How To Prevent Being Startled

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Yesterday at 5AM, I left my house and headed to the Perkiomen Trail for a 6 mile run.  It was a little dark (as it typically is at this time of the morning) as I headed down my street to get to the trail which is exactly a half mile from my garage door.  I was listening to the Daily Audio Bible podcast while I was getting into the rhythm of my run.  Halfway down my street I was in the zone when I suddenly heard a rustling in the brush just 6 feet from the road.  The sudden sound startled me.

Looking to my left, I quickly saw the source of the sound – a deer.  The deer quickly turned to run into the brush as I continued down the street toward the trail.  I think the deer was just as startled as I.

Spending many early, dark mornings on the trail, I’ve become accustomed to creatures crossing my path.  So I’m typically prepared for such a startle as I experienced yesterday.  My eyes adjust to the breaking dawn, my ears listen to the sounds around me, and my steps shorten just a bit to make sure I land safely.  I run prepared even in the dark.

The Bible talks about the importance of being prepared.  In Matthew 24:36-44, Jesus tells us to keep watch because no one knows the hour when Christ will return.  In I Peter 3:15, Peter reminds us to be prepared to give an answer for the hope we profess.  And in 2 Timothy 4:2, Paul reminds us to be prepared to rebuke, correct, and encourage with patience and careful instruction.

So how can we prevent being startled?  How can we prepare ourselves?

Here are 5 Things You Can Do To Prevent Being Startled:

  1. Read God’s Word.  When we read and know God’s Word, we will be better prepared to understand and share God’s Word.
  2. Share God’s Word.  In words and in actions, we prepare ourselves by practicing the teaching found in God’s Word.
  3. Pray for wisdom and confidence.  Let’s face it.  We won’t have all the answers on our own.  We need to look to God for wisdom.  And we need to remember to have confidence in God and His protective hand.
  4. Be alert.  We must be looking for opportunities to share and to practice.  We must also be aware of distractions that pull us away from God and His plan for our lives.
  5. Trust God.  We cannot predict the future.  There will be hard things and scary things that come across our paths.  We must remember that God will keep us safe, and He will work through the challenges of life.  We’re not guaranteed an easy life, but we can trust that God will make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).

And so this morning, I hit the trails again.  I don’t know what will come my way, but I’m ready!

When was the last time you were startled?  What could you add to the list above?

7 Ways To Come Up With Blog Ideas

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Blog Ideas

I’m often asked how I come up with things to write here on my blog every day.  Honestly, sometimes it comes easier than other times.  Sometimes an idea is fresh on my mind, and sometimes I really strain to come up with a topic.  Since I started blogging several years ago, there are a few things that have helped me to capture the inspiration of life.

7 Ways To Come Up With Blog Ideas:

  1. Journal.  I’ll confess that I’m not always the most consistent when it comes to keeping my journal, but I must admit that when I do keep a journal it helps be capture the memories and thoughts of each day.  It provides a rough draft of things that may one day appear on the pages of Jon Stolpe Stretched.
  2. Become a student of the every day.  Life is always happening around us.  It’s easy to let life race by without paying attention to the details and without taking time to reflect.  There are blog topics happening all around you.  It’s just a matter of paying attention.  Keep your eyes and ears open, and take notes.  Keep a note-book in your car, on your desk, and on your nightstand.
  3. Ask around.  Don’t be afraid to ask your readers what articles they like the most from your blog.  Also, ask your audience to tell you what they’d like to read from you.  I have learned a lot by simply plugging into The Stretched Community.
  4. Read other blogs (and books).  It’s important to be original, but it can sometimes be healthy to read what others are writing.  This can be that catalyst or springboard for your own ideas.  I read between 75 and 100 blogs on a fairly regular basis.  It’s exciting to see the creativity and writing genius of other bloggers.
  5. Plan ahead.  Many of my posts are created the night before or the morning they are published.  But many of my ideas have been brewing for a while.  I often plan 2 to 4 weeks ahead leaving spaces for momentary inspiration.  Sometimes I deviate from my plan, but the plan helps me stay on track and avoid times of writer’s block.
  6. Collect guest posts.  Guest bloggers can be a great assistance when you need a break, when you’re on vacation, or when you simply want to interject the thoughts of others into your blog.  I’m so grateful for the posts that others have shared here, and I’m always excited to share The Stretched Community Platform with others who want to share their STRETCHED story.
  7. Take regular breaks.  Over the past couple of months, I have taken Saturday and Sunday off from blogging.  This has provided a greater opportunity to spend time with my family, to take a break, and to cultivate new ideas for the week ahead.  Many bloggers think they will fail if they take a day off.  I understand the importance of writing consistency, but consistency doesn’t help if the content quality is poor.  Breaks provide an opportunity to improve content quality.

