Thanksgiving Tablecloth Tradition – Monday 2016

If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.

W. Clement Stone

Yesterday, I introduced the Thanksgiving Tablecloth Tradition.  This is a tradition our family started 15 years ago, and it has helped ensure we intentionally reflect on God’s provision in our lives over the past year.  To read more about the tradition, click here.

This week, I’ll be sharing the things I’ll be writing on the tablecloth this year.

On Sunday, I took time to brainstorm my gratitude using the Lighten (mind mapping) application on my iPad, so I’ll be sharing pictures of my Thank You 2016 mindmap to give you a glimpse into my world.

I’m thankful for 2 weeks in Guatemala this summer.  Our family traveled to Guatemala to help build three homes and to continue ministry to widows and orphans in the village of Santo Domingo Xenacoj.

I’m thankful for Ann Flynn who joined our team this year.  Besides the medical expertise and humor she brought to the trip, it was refreshing to see Xenacoj through her eyes.  One of my dreams is to bring others with us when we go to Xenacoj.  I want them to experience what we’ve experienced, and I want them to develop a heart for the beautiful people we serve.  Ann’s participation in this year’s trip gave me hope that this will happen.

I’m thankful for safe travels, and I’m thankful for the people who helped us out on either side of our trip with transportation and pet care.

I’m thankful for the 3 houses we helped build.  More importantly, I’m thankful for the opportunity to engage with the families of Dolores, Maria, and Carmen.  I look forward to visiting them when we return again.

I’m thankful for Hillary.  She’s visited Xenacoj several times in the past as part of medical missions trips.  This was our first trip together.  She added a lot to our first week in Guatemala, and I’m thankful for her medical support when Leanne fainted on the construction site the first day.

I’m thankful for my mornings in Guatemala.  Each morning I had the opportunity to spend time on the roof of our residence before anyone else woke up.  This was my opportunity for Rooftop Reflections – a daily video blog of my thoughts.  I also did a lot of reading in the morning.  I read through I and II Thessalonians and The Promise of a Pencil and Start Something That Matters.  Finally, I had the opportunity in the morning to walk the streets of Xenacoj while Hannah ran on ahead.  These morning walks allowed me to suck in the sites, smells, and sounds that come with each morning in this village I love.

I’m thankful for Hope Haven.  This is where we helped out in their warehouse where they build wheelchairs for people all over the world.  We also participated in a wheelchair basketball game.  (It’s harder than you think.)

I’m thankful for Cruz Ayapan, a small village just outside of Xenacoj.  This village and it’s village are clear reminders that God’s love is needed all over the world and there is still much work to be done.

I’m thankful for our widows walk with German.  It was beautiful to see German’s heart as he ministered to the women in his village who are often forgotten.

I’m thankful for the opportunity to meet with Mario Aquino, the mayor of Xenacoj.  This meeting provided an incredible time to discuss a vision for our involvement in the future.

I’m thankful for the generosity of so many donors who helped make this trip possible.

I’m thankful for Oreo, the dog who we adopted during our trip.  He lived outside our house, and he always greeted us with his expressive tail and ears.

I’m thankful for protection from witchcraft.  I don’t talk about this a lot, but there were people in the village who weren’t excited to have us there.  I’m thankful we stayed safe during this experience.

I’m thankful for our wonderful translators.  Not only did they help us communicate with the locals, but they became our friends.

And I’m thankful for our visit to Antigua.  This is the tourist village about 40 minutes from Xenacoj.  I’ll always remember the rooftop dinner with our team and the McDonalds date with Leanne while our kids shopped for souvenirs with the rest of our team.0

Stay tuned for Day Two of my Thanksgiving Tablecloth Tradition reflections.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.  Psalm 118:1

What did you experience this year that merits your gratitude?  Share your thoughts in the comments.

Thanksgiving Tablecloth Tradition

I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.

Henry David Thoreau

Across America, people will be celebrating Thanksgiving this week.

Some people will be watching one of the NFL football games televised throughout the day.  Others will watch a Thanksgiving parade.  Many Americans will be gathering with family and friends to eat a traditional Thanksgiving feast.  A few of you may lace up your running shoes or your football cleats for a Thanksgiving 5K or a community Turkey Bowl game.

