Cup Overflowing

Camp is overflowing with emotion today. Flag raising, breakfast, singing, morning assembly, classes… every moment is infused with poignancy. Mundane details usually ignored are now special, and we are prone to tears. The big camp bell rings, and we pause to listen (it is a beautiful sound… unlike anything I hear elsewhere… there are not many 500-pound bronze bells rung these days). Zoomba class gathers under the tent and there is a pause as the counselors take their position to lead one last time… everyone knows that the next 20 minutes will not be replicated for a very long time. All over camp, in every setting, in every hour, these moments are appreciated. Deeply appreciated.

Our Smiles (HINT: WATCH THIS LINKED VIDEO if you haven’t seen it already… precious)… have you ever seen a huge room filled with genuinely smiling girls? Not vapid, silly smiles but wide, face-to-face, shoulder grabbing, hugging, bright-eyed smiles… well, it is awesome! Hard to explain how wonderful it is.

Everything is exciting. The tennis tournament, the last class, the last picnic, last assembly, last DMC, last rest hour, and the banquet. We are especially excited about tomorrow’s family reunions. Our hearts leap in anticipation of every detail… yet we are also sad. Very deeply sad to say goodbye.

It is always hard to say goodbye to a good friend, but these partings are especially poignant after Main Camp. We ate every meal, enjoyed every surprise, and endured every hardship with this amazing group of girls for almost five weeks. Such familiarity might breed contempt (or at least get very old) but for some reason, it rarely does. The girls love each other… STILL! They are walking arm in arm, heads held closely in conversation. They quietly give plane letters with the gravity of a momentous occasion. And they cry.

We tear up at various moments of the day. Breakfast Club (Frog and Scorpion), Morning Assembly (ten lepers), final morning classes, last rest hour, and tuck-ins. Every event is savored, and we are thankful.

Words are not enough to describe the day nor enough to express our gratitude. The Lord has provided abundantly.

Be careful as you drive. We look forward to welcoming you to camp tomorrow. Forgive the mess… the last week is always a messy one… we have prioritized having fun!

It has been such an honor to serve/host/love your girls this summer. They are amazing.

Thank you for trusting and appreciating camp… for making it a priority in your family.

It is an honor to be a part of your summer.

Jimboy