Stranger In A Strange Land

The night we arrived in Guatemala, our family walked to the center of Xenacoj to enjoy the closing night in the annual Santo Domingo Xenacoj Festival.  The festival features carnival rides, music, games, and a crowded market.  As we walked through the market on the way to Central Park, it was clear I was out-of-place.  Navigating the narrow walking paths through the market, I had to duck my head to get under the tarps that had been hung to protect the market goers from rain and sun.  I immediately began to hear giggles and see people laughing and pointing at me.  People were saying “Muy alto!” or “Mas alto!” or “Gringo!” as I waded through the crowds of people.

I was white.  They were brown.

I was 6’6″.   They were 5’3″.

I was strange.

This continued to happen the whole time we were in Guatemala.  It was almost like I was a celebrity alien from a distant and very different world.

It can be easy to be a stranger in a strange land.  I look different.  I sound different.  I probably even smell different.

At home in the United States, it’s a different story.

I look the same.  I sound the same.  I smell the same.

But I’m called to be different.  This is not my home.  In 1 Peter, we are reminded that we are called to live differently:

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.  Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.  I Peter 2:11-17

We all want to fit in.  As I have returned back to the United States, it’s easy to slip back into the patterns and attitudes of those around me.  It’s easy to go with the flow.  To a certain extent, this is important.  I need to do my work.  I need to relate to those around me.  As a follower of Christ, I’m also supposed to be different.  Paul reminds us in his letter to the Romans that we should live transformed lives.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:2

There’s a song that we used to sing in church…”They will know we are Christians by our love.”  I want people to know there is something different about me.  I want to be a reflection of God’s love.  I want to point people to Christ through my words, attitudes, and actions.  When people meet Jon Stolpe, I want them to say to themselves “There’s something different about him.  I want to find out more.”

We spend so much time trying to fit in.  Maybe we should put more effort into being strange.

How do people know there is something different about you?

Have you ever been to a place where you were considered strange?

Denny

A few weeks ago, I learned that someone my age passed away.  Seventeen and a half years ago, we had worked together for our former employer.  We both put in long hours.  We learned a lot through the experience.  I left the company when the company went through some traumatic events and changes right before I got married.  And he stuck it out as the company emerged like a phoenix from the ashes.  I learned yesterday that he stayed at the company for a total of twenty years before jumping over to my company.  He spent his last two years working in a different office and department, so I had no idea.  It would have been nice to reconnect after so many years.

I’m not sure how or why he died.  After doing some investigation, I learned that he did have a young son.  It doesn’t appear that he was married.  There are so many things I’d like to know.

Life has a funny way of reminding us that life is fleeting and relationships matter.  At the age of 41, it seems unfair that he would depart from the world leaving his son without a father.  But I guess I’m reminded that life is short.  We’re not guaranteed an extra year, an extra day, an extra minute.  His passing is a reminder to make the most of my life.  His passing also reminds me that relationships matter.  We lost touch as soon as I left the company.  Life can be like that.  People come and go from our lives.  In some regards that is natural.  But his passing reminded me that each and every relationship matters.  I don’t want to take my relationships for granted.  I pray that my interactions today would be intentional – that I would live and respond as if its urgent.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,
    but the word of our God endures forever.  Isaiah 40:8

God, thanks for Denny.  Comfort his family.  Help me to be intentional with my life and my relationships.  Thank you for today.

What is one thing you can do today to be intentional with your life and relationships?

Of Thunderstorms And Dreams

I woke up a few weeks ago a little groggy thanks to a dream and a storm that woke me up in the early hours of the morning.  The thunderstorm shook the house for a while as I could hear the storm approaching and passing.  It sounded like a drummer pounding the drum head in the sky for thirty or more minutes.  As it passed by, I eventually fell back asleep.

A short time later, a dream woke me up.  In my dream, someone shared some disturbing news with me which led me to breakdown in tears.  And then I woke up again.  As I laid in bed, I reminded myself that it was just a dream, and I began to pray.

I wonder if this was just a coincidence or if God was sending me the storm and the dream as a reminder.  Do I believe that God still speaks today?  Yes.  I believe He speaks through His Word – The Bible.  I believe He can speak through life’s circumstances and surroundings.  But does He speak through storms and dreams in the middle of the night?  It’s a good question.