These are all great traditions.  I know I’m looking forward to spending time with my family and eating the delicious Thanksgiving feast.

Thanksgiving is more than family, food, and football.  Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful.  While we should be thankful all year, Thanksgiving gives us all the opportunity to more intentional in our gratitude.

For the past 15 years, our family has celebrated Thanksgiving with our Thanksgiving Tablecloth Tradition.

Here’s how it works:

We have a white tablecloth for our Thanksgiving table.  We purchased fabric markers.  Each guest at our Thanksgiving feast traces their hand print on the tablecloth using one of the fabric markers (make sure you put a piece of cardboard under the tablecloth while you are doing this part).  They write their name and the year in the palm of the hand print.  Then each guest writes five things for which they are thankful (one in each finger).  You may want to put a piece of clear plastic over the tablecloth after everyone has finished their hand print.

Each year we pull out the tablecloth, and we read over the hand prints from previous years.  It’s amazing to see God’s provision in our lives over the years.

We are on our 2nd tablecloth.  The tablecloths include names of family members who are no longer with us.  They include the colorful and sloppy handwriting of our youngest family members, and they include the beautiful hand prints from friends who joined us for the Thanksgiving meal.

Over the next week, I’ll be sharing the five things I’ll be writing on my hand print this year.

Start a new tradition this year – The Thanksgiving Tablecloth Tradition.  Go pickup a tablecloth and some fabric markers.  It’s good to give thanks.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  Psalm 100:4

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving tradition?  Why are you thankful this year?  Share your thoughts in the comments.

Why You Need to Join the Downsize Revolution

“You’re sick, and you’re making yourself sick,and you can make yourself unsick by stopping doing what you’re doing.”

Daryl Isaacs from Supersize Me

Sometime between the 1970s and the 1990s, America fastfood chains conducted a “Supersize” Revolution.  Restaurants like McDonalds and Burger King began offering extra large portions of soft drinks and french fries at a “value” price.  And Americans ate it up.  Literally.

People began ordering unnecessary and unhealthy amounts of fries and sodas to make the most of the “deal” being offered by these convenient food chains.

And America’s problem with obesity went to a whole new level.

Many fast food chains have toned down their advertisements related to the “Supersize” Revolution in the wake of health and fitness reports.  They’ve even been offering healthy menu options and smaller portion sizes.  Subway even glamorized their ability to help customers reduce their waste size when they jumped on the Jared bandwagon several years ago.

I go to the gym every morning, and I see people working out.  They’re trying to fight obesity and get in better shape just like me.

It all looks good on the surface, but there is still a problem which goes much deeper than the waist line.

Americans (just like me) are caught up in the pursuit of bigger, better, and just plain more.

I’m guilty of it, and I’m guessing many of you are too.  We may not be “supersizing” our food consumption, but we’re busy trying to “supersize” our lives.  We want more.  We want the best.  We want the biggest.  And we definitely want to keep up with the Jones’ (or even surpass them).  (Nothing personal if you happen to be a Jones.)

Eleven years ago, our family moved one mile away to “supersize” our house.  We went from a 1,200 square feet single floor ranch house to a 3,600 square feet two-story “mansion.”  We have also “super sized” our cars over the years going from a Toyota Corolla and Ford Taurus to mini-vans and SUVs.  We purchased bigger “super sized” furntiture to go in our “super sized” house.

And it hasn’t stopped at material items.

We’ve “super sized” our lives by making sure we are involved in every activity and organization under the sun.  From Boy Scouts to jazz band, from Toastmasters to masterminds, from MomsConnect to H.O.P.E., and from cross-country to Chick-Fil-A, our family is maxed out on activities.

Does this sound anything like your experience in life?

How does your “Supersize” life make you feel?

Here’s how I’m feeling.

I’m exhausted.  I’m worn out.  I feel like I’ve gone 15 rounds with Apollo Creed.

I feel like I have way more than I can handle, and it’s time to make some changes.

This is where it gets scary for me.

