward. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuVsBmYSDYmbgQEQGQtlPQb9HOUrSHiB7vrDTAB9NOvEl69zqgfBkQJipClgr7j0lqzeqS5-DfXv7foe9K08-DENAEFHgXpFRI-60G5_jnOlmF7L21SA1CiJ-7xhxSSF5ZWdH7hIdxo-he/s1600/IMG_5775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuVsBmYSDYmbgQEQGQtlPQb9HOUrSHiB7vrDTAB9NOvEl69zqgfBkQJipClgr7j0lqzeqS5-DfXv7foe9K08-DENAEFHgXpFRI-60G5_jnOlmF7L21SA1CiJ-7xhxSSF5ZWdH7hIdxo-he/s640/IMG_5775.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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First, I spent weeks and months gathering. I studied, I read, I prayed.<br />
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And then, for this course, I spent months going gray:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YNbAlYtHhiQrxDorQwp6dqVJ2ZBJuSwFkFMueU6Txcegl9fVUVEIdLloscJMx84YfIHBvyzwm_slqYXOoLExNJjmnYwBuyNQmwykTtsd4HJGvnI2QSCaJyNmDkVSSQW1mBxjWUfZ1l_7/s1600/goingsilver.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="1334" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YNbAlYtHhiQrxDorQwp6dqVJ2ZBJuSwFkFMueU6Txcegl9fVUVEIdLloscJMx84YfIHBvyzwm_slqYXOoLExNJjmnYwBuyNQmwykTtsd4HJGvnI2QSCaJyNmDkVSSQW1mBxjWUfZ1l_7/s640/goingsilver.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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(In case you think I'm kidding.)<br />
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I would have gone back to my silver hair anyhow, but as fate would have it, the idea to do an art course based on Genesis chapter 1 of the bible came to me back in the summer of 2016. Which just so happened to be the time I also decided to go cold turkey off of coloring my hair. Which is another blog post entirely....and it's coming, I promise.<br />
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Next, I had to get several headshots, and this is one of the shots that made the cut:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Zzep5HgBrTA6dxq526F419AQNXsE4KyYPEU58hWNEnnRc4WcsFDbfj68u7mKRFFVWefjZEwA310e9HNH9PyvcA-4HPXzP19um1D_22mB7PQ5wCD_RgdcdPoEd0hLjBL9hWaF4ZEPNxaN/s1600/IMG_5914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Zzep5HgBrTA6dxq526F419AQNXsE4KyYPEU58hWNEnnRc4WcsFDbfj68u7mKRFFVWefjZEwA310e9HNH9PyvcA-4HPXzP19um1D_22mB7PQ5wCD_RgdcdPoEd0hLjBL9hWaF4ZEPNxaN/s640/IMG_5914.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: merriweather;">And then, I created a vision board for the course. I chose a color palette, I chose certain words and phrases that I wanted to flavor and characterize the course, and I chose a wardrobe that stayed in a certain range of colors:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4RVmeTkLVj6qmCIdXhmRbkZCOR4VES7cd6Yhqsp-lD7qxKaZ4Wm4hyO2JRrLZK4fAHpNjpKCBd3rnSVzD1HpwlWINxreYaeKVLjdq9cSytCuQxfQSZw8e320mhyG7vyd3y6fAJ8ezlnX/s1600/clothesforclass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4RVmeTkLVj6qmCIdXhmRbkZCOR4VES7cd6Yhqsp-lD7qxKaZ4Wm4hyO2JRrLZK4fAHpNjpKCBd3rnSVzD1HpwlWINxreYaeKVLjdq9cSytCuQxfQSZw8e320mhyG7vyd3y6fAJ8ezlnX/s640/clothesforclass.jpg" width="638" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: merriweather;">I gathered my own supplies:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57MCQhvcTXlv1_iUg67XMrg8N_bgbrnsR8SF7FC2RwxD5phrdKi_brqnRepLlncg1fTSnb67pSWYiiXRCC2wj0ngTATU8XS2ZPDNIxHaK962sFipC7LaGxsSWF7UqafK8XiLwhPnVny82/s1600/artsupplies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57MCQhvcTXlv1_iUg67XMrg8N_bgbrnsR8SF7FC2RwxD5phrdKi_brqnRepLlncg1fTSnb67pSWYiiXRCC2wj0ngTATU8XS2ZPDNIxHaK962sFipC7LaGxsSWF7UqafK8XiLwhPnVny82/s640/artsupplies.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: merriweather;">And I then created hours...and hours...and hours...of video footage. I created lecture videos and art instruction videos:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg925UGeIaoIx1gMv2qDJv0359qnydqg0EX1hj8FNzxjzasxLlgtqeUJbsIFNqhyphenhyphenVCgHVduybshoPMor325IfQ7QLdz-XdAkme44Z0cCFk2gXu7fl43tkYa7xzJsLBpCA4ri6zCgpoAbsZr/s1600/2017-06-16+12.48.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg925UGeIaoIx1gMv2qDJv0359qnydqg0EX1hj8FNzxjzasxLlgtqeUJbsIFNqhyphenhyphenVCgHVduybshoPMor325IfQ7QLdz-XdAkme44Z0cCFk2gXu7fl43tkYa7xzJsLBpCA4ri6zCgpoAbsZr/s400/2017-06-16+12.48.27.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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After which, every minute and every second had to be edited. By yours truly. Then, 25 videos and about 18 still shots had to be (::<i>cough</i>::) uploaded.</div>
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Let's not talk about uploading. It's still too fresh. The struggle and pain are real. And so is the swearing, even though this is a Bible-based course. #realtalk</div>
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Believe it or not, here we are, mere <i>days</i> from launching this special, special course...and I'm ready to do another one. It is true what they say about childbirth:</div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">You do forget the pain.</i> </div>
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Most of us mommas were crazy enough to have more than one.</div>
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I look forward to this new chapter in my midlife career. I believe with all my heart that God wants to take an army of us 40-somethings and 50-somethings and do brand new things with us, and bless the work of our hands!</div>
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Join me?</div>
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<span id="goog_160992619"></span><span id="goog_160992620"></span>Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-55978164069445425712017-06-10T09:53:00.000-04:002017-06-10T10:36:51.237-04:00A Work-filled, Lazy Saturday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Do the words "work-filled" and "lazy" seem like an oxymoron to you?</div>
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Then I invite you to explore the Christian faith further, or for the first time. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-e-MpPT6QxXQlFnCsglUtK6wLG-A9mDfNOKyI77HUGrBJDn-9gGkATb2lSycTC7DA1H-2br8mh16tdOmBs1lI8Y6EFh8VZGvF6X7aFlGFyV9m8O033Zwco0tqX4bSZPj6FpGrdCm9Ls2/s1600/cyanotypebookmark.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1060" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-e-MpPT6QxXQlFnCsglUtK6wLG-A9mDfNOKyI77HUGrBJDn-9gGkATb2lSycTC7DA1H-2br8mh16tdOmBs1lI8Y6EFh8VZGvF6X7aFlGFyV9m8O033Zwco0tqX4bSZPj6FpGrdCm9Ls2/s640/cyanotypebookmark.JPG" width="422" /></a></div>
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Because work is the Original Design for humans. <br />
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The Original Artist made man in His image (and P.S. "His image" is <i>plural</i>. I would go deep with that, but it's a Saturday and I give you permission to not listen to my hermeneutical studies of Genesis chapter 1. <i>You're welcome.</i>) and God loves the work of His hands. Behold, it is <i>very</i> good, still yet.<br />
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God placed man in the precise habitat, perfect for his flourishing: a garden. God gave man a gift precisely suited for his flourishing: work to do. <br />
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Work is our happy place, when we approach it with a renewed mind...which can involve listening to my hermeneutical studies of Genesis chapter 1, but I digress.<br />
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So here I am. In front of a ginormous Mac screen (<i>"Oh Mac, how I love thee...let me count the ways..."</i>) doing a different kind of creating. I'm engaging a different side of my brain, and a different sort of artistry. When I am done here, I will head to the studio and break out the paints and inks yet again. These things, because they are so inherently creative, feel like a combination of really-really hard work and really-really intense play. <br />
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And I over-use the hyphen, and <a href="http://aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html">this is my confession.</a><br />
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Not going to lie: later, I will have to fold laundry and clean floors. Genesis 1 and hermeneutics notwithstanding, that's gonna feel like slave labor. <br />
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I'm not functioning in my full sainthood capacity yet. Give me some time.<br />
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<i>(just a fun, so-not-serious slice-of-life of my work-filled, lazy, hyphenated Saturday...)</i></div>
Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-77234001545889119892017-05-19T21:35:00.000-04:002017-06-09T21:39:15.017-04:00Open the Window {the art of cultivating sustainable delights...}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQFUUL6tR5W6o-3FO3oPC8RGDn7Gi8RCMM7CzePBaBKcqPp0NX-3xy6m9_JomxIUl8lMPSZSzrmoqcB3UTzPkcmD3VMjDndnM3ZJT2AlbHFX0Rg-BPdhyphenhyphenx-PqFIotOzARK2QWmk4ddEOu/s1600/IMG_5167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQFUUL6tR5W6o-3FO3oPC8RGDn7Gi8RCMM7CzePBaBKcqPp0NX-3xy6m9_JomxIUl8lMPSZSzrmoqcB3UTzPkcmD3VMjDndnM3ZJT2AlbHFX0Rg-BPdhyphenhyphenx-PqFIotOzARK2QWmk4ddEOu/s640/IMG_5167.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(<i>beautiful little window, in the village of Auvers-sur-Oise - my own photography</i>)</span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">When I went to Paris, I was struck by how I never needed to go to Paris to feel amazed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Don’t get me wrong, I was astonished by all of it:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">the Seine river, the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame, and apricot crepes. Especially apricot crepes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But I already have my Smoky Mountains, my people, my garden, and my coffee with cream.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cultivating your own sustainable delight</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">is an art form to be desired.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s sort of like the story of the woman who reached a point in her life where she was deeply unhappy. She felt stifled.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She felt suffocated.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She lacked freshness.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She lacked light.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So she packed up all her belongings and sold the house, because she longed for those things: freshness and light.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But the next house felt like more of the same.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So she sold it, too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She sadly never figured out the secret to sustainable joy:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Don’t sell the house. Just open the window.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This window speaks to me of a God who has richly</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">provided for me (the kingdom of heaven is "at hand") all that I need.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is up to me to make the most of it.</span></span></div>
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Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-85248942002414710322017-05-15T14:47:00.002-04:002017-05-15T15:00:33.472-04:00My Trip To France {...I still can't believe I was there...}If you <a href="http://www.instagram.com/sheilaatchleydesigns">follow me on IG</a> , you may know that this past April I was <i>gifted</i> with a trip of a lifetime - to France!<br />
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This woman right here called me on a freezing cold rainy evening in late February and said, "Are you sitting down?"<br />
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She hastened to add, "It's <i>good."</i><br />
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She knows me. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuX6A0eCsj5VwHjggghAXQ6aUQkRlYujzNSoZiyfYzKum6XPpKoIT8d_4tcqU4yTn3IFTGYx96VSXLM9KK6VeC-ta5aNGFpWBF-jeSM8DBxJd1cFP-lJvJXWF0l5zoeyBd-lfArNw9NJcK/s1600/IMG_5404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuX6A0eCsj5VwHjggghAXQ6aUQkRlYujzNSoZiyfYzKum6XPpKoIT8d_4tcqU4yTn3IFTGYx96VSXLM9KK6VeC-ta5aNGFpWBF-jeSM8DBxJd1cFP-lJvJXWF0l5zoeyBd-lfArNw9NJcK/s640/IMG_5404.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>(Jeanne Oliver and me, on the last night of her "<a href="http://jeanneoliverdesigns.com/blog/2016/04/02/the-living-studio-along-the-seine-river-cruise/">Living Studio - Seine River, France"</a> art workshop)</i></div>
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Believe it or not, when she offered me an all expense paid spot in her workshop - which just so happened to include a luxury cruise, with excursions to Monet's gardens, a Picasso museum, and Van Gogh's attic apartment...</div>
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...I didn't say "yes" right away. I really did pray. And I talked to The Preacher. And he prayed.</div>
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And God clearly said:</div>
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"Duh. <i>FRANCE. </i>Gift. GO."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxIZqKP2wKS9JIfA1uIE78JyWoghmJQtOyhvpRfpMuzDIClHx0owh8s4dCxHHNif_yhRB3nDtRl9VyG1FJ2N8EZ0JGuXmP-h86SBmzulldMuD34-yUw-E9R9CGAclIZsvUBSDxUzPtzhd/s1600/IMG_4571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxIZqKP2wKS9JIfA1uIE78JyWoghmJQtOyhvpRfpMuzDIClHx0owh8s4dCxHHNif_yhRB3nDtRl9VyG1FJ2N8EZ0JGuXmP-h86SBmzulldMuD34-yUw-E9R9CGAclIZsvUBSDxUzPtzhd/s400/IMG_4571.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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A few days later, the above luscious box arrived on my porch.<br />
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And it seemed only a few days after that, I was looking straight out at this...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jnWWOBYXL4muJzsNlA_pe1R9uMCd2SSan8XnpnihZlO9-7-kRBGgswGhYhBBS-1XSys6Nw2yhyphenhyphenuCshALjmFsJQJ_RhbyYMRDAETKYefFMW6f4H4w7eHmohwgC_vP6gsahd6EcIJvqaid/s1600/IMG_4675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jnWWOBYXL4muJzsNlA_pe1R9uMCd2SSan8XnpnihZlO9-7-kRBGgswGhYhBBS-1XSys6Nw2yhyphenhyphenuCshALjmFsJQJ_RhbyYMRDAETKYefFMW6f4H4w7eHmohwgC_vP6gsahd6EcIJvqaid/s640/IMG_4675.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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...and fighting a panic attack. If you know me, to say that "Sheila Atchley" and "travel" aren't good friends, would be an understatement. I love a <i>lot</i> of things that most women do. Great shoes, dark chocolate, a smokey merlot, and shirts from Anthropologie come immediately to mind. <br />
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But girlfriend, I will never be jealous of your trip.<br />
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(Truth be known, I'm not jealous of anything for the most part. Your happiness is mine, and I'm pretty literal about that.)<br />
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I will be processing this trip to some degree for months to come, and for the rest of my life. I still fight tears <i>every time</i> I look at the pictures. I still get overwhelmed with the goodness of God when I think of the places He put under my feet in April of 2017.<br />
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And don't tell The Preacher, but I don't think I'm done traveling. Please believe me when I say that the thought actually <i>doesn't</i> thrill me. But I really do think that the Lord has asked me to be willing to travel to beautiful places to help see to it that women are supernaturally encouraged. I need to be willing to travel on a plane, coach, and brave the bone-tiredness and gut-wrenching anxiety, so that women can be given art as a powerful tool in their toolkit. I believe that art is just one tool in the maintenance of a well soul.<br />
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When I got back from my trip, this was on my desk: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6cS35EnLzE7HXsMDlAQTT9pDmXLm5iu8HBnxGllgjocfZDclIDImRKDg4-j71KXHZ4gLp1CVDjN9ItfSLTD_Z7gsulx_VP8t-A2vtIhGe6Y0oVDe3KJ748p6b6NLKhUPhale-_wy9Cven/s1600/IMG_5672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6cS35EnLzE7HXsMDlAQTT9pDmXLm5iu8HBnxGllgjocfZDclIDImRKDg4-j71KXHZ4gLp1CVDjN9ItfSLTD_Z7gsulx_VP8t-A2vtIhGe6Y0oVDe3KJ748p6b6NLKhUPhale-_wy9Cven/s400/IMG_5672.JPG" width="400" /></span></a><br />
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It had come in the mail and someone had tossed it to my desk, not knowing that the moment I laid eyes on it, I would feel like someone had punched me in the croissant basket.<br />
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Paris marked a new season in my life. Something begun. Where it "ends" - my next "yes" - is totally up to me. I'm asking the Lord to equip me for "my best yes". <br />
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Going back to about a month before I got on that giant Air France plane -<br />
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In mid-March, I had decided to offer my clients a chance to get an original painting from all the inspiration I knew I'd be receiving in France - not just images, but I knew the Lord was wanting to speak to me. I was overwhelmed (in a good way) when more than a dozen people signed up to receive an original painting from that "Painting-A-Day, Paris" promotion!<br />
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Here are just a few pieces that have been completed, so far:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-aXOIw-BxvAB_-K-KstU7fe4ZkixLakZJnA3opQPKHlF1hqRi3jNr6JuA1Zg8uOgtZ_VNpYBxpfSod-JVxkTkANXPBH_72zv-HnTKNkbNMWo8QHlXgN7DECCEqX3Fc6XT25BHpiwek69/s1600/HonFleurWM.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-aXOIw-BxvAB_-K-KstU7fe4ZkixLakZJnA3opQPKHlF1hqRi3jNr6JuA1Zg8uOgtZ_VNpYBxpfSod-JVxkTkANXPBH_72zv-HnTKNkbNMWo8QHlXgN7DECCEqX3Fc6XT25BHpiwek69/s640/HonFleurWM.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Inspired by the tiny fishing village of Hon Fleur. Here is the inspiration photo:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBnPlpjunflCVlf8PWrPG-FEgEvuxKvumvzOEXPqx1PeDvvYBQjpU0odVz6oN6RjHO0K2bdHZWA6pXNua9O1QUffhjkhkUepj3Sdz1DgdLFsPEBGJ3uLMqe5lGGcuQf9ppRIMo7clauXZ/s1600/IMG_4805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBnPlpjunflCVlf8PWrPG-FEgEvuxKvumvzOEXPqx1PeDvvYBQjpU0odVz6oN6RjHO0K2bdHZWA6pXNua9O1QUffhjkhkUepj3Sdz1DgdLFsPEBGJ3uLMqe5lGGcuQf9ppRIMo7clauXZ/s320/IMG_4805.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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Below, is an abstract of the chalk white cliffs of Normandy, with the steeple of a beautiful eglise in the foreground.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-PkwvsV6iggDPjgOn017LXvsmZMwLm-fsTbAmI1DeLDRRi99YERNlAtXBZm41y8pX9ZCisoJH84Y1swE5x2SmnYyI_O9xdxntDsvjqDlTerG2NwVi4sqPcva_8lg8ZDDY-vVK28YTb6yg/s1600/IMG_5630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-PkwvsV6iggDPjgOn017LXvsmZMwLm-fsTbAmI1DeLDRRi99YERNlAtXBZm41y8pX9ZCisoJH84Y1swE5x2SmnYyI_O9xdxntDsvjqDlTerG2NwVi4sqPcva_8lg8ZDDY-vVK28YTb6yg/s640/IMG_5630.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And its inspiration photo:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhDYTfq8ek1AXMuQo3eleV4yiDstWiXFqIaCaG3llRoQR3aJSd-3l9v-gE4YwJ9yLKfOviT2RIfUfX_LjmtUGVQzih2EmgqWuT9JQAFLeib_e-SVw_B1V6jzmNZvXCzzax0W1d-jZflao/s1600/IMG_5140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhDYTfq8ek1AXMuQo3eleV4yiDstWiXFqIaCaG3llRoQR3aJSd-3l9v-gE4YwJ9yLKfOviT2RIfUfX_LjmtUGVQzih2EmgqWuT9JQAFLeib_e-SVw_B1V6jzmNZvXCzzax0W1d-jZflao/s640/IMG_5140.