I’m not an expert on dreams (can you tell?).  But I’m thinking that our dreams are sometimes simply a response to our fatigue level, the happenings of the previous day, and the pizza we ate the night before.  But my hunch is that God can and does still speak to us through our dreams.  If that’s the case, does this mean that one of my loved ones is in trouble?  Or is it simply a reminder to reach out to this person and to pray for them more regularly?  More questions.

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

Psalm 91

This Takes Faith

This is a picture of Dave Sgro and one of the kids we had the privilege of serving while we were in Guatemala earlier this month.  Dave is a missionary and founder of GO! Ministries.  He was a very successful businessman by most people’s perspective when God and Guatemala grabbed his heart.  Dave took a huge leap of faith when he sold everything and moved his family to Guatemala a few years ago.  Now, he’s turning his attention, ideas, and dreams to the people of Guatemala.  It was a blessing for our family to see his faith as we worked together for a week.

Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 5:16-18

 

This takes faith.

When we hit speed bumps in our lives – health problems, financial problems, material problems, etc. – it’s easy to become bitter and discouraged.  I see it every day at work as team members become frustrated by the ever-changing demands of a project, a schedule, or a customer.  I see it in the news where people in our country and in other countries are fighting against each other verbally and physically.  And I even see it at home from time to time when we get tired, when we face a hardship of one kind or another, or when things start breaking down.

Paul reminds us that things on earth – things that we see – are temporary.

Yet we put so much energy and stock into these things.  We try to build bigger bank accounts and bigger homes.  We try to keep up with the Jones’ and the Smiths’ with our cars, toys, and other material items.

When will we learn to put our energy into the things that matter?

When we die, there’s only a couple of things coming with us.  I’m guessing that our memories will somehow come with us (although that’s just a guess on my part).  The only other thing I can think of is relationships – we can bring others to heaven by inviting them in – by introducing them to Christ.  Yet we live as if there’s no urgency to this.  We keep pushing and pushing and pushing to get the next promotion, the next financial windfall, or the next achievement.  When will we learn that God wants our hearts?  When will we live for things that will last?

God, give me your eyes.  Help me to live for things that matter.  Help me to build relationships.  Help me to actively share my faith in words and deeds, so others might know you.  Thank you for the reminder today.  I will not lose heart!

What are you building with your life that will last?  How might your life be transformed by living like this?

Ice Breaker – Rise and Shine

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.

Question:  What time did you get up this morning?

My Answer:  4:30AM

Many people ask me what time I get up in the morning.  On a typical morning, I run, I blog, I spend time in God’s Word, I eat breakfast, and I get ready for work.  All this happens before I leave for the office at 7:00AM.

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!

Also don’t forget to sign up for the weekly Stretched newsletter.  Check out this post to find out how to sign up.

Reminders From The Optometrist

A couple of weeks ago, I had an appointment with the optometrist.

When I was in first grade, I had to get glasses.  I was farsighted.  I’m not an eye doctor, but I apparently needed glasses to correct my vision.  Believe it or not, I was able to abandon the glasses around sixth or seventh grade when eye tests showed that my vision had corrected.  Amazing!  Eye tests in high school and college actually showed that I had better than 20/20 vision.

Here’s a picture of me in third grade sporting my Bob Griese brown plastic framed glasses.

After an initial eye exam sixteen or seventeen years ago when my wife and I got married, I went many years without a return visit to the optometrist.  That changed last year when I started dealing with migraine headaches.  Someone suggested that I visit the eye doctor.  My vision was still pretty good, but I had apparently reached the age in which reading glasses would be helpful.  (If you’re not 40 yet, just wait.)

My visit to the optometrist a couple of weeks ago confirmed that my eyes were continuing to change ever so slightly and a new prescription would be helpful for reading and computer use.  So my vision is apparently getting worse.  And I would suspect that this will continue for the rest of my physical life.

As I was thinking about how our bodies breakdown and wear out as we age, I was reminded of these words from the apostle Paul:

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  2 Corinthians 4:7

The note in my bible says, “It was customary to conceal treasure in clay jars, which had little value or beauty and did not attract attention to themselves and their precious contents.  Here they represent Paul’s human frailty and unworthiness.”

There’s no question that our bodies are frail (see my post from a few weeks ago about  a visit with my Grandma).  I’m sure it’s not just my eye sight that is beginning to break down.  We’re not getting any younger.  Right?

The beautiful thing is that this verse reminds us that despite our human frailty, we have access to unending power and strength.  God’s grace is sufficient for each one of us.

