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YES! JESUS IS ALIVE! VBS Day 2 – When you feel alone, TRUST JESUS

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It was probably the most important conversation of the night, as it will be all week. As the littlest cutie in my Imagination Station science and craft session blurted out in wondered questioning: “Jesus is Alive??? He died and is alive?” – “YES” I was able to affirm, avow, acknowledge and AMEN to… And my Holy Spirit jumped as excited as his.

And then he asked: “How?” I simply said “Jesus is God” and the littlest ones repeated amazed “Jesus is God?!!!!” YES !!!!

Amazing opportunity to affirm what we know, Jesus is always with us, Jesus is alive, and “When we feel alone, we can TRUST JESUS!!!”A blessing to know and teach.

The truth is that Jesus knows the praises that come from our lips as much as the concerns. And our Bible lesson was on how to live and know we are not alone like the one sheep left away from the 99.The fluffy sheep wool, and fluffy pretend snow was fun in our circle time.

More fun? REAL SNOW!! I brought out some of the ten bags I saved 6 months ago in my freezer. The amazement unreal! The joy real. Cool cold!!! We made fluffy photo frames too. “Jesus loves me, this I SNOW! (Know)…

Interestingly, my cat who passed away was named SNOWY… Interesting…

Earlier that day, and throughout the evening I explained, when asked by friends in the know, about the circumstances that led up to my cat Snowy’s rapid decline. The group knew she had passed but not the kids. I was surely able to praise the Lord for the Lord’s timing the night before, I had finished vbs and could rush home. We prepared the cat and ourselves for the next night, when we took care of burying the cat, and I said to my family, from dust she came and to dust she will return, but we always carry her with us in our memories and love.

With my cats passing, it’s strange to not have to look out for her each time you open the door. She was an escape artist. I’m slowly finding her items and tossing or saving. Will donate much after it’s washed. No, we are not getting another pet so soon. No need to do anything but take it day by day.

At work, I only told one person and in that conversation, I was super careful in choosing my words as they are someone who lost a child a number of years ago. I remember that timing too. The Lord is to be praised even we don’t understand. And surely one day we will see the Lord face to face for knowledge and comfort. We all best take day by day to process and pray and praise. Loss comes when it does, whether we are prepared or not.

At VBS, we could talk briefly about loss, aloneness, and avow that Jesus is already with us. I often look at this craft I have from last Easter: “there is no gloom in the tomb – Jesus is risen today”…

Yes, Jesus is alive and walks with us. Jesus comes for us. Psalm 139 reminds us we can never flee from His Presence.

Thank God. Jesus is alive indeed!

Thank God.

Amen

VBS day 1 – Take Everything – But Need NOTHING but YOURSELF and God and HOPE (and a swimsuit for the beach)

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Sunday was a fitting time to get a sticker that said “You are enough” – I thought You Lord are enough! Thanks for blessing me!

Well – what a wonderful day one at VBS – EGYPT – and the whole day down here at the shore – my first vacation bible week is here both working at VBS and resting with friends at the beach.

VBS “Egypt” about Joseph’s travails from Prison to Purpose, day one on Monday. “GOD GIVES US HOPE” – My friend and I walked into the VBS not knowing all to expect but we were pleasantly surprised at the ways the Lord had been there setting up and putting things in place – and came with a wealth of supplies. Well, the people were super awesome and very giving – and the decorations were adorable and well laid out. I helped at first putting up the registration tent – whew hot to start the day. And then settled in to be the “Family Leader” – we became family Rosetta, and we ALL (teen helpers and multiple other staff) travelled together from station to station. We could not have had better kids – wow – awesome. Opening celebration was fun with music, family time where I led discussions and showed a tiny beach ball for the inflated HOPE and deflated despair emotions. We as a family also learned our first scripture: “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to good (thumbs up) and not disaster (thumbs down), plans to give you a future and hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (this has been a repeating scripture every day for me and a few friends like for a couple weeks – so good!) – I knew this coming into VBS – with a car full of VBS-adaptable supplies and stickers for my family crew of kids – and adapted to just assess and immerse myself into the calling. “Feed my sheep” as an “encourager” is called to do.

Then our “family” travelled to hear the story of Joseph – amazing actors so giving and sweet as Joseph and the prison guard so perfect (and picked last minute, wow). We learned that Joseph was in prison because he didn’t “want to be the boyfriend of a woman already married”. And Joseph showed us a basket with lights – and when we had HOPE the lights shined – and when we had something bad it was as if the basket would cover the lights – but the lights still shined through the holes in the basket – that is us – we are to shine too! We did a cheer for Joseph – “Let’s go Joseph!” then clapped our hands in the classic cheer – clap clap, clap clap clap. Then we were off to the marketplace and visited making a jeweled collar.

Then yummy Egypt snacks to try – dates and grapes and the sugar cookies – yum and served by the sweetest people. Then back to the marketplace to the hieroglyphics leader (my friend whose sister has the house down here) – where we stamped our names in the symbols – cool!. Then outside to games! There the kids wrapped each other in toilet paper as mummies – fun! It was challenging but they did! Then they had “shepherd races” going from mat to mat with canes. Wow these kids were worn out!

Back at family time, we reviewed our stories of the day – and one girl remembered that i promised to read Joseph’s story again – and I did – from a colorful bible that was found in a closet at my old church – given to a friend, Miss Bonnie, who loved children (of all ages) and taught them. This story of Joseph and us having hope is good fitting as I know Bonnie is in Heaven with Jesus and we have that HOPE too. Heaven as our plan and HOPE. Well, as exhausted as the children were at the closing celebration singing, I know that VBS day 1 was an amazing success. Please continue to pray for the children to hear the messages, take them to heart, and enjoy. And for the leaders and volunteers to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

After VBS, we drove the 2 blocks down to the beach front and had LOBSTER ROLLS – yum – while sitting on the boardwalk in the shade – then hit the dollar store (dangerous and fun) and then got our swimsuits on and travelled the short distance to the beach for a couple hours before the rain came. It was still warm and tropical and the water was certainly warm enough – but rough. Today we will plan more beach just after vbs (keep us away from that dollar store lol). Then walk around (weather permitting) a local farmers market and beach town nearby. BLESSED.

I didn’t have my phone (broken) but I remembered that I still have connections – and really even though I would take everything – we/I needed/need nothing but our self (myself) and God and HOPE (and a swimsuit for the beach). BLESSED!

(please continue to pray for my cat back home – not eating – barely drinking – thanks. Through modern technology computer phone call last night and then this morning, my daughter sent an encouraging photo of the cat at the bathroom faucet drinking – yay! Oh my God gives us HOPE !!!!)