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Vacation Bible School
By Julie | June 9, 2008
I just dropped my son off to Vacation Bible School. He is shy by nature; the same way his dad and I were when we were kids. This morning when he got up, he was so excited to go. As we loaded up in the van he seemed giddy. On the drive he asked what his younger brother and I were going to do when he was there. I told him we would come home and then pick him up when he was done. My answer worried him a little.
He was given him a name tag to wear, he liked that it had his first and last names on it. A few people walked by and told him hi. He looked at me proud they knew his name. Some people asked his name, he pointed to his name tag, looking even more proud, as he told them. Then we got to the row he needed to sit in. I told him to sit down and listen to his teacher. He clutched my hand tightly. I knew he would when it was time for me to leave. I walked him to his seat, then sat in the next seat beside him. His teacher asked his name, he told her and pointed to his name tag again. Then he pointed out his brother, who was sitting on my knee, and me. He still clutched my hand, but dropped it as he talked to his new leader. Then I told him it was time for me to go. He let me, but gave me that look that said he didn’t like it. And I know, I really do know it’s good for him to have these times with other kids, away from me. But when he looks at me like that it breaks my heart I have to leave him.
I pray he’ll have fun, make new friends, and learn more about God.
When I was growing up, Vacation Bible School was always a highlight of my summer. I loved it! We did so many fun craft projects. We played games out of memorizing Bible verses. We had the best snacks, usually some kind of cookies and juice. And, I was best friends with a group of girls, some I would see later in church, and some I would never see again. One time we played with edible play dough, and some of the kids were angry their creations were eaten by the kid beside them. I never had to wear a name tag. We went to a little country church. Vacation Bible School always drew more kids than normal church, but it never exceeded 50 kids. The teachers remembered our names.
What I remember most about Vacation Bible School is God. When I was 9, after a week of friends, good snacks, and a brain chock full of Bible verses, God became real to me. Those verses, the promises they held, became real to me. Of course, God was real in a different way than he is now, but I knew he loved me. That summer a teacher prayed over each member of my class as we sat side by side in our chairs. She asked we would know Jesus was real, and he died on the cross for our sins. That had been confirmed for me that week. She asked God would come into our hearts. I prayed with her, for myself, my salvation. I was saved that day.
But I was still only 9. Another girl was saved. She told the teacher about her prayer; I didn’t. The teacher gave us all pictures to take home and hang on our wall. For my friend who was saved, she wrote a special note on the back on her picture. The rest of the girls in the class, myself included, were jealous of her special note! I remember one girl saying, “She only wrote that because she was saved!” We all said, “Yeah!” Like some terrible thing had happened. But regardless of my jealously I still took home something real that Vacation Bible School. It has lasted, and luckily matured, my whole life. I will never lose it.
I don’t know what my son is in for this week. I don’t know if he will be saved. But I hope he comes away having as much fun, and good memories, as I did.
Topics: Faith, Life and Living | 2 Comments »
June 10th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Here’s prayin’ that your son has a good week. My son will be 3 in August and will start preschool. I can’t imagine how hard it’s going to be for him and my wife the first time she has to drop him off there. Luckily for us, his preschool is at our church and he will be in the same room that serves as the nursery for 18+ month kids on Sunday mornings. Hopefully it will go well. We shall see…
June 11th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Your poor wife! It’s so hard the first few times you have to drop them off. We tried preschool with our son for awhile when he was 3. It didn’t last a long time because it wrecked his potty training. But every morning was so hard to leave him. Is he your oldest, or has your wife already gone through this before? Here’s a few prayers for both of them, it’s not easy.