Glasses

When I was a kid, I had to wear glasses. They were corrective lenses to help with my far-sighted vision. By sixth grade, I no longer needed the glasses. Since then, my vision has been perfect – often measuring better than 20/15 (which is better than 20/20 vision).

On Tuesday, I visited the eye doctor for the first time in a long time. I probably should have visited the eye doctor sooner, since glaucoma runs in my family. But I didn’t based on my past perfect vision and my general busyness.

You may recall that I have been battling headaches (including migraine headaches) for the past five or so months. One of the side effects of migraine headaches is temporary blurred vision. And supposedly, vision problems can sometimes be the root cause of migraine headaches. Based on this, I figured it was a good time to have my eyes checked.

So on Tuesday, the initial feedback was that I don’t have glaucoma and my vision is still pretty good. In fact, the nurse initially measured me at 20/20 vision. When the doctor came in, he agreed that my vision was indeed pretty good; however, I was getting to the “magic” age wear reading glasses may be a help.

So after some initial measurements with his fancy lenses, it was determined that I indeed need reading glasses. It was a bit of a blow, but I am game for trying them if they’ll help to keep the headaches away.

It was kind of amusing when he sent me into the office area to look at frames for my new glasses. He had just put drops in my eyes to dilate my pupils for the glaucoma test. I could hardly see a thing, and they wanted me to pick out new glasses! Thankfully, Leanne was 5 minutes away, and she was able to come to the office to pick out my new specs.

I don’t have to wear them unless I’m reading, so you may not see me wearing glasses very often. But don’t be surprised if you see someone looking like Clark Kent reading the paper, working on his blog, or with his nose stuck in a book. It just might be me.

As for the headaches, the last two weeks have actually been getting better. I stopped drinking caffeine which wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. And the doctor changed around a medication. I am so thankful that the migraines have been non-existent over the past two weeks, and I have had very few regular headaches those of which could probably be attributed to caffeine withdrawal.

Unfortunately, my vision will continue to get worse as I get older.  These are the facts of life.  The reality is that my vision has never been truly perfect despite what the eye doctors have said along the way.  As a matter of fact, your vision hasn’t been perfect either.  In the book of I Corinthians, Paul talks about the fact that we can’t see completely yet.  But there will be a time when our vision is made perfect – when we see face to face the love of God.

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. I Corinthians 13:12

And so as I start the journey of wearing glasses, I now have a daily reminder of what I have to look forward to – the day when I’ll see my Savior face to face.  I won’t need glasses, contact lenses, or lasik eye surgery.  Everything will be perfectly clear.  I can’t wait!

Do you wear glasses or contact lenses?  Have you ever had surgery on your eyes?

Happy 4th of July!

The Skippack 4th of July Parade 2011

I’ll be spending the day with my family grateful for the country we live in. Hope you and your family have a great holiday.

What’s your favorite thing about today?

The Famous One

Over the weekend, I visited friends in my hometown of Mount Holly, NJ.  It was such a wonderful experience to see old friends, to enjoy great picnic food, and to catch up on happenings of our families.

When I arrived at the picnic, one of my friends immediately greeted me as the “famous author”.  I’m guessing he was partially joking around with me, but the more we talked the more I could tell he was curious about the blog and he was serious about his admiration for my blogging.  The was more than flattering coming from a guy who is the CEO of a medical technology company and who graduated from an ivy league school.

Fame.  (I want to live forever, I want to learn how to fly… sorry for that TV reference.  If you didn’t get it…nevermind.)

I guess if we’re honest, we all want to be known for something.  We want to be famous.  I want to be known as a writer, an author, and a blogger.  I want to be known as a husband, a dad, and a son.  I want to be recognized as a leader.  I want this kind of fame.

I’m sure that you want to be famous also.

It’s flattering.  It feels good.  It’s nice to be recognized.

But there’s a fame I strive for way more than my own.

I want to make God’s name famous.  Whether I’m writing, leading, or just plain living, I want my words, my actions, and all that I do to bring fame to my God.

Lord, I have heard of your fame;
    I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. 
Repeat them in our day,
    in our time make them known;
    in wrath remember mercy.

Habakkuk 3:2

And so, I appreciate the kind words of my friend.  But it means so much more to me if my writing brings fame and glory to God.  Have you heard of His fame?

What are you famous for?

June 2012 Top Posts and Commenters

June was another good month.  Overall traffic was about the same as last month.  This month featured a giveaway, a guest post, and a Guatemala update.  I also gave away three advertising spots on The Stretched Blog (I Love Skippack, Joseph Lalonde, and Bill Grandi).  In addition, I had the opportunity to guest post on Jeremy Statton’s blog (Rediscovering My Dream) and K.C. Procter’s blog (Don’t Blink!).

As always, I like to share this month’s top posts.  Interestingly, this month’s top 10 included four ice breakers.  I’ve been contemplating the possibility of putting together an eBook based on the blogs ice breaker questions, and this month’s top 10 may confirm my thoughts.  (What do you think?)  To note, the top post was a guest post written by Kevin Haggerty.  Thanks, Kevin!

