Monday Memories...VBS Star

Summertime always brings back warm fuzzy memories of Girl Scout camp, church camp, swimming pools, watermelon, fireflies, and of course Vacation Bible School. We went every year from cradle roll up to high school (when we became helpers and finally were recruited into becoming teachers.)

When I was in the 5th grade I went to two Vacation Bible Schools each with the same songs, stories, Bible verses, and crafts. I enjoyed the first one but I became a VBS Star in the second. We were visiting my grandmother in another town and I went with my cousins.

The music teacher loved me because I already knew all the songs and sang with great vigor and volume (and mostly off-key). What I lacked in skill I made up for in enthusiasm. ( The kids all hated me and thought that I was a show-off and of course they were correct.)

The Bible teacher loved me because I knew all the answers and already had memorized all the Bible Verses. She used me as an example to motivate the other kids to memorize scripture. I got to march in front of the group holding the Bible because I had memorized the most Bible Verses. ( All the kids hated me because that was an honor and I wasn't a member of their church.)

The craft teacher loved me because I needed no help with the craft and could whip up great-looking items having had the benefit of seeing what other kids had already created the week before. She found my suggestions helpful and thought I was very creative. (Naturally, all the kids hated me and my cousin was getting tired of my "helpful suggestions".)

My 5 days of stardom quickly came to an end but I still look back on that experience as a high point of my childhood. I was reminded of this experience one summer and let my children attend another neighborhood church's Vacation Bible School.

Although they were a little nervous at first they all quickly adapted and seemed to have a really good time. Mr. Wonderful and I attended the closing night program and were making the rounds to visit the classrooms of our three children.

A very nice looking young woman came up to me and began to tell me how much she had enjoyed teaching "My son Bud."

I smiled politely, and said, "I'm sorry, but you have mistaken me for someone else. My son is Andy."

She looked rather startled and said, " I don't have any Andy's.....aren't you Bud B.......'s Mother?"

Believe me.....my last name is very unique, there weren't any others in our city. Mr. Wonderful occasionally called Andy "Bud" as a pet name. We were amazed that he had told everyone that his name was Bud and had answered to it all that week.

His teacher and I laughed about his new identity. Later, when I asked him why he became "Bud" for the week. He just shrugged and grinned and said, "Why Not?" so maybe he was having his chance to be a VBS star too.

So to all of you who are giving up your time, energy and talents to help with VBS this summer here's a big shout out....you may be making this summer someone's best memory of childhood.