"Teenage Daughters"

Throughout my life, I would say there have been two constants: God and Country Music, and, tonight, as I watched the Tivo version of the Academy of Country Music Awards with my mom, I realized one of the contributing factors to my life-long devotion to the genre.

More than a few performances in, Martina McBride made her way into the spotlight to begin a song called, “Teenage Daughters.” My mom promptly got my attention and asked that I listen to the words she was singing…

“I ain't complainin' but I'm tired , so I'm just sayin' what I think


And if we're bein' honest, and honestly I think I need a drink

.”

My baby's growin' up, she thinks she's fallin' all in love
, and that I hate her
.

At 17 she's just like me when I was 17
, so I don't blame her.”

Hmmmm….I thought the tune was catchy, but I wasn’t quite sure where it was going. Then…

“
It’s like it happened over night
. We’re always wrong, 
they’re always right
.

We used to be the ones breaking the rules
.

Now we’re just mothers
 and we’re just fathers,


Of teenage daughters.”

Ahhh…I see.

As I was driving home, I did a lot of laughing, reflecting and rejoicing.

I remembered a summer-long frenzy of pranks, volleyball tournaments, and my first solo drive to school. I remembered emotion-filled fights with my parents, and reflected on how I dumb I felt afterword. I wrestled with thoughts of my eating disorder, and the pain caused by it. I laughed over funny sleepover moments, summer memories, and the things I thought were such a BIG deal. I thought about homecoming, prom, graduation, and moving away to college.

I thought about the night I FINALLY stopped living for myself alone, and began to allow the Lord to shape my life. I rejoiced.

As I pulled up to my apartment, I got out of my car and thanked God for the experience of being a teenager. Although there were moments that made my parents run in circles, I can’t imagine walking through the ups and downs of teenage-life without them.

McBride’s song is clever. It got me thinking. It made me thankful. It spoke to my heart. I think that is why I love this music.