Surviving Christmas Strategies: Parenting

Every man his life doesn't usually feel that way.

Jesus speaks of narrow gates wide roads masculine journey is filled with many twist and turns, so how do we keep from losing heart trying to find a way when life feels more like a losing battle than something worth dying for, grab your gear and come on a quest with your band of brothers will serve as the guides we call masculine journey masculine journey starts here now. Welcome masculine journey.

We are very glad to have you with us in mid-December because believe it. Mid December, when it really mid almost minute, it's Christmas Eve EBV sunlight yet like cheese before the word really were mid-December and it's hardly this year is almost over, and it's been a good year. We had a couple big camps wonderful but can't get great big camps. I have another one coming up in April and we got exciting news about that boot camp probably want to share yes yes we have. You know like everybody wants to give good gifts at Christmas and so we are think about how we can do that here at the masculine journey and we couldn't think of a better gift to give anybody that boot.

And so we came up with this idea of by one boot camp get one free because we know that there's somebody out there that you would love to take to boot camp a boot camp logo you got a full so by one boot camp at hundred $99 coming in April and please bring somebody that you know it would impact her life and have them you don't have a chance to hear from God, and those things and what a way to start off 2019 2018, you're ahead of myself would start of 2019 pretty well to the studio early in and I'll be good through the end of the year.

I will keep that special up through the year so you may have a few weeks yet. If you haven't found that that perfect gift for somebody that you say what what can I give them in the gift of giving them their heart back would be really kinda cool because that's what God is done for us. These boot camp guys and when you know you been to the big cancer for, but whether one of the times along the way. The guy just kinda gave you party your heart back or give you something something new at one of these camps of death in most camps like that really can't think of things that you padding life and I've had a long life. Thank God, but is brought out by a lot of people doing and having the same experiences you've had enough special. Everybody has problems.

Happiness in a so a boot camp to me is something that everybody, everybody should at least go to one time as I guarantee you will go to sick absolutely think of any unit and I note Dennis for you and I note the topic and I thought about boot camp and I talked about Christmas on tonight's topic, but that that topic of giving somebody something back at Christmas. How special would it be for you to to get a boot camp from somebody not even the one thing would be awesome.

You know I really struck me what what you said just a moment ago to give someone their heart back as you see so many guys and I know I was that way when I went to my first boot camp still a work in progress that my heart was hurting. There's a lot of stuff on top of my heart and God started to revive it.

If you will do boot camps in one things I remember about Vinny on the first camps I went to. As I looked over at night we were in the bunks in the cabin there that we stayed in and I remember looking over and seeing this older gentleman and I didn't know he was at the time, but it every night that we were there before he went to bed. He was sitting there praying and I thought now there something I could do a little bit more of and not brought me closer to God.

So it's just the guys of all ages. It's very cool. Now this last boot camp. We had him of all ages in the teens up through the 80s right now and everything in between in and from all different walks of life on different stations in life all different journeys through life so everybody qualifies them without having it was really you know that diversity in ages that led to tonight's topic is it is and we we got it from the boot camp. We did a question and answer session at the end of the boot camp where we ask the participants if they had questions for us and in our egos got deflated a little bit when the guy said what we really don't have any questions for you guys, but those teenagers over there for them and that they were they were loaded for bear. They were in one of the questions that they ask will come to him just a little bit. The first would like to get to clip this. Tonight's topic is on surviving Christmas. It is a Christmas season. Specifically, how do you do that parenting and what guys ask, will come up as we talk about through the night, but there through the day rather what were talking about a surviving Christmas and what better parenting clip, and what's better movie that talks about surviving Christmas and Christmas vacation.

Let's go ahead and play it and rise because people forgot how to find old-fashioned family Christmas are satisfied with scrawny dead overpriced trees that have no special is our forefathers did walked out into the woods if it got that really cut it down with her bare hands. Yes, any part of the experience. There they could just pull going in our yard rest going in living look at it right if you thought since evening prison both during the season are best enjoyed in the warm embrace of kith and kin three is a symbol of the fear, the Griswold family Christmas dance tone was frozen.

Yeah, I think something a lot of things were very frozen.

That's teenagers and teenagers just in the second because their own special special breed at Christmas time or actually anytime you know you guys all had kids agree on how easy was it and how fun was it to have Christmas with young kids. I was great.

It was great just my daughter Taylor Connor brought the kid back out in me. I get excited about Christmas and putting the cookies out in her not built these traditions of looking at Christmas lights and going to waffle house of all places, and eating breakfast and in it was to little stuff that probably didn't mean anything to anyone else, but they meant something to us as she got older that started to change a little bit because it wasn't quite as cold. Hang out with dad all the time when you were teenager, I didn't take her anywhere in freezer from the hips down but but why good stuff. There were kids and then you get when you get to come back to that I think you are talking about nothing to be a granddad next March and I look forward to going through that again with my grandson and I think just were talking about before the show that you know you go through the cycle of raising kids and in winter little you think there's challenges and there are some of the biggest challenges that you have when their little lives you know which president of the hundreds that are on TV that they want you get them right how to teach them about God in the midst of all the commercialism right in the true meaning and there's lots of things that you need to do their but as they get older it gets so much more complex rally. I know you've been through the cycle a couple times but doesn't get all the chat more challenging.

