The Prodigal Son – The Older Son

The painting above by Rembrandt depicts the story of The Prodigal Son.  In the forefront, you see the lost son being embraced by the loving father.  And I’m guessing that the middle figure in the back behind the father is the older son.  Here are some of my thoughts about this story.

A couple of weeks ago at my men’s group, we were discussing different parables that we liked and disliked.  We talked about different ones and what they meant.  One of the parables we talked about more extensively was The Parable of the Lost Son (or The Prodigal Son).  This story told by Jesus in Luke 15 is an amazing story about a runaway son who finds redemption, about a loving father who grants forgiveness, and about an older son who is conflicted by the happenings surrounding his brother and his father.

I love this story and I dislike the story all at the same time.  I love that we all are offered forgiveness and grace.  We have all screwed up, and our Father runs to us with open arms as we return to Him.  I identify with the older son who seems to have done everything correctly, but who sometimes feels lost in the shadows as those around me celebrate the stories of people who have “returned home” following a path of drunkenness, debauchery, and destruction.  I know this sounds selfish and shortsighted, and it is.  But it’s also an honest response.  I am so thankful for my upbringing, my early found faith, and my journey.  And I really don’t want any turmoil or trouble in my life that could come as a result of straying from God.  But there are times where I feel overlooked or undervalued because I don’t have a more colorful story of how I was lost but found Christ.

Just a window into my thoughts – enough whining!  Whether you relate to the younger son or the older son, we can all be thankful for God’s grace and forgiveness.  We can all experience redemption.  And I think this is why I ultimately love this story.  It convicts me of my own selfishness and jealousy, and it offers a clear hope for me.  You see, I believe the Father would do anything for both of the sons.  He loves both of them lavishly and completely.  God, my Father, loves me despite my junk.

Do you believe that?  How do you relate to this story?

Pile of Rocks

I’ve recently been thinking about blogging.  For me it often feels like when I get a chance to blog, I’m not inspired.  And when I’m inspired to blog, I don’t have time for writing.  I’m sure many bloggers and writers can relate to this paradox.  To be honest, I feel like I’ve bounced between these two ends of the spectrum – especially this past year.  I think this is the reason many “successful” bloggers are those who find the discipline to be consistent.  I guess I just haven’t hit my stride yet in this area.  I thrive on routine.  For example, I’ve been running just about every day for the past four months (and it’s paid off with a weight loss of ~27 pounds).  I have found a way to stay in God’s word on a daily basis.  This morning, my reading in Joshua 4 reminded me of an important aspect to my blogging.

¹ When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, ² “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, ³ and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

⁴ So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, ⁵ and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, ⁶ to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ ⁷ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

⁸ So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. ⁹ Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.

In a way, my blog is like the pile of rocks that the Israelites left on the bank of the Jordan.  Blogging reminds me of God’s faithfulness through the ups and downs of life.  It allows me to celebrate and remember life’s milestones.  It gives me a chance to reflect on life.  Maybe one day, it will be an opportunity to share with my children and grandchildren how God was working in this man’s life.

So why do you blog?  Why do you read this blog?

Sunny Side Up – Warriors for Tim

This past Thursday was a great day at my office.  Together with a few other co-workers, I helped to organize the 2nd Annual Sunny Side Up Breakfast Benefit to raise money and awareness for Warriors for Tim.  Warriors for Tim is an organization that was setup in honor of the son of a co-worker of mine.  Last year Tim lost his battle with H1N1.  Tim fought hard for 4 1/2 months down at CHOP in Philadelphia.  Warriors for Tim’s main goal is to raise funds to promote awareness about the urgent need for organ and tissue donors.  They are currently working towards a $100,000 fundraising goal that will fund a fitness center at the new Gift of Life Family House which is under construction in Philadelphia.

Our company banded together to make over 100 breakfast sandwiches and raise over $1,200 for this cause.  That means there will be a piece of fitness equipment that Siemens employees in Blue Bell are responsible for purchasing.  How exciting is that?

If you are not an organ donor, I would strongly recommend that you consider taking this step.  If you live in PA, NJ, or DE, you can easily sign up here.  And if you’re interested in donating to this worthwhile cause, you can donate on-line here.

I’m truly thankful for the amazing people I get to work with every day.  And I look forward to more adventures that we will have together in the future.

Here’s another picture to give you a feel for the day.

NAMI | NAMIWALKS

NAMI | NAMIWALKS.

