As a teenager Nat did not finish his education in school because he was an indentured servant at a ship chandlery. Most teens in America usually finish their education in school. While Nat was indentured he studied, wrote notebooks about ships sailing and other things. He also learned to read Latin and was taught to be a ship's clerk. Some things teens do today are similar to things Nat did like study for school, have a part-time job, and writing papers and notebooks for school.

Although Nat did not have much spare time, he read and studied the Principia and Cyclopaedia, talked with friends and learned Latin and French. However, other teens of today like myself do things, like work out, run, talk with friends, play sports and video games, e-mail friends, watch television, surf the Internet, and swim if it is warm enough. I think Nat's life as a teen was boring. It did not seem like Nat did anything for fun.

For work, Nat did bookkeeping and other chores his owners want-ed him to do. Most teens help around the house and mow lawns and do yard work. Some older teens may work at part-time jobs.

I think Nat appreciated his education because he wanted to learn and go to Harvard, which he had the potential to go to. I appreciate my education for several reasons: so I can learn, go to college, be with friends, and get a good job. Submitted by Carrie Pippins of Classical Conversations

Nathaniel Bowditch's life as a teen was much tougher than our life today. So much was expected of him. He even tried to make money when he was only six years old for his family, who never had enough. After only a couple years of school his mother and grandmother died and he was then indentured to a man named Mr. Hodges who owned a chandlery named "Ropes and Hodges." This was because his dad could not hold a job for long and couldn't feed his family. His dad loved him but could not provide for him. Because Nat was only twelve and had high hopes of having a good education, he did not look forward to being indentured for nine years. However, once he started his payless job, he learned to use it to his advantage. Mr. Hodges was a nice man and Nat was able to borrow books to read and he was able to make his own notebooks, which he called The American Practical Navigator (this can be checked out at the public library.) He also taught himself several different languages. When Nat was only sixteen he started an almanac. He became respected for his knowledge and eagerness to share this knowledge with others. When he was not working, he was studying. To me his life did not sound like much fun, but I do respect his drive and wish I had more of it. It also makes me realize how much I take my education for granted.

I feel my life is a lot easier compared to Nat's life. I have a lot less work and a lot more time to play. I do not have to worry about becoming indentured because my dad can not provide for his family. I also can not imagine working for no pay (except food and board) and being taken away from my family. I do a few chores every day at home and get paid for them. I do appreciate my education but I do not have the drive like Nat had. I like to learn but I do not care to spend all my time (or even a fair amount) doing schoolwork. I do have one thing in common with Nat. I love to read. However, in my spare time instead of writing books and learning different languages, I like to skate, use the computer, and play many different sports. Finally, the one thing that we are very different is in writing. I do not like to write at all. Submitted by Carrie Pippins of Classical Conversations

Tilly wanted to write more than anything! She wanted to have book after book published with her name on the cover. Tilly loved to write. She could do it all day! She wanted to write long, drawn out romantic novels; short, meaningful stories, even write for the newspaper! The only problem was that Tilly couldn't write a lick! "Your stories have no depth and no meaning," her teachers told her. Tilly entered writing contest after contest and never came close to winning. But "practice makes perfect," or so Tilly thought.

"Here is a really good book for you to check out, Tilly," Margaret Brooke, the tenth grade teacher of English, said to tenth-grader Tilly Little. "Its called Getting Started. It's all about fiction story writing. I really think you should read it!" Tilly took down the name and author of the book in her notebook. "Thanks, Miss Brooke. I'll check it out this afternoon." Tilly had given her teacher a story to read, and in return the teacher had given her a book on how to write stories. "Thanx Miss B.," Tilly thought. Yet again Tilly would go to the library find the book and read it faithfully, and still write terrible stories.

Tilly was reading over her latest story on her way home later that day. It was all about this young girl who fell in love with this great guy. They ran away together and got married and lived happily ever after. It was the perfect romance--that is, if someone else had written it! "God, why can't I write better stories? I know you must want me to write. Why would You give me this great love for something I can't do?" she thought.

"All stories have to have a problem. The main character in the story must solve the problem. The story is about the person who solves the problem--no one else."

Tilly read the words of writing wisdom in the book Miss Brooke recommended her to read. "A problem huh? I have the problem!!!" Tilly thought out loud. She kept on reading and taking in knowledge until her Mom called her to dinner.

