Jun 10, 2026 by Jimboy

Tags June Camp

June 10, 2026

Some describe camp as “The closest thing to heaven on earth.” Granted, hyperbole is embraced around here and the point is over stated for effect… but their sentiment is genuine. Camp is wonderful. A place where all are influenced by an atmosphere of kindness, love, laughter, learning, and friendship. Where we are overwelmed by the surounding beauty and glory is given to God in every circumstance. A place where every day is a great day and we wake up each morning feeling terrific. Pretty awesome, right?

For most of us, the days fly past in a blur of blessings and the weeks are gone in an instant. Camp is not long enough… and when it is over we are struck by a sense of loss for an experience that we wish was longer. We feel it when camp is 7 weeks long, we feel it when it is 5 days long. It is a wonderful place and I agree with the heavenly comparison. At camp we celebrate every person with delight. Each girl is a VIP and is highly esteemed. It is how Jesus taught us to live: living with joy and thankfully giving God the glory in all things. Heaven will be like this as we are surrounded by the glory of God unveiled. Wonderful.

This awareness was driven home when I was a counselor in the 80’s. As an immature teenage counselor, my first instinct was to make myself the center of my camp experience. To have fun, hang out with my friends, focus on my upcoming day off or reading a book instead of talking with the boys. With that focus, camp was a drag. Frustrations arose all the time, hours would feel like days, days would feel like weeks. Obviously, I squandared my opportunity.

My perspective changed with a C.S. Lewis class I took my Sophomore year at Wheaton. In that class I grew to love Jack Lewis… his novels, letters to children, lectures to students, essays written during the war… all resonated. One particular essay hit me between the eyes for it spoke to my misplaced priorities. That selfishness was a dead end street. I needed to appreciate the people around me… they (even the least of them) were awesome; literally awesome. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations - these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. (C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory) This high view people proved to be a great template for camp. I was very bad at it at first, but grew as the years past. I see it as a worthy template when deciding how to respond to every person who walks in my office. It works for counselors too.

I had a point to make and it is this: time is passing quickly and we hope these days will go on forever. That is why camp feels heavenly… we delight in eachother. I could go on for a long time talking about more classes and I will probably do that tomorrow. Farm & Garden demands a day! It is amazing. Ceramics astounds, Dance, Drama, Metal Jewelry, Riflery, Archery, Puppy Camp, Pickleball, Canoeing, Putt Cove… there is no way to give proper attention to them all. All are worthy, but they pale in comparison to the people big and small who are fully engaged with eachother every day.

At camp we learn how to live in a community. Tightly packed in a beautifu but primative setting sequestered from the distractions of the world, we learn to love the way Jesus loved. Unconditionally.

Carnival is the EP tonight and the girls can’t wait! Carnival is like a county fair: lots of rides, lots of food, music playing, people dancing, people smiling and waiting in lines. Not so appealing to old timers like me, but glorious to the girls. I will be frying funnel cakes with Gervais, EA will be making grilled cheese sandwiches, Cat will judge the dance contest, and the counselors man the rides and run the games. Two and a half hours of delicious fun. I’ll have to shower off the funnel cake frying residue before bed or the pillow will smell like a funnel cake for a month.

Thanks for checking in!

  • Weather 82, thunderstorms during rest hour

  • Breakfast French Toast

  • Lunch Roast Beef Sandwiches

  • Dinner/EP Carnival (BBQ, Grilled Cheese, Cheese Curds, Fried Pickles, Chicken and Waffles, Funnel Cake, Cotton Candy, Ice Cream Sandwiches, Watermelon, and other stuff.)