Groundhog Day!

Yes, I know it is way past February and Groundhog Day is long gone. It just seemed like Groundhog Day, the movie. Yes, I played the Pharaoh from the Exodus story today in VBS, and to say that it got a little repetitious would be an understatement. For each plague, I would come out of the robe room (dressed more like a Greek god than an Egyptian Pharaoh -- but I don't think we were going for cultural relevance). I would sit on my aluminum foil "throne" the crowd of VBSers would yell, "Let My People Go." I would say "no". Then ... a plague would come and I would run back into the robe room. Then repeat. The only changes each time was that the plague would change (and whatever they threw at me, literally) and I would make my "no" more and more emphatic.

So ... it went sort of like this ... Out ... Let my people go! No! Water to Blood and then Dead Fish (thrown at me) ... Back. Out ... Let my people go! No No! Frogs (kids jumping at me) ... Back. Out ... Let my people go! No! No Way! Gnats (kids screeching at me) ... Back. Out ... Let my people go! Let me spell it for you N - O! ... Flies (I did get a fly swatter to swat at the buzzing kids) ... Back. [Don't you dare stop reading ... I had to do the whole thing 4 times! ... Read on] Out ... Let my people go! Absolutely Not! ... Dead Livestock (this one was quite humorous with the kids acting out dying cows) ... Back. Out ... Let my people go! Read my Lips, "No One is Leaving!" ... Boils (kids put red circle dots all over me) ... Out. Back ... Let my people go! ... What part of "no" are you missing? You are going nowhere!" ... Locust (again with bugs coming at me) ... Back. Out ... Let my people go! I'm talking never, never, never, never,never, ever, ever ever. (period) ... Darkness (kids put a pillow case over my head) ... Back. [I hope I didn't leave one out!]

Now do it 3 more times for 3 more groups. And, while I make it sound gruelling here. It turned out to be pretty fun. And, I think the kids liked it too. Where else but Vacation Bible School do you get to throw paper wads at your pastor (oh, I forgot about the hail plague!).

And, the crocodile showed up today (I was wondering if we were going to have a "Crocodile Dock" without a crocodile). He displayed today's theme, "God is Powerful" [the first day was the firefly for "God is with us"]. Of course the crocodile's name was Jacques le Croc, which I'm going to assume is French.

All I know is that we are having a blast with this French gator, the Greek god Pharaoh caught in a continual Groundhog day, and the fantastic life lessons we are learning about God's love and power.

BIT: My conspiracy theory was correct that I shared yesterday. (Remember that I was not in on the planning and felt like I got a leftover part). After I was in costume as the Pharaoh, the Children's Director, Jill-Marie (sounds French doesn't it?) came to me and told me that she needed my help at the closing time, the "firefly finale". I kid you not. She told me she wanted the kids to stuff balloons up my robe and then take a pin and pop them to show that "God is Powerful". I told her I did not believe that any curriculum person in their right mind would write down such a scenario. And, lo and behold, there it is was in the leader's guide. What kind of crazy is that? It's crazy for Jesus, I tell you!