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRx8urN3Mu098Pv_ZC9humbJ9POEeBhUt_AGUCdU7bUbX22HqXLdY4KeKLWBpIo9oGLxqALB_tLxl9CB7ipeNVWRI0ZHarErtFFtp6Jfi5Bw76rYxUYLuGQiyaD3WimxLMWt0GHfQxBOCV/s1600/MedicidoveWM.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRx8urN3Mu098Pv_ZC9humbJ9POEeBhUt_AGUCdU7bUbX22HqXLdY4KeKLWBpIo9oGLxqALB_tLxl9CB7ipeNVWRI0ZHarErtFFtp6Jfi5Bw76rYxUYLuGQiyaD3WimxLMWt0GHfQxBOCV/s640/MedicidoveWM.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Above, is a dove I saw at the Medici fountain, inside the jardin du Luxembourg.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JQBxy-b6ib5aC-FE81RcTVeGRlCPE5LNSxdzQFkdSdE5VOPY18g_ih_JjKnn1SvVLpbiSDpVjdZRoQdFcz5wZnORWqxeM0_8cqYgtxPwYu4oxyAeAFiF2LzqHBlDwCSL5XOMhK_kdN3V/s1600/FullnessofTimeWM.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JQBxy-b6ib5aC-FE81RcTVeGRlCPE5LNSxdzQFkdSdE5VOPY18g_ih_JjKnn1SvVLpbiSDpVjdZRoQdFcz5wZnORWqxeM0_8cqYgtxPwYu4oxyAeAFiF2LzqHBlDwCSL5XOMhK_kdN3V/s640/FullnessofTimeWM.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Lastly, I titled this one "Fullness of Time". And here is my inspiration photo:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiknTQI4CN2Oduy3GnRmN-pjrAV9X2FXHefdttxVkB6Nxyib-rhU5y02e4Jgw8elN7KM9Z0zQD5wsgaEwuRAs4AroO0-JNhR6zDELFQgOsRvK8wU2NUQ7l3uAp6y4rBj_mUkg3MOnECKr7f/s1600/IMG_5284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiknTQI4CN2Oduy3GnRmN-pjrAV9X2FXHefdttxVkB6Nxyib-rhU5y02e4Jgw8elN7KM9Z0zQD5wsgaEwuRAs4AroO0-JNhR6zDELFQgOsRvK8wU2NUQ7l3uAp6y4rBj_mUkg3MOnECKr7f/s640/IMG_5284.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I have no doubt there will be many more blog posts that in some way involve this beautiful trip, something I saw, something I learned, something I heard the Lord say. I will forever be grateful to Jesus for loving me so fiercely, and to my sweet friend Jeanne, for embodying His heart to love lavishly.Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-8683066637664578582016-12-08T20:55:00.001-05:002016-12-08T21:03:30.001-05:00The Fires in the Smokies {...and restoration, and mountain angels...}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8MZ7aopec0bRMLXx-yl_LILMfHRfSKlw2qDFCt8eSFnQ0Iw4uGjeRIgjySia8RHI2jK42SoLiofNWRwTEDF34xBbtlJXDCm9l5yPu0qmvUXA3nwTPAVOiHfjKjk5xWGquVM_TiLoXd8R/s1600/churchcadescoveWM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8MZ7aopec0bRMLXx-yl_LILMfHRfSKlw2qDFCt8eSFnQ0Iw4uGjeRIgjySia8RHI2jK42SoLiofNWRwTEDF34xBbtlJXDCm9l5yPu0qmvUXA3nwTPAVOiHfjKjk5xWGquVM_TiLoXd8R/s640/churchcadescoveWM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After the horrific fires in the Great Smoky Mountains national park, and the city of Gatlinburg, my husband and I needed to visit our beloved Cades Cove. Part of me needed reassurance that these places that have sheltered my heart all my life can and will (eventually) recover, and heal, and just be okay again.<br />
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Along with countless others, I have ached over the devastation.<br />
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This image, rendered after our day trip, will always speak of restoration to me. Through the worst of destruction, God brings about supernatural restoration. He gives back all the fruit of the land that was seemingly lost to crime, famine, natural or man-made disaster - as told in the story found in the Bible in 2 Kings chapter 8:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, “Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now.”</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">I believe there are Smoky Mountain angels..."officials"...given the sole task of restoring everything that has been stolen from the beautiful mountain people of Gatlinburg and surrounding area, who have been exiled from their previous existence, their homes, and their businesses. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Of course, the lives lost can never be recovered. Never. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">But someday, somehow, joy can and will be "given back" to these mountains.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://sheilaatchleydesigns.bigcartel.com/product/cades-cove-primitive-baptist-church-print">(prints available here)</a> 50% of all proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross</span>Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-29061223106553716192016-11-14T15:23:00.003-05:002016-11-14T15:26:26.680-05:00Painting and Poetry {...finding inspiration in the very, very daily...}<h1 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: proxima-nova, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Edited"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><u>Find and Prepare</u></span></span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">I do not so much make art</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">as I find art</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">in scraps of gab</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">the dialogue of children</span><br>
</div></span></span></h1><a href="http://aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com/2016/11/painting-and-poetry-finding-inspiration.html#more">Read more »</a>Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-79314844903468805822016-11-12T17:34:00.000-05:002016-11-12T17:36:02.194-05:00"Gathered" {...encouragement in poetry...}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01pDoCUx8hdGo7fcgnFtETiiWXbL9bTGhtmJPPJQyeYIyZ2eL5JdOHoPJjv1YB00mpR0riw5tLOGeuWgxUtR1zv8ZnV4frHnfhGoojU9c9eWz_DO_Oogc3g18d9u9juslmPO8tr0XwRnc/s1600/IMG_3533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01pDoCUx8hdGo7fcgnFtETiiWXbL9bTGhtmJPPJQyeYIyZ2eL5JdOHoPJjv1YB00mpR0riw5tLOGeuWgxUtR1zv8ZnV4frHnfhGoojU9c9eWz_DO_Oogc3g18d9u9juslmPO8tr0XwRnc/s640/IMG_3533.JPG" width="576"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">I am near-fifty</span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">And the broken barleybread</span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Of my mistakes and small thinking</span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Lay scattered throughout</span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> </span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">This silent house.</span></span><br>
</div></span></h1><a href="http://aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com/2016/11/gathered-encouragement-in-poetry.html#more">Read more »</a>Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-63900129599265166132016-11-11T22:33:00.000-05:002016-11-12T16:49:57.918-05:00My Book "The Women of Advent" Now On Amazon {...and an audio clip...}I'm so delighted to announce that my book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Women-Advent-gathering-scattered-present/dp/0692792600/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478920773&sr=8-1&keywords=the+women+of+advent">"The Women of Advent || A Gathering of Scattered Hearts, Past and Present</a>" is now available on Amazon!<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNAQTRYn4J4wFzZ8wIMhv0IvRkBH2wOW0sDNuSvQPJ1UshCnWf0-5iDED7zq2MGQ24C4Q5H47opQgWoxlH8MkaDIwG6ldo_pYXFMQTuNtHjDNoF-Y9uretB_L3Stt0lp5hY_eyhq1Jw2lZ/s1600/WOAcollageasset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNAQTRYn4J4wFzZ8wIMhv0IvRkBH2wOW0sDNuSvQPJ1UshCnWf0-5iDED7zq2MGQ24C4Q5H47opQgWoxlH8MkaDIwG6ldo_pYXFMQTuNtHjDNoF-Y9uretB_L3Stt0lp5hY_eyhq1Jw2lZ/s400/WOAcollageasset.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
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<a href="http://aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com/2016/11/my-book-women-of-advent-now-on-amazon.html#more">Read more »</a>Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-52314932730963906132016-11-07T18:03:00.003-05:002016-11-12T16:50:34.044-05:00The Best Part About Turning 50 {...and it wasn't the ipad pro...}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDc97ZfDKo1CNSmn2764Biz6v9lRrmrK47VcmsfR_3-VlIITuGEry-daQnaUe4rchAy0d_9YNbxUc0uqDWN6FDWmKzppY9m1j3re1_4jeLA1gPHVQZL9EYMG7JMn26FAhFvRiMHAZJSrj-/s1600/Image-1-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDc97ZfDKo1CNSmn2764Biz6v9lRrmrK47VcmsfR_3-VlIITuGEry-daQnaUe4rchAy0d_9YNbxUc0uqDWN6FDWmKzppY9m1j3re1_4jeLA1gPHVQZL9EYMG7JMn26FAhFvRiMHAZJSrj-/s640/Image-1-1.jpg" width="480"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18px;"><br></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 18px;">In other news - I turned 50 last week! And The Preacher gave me an ipad pro! </span></span></span></span><br>
<a href="http://aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-best-part-about-turning-50-and-it.html#more">Read more »</a>Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-33045884393874658202016-11-07T17:15:00.003-05:002017-06-10T10:50:48.721-04:00The Reviews On My Book <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The reviews on my first book <u><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Women-Advent-gathering-scattered-present/dp/0692792600/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478552131&sr=8-1&keywords=women+of+advent">The Women of Advent || A Gathering of Scattered Hearts, Past and Present</a></u> are beginning to roll in.</span><br>
<a href="http://aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-reviews-on-my-book-and-best-part.html#more">Read more »</a>Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-81026093338353000582016-10-20T12:08:00.000-04:002016-11-12T16:54:59.224-05:00Art for Art's Sake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Part of my fall "bucket list" is to make even more "art for the sake of art".