I hate saying “No”.  I hate giving in.  I’m not a quitter.  And I don’t want to let people down.

It’s not too late for you or for me.  We can decide today to end the “Supersize” Revolution in our own lives.  We can even start are own “Downsize” Revolution.

4 Ways to  Join the “Downsize” Revolution

1. “Downsize” your calendar.  Take time to purge some of the things on your calendar.  Before you sign-up for another commitment, take a hard look at your current list of commitments.  Decide what is really important, and start getting rid of the rest.  As you head into the holidays and the new year, be intentional about freeing up your time.  You need this time to live, to relax, to focus, and to breathe.
2. “Downsize” your stuff.  Get rid of the junk that’s clogging your closets, your basement, your garage, and your tool shed.  Sell stuff.  Give stuff away.  And throw away the stuff you simply do not need anymore.  By purging your possessions, you will have more opportunity to enjoy the things you have and the people who mean the most to you.
3. “Downsize” your relationships.  Don’t make enemies, and don’t disown those around you.  Simply spend more time with the people who mean the very most to you.  Too often, the people who most deserve our attention get our leftovers, because we are too relationally burned out because we hung out with other people too much.
4. “Downsize” your residence.  Seriously, do you need that four bedroom, three bathroom collosal home?  Imagine for a second the possibilities created by downsizing your house.  Your mortgage could shrink (or even go away).  Your tax bill and your utility bills will decrease.  Your upkeep expenses and upkeep time will dramatically decrease.  You’ll suddenly discover more money to live, to give, and to save.

Our family is embarking on a “Downsize” Revolution.  Will you join us?

By “downsizing”, we’ll be able to “supersize” the things that matter the most in our lives.

What steps do you need to take to “downsize”?  In what areas do you need to “supersize” your life?  Share your thoughts in the comments.

How Trying On Someone Else’s Shoes Might Actually Make This World A Better Place

The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases.

Carl Jung

Today is my wife’s birthday.

When gift shopping for my wife, I try to get her something she wants, something she needs, something to wear, and something to read.  One of her gifts from me this year was a brand new pair of brown boots.  (This kind of fits into two categories – something she wants and something to wear.)

When I she opened them tonight, I told her I couldn’t try them on as my feet were too big.

I laughed at my typically corny comment.  I’m not sure she appreciated my comment as much as I did, but I’m learning to accept this about my wife.

As I was thinking more about the comment, I realized that there is so much to gain by learning from the perspective of others.  How often do we find ourselves in some sort of disagreement, misunderstanding, or fight because we have failed to put ourselves in the shoes of others?

I genuinely try to live this way, but I fail too many times.  It’s hard to relate to others when we don’t really take time to understand where they are coming from in their lives.  What experiences from their past are influencing their present?  What hurts, pains, and scars impact how they go about life?

As I observe the present climate in the week following the election, I’m seeing our culture is suffering from this same problem.  People are protesting, fighting, and spewing all kinds of hate towards one another.  In all likelihood, they really don’t understand the person or people they are protesting.

And on the other hand, many of us are likely to dismiss the protestors as being misguided instead of taking time to understand why they are so frustrated.

I think this world might be a much better place if we all took a little time to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.

When we take time to ask questions, to listen, and to withhold our judgements, we might actually find some commonground on which we can base our relationships.

As we head into the unknown of tomorrow, let’s take time to try on someone else’s shoes.  Let’s do what we can to build a better world for tomorrow regardless of how we voted.

Who’s shoes do you need to try on first?  Who do you simply not understand?  What is one thing you can do to gain a better understanding of their perspectxive?  Share your thoughts in the comments.

Thank The People Who Show Up Every Day

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.”

Voltaire

Tonight, I had the honor of attending the Annual Awards Dinner for my company where employees are recognized for their years of service to the company.  This year, I celebrated my 20th year with Siemens (actually, we were Landis & Gyr Powers when I started).

It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years.

And I really appreciated the opportunity to applaud others who were there to celebrate their 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 30th, or 35th year with the company.

We need to remember to stop and recognize those around us who have shown up every day – the people who keep things going in our lives.

