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Day 3 with Zebedee
Zebedee explained to the children that he needed to hire someone to take his sons' jobs because James and John left him to follow Jesus. He didn't understand why they would do that, because fishing was an important family business. Without fishing, they had no work, and without work, they had no income. Eventually, Zebedee realized that Jesus was their leader, and that is why his sons left to follow him.
During the story today, the storyteller demonstrated the way he wanted them to cast out a fishing net. Well, the best I could do was provide a golf net my husband had used years ago to keep flying wayward balls from leaving our yard. He had kept it tied up in our backyard between two large trees. He found the net today in the attic, where it had been retired more than five years ago. It wasn't a fish net, but it could represent one, and it had no weights on it that would hurt the kids when the storyteller cast it out over them.
I did find a fish, in the grocery store, already gutted. Rainbow Trout. Less than a pound, head, tail, fins, everything intact except the guts. I bought it, froze it, and brought it with me to VBS. Worked fine for the story. The storyteller brings it out at the end of the story to show what she had caught, and invites them to come in for a closer look and touch it if they want to. Also, there is the fish odor factor... remember, this VBS is an experience for all the senses! Afterward, I took it home, nearly thawed, washed it, brushed some melted butter and lemon on it, then baked it for 30 minutes. It was delicious.
Tonight's props were the easiest to arrange: a single fake wall to hide the cd player with the seashore sound effects, a few strategically placed lights, a couple of oars, the net, the fish, and a stool. Oh, and a storyteller, dressed in Bible times clothing, and someone to spray water on the kids at just the right moment during the story (that would be the storyteller's son).
The children learned about following Jesus. We do want them to understand that discipleship isn't just for adults. Disciples are grown. With time, knowledge, and practice of the Christian faith, within the nurturing fold of the church community, we learn the importance of serving others.
Realizing what it means to follow Jesus, and actually following him are two entirely different concepts, one requiring a greater, bolder commitment than the other. The latter requiring action of feet, hands, and heart, and not just forming words with the mouth. I have found it far easier to say I believe in Jesus than it is to do what Jesus asks me to do, or to go where he asks me to go.
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Patrick, I hadn't thought about it that way! Thanks for 'catching' that for me. Bea
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Do you realize you are somewhat creating a 21st Century Bible story in itself? Your journal entries sharing the retelling of the retelling link thousands of years of storytelling through whatever communication medium is necessary to share the word. Ingenious using the Inter”net” instead of just a fishing net. <grin>
Patrick http://journals.aol.com/daddyleer/CaregivinglyYours/ -
good job at explaininga very complex subject Bea! bravo!
love,nat -
Gotta give you kudos, Bea. Not only did that fish co-star in tonites production, but he stayed for dinner too! lol
Loved the pics, and the story!
Jackie
http://journals.aol.com/siennastarr/Hopefloats/
7/19/06 11:11 AM
Me too, Bea.
Thanks for sharing your VBS experience with us. It's like going on my own little mini-VBS vacation. :)
Hugs,
Gwynn