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So yesterday, after many days of tending to quite literally crisis after crisis...<br>
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(see <a href="http://www.bethaniemissionofhaiti.org/">this link</a> to donate to hurricane disaster relief for the nation of Haiti. The Preacher, also known as my pastor-husband, is the president of Bethanie Missions of Haiti, and we can personally guarantee that every dollar goes directly to water filters, food, and the rebuilding homes for the people there. He will be heading down in a few weeks, as a matter of fact. If you know other ministries personally, please donate there. But if you do not personally know a "boots on the ground" ministry in Haiti, <i>we are, </i>at Harvest Church, boots on the ground.)<br>
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...The Preacher and I escaped to our favorite spot. We needed to talk, laugh, sketch, dream, and I needed to shoot around with my new toy...<br>
<a href="http://aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com/2016/10/art-for-arts-sake.html#more">Read more »</a>Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-14898499539909835162016-10-15T17:47:00.002-04:002016-11-12T16:51:20.958-05:00A Short Excerpt From My New Book {"The Women of Advent"}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com/2016/10/a-short-excerpt-from-my-new-book-women.html#more">Read more »</a>Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-30880678240023888122016-10-05T19:21:00.000-04:002016-11-12T16:52:17.730-05:00The Women of Advent - My New Book! {...join my launch team?}I've written my first book.<br>
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It will launch <i style="font-style: italic;">just </i>before Thanksgiving. I've been hard at work here...
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<a href="http://aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com/2016/10/women-of-advent-my-new-book-join-my.html#more">Read more »</a>Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-19362087242175174542016-09-06T15:09:00.003-04:002016-11-12T16:52:39.802-05:00Common Ground <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You and I have something in common. Something important.<br>
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Whether you are religious, secular, agnostic, sanguine or choleric. Whether you are an INFJ like me, or an EPBandJ like my daughter Sarah (inside joke). Whether you drink Jack Daniel's or Diet Coke, you and me have a long history of the same thing.<br>
<a href="http://aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com/2016/09/common-ground-bear-with-me-while-i.html#more">Read more »</a>Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-9611634135807113342016-07-25T20:55:00.000-04:002016-11-12T16:53:26.760-05:00An Art Exercise Video For You {...Words Are Their Own Art Form}This is a simple but enlightening grown-up art activity I put together last week, based on an old coaching exercise of mine. I adapted it to artists, and like all my coaching material, I did it myself <i>first. </i>It was powerful for me.<br>
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This is an exercise to help you in identifying and affirming your own artistic style.<br>
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For about the past two years, my art techniques and approaches have been undergoing a slow but very perceptible change.<br>
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I am finding the courage to be radically simple in my subject matter and palette.
And make no mistake, in this mixed media world I know and love so well, it takes courage to, in the words of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2BWyY4B36Y">country singer Luke Bryan, "Strip It Down".</a><br>
<a href="http://aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com/2016/07/an-art-exercise-for-you-words-are-their.html#more">Read more »</a>Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-86348138988500171772016-07-16T18:51:00.002-04:002016-07-16T19:30:53.396-04:00Thank You, Jeanne Oliver {...my trip to Colorado...}Mostly, you don't know how someplace has changed you until you leave that place.<br />
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You can't understand the way an experience has transformed the way you are in the world until you've had time to synthesize and transmute that exposure to something new...to translate what you saw, into an awareness of just how it has changed you. It takes time for the adventure to catalyze itself into the venture. <br />
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Three weeks ago, I flew to Colorado and stayed in the home of my sweet friend <a href="http://www.jeanneoliverdesigns.com/">Jeanne Oliver</a>. She had invited me months before to be her special guest for the very first art workshop in her <a href="http://jeanneoliverdesigns.com/blog/2016/07/15/the-studio-that-love-built-before-and-after-photos/">brand new studio</a>, on the grounds of her brand new home in Castle Rock.<br />
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It has taken me this long to write about it, because I've been processing all of it deeply. More deeply than I ever expected, to be honest.<br />
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I knew how that being in the physical presence of an artist whose work you admire, even taking <i>one lesson</i> from that artist, live and in person, can change your own art forever - but <i>it takes time</i> to see the incremental changes. <br />
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What I didn't realize - or to be more accurate, what I had forgotten - is how being in the presence of a friend who simply bears witness to who you really are, can change who you are forever. <br />
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That weekend, I got both. I was in the presence of both friend and artist. <br />
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That entire weekend, my friend Jeanne was crazy-busy. I can't imagine putting the finishing touches on an entire 1,100+ square foot teaching studio a mere day before a major workshop, then hosting an entire workshop while hosting a visiting friend. But that's what she did...<br />
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...and so, what I'm saying is that she didn't have much time to consciously "bear witness" of me, or be profound with me or try to change me. What I'm saying is that who she is, is so authentic, that it simply <i>is.</i> And you impart who you <i>are</i>, not what you <i>think </i>you want to teach others.<br />
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I caught such an impartation to dream and to believe yet more in a good, good God. I was reminded that who I have been, in secret, for many years, is of infinite value - because to live life beautifully and soulfully is never - <i>ever</i> - a wasted effort. In fact, it is the only way any of us can give away inspiration. You can never just up and decide you are going to inspire someone. No. You have to <i>live</i> in an inspired way, alongside your spouse or your whole family, on a thousand Monday mornings, when the dailyness of the daily can become monotony - when no one is around to see the peaches you put in your oatmeal, when there is no one there but you and your loves to smell your scented candles.<br />
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After years of this, you can then impart <i>powerfully.</i> (So start today!)<br />
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While I was there, in that beautiful studio, I enjoyed the company of other women, and participated in the art exercises. But I didn't, at that moment, see one single change in my art. (I didn't expect to - and neither should you. These things <i>take time.</i>)<br />
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I've had three weeks to process, and suddenly, this week, art has come pouring out of me:<br />
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Art that isn't Jeanne. It is art that is me, with elements of things I saw in her workshop - things that I consciously remember, and some that I'm sure are unconscious.<br />
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It's those unconscious influences that are the juju...<br />
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...they are the weighty, compelling imprint that changes you.<br />
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I don't want this post to seem, in any way, like a "you-scratch-my-back-I'll-scratch-yours" advertisement for my friend, telling you to take a Jeanne Oliver workshop.<br />
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Not even Jeanne would want that.<br />
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What she would say, and what I would say, is that you <i>must </i>hold who you are - or if you are an artist, you must hold your art and yourself in high esteem - such high esteem that you trust the process of <i>investment. </i><br />
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<i>Invest in you.</i><br />
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Remembering that the results take time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_VFC8le6AOTYc1GN20NvosvS5cLtYQq287DqFl0kwzExYllVirtRyGfuPA2oN8ELAUgD7njNqpQoQIWzWKnX4MVMe0WmWIQpmGU67XpnjtIjp_WWITJQ1K-GM1D5whLE0auoK48efdwZ/s1600/IMG_2747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_VFC8le6AOTYc1GN20NvosvS5cLtYQq287DqFl0kwzExYllVirtRyGfuPA2oN8ELAUgD7njNqpQoQIWzWKnX4MVMe0WmWIQpmGU67XpnjtIjp_WWITJQ1K-GM1D5whLE0auoK48efdwZ/s640/IMG_2747.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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But the rewards are permanent.<br />
<span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 42px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 5136px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 42px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 5136px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 42px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 5884px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 42px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 5884px; width: auto; z-index: 86753Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-83656946648672305282016-07-12T20:08:00.000-04:002016-07-25T22:21:03.810-04:00A Different Perspective on the Existence of Evil<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMKJahYxYq-4DT0wDqXNMX9DMmH_zIcX3liojMnBy9gEh_9WHCl4y9RDD2wJsVxPZOVPXO6XNLhdqc0b96v7qhL8fyGc5nqmK8PXWj6ctFGOMjNiVWi4zB5GZv272xzwrX5KgRDVLcUI_B/s1600/Howexquisitetree.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMKJahYxYq-4DT0wDqXNMX9DMmH_zIcX3liojMnBy9gEh_9WHCl4y9RDD2wJsVxPZOVPXO6XNLhdqc0b96v7qhL8fyGc5nqmK8PXWj6ctFGOMjNiVWi4zB5GZv272xzwrX5KgRDVLcUI_B/s640/Howexquisitetree.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There is an enemy to human existence. There is an enemy unleashed in the earth, who is hostile to the image of God - malignant towards the image of God that walks about upon the face of it. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes, this enemy co-opts for its own evil designs the very human beings created to bear their Maker's image. And that is the sad, sad part. That is the ultimate degradation of </span><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-image-of-god">imago Dei</a> </span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;">and the ultimate insult to the Creator. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Though evil sometimes wears a human face, though it has often worn a human face for thousands of years or more, our battle is not with flesh and blood. </span></span><br />
