Bible School

Today is the first day of bible school and of course, I'm working.  Remember, I volunteered for everything that was available during the summer.  I think I lost my mind sometime in April.

 I like bible school.  I liked it when I was a kid and I like it as an adult.  I didn't like it so much when my kids were little bitty and it was such a chore to just get to church on time!  Now, it's fun to be with the kids and my job is really easy.  My job is to be fun.  Get to know the kids and do a twenty minute fun activity everyday.  Oh, and eat snacks.  That's part of my job.  If they ever stop serving that dip they make at the church only for bible school, I might just stop coming.  Every year I say that and every year they tell me, 'you know, it's just picante sauce and sour cream'.  Yeah, I know.  But they also serve Ruffles potato chips and I never buy those at home so they are really a special treat.

This is the first year that I have a child actually helping me instead of attending a class.  Since my son, is in the youth group, he has aged out of bible school so he's being a youth helper.  He's going to be my runner, running for snacks, running people to the bathroom and back, etc.

I also look forward to working with people that I either don't really know or never get to see.  I have met retired men and women that I would never normally get to know well until we worked together during bible school.  I get a few minutes while the kids are in craft time to visit and socialize with old friends that I never get to see. 

I'll be very tired each day by noon.  More tired that a normal day of teaching.  But it's worth it.  I just got a letter a few weeks ago from a woman in Indiana that I met at bible school night many, many years ago.  I had her daughter in bible school when she was in the third grade.  She felt like she couldn't come to church because she didn't own any church clothes so she sent her kids to bible school.  I promised her she wouldn't feel uncomfortable if she'd just come.  I called all my friends and asked them if they would wear jeans that sunday.  They came and stayed.  The daughter is now in college studying nursing and her brother just graduated high school.  They are still members of the church. 

It's definately worth it.....