Jon Stolpe
Jon Stolpe
Marathon? I’m Thinking About It
If you’ve been following along for a couple of months, you may have realized that I’ve been running lately. In September, I ran the first ever Perk Trail Half Marathon – A Race To Remember (by myself). The past couple of months, I’ve had the privilege of running with a couple of friends as they’ve pumped out a couple of their longer training runs in preparation for their marathons. One of my good friends just ran his first marathon last weekend, The Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, PA. And another friend is getting ready to run his first marathon in a week or so, The St. Louis Marathon. Running with these guys has made me realize that another marathon may not be so far off for me. I’ve run over 17 miles and still felt great (or as good as can be expected after running 17 miles). So why not consider a marathon myself? That’s a great question. So…I started looking around for a marathon to run either in late fall or early spring or maybe both.
I could run the first ever Bucks County Marathon on November 20th. This one looks attractive, because it’s relatively close to home, it’s a certified course, and it’s all trail. I’m just not sure I want to pay the entry fee to be part of this inaugural race. Also, I’ve already run a marathon in Pennsylvania. If I’m every going to run one in each state, I don’t want to waste my marathon effort running a second marathon in the same state.
I could run the Rehoboth Beach Marathon on December 10th. This would be in Delaware, so it would be a different state than my previous two marathons. It looks like a well established race on a certified course. It’s a possibility.
I could run the Ocean Drive Marathon in New Jersey. This March 25th race starts in Cape May, NJ and ends in See Isle, NJ. This point to point race could be pretty scenic as it runs 26 miles up the Jersey coast. I have to wonder what this winds are like on this course. This could definitely be a possibility for the spring.
As I was doing my research, I came across a unique marathon possibility. The Thanksgiving Marathon on November 24th takes place in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, New York City, New York. The race isn’t certified, but I don’t think that matters to me. The race doesn’t have any aid stations, but I could carry my own water and food. The race doesn’t come with any fancy T-shirts or running expo. But the race is FREE! You just sign-up, show-up, and run. For finishers of this race which takes place Thanksgiving morning, a 12 inch engraved fork is your reward along with the satisfaction of knowing you earned the calories that you will consume for this year’s Thanksgiving Day meal. I haven’t signed up yet, but I’m definitely thinking that this may be the one.
What do you think? Anyone interested in joining me? Are there any other marathons that I should consider?
Goals like this are great for keeping us focused and moving forward. But it doesn’t have to be a marathon or hiking up Mt. Everest or swimming across the Gulf of Mexico. I’ve been inspired by many who are pursuing their own C25K goal (Coach To 5K). Whatever it is, set a goal. Go after it. You can do it!
So what’s one of your goals? What are you doing to pursue it?
Borrowed Beauty
Later this year, I will hit a milestone birthday – the big 4-0! Honestly, I don’t think I’ve thought about it too much. Although maybe I’m giving myself too much credit. After all, my blog post today is starting with this thought.
At any rate, something happened last night that made me feel old. Many of you know my daughter, Hannah, or have an idea of who she is thanks to my blog. Next month, she will turn 14. This is part of my aging process. It seems like yesterday that we brought her home from the hospital in her car seat and sweater outfit that Grammy made for her. Well, she’s not a baby any more. My Sweetie is turning into quite a beautiful and caring young lady.
Yesterday as part of her Columbus Day holiday, she went Halloween costume shopping with Leanne at our local Goodwill store. She came home with this beautiful red evening gown that she purchased for $20 with her own money. After dinner last night, she tried in on for me. Wow! How did we go from a baby sweater to a flowing red gown so fast? As I hugged Hannah and commented on her beauty, I asked her not to grow up so fast. She smiled as if to say, “I can’t help it, and I’m proud of who I’m becoming.”
I’m proud of her as well. As Leanne and I were talking about Hannah later last night, Leanne reminded me that Hannah is really on loan from God. God gave us Hannah and Isaac to nurture and support for a little while, but they were never fully ours from the beginning. They belong to God. I’m so thankful for the chance to borrow these two amazing kids. And yes, I will cherish each moment and day I get to spend with them.
How do you look at your kids?
What’s something you are borrowing that will one day need to be returned?
ServeFest – Norristown Community House
Saturday morning after witnessing the Phillies‘ dismal performance on Friday night, I had a chance to lift by spirits by spending time with my family and the Bowersox family at the Norristown Community House. Our church was sponsoring a huge day of serving in our area, and we hooked up with the Norristown Community House thanks to a Grove City College connection with the Peter and Becky Bowersox, who are in charge of the House.
