I first read the title and was like, "Gee, thanks mom... not, that was sarcasm." I suppose she was getting tired of being complained to by her dramatic college daughter. I mean seriously, we always unload on our moms... So she hands me this book...
The second thing I thought after I saw the book was, "wow what kind of parents name their kid Harry H. Harrison? I mean really? What's with all the H's?"
Even then, as I read parts of this book it's almost like a dull slap in the face, not to mention I'm convinced my mother secretly wrote this book herself for me (though she won't admit to it). For example:
"Things Every Teen Should Know Before They Leave Home (or else they'll come back)"
#2. They should know they're graduating into a world where employers get mad, dishwashers break, and money is hard to come by.
I was like *jaw drop*! Money and difficult bosses are both things I've totally been dealing with for months. This book tells how these "epic" issues are really no more than a stinky part of life. "It's just a season we all go through and come out alright," my mom tells me. A.K.A. get used to it girl.
"Things Every Teen Should Know Before They Leave Home (or else they'll come back)"
#7. They should know that just because things get difficult, it's no reason to believe God is on vacation.
WHACK!! How true is that? And how true even more is it that I totally think that sometimes. How often when things don't work out do I think, "guess God doesn't care about this one..." NOT TRUE. So bogus! As if I should believe God owes ME anything... He obviously doesn't, yet He chooses to help us through this life. When things get hard...that is when God stands closest to us. If we feel alone... it's simply because we are not facing the right direction and we can't see the loving God standing right beside us.
"I will never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5
They may say, "Never say never," and rightfully so...because never is an long time, but you see, when God says "never" it isn't confined within our human limits of time. Never IS never, ever, ever, ever, ever....
Never is "to infinity and beyond!" Sorry Toy Story fans, I had to. As humans we can't even wrap our minds around the significance of when a timeless God says NEVER, but I can tell you that means: He was there when you felt alone, He was there when you were scared, He was there when you spit in His eye, He was there when you were joyful and laughing, and He was there even when you didn't realize He was. He is ALWAYS there. It's a good thing that God is not limited to time or space that we as humans are. God never leaves us, He knew us before we were born, and He will be with us after we pass from this earth. Lastly, He is with you RIGHT NOW.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God,
"who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
Revelation 1:8
So I guess what I'm trying to say through this post is... Thanks God for always being there.
Oh, and thanks for my mom's loving sense of humor. :)