Vacation Bible School

Oh, the joys of Vacation Bible School. As a child, those delights included: a single moment of undivided attention from the favorite character...pretzel rods smothered in frosting and mini chocolate chips...redeeming beans for ring pops and/or dollar store toys...learning the hand motions better than anyone so that when you find yourself the tallest, most awkward kid at the ending program you are sufficiently prepared to sing stridently and hand motion like a boss in front of your parents...etc. etc. etc.
The most important VBS memory I have is "accepting Jesus into my heart" as a 5-year-old, with the guidance of Miss Terry. Those are the sort of memories, both somber and silly (mostly silly), that I've acquired throughout my church-entwined childhood. But honestly, my best VBS memories date back to the last five summers when I've volunteered at VBS. I love being a VBS helper. Rachel and I used to make sure we checked the same box in the volunteer form every summer to insure we both helped with the same group. It was our thing.

This year, being our first summer in Chicago, Calvary Chapel Orrington was not the most convenient location for VBS. Thankfully, we're already rooted in Greater Chicago Church, which we've been attending since we moved. We have some fantastic friends there, and so GCC's VBS was different, but totally a blast.

I had been intending to get acquainted with Kristy Timms for a couple weeks leading up to this past week of VBS, so naturally when I discovered she was going to be a small group leader I asked God to put me in her group (Youth leaders such as myself are paired with small group leaders such as Kristy). Guess what. When Mrs. Marshall handed me my Gotta Move (our weeklong slogan was "Gotta Move - Keeping in Step with the Spirit") t-shirt, she told me I was in the purple group with Kristy. Yay! It was smooth sailing from there, thanks to Ms. Sharon, Ms. Ruth, Ms. Liz, Mrs. Marshall, my own dear mother, and everyone else who likes kids and loves Jesus enough to dedicate five mornings in a row to the cause.

The purple group rules! Kristy and I had charge of six lovely little ladies. One 4 and 1/2 year old, four seven year olds and an eight year old. Gorgeous girls, each one, with great favor on their lives...however weak their bladders may be. Seriously, heaven forbid they all decide to use the bathroom and/or get a drink at the same time. Instead, it's up and down and up and down the stairs constantly with one or two little gals. Ha. Oh well, I love them. They're all fantabulous in their own special way and beautiful on the inside and out.

I truly can't believe this year's VBS fun has already come and gone! It was a successful week for both leaders and kids. The kids wrote a song, which is forever branded into mine and Lonyee's memories; we all ran innumerable laps around the sanctuary...some of us more (or less, rather) than others, but who's counting?; many of us survived an utterly confusing, "instructional" dance video while uncertainly and awkwardly attempting to do body rolls and look cool while stepping-to-the-right in not unison;  we all connected with the Spirit in a sweet, special and powerful way. 

I hope now, as I do every year after the week's end, that my kids will maybe remember me. Maybe I'll be a small part of their VBS memories...I know that they are forever a huge part of mine. <3