"I don't want to leave VBS!" I heard this about 10 billion times today from my precious kindergarteners. I almost cried. Honest. Most of my kids this year are members at other area churches, so I likely won't see them again. They made my heart so full this week, and I didn't want to leave them or VBS either. It was tempting to pout with them, but I chose to be the adult. Am I allowed to pout now that I'm not in front of them as an example though? ;)
At one point, I heard that 7 kids had accepted Christ this week. That right there makes this week a success. Add to that the 600+ kids that were loved on all week by 200+ adults and I say the week was perfect. UBC has so many highly dedicated adults and teens who pour every ounce of all they have into each child they see for 4 hours a day during VBS. I am beyond grateful to volunteer with such amazing, God-fearing individuals.
My favorite stories from this week:
I sent this email to our pastors on Monday night:
A friend of mine who is pregnant with twins and already has two at home texted me today during VBS to see if I could come babysit this afternoon. The weekend had slipped past her and she realized mid-morning she was down to the last pull-up and nothing of value to fix for dinner before their church's VBS tonight. Oops. Of course I told her I'd grab something quick for lunch and head straight there when I was done at UBC. Typically, I avoid McDonalds for anything more than a Diet Coke, but it was the easiest choice from church to my friend's house this afternoon. The drive through was long, but it was too hot to care. I placed my order, paid, and pulled up to the last window. The sweet employee who was waiting for me with my food had obviously not had the easiest life. The wrinkles were deep and her teeth weren't in the best of shape. Yet, she had a huge smile on her face and exclaimed, "You had a great VBS today!" It wasn't a question; it was a fact. She didn't want to ask me; she already knew. A big smile spread across my face as I responded, "We sure did!" I thanked her for my food and drove off before I processed the fact that I had never met this sweet grandma of a lady, my seat belt was covering the words on my Crew Chief shirt, and my old UBC sticker is worn off my truck, so nothing about me gave away that I had just come from a great morning with 7 precious 'almost' 1st graders and two amazing co-leaders. While I'm sure my friend thought I was blessing her today, her simple request for help put me on a course out of my normal routine that left me with an encounter with a gorgeous smile from my Daddy God. Thank you all for ensuring that our church budget includes VBS and other ways that I get to love on kids during my time away from teaching school during the summers. There are no words to express my gratitude for you allowing me to do what I get to do.
Our kids loved each rotation, but they really liked our Bible time. They got to pretend to be Lazarus and dress up in 'mummy wrap' and come out of the tomb. They got to have a huge party to celebrate Jesus's resurrection. Today we roasted fish over a fire to have a fish breakfast with Jesus after a long night of fishing. I love this idea:
This morning, sweet little Megan brought me a drawing she made last night. It shows her in bed with a clear view of her bedroom window. Out the window is a fierce storm with lots of lightening. She told me that before this week, she had been afraid of thunderstorms and would cry and run to her mom. Megan wrote on her picture "Now Not" (Not now) to indicate that now storms don't scare her because she learned this week that no matter what, she can trust God. I fought the tears as I hugged her so tight she turned purple. Ok, not really, but I'm sure she thought I was crazy for making such a fuss over a drawing. But, come on! My heart was overflowing as I silently praised my Jesus for this darling child and the ways He is revealing His truths to her very young heart. And if Megan thinks I'm a little nuts for it, that's ok with me!
Alright, last but not least, we cannot forget the bet our youth minister Kyle made with the 5th graders. If they totaled 100 kids by the end of the week, Kyle promised to wear a pink tutu for us. Ha. That'll teach a soul not to make a bet with pre-teens. I mean, really! They are the most competitive age group on the planet. I should know-they'll all be in my classroom come August. Kyle makes such a lovely ballerina.
1 comment:
Gaming has truly become a hobby for anyone with interests that run the full gamut. Computer Games are a great way to just have some fun and relax once in awhile. The following paragraphs have some really good ideas regarding online gaming, so pay attention!
Don't abuse your game ps3 and its accessories. Doing so could shorten their lifespans. Gaming devices are extremely fragile. Before you know it, you could destroy your console or one of the controllers. In addition, you should never throw down your controller whenever you're angry because you could destroy your controller, which will end up costing you lots of money.
Instead of a computer, try a regular console system for your kids gaming pleasure. It is easier to control things like privacy and content on a console than it is on a PC. They may have a much more protected experience with a system.
Make sure that you stay hydrated when playing video games for long periods of time. It's okay to escape for a while with a game--that's what their main purpose is--but some people take it too far and get so involved in gaming that they don't drink water or other drinks regularly. Becoming dehydrated is dangerous, which is why you need to remember to drink plenty of water when playing.
Be careful when it comes to playing online games. You will sometimes have to pay monthly fees in order to gain access. If you have a child who wants to join an online-gaming site, then you should check it out first. Find out if there are any fees, and if so, whether the game is worth it.
Downloadable content (DLC) is available from many popular online gaming. Those are bells and whistles at an extra cost. Pay attention to the price tag before you buy. Some times buying DLC games can be two to three times more expensive than a single game.
If you are thinking about purchasing a gaming for a child, you may want to look into what each ESRB rating means. These ratings help you learn what games are best for your kid's age level so that you can avoid inappropriate content. The ratings tell you which games are appropriate.
If you only play one or two genres of games, think about branching out. Most people tend to play just one kind of game. Trying out all sorts of video games makes it a lot of fun and a very rewarding experience.
Play online as much as possible. Pitting yourself against the skills of other online players can improve your gaming skills and strategies. You might want to try Role Playing Games or RPGs as a way to branch out from common wii gaming. If you can master playing online, you can master any game you try.
Check the Internet for suggestions and tricks for you favorite games. When you get stuck somewhere in a game, it can frustrate you and maybe even make you give up. Consulting a walkthrough or asking other gamers on a message board is the surest way to conquer that tough level and start enjoying the game again.
Figure out how to operate the safety and parental controls of any gaming system that comes into your home. You can likely make adjustments that keep kids from viewing mature content. Some allow each gaming profile to be customized separately, allowing adults to enjoy games not meant for younger audiences.
There are so many entertaining elements to video gaming, they cannot be covered in a single article. You should have found what you needed to know right here. After a long hard day at the office or school, put your feet up, turn on the gaming system and enjoy!
Post a Comment