June 10 2025

It was the perfect plan… A new way of doing Team Meetings that many people worked very hard to plan and implement. It would begin in the usual way (teams gathering at their Odd/Even locations by the lake), then go up a notch with the men dressed up as Odd/Even mascots with lit torches arriving on a pontoon with bagpipes playing Chariots of Fire. The men were already positioned for the grand entry when a Big Storm moved in. No lightning, but a lot of rain and wind, forcing us to move the Odds to the Pavilion and Evens to the FORT. The whole night changed in an instant… and it turned out to be a HUGE improvement over our original plan. The men still arrived dramatically (the rain passed) as we enjoyed the games portion of the evening together in the FORT. The energy was through the roof and the girls had a great time. Whew… disaster averted.

That is often how things work at camp and in life. Circumstances change in what appears to be a negative way, but we ultimately find the change proves to be beneficial. ** As believers, we have faith that God is sovereign and works all things for good. Our faith encourages a positive attitude toward all things… we see the donut, not the hole. This is the way we live at Greystone, and it works!

The girls are already excited about Council Fire tonight. This is another one of those traditional programs that are surprisingly popular. We silently walk up the hill to the council fire area (only used for this sacred program), light the fire, sing the songs, hear the story, and receive the awards. The awards, of course, are the most anticipated aspect of the program. Many programs have levels that the campers work to pass, and by doing so, they earn a patch to recognize the achievement. We have a surprise baked in that we think will be particularly meaningful… more about that later!

After the Council Fire, we will celebrate the moment with s’mores by the lake. The moon will rise as we roast marshmallows with our friends. It is an iconic moment that we hope will not be interrupted by the weather (forecast is good, but in the mountains, you never know). These are the moments that add up to making a great camp experience. Often inexplicable outside of this setting, but Greystone Girls cherish them deeply.

Thank you for understanding (and encouraging) our Sunday “rest” schedule for emails and photos. We hesitated to make this change (we work hard to exceed your expectations; taking away such popular services appeared to go against that goal), but our fears were misplaced. You “get it”… such priorities feel right and track with your understanding of scripture and common sense. Your encouraging comments mean the world to us. Thank you.

There was a technical glitch on Sunday and we did not record Mac’s sermon. I am so sorry you missed it (Psalm 23… it was amazing) but we will certainly post it next Sunday. In the meantime, do check out Mac’s Morning Assembly devotions. All of them are on our theme verse (Proverbs 3:5-6) and worthy of your time.

We are grateful beyond words for this community, you in particular.

The Update:

Breakfast Frittata and sausage
Joke: “Complimentary Peanuts”
Lunch Honey Roasted Chicken, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Spinach Strawberry Salad
Dinner Cheese Ravioli and Meatballs
EP Council Fire, S’mores afterward
Weather Perfect Day AGAIN… low humidity, 80 degrees, no rain expected