Great Expectations

When I was a young kid, my expectations ran high this time of the year – especially on Christmas Eve.  I was so excited to find out what presents waited for me under the Christmas tree.  I can remember laying down in front of the Christmas tree next to my brother as we looked at the tree together.  We would both wonder out loud what was under the wrapping paper.  Perhaps, we were making sure we didn’t peak.  Part of me really wanted to know, and part of me wanted to wait as long as possible to unwrap my gifts, because I didn’t want the feeling of hope and expectation to end.

When I was a teenager, I went to all four Christmas Eve services with my Dad.  I wanted to be at the Christmas Eve services to soak in the euphoria of the Christmas songs and the Christmas candle light.  I appreciated the opportunity to ride back from the eleven o’clock service together.  The ten minute drive from the church to our house was just enough time to reflect and quietly soak in the Christmas lights as we headed home together.  I liked going to the late service as it meant I was pretty tired when we arrived home.  I would fall asleep quickly after I slipped into bed.

The next morning, my expectation level rose to a crescendo as my brothers and I impatiently hurried my parents out of bed so we could open presents.  Sometimes we would eat our rice pudding first before opening gifts, but I seem to remember the rice pudding coming later more often than not.  We took turns opening our presents one at a time.  First, my youngest brother, Erik, opened a present.  Then, my brother, David, opened a present.  My turn was next followed by my parents.  We would take turns in this rotation until all the presents were unwrapped.  We took our time going through this routine.  It wasn’t rushed.  It was relished.  We expressed our appreciation for each gift.  We took pictures.  And we dreamed out loud about how we would use this new gift.  “I will enjoy reading this book by the fire at night.”  “I needed a new pair of pajamas, and these are perfect.”  “I always wanted a skillet with this kind of handle.”  “This gift will always remind me of so and so.”

Things have changed over the years.  I’m not sure if I have become callous to the season.  The build up towards Christmas used to be filled with stories of wise men, shepherds, a virgin, a carpenter, and a baby king.  And now, it seems like these stories and this build up gets too easily crowded out by a rush to finish Christmas shopping, to send out the Christmas cards, and to continue with the other things that normally occupy our schedules.  My level of expectation during this time is not always the same.  I certainly expect the time off to rest and recharge.  I like the opportunity to give gifts to my kids and to others.  And I still like driving around to look at Christmas lights after Christmas Eve services.  Yet it can be challenging to disengage from the busyness of every day life long enough to appreciate the season in the same way I once did.

Yesterday, I was eating breakfast with a good friend of mine.  He mentioned that his five-year old daughter was having trouble waiting to open the presents under the tree.  I laughed.  And we talked about how refreshing it must be to have a little one in the house during Christmas time as it provides us the opportunity to see Christmas again through the eyes of a child.

Perhaps, we need to reexamine our expectations.  And maybe, we need to look at Christmas through difference eyes – through child-like eyes.  Christmas is a time for great expectations.  It is a time to celebrate the coming of our Savior and to look ahead to His return.

“The thrill of hope – a weary world rejoices…”

We live in a world where many of us our weary from the pushes and pulls of our busy lives.  We need to the hope of our Savior.  And knowing this hope should bring us a thrill like nothing else.  It should renew our expectation for what is to come.  It should alter our perspective on Christmas.

As I think again about Christmas, I wonder what expectations Mary had as she journeyed with Joseph to Bethlehem.  I wonder about the expectations of the wise men as they traveled from afar in hopes of finding a great king.  I wonder what the shepherds were thinking as they left their fields and headed into Bethlehem to follow the instructions of the angels.  Were they scared?  Maybe.  Were they anxious?  I wonder.  Were they excited?  I bet.

May we all healthy expectations as we head celebrate Christmas and look to the year ahead!

What are your expectations for this holiday season?  What are you expecting in the year ahead?

A Cry For Peace

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.  He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:6-7

These days it seems like we’re a far cry from true peace.  Our world is full of senseless violence.  People are fighting.  War wages in different places across the world.  Meanwhile in our homes, we run from one activity to the next leaving little opportunity to catch a breath.  Kids are bickering.  Parents are yelling.  We leave no chance for peace to permeate our lives.

Just look at the news from yesterday – Massacre in Pakistan, a family shot to death in my own community, Siege in Sydney.  And it goes on from there.  Our world seems to be a long way away from the peace described in Isaiah.

