Thank You – #4
Thank You No. 4
Today, I’m thankful for home.
Home means many things to many people. It’s a place of protection – a place of refuge – a place of warmth – a place of familiarity. After being away for a couple of nights this weekend, I was glad to come home to my family, to my comfortable bed, and to the comforts I’ve grown accustomed to.
Coming back home, I also realize it’s temporary. The roof, the floor, the walls – it’s all temporary, Yet I have an eternal home that waits for me. It will be far better than I could ever imagine. It will be way better than the home I live in here on earth. I’m thankful for this home!
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 5:1-5
Why are you thankful today?
Thank You – #3
Thank You No. 3
Today, I’m thankful for music.
This afternoon, Isaac is playing at a piano recital in Chestnut Hill. This is a special event for which he had to audition. He will be playing a piece by one of Bach’s sons. Isaac has an incredible ear for music. Sometimes, I take music for granted. It often speaks to us and for us when words won’t suffice. It lifts us up when we need a boost, and it helps us process times when we’re down, confused, or angry. Music is like God’s paintbrush for our ears.
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. Psalm 96:1-3
Why are you thankful today?
Thank You – #2
Thank You No. 2
Today, I’m thankful for teenagers.
I’m spending the weekend with high school students up at Spruce Lake Retreat Center in the Poconos. I’m not sure how much sleep I’ll be getting this weekend, but I’m sure the experience will be worth it for the students and for me. Pray for these kids at the weekend called Escape. Pray they might encounter God in a new and deeper way this weekend.
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. I Timothy 4:12
Why are you thankful today?
Thank You – #1
Thank You Day No. 1
Today, I’m thankful for my job.
I’ve been working here for nearly 18 years. I’ve grown here. I’ve met many friends here. I get to help people succeed.
What a blessing!
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24
Why are you thankful today?
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving!
From The Stolpe Family
How are you spending your Thanksgiving Day?
Ice Breaker – Giving Thanks at Thanksgiving
Each week on The Stretched Blog, we 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.
This week’s question is inspired by a Thanksgiving tradition in our house. Each year, we put a tablecloth on the Thanksgiving table. Each person in attendance traces their hand-print onto the tablecloth. Then they write down five things for which they are thankful – one for each finger. Over the years, our tablecloth has filled up with hand-prints of many sizes and shapes. There are hand-prints for loved ones who have passed away. Each hand-print represents a year of thanksgiving. We’ve almost filled up our first tablecloth as we’ve been doing this for over ten years. I’m looking forward to reading your responses to today’s Thanksgiving Ice Breaker!
Question: Name 5 things for which you are thankful this year.
My Answer: (1) I’m thankful for my trip to Xenacoj, Guatemala this summer. This trip was a major leap of faith for me. Through the trip, I saw God provide and I experienced major stretching as I interacted with the teenagers on the trip and with the people of Xenacoj. This was certainly a milestone experience for me.
(2) I’m thankful for the blogging community. I continue to stretch as I participate in this community as both a writer and a reader. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.
(3) I’m thankful for my job. I’m an operations manager for a company that designs and installs building automation systems. Besides the technology, I love the people I work with every day, and I appreciate the opportunities I have to help people in their own career journeys.
(4) I’m thankful for my kids. Wow! They keep growing, and they keep amazing me with their talents and with their thoughtfulness. In many respects, they teach me every day about the importance of putting others first. They teach me patience. And they teach me to aim for the stars.
(5) I’m thankful for my wife. This is last but clearly not least. Leanne is my treasure. I appreciate the opportunities we have to work towards goals. I appreciate the insights she brings into my sometimes thick skull. I admire her heart for others – her servant’s heart. I’m blown away by her beauty. And I’m inspired by her example of encouragement that she brings to our marriage, to our family, and to all of her relationships. I am blessed.
There you have it – my answer. Now, it’s your turn. Answer this week’s ice breaker question by leaving a comment. I look forward to reading your response!
How To Celebrate Thanksgiving – 5 Ideas To Transform Your Holiday
November has been designated as the month for thanksgiving thanks to the holiday that falls towards the end of the month. While I’d love to see thanksgiving be better represented the rest of the year, I can also tell you that our family probably concentrates more on giving thanks during this month than other months in the year. (Note: The picture above was taken this April at the Thanksgiving Square Chapel in Dallas, TX.)
