from the start on Friday, they were both surprisingly familiar to me. i never felt like they were new… strange… unfamiliar.
Alece (gritandglory.com) is a missionary in South Africa who has an amazing heart and 9,000 facial expressions. she has the most beautiful hands i’ve ever seen – they are so delicate and feminine and stunning. she has a laugh that you can’t forget, and when she really laughs she laughs with her WHOLE body. she’s an incredible listener and sincere friend. she loves deeply. feels deeply. cares deeply.
Cathi (cathistegall.com) has a personality to light up a room and eyes that are mesmerizing. i WISH i could show you her eyes. her gentle spirit is balanced by a witty sense of humor that leaves you constantly surprised and amused by what comes out of her mouth. there are layers to her don’t show in the blog world… but, these layers make her more beautiful than you can imagine.
they are both beautiful. and they are both so much more beautiful in person. that was the only thing that really really surprised me about both of them. i thought them beautiful from pictures and videos, but to see them in person magnified their beauty.
every thing was a “more” … they were the Alece and Cathi that i’ve grown to love through blogging, but there was “more” to everything that i already knew.
i think i’m realizing that with blogging, we get a fraction of reality. we get a portion of the person. we get a taste.
this fraction does come from the greater whole, giving us a glimpse of their bigger reality.
but it’s still just a fraction.
it’s great to see and read about the visit!!!
but isn’t that true with any relationship…you only get the fraction of reality the other person is willing to share…
Aaww, you are a sweet friend.
Hi. I didn’t read Mandy’s post yet. But I remember she had said once that her Mom was a “lurker.” So, since it’s only 8:46 a.m., and not too many people have commented on this post yet, I am going to do something different today.
Because I’m writing this for just one reason.
I just want to say hi to Mandy’s Mom.
So…”Hi, Mandy’s Mom!”
And who knows? Maybe this just made her day.
we’ll see what she says!!!!
Well, you will. She’s a lurker. I’ll never know. No “reward” for me here…
…come to think of it, that’s probably a pretty good example to set.
(Now if only I had planned it that way.
)
i’m not sure if she even reads the comments…. so she might miss it altogether. so sorry Nor!
You are so right about a portion.
We don’t see all the layers……. you simply can’t.
But it’s amazing how many you can see….
Just in the videos that you have done this week and the past,
YOUR LAYERS are pretty amazing too!!! Thank you for sharing them friend!!!
Oh.. I forgot something….
I hope you realized what God has done your life. Not only have you searched and found your own authenticity in some powerful posts RIGHT HERE, But God gave you a “gift of friendship” full of realness, joy, and love that you can have for a very long time.
Gosh your blessed Mrs. Thompson!!! so blessed…
H:
you have confirmed something that i don’t even have words for, but have been stewing over for nearly a week… i consciously voiced my inner-dialog while cathi & alece were with me: “y’all are here. y’all don’t live in my computer. i love you. i can’t believe that i can look at your face & know what you’re thinking. etc etc etc”
… but there was another inner-dialog going on… one that sounds a lot like your comment. the blessing. the knowing and seeing and experiencing of the blessing.
i was thinking about it this morning. there’s some seriously exciting blog stuff in my near future, and i think i can see God’s hand resting on this. here. and i don’t know why… but i think He’s serious about what happens at mandythompson.com. i’ve been praying some prayers about my blog-life for MONTHS, and i just watched Him answer them – last week – just two days before i hugged those beautiful ladies.
this weekend was a taste. there’s more to come…
my heart pounds to think about it.
Can get a piece of that action? Wait…that sounds kinda dirty. Nevermind.
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yes.
i mean. no.
um.
nevermind.
This makes me miss them and you even more, and I’ve not “met” any of you in real life. Blogging does that. Wow. People don’t know what they are missing!! These are some of the most sincere friendships I’ve had, and I’ve never met any of them. Amazing.
I totally agree – I had two meet-in-real-lifes over the past few months (not as amazing as yours), but cool nonetheless. it felt like they were paper people that were “filled out” when i met them for real.
glad you found a couple of keepers! =)
This makes me think of one of my favorite songs… “When God made you He must have been thinking about me.”
Sarah: i mentioned “flat stanleys” when we were hanging out on saturday. “flat mandy” LOL!!!
Bwan: are you pouting? j/k
TJ: aw. country music, right?
oh no!! NO NO NO! I was being totally sincere. I find the whole thing amazing. I never ever thought I’d get attached to people I don’t even know.
My sister in law has online friends that she calls her “sisters” because they all went through infertility together, and have never met, but she loves them like family. I always thought she was crazy. But now, now I get it.
Mandy, not only was this beautiful … but in the middle of it, I thought – “so much like God!” We only get to know Him here by His Word, you know. What He’s written down. We get to know Him by the Spirit too … but it’s still a little like blogworld. “But then, face to face.” One day we will see Him … and it will take our breath away … times like 100,000. tears. thanks Mandy.
