Category Archives for "looking back"

The 9/11 Memorial

Our first stop during our visit to New York City last week was to Ground Zero and the recently opened 9/11 Memorial.  The memorial is located on the grounds of the World Trade Center twin towers that were destroyed when terrorists crashed two planes into the buildings on September 11, 2001.  The memorial consists of two pools located in the footprints of the original towers.  The names of the victims of 9/11 along with those who died in a previous terrorist plot in 1993 are inscribed in stone and are located at the perimeters of each of these pools.

It was a moving experience to visit this memorial.  As we looked at the names and observed the water falling into the 30 foot deep pools, we noticed a family who had just found the name of a loved one on the perimeter stones.  See this family shed a few tears as they rubbed their fingers against the engraved name brought a reality to our visit that I hadn’t expected.  I didn’t know anyone who was killed on September 11th, but I remember the surreal feeling of watching the normally busy skies around Allentown, PA suddenly become quiet.  I remember catching news reports as I went to lunch with some fellow construction workers and as I drove home that day.  It hardly seemed possible.

Seeing the site of the World Trade Center Towers reminded me of these events, but it also brought some positive thoughts and feelings as well.  As we prepared to leave the memorial and head up to Midtown, I had a feeling of hope as we walked by the construction sites of many new buildings that are going up around the 9/11 Memorial.  I was reminded that good can come out of such tragedy.  And I was inspired by the challenge to re-discover unity.

Where have you been that has stirred a variety of emotional responses?  What was your response?

Thanksgiving Marathon Recap

The race started and finished at the tortoise and the hare statue

As promised, here are some of my reflections on completing this year’s Thanksgiving Marathon in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, New York City, NY.

As I’ve shared before running a marathon is an ambitious task.  Most don’t just get up and decide they’re going to run a marathon today.  It takes time, energy, and lots of training.  But something I’ve relearned through my experience on Thursday is that you can be a runner at any distance.  People can get so caught up in the “I could never do a marathon” or “I’m not a runner” or “I admire people who can run, but it’s not for me.”  What I loved about Thursday’s race is that runners could choose from a multiple of distances – 5K, 1/8 Marathon, 10K, 1/4 Marathon, 1/2 Marathon, 3/4 Marathon, and Full Marathon.  It was also clear that you didn’t have to be Ryan Hall, Jesse Owens, or Carl Lewis to get out there and run.  There were runners and walkers of all ages and abilities.  I loved it!

Regarding my experience, the day was perfect – sunny and cool.  We arrived at the park in plenty of time to find a parking space at the Van Cortlandt Golf Course.  As we walked through the park, we could see people gathering across a flat open field.  I thought to myself that this is a good sign the course will be somewhat flat.  Was I ever wrong!  As we arrived at the starting line, I grabbed my runner’s bib.  I love that they give all the runners number one for these holiday races.  I stretched out and began to find my place at the starting line.  Before the race started, the race organizer gave some instructions at informed runners that the marathon course had been changed due to the previous two days of rain.  Now, we were running 8 hilly trail laps instead of 4 flatter trail laps.  That didn’t sound too exciting, but there was nothing I could do about it besides get moving.

Coming off the trails for a lap around the field

As the gong went off to start the race, I started my watch and my GPS to track my time and mileage, and I started my marathon journey.  About 1/2 mile into the race, we split off of the flat open trail and turned onto a gradual uphill trail that began to narrow.  Every twenty or thirty yards there was a railroad tie to hop over.  I’m pretty sure they were placed to control erosion, but they became quite an obstacle as the race wore on.  The course proceeded to run up and down through the wooded and sometimes single track trails.  As I popped out of the woods the first time, I was greeted by my own personal cheering section.  It was such an encouragement to see Leanne and the kids throughout the morning as I made my way through the course.  (Apparently, they were the only spectators for the race, and they received many thanks from other runners.)

