Last week I had the chance to interact with over 125 children who were attending a week of Vacation Bible School at First Lutheran Church. After the initial "separation anxiety" that many of the pre-schoolers experienced as mom or dad dropped them off to the care of church volunteers and college age camp staff, the week went off without a hitch.
Each day there was a mad rotation of kids ages 3-12 moving quickly from one station to the next. Try to imagine the action as the children raced from opening worship and singing to crafts, snacks, games (indoors and outdoors), Bible lessons and back to worship and singing. What an action-packed busy morning!
The children learned so much! But they also taught the adults many great lessons in Living Out Loud (the theme for the week) and what it means to follow Jesus. Here is my "top ten list" of things children teach us from their week of Vacation Bible School:
1. Sing with Joy! Don't worry if the guy next to you thinks you are off key.
2. Hear the stories of Jesus as if for the very first time.
3. Ask many questions, that's how we learn.
4. Admit to others when you are wrong.
5. Forget the tears from Monday. Tuesday is a brand new day!
6. Pass out lots of hugs.
7. Go home and tell others all the great things you learned.
8. Don't take yourself too seriously.
9. Make a new friend.
10. Sing a new song!
Jesus often compared children to the Kingdom of God. They are open and receptive to God's gifts of grace. May we adults never lose the heart and spirit of a child!
