Update on our summer--VBS and Houston Project

As you can tell it has been a busy one. We had our vacation, then a week to recover before VBS at church. I have been helping in the preschool division with VBS for 9 years or so. The last half directing a Kinder class. Honestly, I was just so burned out. Two years ago I said it was enough and I couldn't do it anymore. Last year I ended up working it anyway, but I had stepped down as a director. Again, I had no joy in it anymore. In an effort to not end up working VBS this year I planned our vacation. It was supposed to coincide with VBS, so we would miss it. I guess God had other plans. For as long as I can remember VBS has been the first week after school, this year was different. It just happened to move to the last week of June. That of course meant that the vacation I had spent the last year planning would not free me from VBS. I was asked by a friend to help in the preschool division, but I declined. I knew I couldn't adequately prepare since we were going to be on vacation for 2 weeks prior to VBS. I was talking with the children's director about VBS. He said they were changing the way it was done. I liked the way it sounded....a lot like music camp from last summer. So I volunteered to help. I asked if it would be ok to help with the music rotation. That is what I did and it was so much fun! I don't see how I made any kind of difference, but it was fun. If you truly know me, you know that it was also a big step out of my comfort zone. I am sure it was probably obvious to those who watched. I absolutely LOVED getting to watch all of those kids learn truths about God.

It just so happened that Hannah's VBS teacher was my Houston Project site leader. Houston Project is our churches mission trip within our city. We go to 13 inner city churches and feed kids. Then we love on them and do VBS, SPAM for the youth, adult Bible study, and evangelism teams. We have been at this one particular church since 2004 and I---my whole family looks forward to Houston Project every summer. I had not decided where to volunteer my time at our site yet. I had worked with the youth for years and in my opinion it was probably the easiest thing to do. I had spent time in the nursery. Then last year I was in the prayer room. Last year I was amazed! It was awesome to be there in prayer every night. I asked if I could help with opening assembly this year. After I said it, I couldn't believe those words came out of my mouth. The instant terror set in because that wasn't just a step out of my comfort zone, that was a GIANT LEAP! I went on my way and thought it was all forgotten because I hadn't heard anything. Then VBS week came. Since I was with the music rotation and on stage during opening and closing assembly, it seemed natural for me to do the music part of opening assembly at Houston Project. Ok, not a problem. I remember saying "wherever you need me" a few times. I figured it was where God wanted me to be, so I started to prepare mentally....in other words I was trying not to panic. I was worried about everything. I don't have one of those beautiful singing voices, I have one of those blending voices. I do well in a choir setting, so the thought of being on stage in front of people singing really freaked me out. I was terrified of being laughed at. One of the things I had to tell my kids a few times applied to me as well..."it's not about you!"

I had a week to recover from VBS and prepare for Houston Project. It was a busy week that included morning swimming lessons, Alumni family choir, adult choir practice, music lessons, and getting Samantha packed up for 3rd grade camp. We were BUSY!

Sunday evening at the carnival for our site I got the music cd and a dvd of hand motions. That was a blessing because I didn't know a few of the songs. We had swimming lessons Monday morning; then had to grocery shop. We had an hour to do a crash course in music and hand motions! Luckily, our Monday songs were from VBS and 2 others I already knew most of . Honestly, for me Monday seemed very awkward. It was a BAD day and while up on the stage in front of all of those kids I just felt weird. Josh and Samantha were also helping with the music. They seemed to be having fun. We also grabbed two other First Baptist kids who knew the motions to help on stage. Tuesday as a family we had a better day, but I still felt weird being on stage in front of all those people. I felt more at ease Wednesday. I actually had fun! After Opening Assembly Josh and Samantha went to help with the VBS classes ( I will come back to this later). I usually hung around and watched the youth assembly. I also went to make sure Hannah was with her class because she likes to wander off. Wednesday I went and mingled with the kids during crafts. I wanted to find out their favorite songs so we could do them on Thursday night. I was amazed because some of those kids were so happy to see me. One girl was surprised I was over there talking to her. It was nice, but a strange feeling. I asked one boy about his favorite song. He had learned "Jesus Loves Me" during story time and it was his favorite. He started to sing it to me, but forgot the middle part. WOW, it never occurred to me that there was a kid who had never heard "Jesus Loves Me." After all the activities were over all the kids gathered in the sanctuary. We played some music while we waited on them to call for the bus kids. One little girl came up on the stage to sing and do motions with me. In the middle of a song she grabbed on and hugged me. Of all of the love languages physical touch is LAST on my list, so this was very weird for me. Sure I love on and hug my kids. I make sure they get all the touch they need. It is Caleb's love language, so he gets a lot. I just don't go around hugging all kinds of people though. I embraced this needed hug and hugged this little girl back. She wanted to hold my hand for a while too.