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Evil can seem to lurk large, even dwarfing the delight we feel in God.<br />
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But without this delight, without an unshakeable, unbendable, stubborn <i>willing</i> of our inmost being to be happy in all God is, all He gives, all He does - without inner delight dwarfing outside evil - joy dissipates. <br />
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Where joy is <i>in absentia</i> - (known to exist, but not present within) - strength is also absent. <br />
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<b>It is time to put evil in perspective</b>. I tremble to write these words, because we all hope against what feel to be overwhelming odds. But I will write it:<br />
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<b>Evil has its limits. </b><br />
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Though the pain of evil scrapes out the interior of our hearts, leaving us feeling wounded and thin and without strong walls of defense, the weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning.<br />
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At the end of the day, at the close of your day-to-day fight to delight in God, you have a promise: evil is only sufficient for a day.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. <b>Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof</b>." </i>Matthew 6:34</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've heard it said that God operates out of abundance, the enemy operates out of a budget. I know this is an unexpected perspective on Matthew 6:34, but I believe it is Biblical.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The enemy is the one on a budget. </span></span><span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">You are limitlessly resourced. Joy comes in the morning, no matter what this day brings. Your God is all-sufficient, and your sufficiency is of Him.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but o<b>ur sufficiency is from God</b></i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: inherit; text-align: left; text-indent: 25px;">Evil has a short shelf life. On this we can depend. On this we can hope. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-family: inherit; text-align: left; text-indent: 25px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; text-align: left; text-indent: 25px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On this we can act: we can live and love and dream big dreams and look far beyond today with a hopeful heart. We can plant trees, literally and metaphorically. We can build houses and inhabit them and plant gardens and eat the fruit of them, even when all around us we see nothing but death and captivity.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; text-align: left; text-indent: 25px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; text-align: left; text-indent: 25px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our sufficiency is from God.</span></span><br />
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<i style="color: #001320; font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(another great explanation of Imago Dei is found <a href="http://imagodeicampaign.org/about/">here</a>) </span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-38714519400455690452016-06-15T11:34:00.001-04:002016-06-15T11:34:48.140-04:00Cicadas and the Second Coming {...a repost from the archives...}I heard the first cicadas of the summer season last night, and everything in me wanted to celebrate and mark the occasion.<br />
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But how?<br />
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Then I remembered the following post. Hope you enjoy what I dusted off out of the archives today:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3AUFRkIWm3xrZHxdhK4NYr_ZVUgBDcCEzdHvWEFhAa2-RRvBoGWD3kUcPhhcJJTJ33_1PsXRGRX7jTolYYHhqk255wx25Q3gM9LXpAWx0QogrY7y-jDB9z2P35KczWKPaB4QsYJUrxBD/s1600-h/Magicicada.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="376" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224461300363783282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3AUFRkIWm3xrZHxdhK4NYr_ZVUgBDcCEzdHvWEFhAa2-RRvBoGWD3kUcPhhcJJTJ33_1PsXRGRX7jTolYYHhqk255wx25Q3gM9LXpAWx0QogrY7y-jDB9z2P35KczWKPaB4QsYJUrxBD/s640/Magicicada.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: #663300;">The Bible says in Romans that all of creation declares to us God's invisible qualities. Nature declares His attributes and power. This has given me great pause, over the years, as I try to figure out the message of each created thing. </span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #663300;">The rainbow speaks of the promise of God to Noah. The rainbow reveals the complexity of a God who is full of paradox. The rainbow speaks of justice and mercy, of law and grace. It speaks of a God who said, "Thou shalt not commit adultery" and then told a prophet to marry a prostitute. </span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #663300;">That arch of color in the sky tells of a God who predestined me to salvation, and yet also infers life-altering significance to my choices. There can be no rainbow without opposites coming together. There is no prism of color without sunshine and rain present together, at the same time. </span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;">There are those created things with obvious messages, like rainbows and eagles and oak trees. Oak trees - those trees of righteousness, silent sentinels to the fact that even what God plants can sometimes take a lifetime to grow very large. </span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;">But my real obsession is with the <b>Great Mystery of the Periodical Cicada</b>. </span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #663300;">What. the. heck. can the cicada tell me about God?</span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;">Cicadas are harmless. They are nature's longest lived insect. I love the sound they make, so long as their numbers are not of plague proportions. They hatch, and burrow underground as nymphs, only to reemerge 13 or 17 years later, transform overnight into adults, reproduce and die. </span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;">What the...?? I'm stumped to consider the fact that a whole brood of periodical cicadas were under my grass, the whole time I was birthing my babies and teaching them to read. They were there, waiting, throughout the entire grueling process of my twin daughters receiving their driver's licenses. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #663300;">And there are more, right there, underground, right now. They will hatch when I am, like, <i>old.</i> </span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #663300;">Kinda creeps me out.</span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;">If you look closely at the wings of a cicada, you might see the letter "W" or the letter "P". An old wives tale says that if the emerging insects have the "W", then there will be a war, and if a "P", why then we will have peace of course. Never mind the fact that there have been wars somewhere in the world since time and cicadas both began. </span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #663300;">I can understand the confusion - since the Bible does say that creation declares the mind and ways of God. Those old wives were just reading a bit too much into the whole cicada thing. They told their tale as though it were gospel truth. </span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;">Come to think of it, I know some televangelists who are no different. I wonder what they'd say about these mysterious insects, belonging to the genus <em>magicicada</em>? I'd almost guarantee you they'd find a message in there somewhere about the Second Coming.</span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;">Some folks eat cicadas. There is an actual cook book entitled <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Eat---Bug-Cookbook-Revised-Grasshoppers/dp/1607744368/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1466004483&sr=1-1&keywords=eat+a+bug+cookbook">The Eat-A-Bug Cookbook by David George Gordon</a>. </span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #663300;">His book tells me that cicadas are nutty in flavor, and he gives me a recipe for Cicada Pizza. He also strongly recommends a certain fine wine to accompany the distinct insect flavors, but also advises me to drink it during the entire cooking process, well before I sit down to eat..."to fortify myself". </span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;">I've always believed that if sex or a meal has to be much-improved by the wine, then it is time for me to get suspicious. I prefer to be in full command of my reason, in the midst of either activity.</span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;">But back to Romans 1. Back to rainbows, oak trees, and the periodical cicada. My pastor-husband speculated, off the cuff, that the cicada might speak to us of God's persecuted, underground church. Surely the cicada's message can't be that obvious, though it is a thought. </span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #663300;">The poor man was just indulging one of my artsy-fartsy questions in the first place. He has given me other ideas and answers to my random questions that were accurate and even profound. So I have no reason to question his intuition on insects, but I do question it.</span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;">Until I can come up with something better, however, The Preacher's best guess will have to stand. </span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #663300;">What an enigma. Each thing in creation - the Bible says <i>all of it</i> - tells us something about God. Stars and even the periodical cicada have a message. </span><br />
<span style="color: #663300;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #663300;">If you figure out what that message is, please tell me. I won't eat them until I know for sure. </span></div>
Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-73412377587257982542016-06-10T22:47:00.001-04:002016-07-13T09:31:12.344-04:00Southern Lights {...things that twinkle on a Wednesday night...}I suppose I may stand amazed at the aurora borealis someday. But until that day comes, east Tennessee fireflies will do just fine.<br />
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Summer fireflies, and summer stars.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUwUbnFAup27cuiRT_dJzrSpGTgZE9u8WyuxgNxCFE6brSqlso6Q9OIsV1RZaJkBP9vkKHjY9S4fqeRBhwGQ-KaUtMmyjj93VrHzwU3Ek1sCw2QNXwU19A4zf_huRMa32G_vn4ZbDzrOw/s1600/DSC_5196WM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUwUbnFAup27cuiRT_dJzrSpGTgZE9u8WyuxgNxCFE6brSqlso6Q9OIsV1RZaJkBP9vkKHjY9S4fqeRBhwGQ-KaUtMmyjj93VrHzwU3Ek1sCw2QNXwU19A4zf_huRMa32G_vn4ZbDzrOw/s640/DSC_5196WM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(photo by my Preacher, Tim Atchley)</i></span></div>
