I remember VBS as a kid being much sweeter, less stimulating, gentler and I remember the gospel message being given.
Lydia (the only one I'd totally expect to 'get it') now thinks that Joseph (sometimes she even says Moses) has something to do with Jesus dying on the cross and when I asked her if she prayed this week, she said,
"we never pray at VBS, we just play games and do crafts"
uh huh.
There was so much good going on at this VBS - don't get me wrong.
If my kids were in the 6th grade I'd have been the first one in line to sign them up for this week.
That group of 11 & 12 yr olds served their little hearts out all around town this past week.
There weren't a whole lot of games and crafts for them, it was all about serving Jesus by serving those around them - I love that!
The letters coming home with the kids for parents every day were phenomenal!
So many of the teachers were solid, quality people.
The stress came from personal stuff.
the time of day 12:00pm-3:30pm
that would be our lunch/nap/rest time
(it was that or 5:30-8:00pm, not sure what this new trend is for VBS being at night?)
Nora and Sophie were/are just too young, actually, I think Samantha is too
It wasn't our church home, so I felt like an outsider all week
(that was partly me and partly the 'feeling' at the church in general) and I missed my church family that I already know, all of you, all over the world!
VBS just isn't my thing, really.
I think I would have been ok and the stress would have been cut dramatically if I could have somehow worked with the 6th graders (or above!?).
Sorry for all the complaining this past week.
I know it seems funny that it was so stressful,
it's VBS!!!??? I know.
I wanted my kids to have the same memories of VBS that I did and that didn't happen this week, which made me sad, which makes me stressed.
We will either be aiming for the smallest VBS I can find for next year or just doing our own Backyard Bible Club in our neighborhood....now THAT sounds fun!
(all the sudden my wheels are in overdrive for next summer!)
6 comments:
Makes complete sense.
We stopped the VBS stress a couple years ago. It just wasn't worth it. And it's been awesome! :)Your backyard bible club idea sounds like a blast!
Our church here in TX does evening VBS. It was definitely something new to get used to. The reason our church does it is to give kids with working parents an opportunity to come and there is also a larger pool of volunteers. I think you are 100% right that the older they are the better. We left Luke at home with my Dad and just took the three older ones and they had a blast. It is definitely different from the VBS that I remember as a child!!
CRAZY. We had a great VBS experience here, but it was a lot more low key. I remember getting to go to some fantastic ones as a kid, but by HS my church did family style VBS in the evenings with pie eating contests and stuff like that. It was okay, but definitely different. Child Evangelism Fellowship trains teens to lead 5 day clubs, so you could host one next summer. The come in and do all the stories and activities. Britney is doing that this summer, and if I was healthy we would be hosting one this summer.
Holly,
Do you remember when we hosted the girls in the "bowling alley" quarters in Germany? They were there, to do Back Yard Bible Clubs on Post.
I always thought that it was a very effective way to reach out to your neighborhood.
That would be an awesome plan for next year!!!!
Hugs!
Congrats on the run!!!!!
Christ Community helps people do Backyard Bible Clubs instead of running a big VBS (they provide the curriculum)- they do have a few other small camps. I let the kids go to a morning VBS up the street at a smaller church and they had a wonderful time and learned alot, I think me not helping helped with the no stress thing- I stayed home with the babies. I wouldn't give up on VBS, I still believe God does great work there, but I think you would be amazying at the Backyard Bible Club.
I was going to say the back-yard stuff too...I remember it from years ago. You'd be perfect once you get settled and find a bigger back yard! :O) Remember, your girls learn so much "God" from you and Jake. Don't be discouraged at the lack of "meat"...they are definitely being fed through other means.
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