When did I become a ma'am?

*I have NO idea of what that book talks about besides the cover subtitle but I thought it fit this subject*

Hello D.W.D.I. Family!

   I hope everyone is doing well and staying joyful! Okay, I don't know about you all but, um, in the last week, I've been called "ma'am" twice by teenagers.  That's just so odd to me considering I'm not that much older than them and I look younger than my 20-something years.   I still don't feel like a "grown up" yet or have the typical "grown up things" but I'm now a ma'am? I'm glad they were being respectful because that is rare nowadays, but it kind of made me feel a bit old, lol.  It doesn't help that my much younger brother starts mentioning names of music artists and I have NO CLUE of what he's talking about.  Here's a typical conversation:

Brother: Hey, have you heard [insert name]'s new song?
Me: Who?
Brother: [insert name]. You know from [insert ignorant song]?
Me: I have NO idea of what you're talking about.
[We watch YouTube so I can understand what he's talking about]
Me: Man, today's music is just terrible. Back when I was your age music was much better.

 AHHHHHHH! Why do I sound like my parents?! Is this just a part of growing up? Is this part of me distancing myself from a lot of today's music due to the messed up messages in songs? I still listen to popular music in the car and like secular singers/groups but there is some music I can no longer tolerate so I turn to an old school station.  Plus, there are plenty of new dance moves I cannot even BEGIN to follow, unlike my brother who just absorbs those things like a sponge.  (He's really good at dancing, btw!) I'm just afraid that he's absorbing other things as well and I can't tell because he's a young teen and I'm a ma'am.

    I wonder if my age makes it harder to connect with him regarding spiritual things and how music can be a negative influence on your thoughts and actions.  It's hard to explain things to him when I just look like an old person at times since I'm not a parent but I still have some authority over him.  I'm sure he thinks I'm just being overprotective or that I'm out of touch with what's cool when I say he should stop listening to certain things or that he should not say or do certain things.  Plus, it doesn't help that my brother has always seen us as equals despite our 10+ year age difference so why would he listen to me (yeah, my authority over him didn't matter as far as my brother was concerned, lol)? My age has allowed me some good insights into life and I do fear for him because I know the enemy wants to harm him (and all of us).  Thank goodness my new "ma'am" status has the perk of realizing that prayer works along with repetition for teen boys (well, the repetition works some times).  That might be the only perk though.  Any advice for me, D.W.D.I. Family?


Well, I'd better get to work.  Take care and I'll TTYS!

Love,
CCC