Love One Another Well Today

I woke up yesterday morning and didn’t want to get out of bed. Not because I was tired or lazy (which, I’ll admit is sometimes the case) but because my heart felt too heavy to move. This past weekend was a tough one and I found myself lying there, thinking of nothing and everything all at the same time.

I stand by the convictions I held throughout this past election season and don’t regret the decisions I made. I did my best to do so without posting anything polarizing on social media or saying anything that would offend those I care about that believe differently than I do. 

I was raised to treat others as I would like to be treated and while I failed miserably as a child and teenager, I'm pretty confident I’ve done better as an adult. I don’t want to be told what to believe and so I won’t tell others what to believe. It seems simple to me. 

The point is that I felt I’d made it out of this season relatively unscathed. Until this weekend. I won’t get into specifics, but some things happened and conversations took place and at the end of it all I felt the most disheartened I’d felt in a very long time. 


For the most part, I see my Facebook page as being a safe place for people. I want my family and friends to know they can “visit” my page and not get attacked or experience a rude encounter or see something that is overly offensive. (Disclaimer: I love Jesus and post things about Him often, so if you find Him offensive, 1, this is your head’s up and 2, we should probably talk because I’m not sure we know the same Jesus.)

There is a time I would have retaliated to someone's unkind or accusatory posts in rash words, without thinking, without praying, just eager to get my point across and have my voice heard. It has been a weakness of mine. But something I learned over the weekend is that even when we don’t notice it, God is working to change our hearts. 

And so I didn’t react. I waited and I prayed. And in my weakness, I found His strength. 

This is my response to the world around me right now. My prayer is that you look past the words you might disagree with, and listen to hear my heart behind them… 

To everyone reading this, know that I see you. I hear you. I love you.

I don't say those words lightly. Because sometimes it isn't easy. Sometimes I hear your words and I want to scream. I want to yell at you for making assumptions about me, for trying to tell the world I'm someone that I'm not. I want to chastise you for appearing hypocritical in your approach with those who disagree with you... and I want you to stop talking and start listening. And not just listen to retaliate, but listen to understand.

But I know if I reacted that way and said some of those words, I'd be guilty of the same thing and all that would do is leave us in this never ending cycle of hate. And that's not what I'm about, and I want you to know that's not what I'm about.

So, what do I say?

I say we do better to love each other well today. Yesterday is gone. What we did, what we said, we can't take back. But today is new and tomorrow newer and we can do better now. We can stop letting the hateful actions and words of others determine our own. We can decide right here, right now, to listen to hear people's hearts, even when we don't agree with their words. Because just as strongly as you believe what you believe, there are people out there believing just as strongly in something else.

Hateful words, dismissive attitudes, and acts of violence will never unite us. Nor will blaming an entire group of people for the actions of extreme individuals. We need to stop listening to retaliate and begin listening to understand. Only then will we create a safe space to voice our differences.

It's possible to have different opinions from one another without tearing each other down. Stop making assumptions and start having conversations... preferably in person. And when they can't happen in person, don't let the tempting convenience of hateful words typed on a keyboard determine your character.

It's one thing to know this, but putting it into action? I just confessed to you how tempting it is for me to want to do the exact opposite. I don't always want to love the difficult people in my life. Why should I sacrifice for those who are rude to me or don't care one way or another about me? Why should I show them kindness when they are hurtful and cause pain?

I need only travel as far as the closest mirror for my answer. I am messy. I am stubborn. I am selfish. Sometimes I annoy people, sometimes I have a short temper, sometimes I say the wrong thing and hurt people I care about. Sometimes I'm jealous and and at my worst I know I can be just plain mean. I am often full of pride and full of sin, usually showing up as one in the same...

BUT Jesus loves that imperfect person staring back at me in the mirror and He offers me grace... daily.

And we can do that for one another. Because Jesus says we can. He calls us to love people. And not only that, but He calls us to love people just as He loves people. He gave us so many examples of what it looks like to not only love the people in our lives, but to love the difficult people in our lives.

