It’s the first year of Vacation Bible School in my dad’s new church, and everyone wants it to be a success. Parents have been interrogated about their children’s allergies to avoid snack-time disasters. In addition to the usual contraband crafts materials (glitter and permanent marker have been banned from decorating Sunday school popsicle-stick crafts from time immemorial), I was asked not to use facepaint on the kids, in case they got it on their clothes or came out in a rash.

I set up the crafts table with washable Crayola markers and non toxic stickers, hoping no one would ask if they were acid-free.  There was no glitter, no facepaint sticks, no permanent colors, no sticky glue, and my name-writing Sharpie was hidden carefully away where no one could possible get black-dotted clothes. I smiled at my work, and went upstairs to the sanctuary.

I hadn’t gotten both feet in the door when the cry went out for an ice pack for one of the children.

Enthusiastic singing had claimed it’s first victim.