Each week on The Stretched Blog, we 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.

Yesterday, I had to take a sick day thanks to the wonderful flu bog that is sweeping across the country.  It’s been quite a while since I’ve had to take a sick day for being sick.  I spent the day sleeping, resting, relaxing, and trying to get better.

Question:  When have you faced an illness that has knocked you off your feet?

My Answer:  I’ve been pretty blessed with decent health.  Thankfully, I haven’t dealt with any major health issues.  The last time I was sick for more than a day was last year during my Christmas vacation.  I picked up a case of the stomach bug that knocked me off of my feet for a couple of days.  I could hardly move due to the aches and pains associated with the fever and nausea.  Other than that, I’ve been fairly healthy over the past several years.

There you have it – my answer.  Now, it’s your turn.  Answer this week’s ice breaker question by leaving a comment.  I look forward to reading your response!

(By the way, if you’re going through something health related right now, I’d love to pray for you.  I hope you’ll leave a response, so The Stretched Community can lift you up.)

Each week on The Stretched Blog, we 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.

According to speculation and the Mayan calendar, the world is supposed to end today.  The Bible is pretty clear that no one knows when the end will occur, so I’m not real concerned about these predictions.  My hope is that I would be living my life with the same sense of purpose and urgency whether the world ends today, next week, next year, or a hundred years from now.  This week’s Stretched Ice Breaker is inspired by the speculation surrounding today – December 21, 2012.

Question:  How would you spend your time differently if you knew you had just 24 hours to live on this earth?  What would you eat?  With whom would you hang out?  Where would you go?

My Answer:  Like I said in my introduction, I hope my daily life is filled with the same sense of urgency and purpose regardless of my end date.  On the fun side of things though, I would probably eat a nice steak dinner with jumbo shrimp cocktail, buttered carrots with bacon, garlic mashed potatoes, and creme brulee for dessert.  I would certainly want to hang out with my family.  I would probably write a blog post about the importance of making Christ first in your life, about the importance of stretching, and about the importance of appreciating each moment and each person in your life.  I’d probably hang out at home or go for a walk on the Audubon trail near our house.  And I’d call my loved ones just to say”I love you.”

I don’t think I’ll have steak for dinner tonight, and I’ll be heading into the office today.  But I’ll still have an opportunity to live with this kind of intentionality.  Even if it’s the end of the world as I know it, I feel fine!

There you have it – my answer.  Now, it’s your turn.  Answer this week’s ice breaker question by leaving a comment.  I look forward to reading your response!

Each week on The Stretched Blog, we 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.

They say that laughter is the best medicine.  While I’m often known as the serious one (just ask my parents or my brothers), I love to laugh.  There’s nothing like a great belly laugh.  It can be so healthy to laugh so hard that you cry.  With this in mind, I bring you this week’s Stretched Ice Breaker.

Question:  Tell us about a time when you laughed so hard you nearly cried.

My Answer:  Parenting has brought some of the biggest laughs more recently.  The kids say some of the funniest things, and sometimes they do things that simply leave you in stitches.

A couple of weeks ago, we were watching home movies in honor of Hannah’s 15th birthday.  We watched clips from the kids birth through the time Isaac was about 2 years old (which would have made Hannah 4).  Hannah was very cute, very independent, and very much in charge when she was a toddler.  Isaac often had a grin.  He didn’t have much to say (as Hannah was speaking for him), but he often left us laughing uncontrollably through his expressions and movements.

Isaac used to have an exersaucer that we put him in before he could walk.  He would sit in there for hours playing with toys on the tray.  The funniest part was when he would spin the exersaucer round and round.  He would spin so fast and so long that he would get dizzy.  Leanne and I could watch him for hours as he made himself dizzy and entertained himself.  We’ve had many, many laughs since then, but it started early.  Now, Isaac is 12, and he still cracks us up with his “Stolpe”-like humor.

There you have it – my answer.  Now, it’s your turn.  Answer this week’s ice breaker question by leaving a comment.  I look forward to reading your response!

Each week on The Stretched Blog, we 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’s question comes from a desire I have to make a difference in the world.  I’m excited to hear your answers as it provides more ideas for making a difference.  Many of us are involved in great organizations that are focused on helping others.  Today’s Ice Breaker is a chance to share about those organizations and to brainstorm about how we can all make a difference.

Question:  If you were to focus your energy and resources to a charity, what would the charity be?  And why would you select that charity?

My Answer:  There are so many great organizations out there that deserve support.  And to be honest, I would still select the local church as the place to focus my attention.  I believe that there is such power to change the world through the combining of efforts through the local church.  I’ve seen it in action at my own church.

Having said that, I still have a heart for other charities.  It amazes me to see the creativity and the resourcefulness of organizations who are committed to doing something positive in this world to make a difference.  For example, our family works with The Seeing Eye to provide guide dogs and freedom to people who are visually impaired.  This summer, I had the opportunity to work with Casas por Cristo who helps to provide reasonable housing for families in Mexico and Guatemala.  And locally, Philabundance helps to provide food to the needy in the Greater Philadelphia community.

All these are great, and picking one is pretty tough (I guess that’s why the local church is still the best option).  But if I’m forced to pick one, I would go with Habitat for Humanity.  I was introduced to Habitat and it’s founder, Millard Fuller, at a fairly young age.  As a teenager and college student, I worked on several Habitat projects helping to build affordable housing for those in need.  I found such satisfaction in using my hands to help create a home for someone.  I also enjoyed working with other people towards a common purpose.  I haven’t worked with Habitat for Humanity for several years, but this post is a reminder to check them out again.

There you have it – my answer.  Now, it’s your turn.  Answer this week’s ice breaker question by leaving a comment.  I look forward to reading your response!