Things I wish I could have told my teenage self!

I think about this topic a lot lately. I have lots of teens & young adults in my life. I see myself in their shoes. So many of them struggle with things I struggled with. Things that really weren't important in the long term. So here is the list of things I would go back in time & tell myself:

1. Don't worry about dating! - I am no longer the person I was in high school. The things I wanted in a guy then is not what I wanted when I started thinking about marriage. I wish I had worried less about dating & more about hanging out with friends. How could I even think of loving someone else when at that time I didn't really know what love was. I wasted so much time & so many tears on guys who were not Husband material.

2. Focus on finding out who God made me to be! - I wish I had spent more time getting to know God & exploring the gifts He equipped me with. I wish I would have found a mentor to study God's Word with. I wish I would have tried serving in different capacities in my church to find out what my gifts were. I also wish I had memorized more scripture. It is much harder to memorize when you are in your 40s!

3. Don't worry about being popular! - when in high school, there is lots of pressure to be in the in crowd. I wish I had worried less about that & instead cultured my friendships with those I had common interests. Once you get out of school, you look for those who like the same things you do. You never again try to force yourself to be friends with people just because you are the same age. You choose friends who have the same beliefs, or who have the same career or who live in the same area.

4. Stop trying to grow up so fast! - I remember as a teen wishing time would fly & I could be out of this stage of life. Now I look back & wish I could go back. That time had less responsibility & worry. If I had focused on what I could do back then, I might have enjoyed it more.

5. Start good habits! - I wish I had started exercising regularly & eating healthier back then. I also wish I had learned good money management skills. It's easier to start good habits when you are younger & harder to break bad habits when you are older.

6. Listen to your parents! - I know I thought mine didn't understand me, but now I see that they did. They could see a bigger picture of life. They knew there was more to life than high school. They didn't always do things right, as they were human after all. But they always had my best interests at heart.

7. You do not have to be like everyone else! - I think the biggest lie I believed as a teen was that I needed to be just like everyone else. Guess what? There is no "normal" person. God made each person unique & most teens feel like they are different. You have a choice: try to be just like everyone else or embrace your uniqueness & be happy with who you are. This goes back to point 2. By focusing on God's Word & learning about His love for you, you will be able to embrace life & become who He made you to be.

Life as a teen is hard. I struggled emotionally. But God was Faithful! He helped me to stay strong & faithful in my walk with Him. Because of Him, my life became a witness to those I grew up with. If you lean on Him, study His Word & find some other Christians to encourage you, God will use you too!! Seeing God work in my life over the years makes life exciting! I eagerly anticipate what God will do next in my life.

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I should be panicked!

My Hubby is a medical software trainer since 2006. Since 2008, he has been on the road traveling to locations all over the U.S. training doctors & nurses. During this time he has worked for 5 different companies.

His current company will pay up to 90 days if they don't have an assignment for you. It's called bench time. Well, Hubby's bench time ends on Thursday. Hence the title of this post.

I should be panicked, but I'm not. I know that God is in control. He has a plan for us that is better than I could imagine or plan myself. I'm excited to see how God provides for us.

Will He provide another travel job that carries us all over the country again? Will He provide a job near home giving us a more "normal" life again? Will He move us to some other state?

I don't know, but I'm excited to see where this all leads. How is God going to use us & shine is light through our situation?? I'll keep ya all posted...

 

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Be faithful!

I never thought going to see a long-time friend would humble me so much. My friend, who I've known since age 4, is battling complications of cancer. I went to see her & to try to encourage her. She ended up encouraging me & showing me how God has been working through me over the years. It is so humbling.

As I look back at my life, it isn't too spectacular. I don't have a big back story. No big tragedy or rebellion. I have awesome parents. I did ok in school. I wasn't a trouble maker. I had a few friends, but wasn't really popular. I always felt like I didn't fit in. Part of that was because I gave my life to Jesus at a young age. I was always reading my Bible, even in school. I didn't cuss, I didn't drink or smoke & I followed the rules. I was labelled a "goody-two shoes" & teased a lot.

Even as an adult, I haven't strayed much. I'm not trying to brag, but trying to point out that my life has been pretty boring. I never thought I had much of a testimony.

So, back to the visit with my friend. We chatted about the old days. Then she thanked me. I couldn't imagine what for. She thanked me for being faithful to God. For not swaying. I was immediately overwhelmed & humbled. I really thought my life was so insignificant in God's whole scheme of things. In a second, I saw how God has used my life.

I say all this to encourage you to keep walking with Christ! Keep following Him even when you get teased or ignored. Keep faithful even when your life doesn't seem to matter. Because it does matter! God is using your life. You may not see it until 20 or 30 years later, or maybe not until you get to heaven. Your faithfulness reflects God's faithfulness! It encourages others to seek God more. It draws those who are seeking to God. They want what you have. So Press on!!!