He healed the high priest's servant who came to arrest him, knowing this would not sway the outcome. (Luke 22:47-51) He asked God to forgive those who'd just nailed Him to the cross. (Luke 23:32-34) And he was always seeking out those who society had cast aside as insignificant, as enemies, or as simply different.

In short, He repaid hate with love, kindness, and forgiveness. His love is not limited to those who love Him back, but extended to the the very people who hated and continue to hate that He walked the earth.

That's the kind of love He has for us and calls us to show to others.

Jesus is and will always be the perfect response to hate... to fear... to disunity. And if He can love me... surely I can do the same for others.

When my feelings are hurt, when I am judged for my beliefs or for my politics, when I am cut off in traffic, when I get the short end of the stick, when people's words make me angry or afraid, when I feel misunderstood or beaten down... I can respond with love. I can remember that in my weakness, He is strong (2 Corinthians 12:9). In the moments I am quick to anger, His response is always patience and grace. And it is through Him I can love others well.

Of course He's the perfect response... the perfect word... He's THE Word. It is because of Him we have hope, we know love, and there will be healing.

All of this brokenness, the anger, the frustrations, the tears, the divisiveness. It's all temporary. But if that remains our focus... we've lost sight of what's permanent. What's eternal.

And here's the thing. There are likely some of you reading this who don't believe in Jesus. Maybe He's not your word or your response. Maybe you've been burned by people who claim to love Jesus, but they've failed to show you who He truly is. Please hear me because I'm speaking to you too. No matter what you believe, it's a lot easier to love than to hate and our world will be better for it. People will be better for it. You will be better for it.

Whatever your religion is, whatever your race is, if you're gay, straight, democrat, republican, male, female, transgender, or in the middle of figuring out who you are, whether you love me, like me, or despise me...

I still see you. I still hear you. I still love you. And there will be times I mess up... respond too rashly, say the wrong thing... but you have my word I will own those moments, apologize, and always try to do better.

I promise to try and hear your heart, even when I disagree with your words.

I promise to not let the words of others nor the extreme actions of a few represent who you are.

And on those occasions we can't find common ground, I promise to be kind and gracious while you stand yours and I, mine.

Let us all make a greater effort to be the bigger person. Let us stop pointing to the wrong actions and ill-spoken words of others to justify our own. Let's do better to love each other well.

And know I am a safe place to voice your opinion... even if it's different than mine.

Love you all!

Xo,
Lauren

 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

- John 13:34

Walt Disney World 10k

I’ve watched and admired my sister for the past eleven years run the Half Marathon in Disney World. Her very first one was a little over a month before our brother James died, and she’s continued running in his memory every year since. Often I’ve been able to go and cheer her on; usually around mile 5 and then we find her again at mile 13 for the finish line.

There’s nothing like it. It’s hard to put into words what it feels like to stand there cheering people on, reading signs they’re carrying (or wearing) telling on lookers who they’re running for. Everyone is running for someone. Some military men and women run in full gear, same with firefighters and members of our police force. Others run the entire way pushing those in wheelchairs who can’t do it on their own.

I’ve seen men and women in their 70’s, 80’s, and even 90’s running and walking for loved ones, fighting for every step they take. I promise you can’t go and not shed a tear at some point. Several years ago a military spouse had organized a half marathon to take place simultaneously halfway around the world where they were serving. He wanted to surprise his wife who would be running in Disney World. She didn't find out until she crossed the finish line. Her husband getting to watch as she did... and then video conference with her. They talked about how proud they were of each other and he told her he'd be home soon. There weren't a pair of eyes watching, not filled with tears.

There’s this kind of camaraderie that exists among the onlookers. The ones who aren’t running, but are doing their best to encourage those who are. A knowing that passes from one set of eyes to the next as we shout, blow noisemakers, and ring bells. We all end up cheering for each other's runners.

Last year several of us decided to sign up for the 10k which usually takes place on the day before the half marathon. If you know me, you know I’m not exactly the athletic type, but I figured a whole year was long enough to prepare to get through 6.2 miles. I'd never done a 10k, but I’d walked a few 5ks as a kid. How different could it be? Plus, as long as we weren't in the last coral, I'd have plenty of time.

