My wife is getting our Christmas list together. In fact, she has already started listening to Christmas music. It seems a bit early to me, but I was reminded by a recent correspondence that it is time to get ready for the Christmas season.
This brings me to today’s post. I suppose it is more of a challenge.
My friend, Dave Sgro, has been working and serving in the village of Santo Domingo Xenacoj in Guatemala for the past several years. Each year, he has been conducting a Christmas giveaway for the children in the village. It started out small, and it has grown to a few thousand. This year, GO Ministries (Dave’s mission organization) has expanded into a nearby village. They plan to giveaway Christmas gifts to 7,000 children. This is a major endeavor with tremendous opportunities to touch the lives of children and their families.
Your help is important to make this happen. And you’ll need to act fast in order to pull this off for a late December giveaway. Check out Dave’s video and instructions below for more details.
These gifts will go to kids I have played with and served the past three years in Guatemala. You will make a difference if you decide to help out.
Here’s a list of the items Dave is looking for in each shoe box:
CHRISTMAS ITEMS (Remove packaging as possible)
1. Tooth Brushes
2. Tooth Paste
3. Combs
4. Brushes
5. Marbles
6. Stickers
7. Jump Ropes
8. Plastic Animals
9. Playing Cards
10. Nail Polish
11. Pens
12. Pencils
13. Erasers
14. Rulers
15. Matchbox Cars
16. Crayons
17. Travel Shampoo
18. Travel Soap
19. Hair Things
20. Lip Gloss
To help you see the impact of past Christmas giveaways, check out this video:
Here are the highlights from October 2014. Thanks to everyone who read along and commented. Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community. Thank you!
Overall, traffic was way up from September (125.24%). Traffic was up 123.77% compared to a year ago. The top 10 posts included posts from 2014. Most of the posts were from late September and early October. There was one post from February. If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below. The posts with the most engagement were two which made the top 10 list below – The Platform Problem – More Of You And Less Of Me.
As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top commenters list to receive a copy of On Track: Life Lessons from the Track & Field
by ME! The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Steve Y. Congrats to Steve!
For the month of November, I’ll be giving away another copy of On Track: Life Lessons from the Track & Field by ME! This month, the winner will be chosen randomly from the top 10 commenters.
Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting. I’m looking forward to November with The Stretched Community! The month of November will include more STRETCHING posts. More than likely, I will continue to focus on having a mission mindset in many of the upcoming posts. I’ll also take some time to reflect on thankfulness.
If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me.
In case you’re interested, here are a few other interesting stats about October (based on Google Analytics):
On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field is now available on Amazon in paperback and for Kindle. Click the link below to get your copy today.
As a reminder, I am offering a FREE pdf copy of the interior of the book to subscribers of The Stretched Newsletter. Head over to the main page of the blog and sign up on the right hand menu bar to get your copy today for FREE!
I am in search of track & field coaches and cross-country coaches who would be (or might be) interested in reading my book. On Track: Life Lessons from the Track & Field takes observations from the track and field and uses them to encourage readers to live a life on track.
I believe this book could be valuable for anyone, but I especially think the message will resonate with those close to the track and field. I would love to send a copy of my book to coaches. I’m targeting coaches at Christian high schools and colleges, but I would happily send it to any interested coaches – for FREE!
If you a coach any you are interested in reading my book, leave a message in the comments, so we can connect. If you are not a coach, but you know a coach who would benefit from my book, send me a comment, so we can make it happen. I’d love to send my book to 50 coaches before the end of the year. I’m hoping you can help make this happen.
the RSS feed for updates on this topic.
Here are the highlights from September 2014. Thanks to everyone who read along and commented. Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community. Thank you!
Overall, traffic was way up from August (36.36%). Traffic was up 4.07% compared to a year ago. The top 10 posts included one post from 2012 and one post from 2013. The end of the month brought a post that nearly tripled the next highest post for the month. If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below. The posts with the most engagement were two which made the top 10 list below – In Response To The American Dream and 5 Keys To Establishing A Routine That Works.
As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top commenters list to receive a copy of On Track: Life Lessons from the Track & Field
by ME! The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Carol Peterson. Congrats to Carol!
For the month of October, I’ll be giving away another copy of On Track: Life Lessons from the Track & Field by ME! This month, the winner will be chosen randomly from the top 10 commenters.
Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting. I’m looking forward to October with The Stretched Community! The month of October will include more STRETCHING posts. More than likely, I will continue to focus on having a mission mindset in many of the upcoming posts.