Top 10 Posts for June 2012:

1. Learning To Count To Five – Guest Post by Kevin Haggerty (June 12, 2012)
   
2. Giveaway: Platform & Love Does (June 4, 2012)
   
3. Ice Breaker – Ice Breaker Questions (February 17, 2012)
   
4. 3 Thumbs Up! June 24th, 2012 (June 24, 2012)
   
5. School’s Out For The Summer – Another Milestone (June 14, 2012)
   
6. Ice Breaker – Picnic (June 8, 2012)
   
7. Guatemala In One Month! (June 25, 2012)
   
8. Ice Breaker – Songs On Your Playlist (March 23, 2012)
   
9. Fences (June 26, 2012)
   
10. Ice Breaker – Questions For A Stretched Blogger (May 17, 2012)
    

Top Commenters for June 2012:

• Larry Carter (21)
• TNeal (20)
• Brandon Gilliland (15)
• Joe Lalonde (15)

Thanks again to everyone who stopped by and to everyone who left a comment.  Your readership, comments, and friendship mean the world to me. In the coming month, I will be looking for more ways to extend the Stretched Community and to broaden my platform.  I will be using my upcoming vacation and trip to Guatemala to feature top posts from the archives and guest posts.  I am also looking for new opportunities to guest post around the blog world.  If you’re interested in guest posting here or participating in a Stretched interview, drop me a note in the comments so we can connect.

Thanks again for a great month.  Don’t forget to share The Stretched Blog with your family and friends.

If you’re a blogger, what was the top post on your blog this month? If you’re not a blogger, what was your favorite post here this month?

The Sunday Community – Let My Light Shine

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.  You are the light of the world.  A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  Matthew 5:13-16

How’s my light shining today?  How’s your light shining today?

3 Thumbs Up! June 30, 2012

Each week, I feature 3 things that deserve a thumbs up.  Here are my 3 Thumbs Up! for this week.

Thumbs Up Number 1:  Woodside Lodge at Spring Mountain.  A couple of weeks ago, Leanne and I went out with some good friends to this “new” restaurant in our area.  This renovated restaurant and lodge used to be known as Woodside Inn.  Several years ago, Leanne and I went to the Inn for dinner, but we weren’t all that impressed.  The newly opened Lodge was a completely different experience.  The wait staff was helpful.  The restaurant was laid out well and nicely decorated.  And the food was delicious.  If you enjoy trying local craft beers, there are several beers from around the region on tap.  We left the restaurant satisfied and excited about the prospect of coming back for more.  If you live in the Perkiomen Valley area, you should consider checking out the Woodside Lodge at Spring Mountain.

Thumbs Up Number 2:  Reading Phillies.  This week, our 4-H Seeing Eye Puppy Club ventured to the First Energy Stadium to take in a Reading Phillies game.  The Reading Phils are the Double-A Minor League affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.  We had a wonderful experience all around.  Our seats were right along the 3rd base line (there’s not a bad seat in the whole stadium).  The food is reasonably priced.  The parking was free.  Between each half inning, there is entertainment that included vegetable racing, hot dogs being thrown into the stands, dancing tooth fairies, and many other acts.  We were also personally welcomed by a representative from the club who checked back with us a few times to make sure we were having a good experience.  On top of that, the Phillies won the game!  What more could you ask for.  If you live in the area, you should check out a game.  If you don’t live in the area, consider checking out your local minor league team.

Thumbs Up Number 3:  Life As Experienced.  This blog by Seth Caddell has become one of my new favorites.  Life As Experienced provides spiritual insights on everyday life from this self-proclaimed pastor, husband, X-Box player, and Christ follower.  Seth blog posts that appear 3 times each week or short and sweet and right to the point.  Check out Life As Experienced to see what I’m talking about.  Leave a comment, and tell Seth that I sent you.

What else deserves a thumbs up this week?

Ice Breaker – Cars Of Our Childhood

Happy Friday!

Friday means Ice Breaker here on The Stretched Blog.  Each week, I ask a question that helps to break the ice so to speak.  I answer the question in the post, and you answer the question in the comments.  The weekly Ice Breaker has become a fun way to get to know the Stretched Community.  Feel free to read the other comments and leave comments on the other answers that readers provide.  This week’s Ice Breaker should be fun!

Question:  What car(s) did your parents drive when you were a kid?

My Answer:  I don’t remember all the years of the cars, but I remember a few of the cars.  My folks had a Yellow Chevy Vega and a Brown Chevy Nova when I first came along.  Then they transitioned to a Brown ’72 Chevy Impala.  They kept that car for a long time.  When they finally sold it (or gave it away – I’m not sure), it had over 212,000 miles.  The Impala was replaced by a Diesel Chevy Chevette and a 12 passenger Ford Econoline van.  It’s funny how these cars became integral parts of our family.  I wonder if our kids will have the same memories of the cars that we’ve had.

