Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Becky and the Gift of Authenticity


**photo by Linda Gardner, October 2011

I would call my relationship with Becky serendipitous if I didn't know it to be a God thing. I didn't follow her blog when--in mid-June 2011--I learned she was moving within thirty minutes of me. Crazy as it sounds, I happened to click a link to a post in which she talked about moving to Virginia. A pretty big state, but my heart told me she was moving to me.

To confirm, I read through her posts labeled "Virginia." Then (afraid of sounding far-fetched and stalkerish) I sent her an e-mail. After she'd moved and gotten settled, we met for lunch, and we've been getting together here and there ever since.

I've written about Becky several times (This post makes me cry, looking back.), but I've hardly mentioned her name. Something just didn't feel right about it. I didn't feel like I had a solid understanding of blogger etiquette. Maybe I had lingering concerns about seeming stalkerish. 

Above all, I wanted Becky to know I was for real: that I didn't have any hidden agenda in reaching out to her, that I didn't need our friendship to be blogged. 

Because Becky is so real. I've known her in real life almost as long as I've known her through blogging, and what you read is what you get. I love that about her. And we're so different, but we've got the Jesus thing and a strong, maternal heritage of faith in common. Too, Becky's as wild about her family as I am about mine.

And this relationship has been good for me because I wonder, sometimes, if I'm spending too much time interacting online as opposed to face-to-face. Am I engaging in authentic relationships, or am I fooling myself, even cheating myself? 

Becky helps me believe that, sometimes, the people who know us very best are those who take the time to read our words. It is real. Or, at least, it can be. Sometimes, what you read is what you get. Becky helps me believe that bloggers are real people: broken people, lonely people, beautiful people. People who--like me, and for whatever reason--just need to write it out.


**Jim took the above photo; Becky edited it. Read her post about Baby Chip here.



**Blessed to attend (and photograph - squee!) Becky's daughters' baptisms on February 24th. She didn't ask me to take photos (although she gave permission, of course), and I told her as I left that I'd taken a bunch of terrible ones. But I guess I was just seeing through tears? It also seems possible that the Holy Spirit took over, because I have next to no idea what I'm doing with my new camera. Becky's post about her girls' baptisms is beautiful; you can read it here.

8 comments:

  1. oh this is beautiful........... all of it....... the words and especially the photos...... all of them GREAT JOB <3 you

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  2. girl i went back and read that post and you had ME crying!! i can't tell you how much those pictures blessed my heart. i really believe the Lord did take over your camera. they were anointed. seeing you hugging on the girls after they came out of the tank was really special to me. it was just a comfort having you there. i have no doubt God brought you into my life. He directed you right to my blog that day. love you!

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  3. oh and i need a copy of THAT picture of us.

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  4. I saw one of your photo's on Becky's instagram and I think the Holy Spirit was the one taking the photos. I haven't seen a photo so powerful in a long, long time.
    AND WHY CAN'T YOU LIVE 30 MINUTES AWAY FROM ME!?!!?! WAHHHHHHH!!!

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  5. I read Becky's post this morning and thought the photos caught the moment perfectly! Way to go on your photo skills...and your friendship skills too! :)

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  6. I love that you two formed such a strong friendship through the blogs. I love the authenticity from both of you. Even though I have never met either of you irl, I feel I know you. I am uplifted by the way you write and Becky's boldness in prayer moves me. Thanks for this post.

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  7. Ok girl friend, I'm feeling a little bit of jealousy (smile) This is exactly some day how it will be when I meet you face to face. I love how you said that you wonder if it's true relationship in bloggy world and yes it it. I love that so much. Love that you get together and you even went to such an amazing moment in her world.

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