If you come from a more traditional church background, you probably will be lighting the fourth candle on the church’s advent wreath this weekend.  It will be the fourth Sunday of Advent.  Many people around the world will be talking about peace.  Isaiah talks about an everlasting peace that will come when Christ, the Prince of Peace, returns to rule.  I long for that peace.  May you and I find a glimmer of peace this season as we anticipate Christ’s return.

Do you crave peace?  How will you pursue peace in the week ahead?

Ice Breaker – Peacemaker

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 always looking for Ice Breaker question ideas.  If you have an idea, send me an email at jon@jonstolpe.com.  If I use your question, I’ll give you credit and share your links.)

This past Sunday was the second Sunday of Advent.  Many churches around the world celebrated Advent by lighting this second candle.  The second candle represents PEACE.  This provides the inspiration for today’s Ice Breaker.  Be sure to read a few more comments after my answer to today’s question.  Then leave your answer in the comment.

Question:  Where do you need to make peace in your home, at your job, or in another area of your life?

My Answer:  This has the potential to be one of the deeper ice breaker questions.  In fact, it’s probably way past the threshold of breaking the ice.  I feel like I try to be a peacemaker in my home, but I could do a better job making peace by going to bat more often for my wife as she interacts with our kids.  We have entered the stage of parenthood where our kids are teenagers, and they are smarter than we are (at least that’s what they think).  Sometimes, my kids don’t follow through when they are asked by my wife to do things.  I could do a better job of backing her.

At my job, I feel like I am often called upon to be the peacemaker between my project managers and their customers when an impasse develops related to scope of work.  I like this aspect of my job as it often seems like I get to come in and save the day for one side or the other.

I often keep my thoughts to myself when it comes to some of the controversial social issues where there is conflict.  In some cases, this happens because I am not fully informed, and in other cases, it is simply to avoid further conflict.  More than anything, my responsibility as a Christ follower is to point people to the ultimate peacemaker.  When I speak up, I want to make sure this is where I’m directing people.

Many think of Advent as being a time to get ready for Christmas.  I guess it is to some degree.  We set up our nativity, our tree, and other decorations during this time.  But Advent was not really meant to focus on Christmas.  It is a tradition created to help us think about Christ coming again.  He is often referred to as the Prince of Peace – the ultimate peacemaker.

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!

Ice Breaker – Holiday Hope

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 always looking for Ice Breaker question ideas.  If you have an idea, send me an email at jon@jonstolpe.com.  If I use your question, I’ll give you credit and share your links.)

This past Sunday was the first Sunday of Advent.  Many churches around the world celebrated Advent by lighting this first candle.  The first candle represents HOPE.  This provides the inspiration for today’s Ice Breaker.  Be sure to read a few more comments after my answer to today’s question.  Then leave your answer in the comment.

Question:  What are you hoping for this Christmas season?

My Answer:  I’m hoping for a Red Rider BB Gun.  Just kidding.  I’m hoping for some time off from work when I can rest, relax, recharge, and spend time with my family.  This is actually on my agenda for the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.  I value this time as it is often the time that I recalibrate myself before heading into the new year.

Many think of Advent as being a time to get ready for Christmas.  I guess it is to some degree.  We set up our nativity, our tree, and other decorations during this time.  But Advent was not really meant to focus on Christmas.  It is a tradition created to help us think about Christ coming again.  This is the reason for our HOPE.

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!

ADVENTure Day 19

ADVENTure Day 19

Are you happy?  Tell your face.

Many of us (myself included) walk around with a scowl on our face.  We don’t laugh.  We rarely smile.  Yet when people ask us how we’re doing, we reply “Great!” or “Good!” or “Fine!”

Are we lying?  Or have we just forgotten how to express our happiness?

According the Webster’s dictionary, joy is a feeling of great happiness.

This season is supposed to be a happy, joyful season, but many of us don’t look very happy.

It’s time we wake up and remind ourselves to smile – to remember why we have reason to be joyful.

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.  Proverbs 15:13

ADVENTure Activity:  Look in the mirror.  Smile at yourself.  Now go and make someone else smile.

ADVENTure Question:  When was the last time you laughed so hard you nearly wet yourself?

ADVENTure Day 18

Weeping May Come For A Night But Joy Comes In The Morning

Let’s face it. There are things in this world that get us down.

