1 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:11,760 Hey, everybody, it's Becky here. Me and Zur are back, and we're 2 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:15,440 with another fantastic episode of the Fielder podcast, and we are 3 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:19,280 here with two very, very special guests. We have Bethany, 4 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:21,960 of course, so you guys remember, and then an extra special 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:23,680 guest because it's your first time here. 6 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:24,640 First time ever. 7 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:27,280 Yeah. What is. Can you introduce yourself and your relationship 8 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:29,600 to other panelists potentially here? 9 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,220 Hey. Well, my name is Raf Fael. Everybody calls me Rafi, and 10 00:00:34,380 --> 00:00:35,820 I am Bethany's dad. 11 00:00:36,460 --> 00:00:39,900 And we. We brought them here today because we kind of wanted to 12 00:00:39,900 --> 00:00:43,140 talk about something that I don't feel like ever gets asked, 13 00:00:43,140 --> 00:00:45,780 but I think we all kind of navigate it differently. We actually 14 00:00:45,780 --> 00:00:48,860 tried to record this episode last season, but it didn't come out 15 00:00:48,860 --> 00:00:51,180 the way we wanted. And so we wanted to try again, and we didn't 16 00:00:51,180 --> 00:00:53,700 have Rafi, and so I think he's, like, the missing piece for 17 00:00:53,700 --> 00:00:57,740 this episode. But we're here to talk about how can you approach 18 00:00:57,740 --> 00:01:01,740 a healthy relationship with your parents as an adult child? And 19 00:01:01,820 --> 00:01:04,580 we brought them to. Not necessarily because you guys are, 20 00:01:04,580 --> 00:01:07,620 like, the unhealthiest or the healthiest, but, like, you guys are 21 00:01:07,620 --> 00:01:10,340 very. I don't know, I feel, like, very forthcoming about how 22 00:01:10,340 --> 00:01:12,900 much y' all have grown and, like, as Bethany continues to, like, 23 00:01:12,900 --> 00:01:16,980 become, you know, even more gross and independent, like, how 24 00:01:16,980 --> 00:01:19,660 the dynamic has shifted. And so I kind of wanted to, like, ask 25 00:01:19,660 --> 00:01:23,380 you guys a little bit about that. So I guess, like, a question 26 00:01:23,380 --> 00:01:26,700 that I can start all of us on is, like, you know, scripture talks 27 00:01:26,700 --> 00:01:28,860 about honoring your father and mother, and it was, like, one of 28 00:01:28,860 --> 00:01:31,340 the first commandments that had a blessing attached to it. So, 29 00:01:31,340 --> 00:01:34,740 like, how does. How do you feel like that has. How have you 30 00:01:34,740 --> 00:01:37,340 approached that commandment in your personal life with your parents 31 00:01:37,340 --> 00:01:39,700 or in your case, both of Yalls cases with children? 32 00:01:39,780 --> 00:01:40,260 Yeah. 33 00:01:40,980 --> 00:01:41,860 Why don't you go first? 34 00:01:41,940 --> 00:01:48,940 Oh, I go first. This is great. You know, I. This is something. I 35 00:01:48,940 --> 00:01:52,460 remember it from being very young, knowing this commandment. 36 00:01:52,460 --> 00:01:56,620 No understanding there's an expectation from God about honoring 37 00:01:56,620 --> 00:02:02,180 your parents. I also remember early on learning this is the only 38 00:02:02,180 --> 00:02:05,220 commandment that comes with a promise, Right. When it talks about 39 00:02:06,660 --> 00:02:11,380 having. Having the expectation of. Of a long life when you honor 40 00:02:11,380 --> 00:02:16,820 your parents. And I had two very different parents. I had a mom 41 00:02:16,820 --> 00:02:21,700 that was loving and caring and sweet and everything you could ever 42 00:02:21,700 --> 00:02:26,570 ask for, and it was so easy to honor her. And then I had a dad who 43 00:02:26,570 --> 00:02:32,530 was detached and rough around the edges and harsh and mean words 44 00:02:32,530 --> 00:02:41,130 and unbeliever. And so it was hard to honor Him. And yet I always 45 00:02:41,130 --> 00:02:45,890 had that fear. And not an unhealthy fear, but a fear of the 46 00:02:45,890 --> 00:02:52,420 Lord, of, am I doing what God wants from me? Right. And. And it's 47 00:02:52,420 --> 00:02:59,060 just respecting them as best you can, respecting who they are. 48 00:02:59,060 --> 00:03:02,540 You know, a lot of times you honor people by the way you refer 49 00:03:02,540 --> 00:03:07,820 or talk about them when they're not there. You honor people 50 00:03:07,900 --> 00:03:13,940 by the way you talk to them, the way you treat them. There's so 51 00:03:13,940 --> 00:03:17,020 many things about honoring. You know, a lot of people think honoring 52 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:21,120 only means obeying. Like, you have to obey your parents. And I 53 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,560 think that there are times where people are able. You can disobey 54 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:28,080 or disagree without necessarily dishonoring. 