This is too good...

... to not re-post :) I have some pretty fabulous friends... Friends who are smart, deep and are a lot like me... I love reading their blogs because more often than not, they reflect my own thoughts, and these two below just nailed it right on... I don't know how that's possible, but it's true. Must be the Jesus inside of us :)

I want your flowers - Lauren

Staring at this blank screen, watching that blinking little line tell me that time is running out. Searching my soul, thinking of words to put adequately together. So here, I scan my restless mind, hoping for a revelation of some sort. But I come here with only thoughts to share. Two "phrases" come to mind: Hope, and the Present. Is it possible for the both play apart in the same lifestyle?
The past few months I have been living in the moment, only taking what comes to me, as it comes to me, only giving when the opportunity approaches to give. I accept all of life, all decisions, all thoughts shared, all love given. Living as an optimist keeping myself from thinking of the past or the future.
Then I think of you. The beautiful person you are. That in itself, puts hope inside of me. Hope for what you will discover, hope for what you will accomplish, hope for the ultimate happiness, and selfishly, hope for the day our paths cross again, the day when I can once again, be fitted perfectly in your arms. Like clay pieces that were once accidently broken, but can hold together once you place them the right way.
So, while you only think of now, I start thinking of then. With the highest of hopes, but no expectations. I hide the hope deep in my heart so it never crosses my mind. Is that cheating? Only thinking of now, but storing away the deepest desires for the future? Maybe the day will come when they are so hidden, they get lost, but still very much remain. For now, I am forced to cheat the system.
When I think about love, I think of the hope inside of my soul. That is the only glimpse into the future I look for. I cant shut my eyes to that light.

Friendship - Brandon

I think it is fun to do things for friends - especially really close friends. In 1 Samuel, David and Jonathan show a close friendship and I think it is interesting about what the Bible says about their friendship. Jonathan went completely out of his way in Chapter 23 to make sure David knew he cared. They knew at this point that they would never see each other again. That is pretty weird to me - knowing at a point of interaction that you will never...see that person again.
Jonathan encouraged David to stay true to the plan that God had for his life. THAT'S friendship. I would probably have been pretty agenda oriented with it all - looking for a way to make it all work out, in the way I thought it should.
A friend encourages you to stick to the plan. We were built for friendship. A lot of us were built for friendship to be set on fire and carry it out even more than that. Whatever the case may be - be the person that encourages others to STICK TO THE PLAN [or maybe you need to be reminded to stick to the plan]. Nothing more. Nothing less.