Vacation Bible School, Lori, Fish Head and a Bracelet

Our church's Vacation Bible School began today. For the past several years, I've volunteered to be an assistant to my friend Lori. You probably have a Lori in your church--the organizing maniac. Lives to teach Sunday School....wouldn't THINK of not staying up all night on Saturday until she's gone through the lessons front, back and sideways. That's our Lori. Add one more element that I think is kind of unique for a control-freak like her, add great big kid at heart. And THAT's why I teach with Lori, because she really does it for the kids (and entertains me as well!).

Lori begins the VBS year early, planning, plotting, putting dibs on our room! Although she failed this year, we got into trouble from the neighbors next to us and below us for being too loud. We really need a downstairs room next time!

I just do as she says. She likes it when I look silly and she's kind enough to admit it! A few years back, she made me play a fish for one of our stories. I was in my sewing room for days cramming the big foam pieces covered in fabric through my sewing machine, adding ping pong ball eyeballs and cutting a slit in the bottom of a cathouse shaped like a fish. She threw a gold coin (chocolate) into my fish mouth and made me run into the room like a fool day after day with a giant fish stuck to my head as she brilliantly unravelled the story.

This year, sports. So because I have pom poms, I get to be Pom Pom Polly. I was at Kohls late Friday scanning the sales racks for some knit sports skirts that weren't too short, thinking 'why do I let her talk me into this everytime?'. Today, showtime, I did some fun chants with the kids and they got into it--even the boys! I put on the long robe, pretended to speak a foreign language, held up a flame made of tissue paper as a strong wind (created by Lori putting a fan in my face) started. They laughed. Lori gets to abuse me like this for one week out of every year. I did refuse to do the pigtails--not that I have anything against pigtails, but I will NOT be seen driving across town with them at my age!

So how did I know our antics were successful, that the kids trusted us? Their smiling faces, the kindness they showed each other. And of course when they come back from crafts (one of the craft moms, incidentally, is my g/f, Cat) with an ankle bracelet, "hidden" behind their backs to give me in our room. Think I'll wear it until it falls apart. In my mind it's so important at this age to reach them, to know they associate church with a loving environment, with fun, with safety to say anything they need to say.

I'm sure in my heart that's what Jesus would want--he didn't keep to himself, and he certainly spent time enveloping the people who hadn't yet been saved with open arms and a loving attitude, despite their past or present.

I seriously love that little church, because I know no matter who comes, they will find open arms. I saw this firsthand, I brought a homeless man to their front door not long ago, sat next to him as he ate with all of us, as he talked to people who genuinely cared who he was, and was taken to a safe place, out of the winter storm. That's another story, but it's a very good one!