You May Not Be A Teenager

Sometimes life piles up. The hits keep coming. And one pushes too hard and too far. And it can seem like there is nowhere to turn and nowhere to go. Like the first tipped domino you feel yourself going down.

Down.down.and.it.might.not.be.pretty.you.might.even.ugly.cry.going.down

You may not be a teenager, but you still need to know.

In May at the end of the school year, I was asked to help with the Swing Choir dresses at the high school.

When I returned all of them the first of August, it was so fun to talk to the girls and hear their thoughts on how the dresses fit and hear their concerns about the way they looked as they danced in them.

I’m so glad to get to know that amazing group of teenage girls.

Usually, I’m working with brides and their mom and bridesmaids or prom girls.

Or ladies asking for tips on how high to hang their draperies and should they put a wreath over the mantel or would a mirror be better and looking at a series of text pictures of different outfit ideas to tell them what to wear to a funeral or a Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Or how soon can I get to their house after Thanksgiving dinner is put away, to decorate their house for Christmas…AND NOW how is it you made that poofy bow and will you please arrange the flowers for the dining table?

There is NEVER a dull or boring moment. And I don’t take for granted EVER no NEVER EVER, the beautiful and kind ladies that I’ve had the opportunity to serve and help. I am so thankful for the confidence that they have expressed. And I’m thankful that my creative energy is challenged to grow and improve.

Hear me now. I LOVE y’all. ALL y’all.

But don’t you just love teenagers? They are in that interesting space between being children and full fledged adults.

Some love to talk and express themselves. Others like to hang back and observe…or feel self-conscious.

I REMEMBER being a teenager. Oh how I remember and I’m not THAT old…only 29, you know. But everything is such a biigggg deal, a really big deal when you are a teenager.

Sometimes, it’s a biiiiiigggggg deal even when you are 29. Only 29.

It’s hard to be a teenager now…with all the social media and fake filters and silent comparison and learning to talk through a screen but not in person.

Or maybe I should have said, learning to talk in person and not through a screen.

And hiding the honest truth away behind the fake virtual reality of a blue light square. What is truth? What is real?

My favorite thing about helping the girls with their Swing Choir dresses, was telling them they were important and never ever forget their worth. And always know that the next best choice, leads to an opportunity for another good choice. My beautiful niece, Jasmine, forgot her worth. I can’t bring her back. But her life can still have impact as I reminded these girls to never ever forget their value. You can read her sweet story here.

And if they EVER forgot that they were important and if they EVER forgot that they had value, track me down… or find another person they could trust, and we would remind them of who they truly are.

And I told them as long as they were living and breathing, they had Divine purpose.

And sometimes it is easy to forget that…Life plays hard and you feel yourself going down…with the dominos.

Down.down.and.it.might.not.be.pretty.you.might.even.ugly.cry.going.down

I’ve told Tiffany that our feelings deceive us. We may feel worthless, and unworthy and insignificant and hopeless. But we always have to come back to TRUTH. Truth wins out over feelings.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made. THAT is TRUTH. We are an amazing miracle every time we take our next breath. EVERYONE of us are miraculous!

We are smart.

We have purpose. If we struggle with finding purpose, all we have to do is to start spreading kindness. Just start with that. Spread kindness. Trust me, your purpose will show up!

Hold steady. Make the next best choice and stay the course.

You may not be a teenage girl any more, but these things are true for you and me too. You know, we 29 year old’s.

So get out a pen and paper and start listing the things you DO LIKE about yourself.

It is HARD to do this. I’m not kidding. It is HARD, because we are so busy picking out all our negative traits and short comings, that we can’t even see any positive or good.

We were created to be EXTRA-ordinary. Honestly, I think when God hears us tearing ourselves down, HE cries, just like the forget-me-knots.

You may not be a teenager, but you still need to know.

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You are so important in this online space. You may subscribe to receive regular updates to this site or leave a comment below. If you are struggling with your worth or addictions or other issues that hinder your quality of life, reach out to someone you trust. There are resources available to you. I am not a licensed therapist, but I will put you in contact with those who are.

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