55 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,360 Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, that's good. What about. 56 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:32,200 I don't want to say it all. 57 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,480 No, no, I think that's great. What about you guys? 58 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:37,960 Yeah, I mean, I think that's. There's a lot of truth in that, I 59 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:48,250 think. Yeah. I can't look at you so weird. No, I think my perception. 60 00:03:48,570 --> 00:03:52,410 We'll see what his comments are. But my perception of me as a 61 00:03:52,410 --> 00:03:57,970 child, I was very much, like, not always, but very obedient or, 62 00:03:57,970 --> 00:04:01,890 like, submissive, because I just always. That's just. I'm a people 63 00:04:01,890 --> 00:04:04,930 pleaser, and so I'm just. That's very much my character. And 64 00:04:04,930 --> 00:04:08,010 as I grew up, I was like, that's enough. I've obeyed for long 65 00:04:08,010 --> 00:04:11,050 enough. And I think as I became an adult, that was harder. 66 00:04:11,610 --> 00:04:15,190 And also learning that honoring isn't always obese obedience, 67 00:04:15,990 --> 00:04:18,270 especially in Hispanic culture, where it's like, what your 68 00:04:18,270 --> 00:04:22,950 parents say, I feel like is in. I think in Hispanic culture just 69 00:04:22,950 --> 00:04:27,870 a little more heavier than other cultures. And being a, like, 70 00:04:27,870 --> 00:04:31,790 unmarried woman who, like, moves out of the house and being 71 00:04:31,790 --> 00:04:34,870 so independent, I think that there's, like, challenges that I 72 00:04:34,870 --> 00:04:39,190 face. And I don't think I always handled it healthily because 73 00:04:39,190 --> 00:04:42,990 I just was like, nobody tells me what to do. But. 74 00:04:44,510 --> 00:04:45,510 But I, you know. 75 00:04:45,510 --> 00:04:47,030 No, no, no. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 76 00:04:47,030 --> 00:04:48,310 I think everybody goes through that. 77 00:04:48,310 --> 00:04:49,230 Yeah, yeah, absolutely. 78 00:04:49,790 --> 00:04:53,630 Rebelliousness. But there's a beauty to the obedience part, I think. 79 00:04:53,630 --> 00:04:56,910 I think the obedience is also part of the honoring and part of 80 00:04:56,910 --> 00:04:59,790 the trusting your parents that they want the best for you. And, 81 00:05:00,110 --> 00:05:04,150 I mean, there's a lot of good about. About obedience. And you don't. 82 00:05:04,150 --> 00:05:07,630 I don't know if I've shared this. Maybe I've shared it with other 83 00:05:07,630 --> 00:05:15,180 adults. I didn't want to spoil it, so I didn't tell her, but. But 84 00:05:15,180 --> 00:05:19,620 no, when. When. When we were pregnant, waiting for Bethany, I 85 00:05:19,620 --> 00:05:23,340 was working with an agency that did a lot of social work. And 86 00:05:23,340 --> 00:05:26,740 I met with a lot of families, and sometimes we would take families 87 00:05:26,740 --> 00:05:31,300 to offices to do different kind of paperwork and things. And 88 00:05:31,460 --> 00:05:35,550 some of the kids that came along were really difficult. And 89 00:05:35,630 --> 00:05:37,790 those were the kind of kids that the parent would go, hey, come 90 00:05:37,790 --> 00:05:43,070 over here and sit down. No. Very challenging. And I was very 91 00:05:43,390 --> 00:05:46,910 taken back. And I was like, I can't believe how some of these kids 92 00:05:47,390 --> 00:05:50,430 blatantly disobey and disrespect. 93 00:05:50,430 --> 00:05:51,670 Like, that's not just disobey. 94 00:05:51,670 --> 00:05:54,750 It's also like, yes. And so I began to pray. You know, a lot of 95 00:05:54,750 --> 00:05:56,990 people pray, God, give me a healthy baby. God, give me a healthy 96 00:05:56,990 --> 00:06:01,270 baby. And I honestly, I prayed often, often, often, God, give me 97 00:06:01,270 --> 00:06:04,650 an obedient baby. Even your beating child, even though he's out. 98 00:06:04,810 --> 00:06:08,410 And here she is now. I'm telling you, Bethany has been incredibly 99 00:06:09,130 --> 00:06:14,770 obedient in so many ways. And even when. When we would say, hey, 100 00:06:14,770 --> 00:06:17,410 no, we're not. We're not going to play at this time, or, we're not 101 00:06:17,410 --> 00:06:20,330 doing that, or, Bethany, don't go there, she would be submissive. 