So what is the Norristown Community House? Good question. You can go to their website to get more details, but I’ll give you my take. The House is located in the heart of Norristown, PA which is the county seat of Montgomery County. Norristown is one of the poorest communities in the county. The residents of the House are young adults – primarily college students – who attend local colleges. By choosing to live in the House, they are agreeing to become part of a community where discipleship, serving, and reaching out to the community are expected. Peter and Becky (shown above with their 3 kids) act as their resident directors and guides. They make sure the House is running smoothly, and they meet with the young adults on a regular basis to participate in the discipleship process.
It really turned out to be a great morning as we helped them clean out a garage attic that was filled with lots of trash, some relics, and a few treasures. By clearing out this space which obviously hadn’t been cleaned out in years, we helped to make storage space for the residents of the house. We discovered an old salon style hair dryer, Vietnam War veteran documents, old clothes and suitcases, a box full of vinyl records, license plates, and lots of dust! Our kids enjoyed sorting through everything as we removed it from the attic.
This clean-up project was a great way to introduce our family to the Norristown Community House. I think we’ll be back to help out on some other projects and to rub shoulders with the young adults and the Bowersox family. Thanks, Becky and Peter for the opportunity to help out – and for getting my mind off the commencement of the Phillies’ golfing season.
How have you served in your community? What things have you done with your family to serve others?
Crossing Lines Across The Blog World
I have gotten away from posting on the weekend. I’ve learned to cherish this time as a time to spend with my family and a time to take a break. I thought I’d interrupt that break – just briefly – to give a quick shout out to a blogging friend of mine, Pastor Matt. Today, Matt featured my blog in his weekend highlights post. This may not seem like a big deal, but it is to me. Shout outs like this give our blogging communities a chance to expand and to grow not just in numbers but in depth as new readers begin to contribute to the conversations that go on daily thanks to so many great bloggers. So as I say thank you to Pastor Matt, go check out his blog. He has some great stuff to share.
Thanks, Matt!
What blogs to you regularly read that deserve a shout out?
Ice Breaker – Lunch Time Meet-Ups
I love ice breaker questions. These are questions used to help people get to know each other – to “break the ice” so to speak. I love to hear what other people have to say and how they think. So for today, I’m throwing out a simple ice breaker question. I’ll answer it first, then it’s your turn. Answer the question by leaving a comment for us all to enjoy. Thanks!
Question: If you could have lunch or coffee with three people you don’t know, who would they be?
My Answer: Hmmm…. (that’s me thinking).
1. I’d love to meet Bono. Not only am I a huge U2 fan, I’m intrigued by Bono’s call to action in ending poverty and injustice. I think he would have some amazing things to share.
2. I’d go with Barack Obama. If you must know, I didn’t vote for him. I’ve always leaned conservatively right (just ask my brother). Despite this, I think it would be very interesting to have some one-on-one time with Mr. Obama. I’d be curious to learn how he and his family keep first things first while living in the spotlight. I’d like to know how he manages his stress.
3. Lunch with Michael Jordan would be a treat. I grew up cheering for him. My bedroom was plastered in Michael Jordan posters. I loved watching his videos (like Come Fly With Me). I don’t get the impression that he’s made the best decisions outside of basketball, but I think it would be interesting to talk about his regrets along with his high points. I’d also like to talk to him about his faith. I have no idea where he stands.
So there you have it, my three lunch time meet-ups. Now it’s your turn….
How I Spend My Time Is A Moral Issue
“How I spend my time is a moral issue.”
This was the statement someone made to me yesterday, and I can’t stop thinking about it.
How does this statement impact you? I mean if we’re serious about it, this statement could change the way we live or at least change the way we think as we live. Is wasting time immoral? When I fail to make the most of each and every opportunity am I sinning? How do I really live in light of this statement? Do I make the most of the time that I’ve been given?
Does watching TV count? I mean, come on, I love watching those reality TV shows like Survivor, Amazing Race, and Biggest Loser. Are you telling me that watching these shows could be wrong?
How about surfing on the internet? I’m not into porn, but I probably spend too much time on the computer surfing the social media scenes on Facebook, Foursquare, Empire Avenue, Twitter, etc. Could too much time on the computer mean that I’m sinning?
How about during my drive time? I’m in the car at least an hour every day driving to and from work. Surely, I don’t make the most of my time in the car. Hmmm….
Do you see what I mean? This statement has got me thinking!
What do you think? Does that statement hit you the same way?