A thank you goes a long way.

Who do you need to thank?  And how are you going to go about showing your appreciation to someone who deserves it?  Share your thoughts in the comments.

Where Is Your Trust?

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,  but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Psalm 20:7

Facebook (and other social media channels) has been littered with posts bashing the candidates, prophesying doom, and destroying any hope of unity our country might have had.  People are protesting the election results in cities all over the country.

I’m thankful we live in a country where people have the right to freedom of speech, but I’m also reminded of the words of James – “be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.”

I was not thrilled with either of the two major party candidates this year (which may give you a small indication of how I did or didn’t vote), but I’m a firm believer that God is still in control, that I’m called to pray for our leaders, and that I can be part of the change I’d like to see in this world.

As “brothers and sisters in Christ” pronounce doom and gloom on the world in the wake of the election results, I challenge all of us to remember where our allegiance lies.  And I challenge all of us to be unifiers instead of dividers – bridge builders instead of wall builders – and people of action instead of people who simply voice our disgust without taking any positive steps forward.

Some trust in chariots, some trust in horses, some trust in presidents, some trust in their jobs, some trust in their bosses, some trust in their retirement accounts.

Me?

I trust in the name of the Lord my God.

I don’t know what tomorrow brings, but I know who holds my future.  It’s not Donald Trump.  It’s not Hillary Clinton.

Where is your trust? 

How to Respond to the 2016 Election Results

The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.

Psalm 118:24

Today is a brand new day.  I just woke up after a short nights sleep to see that Donald Trump is the next President of the United States.  I have some friends and family who are extremely happy about this outcome, and I have some friends and family who are saddened, unhappy, and even scared by this outcome.

From all the polls, the latest news, and the buzz on social media, half of the people in our country will be unhappy with the results.  And half of the people will be happy or at least in agreement with the outcome of last nights election.

I’m not so sure that God arranged the outcome of yesterday’s election.  After all, God gave us minds and free will to make our own decisions.  But I do think that God has given us a new day today.  This is the day the Lord has made.  Let’s rejoice and be glad in it!

You may or may not be excited about the policies and ideas of our next president and the leadership in our country.  But you have a choice to make today.  How will you treat today?  Will you rejoice in the day that God has made?  Or will you pout, stamp your feet, and cross your arms in dismay?

How to Respond to the 2016 Election Results

1. Realize the blessings and freedoms that we experience in this country.  We have the right to vote.  We have so many rights and privileges that are not granted in other countries.  We are definitely blessed!
2. Realize that you have the power to make a difference.  Just like Esther demonstrated the power to impact an entire people group through her actions, we have the ability to leave our mark – even if we sometimes feel as though we’re acting alone.
3. Respond with honor.  Represent God and your faith with integrity in how you react to this election.  Our leaders deserve our respect – even if we don’t agree with them.  Stomping our feet may make us feel better initially, but it will eventually leave our feet sore and will fail to be productive.
4. Commit to make a difference.  You still have the ability to impact your neighborhood, your state, your country, and the world for God’s kingdom.  That did not change yesterday.
5. Pray for our leaders.  Whether it is the president of the United States or the mayor of your town, leaders have big decisions to make.  They face stresses that few of us could ever imagine.  They need our prayer.
6. Reach across the lines of division and be a unifier instead of a divider.  This was one of the nastiest elections in my memory, and I’m sure our media and social media didn’t help the situation.  Regardless, of where you fell on this election, it’s time we all learn to reach across the lines of division.  It’s time we learn to listen to the voices of those who are different that us – in our opinions, in our beliefs, in our skin color, and in our socioeconomic status.  “Making our country great again” depends so much more on you and me than it does on our next President.
7. Put on a smile.  Sitting on your hands and frowning is not productive.  Period.  Decide today to have a good attitude.

I’m speaking to myself as I write these words and ideas.  I want to be known as a positive, respectful, and thankful person.  You and I have a choice to make.  How will you proceed from here?

What do you see in your world today?  How will you choose to rejoice today?

Saturday

I was home most of the day today, and it felt great!