102 00:06:20,330 --> 00:06:23,450 She would be obedient to. To the authority of her parents. And 103 00:06:23,450 --> 00:06:24,650 so praise the Lord. 104 00:06:24,730 --> 00:06:26,170 Yeah, let's praise God. 105 00:06:26,650 --> 00:06:28,100 Yeah, Until. 106 00:06:30,420 --> 00:06:33,500 Until she became, like, an adult. Ish. You know, like, legally 107 00:06:33,500 --> 00:06:33,940 speaking. 108 00:06:34,340 --> 00:06:36,580 Yeah. And I had a really interesting journey, too, because 109 00:06:36,580 --> 00:06:39,580 it's like, I graduated high school, and then I moved over overseas 110 00:06:39,580 --> 00:06:42,740 for missions for two years. So I was, like, immediately by myself. 111 00:06:42,820 --> 00:06:45,740 And then I came back after being on the mission field living 112 00:06:45,740 --> 00:06:48,700 with my parents, and I was like, what do you mean? I can't go 113 00:06:48,700 --> 00:06:51,860 out right now? Like, I haven't lived with you for two years. So 114 00:06:51,860 --> 00:06:53,740 there's also, like, everybody's story is different. You 115 00:06:53,740 --> 00:06:57,890 know, everybody has different, like, seasons or different challenges. 116 00:06:58,930 --> 00:07:01,770 And so for me, that was hard because I was like, you can't tell 117 00:07:01,770 --> 00:07:03,810 me what to do. You don't even know what I've been doing for two 118 00:07:03,810 --> 00:07:06,010 years. But not that I was doing anything bad. I was doing ministry. 119 00:07:06,010 --> 00:07:06,610 But, you know. 120 00:07:07,410 --> 00:07:07,730 But. 121 00:07:07,730 --> 00:07:12,530 Yeah, yeah, but. Yeah, but anyways, that's just kind of my perspective. 122 00:07:12,930 --> 00:07:17,450 Yeah, no, I think that's a really good, kind of just like, interesting 123 00:07:17,450 --> 00:07:20,130 way to segue into mine, because I had a similar experience. 124 00:07:20,210 --> 00:07:27,010 When I was 19, I moved here to Texas from California to go to school. 125 00:07:27,250 --> 00:07:30,050 And that put me. I mean, I had already been away from my parents 126 00:07:30,050 --> 00:07:33,650 for a long time, but then to do it for school here in America 127 00:07:33,650 --> 00:07:38,090 when they were just in California, it became a time, it 128 00:07:38,090 --> 00:07:44,050 was a season for me where honoring them was obedience. Yes. 129 00:07:44,050 --> 00:07:46,810 But there was also times when I disagreed and I was like, well, 130 00:07:46,810 --> 00:07:50,830 I'm here in Texas, you're all the way there in California. I'm 131 00:07:50,830 --> 00:07:55,310 going to live my life. But I, I did, I really did heed their wisdom, 132 00:07:55,470 --> 00:08:01,190 their experience. Like I would call them often and be like. And 133 00:08:01,190 --> 00:08:04,109 I think that was my way of honoring them. I was like, yes, I'm 134 00:08:04,109 --> 00:08:08,270 independent and I'm living my own life here in Texas. I even, yeah, 135 00:08:08,350 --> 00:08:12,910 we'll get there once we. I'll explain. But I, it really was like 136 00:08:12,910 --> 00:08:19,210 I am choosing to honor them by living according to the wisdom that 137 00:08:19,210 --> 00:08:21,730 they give me. So I would like constantly, frequently call them 138 00:08:21,730 --> 00:08:26,290 and be like, how do I do this? How do I do that? And because they 139 00:08:26,290 --> 00:08:30,050 wouldn't necessarily tell me, like, you need to obey in this certain 140 00:08:30,050 --> 00:08:34,770 way. But it was, here's some godly wisdom. And then it was choosing 141 00:08:34,770 --> 00:08:37,330 to honor them by listening to that Wizla. 142 00:08:37,330 --> 00:08:40,810 No, that's good. Yeah. I feel like I feel similar to both of you. 143 00:08:40,810 --> 00:08:45,270 Like, I went for college, I moved to Dallas to go study at DVU 144 00:08:45,270 --> 00:08:48,510 whenever I was 18 and then I haven't been home since. And then 145 00:08:48,510 --> 00:08:52,470 like whenever. And then my mom remarried when I was in high school 146 00:08:52,470 --> 00:08:55,710 and so like it, there was just like a lot of transition that just 147 00:08:55,710 --> 00:08:59,070 made it a little easier to disconnect. And I think like through 148 00:08:59,070 --> 00:09:03,790 trial and error, my mom and I don't always see eye to eye, but 149 00:09:03,790 --> 00:09:07,630 I think I understand her in a lot of ways because like, she raised 150 00:09:07,630 --> 00:09:10,030 us in like really hard circumstances. It was just her with 151 00:09:10,030 --> 00:09:14,200 three girls. And so I think I have a lot more respect for her. 152 