A Rock Is A Good Place To Kiss
As I was thinking about today’s post, I was reminded of a reason to celebrate at this time of year! On October 10, 1993, Leanne and I shared our first kiss on a rock along the river at McConnell’s Mills a park a little south of Grove City. I still remember this day like it was yesterday….
Leanne and I picked up sandwiches at Subway when we left campus after church on this particular Sunday. I think I had a cold cut trio sandwich, and Leanne may have had the same. We parked in the upper portion of the park and walked down to the covered bridge near the old mill. From there we walked along a path by the river until we discovered a perfect rock. Here we sat and ate our lunch, we enjoyed each others company and conversation, and then it happened! We shared our first kiss – my first kiss! I was blown away! The rest of the day gets a little more blurry….
When we arrived back at campus, I dropped Leanne off at her dorm. It was an awkward goodbye. Do we share another kiss? When will we see each other next? So many new questions. From there, I walked back to my dorm room, it was a little crazy back in Lincoln. My room was filled with my roommates and friends watching Sunday afternoon football. I wasn’t quite ready for the crowd. I just wanted to lay down on my bed and process what had just happened. A couple of my friends picked up on the glow that must have been coming from my face.
That night at Hicks Dining Hall, I remember running into one of Leanne’s friends as I carried my tray to the salad bar. Her friend must have thought I was pretty clumsy as I dropped my tray all over the floor at the dining hall. I think my nerves were on the edge as I was still processing the days’ big event. At any rate, Leanne’s friend still speaks with me, so it must not have left too much of an impression.
To make the story a little more amusing, Leanne and I went back to the same rock when year later when I returned to campus for a visit. 1994 was a bit colder than 1993, and the water was higher, so we couldn’t sit right on the same rock as we shared our Subway sandwiches. As our time together was drawing to a close, I thought it would be a good idea to climb down to the rock where we shared the actual kiss. Little did I know that the rock was now covered in a slippery moss. As I stepped onto the rock, my feet began to slide and before I knew it, I was up to my shoulders in freezing cold river water. Talk about embarrassing! As Leanne helped me out of the water and we walked back up to the car, we laughed as we shared a new humorous memory connected with our special place.
I’m so thankful for these memories and the chance to celebrate the good that God has done in our relationship. As we approach this special milestone in our relationship, I praise God for allowing our lives to intersect and become one. God is good!
Okay, time for you to share a special or embarrassing moment. Come on! Let us celebrate and laugh with you.
Magic Boy and Super Sitter
It’s hard to believe how quickly our kids grow. This picture was taken the first day of school (this year), and I think they’ve grown another few inches since then. A couple of weeks ago, we took the kids with us to visit Grove City College for Homecoming and Leanne’s 15th Class Reunion. Leanne and I felt especially “older” as our kids were clearly the oldest kids among Leanne’s classmates.
One of the cool things about our visit was how our friends’ kids were attracted to our kids. When we were walking over to line up for the parade, one of our friends’ kids ran up to Isaac and said, “Hey Magic Boy, do a magic trick!” And he was completely serious. He had been to our home a month or two prior to homecoming and remembered Isaac doing magic tricks for the kids. Leanne and I often remark to each other how much of a performer our son can be. He loves to put on shows for people. He is the first to jump on the piano or to take out his trumpet when guests come over. We sometimes wonder what Isaac will do when he grows up. Perhaps, he’ll be the ring master for a circus, a musician, or a preacher or worship leader. It’s fun to imagine as we watch our son bloom.
At Grove City, most of the kids were attracted to Hannah. And many of the parents were putting bids on Hannah to come to their homes over the summer to watch their kids. Hannah is a leader and a care-giver. She knows how to take charge and how to have compassion. She had the opportunity to hold a baby, and it was fun to watch her as the baby fell asleep in her arms. She also was the leader for the preschoolers and elementary kids as they made up games and did crafts together. Leanne and I often say that Hannah will have an interesting future. Will she be a teacher, a missionary, a mom, or president of some organization? Like her brother, it’s fun to watch as our daughter matures and becomes a young lady.
As we watch our kids grow, we have come to know and realize that time goes so quickly. Each moment is precious as they fly by before our eyes. It’s for this reason that I often say that Paul’s call in Colossians to “make the most of every opportunity” was about sharing our faith, but it’s also a great reminder to take advantage of the time we have with our kids. Walking around Grove City College a couple of weeks ago with our kids was a huge reminder that our kids will be venturing to college before we know it. We need to make the most of these days we have with “Magic Boy” and “Super Sitter.”
What characteristics and gifts to you see developing in your children? What are you doing to make the most of the opportunities you have with your children?