Dear Friends and Family,

I am writing you today to tell you about an upcoming event that I am participating in that is both very important and very exciting to me.  NAMIWalks, the signature walkathon event of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is being held in  Blue Bell, PA at Montgomery County Community College on Sunday, May 22, 2011.

For those close to our family, this is not news, but this is definitely new for many of our friends.  And this letter and blog post definitely puts it out there in the open for our family.  My wife was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.  Thanks to the support of many family and friends, the marvel of medicine, and the faith that holds us together, we have been able to navigate these waters and see hope and healing both now and for the future.  We know that many do not have the same support structure that we have in place, and NAMI is an organization that we believe can help those who are going through some form of mental illness and help their family members as well.

Your support means the world to us as we embark on this adventure.  All four of us will be walking and we have a goal of raising $400 total.  Any part you can make in helping us to achieve this goal would be greatly appreciated.  So THANKS!

I would like to ask you to come and walk with me or to donate to support my participation in this great event. If you would like to register to walk with me, visit my team’s page at http://www.nami.org/namiwalks11/PHI/TRANSFORMERS. Or if you just want to make a donation to sponsor me, visithttp://www.nami.org/walkdonation.cfm?id=158586. Donating online is fast and secure, and I’ll get immediate notification via e-mail of your donation.

NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the largest education, support and advocacy organization that serves the needs of all whose lives are touched by these illnesses.  This includes persons with mental illness, their families, friends, employers, the law enforcement community and policy makers.  The NAMI organization is composed of approximately 1100 local affiliates, 50 state offices and a national office.

The goals of the NAMIWalks program are: to fight the stigma that surrounds mental illness, to build awareness of the fact that the mental health system in this country needs to be improved, and to raise funds for NAMI so that they can continue their mission.

NAMI is a 501(c)3 charity and any donation you make to support my participation in this event is tax deductible.  NAMI has been rated by Worth magazine as among the top 100 charities “most likely to save the world” and has been given an “A” rating by The American Institute of Philanthropy for efficient and effective use of charitable dollars.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Sincerely,
Jon Stolpe

Phantastic Experience At Philabundance

Last night, I had the privilege of visiting PhilAbundance in South Philadelphia.  PhilAbundance is an organization that is trying to stamp out hunger in our region.  I went down there with my family, and we truly had an amazing time.  We spent about an hour and a half packing 520 boxes full of 30 pounds of food that will go to feed elderly people in our area for two weeks.  The boxes included a couple of boxes of cereal, several cans of food, pasta, juice, powdered milk, peanut butter, and a few other items.  For the first part of our time there, I worked with Hannah to put boxes of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes in each box.  For the second half, I helped Leanne put cans of potatoes in each box.  It was pretty amazing to see what could be done with a warehouse, a conveyor belt, several pallets of food, and a bunch of willing volunteers.

As we were packing the boxes, Leanne asked if we thought we could live for two weeks on the food that was being packed in one of these boxes.  This question really made us think about the people who will be receiving these boxes.

Our adventure was spurred on by a service group that we are part of.  We meet twice each month to fellowship and to show God’s love in a practical way.  Our first meeting of the month is usually a pot luck style dinner with a smaller activity – like making cards for soldiers or filling eggs for an upcoming Easter Egg Hunt.  Our second meeting is usually something that requires more action.  PhilAbundance was the perfect place to put action to our words this month.  I hope to go back again – possibly with a group from my office.  I can’t wait to see what our group is up to next month.  If you’re in the Philly (specifically Perkiomen Valley area) and you’re wondering how you can get involve, shoot me a comment.  I’d be glad to share more.

Serve on!

Making Memories With Our Kids

Okay, I’m a proud dad.  I realize that I already posted this picture to facebook a week or two ago, but I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to brag again about my kiddos.  I took this picture while on the ferry between Ellis Island and The Statue of Liberty on President’s Day.  We really had a great time together as we journeyed up to North Jersey.  The trip was timed perfectly for what Hannah was learning in school.

I had never been to Ellis Island, so it was new territory for me.  You could easily spend a couple of days there.  We spent four hours or so.  There is so much to learn and see.  It was amazing to imagine being one of the twelve million immigrants who came through Ellis Island in the pursuit of making America their new home.  Getting off a boat after several weeks and stepping in line to wait my turn to find out if I would be accepted or rejected.

