What I Would Tell My Teenage Self

I am once again linking up with some fabulous Hearts at Home bloggers this week to answer the question, "If I could travel back in time and tell my teenage self one thing, what would it be?  Some might find this a difficult question, but I knew immediately  the pep talk I would give myself.

When I was 15 I started dating a guy my parents didn't think was a good match for me.  He was raised Catholic, as was my Dad, but Dad ended up leaving the Catholic church in search of a deeper Christianity.  Now I'm not bashing Catholics, I'm just saying that my parents had been through a lot personally with this scenario and wanted to save me the same pain and heartache that they had been through.

I remember so clearly, as if just yesterday, a conversation that took place at our kitchen table one evening around dinner, and I can quote myself saying to both my parents, "It's only a date, it's not like we are getting married."  Well guess what, we did....and then we got divorced.

What would I tell myself?  Listen to the wise counsel of your parents!  For most children the the desire to find our own way often times outweighs good counsel.  We insist that we know what we're doing and what is best.  If I had listened to not only my parents, but others who didn't think we were a good match, I would certainly have saved myself a lot of heartache and this disease called depression that originated with a very difficult divorce.

Just recently my 11 year old learned this lesson for herself and I hope it sticks with her for a long time.  I made her repeat after me, "Mama knows best!"

"Plans fail for lack of counsel, 

but with many advisers they succeed."

Proverbs 15:22 

Be sure to visit with the other bloggers as well!