Vacation Bible School and Grape Kool Aid

Vacation Bible School at Camp Creek Baptist Church was a highpoint of summer.  For one week, we would learn Bible verses; hear Bible stories; sing songs; pledged the American Flag, Christian Flag, and the Bible; and made crafts to take home as a remembrance of our week.    On Friday of Vacation Bible School, each group participated in an end of school program.  We would sing the songs we had learned, quote our scriptures, and recapped what we had done all week.  Our parents then went to our school rooms and viewed our crafts and any work pages we might have.  It was a grand week.  Souls were saved and friendships were made.

One of the best memories of VBS was making of new friends.  Many children from other churches came to attend VBS at Camp Creek.  It was always fun to gather for homemade cookies and grape Kool aid.  Frankly, grape was not my favorite.  I liked the cherry better, but for some unknown reason, mothers would send grape flavored Kool Aid.  We would eat our cookies, drink the grape Kool Aid, and form lasting friendships. 

Camp Creek Baptist Church circa 1950's

All week we read about, sung about, and learned about a loving God who gave His only son to die for our sins.  When I first started to Bible School, I wasn't sure what sin was.  One thing I knew for sure was that it was bad and I had it.  We all did!  I wanted to see what a sin looked like, but I took the word of our teachers that it was there since I couldn't see the sin in me or the others.  We prayed that God would forgive us of that sin and that it would go away. I knew that Jesus died on the cross to save me from the sin.  That was amazing!  He loved me so much, He died for me.  WOW!  He knew the children of Camp Creek Baptist Church and died for our sins long before we were even born.

Children are so open to the word of God.  Their innocent views allow them to be accepting of the love of God.  They want to hear about Adam and Eve, the flood and Noah, and the love of God.  Children want to know more about the baby in a manager and love to sing songs about our Lord.

When I think of Jesus dying on the cross and the suffering He endured, it is heartbreaking.  Even today as an adult, I can not watch a movie that portrays the Crucifixion.  The Easter sermons are the most difficult for me to sit through.  I know it is real.  I know He suffered so much on that cross for my sins and for your sins--for all our sins.

Those days of VBS linger with me today as I smell homemade cookies or grape Kool Aid.  Wonderful memories fill my mind.  When I hear the songs we sung so many years ago, I revert back to the little girl who wanted to see a sin so I would know what it looked liked.  John 3:16 is still my favorite Bible verse.

I now know what sin is and I sure have had my share of sin in my life--much more than I want to admit. Because of the love of God, I am assured of eternal life through the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for Vacation Bible School with its homemade cookies and grape Kool Aid and for the teachers who taught us about Salvation.

A little Georgia Wisdom:  Recognize the sin in your life and don't face eternity without accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior so those sins can be washed away.