If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me.
In case you’re interested, here are a few other interesting stats about September (based on Google Analytics):
On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field is now available on Amazon in paperback and for Kindle. Click the link below to get your copy today.
As a reminder, I am offering a FREE pdf copy of the interior of the book to subscribers of The Stretched Newsletter. Head over to the main page of the blog and sign up on the right hand menu bar to get your copy today for FREE!
Here are the highlights from July 2014. Thanks to everyone who read along and commented. Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community. Thank you!
Overall, traffic was down from June (7.49%). Traffic was down 29.94% compared to a year ago. The top 10 posts included one post from 2011, one post from 2012, and one post from 2013. The guest posts which appeared while I was away in Guatemala last month all appeared in the top ten. This was a real encouragement for me! If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below. The post with the most engagement was a post related to my book project from July 25, 2014 – Ice Breaker – One Meal.
As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top commenters list to receive a copy of QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work and in Life
by John G. Miller. The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Leah Adams. Congrats to Leah!
For the month of August, I’ll be giving away a copy of Next Up: 8 Shifts Great Young Leaders Make by Jonathan Pearson. This month, the winner will be chosen randomly from the top 10 commenters.
Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting. I’m looking forward to July with The Stretched Community! The month of August will include more STRETCHING posts and will feature more posts unpacking my recent trip to Guatemala.
If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me.
In case you’re interested, here are a few other interesting stats about July (based on Google Analytics):
On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field is now available on Amazon in paperback and for Kindle. Click the link below to get your copy today.
As a reminder, I am offering a FREE pdf copy of the interior of the book to subscribers of The Stretched Newsletter. Head over to the main page of the blog and sign up on the right hand menu bar to get your copy today for FREE!
Here are the highlights from June 2014. Thanks to everyone who read along and commented. Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community. Thank you!
Overall, traffic was up from May (16.14%). Traffic was down 16.07% compared to a year ago. The top 10 posts included one post from 2012 and one post from 2013. If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below. The post with the most engagement was a post related to my book project from June 6, 2014 – Ice Breaker – Last 5 Songs You Listened To.
As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top commenters list to receive a copy of A Train Called Forgiveness by Dan Erickson. The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Ryan Biddulph. Congrats to Ryan!
For the month of July, I’ll be giving away a copy of QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work and in Life by John G. Miller. This month, the winner will be chosen randomly from the top 10 commenters.
Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting. I’m looking forward to July with The Stretched Community! The month of July will include more STRETCHING posts and will feature several guest posts while I am in Guatemala. If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me. July should be a spectacular month!
How was your month? If you’re a blogger share a link to your top post in the comments? What was your favorite Stretched post this month? How were you STRETCHED in June?
In case you’re interested, here are a few other interesting stats about June (based on Google Analytics):
On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field is now available on Amazon in paperback and for Kindle. Click the link below to get your copy today.
As a reminder, I am offering a FREE pdf copy of the interior of the book to subscribers of The Stretched Newsletter. Head over to the main page of the blog and sign up on the right hand menu bar to get your copy today for FREE!
Here are the highlights from March 2014. Thanks to everyone who read along and commented. Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community. Thank you!
Overall, traffic was up dramatically from February (25.15%). Traffic was up 8.41% compared to a year ago. The top 10 posts included two posts from 2012, one post from 2011, and one post from 2013. If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below. The post with the most engagement was a post related to my book project from March 6, 2014 – Help Me Book A Book Cover Design.
As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top commenters list to receive a copy of Packing Light: Thoughts on Living Life with Less Baggage by Allison Vesterfelt. The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Heidi Bender. Congrats to Heidi!
For the month of April, I’ll be giving away a copy of Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World by Bob Goff. This month, the winner will be chosen randomly from the top 10 commenters.
Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting. I’m looking forward to April with The Stretched Community! The month of April will include more STRETCHING posts. If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me. April should be another great month!
How was your month? If you’re a blogger share a link to your top post in the comments? What was your favorite Stretched post this month? How were you STRETCHED in March?
In case you’re interested, here are a few other interesting stats about March (based on Google Analytics):
Don’t forget to sign up for the Stretched newsletter. Check out this post to find out how to sign up. On April 22, 2014, I plan to release a book called On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field. All subscribers to the Stretched newsletter will get it for a discount on the eBook of On Track which will also be available in paperback. So sign up, if you’re not already on the subscriber list. The newsletter goes out periodically with extra STRETCHED content.)
