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By LIZZIE BOWEN | Staff Writer

As I have spent the last week perusing different Vacation Bible School events, I have seen so many smiling faces. Children have squealed eagerly as different mascots have taken the stage throughout the VBS experience, danced to songs of worship ad played many fun games both outdoor and indoor.

Liberty First Baptist Church held its VBS on June 5-9 with the theme “Stellar” which was an outer space theme. First Baptist Church of Alabaster held its VBS from June 5-9 with the theme of “Twists and Turns.” The theme of First Baptist Pelham was also “Stellar” with an outer space theme, held from June 12-15.

I remember my time at VBS and look back on it fondly. Although, I do not remember my time as a student in VBS as vividly, I do remember my time working as an actress in the plays of Vacation Bible School. It was truly something that I looked forward to every single summer.

I once was cast at Mary, mother of Jesus in one of the plays, a truly high honor and very hard shoes to fill, but the very next year… as Satan. I had so much fun portraying different Biblical characters during my time in VBS, and honestly, overall, it really made me see the beauty in acting. I really enjoyed performing for people, and I think deep down, I have always wanted to be an actress. Perhaps this all started during my days at Vacation Bible School.

I felt all the plays that we put on during this time really made it applicable and gave a real-life version of the stories we had heard since our infancy. Though I do not remember too much, I do remember plenty of the plays I witnessed during my VBS prior to acting in them.

One play in particular that I remember was a story in which a character portraying Jesus stood beside a large wooden cross. We all closed our eyes in prayer, and when we did, we opened our eyes to see the cross laid down, extending towards us. This was symbolizing the bridging of the gap between us and Jesus, showing that the cross made us all close and one again.

I loved examples like this and feel like events like Vacation Bible School really do serve as an example of making the Bible interesting and fun for children who are very easily distracted. As a former highly distracted child, the plays in the VBS experience were the things I enjoyed most.

I think that the plays were genuinely more exciting than anything else whether that be the fun snacks we ate, the games we played or craft time. My time at VBS showed me the things that I really enjoyed which was performing, writing and the Bible.

VBS can be really fun for kids and even sometimes show them passions that they might not even know they had. I didn’t know I really loved acting until I took the stage as a kid. Thank you, VBS, for showing me that.