Bringing me into the finish

Despite the challenging course, I was off to a good start.  I ran the first half of the marathon on pace to finish at 3 hours and 20 or 30 minutes which would have beat my marathon PR by a huge margin.  But…  I kind of knew that this was probably a bit too fast for me – especially on this course.  As the race continued, the uphills became more and more of a challenge.  Eventually, I was walking most of the uphills and trying to run the downhills and the flats.  It’s amazing how the body breaks down over the course of a marathon.  I didn’t quit, but it was a real challenge to keep my body moving as fast as I wanted it to go.  As the laps continued, I also realized that a marathon course that requires this type of repetition is probably not my favorite type of course.

The Gong - The privilege of the finisher

Nonetheless, I kept going until the finish.  My daughter ran the last quarter-mile with me as I approached the finish line.  You could tell that she was proud of her dad.  What more could you ask for in a marathon experience?

If that wasn’t enough, Leanne and the kids reminded me to hit the finisher’s gong after I crossed the finish line.  I collected my finisher’s medal – a 12″ serving fork!  And I signed into the race log book where I entered my time of 4 hours 1 minute 0 seconds.  Years ago, I would have been more disappointed that I didn’t break 4 hours but not this year.  I was happy to run!  I was happy to finish!  And I’m already thinking about the next one!

Slow and steady wins the race

Hope all is well with the Stretched Community!

How was your Thanksgiving?  How did you counteract the calorie intake?

Thanksgiving Saturday! Week In Review…

Another week went by with a blur.  I worked on Monday, but I was off the rest of the week.  My family visited NYC where we had a chance to see Ground Zero, Times Square, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, F.A.O. Schwartz, Mary Poppins, and The Hard Rock Cafe.  I also ran a marathon on Thanksgiving Day.  We’re back home now, and we’re getting ready to eat our turkey dinner.

It was a somewhat slower week on the blog which I’m attributing to the holiday week.  Nonetheless, I’m thankful for all of you who stopped by and left a comment or just checked things out.  Monday’s post was a tribute to our daughter, Hannah, who celebrated her 14th birthday last weekend.  Tuesday was a quick post indicating that I needed a break.  Wednesday’s post paralleled my upcoming marathon with life’s journey.  Thursday, I shared our family’s Thanksgiving tradition of being thankful, and I gave a quick update on the marathon.    Friday finished things off with a fun Ice Breaker about Black Friday.  Check these posts out if you missed something this week.

Again, I just wanted to thank each of you for your contribution to the blog through comments.  It’s a real blessing to get your ideas and thoughts through this Stretched Community!  I just wanted to remind you all to take the take to Subscribe to the blog, so you can have Stretched delivered daily to your e-mail inbox.  Also, don’t forget to stop by the Jon Stolpe Stretched Facebook fan page.  Become a fan to keep up with some additional Stretched stuff.  Thanks!

A few of my favorite posts from the rest of the blogging community this week:

As I look forward to this week, I’m sure I’ll be sharing some reflections on our recent trip to NYC.  I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things.  Until then, I’m enjoying time with my family.  Happy Thanksgiving!

How about you?  How was your week?  If you’re a blogger what happened over your way this week?  Did you read any great blog posts this week?  Share with the rest of us!

Ice Breaker – Black Friday

It’s that time of the weekend…time for an ice breaker question!  For those of you who are new or who forgot, ice breaker questions are used to help people get to know each other – to “break the ice” so to speak.  I love hearing what other people have to say and how they think.  So for today, I’m throwing out another 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:  Today is traditionally known as Black Friday – when retail companies go in the ‘black’.  Do you participate in the Black Friday madness?  Are you an early bird shopper?  What’s the hot item on your shopping list this year?

My Answer:  Here you go….

Honestly, I’m not a big shopper.  I don’t like the crowded stores.  I’m pretty skeptical about the “deals”.  Are they really deals anyway?  As far as getting up early, I get up early to run and blog – but not to shop.  As for the hot item on my list this year, how about the Red Rider BB gun?  Just kidding of course.

This year, we’re driving back from New York City where we spent a few days with our family – taking in the sights and sounds and running the Thanksgiving Marathon.  I’m looking forward to kicking off the Christmas season with some good food, some holiday music, and plenty of time with my family.

So there you have it, my answer to the question.  Now it’s your turn….