Tilly's older brother Mike first realized something was wrong when Tilly didn't touch her entire meal. Elbow-deep in soapy dishwater, Mike inquired about her mood. "What's up Till?" Mike asked.

"It's my writing! You know how much I LUUUV to write! I just love to do it but I can't write a lick! I don't get it!!" Tilly wailed.

Mike was quiet for a moment. He thought of all the time that his sister spent laboring at her desk, only to hear her rip the page from the notebook, wad the paper and shoot at the wastebasket yet again. "I think you should give this over to God, Till. I mean... He gave you this great love for writing and I think He has a plan for you in writing. If only you can trust Him."

"Mike has always given such great advice,'' Tilly thought. "Thanks... I knew I should've asked you! But it's just sooo hard to give things to God!"

That night, Mike words rang in her ears as Tilly dozed off to la-la-land. "Just give it over to God." It sounded so easy!!

The next night was youth meeting at church. The youth pastor, Rob, greeted Mike and Tilly as they walked in the church building together. As he began to speak, it was like Rob had overheard Mike and her while they were washing dishes the night before!! "Many of us have things we love dearly. And 'that thing' may take up a lot of our time! Maybe we do that thing when God would have us do something else. I know I do! It then becomes an idol. And God tells us to have no other gods before Him. It can also take us away from God.

"God might be telling us to do something for Him," Rob continued, "but we are to busy doing that thing that we can't hear Him. I know we are too busy... but we shouldn't be! We need to surrender all things to God. And that means trusting Him."

As Tilly listened to Rob, she looked over at Mike to find him looking at her. She knew what he was thinking about. She was thinking about to too. She turned back to Rob.

"It says in the Bible in Psalm 37, 'Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.' That means, guys, that if you give God whatever it is that you love so much, He'll only make it better--if you can only trust Him. Trust Him!" With that Rob closed.

Tilly couldn't have told you who said the prayer for all the money in the world. The words Rob had last said were still playing tag in her brain. She had the feeling there was no home base.

"Give it to Me Tilly." Tilly had heard the words many times, but had always chosen to ignore them and do her own thing. This time they were different. She could feel them in her soul. It was truly time to give it all over to God.

Tilly looked over at the clock by her bed. 12:43. "Man, I need to get some sleep!"' Tilly thought. But she couldn't. She must have counted all of the sheep population in the world! Tossing and turning the words "Trust Me" were screaming in her head. Tilly shot up in bed! "I can't take this anymore!" she ground out.

She got out of bed and went to the box where she kept all of her writings. Page after page she read about heroes and heroines that solved their own problems--with no one else helping--just like the resource book had said. No one helped then, not even God. "I can't write about God!!" Tilly yelled at herself. "People will laugh at me! NO!"

"Give it all to Me Tilly," came the soft reply. Tilly picked up her Bible. The pages fell open to Proverbs 3. To Tilly it looked as if verse 5 jumped off the page. "' Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Tilly read the words in the Book, whose Author was the best writer she knew of.

"Oh dear God, please forgive me! I have been leaning on my own understanding. I give it all to you God. Not just the writing, but everything--me, my will and my life," Tilly softly whispered into the night. God's peace surrounded her. Sleep came easy when she returned to her pillow.

The next morning Tilly was floating and glowing. Mike drove them to school. "What's up with you, Till the Pill?" he asked, using his favorite nickname for her.

"You were right, Mike! All I needed to do was give it over to God." Tilly said. "God taught me two really big lessons in one really small problem! I was scared to write about God in my stories. He showed me that I shouldn't be afraid to stand up for my faith in Him. And through this, God taught me to trust Him! He gave me faith and taught me not to be ashamed of it! I am so glad that God gave me such big answers to my little problem! God is so good!"

Mike smiled thoughtfully at his younger sister. "You know, Till, God may be teaching you this now to get you ready for something bigger. You need to keep trusting in Him."

"I am going to Mike! Listen to this new story I was thinking about..."

So Tilly trusted God. Not always does practice make perfect, but it does teach discipline. Tilly went on to write a lot of stories, all about trusting... in God, that is! Though she hasn't gotten a novel published, Tilly is still trusting God with that. Tilly is just glad she didn't let the main character solve her problem, but God.