Love this Mandy, really beautiful. Yeah, I agree, when you see the real life person, you see their spirit come through too in a way you can’t imagine on a page.
*THANK YOU!* for commenting on my blog! I am so happy to find yours and have really enjoyed reading through your front page. ~smile~ (((((HUGS))))) sandi
Annie: now that’ll preach.
Birgit: you know about this, don’t you? i’m so glad someone from this blogging community had the chance to hug her neck!!!
T2W: this comment made me SMILE too!
thank you for hopping right back. you’ve really got my mind churning through my fall thoughts….
Geeze, between you and Tam lately, I’m waiting for Unicorns, Ponies and Rainbows to pop up all over the blogsphere…
Did you hear Bret Farve was traded to the Jets?
I often joke with some of the girls that I blog with– but know I will never get to meet this side of heaven– that we will have a meeting place once we get to heaven….just so we can hug each others neck. That meeting place…just to the right of the great pearly gates.
I’ll be the one holding the big sign that says, WELCOME ALL BLOGGERS!
And you are right…we only see a portion of the ones we blog with. But then every once in a while we meet someone and God opens a connection. Sometimes that connection is just for a season…maybe it is just to help them through a growth spurt. And then sometimes we meet someone and there is a connection that takes place that will never be broken.
Blogdom is a true gift from God to me…..I just have to make sure I don’t get lost in the gift and forget the GIVER.
Glad you got to meet some sisters face to face.
BO: i DID. it’s such a scandal. can you believe it? atleast he’s not gonna have to change all his colors and stuff. he does look great in green… and that rugged face. mmm mmm mmmmmmmmmm
Sharon: you’ve never met any? wow. i can’t imagine!!! you have such a tight group of women…. you know, we will be throwing a serious PARTY in heaven when we all get there!!!! i’ll be sure to look for your sign!
did he just say unicorn?
Your moms a unicorn.
Yes unicorn… ala Job 39:9-10, Psalm 92:10 … Or just the sissy girly kind with little pink bows in it’s mane…
MT: That’s exactly what I was thinking about Favre… He’s sooo dreamy… And that southern accent… OMG!
Your moms Bret Farve.
BO: i know!!! the accent…. it just kills me. and his 3 day old scruff. ohhhhhh man…. i’m sure it gets you to drooling too!
KA: so. and so.
Al: yes. i believe he did!!! LOL
Hmph! Typical Mandy.
(By the way, I’m NOT pouting! It’s the morning dew.
)
Hi mom.
I’m sure with the three of you together the beauty of the Lord was astounding….I love reading all of your sights with all of the different angles that came from that one meeting. Thank you for sharing a little taste of Heaven with us!
Nor: how will you make it through the day with all this bad news????
KA: can i have you for my birthday?
1godsgal: some of my favorite moments were hearing more of their stories – what God did to bring each one of us into ministry. it’s amazing!
Can I have your mom?
I am so funny today.
did you eat paint chips for breakfast?
cathi didn’t comprehend the function and usage of our toaster oven. she was mesmerized.
Wait, what? Cathi or Alece?
Quit trying to catch me at being a stalker on your blog today…okay fine….I admit it. I am here. Don’t try to get me to play your little games.
Mandy: fuzzy haired guy – my brother.. He was walking down the street here and some teenagers looked at him and started singing ‘afro afro man’ to the tune of macho, macho man. Hilarious
oh.. and explanation has been provided
CATHI. she asked us a TON of questions. wanted to know if we can make toast in the toaster oven. bless. her. heart.
how ’bout this game: gimme a flaughter shot. come on! you know you wanna. you’re crazy enough to do this!!!
Corrie: THAT’S stinkin’ funny!!! i’ll have to check that explanation. wow.
Whatev. I have to go do dinner now. Some of us have a life you know. I mean, not me…but some of us…Just sayin.
I will get you the flaughter later…you know I am good for it.
you better! and i’ll put it up here. definitely!!! enjoy the brownies…. i mean, dinner.
buddyo…nothing. nevermind.
im afraid for you to see me someday. ive decided against it. yes. i think i look better in pictures. so lets just keep it the way it is. i am selfish that way.
your words are still swirling around my head. i’ve reread this post about six times already, and i choke up every time. i don’t even know what to say about your kind description of me, except… thanks.
Tam: whatever. i never wanted to meet you anyway…
Alece: sorry? you’re welcome? want some apple pie?
yes please.
come back
i wish i could.
right now.
[beam me up, scottie]
Mandy:
I just brown some ground beef and have a Manwich night.
Works like a charm.
applepie is one word.
TheNor: i’ll have what your dog’s having!
Al: um…. sorry……….
KA: your mom’s one word