PICNIC:

the week ends with a special picnic that includes roasting hot dogs over a campfire

CRAFTS:

each day features a craft that the child will desire to keep for many years

Just An Old Cardboard Box: The story of the VBS background.    6-7-2006

There's a story behind the VBS Cardboard Background we used at the Big Falls Evangelical Covenant Church VBS June 2006.  It comes with a spiritual application. Actually even the stand behind it is a testimony to how God brings things together. 

First the pipe stand that holds up the cardboard background. For at least 5 years I had some kind of idea bouncing around in my head that there should be a way to build some type of stand that would be adjustable to hold whatever cardboard background was made for VBS or church program. Otherwise those big painted creations were always leaned against something up on the platform. 

But I wasn't sure how to go about even making such a thing. Use wood or PVC pipes? And to spend the money only to end up with a pill of trash which once in awhile has happened to my ideas, was a fear that blocked trying something with no clear plan.

Then this May it was as if that desire came together with the knowledge now it the time to try it. All of a sudden, I had the image in my mind. Jason at Polkinghorne's suggested 1 ¼ inch PVC pipe. That would be heavy enough but not too heavy to move around. And he cut out the pieces. But they didn't have enough of the elbows and T's since that size is an odd size. I wondered if it wouldn't have been better to use the much more common 1 ½ size but it was already cut up by then! I kind of wondered about my God-guidance as I walked out of the hardware store with the armful of pipe pieces.

At Menards I found a nice 1 1/4 PCV cross fitting which meant we could add stand sections on each end. I never knew that thing existed! I decided there was a reason that Polinghorne's didn't have enough fittings! God knew that. I was rejoicing a bit by then.

I was thinking of some kind of a wood dowel or wood square to slid in the pipe with a clamp fastened to the top of it. The clamp would slide to the top of whatever cardboard height the background was. I looked around the store and found nothing. Then one of the workers suggested that a closet rod would be about right. It was perfect! It was 1/16 smaller than the inside of the pipe. 1 ¼ inch pipe was the ideal size! I was beyond rejoicing! 

Everything came together so perfectly I knew I had just witnessed God directing each step in that design.

Now with that on to the cardboard background.

The Cardboard Request: Eph. 2:4

In early May, Carol (my wife) wanted me to find a big hunk of cardboard. She had a driving desire to get a large chunk of cardboard for the VBS background. I actually wasn't so convinced that we could get something. In fact, I wasn't very sold on the idea at all. But it was Carol's desire. By the way, that was before the PVC pipe came together.

Just like God desires that ALL be saved.

            (KJV) Eph. 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

I more or less decided that I couldn't find and get the large cardboard piece she wanted. I sort of gave up on the idea. We really couldn't haul anything big enough from International Falls in our car so I decided that it may be time to delegate. Then it wouldn't be my fault if Carol didn't get her cardboard. 

Now if God desires that all be saved, and has left it up to each one of us to spread the Gospel of Grace and His love, then why do we try so hard to delegate that out to only a few?

All are to be ambassadors of Christ (Call to evangelize)

            (KJV) II Cor. 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in                 Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

The Great Cardboard Discovery: Eph. 2:1-3

In mid-May I went to get the mail. I sort of pick up the mail whenever it is convenient which may be at 9 A.M.or 4 P.M.and any time in between. That day, as I went in the Post Office, there was Rob's pickup with a huge cardboard windshield box in back of it. Rob has the local Auto Body Shop. He said drop over and I could have it.

That box was ready for the trash bin. It was nothing but garbage. Rob said he was about to cut it up for the trash bin as soon as he had time. It didn't look exactly perfect as I hauled it out of that pickup.

Lost people are just like that beat up cardboard box. They are doomed. In fact, the word used for hades was the one that described the continually burning trash heap outside of Jerusalem.

The lost person has a life that is truly trashed out. Before God our unsaved life looks as beat up and junk as that cardboard box did to me.

Could you imagine that beat up cardboard box propped up as the VBS background in the condition that it was in? There is a drastic difference between a lost person and a saved person.

                (KJV) Eph. 2:1 And you hath he made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

The Timing of my cardboard box encounter:

I just happened to be there at the same time Rob was. Just a couple minutes either way and I'd have missed getting the battered cardboard box! It was a divine encounter.

God brought both that cardboard box, in Rob's pickup, and myself all together. God brought us together at the same time. 

That is true of God bringing the lost to you and they are all around us. There also happens to be an exact timing in a person's life when the Holy Spirit has prepared them to hear the Gospel of Grace.

When you realize that God has brought you & that lost person together, grab the opportunity. Would that background be here if I had ignored it in that pickup that day? I don't think God would have given us another chance to get it.

(There's a quick lesson for us, believers. That beat up box had done its job. Its useful days were over. Or for all practical aspects that seemed true. But that was NOT God's plan for that plain Jane box! Never discount what God may have ahead for you).

The Battered Box: Eph. 2:5

Most lives are battered and not very nice looking but can be changed The lost person isn't a wonderful box. None of us are wonderful creatures when God saves us. We are fallen, sin loaded creatures.

Yet! God is a Life-Transforming God. It starts the second a person believes.

        (KJV) Eph. 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9. Not of works,          lest any man should boast.

What a spiritual transforming begins immediately when the lost person is made alive. They are passed from death unto life.

