LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
HAVING THE PRIME OF MY LIFE
Are children worth the time and energy we put into children’s ministry? I wonder as I get older if maybe I’ve done my time, and why shouldn’t I enjoy this season of my life? Why shouldn’t this be a time to relax or perhaps spend more time on the golf course? Haven’t I done enough ministry over the years?
Our church recently completed a week of Vacation Bible School, entitled To Mars and Beyond. Steve was a Star Trek-inspired character who led the openings and closings along with his trusty side-kick EP320, a robot named after the theme verse: Ephesians 3:20 …” Glory to God who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us.”
The stranded Starship Galaxion required five fuel cells to make their return trip to Earth, and the Mars Outpost (our church voyagers) had the challenge of collecting the five elements—one each night: Faith, Boldness, Kindness, Thankfulness, and Hope. Steve and I also worked together for the twenty-minute Bible Story that emphasized the required element. Finding the right tone of delivery to keep the children engaged proved to be challenging, especially the younger set who suffered from tiredness after a long day. Us too!
One night, when I was especially uncertain if I should continue this involvement in church life, my eyes filled with tears as I watched the children pray with one another and their group leaders. One tyke wanted to know how to give his heart to Jesus. This was the reason for the program … to encourage children to go deeper in their spiritual journey, rather than wow them with our cleverness or even our volumes of energy.
I remember a Vacation Bible School I attended as a youngster. At that time, God touched my heart and became to me something other than a curiosity. I realized that God could be real and involved in my life every day. The theme song that year was He’s Everything to Me. The lyrics taught me that “He was more than just a god who didn’t care, who lived away up there.”
Our modern version of Vacation Bible School is attributed to the work of Mrs. Walker Aylette Hawes who became concerned over the rapid increase of immigrant children in the slums of New York City’s East Side. In 1898, she staged a summer Bible program in the only available place – a saloon. She included worship music, scripture memorization, games, crafts, drawing, cooking, and other skills. By 1901, she expanded the service to seven schools. The concept grew as churches realized the opportunity to reach unchurched children.
During my lifetime, I have seen many evolutions of VBS. Years ago, Vacation Bible Schools were held during the day over a period of two weeks. Due to a shortage of workers, many churches have abandoned trying to offer a Vacation Bible School program. Some have opted for night-time for one week. Some larger churches have met the summer need through offering one or more weeks of day camp, fashioned very similarly to Aylette Hawes’s formula.
Are we too old to work with children? Jesus loved the children. He summoned them to him. One artist pictures Jesus holding a young child up in the air and laughing with the delighted young one. When the disciples rebuked the children for getting in Jesus’s way, he reminded his followers that the Kingdom of Heaven was for those who would open their hearts with the same enthusiasm and delight. If we feel we are too age-privileged to love on the little ones, perhaps we need to rethink our spiritual purpose. God’s not done with us yet and still has work for us to do.
This summer, I encourage you to invite a child to a VBS near you. Better yet, mosey on down and help out. Leaders will appreciate an extra hand, and you’ll be glad you did.
ABOUT LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
Multi-published and award-winning author, Linda Wood Rondeau is a veteran social worker. Her published novels examine the complexities of human relationships. Most of Linda’s work is contemporary fiction. However, she has published both speculative and non-fiction, most notably I Prayed for Patience God Gave Me Children
Her blog, Snark and Sensibility, hosts writers of various genres. She manages a Facebook page, Having the Prime of My Life, a positive look at aging issues. Linda resides in Hagerstown with her husband of forty years. Readers may visit her web site at www.lindarondeau.com. Contact the author on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
ABOUT I PRAYED FOR PATIENCE GOD GAVE ME CHILDREN
God indeed has a sense of humor. He chose children to teach us too-smart adults what being his child means, the very special relationship the believer enjoys with our Heavenly Father. We adults experience the same chaos, misadventure, and heartaches as our charges. Through a child’s example, we learn how God nurtures us with his infinitesimal patience. This easy to read, often hilarious narrative, uses cartoons, witticisms, anecdotes, quotes, and Scripture study to bring home these truths. A veteran social worker, Rondeau draws upon her many experiences in working with families as well as her personal experiences as a mom. You will want to keep this book close at hand for those moments of weakness and pass the story along to your friends.
THE YEARS THE LOCUSTS ATE
JUNE FOSTER
12/28/2020
CATHEDRAL STATE PARK, WEST VIRGINIA
JOHN BARRINGER
12/21/2020
PRIME OF MY LIFE
GAIL KITTLESON
12/14/2020
FULL CIRCLE
JAYME H MANSFIELD
12/7/2020
GREEN STUFF AND HUBS
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
12/2/2020
NOEL: THE CAT WHO CAME FOR CHRISTMAS
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11/30/2020
GREEN STUFF MAGIC
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11/23/2020
WHEN GRANDMA FORGETS
CRYSTAL BOWMAN
11/2/2020
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF BLUE ZONES?
SALLY JO PITTS
10/26/2020
FIVE WAYS SENIORS CAN BOOST THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEMS
GINNY DENT BRANT
10/19/2020
IF YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM JOIN 'EM
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9/28/2020
WALKING IN A WRITER'S WONDERLAND
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9/7/2020
CREAMING
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8/31/2020
LIFE IS THE ADVENTURE
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8/24/2020
QUITTING MY DAY JOB
DEBRA COLEMAN JETER
8/17/2020
ADAPT OR DIE
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7/27/2020
SAY THANK YOU TO OUR FRIENDS IN BLUE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
7/20/2020
THE SWEET COUPLE HOLDING HANDS
MELISSA HENDERSON
7/13/2020
SURPRISE! SURPRISE! SURPRISE!
