June 3 2025

My summer talks with the campers began this morning with Breakfast Club and Morning Assembly. Breakfast Club is designed to be fun with a purpose. The fun comes from the song (led by the Solid Gold Dancers) and the story (a “dad joke” told initially by my father and retold by me). The purpose is to challenge the girls to grow in four ways (socially, physically, mentally, and spiritually). Today, we committed to trying to remember to clap our hands and say “It’s a great day!” at reveille tomorrow. When we do this little thing, it makes a difference. We smile, and subconsciously anticipate good things to come.

Morning Assembly is designed to celebrate and facilitate spiritual growth. The girls dance and sing two fast praise songs (every word and dance move known by heart), sing two quiet praise songs (led by counselors with guitars), and listen to a short 5-minute devotional (typically presented by our camp minister). Today, I led this time as my mother and grandmother did before me… on the importance of The Bible and why we read it at camp (twice a day… at morning Assembly and in cabin devotions at night). 2 Timothy 3:16 says that God inspires all Scripture and makes it helpful to equip us for a good life. They sat quietly (not a word) and took it in. Warms my heart.

Today, we will take our first TTS classes. Tomorrow, we will follow the MWF schedule, which allows us to participate in up to 14 activities. Many girls will want to change their schedules during these first few days (to be with a friend or take a different activity that really looked fun when we saw it). Soon, we will be settled with our perfect schedules. So much fun.

If you had seen camp in action yesterday, you would most likely notice how much delight the girls show while playing at camp. Campers and counselors spent all yesterday afternoon doing simple things like slip n’’ sliding on a plastic sheet, playing ga-ga (Jimball) and tetherball, swinging on swings, rolling down the pagent court, and standing in the creek. Nothing sophisticated or fancy… just having fun! This is what we do at camp. Sometimes our entertainment is up to us! We talk, play, dance, sing… then walk to a new location and do the same thing all over again. Day after day… it never gets old.

Nobody gets bored at camp. Why is something so simple so satisfying?

Because playing is fun… making friends is fun… being outside is fun. We play in the rain, delight in the breeze, bask in the hot sun, and “glisten” in the high humidity. Just being outside, we find moments of delight and inspiration in the imperfect goodness of this world. Without the busy distractions outside “the bubble,” we find ourselves paying attention to the people and the beauty that surrounds us. Campers and counselors alike celebrate this “awakening” (which is much easier when surrounded by camp fanatics who already love this feeling and know how to enter the bubble at will). After just one day, almost every person looks like they are “getting it”.

This is the magic of camp. A community of great people with great attitudes hanging out with each other. We LOVE the impact that good people have on each other. It is so good, and while some girls are already deeply in the groove and connected, others need a little time to adjust to their new circumstances.

Skies are sunny, temperatures are comfortable (perfect for active schedules), and there is no chance of afternoon showers. Days like this are deeply appreciated because they are so rare. The typical weather pattern is lovely (cool nights, gradually warming mornings, hot early afternoons, and rest-hour showers, followed by very humid afternoons)… but these blue-sky days with 72-degree temperatures are truly appreciated!

Breakfast Ham & Apples with biscuits, cereal, big fruit, oatmeal, and yogurt bar. Joke Cat Scan

Lunch: BLT’s (yes, we use homemade bread… still warm… thick bacon), tater tots, big salad bar, and fresh baked confetti cookies.

Dinner: Poppyseed Chicken, roasted veggies, big salad bar, and our first Shoppe.

EP will be the Tentalow Lip Syncs… the magic of the stage on these girls is amazing! They absolutely LOVE it.

Thank you for checking in!