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The June night was bracing cool like October, but without the promise of painted leaves. June's exclusive rare and separate beauty is the firefly's staccato glow. That's what we turned aside to see, my Preacher and me; bushes burning with gentle tempered specks of flame.<br />
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We were parked in the wilderness of our national park, glad to be where neon is not normal, and all was unopposed, purple dusk. <br />
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I felt staggered by the glory of what must have been a million fireflies, each one lit from within by some sort of genius that is wholly something otherworldly. The tall grasses, the fence line, the trees, the entire horizon glittered and blinked. All the night was filled with darting gleam and moving shimmer.<br />
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It wasn't splendor, it was sparkle, which is splendor's lingering train. Sparkle is like the backside of a beauty so bright, we best only focus on the leftover glow. This side of heaven, sparkle is what you get to look at, when you say to God, "Show me Your glory!"<br />
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I looked and looked for a long time - and then I looked <i>up.</i><br />
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Unhindered starlight. Never had I ever seen a night sky like this - remember I said the night was bracing cool? There wan't even a smidge of humidity to un-crisp this sight. <br />
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I looked and looked for a long time - and then chose to lay right down on the concrete, because I wanted to look all night. The Preacher lay down beside me. <br />
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I lay prone on the sun-warmed slab, bad back be danged, and star gazed. Every now and then I thought I saw a shooting star, but it was actually a firefly high in the sky. The thought occurred to me that this was the first time since I was a little girl that I simply and singularly enjoyed the stars. As a teenager, I was too busy to fling myself down and see stars. As a young mom, I star gazed with my children, and loved every moment...but was too busy <i>teaching</i> about stars. I was preoccupied with making sure my little ones saw stars. <br />
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Not this night. This night, there was full-on wonder. This night, there was flat-out, flat-on-my-back fascination. It was then that I really did see a shooting star. It was like all heaven was high-fiving the revelation that worship is wonder, plain and simple. <br />
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When surrounded by sparkle, face-up prone is greater than prostrate, and all is worshipful still astonishment.<br />
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As I head outside tonight, smack-dab in the city, my home a stone's throw away from a pawn shop and the sound of motorcycles, I plan on seeing fireflies and summer stars.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9tQjR6KZ7eIDoEYCPcZa_wGJ9-PGfB8BRlve-q6Rnt4Po8zHpoVMJxHxxccdDGv_vbWRNBAeHBpYZW9oFMRQVpvwXLC9jbpqXo7zUqw9LdldJz83sAwyBfFthAmWyMCnsPCQ1hwt7pZi6/s1600/DSC_5186WM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9tQjR6KZ7eIDoEYCPcZa_wGJ9-PGfB8BRlve-q6Rnt4Po8zHpoVMJxHxxccdDGv_vbWRNBAeHBpYZW9oFMRQVpvwXLC9jbpqXo7zUqw9LdldJz83sAwyBfFthAmWyMCnsPCQ1hwt7pZi6/s640/DSC_5186WM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(photography by Tim Atchley)</span></i></div>
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I plan on being just as amazed. <br />
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<i>"And God said, "Let there be light!" And there was light." </i>~Genesis 1<br />
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<br />Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-77987029899689087732016-05-19T14:13:00.001-04:002016-05-19T17:52:16.617-04:00May Flowers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The unofficial start of summer is here, friends. (School's out, here in Knox county...woohoo! So glad my son-in-law, an algebra teacher at a local high school, can begin his summer break soon...after teaching a bit of summer school.)<br />
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This video isn't at all instructional. It's just three minutes long. It's just happy. Pour yourself some iced tea and enjoy...<br />
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...and happy summer!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6Ti6Qzg_CMU" width="560"></iframe>Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-24111185033372139272016-05-16T20:58:00.003-04:002016-05-16T20:59:32.223-04:00Birds of a Feather Flock Together {...the lost art of imitating the right people...}It has been said, and I know it to be true, because I saw it in the mountains this afternoon, from about 3 o'clock to almost sundown:<br />
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"<b>Birds of a feather flock together</b>."<br />
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See, there's this question of authentic progress. There's this nagging question as to how high and far you can really fly, if you are a bluebird flying alone...<br />
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....or if you are a bluebird from Tennessee who imitates a crow from Nebraska. <br />
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"<i>Remember your leaders, those who have spoken God's word to you. Think about the impact of their lives, and imitate their faith</i>." (Hebrews)<br />
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You will never fly high and long by imitating the flight patterns of a bird you honestly can't see, who isn't right in front of you. <br />
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You will never innovate (create something that is uniquely your own) until you imitate. This is true in art, this is true in cookery - thus, grandma's biscuit recipe. It is true for learning how to walk, talk, and use a spoon. The necessity of imitation is hard-wired into all sentient creatures.<br />
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Be careful, therefore, who and what you imitate. Bluebirds make strange crows.<br />
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There are 3 criteria that should be applied, when choosing who you imitate:<br />
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1. <b>Their outcome needs to be that which you want to see manifested in your own life.</b><br />
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2. <b>They need to be outspoken leaders. </b>(If they haven't said anything to you that ruffled your feathers, you will not make rapid shifts or big progress imitating their tactful timidity.)<br />
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3. <b>They need to be "YOURS". </b><br />
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They need to be, to some degree, physically accessible to you. "<i>Remember YOUR leaders</i>." <br />
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And while you are remembering, remember this: <i> If your leader carefully guards his or her time, that does not make them inaccessible. That makes them productive, which makes them worth imitating.</i><br />
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We "remember" - we think about, sometimes even obsess over, and chase down - remote teachers. Everyone wants Bill Johnson for their pastor. (Good luck with that...I like him too, but he wouldn't have lunch with me if I asked him, not even next YEAR. He probably would not personally answer an email from me.) <br />
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We imitate the faith of a YouTube prophet, and wonder why we don't see the personal growth we long to see. We wonder why our lives always feel like two steps forward, three back.<br />
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Two steps forward, three back is what happens without the impartation that comes with the imitation of what is <i>yours</i>.<br />
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"<i>Think about the impact of their lives</i>...". I challenge you to do something I bet you have never done before: spend a few minutes each week, thinking about the impact of the life of YOUR leader. I guarantee he or she has been up to way more than you know about, and their impact goes farther and deeper than you have actively considered.<br />
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Don't let familiarity rob you of yet another season of advancement! You cannot make headway, you will not expand, by imitating the Internet Famous, or seeking the stamp of approval of a professional credentialist.<br />
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It never ceases to amaze me and stump my logic, the way people will set out on an absolute tangent, pouring their time talent and treasure into imitating someone they met six months ago, or imitating someone who wants to sell them an idea or a product or a book. If the person you are imitating, profits directly from your interest in them, then <i>frankly all you are is a feather in their cap.</i><br />
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You can keep imitating that awesome, remote person. I'm not the boss of you. But. <i>Be prepared to risk making huge progress...in the wrong direction!</i> And that is worse than no progress, because that pseudo progress will deceive the daylight out of you.<br />
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You need to reaquaint yourself with that seemingly ordinary man or woman who tells it like it is, and who clearly is "yours". You know who they are - they are the ones you've been attempting to avoid, while you've been trying to get the attention of that cool, charismatic crow in Nebraska. They are the ones who lead, irrespective of your criticism or reward.<br />
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I'm all about my book learning. Some of my best mentors have taught me from their graves, through their books. But something was always missing. Always. This is my confession.<br />
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See...I've never made the sort of progress from a book, that I've made from imitating the faith of someone who God placed very physically and directly in my life. Someone who spoke the word of the Lord into my situation. Someone who I can watch her do her life.<br />
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Proximity does matter. God has localized this whole process, because that's how He wanted it done.<br />
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I believe with my whole heart, if you yield to God's plan of imitating what is YOURS, you will see a lot of authentic progress, and a heavy load will lift from off your spirit...<br />
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you will...<br />
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feel light...<br />
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as a feather.<br />
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<br />Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-77002013413804052142016-05-03T22:17:00.000-04:002016-05-03T23:06:08.811-04:003 Steps To Mid-Life Self-CareI've studied mid-life issues for over a decade, now. I've read so many great books, I have lost count. If it is true that the status of "master" or "expert" is achieved after 10,000 hours of devoted practice and study...then, it is time for me to own the title of reluctant expert. Not a medical expert, mind you - just a reluctant expert on things middling.<br />