Tomorrow Is Marathon Day

Tomorrow I’m running the Thanksgiving Marathon. I’m ready. I’m excited. And yes, I’m a little nervous. Training for marathon is a long process. I started training back in May or June. It has taken a lot of time and a lot of hard work to get to this point. I’ve logged miles on local streets and trails. I’ve run on trails in Canada. I’ve run the streets of Cape Cod, and I’ve run around Gifford Pinchot State Park. I’ve even run on the boardwalk along the New Jersey shore. I’ve run in the rain, in the heat, in the light, in the dark, and in the freezing cold. I’ve run when I wanted to and when I didn’t want to run. Tomorrow’s race will be the longest run of my training season. And as tough as it sounds, I”m picturing it more as a celebration of the journey. I don’t know for sure what tomorrow has in store, but I’m thankful for this chance to remember that life is a journey and a marathon – it’s not a sprint. Life takes work, and it’s not always easy. So tomorrow I’ll celebrate running, and I’ll celebrate life.

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

What have you worked hard for in your life? How has life been like a marathon for you? What keeps you going when you don’t feel like you can keep going?

My Little Girl Turned 14 Yesterday

Hannah many years ago during the backyard Easter egg hunt

If you want to talk about a “stretching” moment, my “little girl” turned 14 yesterday.  How did that happen?

Hannah hanging with her brother this summer

We had a great weekend celebrating!  Hannah is turning into quite the young lady.  She’s smart.  She’s kind.  She’s beautiful.  She’s caring.  She’s compassionate.  She is laser focused.  Happy Birthday, Sweetie!

What’s your family celebrating these days?

It’s The Weekend! And What A Week It Was!

Wow!  That seemed like one crazy and busy week.  In real life, I literally had something going on every night of the week.  Monday was my wife’s birthday which we celebrated at On The Border.  Tuesday night, we volunteered with our H.O.P.E. group at our local nursing home.  Wednesday night, I met with my M.E.A.T. group.  Thursday night was an Awards Dinner for work.  And last night was Isaac’s first basketball practice and Hannah’s sleepover birthday party.  The weekend has several things going on, but I’m still hoping to catch some relaxation time.

It was also an exciting week for the blog.  Monday’s post finished off the blog spotlight with the letters T through Z.  Tuesday was an inspiring post about the Black and White notebooks that my daughter’s friends keep.  Wednesday’s post examined some of my thoughts about Joe Paterno and grace.  And I continued on Thursday by thinking out loud about grace and me.  Friday finished things off with a fun Ice Breaker about our encounters with famous people.

I just wanted to thank each of you for your contribution to the blog through comments.  It’s a real blessing to get your ideas and thoughts through this Stretched Community!  I just wanted to remind you all to take the take to Subscribe to the blog, so you can have Stretched delivered daily to your e-mail inbox.  Also, don’t forget to stop by the Jon Stolpe Stretched Facebook fan page.  Become a fan to keep up with some additional Stretched stuff.  Thanks!

How about you?  How was your week?  If you’re a blogger what happened over your way this week?  Did you read any great blog posts this week?  Share with the rest of us!

Ice Breaker – Encounters with Famous People

After the last few posts, we need to lighten it up a bit.  It’s that time of the week…time for an ice breaker question!  For those of you who are new or who forgot, ice breaker questions are used to help people get to know each other – to “break the ice” so to speak.  I love hearing what other people have to say and how they think.  So for today, I’m throwing out another 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:  Who is the most famous you have run into face to face?  Tell us about the experience.

My Answer:  Here you go….

I know I’ve run into a few ‘famous’ people, but the only one that comes to mind today is Garrison Keillor.  He is the host of A Prairie Home Companion, a weekly radio show that airs on NPR.  I grew up listening to the show with my parents every Saturday night.  I think they especially found the show amusing because of the shows focus on Minnesota/mid-west humor.

