Stretch div background image Options

[Stripes]

Hey guys, I'm designing a new website and I'd like to know if it's a good choice to have one rather large image (900w 700h) to be the background of the main content layer, and if so...I'd like to have it stretch out with the content, the length-wise way. So this would mean when I write content and have it run down on spaces, the background will stretch with the div layer that has the text in it.

[Darin McGrew]

Looking at your image, one approach would be to have 3 images. The top image would be behind the others, and would be a gradient from the dark blue at the top to the lighter blue that matches the background color. The left background image would blend with the top background image, extending the dark color down the left edge. In the same way, the right background image would blend with the top background image, extending the dark color down the right edge.