My Fine Friends

This month my beloved RevGalBlogPals have double dog dared us to write something every week in July.  It's a "blog carnival" and the first question is What does Galship mean to you?*

About eight years ago I discovered the world of blogging.  My friend Lutheran Zephyr recommended it and at the time it gave me a place to anonymously vent about this and that.  A month or so later I had discovered the RevGalBlogPals ring and tentatively asked permission to join.  I read.  I commented.  I blogged.  I laughed and cried and confused my family with talk of Songbird, Will's Mama, Elastigirl, the Vicar of Hogsmeade and so many others. When the first Big Event was advertised I signed up and then instantly regretted it.  

What if nobody talked to me?  What if they didn't like me in real life?  What if I got seasick or lonely or bored? I didn't really know these women!  What was I thinking?

My daughter, who was 12 at the time, told me to "Stop worrying. It'll be fine!"  So off I went, feeling nervous and shy and slightly nauseous.  

The daughter was right.  It was fine.  More than fine.  It was one of the best weeks ever.  I relaxed.  I got to put voices and faces with names and stories. My online community became tangible and touchable.  

Since then, these "gals" have shared my joys and prayed when I sorrowed.  They have held my secrets and proclaimed the gospel.  I have delighted to spend time with them in the presence of my 78 year old mother and my 20 year old daughter.  They have saved my life on more than one occasion.  

Sounds mushy, I know, but galship isn't just girly friendship.  It is a deep, compassionate, honest, committed relationship centered in a shared faith in Jesus Christ.  It is not so much rare as remarkable.  It is fine, which if you check, may be defined as 

1. of superior or best quality; of high or highest grade:
2. choice, excellent, or admirable:
3. keen or sharp, as a tool.

*I have edited this post three or four times.  In part this was related to my lack of enthusiasm for the word gal.  I struggle with it because so often it feels like people use gal when they really mean woman.  Please know that my feeling about this particular word is no reflection on my deep love for those known as the RevGalBlogPals.