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
7/6/2020
FROM FICTION TO NON-FICTION AND BACK AGAIN
GAIL KITTLESON
6/29/2020
WHO SAID GROWING OLD IS FUN?
MARTHA ROGERS
6/22/2020
AND NOT TO YIELD
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6/15/2020
MY CULTURAL DISCONNECT
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6/8/2020
WHAT IS RETIREMENT
JULIE COSGROVE
6/1/2020
LOOKING UP OR LOOKING AWAY
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
5/25/2020
SEEKING GOD
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5/11/2020
HOW OLD ARE YOU
Rachel J. Good
5/4/2020
IT'S NOT OKAY
MARTIN WILES
4/27/2020
EMBRACING MY INNER BOOMER
BARBARA BRITTON
4/20/2020
THE RACE FOR LILY
SHERRI STEWART
4/13/2020
GRANNY ALICE
LYNNE BASHAM TAGAWA
4/6/2020
RESILIENCE
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
3/29/2020
LIVING WITH CHANGE
MARTIN WILES
3/9/2020
WHEN THE GROCERY STORE CLERK HAS TO CHECK YOUR AGE
MELISSA HENDERSON
2/24/2020
THE IMPORTANCE OF CREAMING
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
2/17/2020
FRIENDS AT ANY AGE
ERIN UNGER
2/3/2020
IDENTITY CHECK
MARTIN WILES
1/27/2020
IF YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM, JOIN 'EM
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
1/20/2020
MY POSSESSIONS MATURE ALONG WITH ME
MARIE WATTS
1/13/2020
EYES FRONT
TERRI MAIN
1/6/2020
THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGING'
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12/30/2019
SANTA'S RELUCTANT HELPER
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
12/23/2019
THE PURSUIT OF WEALTH
DEBRA COLEMAN JETER
12/16/2019
VANQUISHING THE CHRISTMAS BLUES
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
12/9/2019
GRANDMAS THEN VS GRANDMAS NOW
GAIL SATTLER
12/2/2019
TECHNO BLUES
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
11/25/2019
ADAPT OR DIE
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11/18/2019
CREAMING
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11/11/2019
When our Get Up and Go Gets Up and Goes
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11/4/2019
LIFE IS THE ADVENTURE
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10/28/2019
MY LIFE AS A BARCODE
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10/21/2019
THE QUEST FOR THIN
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10/14/2019
THE AMERICAN DREAM
ANGELA BREIDENBACH
10/7/2019
FROM GOLDEN YEARS TO GOLDEN BELLS
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
9/30/2019
THE CHORDS THAT BIND MY MEMORIES
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
9/23/2019
JUST BE STILL
MARTIN WILES
9/16/2019
PRINCE CHARMING, SPIDERS, AND CHEMO
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9/2/2019
GRAY IS GRAND
LOREE PEERY
8/26/2019
A GOOD QUESTION
GEORGE CARGILL
8/19/2019
LOVING THE BABY BOOMER GENERATION
ERIN UNGER
8/12/2019
MAKING PRETTY THINGS
KATHY MCKINSEY
8/5/2019
ARE YOU TOO OLD TO BECOME AN AUTHOR
HARRY WEGLEY
7/29/2019
ENJOY THE MEAL
MARTIN WILES
7/22/2019
IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
7/15/2019
KEEPING IT FRESH
WANDA O. HOT
7/8/2019
OVERFLOWING WITH BLESSINGS
CLEO LAMPOS
7/1/2019
HAVING THE PRIME OF MY LIFE
JO MASSARO
6/24/2019
GOLDEN GIRL
PAT JEANNE DAVIS
6/17/2019
WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW
CLEO LAMPOS
6/10/2019
Food, Families, and Fond Memories
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6/3/2019
FOR THOSE OVER FIFTY-FIVE
JUNE FOSTER
5/20/2019
NEXT GENERATION
KATHLEEN NEELY
5/13/2019
Mimi and Bop
Melissa Henderson
5/6/2019
NEVER TO OLD TO START OVER
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
4/29/2019
THE WRITER'S CALLING
SHERRI STEWART
4/15/2019
PLAYING THROUGH THE FOG
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
4/8/2019
SOMETIMES WE JUST NEED TO TURN OFF THE GPS
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
4/1/2019
DON’T CALL HER MA’AM
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3/25/2019
When Your Past Looms Longer than Your Future
Debra Coleman Jeter
3/18/2019
OUR MCDONALDS
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3/11/2019
BORN TOO LATE
DIANNE BARKER
3/4/2019
PERSPECTIVE
LISA LICKEL
2/25/2019
IS IT THE BEGINNING OR THE END
KATHLEEN NEELY
2/18/2019
MY TO-DO LIST
SHERRI STEWART
2/11/2019
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
2/3/2019
MAMA, I CAN'T TAKE A BATH THERE'S A FISH IN THE TUB
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1/21/2019
EAT RIGHT NOW LIVE LONGER LATER
Jude Urbanski
1/14/2019
AM I STRESSED?
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1/7/2019
SHOULD VS WANT
LINDA WOOD RONDEAU
12/31/2018
I'LL BE ALONE FOR CHRISTMAS ... YOU CAN COUNT ON ME
Julie Cosgrove
12/24/2018
THE ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE
LINDA SHENTON MATCHETT
12/17/2018
LIVING WITHOUT REGRET
Grant Ferguson
12/10/2018
GROWING UP CAN BE FUN SO IS GETTING OLDER
ELLIE GUSTAFSON
12/3/2018
SOARING WITH BROKEN WINGS
Linda Wood Rondeau
11/19/2018
NEVER TOO LATE
DIANE TATUM
11/5/2018
The Not So Good Good Old Days
Linda Wood Rondeau
10/22/2018