VBS

On Sunday we went to church. We are fairly regular about this during the academic year, but for some reason we often get derailed in summer and our attendance could be characterized as sporadic at best. I actually like going to church - I love the peace and quiet, the ritual hum of the mass, the opportunity to connect to a larger community and the chance to sit quietly and reflect about things slightly more important than "Did I charge my cell phone?" "Do we have enough milk?" "Am I ever going to get tenure?".

I had forgotten that July is our church's month for Vacation Bible School. Vacation Bible School is a concept that usually makes me want to laugh out loud - seriously, what on earth do "bible" and "school" have to do with vacation? What a crock. Yes, I know, I'm going to hell. I'll save you a seat. Anyhoo, this past Sunday was the start of VBS at our church. Months ago when they asked the kids what they wanted to do for VBS one of them suggested that the only thing anyone was really interested in was food. (and you begin to see why I love my church) So they decided to do "Feasts of the Bible" as the theme (!!!) and they decided to have VBS right after the 10am service on Sunday, as opposed to having it sometime during the week. I think this is a great idea, as it is much easier for the congregation to hang out and celebrate with the kids right after church; that is really what VBS is all about - supporting the youth of our church with our presence, showing them that they are an important part of this community of faith and that we care about them and want to get to know them better.

This week was "The Wedding At Cana" (for all you heathens out there this is the miracle where Jesus turns water into wine and a good time is had by all; those early Christians were party people. Go Jesus!). The church hall was all done up "wedding style" complete with a wedding canopy. There was a "wedding cake contest"; some of our more creative bakers brought in renditions of miniature wedding cakes. There was an art contest - Ava won! And a toilet-paper bride contest - I think Cate would have won, if not for the last minute meltdown and subsequent rending of garments. The newest married couple lead the Hokey Pokey (Ava had a ball dancing to that one) and the couple married longest lead the Chicken Dance (shake your tail feathers for Jesus!). At one point Father Mark asked all the married couples to come on to the dance floor with their kids and lead us in a renewal of our vows. As I stood there holding Brian's hand, repeating the old "for better and for worse yadda yadda yadda" with our three little lunatics spinning around us, I was overcome by that feeling of complete and total satisfaction that comes when you realize that you completely and totally made the right choice. As God is my witness I love that man till death do us part, and maybe even after that.

Of course, what would a "Feasts of the Bible" event be without a feast? The kids really knocked themselves out and assembled a table laden with savories and goodies. I particularly enjoyed the chili relleno casserole and spinach salad. But the piece de resistance (at least for my kids) was the chocolate fountain. By the end of the feast it looked as if they had bathed in it. Is it sacrilegious to say "Thank God for Oxyclean?"