I ♥ VBS

Noah is attending Vacation Bible School this week at our church.  He's been going since he was big enough to walk up the tall steps leading into the front doors.  In those days, I'd park and walk him all the way in, his little hand tucked in mine.  I always left in comfort knowing his big brother, Austin, would be there, just a few rows back keeping an eye on him.  Seems unreal now that Noah's so grown, more than able to go into the church on his own.  In fact, this year will be his last as a VBS student at Beaver Dam Baptist.

Sending him off yesterday brought back memories of my own childhood and summers spent at VBS.  As we spent much of our summer between our grandparent's houses anyway, the week of VBS we would "move in" to Grandma and Grandpa Coons' house.  Grandpa was pastor of Garden Green Baptist and since church was a family affair there we were not only students, but assistants, teachers, helpers and anything else they needed!  I literally grew up through the years at VBS, from being the cute little youngster singing "This little light of mine" to teaching a teen class (as a teenager myself), to coming back as an adult leader all those years later. 

My fondest memories include the hours spent preparing with my Aunt Becky, Grandma, and Grandpa in the weeks leading up to Bible school...coloring and designing posters....the annual parade we'd walk as a group in the neighborhood by the church...the smell of the Baptist Bookstore where we'd pick up supplies...the sharp contrast of lemonade and cookies in my mouth...how proud I was the year I learned all our pledges without reading the overhead projector...(overhead projectors!)...ARTS & CRAFTS!!!...glue on my fingers...feeling Jesus in my heart! 

And then as an adult...feeding my childhood fantasy of becoming a teacher, if only for one week a year...lesson plans...school supply shopping...organizing and planning...and greatest of all, sharing Jesus with the children, seeing it click, and watching them come forward later in the week.  There is no greater honor than helping a child become a Christian and being there for those first steps.

Thinking back to all those moments makes me realize how much I miss it.  Unfortunately, our church holds VBS during the day so I've never been able to volunteer.  But, maybe someday soon.  Until then, I'll live vicariously through Noah, as he excitedly tells me about his day and the fun he had at Vacation Bible School!