How do you come up with ideas for your blog?  What kind of Stretched posts do you like most?

3 Ways To Set Appropriate Boundaries In Our Lives

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Last year, our family worked together to fence in our garden.  We used 34 fence posts, 150 feet of fencing, and some fishing line.  We’ve had a garden for many years, but the last several years have been a bit frustrating as we’ve had to defend against groundhogs and deer.  We’ve tried a few other remedies like deer repellant, have-a-heart traps, and hair clippings.  But we’ve still dealt with produce that has been mowed down in the middle of the night by the animals that live in our area.

So far, the fence seems to be working.  This year, we’ve enjoyed lettuce, turnips, radishes, asparagus, peas, spinach, and strawberries.  And it won’t be long until we enjoy many of the other things we planted this year.

We live in a time when people tout the benefits of living beyond our dreams and our boundaries.  I’ve even written a few blog posts about the benefits of stretching outside our comfort zone.  But there’s another side of the equation that needs to be looked at from time to time.  Fences are important tools in our lives.  We need fences in our lives to keep out the “critters” that can damage our lives.   We need fences in our lives to keep us from journeying into unsafe territory.  And sometimes we need fences in our lives to remind us what things are our business and what things are not our business.  With this in mind, here are a few ideas for establishing appropriate fences in our lives.

3 Ways To Set Appropriate Fences In Our Lives:

1.)  Set personal boundaries.  We need to be smart enough and bold enough to set up our own fences.  For example, Leanne and I have a “rule” that we will avoid meeting alone with members of the opposite gender.  Rules or boundaries like this keep us from journeying into unsafe territory.

2.)  Find accountability.  Is there someone in your life (other than your spouse) who knows the true condition of your heart.  Someone like this will ask the tough questions and will also give us early warning signs when our fences need repair.

3.)  Spend time in God’s Word and in Christian community.  These actions keep us growing and alert to God’s business.  When we know God’s Word and experience this type of community, our fence is used more effectively.  Our fenced in area becomes a refuge and a safe house where we can be restored and re-energized for service to those outside the fence.

What are the pluses and minuses of having a fence?  Do you have a fence around your yard?  How do you keep the “critters” out?

Ice Breaker – Crayons

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Each week on The Stretched Blog, I ask an ice breaker question.  The questions are designed to help us get to know each other here in The Stretched Community.  I’ll provide my answer to the question here in the post, and then you can leave your response in the comments.  While you’re in the comments section, see how others answered the ice breaker question.

Did you know that Crayola has 133 standard colors?  This week’s Ice Breaker is all about your box of crayons.  And my answer will probably get a song stuck in your head.

Question:  What’s your favorite Crayola crayon color?  Why?

My Answer:  At first, I was going to say Indigo, but I changed my mind as I paged through the list of 133 standard Crayola colors.  I would definitely go with Midnight Blue.  First, blue as been my favorite color as long as I can remember.  Second, my first car was a 1974 Chevy Nova.  It was midnight blue with a white hard top.  Finally, how could you get about Midnight Blue after hearing this song by Lou Gramm:

Answer this week’s ice breaker question by leaving a comment.  I look forward to reading your response!  (As always, feel free to share links.)  And keep STRETCHING!

The Stretched Blog Visits Lynn Mosher – Out of Control

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Today, I’m guest posting as part of The Network for Lynn Mosher at her blog, Lynn Mosher – Devotionals That Encourage.  In my post (Out of Control:  Faith Lessons From Flight), I share some thoughts about letting go and enjoying the ride.  Here’s an excerpt to get you started.

Man in airplane seat
 

This week, I’m traveling for business to the Chicago area. Last Monday, I took a flight from the Philadelphia International Airport to Chicago O’Hare Airport. I have always enjoyed flying, but I have to admit it’s become a little more challenging to fly as I’ve gotten older. I don’t like the turbulence, and I don’t enjoy the butterflies in my stomach I used to like.

While the plane was coming in for its landing, I was sitting in the back seat of the plane looking out the window. My natural tendency was to grab onto the arms of the seat and to force my feet into the pretend brake. But something made me change my mind and loosen up the tension flowing through my body.
(Click here to read the rest of this post.)