It can be a challenge to find joy in our lives when our car is broken down. Or when we’re dealing with broken relationships. Or when we’re sick or someone we know and love is fighting for their lives. Or when we lose our job. Or when we can’t pay our bills.

I could go on and on. Joy is often the farthest thing from our minds when we are going through things like this.

But here is the exciting thing…are you ready?

We are promised joy!

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. (Psalms 30:5 NLT)

And this is what Advent is all about. We may deal with the “crap” of life…things will make us weep, doubt, and even shake our head or fist. But there is good news.

Christ is coming back!

There will be indescribable joy when this happens. This is something worth looking towards.

ADVENTure Activity: Think of five things you are looking forward to in the next year. How will these things bring you joy?

ADVENTure Question: Why are you weeping today?

ADVENTure Day 16

On Saturday, Leanne and I were out finishing up some Christmas shopping when we ran into Santa Claus.  We had seen him earlier in the day at Wegmans (our local grocery store), so we were surprised to see him again at a different store several miles away.  We have not done the whole “Santa thing” for our kids.  Before you call me a Scrooge, I hope you’ll listen to my story.

At the second store, Santa was talking to a little boy.  The conversation went something like this:

Santa:  “Hello, what is your name, little boy?”

Little Boy:  “My name is Billy.  I talked to you this week on the phone.  My Mom helped me call you.”

Santa:  “Oh, yes.  I remember.  It’s great to meet you in person, Billy.  Have you been a good boy?”

Little Boy:  “Yes.  I’ve been a good boy, Santa.”

Santa:  “Well, this is good to hear.  I know you told me on the phone, but what is it you want for Christmas?  I forgot, and I want to make sure I have it right on my list.”

The conversation went on for a couple more minutes before the little boy rejoined his father at the check-out.  The boy was grinning from ear to ear, and so were many of the customers who had just witnessed this conversation.

This little interaction got me thinking.  Those who dress up as Santa Claus at Christmas time have a big responsibility.  They represent the hopes and dreams of little boys and girls all over the world.  The Santa at this store did a great job carrying the expectations of this little boy.  And it was incredible to see the joy on his face following this conversation.

As Christians, we have a big responsibility as well.  We represent Christ and other Christ followers to a lost and broken world.  People will often decide to pursue Christ based on the actions of Christians.  Are they (are we) real?  Do they (do we) represent the message of Christ with integrity?  Do we give people a reason to expect great things?  Just as this store version of Santa has an important legacy to represent to kids who come into his store, we have a very important legacy and message to represent to everyone.  Let’s take this responsibility seriously, and let’s represent Christ well.

ADVENTure Activity:  Make a list.  In your opinion, who represents Christ well?  What have they done to be included on your list?

ADVENture Question:  What is something you can do today to represent Christ well?  Why do you think this is important when you think about Advent and Christmas?

The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.  Proverbs 10:28

ADVENTure Day 15

Today is the third Sunday of Advent.  Many churches will be switching their focus to JOY.

Last weekend, our family watched National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.  Joy isn’t the first word that comes to mind when I think of this movie.  The movie is more about dysfunctional family humor most of us can relate to in one way or the other.  There is however a scene in the movie when Clark Griswold (played by Chevy Chase) bursts out in a “stirring” rendition of Joy to the World as he gets ready to plug in the outdoor Christmas lights for the family.  If you remember the scene, Clark has worked for hours attaching lights to every square inch of his house.  He staples them to the roof.  He staples them to the gutters.  He wraps them around the chimney.  He wants to make sure the Griswold family has the best Christmas ever, and part of this includes have the brightest house in the neighborhood.  After hours and hours of labor, he is ready for the “house lighting ceremony” with his family.  And this is when he begins.to sing.  Clark is so excited to show off the fruits of his labor.  Perhaps, Joy to the World is the best way he had to express his joy and expectation as he prepared to light the house.

It’s my understanding Joy to the World was not actually written as a Christmas hymn.  It was an expression of thoughts by Isaac Watts after he read Psalm 98.  The song was written in expectation of Christ’s second coming.  ADVENTure is all about expectation.  Do we have our expectations centered in the right place?  Do our expectations cause us to well up with joy?  These are questions worth pondering today.

ADVENTure Activity:  Think about a time when you were expecting something.  What were your feelings and emotions during this time?  Tell someone about your experience.  Feel free to share in the comments.

