Have you ever wished for an inside glimpse of the mind of a teenager? Just a little bit of understanding? If you haven’t, you’ve probably never lived with one because they can be hard to figure out. My daughter Allie offered to let me publish a poem she wrote and I jumped at the chance for her to share it with me. I think it’s more timely and important than ever after seeing this post from one of my favorite authors. To read more from this author, check out Stolen Jesus and Sacred Ground, Sticky Floors. Here’s what my daughter had to say.
Circus
tangled in my tightrope
dwindling on the brink
the person who I used to be
drowned in thick black ink
running through the circus
the thoughts that fill my head
the lion untamed, memories made now fill that head with dread
tears in my tights
left from overworked nights
tears in my eyes
left for makeup to disguise
the only real juggling here is that of my fear or my happiness
hollowed out, i’m just a shell for them to manipulate
i’m only here to sell tickets they count them off 500 per show
i look happy on the outside but will they ever know?
the dark secrets behind my show
the cage for the tiger
the spark before the lighter
the reason there’s a net
the fact that we’re in debt
the burning blisters from my shoes
that either way, i lose
i’m a puppet on their strings tangled in my tightrope
dwindling on the brink
the person who i used to be
simply gone in a blink
I asked Allie if the poem should stand alone or include some explanation. She said that teenagers feel the pressure from society to be perfect and it’s horrifying. At 14 she already feels like she is being manipulated by the world’s beauty ideals. She wrote this to express some of how she truly feels. She wanted to give voice to those who choose not to talk about it.
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In our SPARE time, we took our special needs daughter to see 
If you haven’t seen this movie, I recommend it for it’s poignant portrayal of modern day race relations, told from the vantage point of a teen. That part is important if you want a 14 year old to watch with you. And speaking of the constant search for something Miss I-have-all-the-entertainment-I-need-on-my-phone will watch and discuss with us, we have landed on 
The OG. Starting with season 1. I don’t mind at all taking a trip back to the cross country move of Brandon and Brenda Walsh, but my husband is less than thrilled. He gets out voted, though, because my daughter is into it! We also wrapped up season two of 
I’m not sure I can recommend this one across the board. There is more language and course talk than I usually indulge in, but the content was so much fun for this child of t
In activities a little more cerebral, I picked up some good books. 
by Jami Amerine top the list. If you have yet to discover this little gem of an author, I am pleased to make your introduction. She writes beautifully real, broken and Jesus filled words. She also blogs at 
by William Strunk Jr and 
by Elizabeth Gilbert – content as different as day and night. And just in time for your light and breezy summer reading, 
by Lincee Ray. Inside this pretty pink jacket you’ll find funny, clever and touching personal anecdotes wrapped up in a Jesus bow. She 
by Elizabeth Goudge. This lengthy piece of fiction is like a cross between Ken Follett and L.M. Montgomery.
I know, I know. What is a broad bean and how can they possibly taste good? I don’t know and I don’t know. But I LOVE them. They are low in calories, high in protein and fiber, and gluten-free all while masquerading as a delicious, crunchy carb! I’m also a new devotee of this 
As a passionate fan of the flip-flop, my feet stay about as soft as asphalt – until now. I slather this lotion on after every shower and my feet are now as supple as 45 year old skin can expect to get.
I’ll round out the wrap-up with what is most important. As God continues to prick my heart with lessons on obedience, I am listening to the audio book 
by Priscilla Shirer with said Life Group. Both books cover the topic of hearing from God in different ways. I’m circling the Shirer book for the second time as well as 
by Alan D. Wright. I ordered this last one on a whim after telling a friend how ginormously it changed my prayer life years ago.