If you’re visiting from Lynn’s blog, I’m glad you stopped by.  I hope you’ll check things out and become a regular part of The Stretched Community.  You can sign up to receive daily blog updates by adding your e-mail on the main page (I promise not to send you spam).  To help you get a taste of my other writing, here are a few of my favorite posts:

What are you holding onto too tightly? How could loosening your grip and giving up control make your flight/life more enjoyable?

Visiting Grandma

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Last night, I had the honor and blessing of visiting Grandma in Illinois.

My grandmother turned 93 years old in April.  I wrote about our last visit in a previous post.  She’s definitely a special woman.

Her health has continued to slip, and her memory is failing which is frustrating for someone who skipped to grades of school and is often referred to as the family genius.

When I arrived at her home (which is now a nursing home), the entire residence was in the middle of a tornado warning.  All the residents were lined up in the hallway in their wheelchairs with the doors closed to their rooms.  It appeared that they were getting ready for some type of wheelchair NASCAR race.  As I rounded the corner into the hallway, I was initially concerned that I might have trouble finding Grandma.  But I quickly found her lined up with the other residents eating a “Blackhawk” cookie.  (The Stanley Cup Finals started last night, and they were giving the residents “Blackhawk” cookies to help them celebrate the home team – the Chicago Blackhawks.)

She kind of smiled at me as we started to talk.  I asked her how she was doing, and I explained that I was in town for a business trip to my company’s home office.  After talking for a few minutes, she looked up at me and asked:  “What’s your name?”  The more recent year’s have clearly been unkind to Grandma’s memory.  Once I told her that I was her grandson, Jon, she seemed to spring to life as she pulled some information from the murky corridors of her brain.

Eventually, the tornado warning let up, and we went into her room where we could sit and talk.  We talked about Swedish Christmas food and about our family which is now spread from Guam to Pennsylvania and from Texas to Wisconsin.  We talked about Grandpa who passed away over six years ago and about the church where my grandparents used to be so active.  Some of the details came out clear and some were a bit cloudy.  Despite some of the confusion, it was amazing to me to see Grandma’s faith which has remained steadfast through the ups and downs of life and through the current physical and mental failings that seem to accelerate in more recent years.

Grandma has a hope for heaven.  She has a clear confidence in God.  She prays for her family – especially that they would follow Jesus.  Above her bed, she has a photo family tree that allows her to show off her two kids, seven grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren (if I did the math correctly).  This photo collage also serves as her reminder to pray for each one of us.

Our visit contained laughs, smiles, some silent moments, and even a couple of tears.  As I left to return to my hotel, I told Grandma that I loved her, and I explained that I would see her next month when our family makes a swing through the Midwest on our vacation.  I’m not sure if she’ll remember our visit.  And I guess it doesn’t really matter.  For a couple of hours last night, I hope I brightened her day.  I know she brightened mine.

What is special about your grandma?

On The Go…You’re Invited

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BeMyGuest

This week is a reminder that I will have several busy weeks over the next couple of months.  With that in mind, I’d like to invite you to share your stretch story here.  That’s right – I’m looking for guest post submissions to help keep things going while I’m out for a couple of weeks this summer.  In early July, I’ll be heading out-of-town to visit family in the Midwest.  And in early August, I’ll be in Guatemala.  I’d love your help, and I’d love to share your guest post here.  Leave me a comment to let me know your interest.

Thanks!

What’s one of the best guest posts you’ve read recently?  Share your link in the comments.

Book Review: When Work & Family Collide (@AndyStanley)

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Yesterday, I had the opportunity to sit in the Philadelphia International Airport for several hours waiting to catch a plane to Chicago.  My plane was delayed for more than 3 hours, and the flight itself was close to 2 hours.  This gave me plenty of time to catch up on podcast episodes and reading.

I read Andy Stanley’s book, When Work and Family Collide: Keeping Your Job from Cheating Your Family.  It’s ironic that I would read this book while I was heading away from my family on a business trip.  The book is all about keeping your priorities straight especially when it comes to family.

Whether you struggle with this issue just a little bit or a lot, this is a great book for men and women alike.  It provides examples and analogies of lives in balance and out of balance, and it provides solid Biblical teaching that helps someone bring proper order to their lives.

I especially like the author’s quote:

You do your job.  You love your family.  It’s when we reverse the order that the tension escalates and the tug of war begins.

In other words, we get it all messed up when we love our job and do the family thing.  It’s easy to do.  We get stuck in unhealthy patterns of seeking approval and pursuing success through our careers, and we permit our family life to suffer.  I’m guilty of it at times, and I would guess that many of you struggle with this tension as well from time to time.

When Work and Family Collide: Keeping Your Job from Cheating Your Family is a quick and easy read, and I would recommend it to moms, dads, husbands, and wives everywhere.

