Hello VBS, My Long Lost Love

Today was Day #1 of Vacation Bible School at church. VBS is one of my MOST favorite times of the year. This deep, deep seeded love began YEARS ago. It all started in 7th grade actually, the first year I was able to be a helper. I only actually attended it one year of VBS as we had just joined our church in 6th grade.

So travel back in time with me to 1993, when I was a little "sevie" (as my mom used to call me and my bestie Mandy). My mom and I pull up to church in our family's full sized van to drop me off at the VBS planning meeting. First off, this is a "planning" meeting and if you know me, you know I'm already giddy. Secondly, I get to the room and there are snacks, major kudos to the planners of said planning meeting. And lastly, we get binders. With lists. And charts. Color. Coded. Charts. I am now having heart palpitations because I am so excited.

I loved sitting through every single minute of this meeting and getting ready to have "my own" class. Too bad I was actually only a helper to an adult teacher. I must also apologize to that teacher because I am sure that I walked in and said something to her like, "I'll be fine leading the class on my own, you can go out for coffee, you are no longer needed here."

My mom also reminded me of a nice little (weird, crazy) gesture that I made after the meeting. I wrote a thank you note to Cindy, the Children's Ministry Coordinator, for such a wonderful meeting, telling her how much I was looking forward to VBS. She later, told my mom that she got the card from me, saying how sweet it was and that she had never received a note thanking her for a meeting before.

So here are a few pictures of VBS's that I have led. I don't have all the pictures of all the classes, but here are a handful.

Above is of Karin and I with our class. This is the earliest picture I have, but I was 16.

The above and below pictures are of the classes that my brother Michael and I led together. These were some of my absolute favorite classes. The class below was AWESOME at Bible quizzing. We even brought in a couple other high school teachers to quiz against our kids and OUR ROCKSTARS BEAT THEM- FAIR AND SQUARE! I kid you not.

And finally the class to end all classes is below. This group of 13, 5th and 6th grade boys did me in for a while. I had to go on hiatus. My "helper" was my brother Richie. He was usually the worst of them. He's the third in from the right in the back row. He looks like one of them, not a helper. 13 boys need a male leader. I might need to write an un-thank you note to Cindy on that one. ;)

And here we are, eons later. Me and my own kids heading off to Vacation Bible School. My prayer, dream and hope for them is that they will grow a love for VBS, but moreso for Jesus through VBS and other places/people. I can safely say that I think we are on the right track- as is evidenced by the leaves, vines, and "Scarlett Mackaws" that Jonah has been coloring, cutting, and taping all over our house since we got home from "SonQuest Rainforest" VBS today. He is decorating our house in the exact same fashion that church is currently made to look like.