Camp Stumpy

 

Wes was reading a poem book by my favorite poet Helen Steiner Rice when he came across a poem that was a great reminder and description of our beloved Camp Stumpy.  :o)  (In the original poem the place is called Sleepy Hollow.)

 

Nestled by the river,

sheltered by the trees

Rests a little haven --

one of nature’s symphonies.

In this tranquil rendezvous

where peace and beauty blend,

There is sweet communion

in the meeting of a friend,

For in this shining solitude

false values slip away,

And only truth and beauty

seem planted here to stay.

In this refreshing refuge

all doors are opened wide

So faith and hope and happiness

can always step inside.

We call it Camp Stumpy,

but the name that I like best

Is just the home of happiness

where weary travelers rest.

 

 

Helpful winter trick ideas for your vehicle for an easier winter...

 

SEND THESE TIPS TO YOUR COLD WEATHER FRIEND’S
Helpful Hints For Winter

Keep your headlights clear with car wax! Just wipe ordinary car wax on your headlights. It contains special water repellents that will prevent that messy mixture from accumulating on your lights - lasts 6 weeks.

Squeak-proof your wipers with rubbing alcohol! Wipe the wipers with a cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol or ammonia. This one trick can make badly streaking & squeaking wipers change to near perfect silence & clarity.

Ice-proof your windows with vinegar! Frost on it's way? Just fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to one part water & spritz it on all your windows at night. In the morning, they'll be clear of icy mess. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which raises the melting point of water---preventing water from freezing!

Prevent car doors from freezing shut with cooking spray! Spritz cooking oil on the rubber seals around car doors & rub it in with a paper towel.  The cooking spray prevents water from melting into the rubber

Fog-proof your windshield with shaving cream! Spray some shaving cream on the inside of your windshield & wipe if off with paper towels. Shaving cream has many of the same ingredients found in commercial defoggers.

De-ice your lock in seconds with hand sanitizer! Just put some hand sanitizer gel on the key & the lock & the problems solved!

rabbit trails for today…

 

 

1.  We caught the last 15 minutes of this show last night – THE LAST AMERICAN COWBOY -  who knew we could of been doing a reality show here at the ranch?  LOL!  http://animal.discovery.com/tv/last-american-cowboy/    Deanna wants to catch more episodes of this show.  When is it on? http://tvlistings.zap2it.com/tv/last-american-cowboy/EP01266311

 

2.  WE ARE ALL WOUNDED --- this spoke to me the other day, great post.  http://www.likeawarmcupofcoffee.com/home/2011/01/we-are-all-wounded/      “We speak and act out of our wounds so often, that the words get mistaken for the person. See the person behind the words.”

 

3.    When does the church sing TO one another?  - http://fromthepew.blogspot.com/2010/12/when-does-church-sing-to-one-another.html

 

4.   I have been looking up different web pages about how to prepare teens for life.  I am putting together a list to share and discuss with Wes and the kids.  I will post it here to when I am done.

http://www.firehow.com/201001147873/how-to-prepare-your-teens-for-life.html

http://www.educationalsimulations.com/index.php

a great list of life skills - http://www.unicef.org/lifeskills/index_whichskills.html

this is a series of videos.  I don’t plan to order the videos but the questions listed would make good discussion starters - http://www.tmwmedia.com/reallifeteens.html

 

5.  Eric Carpenter at A PILGRIM’S PROGRESS, is doing a series about house church.  He has captured the house church experience that I have been a part of very well.  This is just one of the posts of the series but he lists them all here as well.  http://eric-carpenter.blogspot.com/2011/01/house-church-holy-spirit-guided.html

 

6.    how to paraphrase (lesson to do with the kids) - http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/619/01/

 

7.  Jesus wasn’t radical -- http://inspiredtoaction.com/2011/01/jesus-wasnt-radical/

 

8.    John Piper: Reading as THINKING - http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2011/01/john-piper-reading-as-thinking/