It is all very good and well for me to post devotions and things on here, but at the end of the day you want practical advice on how to live out your everyday life. As I go through my life as a teenager and learn interesting new things to do, and old things that really need to be brought back into our lives as teenage girls, I will post it on here. I trust that what I put on here will be as helpful to you as it is to me, but we are all different, so do not think you have to do everything I state on this page. It is to make your life more interesting. Give you something to think about and put into practice on those days when you feel like there is nothing good left to do in the world. Practical, saving the world, everyday girl kind of stuff. =P
1. Think about your future
There is a wise saying that I have heard somewhere along my fifteen years of life that goes something like this: "The habits you form while you are single are the things you will take into your marriage." You may not be thinking much past today at the moment, but if you are a girl like me then you have been thinking about your future quite seriously for a while.
"So," you might ask, "what do you mean by telling me that saying?" What I am trying to get you thinking is that the habits you form right now are the habits that you will take with you when you get married. If you figure out good saving and budgeting plans now and put them into action, then you will do the same in your marriage. And the flip side of that is that if you spend. spend, spend all the money you get, then you will do the same in your marriage and find your finances going down the toilet and not being able to remember where all that money went.
But I am not only talking about money. There are other things that you will either learn to manage well, or not learn to manage at all. Like keeping things tidy, or leaving your room (and one day the house) in a mess. Things like managing your time so that you can fit everything that is needed to be done in to your day, or crashing into bed at night wondering how the day got away on you.
"So," you might ask, "what do you mean by telling me that saying?" What I am trying to get you thinking is that the habits you form right now are the habits that you will take with you when you get married. If you figure out good saving and budgeting plans now and put them into action, then you will do the same in your marriage. And the flip side of that is that if you spend. spend, spend all the money you get, then you will do the same in your marriage and find your finances going down the toilet and not being able to remember where all that money went.
But I am not only talking about money. There are other things that you will either learn to manage well, or not learn to manage at all. Like keeping things tidy, or leaving your room (and one day the house) in a mess. Things like managing your time so that you can fit everything that is needed to be done in to your day, or crashing into bed at night wondering how the day got away on you.
Make a List of habits you want to make:
List the things you want to know how to do before you are married.
Some things on my list are: learn how to cook a meal from beginning to end, iron, dust properly, and make a bed hospital style. You will have different things on your list, and maybe some of the same. Other things that I want to learn are to: manage time well, keep my room tidy and clean, change diapers (nappies). Do not get too carried away, because you will learn things along lifes paths, but you want to know the basics so that you can start life with your husband off on the right foot. If you are not sure of things you may need to learn, you can also ask your mother, or a trusted Christian wife & mother for more suggestion.
Once you have made the list begin to learn these things. Ask your mum or grandma or whoever how to iron, make beds, and dust. Ask some Christian women you have come to admire how they manage to fit all the things they do into their day. If you offer your services as a babysitter then you are sure to learn how to change nappies (I have found this from personal experience.)
JUST REMEMBER: while you are learning these things that while they are jobs to be learned... have fun! God has given us this amazing life, so make the most of it. Do not think that you have to learn these things, and go around with a stony cold face, but want to learn them because they will one day be a good benefit to you, whether you get married young, or run your own home for years before you are married, or are called to live your life just for God and remain single. Remember to ask God what things He specifically wants you to learn, also.
Some things on my list are: learn how to cook a meal from beginning to end, iron, dust properly, and make a bed hospital style. You will have different things on your list, and maybe some of the same. Other things that I want to learn are to: manage time well, keep my room tidy and clean, change diapers (nappies). Do not get too carried away, because you will learn things along lifes paths, but you want to know the basics so that you can start life with your husband off on the right foot. If you are not sure of things you may need to learn, you can also ask your mother, or a trusted Christian wife & mother for more suggestion.
Once you have made the list begin to learn these things. Ask your mum or grandma or whoever how to iron, make beds, and dust. Ask some Christian women you have come to admire how they manage to fit all the things they do into their day. If you offer your services as a babysitter then you are sure to learn how to change nappies (I have found this from personal experience.)
JUST REMEMBER: while you are learning these things that while they are jobs to be learned... have fun! God has given us this amazing life, so make the most of it. Do not think that you have to learn these things, and go around with a stony cold face, but want to learn them because they will one day be a good benefit to you, whether you get married young, or run your own home for years before you are married, or are called to live your life just for God and remain single. Remember to ask God what things He specifically wants you to learn, also.
2. How do you dress modestly, and yet save money?
If you are anything like me then you want to make sure that you dress modest as to not cause your brother to sin, but you also want to look nice. Then in comes another problem: not spending the earth on nice clothes. It seems cheaper to buy immodest clothes these days than to bless your brothers in Christ with dressing with feminine style and modesty... but there are ways past this.