Okay!  Now, it’s your turn.  Let’s hear your answer in the comments.  Thanks for sharing!

Ten New Olympic Event Ideas

Last night, I caught the last twenty minutes of the U. S. Olympic Swimming Trials that were televised on NBC. I love the Olympics. Four years ago, I made the mistake of committing to a no TV for a month challenge that just so happened to coincide with the summer Olympics in China. This time around, I’ll miss the first week or so while I’m in Guatemala. Oh well.

As I was thinking more about it, I was thinking how much fun it would be fun to come up with ten new Olympic events for this year’s summer games in London. Here’s what I came up with:

1. Texas Hold ‘Em – This popular card game gets serious as “athletes” from around the world compete for the some real gold.
2. Horseshoes – Can’t you see this catching on?  It’s better than hand grenades.
3. Lawn Darts – If curling can make it during the winter Olympics, lawn darts could become the rage of the 2012 summer games.
4. Checkers – Imagine the commentary… “Svenson from Sweden double jumps Hernandez from Mexico for the king.”  Talk about exciting!
5. Words with Friends – You know you’d watch this “sport.”  The only problem is the language barrier.
6. Hot Dog Eating – Sponsored by Nathan’s and Oscar Mayer…Jimmy Chestnut is the early favorite to take the gold.
7. Geocaching – Our family enjoys this “sport”.  I’m sure it would be quite popular with the Brits.
8. Texting – Fifteen year old Samantha “Quick Fingers” Smith is the promising entry from the United States team.
9. Wii Bowling – Medals are given out in four categories: men, women, children, and families.
10.  Dutch Oven Cooking – Sony teams up with Cabela’s to sponsor this event.  Sony uses the sponsorship as an opportunity to demonstrate their new smell technology television sets.

Sounds like fun!  What other ideas do you have for new Olympic events?

Superpower

When I was a kid, I thought it would be so amazing to be able to fly. I can remember running down the hallway of our house into the living room and jumping into the couch. I believed that for a brief second I was actually flying. Believe it or not, I’ve felt that feeling on the basketball court a few times (not recently). It’s a feeling that you are floating through the air. But it only lasts for a quick moment. It doesn’t last.

As a kid, I also played with the idea of being invisible. Perhaps, this superpower would be more amazing than flying. You could walk into a room without anyone noticing. I could sneak into the kitchen and get a bowl of ice cream, and I could eat it undetected – as long as nobody was in the kitchen when I came in to see the freezer open and close.

More recently, I’ve thought that it would be helpful if somehow I could be in multiple places at the same time. Especially as our kids are involved in different activities, I would love to be at work, be at home, and be at the track meet or other activity all at the same time. We often joke at the office that the cloning machine is broken.

But in reality, these superpowers remain out of reach. It’s probably a good idea that we can’t do all these things. My guess it that we would have a hard time using these powers selflessly. I’m also guessing that possession of these superpowers would cause us to stray from God. We would fail to realize the amazing power of our Creator.

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

What superpower would you like to have? How would this be useful?  Who is your favorite superhero?

Fences

This weekend, our family worked together to fence in our garden.  We used 34 fence posts, 150 feet of fencing, and some fishing line.  We’ve had a garden for many years, but the last several years have been a bit frustrating as we’ve had to defend against groundhogs and deer.  We’ve tried a few other remedies like deer repellant, have-a-heart traps, and hair clippings.  But we’ve still dealt with produce that has been mowed down in the middle of the night by the animals that live in our area.  So far, the fence seems to be working.

We live in a time when people tout the benefits of living beyond our dreams and our boundaries.  I’ve even written a few blog posts about the benefits of stretching outside our comfort zone.  But there’s another side of the equation that needs to be looked at from time to time.  Fences are important tools in our lives.  We need fences in our lives to keep out the “critters” that can damage our lives.   We need fences in our lives to keep us from journeying into unsafe territory.  And sometimes we need fences in our lives to remind us what things are our business and what things are not our business.  With this in mind, here are a few ideas for establishing appropriate fences in our lives.

3 Ways To Set Appropriate Fences In Our Lives:

1.)  Set personal boundaries.  We need to be smart enough and bold enough to set up our own fences.  For example, Leanne and I have a “rule” that we will avoid meeting alone with members of the opposite gender.  Rules or boundaries like this keep us from journeying into unsafe territory.

2.)  Find accountability.  Is there someone in your life (other than your spouse) who knows the true condition of your heart.  Someone like this will ask the tough questions and will also give us early warning signs when our fences need repair.

3.)  Spend time in God’s Word and in Christian community.  These actions keep us growing and alert to God’s business.  When we know God’s Word and experience this type of community, our fence is used more effectively.  Our fenced in area becomes a refuge and a safe house where we can be restored and re-energized for service to those outside the fence.

What are the pluses and minuses of having a fence?  Do you have a fence around your yard?  How do you keep the “critters” out?