I am thankful for technology. It gets used a-plenty for evil, but good, God-honoring usage abounds.

My six-year blogging anniversary is coming up. And one of the things I always wonder about when I read a blog is, what is she really like? I know it’s easy to build an expectation about what a person is like in person based on her blog. I remember speaking with a blogging friend in another country and her first reaction to hearing my voice was to laugh at my southern accent. Yes, I am quite southern sounding. I’ve tried to use y’all more when I write so that my readers aren’t completely shocked to hear my voice. Also, meeting people who’ve only read my book reviews is sometimes awkward. I’m not sure what about expectations, but I feel like I’m never as interesting as they thought I’d be. My temperament is more slow-to-warm-up, I think.

Yesterday, I had the privilege of Skype-ing with the lovely Becky Pliego. She offered some very important things to consider as I read and review books. I am thankful for her friendship and look forward to talking more. Her blog tells me she loves the Lord and is pursuing him diligently. But what it didn’t tell me is that she has a beautiful smile and her face radiates joy. (And she doesn’t sound anything like Salma Hayek).

Today, after the kids had breakfast and their assignments for the morning, I hopped on Skype to attend Bible study at Lisa’s house. She is leading us through Kathleen Nielson’s 1 & 2 Thessalonians study. I was nervous about it because, first of all, I was still in my jammies and hiding out in the laundry room. Second, I was meeting her Bible-study friends for the first time. It was a little weird for them, I’m sure, when Lisa welcomed them into her home, then said, “Here, I want you to meet my friend Leslie,” while shoving her laptop in their faces. I kid. I think I was sitting on her kitchen counter, and they bent down to say HI. It was all very fun. It’s raining all over Alabama today, and a couple of them said that the next time it’s raining on Thursday , they’ll Skype-in, too.

Lisa satisfied all of my expectations for her Bible study. The women gathered in her living room are lovely. Lisa was prepared, thoughtful, Christ-centered. What I didn’t expect, though, was just how much scripture she has hidden in her heart so that it comes out with ease in her conversation and prayer. What a grace to the body of Christ where she lives!

So, I am thankful today for my computer,
the internet,
services like Skype,
long-distance friendships that are coming a little closer,
kids who do their schoolwork quietly and obediently (a miracle!),
the Gospel,
and the Spirit of Christ that brings us all together.