Last night the Senior girls were celebrated in an “old school” way. Hundreds of flowers in arrangements on the stage, twinkle lights everywhere, custom columns covered in ivy… the setup took all day and it was beautiful. The girls put on their nicest dresses and made an effort to brush their hair just right in preparation for their formal presentation to camp. They then put on a massive talent show.
This is where it gets a bit strange… the dinosaur outfits came out… literally. Comedy, poetry, dancing, singing, stand up acts, magic acts… the whole gambit of what these girls love to do at camp. Some were silly, some funny, some beautiful, some astounding, all were wonderful. The acts represented the magnificent diversity of this amazing group of girls perfectly! Delightful in every way.
The Queen and her Court were announced at the end of the program (about 9:45 PM, the latest EP of the year!). The full moon provided a nice bright light, that was supplemented by a couple of trucks we brought in at the last minute to shine their headlights on the outdoor stage. Such a great night!
Today we are once again enjoying sunny, hot, summer weather. No chance of afternoon showers, which is OK because we have a lot of preparations to make for tonight’s Corny Roast 2.0 EP. Party Barge rides, Hay Rides, County Fair Games, Rides, Gem Mining, Rubber Duck Races, and even a Haunted Barn! Each area has a different “meal” that is served… most featuring corn products. New and improved… should be a great night.
This represents the last of our “laid back” nights of camp. From here on out we have big event EP’s… each one anticipated by the campers and counselors with giddy delight. The new rules for running camp required each of these events to be done in a different way than in the past and that innovation has proven to be a good thing. The girls have loved the changes and so have we. It is fun working out the details months/weeks earlier and then seeing everything come together in the last minute. The counselors are amazingly good at rolling with the unknowns and keeping their areas moving at the right pace. Having such an incredible team makes running camp fun!
Breakfast Club is considering Spiritual Growth this week. First encouraging the girls to consider what they are hearing about this important subject at camp and at home. We suggest that they actively consider the claims of Christ… come to grips with the gospel, don’t be apathetic. I was very young when I first seriously considered spiritual issues and my childhood faith has stood the test of time. I don’know everything, I never will know everything and I am OK with that. Faith has a component of knowledge but is primarily a decision. It is good to think about it in a serious way.
Spiritual depth is an important component of any well-lived life, it makes life richer and it gives a template for answering the hard questions. A moral compass needs a standard, will that compass be based on what you think or feel? Will it be based on another religious tradition? Will it be based on a philosophy? Will it be based on pragmatism? Or will it be ignored?
Ignoring is the worst of those choices for it does not allow any growth. To grow you have to work at it… and Christianity provides many facets of faith and practice that enhance your life and the lives of those around you. It also provides a loving community, comfort in times of trouble, and hope for the future. Jesus is a good person to have faith in… and camp is a place that we hope shows His love in a way that builds a foundation for future growth.
Wish I could go on and on… but busy place, camp.