A few years ago, my wife and I were celebrating one of our anniversaries with a get away weekend to Ocean Grove (I’ve blogged about OG before).  This beach town is known for its Assembly Hall which hosts weekly concerts and events.  The weekend we were down there, A Prairie Home Companion was doing their weekly radio show from the Assembly Hall.  Naturally, I was curious to see what was going on, so my wife and I grabbed some ice cream and took a stroll around the Hall.

To my amazement, we ran into Garrison Keillor.  We said hello, and I asked if I could shake his hand.  As I went to shake his hand I had ice cream dripping from my hand.  I’m not sure if I licked it off or wiped in on my shorts, but it didn’t matter at the moment since I was meeting the man whom I grew up with every Saturday night in our kitchen or living room.  My parents would be jealous for sure.  Mr. Keillor, in his red running shoes, jeans, and blue blazer, had to be caught off card by this fan who was covered in ice cream.  But he didn’t miss a beat.  He was as friendly as could be expected.  I told him that my parents had introduced me to him on the radio, and we wished him well for the evening’s show.

As my wife and I walked away, we couldn’t help but chuckle at the awkwardness of the meeting.  We still talk about it when we head over to Ocean Grove for our summer time visits to the Jersey shore.

So there you have it, my answer to the question.  Now it’s your turn….

Me and Grace: Is There Any Chance They Go Together?

Who would you give a second chance?

Yesterday, I posted about Joe Paterno, and I wrestled out loud about whether or not he deserves a second chance and about whether or not he deserves grace.  There was really an interesting discussion that happened through the comments of the blog.  As I thought more about the issue, the post, and the comments, I kept coming back to the same thing:  What about grace and me?  Do they go together?

I’m not in the national spotlight like Joe Paterno.  I haven’t been involved in something so devastating and dark.  But here’s the deal.  When it comes to God’s holiness, I fall way short of the mark.  I sin.  My thoughts aren’t always the best and neither are my actions.  I wrong others and God through my attitudes, my lack of response, and my general failures to get it right.  So if I’m honest, I have to ask if there’s grace for me?  Just like Joe Paterno, I need grace.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”  Romans 3:23

Do I deserve grace?  Does Joe Paterno deserve grace?  I think the answer is actually no.  Grace is not earned or deserved.  Grace is given.  It’s an undeserved gift.  So when I ask the question “does Joe Paterno or Jon Stolpe deserve grace?” what I’m really trying to say is “would you be willing to give me (or Joe) a second chance despite my failings?”

  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 6:23

So what about you?  How does grace fit into your story?  Have you ever received grace from someone?  Have you had the chance to give someone a second chance?

Black and White

The other night, my wife and I work driving our daughter and three of her friends to a girls only event at our church.  As we picked up each girl, it was funny how the car became more noisy.  As we made our way to our destination, my wife and I listened as the four girls laughed, giggled, and discussed things from hair to birthday parties to the school play.  We couldn’t help but eavesdrop when one of our daughter’s friends started sharing about The Black Notebook and The White Notebook.  I didn’t catch all the “rules” about these two notebooks, but I did catch the general idea.

Each year, you start with two notebooks – one is white, and the other is black.  In the white book, you write all the good things – things that happened to you that were good, good thoughts or ideas, and things you want to remember.  And in the black book, you write all the bad things – things that didn’t go your way, bad thoughts or ideas, and things you don’t necessarily want to remember.  As the year goes on, the pages of each notebook fills up with good and bad stuff.  Throughout the year, you refer to the white notebook when you’re having a bad day – when you need a lift.  And you generally keep the black notebook closed unless you’re adding something to it.  At the end of the year, you burn the black notebook, and you keep the white notebook for future reference.  And of course, you get two new notebooks to start the next year!

Seems kind of interesting.  I think this is part of the reason that I blog and journal.  I want to record my thoughts and ideas – especially the good ones.  I think it’s helpful to see how God is working in my life.  I think it’s an interesting exercise to burn the “black” books in our lives.  I think it can be very healthy to put aside the things that drag us down and to focus on the future and the things that uplift us.

It’s amazing what you pick up when you listen to your kids and their friends!

What you have your kids taught you?  How do you handle your thoughts and ideas?  Do you journal or blog about the good and the bad?

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