July 7 2024

When did the statement “time is passing quickly” become real to you? Probably not when you were 10 years old (for the young, time passes like a slow-moving two-mile-long freight train at a road crossing when you are in a hurry). Probably not when you were 16 years old (at 16, the finally won joys of a driver’s license and high school “drama” make us yearn for something more… the next thing, which is always soon but never here). For Greystone Girls, the concept “time is short” happens when they are 17-year-old Senior-Seniors. It certainly was a dominant theme from last night’s epic 5-year program. There were three obvious themes in last night’s speeches:

• Friends
• Faith
• Time

Camp friends, are special. They are good (always faithful, always supportive, always loving, always kind, they comfort and they inspire) and they are often found in unexpected places (usually out of hard moments). Their collective wisdom on friendship rings true. These girls love each other and that reality has been a truth of camp friends for 105 years. School friends and social friends CAN be this good, but the percentages show that a camp friend are this good. It inspired us all to make (and value) friends at camp.

So many girls worked spiritual growth into their speeches; it felt like a party platform of the Senior Senior class. Most of the group gave a nod of warm acknowledgment that camp brings them closer to God. That they yearn for this growth throughout the year and they know it is important to them personally. Camp has been the place where some have decided to become a Christian and have subsequently changed (the Bible uses the word born again… it fits). It inspired us to consider that question we often avoid when we hear a person speaking of faith… “what if it is true?”.

Time passes quickly. Almost every speech mentioned it at some point: getting to this milestone happens quickly. Grasp the moments of each and every day you have at for each one is precious; “in nineteen days, my time as a camper ends, and this is a huge deal for me.” Poignant point. At this point of the speech they would pause or even sob briefly. Time is a hard concept for us to grasp, and time as a concept is both optimistic (“it’s going to be a great day) and nostalgic (poignant appreciation of the past). Even a 10-year-old can tear up when this concept becomes real in their life, and nothing carries more weight in making concepts real to a 10-year-old than a 17-year-old speaking sincerely from her heart.

It was a wonderful night. An important night for the camp as we enter the meaty middle part of Main Camp. There will be a lot of special events this week, special trips, special meals… but the biggest opportunity is the time that is still in front of us. A June Camp of time still awaits, and we have already experienced an August Camp of fun. It is a strong foundation upon which to build a camp. It is a strong foundation to make every day a great day from now on.

Today is the second of our four Sundays. We will run Stumblers under blue skies in a picture-perfect setting, load our paper plates at the breakfast buffet, and savor a lazy morning of long showers and organizing our cabins as we dressed for church and have a “white-glove” inspection by the Group Leaders (while standing at attention on the porch). Andrew will do an excellent job leading our time of worship (assisted by many from the “congregation”). Check out the sermon if you get a chance. We’ll have a big lunch in the dining hall and long rest hour followed by a lazy afternoon and concert on the lawn. It will be a nice day.

Sundays are a day of rest. Frankly, we need it (and not just because last night’s program went an hour late). We need a break from routine. A time to think about “important things”. This is true of all of us. The Lord makes us yearn for such a break. The collective sigh is almost palpable.

Despite the lack of a class schedule, there is a lot of stuff going on around camp this afternoon. Some will perform a talent act (today is the first of our Mini Talent shows, and some of these acts will be featured in the camper talent show EP later in camp). I plan to watch the acts (which are really entertaining) and will likely be joined by about a hundred fans. Waterpark, canoeing, swimming, Archery Club, scavenger hunts, and pick-up games of basketball and ultimate frisbee will also be popular. Also popular will be reading in Eno’s and DMCs by the lake. We see the free hours as precious and not to be wasted.

Breakfast Lazy Day Buffet

Lunch Beef Stroganoff

Dinner Leftover Feast/ Personal Pizza

EP Concert by the lawn

Weather 79 degrees, partly cloudy, chance of afternoon showers

Thank you for checking in.