THE TEEN-AGE OUTSIDER.

We were ready for a power failure. We also have the light that Ken and Melina gave us!

There won't be many nights like this last week. The rain and the wind hit last night and we lost our power for awhile. A very quiet day today Dad with a very painful shoulder and I dizzy etc. We missed church and we missed the party at Theresa's house. I am hoping your dad will go to the doctor and have his shoulder x-rayed.

I have been thinking why people do not go to church. There is no interest in religion as presented in the church service. People feel like outsiders as so much is done by repetition and the minister runs the service. What if it was more like a discussion group wnere there would be a short talk and then people would gather in small or bigger groups to discuss the questions. I for one like to hear different opinions. Or we could have concerts where there could be a varity of Christian music from popular to classic to modern. Words that are sung can be very powerful and almost seem like a prayer. It is hard for people to change and those who are comfortable in church are probably too comfortable.

What about a wine and cheese information night?

What about a pub question and answer meeting?

If we drink wine at home why cannot we not share a glass in our lovely Great Hall?

How can we make outsiders welcome? We want them to know that church can be fun, Bible study full of laughter and live long friendships too!
"I recently heard a great writer say that an essential element in the life of a writer is to have been an outsider in childhood, to have been given the "gift" of not belonging."
Elizabeth Lesser - The Seekers Guide.
Theresa seems to like stories about my growing up years. My grade 12 year turned out to be a disaster. I remember the day dad told us we were moving to Regina and I said "no way" and my dad said, "We are not even discussing it young lady".
I was extremely happy in my High School I had lots of good friends, I liked my teachers and had good grades, I was involved in sports, in drama and other activities. I considered being a gym teacher and I really wanted to go to Univercity.
I had a boyfriend that had already stolen my heart although he would soon be off to Winnipeg to take his training as an air-traffic controller. There was the local hamber place with the juke box players on the table where all the teen-agers hung out. I also sung in a huge church choir and it was a thrill for me to be apart of this amazing choir. Now, I loved to sing but keeping on tune is a little difficult for me.

I remember the first cold dreary day in January where I walked alone to school. No one was friendly and I felt very much an outsider. Being a bit shy I was waiting for some one to approch me; instead they would be in their chatty little groups ignoring me. Within a week I got several calls from boys asking me out but I told them no I was going steady. There was one boy that I thought was cool he played the drum in the school band and had a very stuck-up younger girl friend. The kids at this school wore more expensive clothes and this did not help me fit in. Maybe if I had the "in clothes" expensive sweaters etc. I would have been welcomed.

Even my beautiful brass bed did not give me pleasure anymore. It had been shipped all the way from England and then from Winnipeg where my dad's Aunt Susie had it.

So I went to sharing wonderful secrets with my two best girlfriends to being a loner. I did eventually make a few friends, took on a full time baby-sitting job and struggled with my school work. I had to drop Latin and the Physics teacher could not teach at all.

At Easter that year I ended up in hospital with what they thought was the appendix but was actually a cyst on my ovarie. I missed writing mid-terms so would be forced to write the end of term papers. This was difficult for me because even then I learned what was current but had trouble going back to the first of the year.

I did pass and go on to Tech. where I took short hand, typing and accounting. I had little interest in my grade 12 grad because someone would be picked for me to go with. As it turned out I went with the cool drummer and boy was his girl friend jealous. She being a year younger was not allowed to go.

I now wish that we had not moved so much with our children although we stayed in the same area. Our first move was from a two story house to a one level and that was because I was so sick at the time. Anyway the past is the past and we have to be thankful for all we have now.