Stolen Snapshot

Stolen from Kelly's Blog, "Conformed To His Image" (see blogroll to the left...).

(L-R) Amy, me, Kelly, Lisa, Megan, Rhonda, Sarah, Angela, and our nurseLinda kneeling. Hannah took the picture, so she's not in this one.

I saw the best fanny -pack. Fanny- pack, not fanny. Ahem. Far be it from me, typically, to ever want or wear a fanny-pack. Even at forty-something, I am still slightly conscious of my "cool". I, who hiked without one, discovered they are the best things for a semi-long hike. I saw one with TWO waterbottles, one on each side, and the usual compartment in the middle. It looked very outdoorsy...sporty...I could work a fanny pack like that. I could make it look like the coolest fanny pack ever, and all middle aged women everywhere, who have previously avoided fanny packs as much as they have avoided "mom jeans", would want one.

I just might actually have to walk into a Gander Mountain store, and get one. I, who only darken the doors of the girly places like Ann Taylor - unfortunately to covet, never to actually shop - may actually search out a cool fanny pack. Someone please stop me, though, if you see me trying on the back packs with the weird-y ski poles.

A Saturday Spent With Friends

Ingredients for a Perfect Day ~

Take a moss covered tree, a 6 mile hike, with lots of time for conversation...


Add a gorgeous, tumbling river, the sound of which gets into your soul, bringing deep restoration....

Toss in ten women, each with an acute sense of humor, along with the prospect of LUNCH - stir vigorously...

The culmination of The Perfect Day. (By this time, we were absolutely starving.) See the river in the background? And the dollar bills on the wall? We signed our own dollar bill, and added it to the collection.

Harvest Women. Nothin' and no one in this world like 'em. They will fill you with shock and awe, make you laugh, and bless you so big you can't even begin to understand the lifestyle until you've lived it.

I love you girls! I wish each and every one of you could have come.

A Bit of Dark Humor

Yesterday, my daughter Hannah got her lovely, long brunette hair cut short, and she came by the house to show me her new hairdo. Adorable! Her new husband Justin thought it looked very cute. And I couldn't wait for her twin sister Sarah to get home.


Because before Hannah left, she put a gift on her sister's bed. Sarah had no idea.


Oh, I was howling and cackling. Sorry for the horrible mixing of metaphors (I picture a chicken with fangs...) but truly, I laughed until I hurt and the tears rolled.


Here is what Sarah came home to, neatly arranged in a tiny gift bag, complete with matching tissue paper and a card:



The card, which Sarah read before opening the gift of course, said, "Dear Sarah, I miss you so much! I got you a gift for those days when you miss me too. You can put it anywhere you want...under your pillow...hang it from the rear view mirror of your car...enjoy!"

Yup. Sarah, who adores getting presents, put her hand in the gift bag, and excitedly pulled out her "gift".

She. Freaked. Out. She threw it across the room, in a confused panic.

Hannah, posing with her old ponytail...

The evil plot is hatched...




Gleefully preparing her "gift"...

I don't know WHERE she gets the dark sense of humor. ::sniff:: Ahem. Oh, and by the way, the cut portion is gorgeous and shiny and bouncy, and is being donated to "Locks of Love". Well, that is, if we can convince Sarah to take it out from under her pillow....

What's New and Different These Days... In Pictures

Two generations of married couples...Tim and I on the left, Hannah and Justin, right.

Hannah's old room is now your guest room...when you come stay with us, here is where you'll be. Please pardon my treadmill, but I love having it in front of the window facing our pond!

No longer "the boys' room", now that Josiah has moved out, this is Isaac's room, with new-to-him drums, and TV (for video games only - this TV won't pick up channels.)

Tim got me roses this past week..."just because".

My Mother's Day gift from Tim...an orchid. (Jamie Weeks - how do I keep this beauty alive?)

Just 6 weeks ago, this was a table for 6. Tonight, my heart finally caught up with reality, and I re-set it for 4. Soon, this will be a table for 2.

Snapped just now, in my back yard...

The butterfly garden is beginning to blossom.

Some new additions! (Foxglove)

Final Picture, I Promise (maybe...)

I think it is funny how Tim, Hannah, and I are looking three different directions. It was understandable! We had our dear friend Lesa as designated photographer...and there were friends, grandparents, aunties, and who knows who else also snapping pictures. You should see the short video clip on my Facebook page, recording the moment Justin and Hannah arrived at the reception. The cameras flashing made it look like some sort of red carpet event! Hannah was a rock star...

Wordless (Almost) Wednesday

My daughter Sarah, maid of honor (in the background) and her twin sister, Hannah, who is now Mrs. McConnell.

At least a half dozen people, besides the family, have emailed, called, or told me face to face that it was the most beautiful wedding, and most delightful reception they had ever seen or been part of. There might be more who have told me this, but I can tic off a half dozen names off the top of my head. The presence of the Lord, and the fellowship of the saints, was most manifest and precious.

My Jesus. My church. Both, the best.

We, the Atchleys, could have never pulled this once-in-a-lifetime event off properly by ourselves. Truly, it is "not him who wills or him who runs", not by might nor by power, the race is not to the swift...some trust in chariots some in horses but we will remember the name of our God.

We, by our own efforts and our own resources, could not have made Hannah's wedding day what it was! Had we had the "average" $25,000 budget, we could not have made it what it was. Jesus was there, figuratively turning water to wine, making the sweetness that was in the atmosphere.

He, alone, is Maker.

Identity Issues...

No, I cannot "make myself" as God. I cannot make anything, in fact. I can only imitate, never originate. If there is anything good in me, anything good in my life, it originated from the only Maker there is.

Yet I can claim, with total confidence, that God is my Father. This means, through the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ, and through the indwelling Holy Spirit, I share certain characteristics with Dad. And I want to be like Him.

"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” I Peter 1

What was this former ignorance? I believe we can be ignorant of the gospel, either having never heard it, or having been indoctrinated with works-based churchianity instead. I believe we can be ignorant of who we are, in Christ. Passions can only change with a change in identity. Identity determines conformity.

This is proven, end over end, in areas such as our sexual identity, or our identity with a socio-economic group. From homosexual to heterosexual, from gangster to street person to social snob, we act like what or who we identify with. We never rise above what or who we identify with.

All the self-sown fig leaves in the world can't cover me (see previous post), if all I can identify with is my sin. I can work hard to be holy till the cows come home, yet I will never be able to "make myself".

But I can imitate what God originates. I can identify with His fatherhood, and my sonship.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as (in the same way) God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as (in the same way) Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (end of Eph. 3, beginning of 4)

Identity matters. To closely imitate someone, we must first closely identify with them. You identify first, then imitate next....not attempt to imitate first, then identify next.

Yes, it matters. The order matters. The relationship between first and second things matters.