Being Yoked

"I just know I've met my Prince Charming! He's so perfect for me! We've been getting to know each other for a year and we like the same stuff and everything!!!" said Melissa.

"That's great! I'm glad you can finally pursue a relationship!!! Where does he go to church, and how long has he been a Christian?" asked Melissa's best friend, Courtney.

"Oh, he doesn't go to church. In fact, he has another religion or something. We don't talk about it much."

Whoah! Something's wrong with this picture, and a lot of us probably know what it is. Melissa is so excited about this guy and is convinced that he's the one, but he doesn't go to church (red flag #1), he is involved in some other religion (red flag #2), and they haven't talked much about this topic at all, even though they've been getting to know each other for a year (red flag #3)!!! Hmmm, doesn't sound like a safe relationship to me!

Now you may be saying, "I don't get what the big deal is. Sure, it would be helpful if they would both be of the same faith, but certainly it would work out somehow!" This is a big deal! This is one of the first things you must find out about the person you pursue a relationship with! You need to both be followers of Jesus. Why? A couple of reasons:

1) The Bible says that we should not marry someone who doesn't share our beliefs. "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?" (2 Corinthians 6:14-15, NIV)

2) If your spouse doesn't share your faith, they can lead you away from God. "King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh's daughter-Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech the detestable god of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father had done." (1 Kings 11:1, 3-6, NIV) Now this passage does not mean that we should not marry foreigners to our country; no, it means we shouldn't marry foreigners to our faith, who are people who don't share our commitment to Christ. As you can see, Solomon married women from other nations, which God had actually commanded the Israelites not to do (1 Kings 11:2), and those women turned Solomon away from God, so that he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD.

I want to go back and make mention on the third red flag: that Melissa and her "boyfriend" didn't often talk about God, or what they believed. It is very important that you don't make this mistake in your relationships, and that you do discover what the other person believes. You need to talk about this not just to know what faith the other has, but to then build your friendship and relationship around that shared faith in God. Hopefully, then, that will carry into your marriage (if you end up marrying that person or marrying at all!), and your marriage will be Christ-centered as well.

~Princess Gloria

A Post By Princess Emily

Dear Readers,

Before you start to read the post below, I would like to thank Princess Emily for doing this for us. If you would like to have us publish anything for you, please leave it as a comment, and I (Princess Catherine) will see when would it would be best to publish it.

Princess Catherine ~*~

“What?!” I burst out, shocked and horrified. The voice on the other end of my cell phone said the same words again. “I have a new girlfriend.”
I got angry, and so I shouted “Well, who needs you anyway? Jerk!” And I slammed my thumb down on the button that ended the call. That call ended my relationship with my first boyfriend.

I felt numb, empty. Who would I think about when I was day dreaming? Why would I care about what I wore if I didn’t have anyone to notice it? What would I do in my spare time if I wasn’t checking my e-mail or texting him? When would I get my life back?

I decided the answer was to date someone else in my high school. A guy that I didn’t really know well, but he seemed OK. Strong, pretty good looking, and laughing at everything (and anything) I said. Then I realized that my heart wasn’t in this relationship and he was too carefree (I wanted someone to say that everyone that was against me were jerks and sympathize with me), and so I made a choice to break up with him. Although I wasn’t hurt like the first time I broke up, it still felt like I was hollow inside.
Then I agreed to date another boy in my school. He was handsome, funny, and a good athlete. What more could I ask for? Well, you might not know the answer, but I do. I wanted love. He was too busy with other things to even check my text messages I sent him, and so I got more and more desperate to try and contact him and get his attention. I grew more and more worried about what he thought about my clothes, make-up, hair styles, and other things that just weren’t very important. I realized that I was only his “girlfriend” by name. Then he broke up with me (and put me on his spam list because I e-mailed him too much), and that was it.
When he broke up with me, I broke inside. My heart became broken. I knew I couldn’t go through another boyfriend if all they did to me was hurt me. They never abused me physically, but when they broke up with me, I was devastated. They don’t call it “breaking up” for no reason.

