VBS

My BFF wrote her column in last week's newspaper about Vacation Bible School. It rang so true for me, as she talked about the red kool-aid and vanilla cream cookies paired with bible stories and crafts... there's nothing quite like vacation bible school! I will forever have fond memories from my own childhood weeks spent in VBS...Of course the memories of crafts and refreshments will forever be branded on my heart. I've always loved a snack and always loved to 'create' something... Refreshments at our church always included those Windmill cookies (I think they're actually gingerbread cookies, but in the shape of a windmill). I don't know what sweet lady always bought them for VBS, but I had to have one every night. Never did I eat it, though. I didn't like the way they tasted (not big on gingerbread), but something about the windmill cutout, just called to me... Beside the tray of windmill cookies, you'd have a couple packs of the "Big 60" (vanilla cream cookies) from down at the Winn-Dixie. Now, these I'd eat... I also found that they tasted quite delicious dipped in my red kool-aid. (Done like you'd dunk an oreo in milk). I have a feeling I'd be pretty offended by the taste of a soggy cookie dunked in fruit punch these days, but back then...mmmmmm! And of course, there was always a tray of sandwiches...some bologna and cheese and some pimento cheese. Along with the memory of the food table is the sight in the kitchen....the ladies of the church who ran refreshments! Thank the Lord for the Ms. Annette, Ms. Gladys, Ms. Icie, Ms. Ida, Ms. Arthie, & Ms. Maxines of the world and of the little Baptist church I grew up in...the sweet grandmothers who served up the snacks every year at our VBS! I'm sure there were more of them, but those are the ones I can see carrying a grocery sack of cookies in the fellowship hall, serving up Kool-Aid and changing out trashbags in the kitchen....Of course, my VBS memories wouldn't be complete without the Ms. Peggys of the world (who happens to be one of my most favorite women in the whole wide world...my own Granny!) who usually could be found in the craft room during VBS!


Last week was Annabelle's first experience with bible school.

Belle in her VBS T-Shirt

Since DW and I were leading the bible story, little miss had to tag along. Normally, she would have just stayed with "Grammy & Pop"... BUT since VBS started the day we got back from our cruise and we'd already been away from her for three days, we decided she could just go with us and be in the nursery....it was right next to our room, so if she got upset, we'd be able to bring her in with us. She did stay with my parents the first night of VBS, but the other 3 she was with us... She did great in the nursery and enjoyed being one of two baby/toddlers with about 3 people's attention (including her "Granny")...

in her 'class' one night

This year's theme for our VBS was "SonRock Kids Camp." It was a cute theme. The sanctuary had a rock mountain, forest background and a moose and a bear....

Here's what Miss Priss made at the "Craft Cabin" one night....

Is that sweetness or what?!?!

During recreation one night, our VBS leaders rented a rock climbing wall that fit perfect with our theme! The kids LOVED it! For the smaller ones, they rented a bouncy house slide thing. How fun is that?!?!? Here's DW on the rock wall... I think the adults had just as much fun as the kids on this thing! I am proud to say that I even did it! (However, I didn't make it to the top). There's pictures, too. But I'd rather eat worms than show them to you. There's something about that angle that did NOTHING for me or my back half...
As the bible story leaders, DW and I set up our room and then prepared the bible story each night for the 3 groups (PreK/K, 1-2 grades, 3-5 grades)....

our room...we had a tent over to the left...

The kids were all so great and we really did enjoy it.... Of course there were a couple funny stories to share, all of which were from the youngest group (Pre-K/K age), imagine that! I do have to say, that it didn't take me long to remember why I only kept my Pre-K job at the school for ONE school year! Ha....

Anyway, here they are:

- We had one little boy who was obsessed with alligators. Yes, alligators. So, since the bible story every night was about Peter, and I think 3 of the nights the story involved the water since Peter was a fisherman before he was a disciple, it played right into little alligator boy's imagination... Every night, I'd be telling the story, and then we'd be asking questions or be giving a review of it... and every night, he'd answer something that involved the alligator!

One Night:

Me: (something along the lines of) "So Jesus' friends looked over and saw something on the water! It looked like a person! Peter thought it was Jesus, so he called to him. Then Jesus told him to get out of the boat! And Peter did! Peter was walking on water!!!"

Alligator Boy: "And then a alligator ate him!"

Another night:

Me: (something along the lines of) "There was a really big crowd and they started to get hungry! But all anyone had was 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread...So Jesus, took those 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread, and He was able to feed all those hungry people and they even had leftovers!"

Alligator Boy: "And they ate alligator!"

Then on our last night, we told the kids that they were never going to guess WHO was in our bible story again that night! (stories of Peter had been written into the lesson each night). "PETER!" they yelled! (Yay! "They are remembering something", I thought!)... One little cutie looks up and with the most serious face says, "Peter? Like Peter Pan?!?!?" Oh, mercy....

Then, of course, there were a couple of the traditional funny interruptions "EXCUSE ME!!! I gotta go potty RIGHT now!" Ha...

I love little kids. I love big kids. I just love kids... and I love VBS and cookies!

~amw~