ADVENTure Question:  During this Christmas season, what are you expecting?  What gives you joy?

Sing to the Lord a new song,
    for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
    have worked salvation for him.
The Lord has made his salvation known
    and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered his love
    and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen
    the salvation of our God.

ADVENTure Day 11

Today’s ADVENTure post comes from Bill Grandi.  Bill is a pastor in the great state of Indiana.  He blogs regularly at CycleGuy’s Spin, and he has become a friend over the past couple of years thanks to the wonders of the blogosphere.  Today, he offers a post to get you thinking about your ADVENTure from a different angle.

(If you’re interesting in guest posting as part of the ADVENTure series or in general, please leave me a comment.  I’d love to connect with you.  Thanks!)

It is said everyone has a story. Here is part of my Christmas one.

I grew up in what was commonly known as the projects in West Mifflin, PA. They were nothing more than glorified low income housing units built for the steel workers during the war. My father grew up in Fort Wayne, IN, was the product of an abusive home, and joined the Navy.  After his discharge he attended Findlay College for a year or two for journalism, but dropped out in order to marry my mother. My mother was raised by godly parents and her desire was to be a missionary. We always joked because her mission field wound up being 4 sons (all of whom are serving the Lord today). They moved back to her hometown and found housing in the projects. We moved to the one I remember most because it was while living there that my father lost his job as a yard clerk on the railroad. Times were lean…no make that very lean. Mom went to work in a mom & pop grocery store. Dad was jobless for several years, until my aunt eventually paid for him to go to computer school to learn the growing field of computers. That was the time computers were as big as a house and took huge rooms kept almost frigid to house them.

Through it all my mom’s faith upheld her. My dad was nominal at best, but my mother’s faith was real and deep. She made sure Christmas was special in more ways than one. While they were both conscious of the “material” aspect of Christmas, mom made sure we knew the deeper story of Christmas. Yes, we had Santa Claus. Yes, we had lights and a tree and trains (those was my father’s responsibilities). But I had a mother (and grandparents) who made sure we knew what Christmas was all about. I learned early on that it did not depend on what you did/did not receive, or what others got that you didn’t. I learned how important it was to be grateful for whatever it was I received, whether I asked for it or not. Even after my father found a computer job, that focus never changed.

I have a lot of good memories from Christmas morning-of games being played; of breakfast being eaten before we could even open a gift; of staring in amazement at the sight that greeted my eyes (when we went to bed there was N-O-T-H-I-N-G); but most importantly of loving parents who sacrificed so their children could have a “nice” Christmas.

ADVENTURE Question:  What do you remember from your early years which shaped your impression of Christmas, and is still affecting you today?

ADVENTure Activity: Do you know a family you can reach out to who may have run into some tough times lately? Do they have children whom you can help them with? Can you help them anonymously? Do something.

ADVENTure Day 10

When I was in college, I visited many of the area churches on Sunday mornings.  I went to the local Baptist church, the local Presbyterian church, the local Methodist church, and many other churches.  One church I visited fairly often was the local Christian Missionary Alliance (C.M.A.) church.  Many college students attended this church.  The services were somewhat contemporary, and they did a great job including students from our college in the worship from time to time.

The C.M.A. church had a tradition called I think they called a Love Feast.  I was there when they did it once or twice.  During the service, they brought out baskets of bread.  I don’t remember if they passed out the bread or if you came to the front to pick up a couple of pieces of bread.  As I remember the Love Feast, everyone stood up and walked around the sanctuary or auditorium.  They approached someone in the congregation they knew and selected to receive a piece of bread.  As they gave them a piece of bread, they would share something they loved about the other person.  The recipient would then eat the piece of bread.  It was simple and powerful.

I remember seeing people crying throughout this “sacrament” of love.  I’m sure there were people who were going through reconciliation.  Others were simply being encouraged.  It was a time of healing.  I time of hope.  And I time of love.

Christ came to provide healing, hope, and love to a broken world.  He set the example for reconciliation and forgiveness.  This Love Feast was an opportunity to experience and share this love with others.

As we celebrate Advent, it should be a time of healing, hope, and love.

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.  2 Corinthians 5:16-20

ADVENTure Activity:  With whom do you need to pursue reconciliation?  Take a step this week towards reconciliation.

ADVENTure Question:  How have you experienced reconciliation with someone?  How did it feel?  Were you pursued or did someone else pursue you?