Well a year turned to half a year, which turned to a couple months, and then suddenly there I was, a few days before the main event. Despite the not exactly regular trips to the gym, and the occasional outdoor hike in the hills of Tennessee, I was exactly where I was a year ago when I signed up. Go figure.

To say I was nervous was a bit of an understatement. It wasn't so much the 6.21 miles so much as it was the time limit attached to them. I kept picturing getting dragged off the course by the pace police with one of those hooks they use to take those humorless comedians off stage. All while someone's yelling “you’re too slow!” from the sidelines.

Early morning at the hotel
before heading to the buses!

Whose idea had this been again? Maybe I should sit it out. I kept saying I didn't want to start unless I knew I could finish. I realized that often that’s my approach to life. How often do I avoid doing something because I don’t know how it’s going to turn out? Too often. I decided I didn’t want that to be my story anymore. I was going to do this.

As we were getting ready the night before I asked a crucial question. Should I wear my regular headphones or the wireless ones I’d gotten for Christmas? The consensus was the regular ones. This will come into play later.

The morning of the race we woke up at around 3:30 so we could get on the bus that would take us to the starting line. It was myself, my parents, my sister Nora, my cousin Jonathan, and his girlfriend Anna. There was a kind of energy among those heading to the race... my confidence was once again growing. I could do this.

Still in that naively sweet excitement
stage before the race!

We spent a fairly large portion of the waiting time talking strategy and how we would stay together and try to get to the front of the coral at the starting point to maximize our time. Anna and Jonathan had graciously hung back a few corals to wait, but were planning on running the whole thing. Fireworks went off as portions of corals A-E crossed the starting line. We were in F... the last coral. Our time was coming. I got my headphones out of my pocket, plugging them into my phone and and conveniently tucking the buds into the collar of my shirt so I could continue to follow the conversation taking place around me.

We had a plan, we were together, we were excited, this was going to be great! Finally, they removed the gates from the front of our coral, ushering us forward.  That was about the time I remembered I'm not really a fan of crowds. I kept getting jerked back like someone was pulling my jacket… and I’d turn around to look for the culprit, but no one was there. After the third or fourth time, I looked down and saw that my headphones had fallen to the ground and were dragging from where they were plugged into my phone in my pocket. By the time I rescued them, they were crushed and completely useless.

I wanted to cry. I’d spend hours determining which songs would get me through those moments when I felt I wouldn’t be able to take one more step.

While I was distracted by my headphone trauma, we found ourselves at the starting line. In the few minutes since we’d left the coral we’d managed to all get separated. So much for our strategy.

Let me pause here. I said I’d never done a 10k. That didn’t stop me from thinking I pretty much had the rundown figured out. It was going to be exactly like the 5k's I'd done, except longer. You know, those chill, local, community gatherings, complete with small kids riding in wagons kind of 5ks. Yes, we were in Disney. Yes, there were thousands of people participating. But we were in the last coral with all the walkers. Low stress, smooth sailing, it was going to be fine.

So... I was a little wrong. The start gun went off and cue the chaos. EVERYONE took off in a mad dash. I had not been expecting this. Not wanting to get trampled, I started running as well, all the while looking around trying to find my parents and Nora.  I mentally waved goodbye to Jonathan and Anna as I caught a glimpse of them already yards in the distance.

I'd like to take this moment to provide you with a visual.

Lauren's 10k start experience... (click here)

In case it wasn't clear, I'm Simba.

I panicked a little... there was no way I could run for the next six miles. This was how I was going to die. Instead of running from the pace police, I began thinking of subtle ways to "accidentally" get picked up by them. A pain in my side? A sprained ankle? I really wish I'd taken the time to perfect fainting in my acting class all those years ago.

About a third of the way through our first mile we all found each other again. Nora and my Dad paired off and I stuck by my Mom. My sister checked us out on the pacing app she'd dowloaded. I won't get specific but it didn't look good and this of course had my Dad in stitches for a moment. Everyone was super focused and didn't really feel much like chatting. This made for a very quiet start to my music-less self.

