CRUMPTONLAND CAROLING FOR CHRISTMAS

Hark how the bells, Sweet silver bells All seem to say,
"Come Caroling."
Christmas is here! When I was a kid we would go Christmas Caroling every year around our neighborhood and I miss the special warm Christmas joy that it brought to me and all those that we sang to around my parents neighborhood so this year we will be picking up the tradition again and carol to all those families who need a little extra Christmas cheer so please come join us for a fun evening of singing and Christmas Spirit, we will even bribe you with hot cocoa, apple cyder and cookies for afterwards :) Hope to see you all there!

Ps: Feel free to bring some extra Christmas cookies or desserts if you wish to share. Oh and bring your singing voice! 

12/22 from 6:30 - 10:00

NEWS NEWS NEWS

Crumptonland is having it's first grandchild!!  Oh what joy!!  God's blessings abound.  We are so excited!  More to follow - but for now know that we are overjoyed and humbled by God's grace and blessings!

HELLO MOLLY MAE

So, Crumptonland has a new member.  Meet Molly Mae.  She is a lab-boxer mix and just a sweet heart.  We got her from one of my cousins.  There was a huge hole left at Crumptonland with our loss of Sweet Hope.  Molly won't replace Hope, that's impossible.  She will, however, ease the hole that was left.  We will post more pictures later, but for now - here she is!

SWEET HOPE

Sadly, Crumptonland has lost our Sweet Hope this week (8/13/2012).  She was diaganosed with cancer, and we fought the good fight, but we couldn't watch her suffer any more.  She had stopped eating, and at the end couldn't walk or wag her tail.  I have attached a tribute that our daughter wrote and posted on her FB page - that I thought was appropriate, we will always love our sweet Hope (endearingly nick-named Hope-less) :

I dedicate this status to my loving dog who has passed she was the sweetest dumb dope I have ever had the pleasure of calling my dog we named her hope when she was a puppy but soon found ourselves saying no hope more than calling her so often she would become confused as to what her true name was :) I love her so much and she will never be forgotten thank you hopey for helping me to not be the only dumb blond in our home for many years rest in peace precious puppy

NEW HOUSES AND MATURING

Nick and Becca closed on their house house last week.  A place to call their own, a place to make their mark.  It's such an exciting time for them.  It's a nice bi-level house. It is gonna needs some work, so they are living with us until they get some of it done (hoping to move in within the next week or so).  There is a deck off of the kitchen, which has to be ripped up and replaced (it won't support more than a few people because the boards have started to rot through).  The roof on the house needs to be replaced, and the roof on the garage needs to be replaced as well - but again, nothing they can't handle.   The previous owners were smokers - so the smoke smell and nicotine stains - in Becca's words "gotta go".  That will be done  with a lot of elbow grease (they are having a work/clean/slave day this Saturday). They are going to shampoo the carpets, wash down all surfaces and walls.  They are also going to paint before they move in all of their stuff.  

The kitchen was recently redone by the previous owner - and is mondo-modern (something that was a definite selling point  with Becca - imagine that).  Of course, Nick's selling point was the two car garage - again, go figure.....you would think they were bakers and mechanics or something.....

Becca is also excited because the house has several flower beds around the outside.   They  need some TLC - this they are going to  wait until fall to do, that way more time can be spent on the inside for now.  There are some iris tubers in the front bed that can be salvaged, and Becca has plans for an herb bed in one of the back flower beds.  We are already saving her some seeds, and I plan on giving her some of our Ole' Time Mint and Apple Mint (I've also got some Pennyroyal that my dad planted for me, that I plan on giving her some seeds for as well). I will also be sure that she get's some catnip for Babydoll =D


I am excited because I can see the potential for the house.  I am also excited because I can see them growning as a couple - and how they are using what they have been blessed with to the glory of God.  They have already said that as soon as they have the house "user-friendly", they are going to start having teen fellowships there (cook outs, movie nights, gaming nights, etc).  The will continue to have some larger bonfires and outdoor activities at Crumptonland  (since at Crumptonland you can burn down the back yard without causing alarm to your  neighbors =D).  Looking ahead, I am encouraged by what God will do with their lives, God is good!

THE WORLDS LOVE FOR HATRED

THE WORLDS LOVE FOR HATRED

Have you ever noticed how it's so easy for the world to jump onto the hate band-wagon?  I think it's because people have forgotten how to love.   Hate is so easy, there's no effort in hate.  People fall into the hate trap so easily that I think they live a life looking for or expecting offenses. They find someone to blame and be mad at or hate every day.  It's like it's easier to hate some one than it is to love.  It's a never-ending cycle that makes bitter hearts and resentment.

 Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins Proverbs 10:12

We now even have laws against "hate crimes", with the government protecting people from what they perceive as hate.  The space between hate and love is growing – and love is shrinking.  People have forgotten how to love.  They have forgotten that love covers an abundance of hatred. To love someone you have to over look their flaws and/or possibly forgive them for a wrong.  I think people are in fear of forgiving, because that would be showing love, and that is too hard to do.

1 John 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Sadly, people are forgetting the example that Jesus gave to us on the cross.  He died on the cross to save us, that death was from the love of the Father for His creation. Jesus DIED for us because of His love.  He loves us every day. He died to forgive our sins.  He used His life as an example of how to love, and He calls us to love others as He loved us.  

John 3:16  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life

 Interestingly, the word love shows up in the bible 362 times, where as the word hate only shows up 86 times (NKJV).  Even through his writtne word, God was conveying the message of love – Love, through God's example, is the foundation of the world.

Mark 12:31   You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  There is no other commandment greater than these.