I woke up a little later than normal, and I headed to the gym for a chest, shoulders, and triceps workout.  I’ve been tracking my workouts in a handwritten journal, and it has been encouraging to see the progress over the past five weeks.  I am lifting more, and there might actually be some muscle tone developing – maybe.  The workouts have definitely contributed to helping me feel more fit and a little more flexible.

When I arrived home from the gym, our whole family enjoyed brunch – homemade, baked french toast with turkey sausage and a cup of decaf coffee.  I can’t remember the last time all four of us ate breakfast together in our house (but I know it’s been at least two months).

Next, Leanne and I spent some time going over our finances – balancing the checkbook and talking about our spending for the next week or two.  We’ve missed this weekly “meeting” for the past few weeks due to our busy weekend (and weekday) schedules with visits to Messiah College, Grove City College, and DeSales University (for one of Hannah’s cross-country meets).  These weekly financial check-ins are important for our financial beings, but I think they’re also important for our marriage as well.  It’s healthy to talk about our spending, our saving, and our plans for the future.

After our financial “meeting”, we loaded everyone in the car and headed out for a few errands which included picking up items for our Operation Christmas Child boxes, a trip to the pumpkin patch, and a trip to Ott’s to get a family picture in front of the “mountain” of mums.  The trip also included a trip to the bank, so Isaac could deposit his first paychecks.  He started working at Chick-Fil-A a few weeks ago, and this is the first time he’s had a job like this.  Talking to him about savings, spending, and giving is not new to him as we’ve tried to instill this pattern in our kids life ever since they started handling money, but it was cool to talk about it again as he was figuring out what to do with his first ever paychecks.

I took a nap this afternoon.  I’ve grown to like napping on Saturday and/or Sunday afternoon.  There’s something about taking a break that helps me thrive during the rest of the week.

Tonight, Leanne and I went to our church for a special meeting with the staff and a few other people in the church.  We talked about the church’s vision for the future.  We talked about the importance of touching the lives of kids and their families in our area and around the world.  People asked great questions, and I left encouraged by the direction of our church and its leadership.  I’m convinced that our pastors have a heart for connecting broken people to God in a way that impacts them for the rest of their lives and for eternity, and it’s exciting to be part of it.  I’m praying God will continue to grant wisdom and energy to our leaders and will provide the resources for our continued impact.

And now, I’m home again.

Time for bed.  I’m looking forward to what adventures await me tomorrow.

Friday Night Free For All

It’s Friday night, and our whole family is home.

(Hannah is home from Messiah College for a short break.)

While Leanne and Isaac were at piano and Hannah was out for a run, I cut the grass ahead of the rainy weather coming tomorrow.  My wife reminded me that working outside is one of the things that refreshes me, so I decided to cut the grass when I arrived home from work.  There something therapeutic about riding the tractor back and forth across my lawn.  I love creating straight lines and cool patterns in my grass, and I always appreciate the way the yard looks after a good mowing.  Tonight, I had to finish cutting the grass with the tractor headlights on so I could see where I was going.  Fall is here and the days are getting shorter.  I don’t exactly like the shorter days, but I do appreciate the different seasons we get to experience here in Pennsylvania.

For dinner tonight, Isaac made crepes.  We first enjoyed dinner crepes with ham and cheese.  Then we pigged out on dessert crepes.  Mine were filled with strawberries, bananas, and whipped cream.  Everyone else in the family put Nutella in their crepes.  This was our first meal together at home in two months since Hannah departed for college.

After a busy day and busy week, it is nice to be home.

If you read my post from yesterday, you’ll know I’m struggling with exhaustion and overcommitment.  In my post, I started to ponder this question:  “What refreshes me?”

After I road the post, Leanne came and sat down on the couch next to me, and she said I looked more relaxed.

One of the things that refreshes me is writing.

I think I forgot this.  Or maybe I have simply allowed other things to crowd out my time for writing.  It’s crazy how we let this happen.  We find something we’re passionate about (like writing).  We go after it for a while, but then other things wedge themselves into our schedules and we forget to keep doing the thing that brings us the most joy and fulfillment.