I ran to my room and slammed my door while locking myself in and other people out. I turned off my cell phone, unplugged my laptop, and sat hunched up on my bed, crying. My parents tried to come in, but I just said I was fine and would come down later. Or other times I would (I’m not proud of it now) yell at them, angry at them for something I had brought upon myself.
No wonder the teenage years are so tough! I thought. I won’t be able to last through another boyfriend, but if I don’t date, everyone else will think I’m some weirdo!
Then the question came to my mind “What should I do now?”

A note was thrust under my door in an envelope titled “To Emily”. I ignored it for about two minutes, then I became curious. Who sent it to me? I didn’t recognize the handwriting. Filled with interest, I grabbed the note and tore it open.

On the top was the address “Psalm 18:6” and on the bottom “Psalm 34:17” Then it read as follows:

“Emily,

Don’t know why, but I feel like I should pray for you. It’s OK to cry, but remember that God will wipe your tears. Pray for yourself; it’s not wrong! Pray for guidance about what to do next (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Your friend,

Megan”

Megan? My “friend” at school who does that Bible Study thing at recess? I laughed and walked over to put it on my bookshelf in the drawer with all my other letters (OK, it was really my junk drawer), then I opened the drawer to toss the letter in and stopped. There, sitting in my junk drawer, sat the Bible Megan and her friend, Jenny, gave to me one day at school. I had never opened it, I’ll admit. Then I felt compelled to open it. If Megan spent her time to write and send me a note (even a weird note at that), I should at least figure out what Psalm was and what the numbers 18, 6, 34, and 17 meant. So I looked at the “table of contents” and looked for the chapter Psalm. It turns out that “Psalm” was not a chapter, but a book, one of the 66 books in the Bible. And the numbers were not random. When it said “Psalm 18:6” it meant the book Psalm, the chapter 18, and the verse 6. I was amazed at how organized everything was. And I was comforted by the words I found in those pages. I had felt so empty after my break ups, but King David in Psalm 23:5 it says “…My cup overflows.” I wanted something, and in Psalm 23:1 it says “…I shall not want.” It was all about me, me, me, me, and (yep) me. What would I do, why would I care, when would I get my life back. I was (and still am sometimes, but God helps me) selfish, but now I know that in Philippians (chapter 2 verse 3), it says “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;”

So, God has brought my life back, even after my boyfriends (I had more than three, I just picked the “main” three). It was tough, and it will be for you too. But remember Megan’s words of encouragement “It’s OK to cry, but remember that God will wipe your tears. Pray for yourself; it’s not wrong! Pray for guidance about what to do next (Proverbs 3:5-6)”

Proverbs 3:5-6
“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.”

Psalm 18:6
“In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came before Him, into His ears.”

Psalm 34:17
“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.”

Now, I can proudly say that I am no longer just Emily, a common, hopeless person, but now I am Princess Emily, daughter of the King of Kings. And I can boast of this because Galatians 6:14 “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

Princess Emily, daughter of The King of Kings

Be Satisfied With Me

Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone,
To have a deep soul relationship with another,
To be loved thoroughly and exclusively.
But God, to a Christian, says,
"No, not until you are satisfied, fulfilled and content
With being loved by Me alone,
With giving yourself totally and reservedly to Me,
With having an intensely personal and unique relationship
With Me alone.
Discovering that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found,
Will you be capable of the perfect human relationship
That I have planned for you.
You will never be united with another until you are united
With Me alone,
Exclusive of anyone or anything else,
Exclusive of any other desires or longings.

I want you to stop planning,
Stop wishing,
And allow Me to give you the most thrilling plan existing,
One that you cannot imagine.
Please allow Me to bring it to you.
You just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things.
Keep experiencing the satisfaction that I Am.
Keep listening and learning that things I tell you.
You just wait.
That's all.
Don't be anxious.
Don't worry.
Don't look at the things you think you want;
You just keep looking off and away up to Me,
Or you'll miss what I want to show you.
And then when you are ready,
I'll surprise you with a love far more wonderful that any
You could dream of.
You see, until you are ready and until
The one I have for you is ready
(I am working even at this moment to have you both ready at the same time),
Until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me
And the life I prepared for you,
You won't be able to experience the love that
Exemplified your relationship with Me.
And this is the perfect love.

And dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love,
I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your
Relationship with Me,
And to enjoy materially and concretely
The everlasting union of beauty, perfection and love
That I offer you with Myself.
Know that I love utterly.
I Am God.
Believe it and be satisfied."

