The Bane of Summer

When you're in school, you look forward to Summer more than pretty much anything else. No more learning, no more books, and all that. Of course, I was no different in that respect. Sleeping in, doing nothing, no responsibilities (except for marching band during high school, but that was completely voluntary...and awesome). However, there were several Summers where there was one thing I was forced into completely against my will: VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL!!! Sure it was only a week during a three-month holiday, but still, I couldn't stand it. No matter how much I begged those years, I had to do it. There were even a few Summers where I had to do it twice: once for the church that we went to (which was in another part of town) and a second at a different church (which was a couple of blocks away that the neighbours attended). It felt like torture. That one (or two) week(s) every Summer was the bane of the season. I never really felt like I got anything out of it, even to this day. It was probably something my mother and grandmother had me do just to get me out of the house, which I think could have been done in a more productive and less boring way. The activities were mostly pretty cheesy. We had to sing songs that I, never being a particular Gospel fan, had no love for. There was no joy for me in that setting. What little solace I had was when we had to attend VBS at that second church, at least I had some friends there to save me from the dullness (to the extent that they could). Whenever the week was over, there was a huge sense of relief, possibly more than at the end of the school year. At least there, I felt like I achieved something. I have no plans on making any children I have in the future attend VBS or any other such thing against their will (unless I feel like they will have a sense of accomplishment after the fact).

I will say this though. All these years later, I know how to make a God's Eye. Time well spent...or whatever.