"The Best Day"

            For the last five or six years I have helped run the Vacation Bible School program at my church. I love the week that we get to finally see all our hard work pay off, and do all the fun stuff with the kids. I love seeing kids who don't know about Jesus learn that there is someone who loves them beyond anything they have ever imagined. And I love the energy that just runs through the whole week and the excitement that the volunteers and children have for learning about GOD's word.
           Today was the first day of VBS. We have three kids who have never attended a VBS before, and I don't know what their church background is. One of the boys in particular caught my attention. In music he was so enthusiastic, singing with all his might and really getting into the actions of the songs. He even started playing air guitar when he saw one of the people in the video playing guitar. I saw him a little later in snack and asked him if he was having fun. His reply? "This is the best day of my life!"
          The best day of his life! That's a pretty glowing endorsement for VBS! And I can't help but wonder what seeds we are planting for that young man. He is ten years old, and I have no idea if he comes from a family where GOD is talked about and prayed to, or if his parents were simply looking for something for him to do this week. What I do know is that for the three hours that he is in our care he will hear about how much GOD loves him, about how GOD will help him to stand strong, and about how GOD sent his son to die for him. I pray that those seeds grow and bloom and become a strong faith that will carry him through life's storms. Then indeed today will have been the very best day of his life, because it will be the day that his faith journey began.

Thanks be to GOD!!!

Whirlwind Blessings

          GOD’s timing is amazing. I was supposed to be leading another You and Me on the Hill at the camp this week, Sunday night until Wednesday noon. It was going to be the last time littlest duckling and I would be doing camp together (she’ll be too old for You and Me next year). On Friday the director of the camp called to let me know that they didn’t have enough kids signed up so they were canceling that program. Then he offered for littlest duckling to go to an arts and crafts camp for the whole week… by herself (she LOVES crafty stuff!! And so she was very enthusiastic to go). Biggest duckling and I dropped her off Sunday afternoon and were at the grocery store when my brother called and told me that my sister in law’s grandmother had passed away. I expressed my sympathy and thought… in the back of my mind…. hmmm wonder if I should offer to go out and help with the kids. But also in the back of my mind was the to do list that I would now be accomplishing since I wasn’t going to camp. Then Monday morning my sister in law called and asked if I would be able to come out so that she could go to the funeral. Of course I said yes!!

               Here is the cool thing… if the You and Me hadn’t been cancelled I would have been at camp. This is the only week that I could have done this for the next month or so. AND… we sometimes order food from a delivery service. I had ordered a bunch of stuff when they had a sale a few weeks ago, but wasn’t home when they came to deliver it. It arrived yesterday afternoon… about two hours after my brother booked my flights. Now my family will have some quick and easy meals while I am gone.

               And I get to spend time with my brother and his kids… without having to share them with my ducklings. So I can spoil, play, hug, read, and love to my hearts content and not have to fight off my kids (seriously… my kids are nuts about little kids! There is about six years between my youngest and my brothers oldest, so when we got together last the kids were 15, 13, 11, 8, 2 and 1. And my kids absolutely love to play with their cousins).

                So thank You GOD… for your timing. For the opportunity to spend time with my niece and nephew getting to know them better and make memories. Thank You for all the details you see to, from the timing of when people are at camp, to when the huge amount of ‘convenience food’ I ordered showed up. Thank You for watching over me, bringing me here safely and with no anxiety.