"Mommy, is Jesus in the car?"

Among other amusing conversations heard around our chaotic life lately is, "Mommy, is Jesus in the car?" "Yes, Addie. Jesus is in the car." I know what you are thinking, and shame on you! I am the typical mommy driver--perfectly distracted but overly cautious. "Jesus" is her CD of Vacation Bible School music, which she is completely in love with. 

She goes to sleep singing those catchy little tunes to Happy every night. She insists on listening to them over and over and, yes, over again in the car. She does the hand motions and everything. If I don't sing and do the hand motions with her, I am scolded and ordered to play it again and "Do your hands like this, Mommy" and "Sing following Jesus!" 

In years past I am sure that I would inform you of how annoying the repetition can be and how I think the people who come up with those catchy little tunes that get stuck in your head forever and ever should be punished to listen to them forever and ever. But that would have been terrible of me. I am thankful that I absolutely do NOT feel that way now.

I love those bible verse songs. I love that my 3 year old can now recite John 3:16 thanks to those songs. I love that my 20 month old shouts "with all my heart" when the song says "I will love the Lord." I love that VBS (which is thought of by some as a glorified baby sitting service) has made such an incredible impact on my little girls. Of course, the crafts they make are adorable. I have enough adorable fridge art to last a lifetime! And the friendships they form are incredible. I know that the girls don't completely understand what all they are singing, but I pray that the Word of God they heard during that week will continue to sing so sweetly to them for many years to come. And when God chooses to call them, I pray that they will be ready to invite Him into their hearts! 

I know that seeds were planted in my little girls' hearts as well as others the week of VBS at our church. How amazing is it to think about the children who came to Bible School and have parents, grandparents, or older siblings that are unsaved. I pray that those children are carrying the message of Christ home to them through these catchy little songs and cute little crafts!

To anyone who has ever participated in, cooked for, taught at, or helped out in any way at a Vacation Bible School at any church, I thank you so much. Please don't ever think that what you did was too small to count or that you didn't make an impact. My children are proof that even the youngest hearts can be touched!!

If you haven't ever helped out at a VBS, I must tell you that you are missing out on some of the greatest fellowship possible. I had the greatest time helping out this year as I do every other year. When I actually bother interrupt my schedule enough to participate in church events other than Sunday School and Worship Service, I get to know people on a completely different level than possible in the usual Sunday services.

Don't get me wrong, I love the usual Sunday services. My entire week feels wrong when I miss on Sundays. It is just a part of my life. I desperately need that word from God every week. It speaks to me in a special way every time. I almost always feel as though the pastor is speaking directly to me! How amazing is it that the person sitting a few rows behind me feels that the pastor is speaking diretly to them but in a different way!! God works in such incredible ways!!!

I think that, for me at least, the reason it is difficult to fellowship with church goers on Sunday is that I am usually running from the car to the nursery to the toddler room to the bathroom to out front. And when service is over I am doing the same, only in reverse. I always find someone to make small talk with, but they are usually runnning in their usual Sunday routine also.

To show up at church for VBS and end up working in the class with someone you don't bump into on your usual Sunday routine is great. You have an entire week to spend getting to know that person! As a mom of two littles, truly getting to spend time with someone is RARE. When you show up in jeans and a t-shirt, dump your kids off on someone else and pick up new kids, feel a much more casual atmosphere, and are thrown into utter chaos with kids, food, crafts, music and noise everywhere....you don't really have the opportunity to worry with chit chat. You go straight to the nitty gritty of getting to know a person! VBS worker, meet your new best friend :0) It is an amazingly wonderful and exhausting experience. 

Hope you had a great VBS also and are still singing catchy little tunes, too!