The wind grows colder, the skies go deep-fall blue and the whisper of Christmas is just around the corner.
And around one more corner after that will be (in)RL on April 27 and 28th.
I’ve been thinking of them both…
How our vision of bringing women together really started with one woman and a baby in a manger long ago.
We’ve talked, our team, of the Word made flesh who came and made His dwelling among us. How we love that God refused to stay in the virtual and instead came into our everyday.
Christmas was the first (in)RL—the original in real life.
Everything we may do is only an echo and extension.
When Lisa-Jo first spilled words over the phone to me of her passion for letting our community connect with each other in real life, I heard something else in between the lines.
I heard the heartbeat of God within what she was saying, what she was asking all of us to do.
Community here in this place is a start but it’s not the be-all, end-all of what loving one another means.
We’re made for face-to-face, heart-to-heart, laughter we can hear, smiles we can see, hands we can touch.
We’re made for real life.
Christmas is so much about that, really. When you pull back the tinsel and distractions, the memories and meaning that remains is really all about relationships.
About who we are together.
About who we are (in) Him.
Over the next few days, we’ll be celebrating in creative ways with you and we hope in all of it you’ll see our hearts for this season and (in)RL too.
It’s simple, really…
We love Jesus.
And we love you.
by Holley Gerth, a girl who loves Nutella and friendship
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Click over here to see the first of our 12 days of delicious (in) real life Christmas Giveaways!
by Holley Gerth
I’ve only recently found this site through a link on the gypsymama’s site, and I just wanted to tell you how much I love it here. I feel very at home!
Thanks so much for all the time and effort you put in.
I didn’t realize we were doing this but what a darling, meaningful idea :).
xo
I think it should say: by Holley Gerth, a girl who loves Nutella and friendship and Words with Friends 🙂
Giveaways! Yay! 🙂
Merry Christmas!
I LOVE this time of year! 🙂
Christmas is my favorite time of year, one of my favorite memories is the children’s program each year. My grandson Jacob was baby Jesus last year. He did great, although mommy was nervous and went up on stage in case he started to fall out of the manger. He didn’t but she made the children’s program pictures
Christmas is my favorite time of year. Sad thing is my family is all far flung. We have never really gotten together. Some in VA, GA, TX, TN (Murfreesboro) & now China.
As my hubby & I age our family keeps getting smaller & smaller–we’ve no kids & parents aging & dying.
My favorite part of Christmas is listening to Christmas music, & the candelight service at church. I wish I could say my hubby and I have traditions, but nay. A lot of times he has to work Christmas day.
The past two years, since Mom died, my dad has either come to my house/or gone with us to in-laws for a delicious dinner &receive his gift.
Praying for everyone this Christmas season!
My favorite part of Christmas is listening to Christmas music.
One of my favorite memories occurred a few years ago. My daughter, granddaughter and a family friend accompanied me to a ‘Walk through Bethlehem’ event held outside a few hours away. We were hampered in our search for the event by unfamiliar territory, the early darkness of winter and lack of good directions or signs. The trip took longer than we expected, and we had to search diligently for the location. When we finally arrived we were tired, a bit cranky from the long and frustrating journey and ushered into a crowded, cramped and humble abode to wait our turn to enter ‘Bethlehem’. The evening turned out to be perfect, as our trip took on new meaning as we remembered the first family encountered a long, arduous journey and arrived in Bethlehem to find crowds, cramped quarters and could very well have chosen crankiness over the lack of comfortable surroundings and circumstances. We relived the events of the birth of Hope that evening amidst the hustle and bustle of Roman occupation, an inconvenient time for a tax collection and a serious madman of a ruler (Herod) living close by. The first Christmas wasn’t convenient, easy or simple, but it was a labor of love. Our visit to Bethlehem drove this truth home and found a place in my heart.
Christmas, my favorite part? Almost impossible to choose beause I love it all (I have a little tree I keep lit all year long) but the music and the giving are the best. Singing and listening to songs that honor Christ’s birth fill my heart with wonder and praise at the magnitude of God’s gift and provision to save us and restore us. Giving to others, lots of time secretly, in His honor gives me great joy and then lots of laughter when I see or hear of the reaction of the giftee 🙂
One of my favorite and fond memories was a Christmas when I was probably 9-10 years old. There were five of kids and Mom was in the hospital for back surgery. Dad had went Christmas shopping in Mom’s absence. (I didn’t know this at the time) He was proud of his shopping adventure and informed Mom that he bought us three girls all matching beautiful red plaid dresses and had gotten them at a really reasonable price. She was skeptical about the purchase, but nothing she could do being laid up in the hospital.
Christmas morning revealed three beautiful red plaid flannel matcing “nightgowns”! Us girls were so excited with the gifts from Santa and couldn’t wait to put them on! We even had our picture taken together in our new nighties! : ) They were so beautiful!!
Mom said it was the most expensive nightgowns we ever had…. they were actually just as much as a dress (in her shopping budget!). Ho-ho-ho! Santa knows what little girls like! : )
My favoritie Christmas memory(ies) are the times I was part of the orchestra for a Messiah performance. It is one thing to listen to the Messiah, it’s a totally different experience to be a part of it.
Thank you for going beyond all the glitter and glam to remind us what CHRISTmas truly is about…God bless!
I just saw the December calendar (using the photo above) and it is beautiful, it really takes my breath away on my laptop background, thanks Dawn for the way you capture beauty and share it with us. I can’t even take a good cell phone picture! You truly have a gift!
My favorite Christmas memory would be time at my grandmothers house. I can still feel the warmth in my heart, hear the music in my ears and see the beautiful faces of loved ones who have since past. I hold this treasure in my heart forever.
-Colleen G.
Vageyers@aol.com
Hi all the nearest RL meet-up group to me is in Eugene, Oregon.
Dripping Springs, TEXAS is where we will meet in April! I can’t wait to meet more ladies!
I try to encourage people with my words most of the time and when that is inadequate, just a touch. I have had much grief in my life this year, losing my sister, my dad and now or family pet. So I try to encourage folks especially as they deal with grief.
My favorite thing about (in) real life friendships – authenticity. A place to be real knowing I will be accepted and loved for who I am, struggles and all!