I was a World War II baby, born in 1945, so it’s been awhile since I’ve been a teenager.  However, the mind is such that I can still recall those exciting teenage years.  Oh, in no way did my generation have to wrestle with all the choices and concerns…temptations and troubles our youth do today.   Indeed, life was quite different back then.

Believe it or not, it wasn’t until sixth grade that my four brothers and two sisters experienced the luxury of indoor plumbing. We had no TV until I was in the eighth grade and that was a one-channel, used, black & white, ten inch screen TV given to our family by a rich uncle. There were times during those teenage years my dad threatened to carry out Mark Twain's philosophy in dealing with teenagers:

My teenage years (late 50's and early 60's) were during a time when people got married first and then lived together (how radical is that today?)...a time when closets were for clothes, not for “coming out of.”  We thought fast food was something you ate during Lent so the family could make it to the Wednesday night Lenten services or something gobbled down on the way to baseball practice.  In my day, cigarette smoking was fashionable... grass was mowed...Coke was a soft drink...pot was something you cooked in...and AIDS were teacher’s helpers in the classrooms. A little different time than today, but yet similar in many ways.

Like you teenagers today, we also thought that we were too old to do the things kids do and not
old enough to do things adults do, so we too decided, “Let’s do things nobody else does.”  We were always eager (like many teenagers today) to give our parents, teachers, and other adults the full benefit of our inexperience. And, yes, we also complained, “There’s nothing to do,” and then wanted to stay out all night getting it done. 

I enjoyed those turbulent, teenage years and pray that you will too.  It does my heart good to see so many of you young people worshiping on a regular basis, involving yourselves in the youth events and activities, willing to use your time in various service projects, being an inspiration and encourager to others, using your God-given gifts and abilities in your school’s band and music programs, in the classrooms and on the athletic teams, and making choices that are good, right, and godly and beneficial for your lives, your families, your schools, communities, and Christ’s church.  Do I pray that more Youth would be involved in the life of Christ’s church?  You better believe it (and I pray that more adults would as well)!

From generation to generation, the more life changes, the more it stays the same.  What I needed in my teenage years is exactly what you  young people need today – a source of truth to live by that’s revealed in the Book of Truth, the Bible.  So teenagers, hang tough onto that Word of Truth and choose to say and do the right stuff.  Your pastors, parents, and your church pray that the following words St. Paul spoke to young Timothy will be an inspiration to you during your teenage years and beyond:  

Now there’s a formula that will bless your life and the life of your family, friends, and others, no matter what age you might be!