The older they get how much was the question that you know that the parents had how I make sure that I stay connected my daughter and I thought now they bit the older they get, the more it's difficult because when they were younger as I can do this. Let's go decorate the tree and all the stuff when they had about 13, some happens and they go up to their room. They stick pods in their ears and you know they want to, but they want to.

That whatever distance and at whatever time because everything is an inconvenience right it is is and I think it starts with the groundwork you lay the question that the guy asking is that man had teenage daughters and he was talking these teenage boys from the Northline boys Academy that's been through challenges in life and that they're working through the challenges and was asking their advice which is really a real classic time at camp is very cool, but he just want to know what to do and I thought it was really interesting.

Some of what they shared with the revenue member.

Some of the stuff they shared absolutely favorable want their parents to engage in care about what they do and want to be involved in their life which sounded easy, but then I was sit there going wait a minute now I've got teenagers and it's always requires that walk with my God.

What I do with the situation because you want them in a you see that with Clark is Griswold you know it's part of the expert. He wants them to be, but he's not like finding his way through their he's like pushing his way through something else that goes along with that, that I was thinking about as you remember couple years ago when I was doing some driving for the rescue mission. I went out on Saturdays and I remember at Christmas time and I saw all these families out and not and a lot of the parents were on their cell phones and their media devices and even though Christmas vacation was made in 1989. You didn't see any cell phones or any computers or anything in that whole movie he was trying to create this old-fashioned Christmas. I think with kids today and parenting them through this is that some somehow we got kinda slow down together and get out of all the social media and everything. Otherwise we cannot miss that time with each other and I think that's a challenge for parent today back even when my daughter was growing up. I mean, we had some there's certain things she got more diverted to as a teenager, but as a youngster I could really focus on things that were there were fun things to do like looking for tacky Christmas lights and she wasn't as interested in going on the cell phone seeing what's happening on Facebook. I think that's a whole new dynamic that we haven't parenting these days and I imagine it carries over to the holidays. Well you repeat that is tweeting out what you're saying yeah so you think you have a layabout that will let out present a trumpet that's a great point you in getting a break here in a minute or so, but talking about you know what's a challenges with little kids and how the hell you need to ask God to help you with them and I think part of what we talked a little bit about, which was how do I introduce the Christmas story in a way that in really resonates in their heart and got how to help with this particular child and because of the same God for a minute would be four different ways really reach their heart with that type of story which is vitally important that they understand that it is the rest of the whole Christmas stuff passes in time, but the truth remains the same, all the way through, and then as we enter into the teenage years rallies you talk about inviting God into how do I enter in their lives.

In this season. How do I be entered: when we come back and talk more about the teenage years move into the adult years. We think that's easier not always what you go register for the Boot Camp them up in April to buy one get one free season so these go register now bring somebody and help them find their heart back and help you find your heart back is the same mask my son Eli talk about ways you can help support Lily smiled at.

It was on the information that Facebook.com where you can click the button tweaking it once again, PO Box 552 7285 you will find out from Jesus what you will do that freedom for day adventure with God. It's a masculine journey radio is designed to give men permission to be what God designed them to coming in April 12 through the 15th masculine journey radio.org to register your thinking and laughing about the that that's actually funny but said yeah, the late great Tom Petty and that was back from the first home alone movie that introduced the first Homeland movie was that song you think about that which you unit. Really, I think you wrote it was the perspective of kids are teenagers in the holidays with family and what is seen is always people going to show up that I haven't seen a whole, but I want to kiss him Christmas make it instruct like it. What's her face was to kiss Rusty or Jim wrapped up.

She wrapped up her cat that we don't condone the whole movie, but there are some just don't what is in our family moving is welcome back the mask Internet talking about surviving Christmas parenting unit at the beginning of this segment. The first segment we talked about when the kids are really little you know when and how to invite God into helping them understand the true story of Christmas rights specifically to the way this can reach their heart and one of the things that to me is critical.

There I really begin to understand more this year is the generosity of God that when you're getting these beautiful presence.

It's it's an illustration of what a kingly gift is that that God gave us something that represented more of more value than anything we could possibly imagine.

Actually the life of his son but absolutely great point you struck on that. A few years ago. I think with the low series we did heading into the Christmas season about gifts different gifts that come from God.

That's awesome and thought about that lately that's reflection of generosity and giving and then we enter the teenagers think changes and that is a difficult season or can be just depends on the moment.

Sometimes it's joyful season. Sometimes it's not so joyful season just depends on its own challenge. That's the it draws you into God's lap because he's like okay you asked for it to have your attention now. Yeah, now you know I'll fail you're talking about, you know that the boot camp when the one man turned to the boys and said he would. What I do here. You know how do I make sure my teenage daughters don't end up with the wrong place or with wrong people kind of thing and we talked about last segment that they need to the fathers and mothers need engage in their life might be active in their life, and some others enjoying the things they enjoy finding a way to participate in the things they enjoy. Even if you don't really enjoy. Not much right you know enter into their world. Lack of better term, but there are a few other things that they talked about to Ravi at one of the things that you know, struck home. Unfortunately with me was anger like when the parents get out of control that you know that drives a big wedge in there and if that's a young daughter and she sees that she doesn't feel like she can get close to her dad because of anger issues which know for whatever reason, Christmas can bring out the Griswold and all and then you carry that with you into you may not be a teenager anymore, you grown up and married and you and you still have that going on.