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One thing I know for certain is that our end is designed and defined by how well we navigate our middle. And the middle is <i>the</i> quitting-place. All manner of quitting disguised as mid-life course correction happens between the ages of 45 to 55. The middle is precisely the point where many women (and men) choose change for the sake of change. The middle is when we are all tempted to reverse or change course on a journey that should be seen through to completion by faith. The goal is not to alter the destination or abandon the path. <br />
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Everything in the middle is more difficult. And to stay in integrity, to be strong and courageous, to resist idolatry, and refuse selling your soul for security or money or personal peace and affluence feels far harder than it did when you were young and all your prospects in front of you. In the middle, it is easier to see the doctor, to see the obstacles, to change things up instead of clean things out, to buy new cars and expensive remedies and better clothes instead of investing in friends and faith and contentment. It is easier to make excuses than it is to create beauty in the life and relationships we already have. <br />
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Before you decide to commit to your fear, or pledge yourself to pain so that change for the sake of change seems justified - here are three steps, three principles governing mid-life self-care that I've never heard anyone talk about, but I challenge you to live into:<br />
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1. Rest. Rest from your own efforts to feel more secure. Free-fall into everlasting arms, and make the grace of God the great passion of your middle soul. Read Galatians as if your life depended on it. <br />
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2. Resonate. To borrow a worn-out, kind of new-agey term, I have to tell you: heaven has a resonance. That resonance is <i>faith. </i>Begin to believe God again, dear one. Change for the sake of change is not healthy. But to step out and do something you couldn't do before, for reasons far bigger than your own personal peace, is the healthiest thing you could imagine doing. Pray in the Spirit. Sing in the Spirit. Soak your soul in worship. Devote yourself to the community of your local church. Come under healthy leadership and government. These things will raise your resonance, both instantly and over time, to match heaven's vibration. You will begin to walk super-naturally as a rule, and chasing natural remedy won't be as necessary.<br />
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3. Respond. Respond - not to your fears. Stop designing a life around prevention and fear. Rather, respond to your creative longings. Nine times out of ten, those creative longings were placed there by the Masterpiece Maker. The designer of your unique soul has infused your being with a message that needs proclaiming. He's made it so that your gifts are the mechanism of proclamation. He has surrounded you with people who need convincing. Respond to all these sign-posts, and your midlife journey will take on beautiful texture and significance. Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-88058531842209267162016-04-28T16:57:00.000-04:002016-04-28T18:09:21.107-04:00My Story Matters {...and so does yours...}<div class="p1" style="text-align: center;">
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<span class="s1">I’m a grandmother now. A Mimi, to be precise. Before I know it, this one (in the picture below) will get married and have her first baby, and I will be a great-grandmother. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">I’m old enough today, to be carrying several versions of myself inside me, like Russian dolls. </span></div>
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I'll be 50 years old this November. Turning 50 is like having my 21-year-old self still inside me - the one who had just given birth to identical twin girls and who consequently never slept my 21st year. I have inside me the 31-year-old version of myself - the one who was a pastor’s wife, who made Sloppy Joe lentils for her family, and ate everything whole food and low fat. </div>
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I even have the 41-year-old Sheila still inside me, now. The one who was trying to raise children who would live right and have no regrets - the 41-year-old momma who home educated all four, who had run hard and long and who had her finish line in sight, whose job was almost done, and <a href="http://aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com/2008/08/boys-of-summer.html">whose heart was on the cusp of being shattered in a million pieces.</a></div>
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Boyhood goes from this...</div>
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...to this...</div>
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From this...</div>
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...to this...</div>
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I suspected, but didn't know for sure when I was 41, that the "boys of summer" were about to be gone forever. Boyhood innocence sometimes vanishes</div>
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in ways we hoped it wouldn't.</div>
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Children grow up. They all do. </div>
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Yeah. I was a "basketball mom". Whose son was headed for university.</div>
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If I'd known then, on <i>that very day</i> right up there, if I'd known then what I know now...<br />
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...I would still have done it. All of it. <br />
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<span class="s1">The overall story of my life has one theme:</span></div>
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<span class="s1">The supremacy of Christ in all of life. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Christ in my life as a teenage girl who overcame being told by classmates grade after grade, year after year that she was ugly, but who placed third in the Junior Miss Pageant - and scored the top score of all contestants in a category called poise and appearance. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Christ the source of joy as a young bride - when I found out that married love was profound and beautiful, but Jesus was even better. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Christ, the giver of peace when my nest suddenly emptied as two beautiful capable daughters married Godly men (see <a href="http://aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com/2009/05/wordless-almost-wednesday.html">here</a> and <a href="http://aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com/2009/05/thoughts-day-before-my-daughters.html">here</a> and <a href="http://aseasonofharvest.blogspot.com/2010/03/our-girl.html">here</a>), </span><br />
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<span class="s1">and two sons went temporarily AWOL, becoming prodigals…and I coped with feeling like the enemy of my soul had won. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Christ, my all-in-all as a grandmother whose first grandchild, a boy named after my husband, lived with us for almost three years, along with his parents, while his momma and daddy saved up for a house. A house that, little did we know, would be <i>the house next door</i>. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">Christ, the giver of grace upon grace upon grace as my other twin daughter and her husband bought <i>the other</i> house next door, and two of my granddaughters moved all their pink tiaras and dolls and shiny shoes into those rooms.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin04nV52gHNvqcFgJuvi4LDq-LKncHpF6h0GcgOfcK_QKVZqVqXebAkc-qtJyYF6vXtnc00Jh_s4wHjYQb-p8ImH1W4Y3m7zAGS7NchxGdHQnSfLns5SzxPDoHhhADDpq3SR2iU5Z6zr9b/s1600/susannajoy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin04nV52gHNvqcFgJuvi4LDq-LKncHpF6h0GcgOfcK_QKVZqVqXebAkc-qtJyYF6vXtnc00Jh_s4wHjYQb-p8ImH1W4Y3m7zAGS7NchxGdHQnSfLns5SzxPDoHhhADDpq3SR2iU5Z6zr9b/s320/susannajoy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Christ, who redeems every situation, as my oldest son became a first-time dad...</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My story is His story. My life has but one context: the sacred-beautiful transforming power of grace, as found in the Gospel of the finished work of Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All my stories find their significance in the One story of who God is. So tell your stories, too. My stories are not about me. Sure, I am the main character in my life story, that's how God made things to be, but the story itself is a manifesto of Him who made me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.32px;">What have you been a witness of? <i>Bear witness, sister!</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.32px;">Bearing witness isn't always quoting scripture. It is the telling of story. We....WE are His letters, His workmanship.</span></div>
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Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-58352540683368989852016-04-15T13:28:00.001-04:002016-04-15T16:07:28.843-04:00A Free Art Tutorial {...my VERY FIRST "talk-to-you-while-I-work" video!}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmQP-4xaXdD88qt0v-8gGDB4rVAw_lf2OKaPWX7Jc8K2gHo3YVBahrXSLI6LrHDAcs8XMHQA-1BAl6puHtL_X5Iycz5Y5RxMzGIRzU9fh2JwS_0WM_qxEDdt2zdu6cZjgYOg18y_RSg4Y/s1600/IMG_1717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmQP-4xaXdD88qt0v-8gGDB4rVAw_lf2OKaPWX7Jc8K2gHo3YVBahrXSLI6LrHDAcs8XMHQA-1BAl6puHtL_X5Iycz5Y5RxMzGIRzU9fh2JwS_0WM_qxEDdt2zdu6cZjgYOg18y_RSg4Y/s640/IMG_1717.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>(next in my sketchbook series "A More Beautiful Question". This one is entitled "What Are You Waiting For?")</i></div>
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This may be my last free art video for awhile.<br />
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I say it is the last, at least for now, because the time has come for me to choose a platform (something very simple, as I am not looking to form my own social community - I ultimately want my work to focus on the making of art, not the editing of video or the management of a large website) and start filming a paid class.<br />
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The <i>real</i> question is how to pick, from all the ideas I have in my head, what should be my first - very own - paid art class? I have ideas ranging from...<br />
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...nevermind. I think I have my very first copycat out there (no - it isn't you) and so my business mentors teach me to keep a little more to myself than I have before. My tendency is to share in detail, and that isn't always necessary or beneficial.<br />
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Suffice it to say that my teaching style tends to blend art instruction with Bible teaching with stand up comedy....(it's the alcohol...just kidding!) In short, anything can and usually does happen when I strap on a mic.<br />
