June 27, 2026

At Breakfast Club this morning, we talked about forgiveness… specifically, responding graciously and with understanding when a cabin mate offends. It is an essential characteristic for anyone living in this community to master, and it is essential to follow in any relationship. Imagine living in a primitive room for five weeks with 9 to 14 other people. It is impossible to be in such a setting without stepping on toes from time to time. Margaret and I have misunderstandings, and we have the most perfect relationship imaginable! We learned early in our relationship to be gracious when such situations arise. Quick to forgive and see the other side of the coin.

Every relationship demands this response, but our egos get in the way. We are “right,” and they are “wrong”… blood pressure rises… lips get thin… and the memories flood in. He always does this; he is so inconsiderate; he is so selfish, etc. Next thing you know, a wall goes up, and we look for ways of getting back at them. There are a thousand ways to make someone else feel bad, and we want them to feel bad since they made us feel bad.

In a cabin, sides are formed. Some take our side, others take the other side. The argument grows and gets more intense. Before you know it, someone is crying. Nobody is enjoying cabin life as they should. A forgiving spirit defuses such situations before they even become a situation. The offense is dropped, and in a less heated moment, we clear the air with a kind DMC by ourselves later on. In that situation, everyone grows, and the roots of friendship become strong.

This reminder comes at a good time for many of us at this point of the week. We have now been together for a long enough time that the honeymoon phase of cabin life is over. Temperatures are gradually rising (physically and emotionally) as we approach the heat of July and come to grips with the lack of air-conditioning and personal space. We thoughtlessly lash out from time to time, and feel badly for it. In such situations, the quick and easy forgiveness builds trust. We know that we did wrong, but we find it easy to justify that sleight and are primed to give it right back if confronted. A gracious, kind word in that moment is magical. It shows love, and such love is always healing.

Such love is described in the bible as Agape (selfless, unconditional, sacrificial love). It is the highest form of love and describes God’s love for us. It is how we are told to love each other. When asked how many times we should forgive someone (they suggested seven times… a lot by any standard), Jesus replied “seventy times seven”. Jaw dropping command two thousand years ago, jaw dropping today. It essentially means to always forgive… something we are not good at and something not admired in the world.

Last night we celebrated our last “Opening Vespers” of the summer (we don’t do this program at Junior and August Camps). As the girls silently lifted their candles high, the symbolism and power of that simple gesture were felt by all. I teared up… others did as well. Light spread from the Christ Candle to every person in camp in a matter of minutes, and the combined impact of these many hundreds of candles was breathtakingly beautiful. The light of God’s love is powerful and always good. These girls are so very good. Their love for each other shines in the simple moments of the day and the impact is already being felt. When they leave camp, they will spread this love to the world. I expect God to be glorified and to bless the world because of them. You are doing a great job raising these girls. They are special.

Thank you for being such faithful readers of the Blog. We appreciate your interest and encouragement. At the same time, it is OK to take the weekend off! Analytics show significantly fewer visits to the Blog on weekends, which makes complete sense. Many of you are ready to back off the routine and take a break. We think a break is good for all of us, and in that spirit, last year we decided not to post photos or print emails on Sundays.** Honoring the Sabbath with a break from work is a good thing, and we believe we can do this more effectively by adjusting these routines. Any photos that are taken will be posted on Monday, but Sunday will be a break. Consider it an encouragement to give thanks. We hope you will enjoy the break.

Parenting has become very intense, and camp has perhaps contributed to the problem. When I went to camp, we considered it to be 7 weeks of separation with only minimal contact (one letter once a week… often just one sentence long: Camp’s fun, I like canoeing.) This mandatory “meal ticket” written on Sundays was supplemented by one or two letters from my counselor (usually four sentences of scant detail). No photos, no emails, no phone calls. Lots happened every day, and my parents didn’t know about any of it until I came home. Rather than causing anxiety, the absence of these details was soothing to my parents. They knew I was safe, growing, and having a good time. They knew that they would learn the details that mattered to me in good time. Such parenting was easy and beneficial for everyone.

Main Camp is very hard to explain. Thank you for appreciating, supporting, and celebrating “old school” camping. Thank you for celebrating the simple gift of time away from everything. Were it not for you, we would have been forced to change the format of this session a long time ago. Old-fashioned, long summer camps are not generally popular; shorter sessions are what “the market” demands. However, with your support, Main Camp remains our flagship. Jam-packed every year and a beacon to the world. It is a session that glorifies God better than anything else we do. Thank you for making it possible.

Breakfast Waffles and Sausage
Breakfast Club Expect the best of people (be gracious, and forgiving rather than holding a grudge).
Joke “Wood Eye/ Big Nose”
Morning Assembly is worth a listen.
Lunch Roast Beef Sandwiches
Dinner Pork Chops and Mashed Potatoes
EP Team Fires
Taps 9:40