Yes, it is the week of Vacation Bible School in my parish. After a two year break, because I totally burned out, we are back at VBS. The boys are thrilled. I am carrying my tired, virus-ridden body around, teaching Bible time to preschool and Kindergarten.

I have learned two things at VBS:

  1. Paper-bag “stone” walls built to resemble the city of Jericho will be knocked down..and thrown…and fallen on….and kicked. Whether you are ready for them or not.
  2. Be careful what you ask, because there is no predicting what the children will answer.

For example, my second group of preschoolers came into Bible time. I forgot to look at the schedule to see what activity they had just attended, so I decided to just ask them.

“So, where did you guys come from?” I asked in my most chirpy, happy-camper VBS voice.

One little girl raised her hand, so I called on her.

“Well,” she began solemnly, “I come from Texas, but then we moved to Canada, then we just came back to Texas. A few days ago I was on an airplane with my dad, and now…here I am!”

Not quite what I was expecting, but a thorough answer nonetheless!

Today I asked a group who was the strongest person they knew. God, was of course, what they all shouted. Why, I asked? Because He made us, one answered. “And dogs,” shouted another. “And skunks”, “Worms”, “Butterflies”, “Cats”, and “Giraffes”!

What do you get when you mix a bunch of tired adults, a few over-worried, stressed leaders, and loud, sweaty, happy kids - VBS, of course!