Poem by Me: "Fifteen"

Wednesday, ‎December ‎07, ‎2016

FIFTEEN

    ~ by Laura-Lee RAHN

‎

I see some wrinkles

And gray hairs a-plenty.

The desks where we sat

Are long gone and empty.

Walking the hallways

where Laughter once played,

I remember full rooms

 where we learned and prayed.

Down come old walls 

making room for the new.

But I still see the pole

where our proud flag once flew.

 Some mem'ries have passed.

 Some years left unseen.

Yet safe in my heart,

you're forever fifteen.

* Dedicated to the former Students from Vancouver Christian Secondary School.

LINK Vancouver Christian School (HOMEPAGE)

LINK to VCS (History)

" ...

By the 1970s and 80s, Vancouver Christian School had become a thriving community of a few hundred students, adding kindergarten and high school classes as the need arose. VCS' mission, to teach children about "all of life under God," continued to draw Vancouver families to the school.  And, it was during this era that VCS truly evolved into the multicultural, multidenominational community that it is today. ..."

God Let Me Down - YUMMY!

If the Lord is the Lord of them

I joined Vancouver Christian Secondary School  (VCSS) about 6 weeks into grade 8. Prior to that my family had been living in the Maillardville district of Coquitlam, British Columbia and it looked like there was no way that I would ever be able to go to a Christian school. During the summer we had seen an advertisement in the TV Guide for Christian Schools in the Lower Mainland. We were brand new Christians, but we put our faith in Jesus to the test and my family (me, my mother and my brother) started praying in earnest that God would find a way for me to go there.

Summer came and went and the new school year started. I had to start at my neighborhood high school and it was pretty obvious that God had completely let me down. But just when it looks like all hope is lost and there is no way that God is going to come through, He answers prayer in a way we would never guess.
In our case, our sleazy landlords rented the little house we were living in right out from under us. Mom was reading the newspaper and came across a Classified advertisement that seemed rather familiar. We all took a look and recognized the home up for rent was where we were currently living! The land lords were 'upping' the rent by $300 and the move-in date for the new tenants was only 2 weeks from that moment we saw the advertisement.
 
We desperately scrambled to find a new place to live,  but very few home owners want to rent to a single mother with TWO teenagers. PLUS a dog. It looked like my little Maltese Poodle, Sweetie, might have to leave our family in order for us to find a place to live.
 I had thought God let me down just because I couldn't go to a Christian School. Then, the rug got pulled completely out from under us and I was starting to question whether or not God even liked me.
But, within 1 more week, we had a new home (much, much nicer than the one we left) and my mother had been offered a new job with a promotion and pay raise.
 
The evening of  "Move-Day" we were tired, dusty, surrounded by boxes and munching on Big Macs.  Suddenly a thought hit me and I quickly got up from my dinner and went into my bedroom.
Mom discovered me about 5 minutes later with the top half of my body deeply submerged inside a very large box. When she asked, "What are you looking for?" I popped my red face out of the box and proclaimed, "I have it!"
In my hand was a map of the city and the little advertisement from the TV Guide listing the addresses of the Christian Schools. As my mother and brother joined me looking at the map, which was spread out on a kitchen counter I said, "I was just wondering if we are any nearer to a Christian School".
I discovered that we now lived only 1 mile away from Vancouver Christian Secondary School and since my mother had gotten a pay raise, we were able to afford the tuition.
That was the first of many times that I have eaten the words, " God let me down."

It says in the Bible, "But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12:31-32)

Even when I was angry and hurling accusations at Him, Jesus was working out a surprise for me. I spent all the remaining days of high school at "Vancouver Christian Secondary School" which I graduated from in 1985.

In grade 12, about 3 weeks before we graduated, my class started a discussion about the first day I came to school. All those who had been attending the school when I first arrived remembered it (maybe because it also happened to be the day of a field trip). It was very interesting to hear what every one's opinion of me was on that first day. What I remember most about it was how terrified I was. I don't think anyone even knew how scared I was or how much they intimidated me. But as I sat there in grade 12, preparing to  go out into the "real" world and hearing the views of what kind of person I had become, I knew it was greatly because of those who were surrounding me at that moment.

My Science teacher, Mr. Van Oosten, wrote in my last year book, "Blossom wherever you are planted". I've tried to do that, but I know I couldn't have even attempted it unless I had been accepted and loved throughout my high school years. The faith and strength of purpose I had was given to me by the other members of VCSS who had started as friends and somewhere through the years had became family.  
On this Thanksgiving, I remember them with gratitude.

