gosh. is that it?


we talked about it in every group today, how vbs seems to have flown by this year. i am sure part of my feeling that way has to do with my missing a couple days, but it does feel like just yesterday that i was making my return to the hallowed halls of the education building, circa vacaction bible school week.

it was, indeed, good to be back. the numbers of kids were significantly down from the last time i was helping, but no more down, percentage-wise, than any other ministry of the church i would guess. the number of "church" kids involved in the proceedings was frighteningly low and hopefully will be taken into account as a (if not the) major issue as the church looks to replace our recently departed associate pastor. numbers shouldn't tell the whole story of vbs, though. they should just play a bit part. and from where i was sitting in the storytelling room, it seems like that notion held true. the kids that were lucky enough to participate this year didn't have to suffer from second-class anything. the overall theme was fun and well-organized by tanya and her team. the centers, as reported by the kids that came through our room, were all entertaining and educational at the same time. the sets in the sanctuary were amazing. and the adult and youth help all seemed genuinely happy to be a part of the "beach party". it was nothing short of a quality week. exceptional quality. considering how few of our actual membership were present this week, weeks like this week remark, with a very sharp tongue, the potential that a (even an incredibly shrinking) church our size still holds if we ever decided on a common goal more pointed than "making and growing disciples". here's hoping that may, still, be in the cards for us.

of course, the highlight of my week was my room, but it wasn't because i was so awesome and lived up to my own lofty expectations. it was that the folks that breathed life into the room, every single one of them, were young persons of huffman past that came back for (at least) one very specific reason. vacation bible school. for the memories that still remain from their own vbs's. to memories that were forged while throwing rubber balls at mouth-y 5th graders. to memories of red light, green light. to memories of syncopated bible verses. to holding crying children in their laps. to thoughts of what vacation bible school does mean. to thoughts of what vacation bible school should mean. to thoughts of what vacation bible school will mean. some of these memories? shallow. some of them? deep. all of them? important. and critical to laying a foundation somewhere deep inside a kid that will remind them somewhere down the road that there is a freaking god out there, somewhere, that loves them immensely.

thank you to all of my help. you guys and gals know how special you all are to me. i know that vbs isn't the end all. it's just a seed, planted and waiting to be nourished. but it's a good and worthy seed. and it's a good and worthy waste of all of our time.

halloween carnival, joseph?