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Here's a behind-the-scenes look at last night's shoot:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtpkzrWyZLIb2C0w8jzncSSDBp4XfvWt-pvRlZRZMfpPc1sfihZyjo5ULr7_J03kZtq2xwJ6puNrz2v5i-uOfZyh7UvKBcGBXmKh9mjJvlh8SM06Xa9aD0saN843RtqNExt1tJUGfAL3P/s1600/beautifulquestion2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtpkzrWyZLIb2C0w8jzncSSDBp4XfvWt-pvRlZRZMfpPc1sfihZyjo5ULr7_J03kZtq2xwJ6puNrz2v5i-uOfZyh7UvKBcGBXmKh9mjJvlh8SM06Xa9aD0saN843RtqNExt1tJUGfAL3P/s640/beautifulquestion2.jpg" width="458" /></a></div>
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I'm nothing if not cutting-edge, as you can see.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_IwCT0AxcbfbdSTKcE8vOOTj7Ds-rjQTCxVaP1ce_ulBr_U-YAvtTDzT00Ql9QKgbIHTpC3OAh5QlO9vL5uStmhfTJYmZ0bNelvc37TwRYsEoMZapaYsQZJav7d2X43dPxB5Yupbj91H/s1600/beautifulquestion1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_IwCT0AxcbfbdSTKcE8vOOTj7Ds-rjQTCxVaP1ce_ulBr_U-YAvtTDzT00Ql9QKgbIHTpC3OAh5QlO9vL5uStmhfTJYmZ0bNelvc37TwRYsEoMZapaYsQZJav7d2X43dPxB5Yupbj91H/s640/beautifulquestion1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Above, you see those drawers you'll hear open/close/open/close all throughout the tutorial.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8t1RL919urYHA0ndpCVYQE9REr8wDAuEfu5jf0q5EGeiMunTScMszjvLh9w57ASLa0utPEnMK4kHPUWlYh32vIhxRMKJkKEb5FC1iKisNTgsYX3EBIcz3U_v-DmwYnj1iHZkLHUmt5pvn/s1600/beautifulquestion3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8t1RL919urYHA0ndpCVYQE9REr8wDAuEfu5jf0q5EGeiMunTScMszjvLh9w57ASLa0utPEnMK4kHPUWlYh32vIhxRMKJkKEb5FC1iKisNTgsYX3EBIcz3U_v-DmwYnj1iHZkLHUmt5pvn/s640/beautifulquestion3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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To say that I'm visually inspired might be an understatement. And I can't wait to finish re-decorating this entire studio. The blue walls are about to get a one-way-ticket to...<br />
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...nevermind. I'm not going to say what I'm thinking.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Mq02w9WX5ABjM1fv46LCP4xd_1zxW7d-p75R3dn5vDcBWbxoMWV_NZY5BR51MtFLJNrGoxB5XyjNN9oSfKe8N1xoDfx9gkknDrCTV9nLsb30ahld__FxKFc8o34wcSU5lcMnVgIkS7E-/s1600/Beautifulquestion4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Mq02w9WX5ABjM1fv46LCP4xd_1zxW7d-p75R3dn5vDcBWbxoMWV_NZY5BR51MtFLJNrGoxB5XyjNN9oSfKe8N1xoDfx9gkknDrCTV9nLsb30ahld__FxKFc8o34wcSU5lcMnVgIkS7E-/s640/Beautifulquestion4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Above is the easel that, in the video, I promised you a picture of. All that yummy dried paint. I can't throw it away.<br />
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So here's my last free video offering for a little while. I apologize ahead of time because this video is well over an hour. For your convenience, I chose to divide it into <i>seven</i> parts. <br />
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I realize it is a lot of information. A long lesson. But when I filmed this last night...<br />
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(I know. <i>The worst</i> time to shoot video. But The Preacher was at the church late, I had the house to myself, and I'm alone far less than you might think. I can't get all my imaginary friends to go home.)<br />
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...I decided I was <b>going for it.</b> I decided I was going to put my very first "talk while I work" video out into the world.<br />
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Yeah. This is <i>the first time</i> I talk to all of you while I work. (I told you I can't get my imaginary friends to leave. What were y'all doing still in my studio at 10 PM last night?!) And consequently, I made up my mind that I was going to stick with this, forge through, power through, and, as Seth Godin says, "SHIP." Even if the resulting image was crap.<br />
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(I'll leave it for you to decide, as to the finished image...but you <i>may not</i> make fun of my accent...)<br />
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<br />Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118305504717027281.post-50663041328460137232016-04-13T18:29:00.001-04:002016-04-13T18:29:31.733-04:00For the Love of My Scruffy Little City {....Knoxville, TN}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqRnuwqKC08V59AtV_tR6TiDd1FkspE3K5CJVNPfM451Zx1MGVBK5RHvSYLOCsgiv6Jw3bzJTUvcaRH3mw_5adR3Xf8qwP8gW5OoQOwzLbY4x3EPH1B-f26A2aqeyvigLOxXgeW6NSsVv/s1600/knoxvilleapril.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqRnuwqKC08V59AtV_tR6TiDd1FkspE3K5CJVNPfM451Zx1MGVBK5RHvSYLOCsgiv6Jw3bzJTUvcaRH3mw_5adR3Xf8qwP8gW5OoQOwzLbY4x3EPH1B-f26A2aqeyvigLOxXgeW6NSsVv/s640/knoxvilleapril.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Lately, I've had a desire to sketch and paint local, urban subject matter. In the past, every time The Preacher and I took a Monday Funday day-or-half-day off, we'd take a trip to the Smokies. He'd haul his huge Nikon, and I'd drag along my portable studio...(an art bag filled with "just the essentials". Only - the essentials keep multiplying. hashtag Ihaveanaddictiontoartsupplies.)<br />
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After years of this personal art practice, after years of taking off on the occasional but pretty consistent Monday (I <i>wish</i> it was every Monday) I now have whole sketch books full of mountain and meadow scenes. <br />
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And suddenly, this week, I told The Preacher I want to tackle my town.<br />
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So we went and shot Knoxville all <i>up </i>this evening. Since sunrise or sunset or overcast are really the only times sane photogs shoot, we checked our local weather and saw that today or tomorrow would be peak time, this week.<br />
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Tip: You can only get to so many places during said peak time, when the light is luscious. We will have to do this again. And again. Looks like my Mondays are all planned out for the foreseeable future.<br />
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<i>You know I hate that. </i>Especially when it involves dinner out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTHOu9vN24x5CKsTZJtyXspnIUFaYBQ4OEJo9d5mzoUjTLtVv144FSlDgIxpmXKyaSo4k5DyM2LWKqrNcG6kfcnlwCind_-8DHOM4vOZRWvOlqUD3YA6gcZKAsBOje1g0je0yg280y2s0/s1600/knoxapril6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTHOu9vN24x5CKsTZJtyXspnIUFaYBQ4OEJo9d5mzoUjTLtVv144FSlDgIxpmXKyaSo4k5DyM2LWKqrNcG6kfcnlwCind_-8DHOM4vOZRWvOlqUD3YA6gcZKAsBOje1g0je0yg280y2s0/s640/knoxapril6.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUlZ3UsJRHO-TYysY1LBWC_wAmc2FY8XQIU-IuQbesl0oTIuEI_YThMev4XuV-VTJ5mozjE6rZ8eULnycyWUlTVeNldrFl2YzI1mQGOtgjNFNpbMKesBfX0q5_YpTVFu-yQjwfyljj1Lv/s1600/knoxapril7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUlZ3UsJRHO-TYysY1LBWC_wAmc2FY8XQIU-IuQbesl0oTIuEI_YThMev4XuV-VTJ5mozjE6rZ8eULnycyWUlTVeNldrFl2YzI1mQGOtgjNFNpbMKesBfX0q5_YpTVFu-yQjwfyljj1Lv/s640/knoxapril7.jpg" width="630" /></a></div>
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(bathroom selfie - because you can't not.)</div>
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<i>Disclaimer: every shot here was taken with my iPhone 6 - not my big girl camera. I just wanted shots for sketches and paintings today - The Preacher took the "real" photographs.</i></div>
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My town used to be called the "Scruffy Little City" a few generations ago. Today, it is beginning to rival Nashville when it comes to music and art.</div>
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My town has the iconic:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwLb0MwjQ4oVWj05f7853l6tM7UJ9CmzMQ8ACvRWguhTYdXFMjnKiyPr-JeCfCwlCQvzr8NoaLI7ZE_LOKz1FvJ5A9hXAEoxehLRZ1mDNL5QL5sC3e6vji_bu_QXTN87idVT8oxjfliuT/s1600/knoxapril8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwwLb0MwjQ4oVWj05f7853l6tM7UJ9CmzMQ8ACvRWguhTYdXFMjnKiyPr-JeCfCwlCQvzr8NoaLI7ZE_LOKz1FvJ5A9hXAEoxehLRZ1mDNL5QL5sC3e6vji_bu_QXTN87idVT8oxjfliuT/s640/knoxapril8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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...and the weirdly iconic:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTjne8a1YtSJVlTFjJhvrw0WOT2BH22xNyJuRMbd0Wh-T3abieqsiQkE3mO1qH1lv6-hOy8PVcyBN9l0g9cBp5t52hjSSVewg9Tw3f3bZ8iCC2WVdZ2FJUq26quctZvlOyICpU3_axd7q/s1600/knoxapril-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTjne8a1YtSJVlTFjJhvrw0WOT2BH22xNyJuRMbd0Wh-T3abieqsiQkE3mO1qH1lv6-hOy8PVcyBN9l0g9cBp5t52hjSSVewg9Tw3f3bZ8iCC2WVdZ2FJUq26quctZvlOyICpU3_axd7q/s640/knoxapril-3.jpg" width="592" /></a></div>
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And if you watch closely, especially on any foreseeable Monday, you <i>might </i>see a preacher shooting up the city, all dressed in Volunteer Orange:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGIQXxZM7mbucyeayHp7Agpv7Y5ciGAaGPgIK3-k8s7CIeCFLSturya0x-DVIN_N4ygxl_kFWTrSK7LwWe7cGfiIxq52gkoStHyr4kIpQ-ihQc4GhCRqFGmSdGMpt7fRuiocpgqsV3lHs/s1600/knoxapril4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGIQXxZM7mbucyeayHp7Agpv7Y5ciGAaGPgIK3-k8s7CIeCFLSturya0x-DVIN_N4ygxl_kFWTrSK7LwWe7cGfiIxq52gkoStHyr4kIpQ-ihQc4GhCRqFGmSdGMpt7fRuiocpgqsV3lHs/s640/knoxapril4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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(His wife will probably be in a random bathroom, taking a selfie. Don't watch for her.)<br />
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This scene stopped me in my tracks, quite literally. Not the one above, of the cute preacher shooting the town - the one <i>below.</i><br />
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The Preacher kept walking darn near a block before he realized he had lost me to this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpYuftXCEJh0_fDHmCmSO7dQKJ2VTPtHhVcDBSYaZMbsu_AOCziTjwl6ebNBcJiNeZBzv0s4dB2AMb1E3TtZnytozG03S26RMvwiSLCGCUqWZMepN0uJQ5_6yhXx1aGmWLNbSHNmyeyjL6/s1600/knoxvilleapril-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpYuftXCEJh0_fDHmCmSO7dQKJ2VTPtHhVcDBSYaZMbsu_AOCziTjwl6ebNBcJiNeZBzv0s4dB2AMb1E3TtZnytozG03S26RMvwiSLCGCUqWZMepN0uJQ5_6yhXx1aGmWLNbSHNmyeyjL6/s640/knoxvilleapril-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Isn't that dreamy? Now I have to go back and eat there. <i>Right there. </i>Nothing less will do.<br />
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The Preacher had to screech to a halt, and then sigh while making a U-turn on a sketchy side street, because I begged to be able to grab this shot out the truck passenger side window:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwiZDursS9zCIgN9OZqSIt-t6kclpAuGL3L83Pjup4zZlg9zcrjhL7CH0Fu3VBc59UYW6OXXzMIrWoXy399CaRr6RyNcatp_60hT-4mzISZMXSkexeANJidvF9O6lzdWG6B5O7_bfvSex/s1600/knoxapril5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwiZDursS9zCIgN9OZqSIt-t6kclpAuGL3L83Pjup4zZlg9zcrjhL7CH0Fu3VBc59UYW6OXXzMIrWoXy399CaRr6RyNcatp_60hT-4mzISZMXSkexeANJidvF9O6lzdWG6B5O7_bfvSex/s640/knoxapril5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Stay tuned this upcoming Monday...<br />
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I will be out of the house and roaming my city.<br />
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<br />Sheila Atchleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08989452938845114084noreply@blogger.com0