Millbank Community Bible School

During the first two weeks of July, Max decided to go to Millbank Community Bible School again. He was a little unsure this year because Vanessa wasn't going. He decided to try a day to see how he liked it and then go from there. He loved the first day he went and it wasn't even a question if he was going anymore. The one thing he just loves is playing prisoner's base during snack time. He can't get enough of that game! 

This is the last year that the VBS will be held in this beautiful old church. Rumour has it, it's being torn down as there are too many costly repairs to be made to it and no congregation that meets there on a weekly basis. Sad since it's such a beautiful, old building. However, I wouldn't want to pay the repair and heating bills either...

The theme this year was "Jesus to the Rescue!"

Each class was a different rescue squad. Max was in the grade 3/4 class - The Medivacs...

(The other classes were: JK/SK - Police Officers, Gr 1/2 - Coast Guards, Gr. 5/6 - Paramedics, Gr. 7/8 - Firefighters)

The teachers always go above and beyond. This year, they organized special guests to visit VBS....one morning a police officer arrived to talk. The firetruck with firefighters were there another morning. A medivac (Phil Lebold) shared about his job. And the ambulance attendants came. They asked for a brave volunteer. Max got picked... (he didn't tell me about this experience until the night of the final program. He wanted to surprise me with the pictures!)

This is Max's class with Flight RN Phil:

At pickup time, it's just a swarm of children and bikes. Max is in the middle of the photo in the blue shirt, holding the little red Bible...

The night of the VBS program, Max and I were loving the sky...it was starting to rain and the sun was shining down through the clouds. Beautiful! (even though my iphone shot doesn't do it justice at all.) (Keith was travelling out west for work and wasn't able to make it to the final program this year.)

Excuse the poor video quality....I'm learning. ;) This little clip is the VBS singing their daily song:

The entire VBS memorized Psalm 40: 1-3 and recited it together. Max is able to say it perfectly...I'm so impressed!

"I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord."

The grade 3/4 class worked hard at memorizing the books of the Bible - both old and new testament. Max did well considering I had never worked on this with him before. He even came up with a new book at one point when he was still working on memorization..."Phil-a-throp-i-ans". :)

In addition, the entire VBS was asked to perform a deed of service for someone during the Bible School. I had to sign a paper stating that Max had done a form of service. He did painting for grandma and cleaning for me.

Ah yes, painting. It's unending. While Max was at VBS, I would hunker down at mom's...helping out wherever she needed me. Painting was in full swing...

Max and Vanessa painting a muskoka chair that needed it badly...

Onto the picnic table....

Even the front porch steps were not safe. Max pauses to read the "wet paint" sign and decides to not risk climbing those steps...

I must say....all the hard (painting work) is paying off...the Linwood house is looking better and better all the time. Such a difference from a year ago when they first moved in. A little bit of painting love has taken it such a long way...

Grandma worked hard at providing good lunches to her busy workers. Grilled pizza on the bbq. YUM YUM YUM!

Max learned the intricacies of cleaning bathrooms at our place...including scrubbing toilets, polishing mirrors (and anything else polishable for that matter) and washing the sink. He did fantastic. Slowly but surely he is working to pay off the big donation we made for nutrition packages to be sent to needy children. :)

It wasn't all work. We had some fun times. Max is at that perfect "joke" age.

One day we decided to see if he could "blow a penny out of a cup".

My oh my!! There was a big cloud of flour in the air for a while...

and lots of laughs and giggles!

I think one of these days we'll have to let him meet the "fly family!"

Tree climbing. He loves it. Grandma's trees are so climbable....and explorable for 8 year old boys....

Max and I look forward to these first two weeks of July each year. Yes, it is a bit of a hike back and forth from New Hamburg to Millbank each day for two weeks. But we get to spend so much quality time with grandma/grandpa/Heather/Vanessa. It reminds us of the good old days when we would fly in from the west coast for a couple of weeks each summer to visit....having so much fun and making awesome memories together!