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14 KJV)

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Innocence Lost

I'm sure you know this world is corrupt. I'm sure you know we have an enemy, Satan, who lurks about deceiving people & blinding them to the truth. He also tries to hurt God's children & cause them to fear life & turn from God. Many times our life moves along so smoothly that we forget our enemy is there. But I'm here to tell you that he is real. He wants to destroy families, pervert the innocent & cause us to blame God.

 

But, (I love that word!), God is bigger & stronger & has already won the war! God is truth! And the truth will prevail. Even when we face our biggest fear, God is with us! And if He is with us, who can stand against us? As we face our fear, we can already praise God & thank Him for standing with us through it!

If you saw your children playing like this, wouldn't you be a proud parent. Your kids love each other & are getting along. They even tell each other "I love you."

 

Now, add to that a bad attempt at a wedgie. Totally inappropriate especially in public, but totally innocent, right?

 

But when seen by a man who doesn't know you or your family dynamic, it turns into your worst nightmare. He saw this all as perverted. He called the police!

 

What followed was a very stressful evening of waiting followed by CPS & police interviews. Thanks to prayers, the truth was seen & the case closed. God was so merciful & provided us with very skilled & professional men to deal with who protected our kids' innocence.

 

I'm thankful for this incident because it opened our eyes to how unsafe the world is & how foreign & rare a loving family is these days. It also reaffirmed what an Awesome God we serve who comforts us & answers prayers.

 

I also pray that God will use this situation to bring glory to Himself and use it to maybe help some other family.

 

 

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Rainbows in the Night

Today we saw a beautiful rainbow over Lake Huron after dark rain clouds moved through. It made me think of a song by David Meece.

Lyrics to God's Promises / Rainbows In The Night :
God's promises are rainbows in the night
Shining hope inside when shadows cloud my eyes
His promises are rainbows in the night
Guiding through the darkest times
God's promises are rainbows in the night
Looking back on all the roads I've known
The echos of the songs I've sung
Looking back there's a thread of love and grace
Connecting each line and space I've known
And all the years I thought were lost
On empty searching without clues
Now trace a journey to the highest truth
God's promises are rainbows in the night
Shining hope inside when shadows cloud my eyes
His promises are rainbows in the night
Guiding through the darkest times
God's promises are rainbows in the night.

Deep within this darkened heart of mine

The Word of God still shines with hope

Deep within this frightened life I live

A voice so soft and still grows

And when the sun is hidden

And shadows cloud my starless skies

Amazingly I turn and see a light

Enjoy the pics!

 

 

 

 

 

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Things never go as planned

I think God must laugh at me & all my plans a lot! I think He's trying to teach me to let go & just go with life as it happens. So originally, Hubby was to be home the first 2 weeks of this month, 1 of those alone with me. That got changed as he ended up spending the 1st week in Denver (our alone week). Then Hubby was to go to California the last 3 weeks of the month & I was to spend 10 of those days with him. Well, that got changed! He ended up not going & instead spent another week in Denver. And now he is home for 3 weeks. 


I'm learning not to hold on to the plans I've made. I could be mad because plans fell through. I could pout, but what good would that do. So now I'm moving on. It looks like I'm going to get some alone time with Hubby next week thanks to our wonderful parents! And it's even looking like I'll get to go to California with Hubby around my birthday. But if it doesn't work out, I'm ok with it. 


I'm seeing that God's plans are better. We have been having some great family time this week. Having Hubby home has helped the kids alot. I sometimes forget that his travel is as hard on them as it is on me. So this extra time he has at home is very good. 


God's plans are always better than mine. In Jeremiah 29:11 it says "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  I can always trust in God's plans! Proverbs 3:5-6 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”  So even when I can't understand why my plans have changed, I can trust God is leading me where He wants. Even though I make plans, I'm leaving the actual path I travel up to God. Proverbs 16:9 says “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” 


I've mentioned this song before, but I love the song "I'm Letting Go" by Francesca Battistelli. I think it's because God has been teaching me to let go! Here's the chorus:

I’m letting go

Of the life I planned for me

And my dreams

Losing control

Of my destiny

Feels like I’m falling and that’s what it’s like to believe

So I’m letting go

I also really like Francesca's song "Unpredictable" as it reminds me that God is bigger than I am & His plans & thoughts are so much bigger & broader than I could ever imagine.

When I know that I know

What You have down the road

When I’m sure that

I’ve figured You out

Help me see that I’m small

That I can’t know it all

‘Cause You’re so unpredictable

So when things don't seem to be going as planned, just let go of your plans & trust God! It is hard at first, but the more you let go & just trust, the easier it gets. This unpredictable life is so exciting. God means for it to be exciting. He wants to lead us on paths we never would have dreamed & wants to stretch us farther than we've ever been stretched. Yes, it is scary sometimes! I so want to cling to the familiar & routine. But when I let go, I've been amazed by what God does through me & for me!