VBS

I live in the buckle of the Bible belt. Plus we are in Texas where people have enormous belt buckles so that means there are churches EVERYWHERE. You thought Starbucks was bad? Here we literally have one church, next to another, next to another. This also means that in the summer the whole town turns into VBS central.

We are in the thick of Vacation Bible School season, but luckily our church already had theirs. Don't get me wrong I think VBS is great, but it is quite the undertaking and ours isn't even that big compared some. Our VBS is like Polly Pocket in a world of Hannah Montannas.

I have been involved in VBS from the time I was in kindergarden. WAY BACK THEN it was more of an actual school setting. We had projects and lessons during the day. Remember flannel board? Then as I got old enough to be out of VBS I began going as a volunteer. So I have pretty much been going my entire life. This got me thinking, how did this VBS business get started? I wonder if they will have something on wikipedia, which is like saying maybe I can find something Sweet at Dairy Queen. Here is what I found out. "They" say it started in Hopeland Illinois back in 1894 by a school teacher who wanted more time to teach the children the Bible. The first Bible School enrolled 40 students and lasted 4 weeks.

Of course these days VBS is usually one week tops in the evening and is more like a kids crusade rather than a classroom. Every year is different and I always walk away with plenty of stories. This week I will be sharing some of the humor, turmoil, and success of my week at VBS.