For me, I haven’t been very consistent lately when it comes to writing.  I’ve been too busy doing other things.  I’ve been too tired to carve out the time to focus on writing.  And I think it’s had an impact on me.

Writing is cathartic.  It restores my soul.  It fills me up.  It helps me process the challenges of life.  And it simultaneously gives me the opportunity to encourage others.

And I’m back at it again tonight – two nights in a row.  Hannah is cleaning up after dinner.  Leanne is working on breakfast for tomorrow morning.  Isaac is practicing the piano for church on Sunday.  And I’m sitting here in my easy chair – writing, listening, and slowly filling up my tank.

This is the day the Lord has made.  I will rejoice and be glad in it.  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.  His mercies never come to an end.  They are new every morning.  I’m thankful for an evening to sit, to reflect, and to relax.

It’s Friday night, and I’m thankful for the weekend.

How do you unwind after a busy week?  Share your thoughts in the comments.

Where I’m At Right Now

I read an article by Ben Read today – Running on empty?

Take a look at the article.  The title alone resonated with me.  Honestly, I’m exhausted, and I’m feeling depleted.

I’ve been working hard at my job.  We’re in the middle of the annual performance management process.  I have ten direct reports requiring my evaluation, but I’m also involved in lending input on others in my department and in my office.  I care deeply about my team members, and I want this process to be meaningful for them and for their careers.  This is happening while I’m still handling the normal activities and interruptions of my job.

I’ve five weeks into a twelve week strength training program, and I’ve worked out nearly every day for the past 33 days.  The workouts have been beneficial.  I can see the results.  I’ve been working on my legs and abs, my back and biceps, and my chest, shoulders, and triceps.  And I’ve been taking a different approach to my cardio.  Most mornings I’m up at 4AM and out the door by 4:30AM on the way to the gym.  Sometimes I work out at lunch if I have a shorter workout scheduled. 

My son, Isaac, started a job a few weeks ago at Chick-Fil-A.  He works until closing three days a week, and he doesn’t have his driver’s license yet.  This means I’m out three nights a week to pick him up.  I’m so thankful for my son and his job.  And I’m thankful for the quiet moments in the car on the way home as we quietly talk about a few things as we travel the dark, windy roads back to our house.

I’m in the middle of another challenge I can’t mention here.  But I can tell you that it sucks a fair amount of emotional and mental energy out of me.

I’m half-way through my three month Stretch Man Mastermind group, and I’m happy to say that it has been going amazingly well.  The interactions with the members of the group have been thought-provoking and truly stretching.  Every two weeks, we get together, and I teach on a relevant topic for 10-15 minutes before we dive into an issue one of us is facing.  Last night, I prepared the teaching time for our next call.

I’m involved in Toastmasters.  I’m the Area Director for five clubs, and I’m trying to keep pace with my club.  I signed up to give my next speech at our next club meeting which takes place next Wednesday.  For those of you familiar with Toastmasters, I’m two speeches away from earning my ACB (Advanced Communicator Bronze) milestone.  I had to say “No” last weekend when one of the District Officers asked me to help out with an upcoming conference.  I stink at saying “No.”

I’ve been on the go every weekend for the past few months.  There is always something on my calendar on Saturday.  I haven’t been home for more than a few hours on the weekend for a while.

I could go on.

I’m over-involved.  I’m worn out.  And it’s easy to see why just looking at my thoughts above.

Maybe it’s time for a break.

Ben Reed’s article was a reminder that I need to make time to fill my tank.  I need to take time to rest, relax, and recharge.  And I need to learn to say “No.”  I can’t do everything.  And I want to do it well.  But I can’t do anything well when my tank is empty, and I can’t do many things well when I try to do everything.

My wife, Leanne, is a wise woman.  She asked me tonight, “What recharges you?”

I’m still thinking about the response to her question.

I know my annual Memorial Day Weekend Camping trip with a few of my buddies recharges me, but this is 8 months away.  I think it’s time for me to ponder this question and to take time to follow through on my response.

This is where I’m at right now.  Just thought I’d share.

What’s the condition of your “gas tank”?  What recharges you?  Share your thoughts in the comments.