Thanks to all of you for creating a 5 year oasis that allowed me to rest and grow into who I was mean to be. You did it without judgement and by demonstrating Jesus' love to me EVERY day.  You are the "Blessings" I count.

Love Always, Laura-Lee   (Thanksgiving, 2012, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada)

F.Y.I.: We didn't have to give up Sweetie, either. She lived with us to a ripe old age.

VCSS ALUMNI Twitter Page

Another School Reunion ?

Wonderment in May
by Ed Loenen  VCSS Art Teacher -
(passed away 2012)

Spring is in the air and everyone is starting to talk about reunions. After all, this is a high school blog. The first Reunion I planned went very well. It wasn't greatly attended but the people who went said they had a great time and would definitely like to go to another one. There have been several people since who said  "I would have loved to have been there but I didn't know about it". I remember that at the time Facebook was upgrading their "groups" section, so the "EVENT" might have been lost in the shuffle. But mostly

there just weren't that many people at our FB Group and not many people spread the word.  I didn't attend for one very good reason: I PLANNED IT FROM 1000 KM AWAY!

Yes. I live in Edmonton now, but I still managed to pull it all together including the location, time, and Event Invitations (and then spent the afternoon of the reunion pacing in my living room chewing on the inside of my cheek).


If I can pull it off from a Province away, then what can YOU accomplish? It's kind of a daunting task but let's start with some ground work and see if we don't have to put this all on one person's shoulders.


Over the years, I have told tons of people stories about my five years at Vancouver Christian Secondary School (or as it came to be 'legendarily' known "Laura-Lee's little Christian school"). Besides many stories about our unique adventures and quotes from some of our more interesting students (that means YOU!) I have also stressed how each class seemed to take on a life of it's own. That we were definitely MORE than the sum of our parts. My own class (1985) demonstrated that a thousand ways over the 5 years we were together.


Now we're in the big, bad world and we must burst from our classes and be a single unit of "ALUMNI". Yes. Our school does not exist anymore, but somehow we have found each other on the Internet. Let's make sure that we continue to "find" each other.  I don't mean we should be like a TV sitcom and be forever 17 and unable to move past our high school days OR (like Romy & Michelle) seek to show "the other kids" that "I'm not a nobody anymore".


We are adults. We have a lot on our plates. Thus is life. So let's join together in a new way.  In those cramped, dark hallways of that tiny school we were merely children trying to find our way through faith, family, responsibility and a million hormones ("HIS-mones" if you're a boy). But we did grow up. Together. And that makes us a "family". So let's act like one. *Encourage each other. *Remember that words last longer when they are used to build up rather than tear down. *Forgive and let go of the past. *See people for what they could be not for the mess they may now be. *Be ready to invest yourself in someone else. *Prepare for the worst but always hope and pray for the BEST!  *And constantly be speaking the truth in love. Love.( Love, love, love). All those things were the real lessons we were learning there. I know because I'm still getting questions about "when is the next reunion?" We need time to reconnect and remember. And you may just find that the good was very good and the bad was so ridiculous you can laugh about it now. And how many wounds has laughter been the bandage for? What a wonderful purpose and a great reason to get together again.


So for the "ground work" let's start by making sure that every single person that you're in contact with who attended, taught or worked at that school knows about our groups.(SEE THE LINKS BELOW)  Post these web addresses anywhere you think an alumni might go. College websites. Church websites. Christian forums and magazines (especially if they are Canadian or Vancouver based). And don't forget to join them yourself. Then, with everyone "here" or "present", we can plan a reunion. And next time we can make sure that everyone who wants to be there,  will - be - there!  Because we all know what it feels like to be "ignored" or "left out" ( after all, we did attend high school).


Sincerely, Laura-Lee Rahn (class of 1985) - putting the MENTAL in "fundaMENTAList"


FACEBOOK: Vancouver Christian Secondary Alumni

BLOG: VCSS Alumni (Google)

TWITTER: VCSS Alumni

REUNION PHOTOS

September 2010
(25th Reunion - Class of 1985)

June 2010 (L-L planned from Edmonton)
(Central Park Burnaby)

Summer 1995

1993
(10th Reunion - Class of 1983)

P.S. Don't forget that if you have a "Google" Account (IE. an email that has "GMail.com" at the end) then you can click on the "FOLLOW" button on this BLOG and get notified of new posts and add posts to the Blog yourself . (Remember: a Google Account is free).

