August 1, 2026

The dining room was LOUD at breakfast this morning, indicating another Great Day at Greystone! The roar of every camper excitedly talking at once is hard to describe. I know for a fact that the singing can be heard a mile away (our local gas station let me know). The loudest song this morning was that old favorite: I don’t want to go home/ boom, boom, boom. They were literally shouting the lines… and it was the first song sung as we were clearing the tables! The first song is usually the quietest song of the set, but today it set the highest decibel mark for dining room singing this session. Obviously, the girls are excited about another day at camp!

Breakfast Club has moved on to Mental Growth and we encouraged the girls to start every day by sitting up in bed, clapping their hands, and shouting “It’s a Great Day and I feel terrific!” My father started this tradition in the 70’s so that the girls could experience what an impact our brains have on our bodies. By claiming a feeling (even if it is not something you might feel in the moment), it becomes true. When a single camper does it, the impact on the cabin is strongly felt as everyone smiles at the silliness of the moment. When a group of campers does it in several cabins, the impact is greater. When the entire tentalow row does it, the energy in camp is off the charts! I bet Jimdaddy is looking down from heaven with a smile as he sees good still arising from this simple routine.

There are several reasons the campers are so fired up today.

Part of it is the delightful change of weather. We have had a string of perfect sunny days (mild temperatures, light breeze, no rain). Today is overcast with a chance of evening showers, a change that is appreciated by all. Part of the reason North Carolina is so good for camp is the constantly changing weather. Southern California might provide perfect weather almost every day of the year, but the perfection is lost in its abundance. The fact is, we like to have a little variety in our circumstances, and today feels great.
Part of it is, no doubt, the calendar. One week from today we will be home. Every camper and counselor is keenly aware of the sand running out of the hourglass and that sense encourages us to make the most of every day that is left. Campers are focused on passing levels, making memories, and enjoying camp without the distractions that naturally cling to our first days adjusting to a new place. They confidently run to their next destination without a thought, they gather in groups as they move (drawn to the friends that are easily spotted from a distance), and they anticipate the routines in the dining room and morning assembly with delight. They are also REALLY excited about seeing you again too, of course.
Part of it is the Spirit of Greystone, which is something that can not be ignored. When an entire community is joined together to glorify God the resulting feeling of a place is sweet. God promises that whenever two or more people are gathered together in His name, He will be present. This is true in your family, in your church, and in your camp too. Of all the places I have ever been, God is more obviously present in camp than in any other place… a fact that drew Dr. Sevier to this ministry in the first place. It is a powerful thing to experience and is always appropriate to the age of the person who is here. From the seven-year-old to the seventy-year-old… we all feel it and all embrace the days when we are here.
And part of it is our anticipation of the upcoming Evening Programs of camp. Last night’s counselor talent show was a hit (the staff was particularly silly and having fun with their last chance to get on stage). We will have a super fun Group Night tonight (T1-4 Waterpark, T5-BL5 Cupcake Decorating, BU5-C12 Messy Fun at Soccer Field), then we go into our biggest programs of the session as we lead up to the Banquet on Thursday. We can’t wait to see what is next!

Thank you for being such faithful readers of the Blog this week. We appreciate your interest and encouragement. At the same time, we want you to know that it is OK to take the weekend off! We know that there are significantly fewer visits to the Blog on the weekend, and this makes complete sense. Many of you sense the need to step away from the routine. Rest is good and we encourage this by not posting photos or printing emails on Sundays. Any photos we take on Sunday will be posted on Monday. Consider it a break and take a moment to offer a brief prayer of thanksgiving. God is good!

Parenting has become very intense these days for you (and camp has perhaps contributed to that tendency). When I went to camp, it was 7 weeks of separation with only 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.

Soon you will be spending long hours with your daughter at home, as she recounts “confusing” stories of things that might not immediately make sense and collapses laughing as she tries to explain some silly story or shows you the silly movements to a song. Seek such time out when you enjoy your reunion weekend and in the weeks and months that will follow. Camp stories are the hardest to tell but are well worth the effort in the end.

Weather… 75 degrees, cloudy, chance of evening showers
Breakfast… Biscuits, Ham, Fried Apples, Cheese Grits
Joke… “S-Car-Go”
Lunch… Chicken Sandwiches
Dinner… Chicken Enchaladas
EP… Group Fun Night: (T1-TL5: Waterpark; TU5 - BL5: Cupcake Decorating; BU5 - C12: Messy Fun at Soccer Field)