Here are some ideas of saving money for more important things like giving, and yet getting nice clothes:
Shop at second hand stores. To wear nice clothes does not mean that they have to be brand new. In many second hand stores (or thrift stores as they are sometimes called) you can find nice, well-kept things for much cheaper than they would have been brand new.
Check out cheap buys online. Be careful online, because there is a lot of bad stuff on there. But among the bad things there are some good. One good thing I have found in New Zealand (my homeland) is called TradeMe. It is a place where you can sell things, and buy them. Some are new from shops selling on there, and some are second hand. It is like an online second hand store, accept you are going through the owner of the clothes and other things themselves. Some other options in other countries would be EBay, etc. Ask around where you live and you will be sure to find some.
If you don't need it right now, wait until it is on sale. If you are looking in a normal store where things are sold first hand, then watch a certain item until it is on sale, unless it is a really good price already. But before you go and buy that amazing new green dress, check out at the second hand stores and TradeMe type sites to see that they do not have something almost the same or exactly the same for a much cheaper price.
I know that it is hard to do this when you think about how amazing you would look in the dress... but self-control now in the little things will help you get better and better at being self-controlled in the bigger things. Remember that if you buy it now and then see it on sale next week for half the price you will feel annoyed, so wait as long as you can.
Here are some ideas of saving money for more important things like giving, and yet getting nice clothes:
Shop at second hand stores. To wear nice clothes does not mean that they have to be brand new. In many second hand stores (or thrift stores as they are sometimes called) you can find nice, well-kept things for much cheaper than they would have been brand new.
Check out cheap buys online. Be careful online, because there is a lot of bad stuff on there. But among the bad things there are some good. One good thing I have found in New Zealand (my homeland) is called TradeMe. It is a place where you can sell things, and buy them. Some are new from shops selling on there, and some are second hand. It is like an online second hand store, accept you are going through the owner of the clothes and other things themselves. Some other options in other countries would be EBay, etc. Ask around where you live and you will be sure to find some.
If you don't need it right now, wait until it is on sale. If you are looking in a normal store where things are sold first hand, then watch a certain item until it is on sale, unless it is a really good price already. But before you go and buy that amazing new green dress, check out at the second hand stores and TradeMe type sites to see that they do not have something almost the same or exactly the same for a much cheaper price.
I know that it is hard to do this when you think about how amazing you would look in the dress... but self-control now in the little things will help you get better and better at being self-controlled in the bigger things. Remember that if you buy it now and then see it on sale next week for half the price you will feel annoyed, so wait as long as you can.
3. Remember to say "thank you"
This may seem like only a little thing, but when someone gives you a gift and you remember to say thank you, it not only makes you and the person feel good, it also gives them a good picture of you. Who will you be more likely to recommend to a friend as a future employee, or potential future mate, the person who showed enough interest to say thank you, or the one who could not be bothered letting you know they appreciated the gift? I think you will know which one you would prefer.
To give someone a thank you note or card will also give them something to remember your good response. But failing that, just simply saying thank you in a slow, deliberate voice not a rushed "Oh, and thanks for the haircut... bye!" will let the one who gave you something know they were appreciated.
To give someone a thank you note or card will also give them something to remember your good response. But failing that, just simply saying thank you in a slow, deliberate voice not a rushed "Oh, and thanks for the haircut... bye!" will let the one who gave you something know they were appreciated.
Saying "thank you"
At times someone will give you a compliment such as, "You did really well on that science fair project," or "I liked that song you sang today," or "You look pretty today." When this happens, do not just look away and mumble something like, "Oh, it was nothing..."
When someone pays you a compliment, remember to show confidence in your response. God did not give you new life to use it to be unconfident and self-conscious. Have confidence in the fact that Jesus loved you enough to die on the cross for you. You are important!
Here are some tips for when someone pays you a compliment.
Look them in the eye.
Smile and keep eye contact.
Say "Thank you"
And then carry on conversation
Remember that whenever you are in a conversation to keep eye contact and to listen, making insightful remarks about what they are saying, but not cutting off anyone in what they are trying to tell you.
When someone pays you a compliment, remember to show confidence in your response. God did not give you new life to use it to be unconfident and self-conscious. Have confidence in the fact that Jesus loved you enough to die on the cross for you. You are important!
Here are some tips for when someone pays you a compliment.
Look them in the eye.
Smile and keep eye contact.
Say "Thank you"
And then carry on conversation
Remember that whenever you are in a conversation to keep eye contact and to listen, making insightful remarks about what they are saying, but not cutting off anyone in what they are trying to tell you.