Guatemala In One Month!

In a month (from tomorrow), I’ll be leaving for Guatemala!  I’m sure this month will go by quickly.  I have my passport and my vaccinations, but there’s some other preparations that I still need to handle.  With that in mind, I have a favor to ask – actually three favors:

1)  Continue to pray for our team as we prepare for this trip.  I would specifically ask for continued prayers for my headaches.  I saw a doctor last week who seems to be on the right track, but your prayers for a headache free trip would be appreciated.

2)  I’d like to keep the blog going while I’m away, but I definitely need some help.  I know I’ve mentioned it before and even exchanged a couple of messages prior to this post, but I am looking for guest bloggers to help fill in the gaps during my absence.  In order to make this happen, I need to figure out the posting scheduled in the next week or two.  If you are interested and willing in sharing your stretched story here, please reach out to me so we can coordinate.  Guest posts could also include Ice Breakers, 3 Thumbs Up!, and I’d entertain the idea of putting together some type of interview as a post idea.  At any rate, let me know if you’re interested by leaving a comment, so I can reach out to you.  Thanks!

3)  Casas Por Cristo.  You may remember that I stepped out in faith with an idea to build one of our teams houses through the Stretched blog.  Well, we’re about 70% there.  We still need $2,675 in order to finish one house.  It’s not too late to get on board with this.  See the link here for more details.  This will need to be wrapped up in a week or two also to coordinate with our team.  (Thanks!)

I guess that’s it for now.  Thanks for being part of this trip!

What are you preparing for these days?

3 Thumbs Up! June 24th, 2012

This week’s 3 Thumbs Up! moved to Sunday thanks to a great guest blogging opportunity at Some Wise Guy.  If you haven’t done so already, please go over to K.C. Procter‘s blog and read my post titled, Don’t Blink!.  Meanwhile, here are my thumbs up for this week:

Thumbs Up Number 1:  Zoup!  No huge description here other than this place serves great soup and sandwiches.  Leanne and I stopped here after church today for lunch while our kids finished up practice at church.  Zoup! serves 12-15 different soups every day, and you are always welcome to try free soup samples before you make your decision.  Today, I enjoyed a shrimp and craw-fish soup with a four cheese melted sandwich.  Great stuff!  Check it out if you can find one in your area.

Thumbs Up Number 2:  The Mighty Macs.  I had heard about this movie before, but I hadn’t had an opportunity to see it until we sat down last night and found it on Netflix.  The Mighty Macs is a movie based on the true story of the Immaculata College girls basketball team from the early 1970s.  Immaculata isn’t far from where I live, so it was cool to hear about a team who played so close to home.  I’ve seen many other sports movies that probably have more grueling practice and game scenes, but the movie still provided enough drama and excitement to keep us all alert until the end.  The story represented in the movie depicts the power of perseverance and belief that anything is possible.  We could all use a little bit of that positivity from time to time.  If you’re looking for a movie that works for the entire family, you should consider checking out The Might Macs.

Thumbs Up Number 3:  The Daily Retort.  I discovered Tor Constantino‘s blog a couple of months ago after we crossed paths several times in the blog world over the past six months.  Tor is an ex-journalist, best-selling author, blogger, and speaker.  He is also a husband and father.  I appreciate how he intermixes his faith and his family with his regular blog posts.  Tor and his wife are expecting a child any day, so many of his recent posts have been related to the anticipation of their new arrival.  Go check out Tor’s blog, add The Daily Retort to your reading list, leave him a comment, and tell him I send you.

What else deserves a thumbs up this week?

Ice Breaker – 6 Words

This week’s ice breaker moved to Saturday thanks to a great guest blogging opportunity at Some Wise Guy.  If you haven’t done so already, please go over to K.C. Procter‘s blog and read my post titled, Don’t Blink!.

Today, I’ll ask this week’s Stretched Ice Breaker Question.  It’s simple, but it should require some thought.  As usual, I’ll answer the question in the post below, and you can answer the question in the comments.  Ready?  Here goes!

Question:  Describe yourself in 6 words (no more, no less).

My Answer:  Christian, Husband, Father, Friend, Leader, Son

That’s it!  No more than six words.  Now, it’s your turn.  Let’s see your six words in the comments!

The Stretched Blog Visits Some Wise Guy

Today, I’m honored to be guest blogging over at Some Wise Guy.  Some Wise Guy is a blog written by K.C. Procter where he explores the everyday thoughts of being a dad.  Here’s an excerpt from my post, titled Don’t Blink.  Please head over to K.C.’s blog to read the rest of the post and to see what else is going on at Some Wise Guy.  Drop K.C. a comment and tell him that I sent you.

Time flies when you’re a dad.  Don’t blink!

I’ve been a dad for over fourteen years now, and I often feel like it’s been just fourteen days since my daughter joined our family.  This past week, I watched her graduate from middle school.  It literally seems like yesterday when we put her on the bus for her first day of kindergarten.  I remember her excitement and her little brother’s sadness as she climbed on the bus with her very own backpack and her big smile.

