Vacation Bible School

I think I am going to survive it - we have two days to go.

Vacation Bible School as one person said to me this week is the longest week in the summer for the adults and too short for the kids.

This year we had 60 kids pre registered and I heard 68 altogether so far. It really has been an awesome week. This year I am the "storyteller" and I introduce the Bible story of the day four times (with 4 different groups) and afterward talk to the kids about the story that was acted out for them.

We have "Bible clothes" for the kids to wear and each group is instructed to put on their "Bible imaginations" before we start the story and get in some sort of costume. Amazingly, they are doing it - even the junior high kids and it starts the whole process with a lot of fun.

Yesterday "Jesus" was a special visitor at the home of the pharisees and the kids were nonored guests. They came in to a room with a variety of chairs - some hard and some soft and not enough and found a place to sit. Afterward Jesus told them that we need to live humbly and let others take the best seats first. And he also talked about inviting everybody - even the unpopular kids - to parties. Then he left.

I led them in a discussion about not living a "Me First" life and about reaching out to those who others rejected. With each group - even the kindergarteners - I asked tham about times they felt lonely and watched these darling children look at me seriously and nod their heads. Because, of course, that is true. We all have these times of feeling lonely and uncertain.

What Bible School is reminding me this week is of how a church can really be a place where everyone is accepted as who they are. It is exhausting, chaotic and kind of crazy - but every child comes in and has a place for themselves. We have some really caring adults and yoouth. They are learning stories from the Bible - but more importantly - they really are experiencing an environment of love.

But I am glad we only do this one week a year!