VBS Time

If, like many of my readers, you grew up in a small town in Alabama (or really, most anywhere across the region) you probably had the opportunity to participate in one of the Summer's great traditions: Vacation Bible School. We're gearing up for our own VBS here on N. Wintzell, and I'm looking forward to it. If you have children or grandchildren in Kindergarten-6th grade, we'd love to have them come out and participate June 20th-24th from 8:30-11:30am. It'll be a good time!

Now that the commercial is out of the way, a few observations on VBS:

1) At a real VBS, you march in, say pledges, and learn the motto and memory verse for the week. The real key to all of this is the march. My dear Aunt Helen insured that each morning's opening assembly began with a processional into the church from outside. I'm not sure exactly why we have a processional, but we do. Maybe it's because everybody looks forward to the chance to participate in a parade? Regardless, standing around outside in the morning sauna in south Alabama is an important character-building experience that every child should participate in.

2) You can make almost anything with popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners. Over the course of my years as a student at VBS, we made things out of pipe cleaners and popsicle sticks that would have put MacGyver to shame. This is especially important given the fact that I may have been the worst craft-maker in the history of VBS. My poor parents would walk into my classroom each year on parent night to "see what I had made" at VBS this year. Thank God that they always smiled and told me it was great regardless of how poorly I had done. Leave me to memorize Bible verses and answer questions, thanks. I did always wonder, however, what in the world kind of pipes you cleaned with those pipe cleaners and who got to eat all of those popsicles?

3) Snack time was always a real highlight of VBS for me (Surprise!). But the greatest year of VBS I can remember was the year that we rented a sno-cone machine. Unlimited (ok, limited to one) sno-cones right there at my finger tips each and every day... It was heavenly. No begging to stop at a sno-cone shop, I could just go to VBS each day (not that I really had all that much choice in the matter) and when snack time came around I could enjoy my own icy treat. Other favorite snack options include cookies and kool-aid.

4) VBS was also a great opportunity to play with kids that I knew from school and wouldn't otherwise see all summer. There were always lots of kids who came to VBS that didn't usually attend our church and it was a fun time.

5) For one week each summer, a lot of fantastic adults poured out their love for Jesus into my life. Working with kids isn't easy, and at times it can be downright frustrating and disappointing. In the midst of all that, I got to experience the care and affection of good men and women who wanted me to know Jesus the same way that they did. Those weeks of VBS helped shape me and mold me. Now, I get the opportunity to return that investment, as I serve some of those same folks as their pastor. (Be careful what you teach those kids and VBS, they may preach it from your pulpit one day!)

If you're one of those faithful volunteers, thanks for what you do. If you're not, you should be! If you've got kids, grandkids, or great-grandkids, get them out to VBS at your church this summer. In the meantime, I'd really like one of those sno-cones, here on N. Wintzell.