About two miles in, I'd found my mantra... "Don't stop moving." About 2.3 miles in, I remembered reading something about ridding your vocabulary of all negativity, so I shifted my mantra to "keep moving." Nora and my Dad were in the lead... my Mom was just ahead of me... which if you did the math, know that left me in last place. I was clearly the least prepared of all.

I'd be in step with my Mom, fall behind, jog a little faster to catch up, then inevitably fall behind again. It became a pretty steady pattern. Right around mile 3, my Dad had to use the restroom. We tried to get him to go in the woods, but it was a no go. As he got in the 20 or so people long line, we kept going. He promised to catch up.

I should say here that at the time my bladder also could've used a little relieving, but I also knew that I would not be able to catch up and would 100% get hooked by the pace police. I should also note, I'm not really sure they are called the pace police.

Just as we hit mile 3 my Mom and sister became a bit more chatty. We were also about to head into Epcot at the World Showcase... I was hoping this would be an energy booster. I'm a firm believer there's no such thing as misery in Disney World. It's the happiest place on the earth!

My Dad caught up and we were ready to conquer this thing. We even played it a little dangerously and stopped for a picture. No sign of the pace police. Phew. As we speed walked through the countries, seeing characters, and hearing music... I felt ready to kick it up a notch and started jogging. I was, dare I say it, enjoying myself.

Jogging our way though China!

All we had to do, according to what I thought at the time, was round the World Showcase, make our way back out of the park and cross the finish line. Easy breezy. I wasn't taking into account we'd only just about gotten to mile 4 which left an additional 2 miles. Also turns out I'd been basing that knowledge on the 5k map. Just as I thought we were getting to the home stretch... I looked ahead to see a whole lot of people running in the opposite direction than where I thought we were supposed to be going.

I really wanted them to be wrong. Maybe these were all the injured people, jogging off the course... like those injured football players that still want to save face. No such luck. They were heading for the back entrance to the park which opens up into the another huge lake surrounded by three hotels, all of which we had to run by. It meant bridges which meant hills which meant... this thing was far from the home stretch.

I tried to suck it up and kept moving. At one point we passed someone holding a sign that said "touch for power." I was skeptical, but my eternal five-year-old self was not going to miss that opportunity. I should of known... we were in DISNEY. It totally worked. A little over one mile to go and I was cruising. I'm talking Rocky theme song. (Just in my head because if you'll remember... no headphones.)  There's a strong chance I was just delirious.

I guess I got a little ahead of myself because suddenly I wasn't with my family anymore. It was about then I heard the first and only person update us on pace... we were 30 seconds ahead. I couldn't bring myself to turn around. I'd seen the medal at the expo and it was so cool. I did NOT get to mile five just to not finish. Not going to happen. I picked up the pace and called my sister.

I'm going to be real. I was facing a moral dilemma. I didn't want to leave my family behind, but man I really wanted that medal. My internal struggle could be seen outwardly as I found myself running in circles below the Epcot ball while on the phone with my sister trying to figure out where they were.

My dilemma was short-lived as I was overestimating the speed at which I was jogging. Turns out they were right behind me.

We were still in the game.

It was right about this point we saw a guy standing up out of his wheelchair in a full body brace. He wanted to walk across the finish line. And he was doing just that.. step by step surrounded by people helping him and cheering him on.

I no longer felt like I'd done anything special. It didn't matter if I finished... medal or no medal, that moment made the whole thing worth it.

There we were... yards from the finish line. My parents held hands and reached out to my sister and I. In that moment we were thinking of James. How could we not. He'd been the reason my sister started running years ago and he was the reason we were all doing this now.

We did it!

Got Our Medals!

Hand in hand, we crossed the finish line. Just beyond it were my aunt, uncle, cousins, and Anna cheering us on. Emotions were high. Thoughts were on James.... and my mom. She was feeling the side effects of the oral chemo medication she is still on. It wreaks havoc on her joints and she felt every step of the last .2 miles. But she did it. We all did. And we were all pretty proud of her and ourselves. 

I gladly and graciously accepted my medal as someone placed it over my head. And silently wondered how my sister did twice this every year... and if I could pull off an additional 7 miles for the Half Marathon next year.... ;)

Xo,
Lauren