Here is a list of several ideas which could help enhance your Thanksgiving experience.
- Run or walk at a Turkey Trot.Last year, I did the Thanksgiving Marathon in NYC which might be considered a little overboard. Why not get out and run or walk a community 5K? Many towns across the country have started their own Turkey Trot. My wife and kids have run one in Latrobe, PA several times. The races are always fun, and it makes the turkey taste so much better later that day.
- Invite someone over for dinner. My guess is that you live near someone who is missing out on family. They are lonely, and they may not have to means to prepare a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Why not invite them over to your house? Usually, there are more than enough leftovers to go around after the Thanksgiving feast, and we can always put an extra chair around the table.
- Go out and serve. There are hundreds of opportunities around your community. The church in my hometown used to hold a Community Thanksgiving Day meal where our family served a couple of times. This was a great way for my parents to demonstrate that Thanksgiving was so much more than turkey and football. We had the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those in need. Why not find a place to serve with your family this Thanksgiving season? (If you’re in the Perkiomen Valley area, consider joining our H.O.P.E. group. We gather together twice a month to serve others in our community. You can find out more about the group by going to our Facebook page (HOPEontheway).
- Start a Thanksgiving tradition. For over ten years, our family has been using the same tablecloth for our Thanksgiving dinner. The tablecloth is white. Each year, those in attendance trace their hand onto the tablecloth using different colored fabric markers. Then in each of the five fingers, we write down something for which we’re thankful along with our name and the year. The tablecloth is now filled with names of grandparents who are no longer with us and with years of thanksgiving. As we look at the table each year, it gives us to reflect on how God has blessed us even through years of challenge. Why not start a new tradition this year in your home? Go buy a tablecloth and some fabric markers today!
- Make it Thank You Thursday every week. Matt McWilliams is a friend of mine from the blogging community. A couple of months ago, Matt wrote about starting a Thank You Thursday Revolution. In his post, he encouraged readers to write a handwritten Thank You note each Thursday. Since his post, I’ve been writing a note every week to put into the mailbox of a co-worker. It’s been remarkable to see the reaction. We don’t need to be thankful one Thursday of the year. Why not join the Thank You Thursday Revolution today? It will change your world and the world of those around you!
This is a start! What other ideas can you add to the list? How do you celebrate Thanksgiving? How can do you plan to transform your holiday?
Powerless
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
We’re still without power at our house. It’s an interesting feeling being powerless. The house is getting colder, and it is so quiet with out the noise of the lights, computers, and other electric-powered things in the house. We’ve been told by PECO that we may not have power for a week. It’s kind of a powerless feeling. I certainly don’t have the tools or the skills to fix the power on our street, and I can’t control the schedules of the electric repair teams.
Honestly, we’re blessed. We’ve had so many friends reaching out to us with offers of refrigerator space, meals, generators, and warm places to sleep and hang out. Others in our area have not been so fortunate. In a town near us, a family lost their entire house in a fire Monday night during the hurricane. I can’t imagine the feeling of loss and despair.
For some reason, this song by All Sons & Daughters keeps coming to my mind – All the Poor and Powerless. “All will sing out, Hallelujah…”
I don’t know how you made out in the storm, but I pray that you and I will remember to praise God through the storms of life.
How were you impacted by Hurricane Sandy? When was the last time a storm left you feeling powerless?
All the poor and powerless
And all the lost and lonely
All the thieves will come confess
And know that You are holy
And know that You are holy
And all will sing out
Hallelujah
And we will cry out
Hallelujah
All the hearts who are content
And all who feel unworthy
And all who hurt with nothing left
Will know that You are holy
And all will sing out
Hallelujah
And we will cry out
Hallelujah
Shout it
Go on scream it from the mountains
Go on and tell it to the masses
That He is God
We will sing out
Hallelujah
And we will cry out
Hallelujah
Repost: Joy Comes In The Morning/Give Thanks In All Circumstances
This week, I’m going on vacation with my family. I thought I’d take this opportunity to republish some old posts from the archives. Feel free to leave comments here or on the original post. Enjoy, I’ll be back next week!
