Teen Mom made me Grateful

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Although I don’t watch a whole lot of TV, last night’s episode of Teen Mom both broke my heart and me made me grateful.

I watched as Catelyn and Tyler thought about taking a semester off from school because at first, they didn’t have anyone to consult with about changing their major.  I was grateful for parents who helped me when I not only changed majors, but also schools. 🙂

I watched as Farrah unknowingly scared away her boyfriend by discussing marriage early into the relationship.  I was grateful for parents who talked to me about dating and gave me Christian books to read on relationship do’s and don’t’s.

I watched as Amber cried and fell deeper into depression, with only one friend who stood by her side.  I was grateful for parents and friends who stood with me during the hard times, and guided me back to happiness.

I watched as Maci was verbally abused and put down by the father of her baby.  I was grateful that my husband would never act like that towards myself and my children.

The more I watched, the more I wanted to hug each of these girls.  I prayed for them last night, and I am praying about starting a group for Teen girls.

Don’t forget that the people we see on TV are real people too – let’s pray for them when we feel led, and take action in our own communities to help those that we feel a burden for! 🙂

Be blessed!

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Go Gabby, Go!!

 

 

 

 

 

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Everyone’s heard about Gabby Douglas from the women’s Olympic team and her amazing accomplishments!

Today I want to honor her because we hear so much about teens getting pregnant, getting drunk, and failing out of school.

But here is a girl who goes totally against the grain!  She is determined, works hard, and loves Jesus, (even quoting scriptures when interviewed by reporters.)

As a parent, I would love to have a “sit down” with her parents to ask them what they did right.

But since I probably won’t be gettig in contact with them anytime soon, 🙂 I’ll just discuss a few things that I’ve picked up on so far.

1. They kept Gabby busy.  At 16, she wasn’t spending hours a day with her boyfriend, facing the temptation to have sex.  She was kept busy in fun activities and probably didn’t have too much time to get into trouble.

2. They raised her to love God.  Gabby quotes scriptures, and obviously loves Jesus.   Not that Christian teens are perfect, (we all know peachers kids gone wrong,) but having strong beliefs, values, and a moral sense can help teens to have a stronger sense of purpose, and a confidence in something higher than themselves to stand against peer pressure.

3. Her parents taught her to be a fighter.  Before Gabby, a black woman had never achieved what she did.  Did her parents let that stop her from trying?  Of course not!  Her gymnastics studio wasn’t able to provide her the training at eight that she needed.  Did she give up?  Of course not!  Her parents found a gym that could grow her talent.

Her parents did whatever it took so that their baby would become a success.

Today, I want to not only congratulate Gabby, but also her parents for doing a fine job in raising her!

Be blessed!

The book is due out in the Fall of 2012.

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Don’t look down on today’s teens – you might be their only hope!

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I can’t count the number of times that I’ve heard someone say, “teens these days…I tell you…when I was that age we didn’t…”  It’s usually involves:

a) not understanding the guys wearing skinny neon colored jeans trend

b) wearing shaggy “Justin Bieber haircuts”

c) listening to “crazy, auto-tuned music” like Lady Gaga and Kesha

OR

D) talking back to parents like “these kids” do

Can I tell you something?  If you don’t like how teens these days act, why not befriend them and be that “cool” adult that they can confide in?  Instead of hating on them and saying how much worse they are than your generation was, why not come alongside and mentor them, help them, and offer a listening ear?

I know of a lady who is in her sixties, and she has friends of all ages.  There are even 21 year old’s who come to her with their relationships issues.  And not that they can’t talk to people their own age, but this woman in her 60’s has so much wisdom to give them.  And the reason that teens are comfortable with her is because she’s not judging them or turning her nose up, (as if she didn’t live through the 60’s!!lol…)  How quickly we forget where God brought us from once we get “saved.”  I say less judging, and more loving!  (After all, the word says that they will know we are Christians by our LOVE!) 🙂

Just recently, we decided to take the kids to a park across town because we didn’t feel like driving all the way to the “family park.”  We soon found out that this park was a place where teens could go to do things behind their parents back.  There were guys and girls hugged up on the benches, and when we left, a car of full of teens smoking marijuana quickly drove off, (figuring that the “family” might call the cops.)

While my first thought was to be annoyed at these teens and wish that we had just gone to the more upscale “family” park, I realized that I shouldn’t have had such a cold heart towards them.  Although I didn’t get to talk to the teens that day, I thought back to when I was a teen.  It was definitely confusing at times.  Looking back, I realize that I should have talked to those girls that were hugged up on the boys.  I should have given them a word of encouragement instead of being annoyed that they were cuddling with their boyfriends at the picnic benches near my kids.  I pray that God gives me another chance to minister to those girls.

I always tell myself that I never want to be that person who looks down on the next generation and tells them that our hair, style, music, and fashion was “better” than theirs.  That stuff doesn’t matter anyway.  No, I want those younger than me to know me as an open, non-judgmental person who understands them, and who gently and LOVINGLY points them back to Christ.

Be blessed!

The book will be due out in the fall.  If you like this post, feel free to follow my blog by clicking “follow” at the bottom right corner, and to “like” my fan page:

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