So. i was washing a couple of dishes & my brain started to wander. 


i started thinking about some words of advice... yep. ill call them that... that a friend gave to me the other night. my friend thought that they would be helpful, & they were, but the situation we were talking about is so much more complex than what they know....


ok. anyway. that's not the point. the point is, the advice that i was given has stuck with me & im trying to find a place for it. the only thing thats tricky about the whole thing is that i wanted to ask them if they could apply that to their life. i wanted to ask if they were telling that more for me... or more for themselves. 


so it got me thinking. how often do i get advice or comments from other people, that really have nothing to do with my situation? how often are people trying to tell themselves the truth through their words to me? 


and then i got thinking even more! how often do i do that? how often do i tell people things that i want to believe, too? 


a friend of mine had told me the other day that sometimes she tells people that she will pray for them, & then forgets about it. she seemed heartbroken about it. . . that somehow she had let those people down. 


i told her that the Lord knows our hearts & i just hope that He honors those thoughts that i have. 


now. yes, i told her that for her because that's how i feel. however, it was as if i was telling myself the same thing. i know that in that moment i was telling myself the same thing. i was giving myself my own advice.


there were people when i was younger who gave me pretty good advice. i mean i never had anyone really steering me in the wrong direction.


however. sometimes there are subjects & thoughts & feelings that you just need to find someone who can relate to you. there are definite moments where i wish i had someone like that in my life growing up. . . really at any moment in my life. someone who i really related to & could go to with anything.


i have that in my life now. and im so thankful for that. because sometimes it is just nice to know that someone is as fucked up as you. that someone is honest & real & willing to be open about their hurts. their hang-ups. and just be real.


i dont always want to hear what a good christian would do. i dont always want to hear advice. sometimes you just need someone to meet you where you are. and love you. and just sit with you. and cry with you.


now i am not a hug kind of person. yes i have my moments with the little kiddos where i can just snuggle with them all day but if you need a hug, please... dont call me. anyway. a couple of months ago i felt like i got slapped in the face & punched in the stomach. i didnt know what to do & was at my breaking point. and it was super late at night and everyone at home was tired. and my dear, dear friend heard me crying. and instead of trying to fix everything or attempt to make it better, she met me where i was. she hugged me. and sat with me. and said nothing other than that she loves me. 


and im totally sitting here sobbing thinking about it because it meant so much to me.


she met me where & when i needed it the most. 


i wonder how different the world would be if we all did that? if instead of trying to fix everything & everything we would be able to lay down our own thoughts & ideas & preconceived notions & just meet people where they are... and love them.


now. im not saying that advice is bad. and im thankful that they gave me the advice that they did. im just wondering what would happen if we listened to our own advice. or what would happen if we didnt give advice. 


and maybe listened? i dont think anyone reading this could tell me that they didnt want someone listening to them. and meeting them where they are... hang-ups & all.


courageously trying to meet & listen,
lauren