Teens, Sweat and Hand Sanitizer

The other evening, I sat down by my husband on the couch.  He said, "You smell good."

I laughed out loud because it threw me off.  It was the end of the day.  That morning I had run 1 1/2 miles on the treadmill - sweating profusely.  It was also a very warm day in the 80's and the girls and I had been working outside.  I knew myself that I didn't smell as good as I could have!

Then I figured out what he was referring to - it was the new hand sanitizer I had put on my hands sitting at softball practice!  

I sure fooled him. :)

I was thinking about that scenario.  And I was thinking about teenagers.  And church youth groups. You see, our oldest daughter will be going into 7th grade in August...and into the youth group.  My heart is honestly quite heavy with this change of life.  Not in the sense - "I don't want my baby to grow up."  More in the sense of what she will face.

You see, teen years are a time of slapping on the hand sanitizer over the sweat.  Hearts of deceit hid by words of God.  Teens that are one way with friends and another way with parents and pastor.

It's a scary time.  How does a true, genuine real teenager come about?

1.  Prayer.  Moms, dads, teen leaders...are you praying for your teens?  In the darkest of nights, I have begged God for my almost teen.

2.  Communication.  Building that relationship that you can talk to them about anything - and they want to talk to you about everything.  Preparing them and hopefully, challenging them to do right before God.

3.  You being the real deal.  In the homes where moms and dads are putting on the hand sanitizer over their sweat - or should I say - they are one way at home and one way at church?   These are often the homes where the teens will do the same.

I don't ever want to be a person who leads in her words - but does not follow in actions and most of all in my heart.

Teens of all people will see right through it.  They will smell the sweat and not the sanitizer.  

Let's keep it real before God and others.