Saturday, April 19, 2008

meeting L.L. Barkat


It was so much fun for Deb and I to get to meet L.L. Barkat, in town for the festival of faith and writing at Calvin College. She graciously took the end of a busy day, and really, busy two days, to meet with us. The hour went fast as we sipped on some tea, and shared from our lives.

L.L., like on her blog, is warm and engaging, and creative in her thinking. And real. I realized that while meeting someone like this is good, and you get a better sense of who they are, it is still limited. This reminds me of first impressions and the like. But I think our visit with her reflected pretty well, even in that limited time, who we each are. None of us are people who want to put on airs.

We had a good laugh as I remembered how at first, for a time, I thought L.L. was a man, and she reminded me that I had commented how I had thought L.L. was letting his wife do some postings or be involved in the postings. Funny, and I was a little chagrined when I found out the truth!

L.L. shared with us what she is going through with the success she is now experiencing in writing, and how this in some ways is more challenging to her. She has some important decisions to make in the coming days, and would appreciate our prayers.

This makes me want to read her book (which I find quite good as I'm reading it now) and books to come, as well as her blog, all the more. And to remember that we're all in this in Jesus for each other, to the end of helping others in mission in Jesus to the world.

I will be blogging on L.L.'s book, Stone Crossings, very soon. I think it's a great book for all of us, for who doesn't need to find God's grace in the hard places of life?

12 comments:

Halfmom, AKA, Susan said...

I agree wholeheartedly - we all need to see God's grace in the hard places of our lives - for there is where His grace is most needed and where bitterness has the best chance to take root if we don't!

Anonymous said...

i am so happy that you all got to meet each other and share words that have facial expression and tone of voice.

nice photo!

Anonymous said...

Oh how I wish I could have been there with you all. Lord willing, I'll make the conference again in a couple of years. Blessings, Ted.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Susan,
So very true. The places where bitterness can take root, can instead be the very places where God's grace can come in and help us to flourish.

That thought alone is life-changing.

And I finished her book today! What a wonderful read, so much there, so fun and good to read, with good questions in the back to ponder. This is not only a page turner, but a good book to use for both personal and group interaction. I look forward to blogging on it.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Nancy,
Thanks. Yes, it is interesting to actually meet a fellow blogger in person. Was fun, and L.L. is an incarnation of her blog and book. Which makes sense!

Ted M. Gossard said...

Charity,
It will be wonderful to meet you, and it would have been even more fun if you would have been there. But it was nice to have one on one (with Deb and I with her) with each other for that time.

Am praying for you.

Every Square Inch said...

What a nice opportunity to meet up and get to put a face and personality with the blog.

From the description of your experience, LL sounds as nice and thoughtful as she seems on her blog.

The Walk said...

It sounds like you had a wonderful time. Thank you for sharing this with us.

Ted M. Gossard said...

ESI,
Yes. You might say she's an incarnation of her creative words. And the book is really quite good, and I hope gets a good and wide reading. It stretches me some, as I'm used to reading so one dimensional in theological and exegetical studies. I need to be better rounded in my reading.

It was nice to meet and it will be wonderful when we all meet.

Ted M. Gossard said...

The Walk,
Yes. It would have been nice if you could have been there with us!

Craver Vii said...

OUTSTANDING!!!!

Unfortunately, I think I must be resigned to the idea that I will not see our friend, L.L. on this side of eternity. What a neat person!

You, on the other hand, live closer to me than she, and methinks there is a better opportunity to sit for a bit with you and Deb some day. I hope.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Craver,
That will be great. In the words of L.L., something like, when we bloggers meet, we're no longer just embodied spirits to each other (though she used that and said that differently). But it will be wonderful to meet you (and yours)!