VBS: Nightmare or Blessing?

A few hours ago my church wrapped up another year of a successful VBS. We had the most kids EVER and they seemed to have a blast as they "Walked This Way." They learned that Jesus is the only way and to follow Him, we turn to the Bible as our guide. We raised over $1300 for our missions offering and had a great time watching the pastor make a human sundae out of this summers interns!

As I sat down trying to come off of the VBS adrenaline high, I thought about the conversations I had with various helpers and I came to the conclusion that for some VBS is a nightmare, but for others it is a great blessing.

Where do you stand?

Last year I taught rising kinders and oh boy did we have our hands full. We had three adults and one teen and those kids were wild. I vividly remember a few little ones standing on tables and launching themselves off. We soldiered on and by day five, the kids knew the routine and knew they couldn't use the church as a giant jungle gym.

I learned that teaching 4/5 year olds is tough! I also learned that some parents scout out the churches in their area and take their kids to VBS for free childcare. Some of these kids bounce from church to church all summer and participate in various VBS programs. In reality this is kind-of sad, but I say it's a huge win for the churches! Maybe, just maybe, these kids will come to Christ and be an example for their families!

This year I was asked if I would help in VBS again. At-first I genuinely didn't know if we were going to go on vacation that week so I gave a tentative no. Then as we got closer to the big week I started getting selfish. I helped last year, why can't someone else do it? I'm with Opal and Mae 24/7, literally the only break I get is Wednesday night church and Sunday morning connect group. The rest of the week they are with me EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. OF. MY. LIFE! So when the pastor announced they still needed helpers I made up my mind that this year I wasn't going to help. Then with about 1.5 weeks to go before VBS, the pastor personally emailed me...as soon as I saw his name I just knew I was being asked to help. BINGO...they needed a third grade teacher.

I have this problem of not being able to say no if I know my answer can be yes, so I immediately put away my Selfish Mom Hat and donned the VBS Helper Hat. And you know what? I am so glad I didn't let myself be selfish this year.

A friend who goes to another church said her week was going awful because she had 9 boys, 6 who had less than desirable behaviors, and 1 girl. After reading her message I sat back and thought about my week. I had a few kids who didn't quite get along with each other, but in the end, I concluded that I really had a good group of kiddos. So I shot her off a message that it's still a blessing to help! I told her to use that as her mantra, and she overcame the troublesome behavior issues and kept her eyes on the bigger picture. Sometimes we need a reminder to help change our outlook on a situation. I'm glad God gave me the chance to change her outlook. Often times our roles would have been reversed and she is usually the one having to change my outlook...I'm glad I got to wear the Miss Optimistic Hat for once! Love you K~

Back to VBS: The bigger picture is what VBS is all about. Instead of looking at the inconveniences, the exhaustion, and the frustration; look at the blessing that comes from this. I can't tell you enough times how blessed I feel to have the opportunity to teach these kids from all walks of life. They made me laugh and the secretly made me cry. For example, on day 2 we asked the kids to write down a prayer request and then we had them lay their requests in a circle. The kids walked in a circle and wherever they stopped they had to pick up the request and pray. One child asked that God would help mom not be mean to dad anymore. At that moment, my whole outlook of VBS changed. These kids need VBS and they need compassionate leaders. Reading that prayer request was a gut wrenching wake up call.

The Bottom Line: It's not about ME; it's about what GOD is doing through me. We taught that to our kids this week, but what a lesson for adults as well. It's very easy to get wrapped up in ourselves. When we allow the world to revolve around us, we miss out on the opportunities to receive a blessing from God.

I challenge you to hang up the Selfish Mom Hat and don the VBS Helper Hat. Try to find the blessings through the chaos. Try to connect with those put in your care. Try to see the world through the kids' eyes. I guarantee with the right attitude and outlook, your world will be ROCKED!