Why is it....

...that teenagers are what they are?? Do we need to be tested?? Do we have to payback for what we did to our own parents as teenagers?? Or is it just the way we get our gray hair for old age? Whatever the reason, I still have to sit and wonder what God was planning when he gave us teenagers. The very word is a problem for me. "Teenagers" If you search throughout history you will NOT find that word in existence before America had at least 48 of it's states. So who created it? And do they "really" exist, these "teenagers"? Sometimes I think that they didn't exist before the word and that children of that age were just as sweet as the rest of the ages at some point back in history. Once the word was created, then they felt they better live up to it and started misbehaving. That's my feeling anyway, take it or leave it for yourself. But I really think if we hadn't of labeled them all things would be fine. Just like if you label a child "troubled" more times than not they will live right up to that name.

So why do I lament today? Well, I'm on my second one (yes, I have three teenagers but the third and youngest one has not REALLY hit it yet and so I don't count him) and I'm wore out. The other night after yet another battle with a teen who thinks they know EVERYTHING and have no qualms about telling it all to my face in not such a nice voice I decided I was done. No, not done with my children. Done with teenagers and so I sat down and prayed and gave them to God. They are really His after all. He just gave them to me for awhile. So, now I'm giving them back. I told Him that they are in His hands (which they always were anyway but I'm verbalizing it so I KNOW with certainty). And let me tell you, I feel better than I have in three years! That's how long it's been, just shy of three years since the oldest of my dearest, sweetest, most adorable children took on the label of "teenager" and started us on this wild ride.

All I can do at this point is go on my knees and pray and pray for these children to not get so lost they can't find their way home. Pray that they continue to know God like they've know Him as a child. A wise parent of three grown children once told me "The only thing you can do as a parent of teenagers is PRAY PRAY PRAY". So that's what I'm doing.