        (KJV) John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath                everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

        (KJV) Eph. 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (KJV) Eph. 2:5 Even when we          were dead in sins, hath made us alive (quickened) together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

It didn't take me very long to work that big box into the trunk of the Slylark and rubber strap it carefully so that I could slowly drive it the few blocks to the Free Church. I couldn't wait to show Carol that ragged hunk of cardboard. I was feeling a bit of amazement over getting it and rejoicing. She seemed glad. When a person puts his or her faith in the Lord Jesus and not in something that they have done, we need to rejoice.

The Born Again Box: No longer the battered box! II Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:8-9

(Box had to be cut apart and flattened).

We made a transparency image that was transposed on the now flat 6.5 square piece of cardboard. The image had to be shone on the cardboard. It was dim & jiggly at first. Next an outline was drawn on the cardboard.

God puts His image in us when we are born again. It is transposed upon us and is His choice, not ours. (Actually transposed is not the correct word). A whole new nature is brought to life. But the old nature is still alive and well.

            (KJV) II Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all             things are become new.

Carol was now involved and she came home the next evening with a sackful of paints. It was time to start the slow process of filling in the colors and makintg that cardboard into something that stood out and was useful for the VBS week.

All of Godhead is involved in salvation. Then the Holy Spirit begins to fill in the color of what a member of the Body of Christ looks like.

In the life of a new believer, generally more than one person is involved, not only in sharing the Gospel of Grace but in the growth process. The greatest flaw was seeing the old cardboard box as what it still was and not helping to change it into the finished background.

Several other people saw the transforming box. They wondered, as I did, if that thing would ever amount to anything. But then, I have seen how dull, blank cardboard pieces can be transformed into various backgrounds.

Always know that with the Holy Spirit alongside and in the new believer, they are not what you see or hear. God is working inside and you too are a part of God at work with others.

Painting the Box: Eph. 2:10

It was not the box's choice. God chooses your place & gifts.

            (KJV) Eph. 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before              ordained that we should walk in them.

Several times Carol had to touch up and change the colors where she had painted. It was a long careful painting process. Carol immediately started in on the green foreground and the black track. She had to do it several times. Each time I saw it, it looked better and better. I truly admired her patience.

It was Carol's project while others did several other VBS prep projects. As we looked at the hunk of cardboard, the question was, would it ever amount to a useful background?

I don't know how you view yourself, but sometimes I wonder that about myself. I often see myself as similar to that dull hunk of cardboard that hasn't changed much from when God spiritually caused me to be born again. Will I ever become something spiritually valuable to the Lord Jesus? Over 35 years that process has been going on and I wonder about the progress! 

Carol made some little cardboard cars at home and brought them to the cardboard to put on. They looked very good glued on it.  God always brings things together correctly.

Repairing the Box:. Eph. 2:10

There were several damaged places that finally came to light: the bad corner & bottom section. If those weren't repaired and strengthened, it would not have stood up correctly. They left a weakness in the cardboard.

I took some other cardboard pieces and glued those on back to strengthen it. You can't see what was done but otherwise the entire background would have flopped off kilter.

Carol pointed out several other spots that had showed up and those were repaired with packing tape. I wasn't sure about Carol's tape suggestion but the tape worked fine.

God is at work bringing to the light things that we need repaired and strengthened in our lives. Some require another piece of cardboard. God provides some other person or persons to beef up that weak area in our lives or in our gifts. That's why we are the BODY OF CHRIST. Each of us has an area to function in.

Repairing of the spots that are damaged may take different methods. When a damaged spot is brought to light, pray for wisdom and the Lord to repair it.

Detail Time: Col. 3:10

Last was working on the fine details; the people's faces. My attitude was that those individual faces weren't important. Just wipe some different paint colors on, kind of smudge the colors together and let it go. 

Carol insisted the fine details must be correctly done. And then I noticed a couple things about the clouds that needed to be redone. She inspired me to do more detail work on the clouds that I had pained! We inspire others to do their best.

God works on the us according to what we are ready for. We aren't all in the same degrees of maturity. My idea of what needs to be done in your life may not even be close to what the Holy Spirit is showing you. So then we have a tendency to play Holy Spirit in that person's life which only does a bunch of damage. It is time to pray, "GOD, GET OUT THE SPIRITUAL DUCK TAPE! THERE"S A DAMAGED SECTION FLOPPING IN THE WIND!"

        (KJV) Col. 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Only up close do the details become important & show up

The Displayed Box: Eph. 2:6-7

What went on behind the scenes most people didn't know. Even with the cardboard painted it had to be hauled to Big Falls and Peg did that. Someone else set it up in the church and that Sunday morning there everything was. 

Most people have no idea of what and how God worked for years to slowly shape us. And we forget that it sometimes was a bit painful and challenging. God has His goal in mind and is designing you toward His purpose. We don't always know what that may be or what it may get us into. We must rest in the knowledge and trust that the Lord Jesus has a custom-designed job.

            (KJV) Eph. 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (KJV)             Eph. 2:7 That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through              Christ Jesus.

That old battered cardboard was on display. Held up by the 2 connected pipe stands. A lot of work for just a few hours of that cardboard being the VBS background. God goes to a lot of work to fit us for just a small background job. No job God gives is unimportant!

The story of the Cardboard is also my spiritual story and yours. It is the story that God desires for every new believer. Spiritual involvement in others is not an option Benediction