-St.Anthony of Padua

When God Writes Your Story

I've heard people say that life is a play,

In which we are all the actors.

But what is a play with out someone to tell you the story,

And show you the way.

But when God writes your story,

And you follow it best as you can,

Then when God looks down at the story you're living,

He'll say;

"Well Done,

Well Done

My good and faithfull servant,

Well done."

Some people don't follow the script infront of them,

They turn and go their own way.

But a play with out a story is like a car without and engine...

It's not going any where.

But when God writes your story,

And you follow it best as you can,'

Then when God looks down at the story you're living,

He'll say;

"Well done,

Well done,

My good and faithful servant,

Well done."

Without God your play is destined for ruin,

You don't have a script to follow,

But He loves you like always,

Has a plan for your life,

And He wants you to follow His way.

It's always right.

Purity: Not Just a Now Thing

"I can't wait 'til I get married! Then I'll be done with this purity thing!"

We sometimes think of purity this way, don't we? That we can be done with it once we get married. But purity isn't just a now thing. Is it important to try to be pure now? Absolutely! But we shouldn't stop being pure once we get married. Purity is a life-long struggle; yes, I DO mean struggle! It's hard to be pure because doing so is so much against what we instinctively want to do!
But purity is not something we do now, then we get married and can drop it! Even after we're married we need to continue to be pure, in every area of life. We should be honoring God through our actions, our thoughts, and our words. Will we fail? Probably so. But can we be forgiven? Yes! We will need to get up and try again, but God will forgive us; we just need to ask for it.

Perhaps you're reading this and thinking, "But I'm not married yet! How does this apply to me now?" In a sense, it doesn't. This is simply a post bringing to your attention the fact that purity doesn't end with marriage. Concentrate on staying pure now, and when you get married (if you get married), you can then continue to walk in purity.

~Princess Gloria

Welcome Princess Gloria!!!!

Please welcome another Princess that is now going to author on "White Rose Valley" as well; Princess Gloria!

Please treat her as you would a fellow sister in Christ!

Can't wait to see your first post, Princess Gloria! :)

Princess Catherine ~*~

What Would Happen?

What Would Happen?

What would happen,

If the whole world decided to wait,

And not date?

Or, at least, not date until old enough,

To get married to their Special One,

And take it seriously,

Instead of having fun?

What would happen if they didn't give their heart away,

Until they were sure they'd say "I Do."

To the other person on the alter some day?

What would happen if people stopped texting,

And not pay attention as much to what they've heard?

And instead worked on their grades,

And try to obey God, and His Holy Word?

What would happen if the world took dating seriously,

Worked on their grades and studied their Bible?

And didn't date/court until they were ready,

And White Roses were becoming stronger than their rival?

Their rival is not again the people of the world,
For the Bible tells us so,

But against ourselves,

You may be thinking "How is that so?"

You see, we fight against ourselves,

We fight against temptation, greed,

Want, hate, frustration, anger,

Lies, pain, suffering, and doubt,

But somehow we get out,

We get out of the snares of our enemy,

With the help of The King of Kings,

And shine out like a White Rose among thorns and briers.

So what would happen?
I don't know,

But that's where you come in to play.....