How’s your family life?  How’s your work life?  What is one thing you can do this week to make sure your family knows that they are the priority?

I received this book as a gift from Chris Patton.  He writes a great blog about Christians in the workplace – Christian Faith At Work.  Go check it out, and tell him I said hello!

More Than Words (#Riot140)

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I was looking through my journal and notes from about a year ago, and it seems like God was hitting me over the head with a message.  Following Christ and sharing His love is so much more than words – knowing words, memorizing words, and studying words.

While I think it’s important to read, study, and understand the Bible, I think it’s so much more important to put these teachings into action – into following Christ with our hands and feet.  This message has been hammered home in a few different but obvious mediums.

First, I was catching up on my blog reading one August Saturday morning last year when I came across this video in a blog post by Ryan Tate at Discipulus.  In the video, Francis Chan shares some simple but obvious thoughts about discipleship – what it is and what it is not.

Next, I was finishing up Love Does by Bob Goff on the same week (I shared about this book on my blog here).  Towards the end of the book, Bob offers his thoughts on Bible study:

What’s up with equating “Bible study” with knowing God anyway?  Wouldn’t it be a horrible thing if we studies the ones we loved instead of bonding in deeper ways by doing things with them?  I’d never want to get married to a girl no matter how much I studied her.  I’d rather take her sailing or fishing or eat cotton candy with her on a Ferris wheel.  I don’t think knowing what her name means in Greek is going to help me love her more.  In fact, they have a name for guys who just study things about a person they like but don’t do anything about it – they’re called bachelors.

So I started getting together with the same guys each week and instead of calling it a Bible study, we call it a “Bible doing.”  We’ve been at it for fifteen years now, and I’ve found there’s a big difference between the two.  At our Bible doing, we read what God has to say and then focus all of our attention on what we are going to do about it.  Just agreeing isn’t enough.  I can’t think of a single time where Jesus asked His friends to just agree with Him.

Finally, I was in church that Sunday morning when our guest pastor, Paul Williams, asked the question in his sermon – “What if we loved our neighbor as ourselves?”  In Paul’s sermon, he used the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) to point out that anyone and everyone is our neighbor.  Then he used the story of the Rich Young Man (Matthew 19:16-30) to remind us that we’re to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, and part of this is learning to love ourselves.  Finally, Paul turned to Matthew 22:15-40.  In this passage, the Pharisees and Sadducees are having a conversation with Jesus.  (These men were known to have the Bible (The Old Testament) memorized knowing every single law that was supposed to be followed.  At the end of this passage, Jesus answers questions thrown out with a famous passage, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  It’s that simple.  It doesn’t matter how much we know about the Bible if we’re not loving God and loving others with all we’ve got.

Bam!  Bam!  Bam!

Three times nailed over the head in a matter of 24 hours.  Do you think God was trying to tell me something?

The truth is I grew up in a pastor’s family.  I was known as the Bible geek in my freshman English class for knowing all the answers to the Bible questions.  I’ve even prided myself on the knowledge I’ve gained and retained along the way.  Knowledge is okay (and is important for maintaining a sound doctrine and for reminding us of Biblical truths and standards), but action is even more important.  James states it well:

Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  James 2:17

I get so tired of all the political back and forth that ebbs and flows and is especially loud during the key election years.  One side is trying to find the candidate who is the most Christian.  The other side is trying to find a government who will fix everything and create programs for our neighbors.  Wouldn’t it be a different world if Christians actually stepped up and loved their neighbors with action and not just words.  I think this is a challenge for all of us – including me.  And that’s how I’m being stretched right now!  I want my faith to be more than words.

How about you?  How are you loving your neighbor?  Is your faith and love for others based on words or based on action?

Ice Breaker – Note To Self 20 Years Ago

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Each week on The Stretched Blog, I ask an ice breaker question.  The questions are designed to help us get to know each other here in The Stretched Community.  I’ll provide my answer to the question here in the post, and then you can leave your response in the comments.  While you’re in the comments section, see how others answered the ice breaker question.

I’m going to try something a little different for this week’s ice breaker question.  I’ll be leaving my response on video.  This is a great opportunity for me to practice speaking / vlogging.  And it also provides an opportunity for The Stretched Community to see a different side of me.  Let me know what you think.  So here goes….

Question:  If you could tell yourself anything 20 years ago, what would you say?

My Answer:  You’ll have to watch the video below.

Answer this week’s ice breaker question by leaving a comment.  I look forward to reading your response!  (As always, feel free to share links.)  And keep STRETCHING!