I’ve been to the Statue of Liberty before, but it was really cool to show it off to our kids.  Things have changed a bit since I was there pre-September 11th.  We had to go through a couple of security checks just to enter the pedestal.  We only made it up to the top of the pedestal as the stairwell to the crown was limited to a few select ticket holders.  It was still worth it though.  We had an opportunity to look back on Ellis Island and then to look across the harbor to the New York City skyline – forever changed by the events of 9/11.

Our kids really seemed to appreciate this adventure and the lessons from history.  We enjoyed making memories for our family that will last a lifetime.  Maybe next time, we’ll venture into the city to catch a show on Broadway, to visit Ground Zero, and to walk through Central Park, but for now I’m thankful for the time with my family.  Our kids are growing so quickly, and our opportunity to influence and to make a lasting positive impact on them as they are under our care will pass like a blink of the eye.  We want to make a difference in our parenting.  We want to pass along a legacy that they can carry to their kids (just like our parents have done for us).

What are you doing to create memories with your kids?  How will they remember the time they spent with their family?

I can’t wait for our next family adventure!

Cold Frame – A Gardening Update

I took this picture yesterday while working in the yard.  (Did I mention that I love to work outside in the yard?)  Isaac and I just finished making our first cold frame.  It’s a place to grow vegetables when the weather isn’t quite ready for growing outside.  We trash picked the storm window (my brother would be proud of me), and I had the rest of the material in my workshop.  The actual box is 45″ long by 33″ wide by 13″ high.  We used two-by-fours to build to structure, and we covered it with T-11 siding.  We added some molding on the top to finish it off nicely.  Then we primed it.  We added some hinges to the window for easy access.  After adding some dirt, Leanne planted some lettuce and spinach.  We should start seeing some sprouts in the next week.  Oh, I can’t wait to taste that first harvest of lettuce and spinach.

(As a side note, our cilantro and scallions are standing about 3″ tall inside, and our chives and lavender are just starting to poke through.)

St. Patrick’s Day is coming!  This is traditionally the first opportunity to plant some early vegetables outside.  I can’t wait!

How does your garden grow?

Family Night – Trading Places

I took this picture last night during our Friday Family Night.  Yes, that’s Hannah, and she’s dressed up like me.  We took an idea from Carlos Whittaker and family, and we had a blast!  At the start of the evening, everyone drew names out of a hat.  Isaac drew Leanne’s name, and Leanne drew Isaac’s name.  Obviously, Hannah drew my name, and I drew Hannah’s name.  Then each of us had to dress up like the person whose name they drew.  It was absolutely hilarious when everyone came down to the kitchen wearing someone else’s clothing.  I think Hannah took the prize for the funniest.  From there, we each had to make a personal pizza that looked like our person.  Here’s a picture of my pizza that I made to look like Hannah.

Notice the smile, the rosy cheeks, and the earrings.  It was really neat to see everyone’s creativity.  While we were eating dinner, we each shared something that we appreciated about our person.  It was humbling to listen to each other as we shared.  I definitely recommend this activity as a family – whether or not you do all the other stuff.

After dinner, we baked sugar cookies and decorated them to look like our person.  It was a sweet way to end the evening.

For some more inspiration, check out the video that Carlos put together of his families’ family night.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSJU2eKAKgY]

Metal Toes

I took this picture inside the pedestal museum at the base of the Statue of Liberty when our family visited there for President’s Day last month.

Sometimes I wish I had metal toes.  This seems like a crazy wish, but let me explain.

I like to run.  Or maybe I should say, I like to eat, so I need to run to keep my net calories in check.

For whatever reason, God gave me soft feet and fragile toes.  My second toe on each foot is a little longer than my big toes, so these toes tend to take a beating as I ramp up my mileage.  Inevitably, my toe nails turn black and blue and then my toe nail falls off.  It’s quite a “fun” process.

So I’m thinking that if I had metal toes like the ones shown above, I wouldn’t have to deal with the whole black and blue/nail loss thing.

How about you?  If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Psalm 139:14

On The Right Track

I took this picture before the start of Isaac’s last Pinewood Derby.  It was a fun morning, and Isaac took 3rd place overall to our surprise.

I like this picture.  It kind of reminds me of the importance of being on the right track.  It is so easy to get on the wrong track through the distractions of life.  We often let the busyness of life steer us of course and away from where our focus should rest.  Whether we get caught up in work or we get sidelined by some sort of defeat or setback or we get distracted by some sort of hobby, we all can find ourselves on the wrong track.

I think the author of Hebrews had this in mind when he wrote the first three verses of Hebrews 12.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

By keeping our focus on Jesus, we are sure to be on the right track.