So I’m hoping my new glasses will be a reminder to depend on God.  He’s all I need.

God, thank you for this new day.  Give me your vision.  Thank you for supplying all my needs, and thanks for the reminder through a simple visit to the eye doctor.  Today, I ask that you’d be with those who need eye care but don’t have it.  Use your followers to help those around the world in meeting this physical need.  More importantly, open my eyes to those around me who need Your vision.  Use me to point them to You – the ultimate optometrist.

Do you wear glasses or contact lenses?  What physical aging sign are you experiencing that can point you to God?

Riding My Bike Without Any Hands

The other night as I was heading over to the VFW to drop Isaac off for scouts, I noticed a man riding his bicycle in the 95 degree heat.  As he approached a straight away with no traffic, the man took his hands off the handlebars and sat up in this saddle.

When I was younger, I loved to ride my bike with no hands.  There was something unbelievably freeing about taking my hands off the handlebars and basking in the breeze as my bike traveled down the road or trail.

Today, it scares me to take my hands off the handlebars.  I’m sure most of it is my lack of confidence in my own balance.  My center of gravity and my sense of coordination has changed since I was a kid.  Generally, I don’t want to give up control of the bicycle, and I certainly don’t want to risk a crash.

Carrie Underwood sings “Jesus Take The Wheel” as a reminder to let God be in the driver seat.  Maybe that’s a message I need to hear, because quite frankly, I like to be in control of my life.  I like to have my hands on the handlebars of my life trusting that I can guide my path.

The reality is God knows best and is a far better driver than me.

How would my life look different if I gave God the steering wheel?  I’m guessing my direction would be better, and I’d be more likely to enjoy the ride of life.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.  Galatians 5:13

God, I confess to You that I want to be in control.  So often I let this desire get in the way of the life You have for me.  Thank You for the reminder to give You the steering wheel.  I ask You to guide and direct me, and I pray that my eyes would be open to ways that I can serve others in love.  Thanks for sending Your Son so that I could experience this freedom.

Are you a control freak?  In your life, what do you need to turn over to God for His control?

Xenacoj – Responding to Naysayers, Doubters, and Inquisitors

We’ve received a lot of encouragement and positive comments in response to our short-term missions trip to Santo Domingo Xenacoj in Guatemala.  Honestly, this is not the reason for going on this trip.  While it has been nice to get some positive feedback, our trip wasn’t meant to bring the praises of man.

I guess I wasn’t totally surprised when we heard some positive comments and encouragement related to our trip.  But I was a little surprised by some of the comments and questions that came as a result of our trip.

Seriously, here are some of the comments and questions that I received before and after the trip:

• Why would you go to Guatemala (or any other foreign country) when there are people in the United States who need help?
• How do you justify asking people to help fund a missions trip when you surely must make enough money to fund such a trip?
• What’s the purpose of a short-term missions trip?  Are you just trying to make yourself feel good?
• That’s good for you and your family, but we could never do something like that.
• I tried volunteering, but it didn’t end up the way I wanted.  I’m glad it’s working out for you though.

It’s hard to know how to respond.  I certainly don’t want to come across as “holier than thou.”  I have plenty of faults and things to work out.  And to be honest, I’m still figuring it out.

But here are some of my thoughts:

First, I agree.  There are plenty of people in need right here in the United States.  In fact, there are plenty of people in need right in our area.  Our family does try to serve locally.  And I would encourage everyone to find a place to serve in their communities.  Check out soup kitchens, nursing homes, and food pantries to start.  But trust me, as Americans, we are all part of the top 1% of the wealthiest people in the world.  Visiting a third world country can open ones eyes to how most people live in the world.  I’m confident that our family was made a difference while we were in Guatemala, but I’m also certain that the people of Guatemala made a huge impact on our family.