A Love Story

Joseph looked around nervously. This was the first time he had ever been to a home school teen event, and he had no idea how to play Ultimate Frisbee. Come to think of it, this was Joseph's first year of homeschooling, and he didn't known any one! He wondered if most fourteen-year-old boys were ever in this situation. He was really scared.
Well, as the game started, Joseph still only had a rudimentary knowledge of what he was doing, even though every one else on his team had explained it to him about three times. (that would be every individual person told him three times. Joseph was a slow learner) Any way, it looked rough. So far he wasn't sure he liked any one hear...except for that girl on the other team. She looked about his age, she was about his height to and had long brown hair that fell around her shoulders. He had noticed her immediately. As the game started though, all thoughts of her disappeared. He was too frantic. Joseph was the kind of person who was scared of Frisbees flying straight at his head. It was unnerving. Suddenly Joseph screamed as he bumped into someone and was knocked off his feet. As he hit the ground, a searing pain ripped through his leg. Through blurry vision he saw the brown-haired girl drop to her knees in the grass beside him.
"Are you alright?" she inquired worriedly. "I didn't mean to run into you."
"I think my leg is broken." Joseph moaned.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" The girl said. "I'll call an ambulance. Oh, by the way, my name is Rebbecca." Joseph liked that name.
"I'm Joseph" he whispered, barely getting the words out. "But most people just call me Joe." He didn't have time to say more before Rebbecca ran into the house to call 9-1-1.
It was only a few more times that Joseph saw Rebbecca, and it wasn't long before he was in college. Walking down the hall to Spanish class one day, he was thinking about the kind girl who had helped him all those years ago. It seemed a coincidence that Rebbecca herself was walking down the hallway in the other direction thinking about the kid who broke his leg playing Ultimate Frisbee. They were both thinking so hard, they didn't notice each other. It wasn't long before both of them were on the floor staring at the other.
"Rebbecca? That's weird...I was just thinking about you!" Rebbecca couldn't believe it either. A year later they were married. This has been the very odd story of a very odd home schooled kid named Joe.
Note: The point of this story is definitely not to make fun of Joe. (It's also not to be realistic...if you know what I mean.) the point of this story is to illustrate the fact that kindness is almost always rewarded...even when it takes years.

"Ironic" in the Eyes of A Teenager (Part 3)

This post was written for one of our readers who had trouble understanding the post titled "Ironic", written by Princess Catherine.

This post was written by a good friend and fellow teenager Princess Alicia to help our reader(s) to be less confused.

This post is dedicated to anyone else who needs it and its encouragement and wisdom. Parents, feel welcome to read this too! :)

A note by Princess Catherine: This post was not done by myself (Catherine), Princess Izori, or Princess Melody. It was done by Princess Alicia, who I am still trying to author on this blog. If you enjoy it (like I did/do) please comment! :) - Princess Catherine ~*~



So what's the "Ironic" part about? Right; got a bit off topic.
The "Ironic" part is this; it's just really weird how we say our parents are holding us back from becoming our own person, when the truth of the matter is we're holding ourselves back! "WHAT?! I'm not holding myself back!" You might be saying (or yelling). Yeah, I said the same thing until I thought, really thought, about it. It's true we hold ourselves back more than we know. And this is where the "It's OK to be different" comes in.

Have you heard the saying "Go with the flow"? I have, and that's exactly what I used to do and sometimes still do.
Have you ever tried to fit in with your friends? I know I have.
Why?
Because it's easier to go with the flow than against it, right?

I know it's hard being the only one doing something, even if it is just something simple like an outfit. But when we just do what everyone else does, are we trying to become our own person? No! Yet we blame our parents for actually trying to teach us things about responsibility that will help us become our own person, when really we don't have the guts to even wear different style clothes than everyone else! Think about it. Ironic, isn't it? The other thing is; we will listen to our friends and cave in under peer pressure, but don't want to listen to our parents who have our best interest in mind.
If your friends are pressuring you to do something, do you really think they have your best interest in mind?

When our parents tell us to do something we are quick to say "I need to make my own decisions!" or "My parents are trying to run my life!" But our parents (not our friends) are the ones who provide for us and take care of us. Even so, we'll listen to our friends over them! What happened to "I want to make my own decisions!"? Ironic, isn't it?

So, why are we so scared to be ourselves?
Because of rejection? Being uncool, unpopular, or thought poorly of? Why? I can't answer that for you, but for me it's because of rejection. I love being accepted (who doesn't?), but when someone doesn't really like me it feels like someone punched me in the stomach!
But I have figured out a secret; not everyone is going to like me (duh, right?)!
It doesn't matter what they think; that's their problem! Be yourself, mo matter what anyone thinks!
If you aren't yourself you'll be playing this big game of pretend. You'll be pretending to be this person you're not. Many people play this game, but (as they can probably tell you) it's not a fun one. Not only is it OK to be different (it's OK to go against the flow), but it's GREAT to be different!
Different talents, different abilities, and different styles God has given us make us all unique and special. Of course, that may not help when you're then only one who believes something, or you're the only one with that style of outfit, but remember to always be yourself!

You're wonderful the way God made you! No mistakes! HE loves you just the way He made you!

So, as teenagers (or any age), let's try hard to......

1. Obey Your Parents
Obeying your parents is rewarding! God will reward you, and your parents will trust and respect you more each day!

