Guatemala Photo of the Day – Brain Power

Here is Betty’s father (who we referred to as El Abuelo) and Ken Shull.

El Abuelo has learned through years of working the land around Xenacoj.  Ken is a materials science engineering professor at Northwestern.

The brain power represented here in education and experience was more than enough to make sure we built a great house for Betty and her family.  I’m so glad I had the opportunity to work alongside these to gentlemen this summer.

The Discipline of Discipline – Why We All Need A Little Discipline In Our Lives

When I played basketball in junior high, my coaches made me take hundreds of free throw shots during practice.  I would take them at the beginning of practice.  I would take them in the middle of practice.  And I would take many more at the end of each practice.  If you were a professional basketball player, you would most likely take thousands of free throw shots in practice.

Why?

Players take thousands of free throw shots in practice to prepare for free throw situations in games.  When you practice the free throw over and over again, these shots become second nature.  You know the feel of the shot.  You release the ball the same way each time.  It rotates off your fingertips and into the air toward the basket the same way each time.

It takes discipline to take thousands of shots during practice.  And it’s a discipline that pays off when it really matters.

I am part of a weekly men’s group.  More than once, I have been described by the other men in the group as being a person of discipline.  They know I get up at 4 AM every morning.  I spend time in God’s Word every day before I do anything else.  I go to the gym and am exercising by 5 AM.  I eat the same thing for breakfast every day.  For some people, these disciplines seem impossible and a bit crazy.  For me, they seem natural.  These are all part of my normal rhythm of life.

The past several days, I have been posting about various disciplines – the discipline of showing up, the discipline of being present, the discipline of celebration, the discipline of unplugging, the discipline of gratitude, and others.

Why do I write about these disciplines?

Hopefully, I can encourage you, the reader, through these posts to pick up a new discipline.

But just as important, these are the disciplines that stretch me.  These are all disciplines that don’t yet come natural to me.  I want to keep growing.  I want to become the person I was created to be.  I want to live life to the fullest.  In order to hit these marks, I recognize the need for these other disciplines in my life.  Just like Paul, I want to reach the finish line of life and hear “Well done.”  Here’s what Paul had to say about self-discipline in his first letter to the Corinthians:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.  No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.  I Corinthians 9:24-27

What discipline do you need to inject into your life to stretch you and to qualify you for the prize?

(Photo credit:  crypto via Flickr)

Guatemala Photo of the Day – Have You Seen Betty?

The Discipline Of Gratitude

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.

Seriously, when was the last time you expressed your appreciation to someone (and really meant it)?

You would think that gratitude would come naturally to all of us.  After all, we have a lot for which to be thankful.  We woke up this morning.  We probably ate three meals yesterday.  We are so blessed, and yet, we too often forget to say thank you.

The past several days, we have been discussing stretch disciplines.  These are disciplines that will stretch you and make you a better person.

We would all miss out if we left out the discipline of gratitude.

Yes.  I believe gratitude requires discipline.  I believe it’s an attitude and a skill we can develop with practice.

Here are three simple ways to develop the discipline of daily gratitude in your life:

3 Ways To Develop The Discipline Of Daily Gratitude

1. Keep a thankful journal.  Thanks to my wife, we have a journal on our kitchen table.  Each night when we sit down for dinner, each of us takes turns writing down one thing for which we are grateful.
2. Say “Thank you” at least once a day.  It helps to actually tell someone you appreciate them or something they did.
3. Join the “Thank You Revolution.”  I’ve talked about this before.  Matt McWilliams started the Thank You Revolution a couple of years ago.  As part of the revolution, he encourages others to write at least once thank you note every week (typically on Thursday).  For more information on how to join the TYR (Thank You Revolution), click here.

How would your world be different if you made the decision to practice the discipline of gratitude?  How has gratitude made a difference in your life?

Guatemala Photo of the Day – More Than A Pile Of Wood

Here’s what the house looked like when we arrived on our first day of work.

German Espana coordinated locals to come before us and lay the foundation and pour the floor.  These are absolutely necessary to building a house that lasts.  From here, we installed wood on the sides of the house.

Honestly, when we arrived, I didn’t quite know what to think.  I was excited.  I was wondering if our family of four was up to the task with the help of a few other partners from Chicago and a couple of locals.

This pile of wood represents a bright future for a family in need.  It looks bleak at first, but there is hope in this pile of wood.  In a matter of a couple of days, this pile of wood would turn into a home for a widow, her five children, and her father.

