VBS & Memories

This was the first vacation Bible school I have worked in about 27 years.  Several of the mothers of the children attending this year were not even born in 1985.  And many more of the mothers were not even in first grade.  That thought makes me stop in my tracks for a little while.  Then I wonder where have the years gone?  Lots of life lived, enjoyed and survived!

Cousins Ronnie, Marsha
 & Phil, mid 1940's.

It was fun working with the nursery babies this week at VBS.  It was even more fun just listening to the young mothers discussing their lives, challenges, children, perspective on life, hopes, dreams and all that other stuff mothers of small, medium and large children think about.  Listening and remembering when I was a young mother.

Just this week I came across a book given in 1974 to me by a dear friend in Texas.  Her family, a son and a daughter along with a spouse were the first "couple" friends Gene and I had as young marrieds.  Mary and I worked VBS together in Allen, TX, some 40 years ago.  We two had so many good times shopping, talking, visiting, hoping, dreaming, crying and just being friends.  That Texas sheath cake she would make was beyond good, it was close to heavenly.

Me, late 40's

So VBS is over for another year at our church.  The young mothers were discussing the various other churches in the area with upcoming VBS opportunities.  Some mothers planned to take their children and work, others were just taking the children.  Just as 62 years ago, my two sisters and I would visit our Aunt Sissy to attend VBS at her church in Collinsville, TX.  Of course her three children were attending, too.   Then Marsha, Phil and Ronnie would come to stay with us to attend VBS at Chambersville.

Suzie & Margaret, my
sisters mid 1940's.

The sound of the voice of those young mothers brought a joy to my soul.  And a knowledge that while some things have changed, summer, young children and their mothers still hold a common thread with children and mothers from the past.  For this week we remembered our childhood VBS memories and made new ones for yet another generation.  May there always be VBS and memories.