And no matter what email you have, you can always add a comment to any blog OR share it with other sites with the links at the bottom of each entry. (llr)

Here is a video I made last year for my family. It ended up quite good and I thought I would spread it around to a wider group of people that I love this year: all my friends in cyberspace!  And if you think someone else might like it who hasn't seen it yet (I don't even have the email address for everyone who appears in the video) please forward it to anyone you wish.
Merry Christmas  and "Bless You All" my former classmates and extended family members.
"Friends are friends forever , if the Lord is the Lord of them."
Love Laura-Lee

Where’s the Alumni Newsletter, Laura-Lee?

As you can tell, the VCSS Newsletter I mentioned before is not finished. Nor is it going to be anytime soon. "LIFE" has invaded once again and what I used to consider tough situations deteriorated into "major crazy".


I had to leave my apartment on March 30, 2011. I had only a few days to get out and save a few things because of the waterfalls (literally) coming from my kitchen and bathroom ceilings (and I was in a basement suite). My landlady wouldn't fix it and I didn't have the money to move my belongings. I saved a few boxes of things (about 1/2 dozen) and my coffee table. Then on my way out of the building, I fell down a flight of stairs and awoke to discover myself surrounded by 5 , big, handsome firemen. That normally would have been a GOOD thing but they were trying to keep me from panicking because of my injuries and the fact that my purse strap had wrapped around my neck twice and was cutting off my circulation.


So here I sit, many months later, in a dingy hotel room, with winter nipping at my heels and Jack Frost at my nose. It was - 6 Celsius today and I am still no closer to finding a home. What makes it harder is that my mother is sleeping in the bed next to me. Almost 2 months ago , her kitchen sink became a water fountain (not to be confused with a water fall) and neither of us can walk , nor have a car and are a goodly amount in debt, while we watch our options dwindle. Yet it is a huge coincidence to find ourselves in the same boat. And, quite frankly I don't believe in coincidences. It probably looked pretty bleak to those Hebrews who had their backs to the Red Sea and Pharaoh's men ready to slice them to bits from the other direction. But what did Moses say to them? "Let the Lord fight for you. you need only to stand still"


So I think you may understand why the VCSS Newsletter has gone to the bottom of my list of priorities. (Maybe somebody else will take up the idea.) Yet, I received some mailed that was being "held" for me and discovered that Vancouver Christian School sent me something to "hit me up" for money. (Good luck with that guys) But once again, I wandered back, in my mind, to a gentler place and time. Where our greatest troubles was a test score or a new pimple.


Now we are all grown up and we must learn the lesson that "God has no grand-children". You either belong to Him or not. You follow or not. You must make a conscious decision to pick up your cross daily, deny yourself and follow wherever he leads.Christianity is no longer something you stumble into or "give it a try". It is a choice. The ultimate choice!


Two things come back to my memory again and again: When Alan Dunlop was forever practicing the hymn, "Freely we have received; now freely give" and what Mr. Van Oosten wrote in my last yearbook, "Blossom where planted". A hundred times a day those 2 thoughts run across my mind. It's my job to grab hold of them and invite them to stay a while. Just like I wish I could do with each of you. It is my desire and prayer that you each reach the "breakthrough" point when you surrender that last piece of yourself. You no longer keep that one last cookie in the cookie jar. I'm not saying I prefer not knowing where I will be from day to day or what will happen to me, BUT , Jesus reveals himself to me EVERY day. Sometimes to say deep, important things and reveal startling revelations or just to share a silly joke , because He knows I love them best. But when I realize that the Maker of the stars, knows me by name, I can understand the reaction of men like the prophet Isaiah (who told God he was of "unclean lips") or Peter (who said, "Get away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!"). Somebody told me once that , when they were with me they never felt so guilty but so accepted at the same time. That is our Jesus. Correcting us constantly, yet loving us totally. He has filled my hands with blessings because they were not full of other things. And I find great strength in my weakness because it's at that point I must lean hardest on Him. He will gather me under his wings and I will rejoice. A deal where we certainly come out with the bigger end of the straw.





So now I head off to bed this early Sunday morning, knowing that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God found in Christ Jesus (Romans 8)



Oh No. Not Winter Again!

And my Love to you all, my extended & Christian family.

Forever and always, your Laura-Lee Rahn (VCSS grad 1985)



Beautiful Alberta Sky

P.S. DON'T FORGET TO CHANGE YOUR CLOCKS AN HOUR.