As for fundraising, this was a tough part of our trip for me.  If you know our story, Leanne and I were scheduled to go to Kenya three years ago.  We had raised nearly $8,000 to cover the of the trip when we had to cancel the trip due to health concerns.  So many friends and family had donated generously to our trip, and we didn’t have trip insurance, so we pretty much lost everything that people had contributed.  Asking again three years later seemed like quite a risk to me.  What would people think?  It was a tough decision that required faith.  The other side of it was related to my pride.  Yes, God has blessed me with a good job.  An engineer in the United States surely makes more money than many, but here’s the reality – it would be pretty challenging for us to pay for this trip on our own.  Was I embarrassed to ask for funds to help with this trip?  Yes.  Maybe.  But there are reasons that we could not afford such a trip without a little help that don’t necessarily require justification.  Past financial decision.  Current giving habits and commitments.  The cost of raising a family in our area.  All of these things and more could be used as justification for our decision to ask for support.  But there’s a little more to this decision.  Many people in our area aren’t ready to take a trip to Guatemala (or any other strange land), but they want to help.  I hope that we were able to give people a sense that they were helping.  I also help that we inspired people to consider how they might take their own next leap of faith.

Before this trip and definitely after the trip, I felt a renewed sense of calling to my job and to our area.  There are plenty of lost people in our area who need Christian influencers in their lives.  A short-term missions trip certainly doesn’t solve all the problems of a third world country or village.  But it does make a difference.  As I stated before, the trip made a huge difference in our family.  Trust me, our kids have a different and broader view of life, poverty, thanksgiving, and love as a result of this trip.  The Bible is clear that we are called to go into ALL nations baptizing and teaching people to follow Christ.  Following the Great Commission requires some stretching.  A short-term missions trip may be just what you need to get a new perspective on life.  It will stretch you beyond your comfort zone, and it will open your eyes to a whole new world in need of God’s love.

Yes.  It is good for our family.  But it can be good for you too.  You can go to Guatemala, but you can also serve right where you are.  Don’t become paralyzed by the patterns and temptations of this world.  Get outside your comfort zone.  Make a decision today to help someone who really needs help.

Stop making excuses.  Stop living through others.  It doesn’t matter how old or young, how fat or skinny, how rich or poor, or how cool or not you are.  You can make a difference.  You can do something to forever change the lives of others.  You can serve.  Don’t let another day go by without making a decision to be a change agent for someone in need.

I’m sure we’ll get other questions along the way.  I’m sure I’m still figuring it out.  But I’d rather be active, uncomfortable, and stretched than inactive, lazy, and full of excuses.

Choose today to make a difference in someone’s life.  Maybe it means overseas missions.  Maybe it means going next door.  Don’t wait to have all the answers.  Don’t wait for things to fit cleanly in a nice box.  Serving can be messy, but it’s so worth it!

What can you do today to make a difference for someone in need?

Book Review: Wooden (Coach John Wooden)

A friend of mine passed along this book to me before I left for Guatemala last week.  I read through most of the book on the way to Guatemala, and I finished it up on the way home.  It’s an easy read, and it’s broken up into bite size thoughts and stories.

Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court by Coach John Wooden is a collection of stories and thoughts from the famous UCLA basketball coach.  Each story and thought point to a common sense approach to succeeding in life and leadership.  In the book, John Wooden shares how he was influenced by his parents, his teachers, his players, and his family to develop his definition of success and his overall view on life.

This is a book that I will reference again and again.  It will make a great addition to my office leadership library, and it’s a book I would recommend to anyone who wants to be successful in leadership and life.

My book is full of highlights and notes.  Wooden is a wise man who has clearly learned from life.  Here are just a few of my favorite quotes from the book:

Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating.  Youngsters need good models more than they need critics.

By applying yourself to the task of becoming a little better each and every day over a period of time, you will become a lot better.

You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation.

Perfection is what you are striving for, but perfection is an impossibility.  However, striving for perfection is not an impossibility.  Do the best you can under the conditions that exist.  That is what counts.

Success is peace of mind that is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.

As a sports fan, I appreciated the sports related stories that appear throughout the book.  As a student of life and leadership, Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court offers so much great advice and information to chew on and digest.

What is one thing that you have observed about life that deserves sharing?  Share it here!

Sign up for the weekly Stretched newsletter.  Check out this post to find out how to sign up.

Ice Breaker – 5 Songs On Your Playlist

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.

This week, I revisit an Ice Breaker from the archives.  The cool thing about some of the ice breaker questions is that sometimes the answers will change based on your life experience.  My answers this time are a little different this time around.

Question:  Name 5 songs that you would put on your playlist right now.

My Answer: Check out this 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!

Also don’t forget to sign up for the weekly Stretched newsletter.  Check out this post to find out how to sign up.

(And here are the links to my songs:  Oceans, 10,000 Reasons, Where The Streets Have No Name, Home, and All The Poor And Powerless)