What’s going on in your life right now that is moving too fast?  How about something that’s moving too slow?

(For those of you looking for this week’s Ice Breaker, stay tuned to The Stretched Blog over the weekend.  We’ll see what we can do!)

Announcing The Winners Of The Free Advertising Experiment

Last week, I announced an experiment of sorts.  I mentioned that I was going to give free advertising spots on The Stretched Blog main page to three worthy candidates who best answered a question about why the The Stretched Blog would be a good place to promote their blog.  I’m happy to say that I received several worthy “entries”, and I’m excited today to announce the winners of this experiment.

The winners include Michael Shaw, Joe Lalonde, and Bill Grandi.  I have finalized the ad spots with two of the winners which you can see on the main page  (and you can preview below).  And I should have the third ad finalized in the next few days.  Stop back on the main page of the blog to see the ad for Bill’s blog.  Please click on their links and check out their blogs.  All three of these bloggers have become good friends over the past year, and they each have a different twist on their writing which I’m proud to share with The Stretched Community.  Thanks again to everyone who supports the blog.  I”m excited to see how this experiment finishes out!

Do you advertise on your blog?  Do you advertise on other blogs?  What has been the impact of advertising on your blogging experience?  (For more information on advertising on The Stretched Blog, click here.)

Poison Ivy

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with poison ivy. I’m quite certain that poison ivy loves me. And I’m absolutely sure that I hate poison ivy. I know what it looks like, and I do my best to stay away from it, but for some reason it always finds me.

Like when I was working for an elderly couple from my church. I used to take care of the eleven acre property of this couple who were in their mid to late eighties. I cut their grass. I raked their leaves. I split their wood. And I even tore out the roots in their backyard with my bare hands. Little did I know that these were poison ivy roots. A few days after pulling up the roots, I looked like Donald Duck with my fingers webbed together thanks to the swelling induced by a bad case of poison ivy. This was nothing two weeks and some strong steroids couldn’t fix.

You would have thought that I had learned my lesson. Obviously not!

A couple of summers later, I was land surveying with another gentleman from my church. It was often my job to clear out the property lines, so we could get a good measurement through a straight line of sight. In New Jersey, property lines mean poison ivy habitat. Sure enough, I was back on the steroids after a bout with poison ivy on one of my land surveying jobs.

After that, I was more careful for the most part. I would pick up a spot of poison ivy here and there, but it was never as bad as before. That all changed a couple of weeks before Isaac was born when I picked up a bad case of poison ivy while I was cleaning up brush in the back of our old house. I had poison ivy blisters up and down both of my arms. Meanwhile, my wife was ready to deliver our son any day. I remember worrying that I wouldn’t be able to hold our newborn child if these blisters didn’t heal. Thankfully, Isaac’s arrival timed up perfectly with the clearing of my poison ivy.

I haven’t had poison ivy that bad since Isaac was born, but I still get it from time to time. In fact, a small case of poison ivy inspired this post. I’m currently enduring poison ivy under my eye and on my arm.  Time for the calamine lotion!

Poison ivy is a weird thing. I have to wonder why God created poison ivy. I even speculate that poison ivy wouldn’t exist if Adam and Eve had stayed away from the forbidden fruit. Poison ivy is hard to remove.  The roots and vines of a poison ivy plant spread out making it a challenge to completely isolate.  Just like poison ivy, our words can cause plenty of pain and suffering.  In the Bible, James even refers to our tongues as poison:

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.  James 3:7-9

So as I’m left here to itch, I’m also left with a reminder about my tongue.  May I use my words to glorify God and uplift others today.  I don’t want to be poisonous.  (Pass the anti-itch cream!)

Do you have a poison ivy story?  How’s your tongue?

Running Inspiration – Let Us Run With Perseverance

Coming off the trails for a lap around the field at The Thanksgiving Marathon

Yesterday, I posted some tips for those who are thinking about running a longer race for the first time.

As I was processing this post, I was thinking about things that inspire me in my running and in my life. For example, I’m inspired when I hear stories of people overcoming adversity to reach new heights. I think that’s why I like movies like Radio, Remember the Titans, and The Blind Side.

I’m also inspired by scripture. The scripture below is a great reminder to persevere and to keep the right focus.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3

It is so easy to give up and to lose perspective when we face the challenges of life. As with my tips yesterday, here are some tips that I have found helpful in keeping my eyes on the prize.

1) Follow a plan. God’s Word should be the center of the plan. I have tried different methods for staying in God’s Word on my own, but I have found that existing plans are most helpful in keeping me on track. Two plans or programs that I have used recently to help me are YouVersion.com and The Daily Audio Bible.

2) Find some accountability. Get plugged into a small group or even a one-on-one relationship where you can be challenged with the tough questions like: ‘Have you spend time in God’s Word this week?’ and ‘Have you lived with integrity since we last met?’

