If you have talked to me at all recently, you know how excited I am for my birthday tomorrow. Why?
Because….drum roll please… I’m turning twenty! Which means…..another drum roll ….my teenage years
are officially behind me!!!!
Teenagers have a stigma in our society of being irresponsible, immature, foolish, reckless and a constant headache to their parents. Although at times I was definitely some of those things, I am really looking forward to breaking up with that stigma forever.
And yet, as I have been thinking about the last seven years of being a teenager, I realize that a lot of things happened that I am so thankful for, and memories were made that I will never forget. Being a teenager was actually pretty bomb, or lit, or whatever the teenagers are saying now. So to celebrate my very last day of being an adolescent, here’s 19 things I loved about my teenage years:
- Learning to Drive.
I don’t think I’ve ever felt as independent and free as I did the day I passed my driving tests, got my license and went for a drive by myself. All the hours of learning to parallel park with my Dad and merge onto freeways with my Mom had paid off at last. - Getting my first job
You can read about how much I loved working as a barista for almost 3 years here. Free coffee, learning responsibility and leadership and getting to work in the heart of downtown Sandpoint was certainly a treat. Also I’ll never forget the feeling of being handed my first paycheck. - Traveling to the East Coast for the first time
When I was 15, I saved for over a year in order to visit my brother who was attending college in Massachusetts for the first time. Experiencing the history and charm of the East Coast opened my eyes to how big and beautiful the world is, and I will always treasure the memories I made with my Dad and brother walking through the streets of Boston and D.C. - Going on my first date
I went on my first date with a boy I had liked and admired for a long, long time; a boy that is now my boyfriend of two years. He picked me up and drove me to my favorite coffee shop where we got americano’s and chattered nervously and eventually fell in love. - Learning how to make Kombucha
I grew my own SCOBY and learned how to make kombucha with the help of the internet, a dude from the farmers market and many eager taste-testers. - Becoming an aunt
Last winter I became an aunt to the most precious baby girl on the face of the planet. I was seriously not prepared for how obsessed I’d be with my now 5 month old niece, but let me tell you, I have loved every second of it. - Running my first half marathon
Training for a half marathon taught me self-discipline and determination and I still consider crossing that finish line and getting my medal to be one of the happiest moments of my life. - Traveling overseas for the first time
Last Summer I had the privilege of going on a missions trip to Latvia, Europe with my dear friend, Beth. It was an incredible experience to share with someone I treasure so much. We ate a lot of rye bread, said a lot of prayers, taught English, saw castles, and slept for about 3 days when we got home. - Attending Ellerslie Mission Society
After my senior year of high school I attended two semesters of discipleship training at Ellerslie Mission Society in Windsor, Colorado. Those semesters were convicting and challenging and beautiful times spent with my Savior and I wouldn’t trade them for the world. - Working at Summer Camp
I volunteered at a Bible Camp for 3 Summers while I was in High School. I cleaned up vomit, scrubbed dishes, gave a million piggy-back rides, became a life-guard, and had the immense privilege of sharing the gospel with a bunch of precious little kids. - Flying
I was blessed to travel a lot during my teenage years, which included many hours of flying. No matter how many times I travel, my heart still jumps up in exhilaration every time I take off and land and I love seeing the world from 30,000 feet high. - My relationship with God
It was when I became a teenager that I began to take my relationship with the Lord more seriously. I am so grateful for the way that God has faithfully drawn me to himself over the past few years and for everything we have walked through together. He is my refuge, my strong tower, my everlasting hope, and my greatest joy. - Buying yellow muck boots
I bought a pair of yellow rain boots last year, similar to the ones I had when I was a little kid, and it was definitely one of the best decisions I made while being a teenager. - The Ocean
I had the opportunity of seeing the ocean 5 times during my seven years of being a teenager; once at the Pacific ocean and 4 times at the Atlantic ocean. I love the serenity of the sea, and I can’t wait to see her again. - Being a maid of honor
I was the maid of honor in my older sisters wedding, and my good friend Mikaylea’s wedding. It was such a gift to prepare for and stand with these beautiful women on their special days. - Learning to let go
A lot of change happened during my teenage years. My family moved, both of my siblings went to college and got married, I graduated, my boyfriend moved to Oregon and then came back…. Amid all the changes I learned to let go of the expectations I had for my life and instead trust the good and perfect plans of the Lord. Change is never easy, but it is necessary, and God promises to walk with us through both the green pastures and the dark valleys. - Writing
I have loved to write poems and letters and stories for as long as I can remember, but it has only been in the last couple years that I have actually started telling people about it and taking it more seriously. I don’t know what the future will hold as far as my writing goes, but I hope that whatever I do and wherever I am, my words will bless people and emulate Gods light and love. - Learning to drink my coffee black
Partly due to my brother, my friend Beth and working at a coffee shop, I have switched from the girl who liked her coffee with lots of cream and sugar, to the girl who will only take it black. There’s nothing like grinding up the fresh beans of a quality roast and brewing a strong cup of quality coffee to start off your day and I seriously look forward to it every night I go to bed - Making mistakes
This seems very strange one to write down, and yet out of everything this is probably the thing I am most grateful for. Although it’d be really nice to go back and un-do a lot of the mistakes I made, I have learned so much about myself, about God, and about my friends and family by walking through dark times, or simply foolish times. Growing up and being a teenager is awkward and scary and I’m not going to lie, I did a lot of stupid stuff out of fear. But just like we wouldn’t know the nature of God without the scars of Christ, I wouldn’t know Gods full forgiveness and kindness without the scars of my life. I am thankful for the mistakes, because through it I saw unconditional love displayed from my family, I learned what I wanted and what I didn’t want out of my life, and I learned to have compassion and understanding.
Being a teenager was awesome, and awful at times, as most seasons of life often are. I am so thankful for everything I learned and everything I saw and I’m even more excited for all that is ahead.
All glory be to Christ!