What is impossible in your life right now? What looks chaotic and messy?

There is hope and healing in your messy chaos.

The Discipline Of Unplugging

Saturday morning, we drove down to Kennett Square to see Hannah run the mile at the Nike Unionville Track & Field Invitational Meet.  This meant we spent an hour in the car each way, and we hung out in the cold stands watching a few of the events before and after Hannah’s race.  When we arrived home, we did a little bit of work in the yard before heading over the New Hope to watch Isaac perform in the Cavalcade of Bands Jazz Championships.  This meant we spent an hour in the car each way, and we hung out in the New Hope Solebury High School auditorium watching the other bands.  Isaac didn’t arrive home until well after midnight which meant I was up later than normal as I waited to pick him up.  Sunday after church, we headed over to Isaac’s annual piano recital.  Then it was on to youth group for the evening.

Like I was saying before, I really didn’t have any downtime.

It was great to participate in each of these events and activities, but it is also important to slow down.  Part of slowing down means unplugging.  We don’t unplug enough in today’s fast-paced, have-to-stay-connected world.  I think there is something healthy about practicing the discipline of unplugging.

Here are three important reasons to unplug:

3 Reasons to Practice the Discipline of Unplugging

1. Unplugging provides a necessary break.  I’ve been going a million miles a minute.  I work hard at work, and I do a lot of things outside of work.  I run.  I write.  And I keep up with a busy family.  I stay connected to a world of emails, blog posts, and social media connections.  I don’t give me self a chance to rest, and I’m guessing I’m not alone.  We all need the opportunity to rest.  Sometimes this means disconnecting from the world – even if it’s just for a day.
2. Unplugging provides an opportunity for new inspiration.  While we are racing from one thing to the next, we are missing out on the beautiful world God gave us.  There’s inspiration right in front of our eyes.  We just need to stop and look from time to time.
3. Unplugging provides time to reconnect with what is important.  The rush of life can sometimes take us away from what is important.  The computer world and the world of television can become consuming.  We need to put it in perspective.

I challenge you to unplug.  It may seem hard at first, but you can start small.  Start with a minute each hour.  Then try an hour each day.  When you have this down, unplug for a day each week.  Finally, unplug for a weekend or even a week.  I guarantee you’ll be refreshed, inspired, and reconnected.

How would your world be different if you made the decision to practice the discipline of unplugging?  How has unplugging made a difference in your life?

Guatemala Photo of the Day – Giddy Up!

You never know what you’ll see in the streets of Xenacoj.

This is one thing you would most likely see if you were on the streets in Xenacoj today.  Horses are still used for transportation – especially for firewood.

How often do you see horses walking down the streets where you live?

Guatemala Photo of the Day – Sisters

German and Suzie’s daughters entertained and hosted us throughout the week in Xenacoj.

I sometimes wondered what they thought of the gringo families invading their house.  Did they like us?  Did they think we were weird?  Did they mind?

Their parents certainly set an unbelievable example of servant leadership. I will cherish this family forever.

Guatemala Photo of the Day – Do It Well

No matter how hard I tried, I could never make a tortilla as nice as the women in Xenacoj.

These women are spending the decent part of their morning making tortillas for the feeding programs at the various schools in and around Xenacoj.  A couple of tortillas, a spoonful of beans, and a smile goes a long way for most of the children receiving these meals.  In fact, this will often be their biggest and best (and sometimes only) meal of the day.

What you do matters!

If you make tortillas, do it well – do it to the glory of God.  If you sweep trash, do it well – do it to the glory of God.  If you design buildings, do it well – do it to the glory of God.

Whatever you do, do it with excellence!

Ice Breaker – Smart Phone Applications and Computer Programs

Each week on The Stretched Blog, I 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.

(I’m always looking for Ice Breaker question ideas.  If you have an idea, send me an email at jon@jonstolpe.com.  If I use your question, I’ll give you credit and share your links.)

Question:  What is one of your favorite smart phone applications, tablet applications, or computer programs?

My Answer:  I use many different software packages for my phone, tablet, and laptop.  It’s hard to pick out a clear favorite.  One that I recently stumbled upon that I’m really liking is Periscope by Twitter.  Periscope is an application for your smart phone that lets you live-stream to other viewers.  It also lets you watch in on your friends when they live-stream.  I love the comments and likes that appear on the screen throughout the live clip.  Follow me at @jonstolpe.

Answer this week’s ice breaker question by leaving a comment. I look forward to reading your response! (As always, feel free to share links.) And keep Stretching!