In the Company of Friends ~ A Synchroblog

I categorize friends as ‘friends who have been to my house’
and ‘friends who haven’t been to my house yet’.

-   The Nester   -

Sheila     .     Me     .     Beth

 

The three of us planned this gathering for months.  My messy marriage friend Beth and her husband were coming from the mid-west to NY for a conference and she wanted to meet for coffee with another marriage blogger, Sheila, and me and our men.  I put the invitation out there for a little dinner party for six and overnight accommodations for the mid-western sojourners.  I couldn't wait.

This is the first time I've had the gift of face-to-face time with a faraway blogger.

And yet as the day drew closer, I began to cast a critical eye at the front steps with the peeling gray paint.  Ditto for the kitchen soffits that definitely needed a bit of repair work after last summer's project.  The furniture with two plaids competing for attention seemed an eyesore, and the patio table masquerading as kitchen furniture seemed to stick out like a sore thumb.  And here I was offering this renowned marriage blogger a guest room ... with twin beds.

Sigh.

In the end, it mattered not one bit.  Our guests arrived and it wasn't two minutes til any apprehensions began to quickly fade.  Six hearts began to relax and connect as common ground was embraced. 

Loving Jesus does that, doesn't it.  And our mutual passion for blogging only made the connect sweeter.

Hours flew on wings as we talked long and deep over dinner.  We laughed often and eyes welled up at the tenderest of times.  Stories of disasters and joys, sorrow and redemption gently tumbled back and forth across the table.  The stuff of faith and writing and family and ministry and books all melded together, weaving a surprisingly warm bond between three bloggers and their men on a breezy, humid evening.

Sheila's man     .     my man     .     Beth's man

It was  just.  so.  cool.

A deep gratitude filled me to overflowing.  To connect with one person is a true gift.  For three couples to join hearts on a multitude of levels?  Sheer grace.

Fast forward to the next morning.  The breakfast dishes were pushed aside, the cameras made a final appearance, hands joined in prayer, the last hug was shared, the final goodbyes spoken.  A midwestern car left for some far off destination. 

before the goodbyes

 

And my brimming eyes blocked the vision of the peeling paint as I climbed the front steps and walked back into the house.

 

*
   OUR SYNCHROBLOG    

Beth, Sheila and I are all writing about our sweet encounter and then hitting the PUBLISH button at the same time, having not the vaguest idea of what the others have penned!  Please come join me as I head over to see what my sister bloggers here and there have cooked up! 

*    Sharing with my sister bloggers Kristen  .  Holley    *

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