My sister Dana and I noticed in our older friends that they did fun things as they became teenagers like going to movies, concerts and parties. Another one of these fun places we noticed was called "Youth Group" My sister and I would stand on the edge of the classroom full of teenagers watching them in wonder. Then she and I would duck back against the wall as our mother or father appeared looking for us. Our first family church was a huge place of several services and classrooms for all the children. The parents went for their own sermon time while us kids got to do arts and crafts in small classrooms. When I hit 6th grade my parents freaked out over me being in a classroom called "Youth Group". I sat bored and trapped between them during the big adult auditorium service. It was the same summer we moved out to the country and dropped that mega church scene or small country one. Our small church didn't have a "Youth group" at first, I remember my mother saying that was a really good thing too. She said how other teenagers can corrupt the good ones in a youth group setting. I was 15 years old when we finally got a youth pastor for our small church. He was both funny in games and serious in his biblical lessons. I didn't see anything wrong with his wife and him bringing the youth together on Wednesday nights. In fact those Wednesday nights felt like I was being "rescued" in the middle of my week because I was home all the time. During those years I LIVED for Sundays, but every so often a lucky Wednesday night came up where I was able to socializes. My sister and I were completely thrilled when we made it to youth group. We had our helicopter mother watching us very closely now that we were young new teenagers. The Youth pastor was a man of such animated life, he joked and laughed with all the kids. I would leave an hour later feeling happier about being a teenager after all, I understood my interest in being there was to escape all my worries and responsibilities at home. I loved those moments of sitting elbow to elbow with my beloved girl friends watching my sister high five her own guy friends. She sat in the opposite corner from me, but we could clearly see how equally happy we were!
I exclaimed happily "Tonight in youth group we played this game..." Mom cut me off quickly saying "Don't say youth group, It's a young adult gathering." I stumbled over my words being interrupted and my sister who rolled her eyes at me. We had just been picked up from our fun night. Mom drove us home while I felt thrilled to share all that we had done that night in church. "....Well anyway, we played this game we had to put Vaseline on our face to pick up cotton balls! It was SO FUNNY!" I chuckled from my back seat as mom snorted back very annoyed "WHAT does that have anything to do with the bible?" My chuckling died down as I shift away to look out the window. Dana replied "It's just youth group stuff, Fun games nothing BAD." Mom went off with out hesitation at Dana. Who clearly was sorry she had said anything. "I SAID do not say YOUTH GROUP! My kids will NOT be going to a youth group but instead they can attend a Young adult gathering! In youth groups there are teenagers who cause trouble and pull pranks. Not to mention they are ALL trying to be "cool" or "popular"! They are immature kids acting like they aren't! Teenagers think they have some RIGHT to be among themselves, like they are just BETTER then everyone else because they have a "GROUP"! I will not allow my girls be apart of such a horrible thing like that!" Dana and I glanced at each other because our mother could fill a 30 minuet drive with her own opinions and her famous repetitive sermons. We sometimes listened and sometimes we didn't. Just as we arrived home Mom said something that alarmed both my sister and I, Mom shrugged her shoulders saying "If either of you called it "YOUTH GROUP" again you won't be going anymore!" I shot my sister a fearful look as she asked our worried mother "What then should we call it?!" Mom smiled proudly "I TOLD YOU "Young Adult gatherings" and next week I am going to join you to see if you are really learning ANYTHING from the bible!" By the time next Wednesday came around I would make sure the house was spotless and that our mom was happy. She never said directly "Yes we are going tonight." She would usually mumble "I dunno... I am not wanting to drive today... I have so much housework..." With all of mom's excuses I did them for her so she couldn't find a reason to not take us, I was hoping to hear her happily say "Okay lets go to church tonight!" then we would all cheered and happily run around getting dressed to go out! My sister would join me in being just as excited, Dana didn't get excited about very much like I did. But on those Wednesday nights we helped each other look good and be ready for youth group. (I mean YOUNG ADULT GATHERING) The night my mother slipped into our classroom, wasn't embarrassing to my sister and I at ALL, for WE KNEW she would be popping in from time to time to watch over us. The game that night was eating baby food if we could not remembering last week's bible lesson. I loved laughing so hard till tears slid down my cheeks, perhaps it is one of my most favorite feelings in the whole world to share in such happy laughter with others! When our youth pastor saw our mom lingering around the back of class, he called her out and said "Sorry No parents allowed!" Then there was a huge cheer from all the teens. I was still laughing at how funny the situation was, I loved feeling like I belonged with my friends. THIS did NOT go over with Mom AT ALL, He asked her to leave a couple more times. She was both embarrassed and angered as she finally left the classroom in a huff. I will never forget the look clear across the room that my sister shot me. I hadn't been paying attention to the seriousness of that whole situation until I met my sister's eyes. What I read was both fear and annoyance, then later I would realize we should have stood up to explain how hurt our mother felt. We should have told the Youth Pastor to let her stay. Because THAT was the last night we ever got to go to YOUTH GROUP. Mom hissed all the way home while I cried and my sister fumed. Mom went off about it "That young adult gathering SHOULD be open to parents also! WHAT is he trying to HIDE??? I knew it! I knew it! He was bad news all around for OUR church!" I would smile to myself years later when mom STILL brings this up. NEVER in her life had she been made so embarrassed and he TOLD her to leave! My sister snorted "If everyone's parents came in then it would be way to crowded." Mom replied "You young adults NEED older adults to lead you in the way you should go NOT OTHER young adults! I told you no good can come from a youth group!!!" I smirked my reply "Young adult gathering you mean?" my sister elbowed me and I flinched.
Those were the years my friend I am so glad they came to an end:-)
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