September 2011 Top Posts
It’s hard to believe that we’ve reached the end of another month. September was the best month by far at Jon Stolpe Stretched. Traffic on the blog increased 28%! Comments continued to roll-in. And new people joined in the conversation and community. The blog added a couple of new subscribers and the new Jon Stolpe Stretched Facebook Page attracted several new followers in its first month. Here are the top 10 posts and top 3 commentors for the month:
Top 10 Posts
1. Top 10 Things To Do At Grove City College
2. The Birds and The Bees – Talking to Your Kids About Sex
3. It’s The People – Back From Grove City College Homecoming
4. Book Review: Hell Is Real (But I Hate To Admit It) by Brian Jones
5. Jon Stolpe Stretched Gets A Piece Of Toast Thanks To TentBlogger
7. Date Night
8. “Have You Ever Thought About Writing A Book?”
9. New Ways to Connect to the Jon Stolpe Stretched Community
Top 3 Commentors
1. Arny Sanchez
2. Ryan Knight
3. Brandon
I now have 18 regular subscribers. If you’d like to become a subscriber, see the “Follow Blog” window on your right. It’s great to see this starting to take off.
Thank you to all of you for reading and contributing to the blog and to the reader community. I’ve continue to grow a lot through this experience.
As always, I love to share other’s “stretching” stories on my blog, so leave me a comment if you’re interested in being a guest blogger on Jon Stolpe Stretched.
Finally, if you’re a blogger, how did your blog to this month? What was your top post? What was your favorite post?
My Dad
Today is my dad’s birthday. If you happen to be friends with him on Facebook, hop on over and wish him a happy birthday. Or leave him a comment on his blog. I introduced him here on my blog this summer, when he shared a guest post about God In The Spaces. As I stated in the introduction to his post, I owe so much of who I am including my writing to him. He’s been writing for as long as I know, and I suspect he was probably writing as soon as he could hold a pen or a pencil – I’ll have to ask my grandma.
At any rate, I wanted to post today to reflect on some memories I have of my dad. I think it’s important to reflect on these things from time to time. So here are my thoughts:
1. My dad is one of the smartest people I know. Seriously, he has read so much, and he retains what he reads. My friends at our church growing up used to refer to him as Cliff Claven (from Cheers), because dad was always sharing some little known fact about something. I know my family (especially my brothers) joke around about this, but I think it’s more out of envy and appreciation than anything else.
2. My dad is a lot stronger than most people realize. He used to workout bench pressing more than 300 pounds. His hobby in college was cliff climbing. I smile as I remember the time that he lifted one of our youth group teenagers off the ground when this teen tried to sneak up on my dad from behind. That kid never messed with my dad again. And the rest of the youth group talked about “Norm’s strength” for years.
3. My dad isn’t perfect. Despite being a pastor and very close to God (that’s another thing I’ll share in a few seconds), my dad is human. I chuckle as I think about the holes in doors and walls that he created himself as he chased one of my brothers down the hall or banged his head in frustration. I also think about the game of National Geographic Global Pursuit that ended when my brother, my grandpa, and my dad show-off the family stubbornness in questioning a move. I’m not sure we ever played that game afterwards.
4. My dad is intentional. I especially think of all the times when dad stops us in our tracks to make sure we understand what’s going on in a particular moment or situation. He says, “I want to stop and remember this moment, this milestone. This is important.” He does this whenever we are together. When my brother, Erik, graduated from college, I can remember him stopping to celebrate and to thank God for this milestone. When my family got together to celebrate my grandparents anniversary, I remember him stopping to make sure we captured the moment that we were all together for one last time. On mission trips and youth retreats as a teenager, I remember dad gathering us together at the end of the week or weekend to reflect on what God just did through the trip or retreat. In some ways, this is one of the main reasons I blog. I want to create a record of the things in my life; I don’t want to forget how God has worked through the ups and downs of my daily life.
5. My dad is very close to God. As I mentioned earlier, my dad takes his relationship with God very seriously. I admire my dad’s dedication, commitment, and example. He spends time regularly praying, meditating, memorizing, and thinking about God. I’m convinced that his number one passion is to follow Jesus and to be close to Him. This pours from everything my dad does and says.
I’m sure I could go on, but I’ll stop for now. I just wanted to reflect and share about my dad today as he celebrates his birthday.
Dad, thanks for being such a great example to me and others. Thanks for being you! Happy Birthday! I love you!
How do you remember your parents? For those of you who know my dad, feel free to comment with your own thought or memory of him.