Today’s post was originally posted in October 2010 as two separate posts. Both posts were written at a pretty crazy time in my life. My wife was in the hospital, my blood pressure was spiking, and I was running on fumes. It’s great to look back to see where I’ve been and to realize how God has been faithful to me along the journey.
JOY COMES IN THE MORNING
Life is interesting and crazy and all other kinds of adjectives. I’m thankful for it, despite the roller coaster ride that I’ve been on as of late. If things could get a little crazier yesterday, they did. I was on my way to the doctor’s office yesterday morning for a follow-up checkup for my blood pressure (great timing), when my daughter calls me from her cell phone…”Dad, the basement’s flooded.” I told her, “OK, well I’ll check it when I get home. There’s nothing I can do about it now.” When I hung up the phone, I asked aloud, “God, I don’t think I can take too much more right now.” Needless to say, my blood pressure reading was a little high when I got to the doctor’s office. It’s nothing to get overly concerned about, but I have to go back again in three months for another follow-up.
At any rate, so far today has been fine. I’m relearning to take each day one at a time. This morning, I was reading in Psalms 30, and I was reminded of the joy that comes in the morning.
1 I will exalt you, O LORD,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
2 O LORD my God, I called to you for help
and you healed me.
3 O LORD, you brought me up from the grave;
you spared me from going down into the pit.
4 Sing to the LORD, you saints of his;
praise his holy name.
5 For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.
6 When I felt secure, I said,
“I will never be shaken.”
7 O LORD, when you favored me,
you made my mountain stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
I was dismayed.
8 To you, O LORD, I called;
to the Lord I cried for mercy:
9 “What gain is there in my destruction,
in my going down into the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me;
O LORD, be my help.”
11 You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.
GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES
So as an addendum to my previous post, we spent the afternoon cleaning up the basement – throwing away carpet, using the shop-vac to soak up the water, drying out some things, and throwing some things away. Tonight, I had to laugh when Isaac prayed at dinner time, “…dear God, thank you that we got to clean the basement….” My kids loved it that we got to clean the basement. Isaac reminded me of a few verses in I Thessalonians 5.
16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Learning to be joyful always and to give thanks in all circumstances isn’t always easy. I feel like my kids have been great examples for me. Their faith is amazing. Their ability to be thankful for things that drive me crazy is incredible. My kids remind me over and over to make lemonade out of the lemons of life. I am blessed beyond words.
What “disasters” are you thankful for today?
Thanksgiving in April
Yesterday, our family took the DART train to the West End Historic District in Dallas, TX to take in the sites and sounds. We saw the Grassy Knoll at Dealey Plaza where John F. Kennedy was shot. We saw the Old Red Museum. We also saw the John F. Kennedy Memorial, the log cabin in Founders Plaza, and Rosa Parks Plaza. It was exciting to visit each of these places as we walked through this area, but the highlight for each of us was the visit to Thanksgiving Square.
Thanksgiving Square was built in 1977 as a place to remind everyone to be thankful. In the square, there are several water fountains, a Norman Rockwell mosaic, a bell tower, and a few structures designed to focus your attention on gratitude. As I walked through the Golden Ring of Thanksgiving, I gave thanks for my family, my kids, and my wonderful wife. I thanked God for restored health for Leanne and for a return to normalcy.
After we ate lunch in the square, we entered Thanksgiving Hall where we were greeted by friends of my dad. My dad had served on an interfaith council that met in this location. Several of the council members were there following a regular meeting. They each greeted my dad so warmly. As we chatted with our new friends, we learned a bit about the council and about Thanksgiving Square. Did you know that seven countries around the world celebrate a Thanksgiving Day? Did you know that the first Thanksgiving in Texas occurred in May of 1541? We learned these facts and more as we walked through the hall.
Finally, we ended our visit by walking up the spiral sidewalk to the entrance of Thanksgiving Square Chapel. The chapel includes a spiral display of stained glass designed to focus your attention upward. Since we were by ourselves, we all laid down on the floor and looked straight up at the spiral ceiling. What a wonderful way to end our vacation in Texas – with Thanksgiving in April!
What are you thankful for today?