Great Lessons from VBS

As I mentioned in my last post, I taught Vacation Bible School again this year and I'm so glad I did.

This year's theme was 'God's Big Backyard' and the children learned about serving their family, friends, neighbors, and community. With the Poison Ivy itching me to death, the two main air conditioner units not working in our church's gym, my house being a disaster area and knowing my brother was coming from Illinois and bringing his new fiance for us to meet the final night of VBS, well, 'excited' was not exactly the word I would use to describe myself when VBS week started. On top of all of that, the Scene Setter I used to decorate my room had fallen by the time I got there Monday night AND again on Tuesday night. UGH!

Monday night went ok. Then came Tuesday which brought a few new little girls, one which was just the exact thing that about drove me over the edge. I tried so very hard to be patient and loving towards this little girl who obviously had not been in church much. And with God's help, I made it through Friday night without being one bit unloving toward her! In fact, she insisted on sitting right beside me that final night and even layed her head on my arm and said, "I don't want it to be over. I want to go home with you and YOU be my mom." Oh my goodness! All this while one of the other little girls that came with her was sitting on my lap singing and smiling as big of a smile as I've ever seen. Talk about being blessed! I nearly started crying because I just wanted to hold on to these little girls forever. Oh how they need the teaching of the Lord and I'm afraid I may not see them for a whole nother year! I did invite the family to church and told them about our Keepers at Home group we have that I lead. I pray God works on their hearts and they come some time.

Likewise, Baby Girl decided she wanted to be a helper this year instead of a student and she also had one particular little girl that was VERY trying to her nerves, except hers was only 4 years old where as mine was 12. But by the end of the week this little unchurched girl was clinging to Baby Girl's neck telling her that she loved her and would miss her so much and to not forget about her. Is that not precious?

Sometimes we lose the true vision of why we're doing what we're doing and it becomes more of a chore than allowing the Lord to use us to reach out to others. We stress ourselves out trying to get everything perfect and making everything fun and exciting instead of just simply focusing on what the Lord wants us to do and doing just that. Oh what opportunities we miss out on trying to do everything oursleves instead of allowing the Lord to direct our every footstep.

I'm so very, very honored the Lord saw fit to allow me to spend a week with those precious, precious young ladies. I look forward to what He's going to do at next year's VBS!