Sometimes First Impressions Need Reviewing

Today we drove over to the county park in Dobson and played in the stream. This accomplished two goals for me. It gave K. a "fun thing I did today" story for sharing time in Vacation Bible School, and it convinced T. that the park would be a Great location for his birthday party next month. Oh, and we also had a really good time!

The kids have been doing VBS this week at the Baptist church next door (but one), the one that we disliked so much when we went to a service there once that we said we'd never go back. I had second thoughts after a friend whose judgement I trust said she had sent her daughter, and that she was pretty sure that none of their unusual doctrine was being taught. Then we ran into the pastor in town, and he made a point of inviting us. Since that church is where most of the families with children in our area seem to go, it seemed like it would be a good way for the kids to work on some friendships, and also for our family to be seen as less snooty (and hell bound) and stand-offish. Anyway, they have been having a fantastic time! I've been staying with K. and following her around through all the activities, and I've been greatly impressed by how kind and caring all the adults involved are, and also what a nice group of teenage assistants they have. The kids do singing, athletics (like dodge ball and relay races), crafts, and really first rate snacks! At the beginning of each session they watch a short, "inspirational," film and sing some Christian camp type songs that T. and K. both keep singing throughout the day. The only small weirdness was yesterday, when the pastor asked the children, "How many books did Jesus write?" I knew the answer, and if I'd been a hand raising type kid, I'd have raised mine and answered "None" in all confidence. But I'd have been wrong. "He wrote one book," said Pastor Carl, waving around his Bible, "This one." I checked with T. afterwards, though, and he seemed pretty clear on the concept of divine inspiration (as much as one can be), he just had the good sense to keep his mouth shut when discussion/dispute would have been unhelpful. Good boy!

(Just to be clear, we aren't becoming Baptists and joining this church, nice as the members might be. The other odd thing I've noticed there is that I haven't once heard about God's love for us. Lots of about obedience, a little about admitting that we are sinners, but Nothing about Love. Hmmm.)

** The first picture shows T. helping K. across the stream. The water moves pretty quickly in the middle, but then there are shallower parts about 20 feet downstream, then more fast parts, then more shallow. They really would have a hard time getting swept away, and it didn't take long before both kids realized that they could put their feet down and stand up, even in the faster moving parts. Then they enjoyed floating downsteam on their backs, exclaiming, "I'm being carried away!" We saw minnows, a little snake, and a red-spotted newt (only T. saw this one, but they are common). T. also says he saw a beaver (there was a dam, so he could have).

The last is a flower on my butterfly bush.