Author: Mama

VBS Should Be a Verb

Posted on July 14, 2016July 14, 2016 by Mama

Well I’m halfway through VBS prep week and I’m happy to report that my family is neither hungry nor naked, unlike some years past. I’ve even prepared dinner every night this week — okay, so one night was Papa Murphy’s pizza, but we ate dinner at the table so that counts. Right?

While most of my free time has been spent making jellyfish out of garbage bags, sign posts out of foam board and cutting lengths of barely visible fishing line, I have managed to squeeze in a bit of mommy-and-me time along the way; but only because I didn’t want a repeat of last year.

With all the cutting, building, designing and decorating I’ve been doing this week, I’ve decided to make a change to Webster’s dictionary. I believe “VBS” should have a special verb definition that goes a little something like this:

VBS (vā-kā′shən bī′bəl skool)
verb
1. To furnish, provide, or adorn an entire church building to an exceeding degree for a crew of crazed children who have been cooped up at home all summer

2. The futile act or process of perfecting a prescribed theme that will be extremely underappreciated by all other persons in the universe

3. The laborious pouring out of literal sweat, blood and tears to fulfill a personal vision that is characterized as extending far beyond the norm

Examples:
“So long honey, I’m off to VBS.”
“Go ahead and eat without me. I’ll be VBSing all night.”
“I can see by the glitter on your face, and clothes and toes, that you have VBSed.”
“Yes I’m wearing the same shirt as yesterday, and the day before, but I’ve been VBSing all week.”
“Don’t mind the bandages, my hot glue gun has seen lots of use while VBSing.”
“No, although you plan to VBS all week, you cannot bathe in the baptismal.”

Okay, so in the moment I always question and rethink my decision to be so heavily involved in Vacation Bible School, but I really do enjoy the week when all the kids arrive and we get to teach them about God’s Word and hopefully plant the seeds that help them grow in Christ. So here’s to all you VBS coordinators, planners, teachers, decorators and helpers in various roles — may you feel the peace of Christ and know the fruit of your labor (even if you don’t see it).

Happy VBSing!

I Cried on the Fourth of July

Posted on July 5, 2016 by Mama

Independence Day started so innocently with family breakfast on the way to the local quintessential small town parade in Parkville, Mo., with plans for the carnival after. We parked the minivan, walked a couple of blocks, nabbed a front-row spot, and laughed and made small talk with our five-year-old son while sipping on sodas until the festivities began.

It was supposed to be a completely care-free and fun-filled day, but soon after the vehicles began rolling down the hill in front of our little spot along the road, tears began to fill my eyes. As hard as I tried I couldn’t hold them in, especially when the face of one of the gentleman on a flat-bed trailer matched that of mine.

Two full trailers of American veterans, most fairly old (the teary-eyed man one of the exceptions), led this little patriotic parade, and it touched me. I mean, really moved me. In just a few brief seconds, thoughts of their lives at war, their sacrifice and their friends that never made it home rushed into my head and pushed out the tears. I was suddenly overwhelmed with pride! I was proud of my country’s heritage, proud of these men rolling along in front of me, proud of the round of applause that erupted at their arrival, and proud to be an American!

Somehow my husband standing behind me knew I was fighting back the tears and wrapped his arms around my waist (which pretty much made me only cry harder), but suddenly I realized how he knew I was so moved, because when I turned around I realized he was misty-eyed as well. What a great way to celebrate the day! Not only did we get to spend time with friends and family this Fourth of July, we got to remember how lucky we are to live in this country. I truly hope many of you got to do the same.

One Last Patriotic Project — The Jean Banner

Posted on July 4, 2016 by Mama

Happy Independence Day, y’all! I hope you get to celebrate our stars and stripes in good old down-home fashion with food, fireworks, friends and family. We are headed out to our friends’ lake house later today, but only after the local parade, carnival and naps. . . oh, and of course we’ll stop for fireworks along the way.

This is definitely one of my favorite holidays of the year and I love decorating our home with loads of red, white and blue. I just had to share one last patriotic project that I finished this weekend, using a pair of old jeans, cheap material, a bit of jute and a few wooden stars. I knew I would eventually do something with that stash of jeans in the corner of my craft room.

I simply cut pieces of jeans and fabric using my triangle stencil and sewed them together along the top to create a pocket for the strand of jute. In the meantime, I used my large Crop-a-Dile to poke two holes in each star to mimic buttons and painted the stars white. Before I moved on, I popped the sewn banners in the washing machine and dryer to fray the edges just a bit. After a quick ironing, I sewed the star “buttons” onto each of the banners, ran the jute through the tops and strung it up to my mantel.

Enjoy your Fourth and let a veteran or service person know he/she is appreciated!

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