Here are the highlights from February 2014. Thanks to everyone who read along and commented. Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community. Thank you!
Overall, traffic was down slightly from January (5.62%). Traffic was down 12.36% compared to a year ago. The top 10 posts included two posts from 2012, one post from 2011, and one post from 2013. If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below. The post with the most engagement was a fun post from February 27, 2014 – 33 Reasons To Say Thank You.
As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top commenters list to receive a copy of Life After Art: What You Forgot About Life and Faith Since You Left the Art Room by Matt Appling. The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Matt McWilliams. Congrats to Matt!
For the month of March, I’ll be giving away a copy of Packing Light: Thoughts on Living Life with Less Baggage by Allison Vesterfelt. This month, the winner will be chosen randomly from the top 10 commenters.
Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting. I’m looking forward to March with The Stretched Community! The month of March will include more STRETCHING posts. (I’m also excited to announce something new coming this month – read all the way to the bottom of this post for a clue.) If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me. March should be another great month!
How was your month? If you’re a blogger share a link to your top post in the comments? What was your favorite Stretched post this month? How were you STRETCHED in February?
In case you’re interested, here are a few other interesting stats about January (based on Google Analytics):
Don’t forget to sign up for the Stretched newsletter. Check out this post to find out how to sign up. (I’ll be making a more formal announcement soon, but here’s some exciting information if you made it this far. In March, I hope to release an eBook called On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field. All subscribers to the Stretched newsletter will get it for FREE. So sign up, if you’re not already on the subscriber list. The newsletter goes out periodically with extra STRETCHED content.)
Here are the highlights from January 2014. Thanks to everyone who read along and commented. Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community. Thank you!
Overall, traffic was up from December (2.63%). Traffic was down 40.1% compared to a year ago. The top 10 posts included two posts from 2012, one post from 2011, and two posts from 2013. If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below. Also, please head over to my guest post at Ray Edwards blog this month – This Is What Customer Service Looks Like. The post with the most engagement was a fun post from January 22, 2014 – 10 Great Things To Do On A Snowy Day.
As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top commenters list to receive a copy of The Noticer Returns: Sometimes You Find Perspective, and Sometimes Perspective Finds You by Andy Andrews. The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Joe Lalonde. Congrats to Joe!
For the month of February, I’ll be giving away a copy of Life After Art: What You Forgot About Life and Faith Since You Left the Art Room by Matt Appling. This month, the winner will be chosen randomly from the top 10 commenters.
Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting. I’m looking forward to February with The Stretched Community! The month of February will include more STRETCHING posts. If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me. February should be another great month!
How was your month? If you’re a blogger share a link to your top post in the comments? What was your favorite Stretched post this month? How were you STRETCHED in January?
In case you’re interested, here are a few other interesting stats about January (based on Google Analytics):
Don’t forget to sign up for the Stretched newsletter. Check out this post to find out how to sign up.
Here are the highlights from December 2013. Thanks to everyone who read along and commented. Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community. Thank you! Overall, traffic was down from November (28.04%). Traffic was down 26.88% compared to a year ago. While the tread is lower, I’m not overly surprised or disappointed. My posting and promotion patterns were a bit off this month based on the holidays and several other December interruptions and responsibilities. Also worth noting, my traffic in 2013 was up 33.29% from my traffic in 2012. The top 10 posts again included three posts from 2012, one post from 2011, and two posts from previous months in 2013. If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below. The post with the most engagement was from December 11, 2013 – ADVENTure Day 11 (Guest Post by Bill Grandi).
As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top 10 commenters list to receive a copy of Chazown: Define Your Vision. Pursue Your Passion. Live Your Life on Purpose by Craig Groeschel. The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Bill Grandi. Congrats to Bill!
For the month of January, I’ll be giving away a copy of The Noticer Returns: Sometimes You Find Perspective, and Sometimes Perspective Finds You by Andy Andrews. This month, the winner will be chosen randomly from the top 10 commenters.
Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting. I’m looking forward to November with The Stretched Community! The month of January will include more STRETCHING posts. If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me. January should be another great month!
How was your month? If you’re a blogger share a link to your top post in the comments? What was your favorite Stretched post this month? How were you STRETCHED in December?
In case you’re interested, here are a few other interesting stats about December (based on Google Analytics):
Don’t forget to sign up for the Stretched newsletter. Check out this post to find out how to sign up.
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