When I worked at HFBC one of my favorite times of the year was Vacation Bible School. The halls filled with kids and the noise and joy they bring. This is my first year of volunteering to help out with VBS and I am not counting those times I helped out with the service at the end of each session. As I tried to help young moms with registration and getting their kids to the right place, I could not help but think back on my days in VBS a long, long, long time ago.
VBS back in the day was a little different than today's version. I am sure that there were those helping out back then that thought VBS had gone a little too modern for their tastes. Each generation will have special memories of their times. I think how VBS is done today is really good. When I was a kiddo attending VBS in the 60's, we would line up each morning and march into the sanctuary to a special VBS march in kind of song. We sat by our last finished grade. There isn't too much I remember about opening assembly, but these few things. Our mornings began with the same greeting all through my elementary school years. After marching in, saying the pledges and a prayer, we would sit down. The director of VBS came to the podium and said Good morning boys and girls. We would reply good morning Mrs. Love. Even as we all grew into pre teens and teenagers, we would always greet Mrs. Love the same way, no matter if it were night or day, Good Morning Mrs. Love.
Each year according to the grade, you did the same crafts that had been done all the previous years since Moses was a boy. Macaroni pasta pictures, metal crafts, leather crafts and the piggy bank made out of a Clorox bottle. Every once in a while, a teacher would get a wild hair and let us make macaroni tambourines. We memorized verses and were given a star for knowing each day's verse. At the end of the week, there was a special VBS service that all the parents came to. They watched their precious treasures march into the sanctuary and do all our collective sayings. Probably we sang too, I don't remember. I loved VBS. I loved VBS at my grandparents too. I always got to be in the same class as my cousin Lois because she is only 46 hours older than me. There were a lot of pictures to color, crafts to be done and of course scripture memorization.
Today, as I observed the energy and joy of children, I prayed that God would reveal Himself in such a special way to each child. I prayed for the moms and dads, teachers, and youth workers that the theme of their song of life this week would be rooted in God's decrees and Word. Psalm 119:54 The only downside to VBS, the shirts are burnt orange and it just kind of hard to wear burnt orange when one is not necessarily a fan of the burnt orange. Dena has loaned me her Aussie hat, so I should make a fashion statement tomorrow when I wear it. I would have worn it today, but I was doing good to get there by 8:30.
I had a chance to go in and see the assembled children in the worship center this morning. Lisa was leading them well in songs and praises. Looks like everyone was having such a good time. Me included. No hairnet for me today in the snack room, I helped gather the numbers for Melinda.
3 comments:
I was hoping to see you in the snack room! As for the shirts, a few years back they were puke yellow!
burnt orange and an aussie hat eh? We need pictures :-)
Come visit us in 5th grade!
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