How Glorious Was VBS!!

Dirt farmers’ kids from the 1940’s and 50’s with the slightest prompt would tell you about the work heaped on them  - especially in the summer when school was out. Even as senior citizens those still living will tell you the same story. Feed the chickens, slop the hogs, milk the cows, hoe the corn, pick the berries—need I say more?

From dawn to twilight tasks called—all day. Except for the two weeks of VBS – Vacation Bible School, that gloriously religious experience of stories, crafts and games instead of garden weeding and corn hoeing .  An evangelical church in town sent a preacher  and a cadre of young people (mostly girls) into our community. They came with games, crafts, sermons and songs, all designed to make us good little Christian boys and girls.

My favorite activity was the ‘Bible Firing Squad’.  I kid the not—the Bible Firing Squad. It was only for us older kids. We stood before the Sergeant  in a straight line,  Bibles in one hand to our right side. The sergeant was  the visiting preacher.  He said “Ready”.  We raised the Bible and held it with both hands. He said “Aim”.  We brought our Bibles to reading distance.  He recited a Bible Book, chapter and verse. Such as Proverbs, Chapter 12, Verse 22. The first person to open to that passage stepped forward and read the passage. Then back in line for the second round. 

There  were other activities, all of which were fun. But by far the biggest reward was – During VBS there were no farm chores.