Self-Image

One of the great things about camp is the way we relate to each other. A tightly knit community that has been quite literally rubbing elbows for weeks is a “real” community. Superficial does not last here… it clears away like the mist in the morning because our “real” selves are more solid. At camp, sincerity is the quality that ultimately is the most compelling character trait. Good Looks are at the bottom of the heap… they help at first, but the heart is what makes for the lasting friendship.

I say all this as way of introduction to todays Breakfast Club theme of “self image”. Scripture teaches us that we are “Fearfully and Wonderfully made” in the image of God. C.S. Lewis wrote that if we were to see a person in his glorified state (what we will be in heaven), we would be tempted to worship him. With this fact in front of us… why do we so often feel bad about the way we look?

Girls have a hard time with this and they are not getting better. From my perspective, our girls are more torn apart by this issue than ever before. The trend is not good. Eating disorders are just the tip of the iceberg- it is very sad.

I have three girls and I fear for them. My prayer is that they will have a self image that is rooted in Christ, not some vague desire to look like someone else. God has made us and he did not make a mistake. My encouragement to the campers (and counselors) this morning was to be careful of paying too much attention to the way we look. If you are beautiful, step back and realize that external beauty is fleeting and we need to build inner beauty. If we are not beautiful, step back and realize the same thing. Thank God for making you the way he did… that is my prayer for my own children and it is my prayer for yours as well.

Talent Show was fantastic. Tonight will see a shift in this “talent” theme as the counselors do their talent show. The counselors are capable of bringing REAL talent to the stage… but they prefer to ham it up a bit. They will do so some very silly dances… some very stupid skits… and a little “Real” singing and dancing now and then. It is a ton of fun and always ranked by the campers as a favorite EP (the MOST favorie is always Carnival). It will be fun.

We are eating Pizza for dinner… and our pizza is not just good, it is AMAZING. I will take some pictures of the process and post later on today, it is quite a process. It all started with a trip to New York a couple years ago. Gervais and Laura were eating at a great pizza joint and took the time to ask the owner about the secret. Why is it so hard to make good pizza? Well… the answer led to a chase for the perfect pizza, a chase that ended last year. We have nailed it! The secret’s are now out there for all to know (but let me warn you, it is not easy nor cheap).
1. The Oven… must be a “deck” oven capable of very high temperatures and must have steam injection. This is true for artisan bread as well… we bought ours from an outfit in Brooklyn that imports these massive ovens from Italy.
2. The Flour… Caputo “00” pizza flour. This is the secret. We never found another flour that could be worked to the super thin “perfect pizza” thickness. It has a crunch and a chew that is sublime.
3. The Sauce… we use San-Marzano Plum tomato’s as the base and letting the sauce gradually mature in the cook pot all afternoon.
4. The Cheese… We use two cheeses, which combine to make for a perfectly balanced topping: Grana-Panado Parmesian Cheese and Bufala Mozzarela Cheese… both imported and shreaded just prior to use.
5. The Finish… as the pizza is about to be served, we top it with fresh Basil and a light drizzle of Sol-De-Lamacha Oilive Oil.

To spend this much time and money on pizza is a bit crazy… but it is worth it!

All winter I dream of pizza at camp. It is that good.

Thanks for reading the news on the weekend… I know that only the fanatics do so, and it is an encouragement knowing that you care.

Have a Great Day

Jimboy