Come home for the holidays and you got all kinds of bickering and arguing happening. It is in order to play click on that distro. Click that were the last things that that the kid said was consistency right just being consistent which which which data my going to get which mama my going to get on a consistent basis because that inconsistency then is it doesn't allow them to be comfortable right, they don't know what they're dealing with the narrative season already.

Where there's lots of things up in the air they need something that's consistent in life and I think I think during the script as we think about parenting during Christmas. I think on things.

It strikes me about what you just said there is that so many parents out there that try to make up for the other 11 months out of the year. During the during the time of Christmas and if you if you if you had sort of a rough relationship of wethers, anger issues or whatever a kid is a as I get older they get their seniors do not dummies they're smart and you can't make up for all that inhabit all the someone have a great relationship with him.

It has to carry on throughout the year and will will you go and set up our next clip was from it's from a movie that I honestly haven't seen the whole movie yet, but I was interested in seeing it address all these clips is called almost Christmas and what happens is the families all got together for Christmas.

I think the mother has passed away and this may be in fact the first Christmas that she's not with them and they have just gotten there. It has been very long and the family is the have a little problem I got married.

Mom finally let me make the stuffing obviously didn't work out okay. I was talking about the trust yourself. We were talking about marriage worse and I get down now was actually both you just make it work on making okay now I want to stay in a hotel if she could see you, just five days you will to act like you have five days so we can make Christmas, this mask like puffs and Merry Christmas. Unfortunately, that sounds like W household out there.

You know, it has at times in my past is thinking about you knows were talking before it ended this clip and something you said was your parents try to make up the Christmas time for the rest year and thinking back over the years all the time going I may remember an isolated present once in a while that I got but that's not what my memories are full of. Therefore, the family times before the Griswold traditions are full of those other things you know that the presence come and go antic I still have a single present that I got as a kid very idly kind of funny.

My big wheel rolling it around would like to see.

I don't get fit to be a big big big wheel when I was up in Virginia over Thanksgiving. My parents and I were talking about because I got there and I was concerned. I didn't know if they'd you know decorate for the holidays and everything they had everything up all the trees and lights and stuff everywhere in we talked a lot about past Christmases and some of the things we did in some of the things that happen when we were kids.

My dad worked two or three jobs when we were kids just so we could have things like Christmas dominate.

They sport us to death in that time they didn't do it the whole year, but they really loved doing that but I can also remember that we never lost sight of what Christmas was really all about. And I think even as we got older, is we became teenagers and we're kind of drifting away into other things. I don't think I ever lost sight of the fact that we knew what Christmas was really about the birth of the Savior, and I'm thankful to my parents for that and thankful that we have a lot of the traditions they carried with us.

I mean, they gave me the Santa Claus that they had the first year that I was born, their first Christmas together and I have that in my house right now lit up. He still works just like I do. After all these years little slower but on and I think about those Christmases.

Every time I like that Santa and it's probably full of lakebed chemicals as old as on my past that question for you as your kids get older and you've been through the cycle. Your kids are older than some of us and honestly they are not all of us. A lot of guys did not me but how do you invite God into that over the years. As Christmas comes up isn't that more of a conversation with him and praying for them. Along the way as Christmas comes as the transition a little bit without a doubt you put that into but just a little bit off center here you guys listen to you guys know gadgets and old stuff while I was in the 1930s.

That's a long time ago and Christmas to us at that time was because sharpness area Times Square and it was music. The smell of chestnuts.

Somebody wrote a song about an the kids will all over the place and the mothers and authors were carrying all the packages and we would help them put the idea and feeling of Christmas and all parents taken us was what made it Christmas and actuality just run around get yelled at by off on this. Help your mother. You know, just kind will do packages know you will like you all is that so it was, that's what Christmas was: and the spirit that was in the air now can't get into Times Square because we got on the problem, but that's what I remember Christmas my parents, so beautiful red white green different colors of the shopping bags and we were supposed: we were running around all over the place and if it snowed. Oh my goodness gracious you really looked up in the sky, the rain that's before Seneca grew a beard of anything is Robby word we got about half a minute left here but has a change in that relationship with God is your kids get older and get into Christmas and you really have to invite him into that a long way not in the neat thing is, he's got a new present for you every year and it seems like a season where I got a dig in and figure out what you've got, so that I can have something to share with those that I do love and to make it feel like I'm I'm creating heaven for Mike in the thing that we would just leave you with today as we talk about this is there's not a season and parenting that you don't invite God into if you do you struggle even more than struggle along the way and especially Christmas to reach out to them in such a loving way with their present with every gesture with her via phone call or a hug.

His last clip.

What is in reach the heart of my child. You know better than I do and you know me better than I know myself mask injury radio.org to register for the bid can't now see you next week