2. Show Responsibility and Maturity
You will gain freedom and trust.

3. Talk to Your Parents
You will get more out of it than you think and it will allow both you and your parent(s) to see both sides of the story.

4. Be Yourself No Matter What!
Become your own person with the loving guidance of your parents. Don't hold yourself back and then blame it on your parents!

5. Trust God and obey HIM
HE will do great things in your life, wait and see! One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11:
" 'For I know the plans I have for you.' Declares the LORD 'Plans to prosper and not to harm you. Plans to give you and hope and a future.' "


Princess Alicia

"Ironic" in the Eyes of A Teenager (Part 2)

This post was written for one of our readers who had trouble understanding the post titled "Ironic", written by Princess Catherine.
This post was written by a good friend and fellow teenager Princess Alicia to help our reader(s) to be less confused.
This post is dedicated to anyone else who needs it and its encouragement and wisdom. Parents, feel welcome to read this too! :)

A note by Princess Catherine: This post was not done by myself (Catherine), Princess Izori, or Princess Melody. It was done by Princess Alicia, who I am still trying to author on this blog. If you enjoy it (like I did/do) please comment! :) - Princess Catherine ~*~

Most everyone wants to be independent, right? Well you can be. I have figured out the strategy that most parents use with us teenagers. Be responsible in the small things that your parents trust you with, and slowly you will see them give you more and more freedom. Here's an example.

Your friend invites you to go clothes shopping with her and her mom at the local mall. Your mother says it's fine as long as you don't get anything you know she would not approve of and as long as you're back by nine. So you go into the mall, and then into a store. Your friend's mom pulls two skirts off the rack and tells you and your friend to try them on. You do, but once you try it on you know your mother would hate it because it is way too short. Your friend's mom says it looks perfect on you, and your friend agrees. And they say they will even buy it for you!

This story could end two ways. Let's look at Option 1.......

You say "OK! Mom will understand, after all, I didn't buy it!" And once you get home and your mother sees the skirt, she is angry and disappointed. You say you didn't buy it, but regardless you still got the skirt even though you knew your mom would disapprove. So next time your friend asks if you want to go shopping with her and her mom, your mother will not let you go. You go to your room, saying (or yelling) that your mom is being unfair.

Not the best option, huh? Let's look as Option 2.......

You respectfully tell your friend and your friend's mom that your mother would not approve of the skirt. Your friend and your friend's mom then insist that you get it, but you tell them (still respectfully) that you don't want to get it, even though you appreciate the their offer to buy it for you. The next time your friend asks if you want to go shopping with her and her mom, your mother says you're allowed as long as you don't get anything you know she wouldn't approve of and as long as you're back by ten.

So you see how it works? Love is something that is given for free, but you have to earn trust and freedom. So, in Option 1 you disobey your mother (which is going against the Bible according Colossians 3:20, Ephesians 6:1, and Exodus 20:12) and next time your friend asks your mother says you can't go. You say it's unfair, but is it? I mean really, is it? Think about it. Put yourself in your mother's place. She tells you not to get anything you know she wouldn't approve of and, well, you come home with something she disapproves of. The to top it off you say (or yell) she is being unfair.

Do you like it when you tell someone not to do something and they do it anyway? What if next time you didn't trust that person as much as before and they said you were being unfair? Is it just me, or is that just a little off?

We as teenagers always say our parents should put themselves in our place. Well, we can't expect our parents to do something we don't want to do ourselves, so let's take a second and put ourselves in their place (or at least look at the other side of the story). They are trying to help us become a better, wiser, more successful, and over all happier person. All we are doing is constantly complaining about what they don't let us do, and how it's "Like so unfair!" But think about what they do allow us to do. I mean, we don't always get to do everything we want (and sometimes that is a good thing!), but parents don't get to do what they want all the time either.

Sometimes we forget that our parents have feelings too. They have places they want to go and things they want to do, but they don't do them or go there because of us. They make sacrifices for us.

Go ahead. Say "My parents get to do whatever they want and go where ever they want whenever they want to!" But think about it; how many times have you wanted your mom or dad to take your somewhere, and they didn't feel up to it or wanted to do something else instead? But instead of whining and complaining "I always take you! Why don't we just do this once for me?" they say "OK." and go along. I know my mom has done that for me many, many times! Yet, when she asks me to go somewhere I don't want to or don't feel like going to right that moment, I'm usually quick to ask "Can't I just stay home?" or "I don't want to go, can't we just stay?" And here's the really bad part; sometimes I get mad if my mom makes me do what she wants to do.