John 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

CHRISTIAN PLATED OR SOLID CHRISTIAN

Are you Christian Plated or Solid Christian

                We had a conversation recently about a gold plated necklace.  It was shiny on the outside, but Just base metal on the inside.  It gave the impression of being perfect, spotless, and unspoiled, but that image was imperfect, spotted, and spoiled.  The inside was a much cheaper metal.  The conversation lead to an analogy of Christian life.  It is very easy to let the world lead you into leading a Christian plated life as opposed to being a Solid Christian life.  Do you stand up for Christ's values?  Are you living and loving as Christ did?  OR – are you accepting the worlds view of what a Christian should be like – and accepting the "I'm a good person" life?  There a lot of folks in the world who profess to be Christians, but they are Christian Plated – they look shiny on the outside, but are worldly on the inside.  They have let the world define who they are and play-act as a Christian. 

                Regardless of whether you think you are a "good person" or not – God knows the heart.  There is no hiding from Him.  Psalm 44:20-21  If we had forgotten the name of our God, Or stretched out our hands to a foreign god, Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. 

                I may have more to add to this in the future – but for now this is what God has laid upon my heart to be shared and to make me  consider my own life as well. God is good!

DREAMS

I normally don't put any credence into dreams - simply because I have them and they kind of get forgotten.  Last nights dream was different.  My dream involved Scott and I buying a house - in California.  We have no desire to move to California - which is the first bizarre point  The second bizarre point is that we bought this house - sight unseen.  We just up and called a realtor and got the first house that was available.  Weird.

Well, we flew out to look at our "purchase".  The house was MASSIVE.  Not only that, but it still had ALL of the furniture and the belongings in the house - and it was our job to get rid of or sell all of stuff.  The furniture and belongings were very nondescript - and we were having no problem getting rid of it, until we came to the basement.  When we walked into the basement we noticed that it was decorated differently.  All of the furniture was antique looking - and really cool.   There was a black rocker - with red cushions that looked big enough for 3 people to sit it - it was awesome.  There was this one dresser that had a collection of glasses (eye glasses) and jewelry on it that were just amazing.  The drawers were full of silk and tapestries.   We called and asked the realtor about all of the stuff, and we were told that the items in the basement belonged to the owner's wife - who had recently died of cancer.  He wanted nothing to do with any of the stuff in the house because it reminded him of her and his loss.  Well, we immediatley switched gears and started to sell the stuff - not just to get rid of it - but to donate the money we collected to help find a cure for cancer.  We were going to donate it in memory of this lady.  From that point the dream kind of went fuzzy  because there was SO MUCH stuff to take care of.  I woke up just as we were tracking down the husband to let him know what we had done with his wifes belongings.

So - that's my dream - weird huh?

I MADE ME

I MADE ME

This was on the license plate of a sweet little sports car that I happened to be stuck behind in traffic.  Quite a statement.  The longer I followed it the angrier it made me.  Really??  Really??  How absolutely arrogant?  What a worldly stance – seriously how full of pride can you be.  What a moron.  How could anyone be so utterly self absorbed and full of pride. UGH.

Then, a voice in my head started berating me about judging. "Judge not, that you be not judged (Matthew 7:1)  But God, I thought, the driver is doing you a disservice!  They should be praising you for everything they have, but NOOOOOO – they are throwing it out there for the whole world to see that it's ALL about them.  Seriosuly??  You should totally bring down fire and brim stone on their heads – like right now!!

Gently, the voice started quoting scripture to me. "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." (Luke 6:37) 

I slowly began to realized that judging was exactly what I was doing. Judging the driver because of the  7 little letters on the back of the car.  Not knowing the person, not knowing the circumstance, just judging from what I saw with my eyes.  God used those 7 little letters to point out to me my own sin. Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law. Psalm 119:18

It's sad, and kind of scary how quickly you slip into the flesh. He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den; He lies in wait to catch the poor; He catches the poor when he draws him into his net. So he crouches, he lies low, That the helpless may fall by his strength. Psalm 10: 9-10. I was so quickly stumbled by 7 little letters.  I was humbled by my insight.  I started praying for forgiveness and for the driver of the car.

Ironically, while this conversation was going on in my head, the song that was playing on my CD player was You Love me Anyway by Sidewalk Prophets:

The question was raised

As my conscience fell

A silly, little lie

It didn’t mean much

But it lingers still

In the corners of my mind

Still you call me to walk

On the edge of this world

To spread my dreams and fly

But the future’s so far

My heart is so frail

I think I’d rather stay inside

But You love me anyway

It’s like nothing in life that I’ve ever known

Yes You love me anyway

Oh Lord, how You love me

How You love me

It took more than my strength

To simply be still

To seek but never find

All the reasons we change

The reasons I doubt

And why do loved ones have to die?

But You love me anyway

It’s like nothing in life that I’ve ever known

Yes You love me anyway

Oh Lord, how You love me

I am the thorn in Your crown

But You love me anyway

I am the sweat from Your brow

But You love me anyway

I am the nail in Your wrist

But You love me anyway

I am Judas’ kiss

But You love me anyway

See now, I am the man who yelled out from the crowd

For Your blood to be spilled on this earth shaking

ground

Yes then, I turned away with a smile on my face

With this sin in my heart tried to bury Your grace

And then alone in the night, I still called out for You

So ashamed of my life, my life, my life

But You love me anyway

It’s like nothing in life that I’ve ever known

Yes,You love me anyway

Oh Lord, how You love me

You love me, yes You love me

How You love me

How You love me

How You love me

So when the world thinks "I MADE ME",  I give thanks and continue to ask God to mold me into the vessel that He wants me to be and can use. But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.Isaiah 64:8