Farewell

Today was my last Breakfast Club and my last address to the girls at Morning Assembly.

Camp is an intense community, an intense experience for all of us… myself included. It is hard to say good bye. I am completely sincere in this sentiment. Sometimes it is hard to convey the reality of this experience… no, it is always impossible to convey the reality of this experience. When I say it is good… often it is as good as life can be… I mean it. Real emotions just well up as we become more and more comfortable with eachother. It is just the way life works here.

For this reason, I sometimes get a little choked up when talking “serious” with the girls. This makes no sense because I don’t get choked up when talking to my own children at home when speaking about the same topics. I think it is an effect of the intensity of this community, an intensity that makes these talks more effective… I see it and I appreciate it deeply. The girls see it too.

There are 3 talks that choked me up at June Camp this year.

First was my Breakfast Club talk on Self Image – it is hard. I think we all struggle with negative thoughts about ourselves… yet when we think of how much God loves us and how intentional he was in our creation, such thoughts are beyond needless. I am fine till I make eye contact… then I do pull it together quickly… but it is genuinely hard for me to get through the whole talk.

Second was today’s Breakfast Club talk on the “Frog and the Scorpion”. When the scorpion stings the scorpion in the middle of the river, condemning both frog and scorpion to death… the consequences of sin… stings “Because I Am A SCORPION”… once again those eyes looking up at me… it is very hard not to get choked up.

Finally was today’s Morning Assembly talk on the Ten Lepers (Luke 17:11). I am convicted at how little I express my own thankfulness for the good gifts of life. That I can breath deeply without pain, that the sun on my back feels good, that I love my wife and she loves me, that I have wonderful children, a wonderful job, wonderful house… the list is large and doesn’t even touch the biggest of the blessings (An Adopted Child of God, saved by grace). How can we ever complain? How can we not tear up?

Camp makes me appreciate life. This is not only true for me but for the campers and counselors too. The “bubble” makes it easy; it is a shame that such living is hard when not at camp. Thus on this last day we focus on making the “Great Day” attitude a part of who we are… what we are known to be by our family. friends, and neighbors.

When you pick up your camper, allow a slow transition to the outside world (if possible!). Don’t turn on the radio, the TV, the phone… just talk. Ask questions and give lots of time for the answers to come out. Sometimes the answers will be at the surface, easily seen and easily appreciated… but sometimes the answers are just a bit under the surface, harder to see at first and more astonishing and beautiful for the discovery. Put yourself into her world… allow the bubble to envelope you too. Those first hours of conversation after camp can be the best hours of conversation you will have all year long. It warms my heart thinking of the reunions that await.

Thank you. My last words to you are Thank you very much for allowing your girls to spend these last three weeks with us. What wonderful girls they are… a delight and inspiration. May God Bless You Always.

Jimboy

PS I got this message from a camper who I haven’t seen for a long time… she had been on the website and got nostalgic at 2:30 AM… who keeps these hours? I loved her words and share them with you (she just gave me permission a minute ago).

Greystone is always on my heart, and the experience I had is one I can never dream of forgetting. After my 5 years as a camper i had to stop in order to start my new hobby, cheerleading. As I lie in my bed and look at the camp website I realize how much I took for granted. I always expected camp year after year and the adjustment after I stopped going was hard. I want to thank you so much for the love, memories, joy, and experience you showed and provided for me and other campers.Even to this day I have connections with camp friends that just explain a whole new kind of friendship. Oh- and my favorite thing ever is when I wear a Greystone shirt and someone knows the name and you make that instant connection like you have known each other for years.