It is so, so easy to be selfish. I mean like really easy. And taking us places is definitely NOT the only time our parents make sacrifices for us. Look at our every day lives, like that plate you just ate off of, did you wash it or did one of your parents? Those clothes you are wearing, did you wash them? The grass you just walked though and tracked though the house, did you mow the lawn? Did you clean up the floor? That new IPod or MP3 player you're listening to, did you buy it? Or what about that Wii, X-Box, Nintendo DS, PS3, or laptop you have and play/use, did you save your money though hard work to earn it?

You probably do some of these things for yourself, but who picks up the slack when you don't. Yeah, that's right, our parents. Don't you think they would rather do other things with their time and money? If nothing else, don't you think they at least deserve respect, or a thank you. I mean, come on! After doing all that for someone I would at least want a thank you. Trust me, I know it's hard to think of all this when we want to do something our way, and our parents' way seems unfair. Well it's true it's unfair. We are being unfair to our parents. We take them for granted, or at least I do.

So what's the "Ironic" part about? Right; got a bit off topic.
The "Ironic" part is this; it's just really weird how we say our parents are holding us back from becoming our own person, when the truth of the matter is we're holding ourselves back! "WHAT?! I'm not holding myself back!" You might be saying (or yelling). Yeah, I said the same thing until I thought, really thought, about it. It's true we hold ourselves back more than we know. And this is where the "It's OK to be different" comes in.

"Ironic" in the Eyes of A Teenager (Part 1)

This post was written for one of our readers who had trouble understanding the post titled "Ironic?", written by Princess Catherine.

It is dedicated to anyone else who needs it and its encouragement and wisdom. Parents, feel welcome to read this too! :)

"That skirt's too short, you look too grown up! Go take it off! You got a 'C' on your report card! You should have been studying instead of going to the movies with your friends! If you don't pull those grades up you're not going anywhere for a week! If you don't clean your room you're not getting the car this weekend!"

Have your parents ever said any of these things to you? How about these?

"I just don't feel comfortable with you being there by yourself. Someone has to go with you." or "You're too young to be doing that! If there is no chaperon, your can't go!"

Why? What do they talk to us like we're kids? They totally don't understand us! I mean, if they did they wouldn't treat us like this, right? We are old enough to be just a little independent! Can't they give us some space? They just want to keep us from becoming our own person, right? Wrong.

Once my friend and I were at an amusement park with her mom. It had started to rain, so we decided it was a good time to take a lunch break. Once we were finished eating, we realized it had stopped raining. We were so excited to get to our next ride, we started running ahead of her mom.
"Hey girls!" She called out. "Come back here!"
My friend and I, frustrated and anxious, walked over to her.
"What?" My friend asked and then added "The ride's this way."
Her mom smiled and said "There were two gangs right there and they looked like they were going to fight. You girls were about to walk right between them."
"But were didn't see them, how could we not see them?" I asked.
My friend's mom smiled again "I know you didn't see them. That's why I'm here."

I wonder how many other times parents can foresee things we teenagers can't. My friend's mom was not trying to hold us back from where we wanted to go, she was just making sure we got there safely. That's why God gave us parents.

They are not trying to keep us from becoming independent or becoming our own person (in fact, they want that too!), they just don't want us to get hurt unnecessarily or go down the wrong road in the process.

Of course for some of you knowing that might not help that much because sometimes regardless of our parents' motives it's hard to listen to them. But sometimes instead of checking our parents' motives, we need to check our own. We should want to obey and please our parents because that's what God asks. God said in Ephesians 6:1, and Colossians 3:20 to obey your parents. Exodus 20:12 says "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you." (bold added)

Now some of you might be saying/thinking "I thought this was supposed to be though the eyes of the teenagers!" Well it is. I am a teenager, and like most teenagers I don't always see eye to eye or agree with my parents, but time after time I find that my parents only want the best for me.

Most everyone wants to be independent, right? Well you can be. I have figured out the strategy that most parents use with us teenagers.