3) Cross train and rest. There are some great resources out there to get the most out of your walk. I use several Bible-based blogs and books to give me a deeper perspective. Getting to church on a weekly basis is also important. This is a chance to be fed and to worship on a larger, corporate level. Also, take time to rest. We live very busy lives. We must take time to reflect and to rest.

4) Practice. Practice. Practice. Get out and live your life. Make a concerted effort to go about your daily activities in a way that would honor God.

5) Set goals but learn to be flexible with God’s direction. I’m a huge goal oriented person. Setting goals is a great way to keep focused. But we also need to be alert to the movement of the Spirit.

6) Have fun and a positive attitude. God doesn’t promise that this life will be easy, but we have a choice to make. We can have a poor attitude when it comes to life’s ups and downs, or we can choose to have a positive attitude.

It’s amazing how these things line up with the tips from yesterday.

So what inspires you in running and in life? What other tips would you add to the list above?

I Am A Runner

Bringing me into the finish at last year's Thanksgiving Day Marathon in the Bronx

This morning, I ventured out on the Perkiomen Trail for a few miles. There wasn’t anything majorly significant about this early morning run. I didn’t feel real fast; in fact, I felt kind of slow as I plodded along.

It was amusing to me that someone from my company called me not long ago to seek advice about running this year’s Philadelphia Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon (it used to be called the Philadelphia Distance Run). It just makes me laugh that people would look to me for advice about running. I have run this race four or five times, but’s it’s been several years since I last ran it. I’ve completed three marathons, and two or three Broad Street 10 Milers. I can’t tell you how many 5Ks that I’ve run over the years. Nonetheless, I don’t consider myself an expert. I’m slow and bigger than most long distance runners (that’s a nice way to say that I carry a little more weight than most if not all decent distance runners).

So what did I tell him?

1) Get into a training program. Whether it’s a runner’s group at the YMCA or like Team in Training or it’s simply an on-line or written plan like one from Hal Higdon, I think these programs can help keep one focused on doing the right mileage and exercise and rest to prepare for a longer race. I used a modified Hal Higdon plan when I prepared for both of my marathons. As a numbers guy, I created spreadsheets to help track by progress through my training. I tracked distance and time, and I tracked details about each of my runs and workouts about how I felt, where I ran, and what the weather was like. It was amazing to watch my mileage build up from week to week.

2) Get some accountability through a runner’s group or a friend who’s at your level. I found a friend to train with for many of my shorter runs, and I asked several people to ride their bike alongside me for a few of my longer runs. They carried my water and gel packs, but they also provided conversation to distract me when the mileage was getting the best of me.

3) Cross train and rest. These are important to build your strength and cardio capacity without overdoing it. I liked to ride my bike as one of my cross training activities, and I would recommend swimming and lifting as great cross training activities. I looked forward to my scheduled rest days. These gave me a chance to recharge. These are just as important as the exercise days.

4) Practice hydration and fueling on your longer runs. I ran with a belt with four water bottles. I filled one or two of the bottles with an energy drink like Accelerade. Practicing eating a gel shot or energy bar in the middle of your longer runs. Find out what works for you and your stomach. I learned that certain gel packs don’t work with my stomach. It’s best to learn this lesson while training and not during your race.

5) Set goals. A first goal would be to make it through your training and to the starting line of the race. Next, your goal should be to finish the race. Then, you can start adding time related goals – overall finish time, negative splits, etc. Finally, you might want to add a stretch goal that you can go after if you’re really feeling good.

6) Have fun. The running community is great – before, during, and after the race. Talk to other runners. Find out what works for them. Ask them about their favorite races. Cherish each moment.

For not being a running expert, I guess I have a lot to say.

Are you a runner? What tips would you add to this list?

Happy Father’s Day

This morning, I woke up to breakfast in bed. What a great way to start the day!
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there!

3 Thumbs Up! June 16th, 2012

This week’s 3 Thumbs Up! post has a dad flair.  Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there!

Thumbs Up Number 1: Some Wise Guy (tidbits from the trenches of fatherhood).  This is an excellent blog by K.C. Procter.  I’ve been following K.C. and his blog for a while now.  Over the past few months, he really narrowed the focus of his blog to fatherhood.  It’s been fun to see his passion and commitment to his family shine through the pages of his blog.  This week he’s featuring several guest bloggers who you may recognize.  Check out Some Wise Guy.  Stop by and leave a comment.  Tell K.C. that I sent you!

Thumbs Up Number 2:  Dad Life.  Just watch the video.  You’ll see why this deserves a thumbs up.

Thumbs Up Number 3:  Christlink.  This is a blog by my dad.  He doesn’t write on it every day, but he continues to add things through the add-on pages that you can reach via his navigation menu.  His additional pages include sermon notes, a writing workshop, thoughts on being an interim pastor, and a page he calls pilgrim path.  My dad has been a huge influence on my writing career from high school to now.  Drop by his blog and see what I’m talking about.

What else deserves a thumbs up this week?