Thursday came and I was having a blast. We made sure we did some of the kids favorites. It was obvious everyone else was having fun. All the kids were out of their seats dancing during the music. I was asked what I was going to be doing after opening assembly. Today I knew! I was going to go mingle with the kids while they were doing crafts and recreation. As soon as I walked out there a little girl (not the same from the night before) came up to me and gave me a hug then said, "I love you." I sat down and talked to one girl about one of our songs. We sang "Who He Says I Am" which was one of our churches VBS songs. It comes from

Psalm 139:14a "I praise you because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made." (Holman Christian Standard)

It was her favorite song, but she didn't know what it meant. I was able to talk with her about what it meant. I explained to her that sometimes I would get frustrated because I would see someone that I wanted to be like. It was make me kind of not like the person I am now. Then I can remember that I have been remarkably and wonderfully made by God. He made me exactly who I was supposed to be, just like he made her who she was supposed to be. She took it all in. She was one of those children that I sought out to talk to each day. We talked for a while then we each had to move on. She got a snow cone and I got another hug from someone. I sat down and talked to the girl who had hugged be the night before. She was making one of those bracelets. I am not sure what they are called...salvation bracelets maybe. It had the colors for each stage of salvation. I asked her about hers and what the colors meant. She explained it all to me. I told her it was a great thing to wear and know. In passing I mentioned that I had NEVER made or had one of those. She said, "well, let's just make you one." So we did. It was a little small, but she managed to tie it on my arm. She was so happy! It was nice. I kept the bracelet on as long as I could, but it was just so tight. I ended up tying it to my name tag. This was our last night and I was not ready for it to end...despite being exhausted physically. If I accomplished nothing else all week it was ok. I was helping to plant a seed in the hearts of some kids. Each year at Houston Project I am pulled farther out of my comfort zone. Each year I am blessed beyond measure. God was all over Farrington this year! I really can't describe the impact those kids had on me this year. I was blown away!

Onto my wonderful kids! Josh spent his first day helping in the 5 year old class. He told me Tuesday that that age was just not for him. He moved to the 6-8 class for the rest of the week. I got so many compliments on him this week. The one that got to me the most was when someone said, "he has a servant heart." I am so humbled and happy to hear that. We have had some conversations on the way home. A comment was made to me that the worst behaved and most hyper kids at Houston Project were the HFBC kids. I KNOW this---they were not referring to Caleb either. It was very obvious. Josh commented to me how he thought it would be better if the HFBC kids weren't there. Don't worry!!!! I took care of this! I asked him if he would like being there helping if he had not been there every summer for the last 6 or 7 years. He has told me he loves being there and helping. I asked him if he had NEVER gone there before, would he like sitting next to and loving on kids who might only get to eat the dinner we serve. If he would like sitting next to and hugging on kids who smell differently....not all kids get bathed every day. There were even some who wore the same clothes all week. I asked if he would like to spend time with kids who spoke a different language than he did. His answer was probably not. I explained to him that those parents are setting an example of serving others for their kids....just like I did for him. He then "got it." I am so proud of him! He is growing up to be a wonderful young man.

Samantha helped with the little kids. I don't know that she did anything other than keep Hannah from running off---it turned out to be a full time job! The love my girls have for each other is wonderful! We had a few "it's not all about you" moments, but she persevered and did great!

Caleb made some new friends and was reintroduced to some old ones. He has his HP friends that he gets to see every summer during Houston Project. I am even proud of my little guy. He was pretty well behaved. His teachers went on and on about him.

Hannah cracked me up! I loved watching her get up and dance to the songs. Watching my baby girl do the motions to "Superhero" was just awesome!!!

Now we are about to move on to our next project---Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Check it out and sign up!!!! I don't know how much I will be able to do because of the kids, but I can sure be there for prayer and support.