Joy

When was the last time you felt an overwhelming sense of Joy?

Normal life is full of Joy but the very fact of the “routine” dulls our hearts to the Joy that surrounds us. Yesterdays sermon mentioned Joy and as I thought about it I was struck by the fact that camp is a place that is marked by Joy. We feel it a lot… we felt it last night and we will feel it again today. Joy is simply a part of our daily emotional experience at camp. Often it comes unexpectedly but it also arrives as predictibly as the rising sun; last night we had a fully expected hour of Joy accentuated by moments of bliss.

This is the effect of music, friendship, good health, and love. Ellie Holcomb brings Joy when she comes to camp and we delighted in that reunion last night in during a truly magical concert by the lake.

The girls anticipated the concert all afternoon (the dining hall erupted in cheers when they heard that she was coming). When Ellie began the concert with a duet featuring her three year old daughter EmmyLou singing Broken Beautiful, it brought the house down! The entire concert was marked by the campers singing along, dancing in groups, sitting with arms around each other with rapt attention, and exhuberant laughter and cheers. What a way to end the day! What a way to begin a week!

Ellie will remain at camp for a few days, making special appearances to enhance camp moments with some great devotions. Every time she appears, joy will be her constant companion. It will delight the girls and encourage us all. God Bless Ellie and her wonderful family!!!

Rafting trips are going out this week, a lot of fun for the girls who chose to take this break to check out the whitewater of this area. Most will go on the Pigeon River (just over the state line in Tennessee) and some will go on the larger and more involved Chattooga River (in South Carolina). Both rivers are a lot of fun, the Pigeon is like a non-stop roller coaster and the Chattooga is marked by long peaceful stretches broken by huge class 5 rapids. The girls will miss most of the day at camp, returning happy and tired just in time for dinner and EP.

Tonight we will have a Movie night for the Tentalows and Bungalows, the rising 10th graders will go to Thunderhead for a special overnight, the rising 11th and 12th graders will go to Asheville for dinner and a movie with the directors. It is a great night that will go late for everyone… so tomorrow we will have a sleep late routine, giving an extra hour of much needed sleep.

Breakfast was scrambled eggs and hash browns, Lunch is a personal favorite… BLT’s, Dinner is a camper favorite… Taco in a Bag! Delight and Joy abound!!!

Celebrate the routine of your life today… this is the lesson of camp and it is a lesson that we should all learn. Delight in your lunch, in a conversation over a good cup of coffee, in a wonderful book, in a quiet moment with your spouse. Life is good, take note of that fact and join with your camper in celebrating the gift!

Have a Great Day!