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:18,200 And I think out of that respect and love and like low key 153 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:21,760 admiration for her, like I want to, I, I think I, I just get 154 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:24,800 convicted whenever I disconnect from her too easily and 155 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,160 don't involve her in my life. Like, I think parents ultimately 156 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:29,240 just like, I don't know, I'm not a parent, but like, I think they 157 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:31,640 ultimately just want to be involved in their kids lives, you 158 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:35,000 know, even as they're adults, you know. But that being said, like 159 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:38,600 whenever you look at Bethany right now, sorry. So I'm sorry, I'm 160 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:42,080 trying to make this like, but like whenever you look at Bethany, 161 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:46,960 like do you see her as a baby or do you see her like, you know, 162 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:49,600 you see it in movies, like whenever you look at a child and 163 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:50,320 Well, I, I think. 164 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:54,480 There'S a, there's a love and, and a care for her where she's my 165 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:58,240 daughter, you know, I'm always going to run to the rescue anytime 166 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:03,120 I need to. Right. I'm, I'm always going to be there. But I don't 167 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:08,140 see her as a baby, especially because as she has grown, she, she 168 00:10:08,140 --> 00:10:13,300 continues to show how he, how she's mature, how she makes decisions 169 00:10:13,300 --> 00:10:17,220 that are good, how she is able to care for herself in so many different 170 00:10:17,220 --> 00:10:22,060 things. And so as you, I think as a parent, you watch your children. 171 00:10:22,060 --> 00:10:25,420 Right. Of course you're trying to see if you see, if you, if you're 172 00:10:25,420 --> 00:10:31,620 able to see that they're doing things that you were hoping they 173 00:10:31,620 --> 00:10:34,500 would do, you know, that they would be productive, that they would 174 00:10:34,500 --> 00:10:40,440 be respectful to others, that they would be. In my case, I, I wanted 175 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:44,160 to see my kids being in love with Jesus and serving the Lord and, 176 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:47,280 and so when you see some of these things happening, it's, it's 177 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:50,040 like, oh, okay, it's happening. Right. You know, it, I'm 178 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:54,320 seeing the fruit and I'm seeing maturity. And so it just builds 179 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:58,760 more trust. So I don't, I don't think I see you as a baby. 180 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:06,610 You always be my daughter. It's hard to see her sometimes differently 181 00:11:06,610 --> 00:11:09,650 than, you know, she's still my daughter. She sees, she's still someone 182 00:11:09,970 --> 00:11:12,450 that I'm, I'm always kind of like, do you need something? 183 00:11:12,450 --> 00:11:13,170 Yeah, yeah. 184 00:11:13,170 --> 00:11:17,370 Can I help you? Do you need some of my wisdom? Right. And it. 185 00:11:17,370 --> 00:11:22,450 Not in a bad way. Yeah. It's just I think that, you know, a lot, 186 00:11:22,770 --> 00:11:28,610 a lot of young people, they, they have the desire to become independent 187 00:11:28,610 --> 00:11:30,290 adults and I think that's a good thing. 188 00:11:30,290 --> 00:11:30,770 Yeah. 189 00:11:31,250 --> 00:11:33,410 And in a way, you know, sometimes you're like, okay, please 190 00:11:33,410 --> 00:11:36,650 don't tell me what to do. I'm a grown up and all of that. And your 191 00:11:36,650 --> 00:11:39,890 parents mean well, but sometimes they, they just, you know, 192 00:11:39,890 --> 00:11:42,370 stick their nose or, or they try to help. 193 00:11:42,370 --> 00:11:43,090 They want to help. 194 00:11:43,250 --> 00:11:47,730 Yeah. And it's just this desire to see you succeed and, and 195 00:11:47,730 --> 00:11:50,850 sometimes we think we have it figured out and we haven't. We're 196 00:11:50,850 --> 00:11:51,410 still learning. 197 00:11:51,570 --> 00:11:52,050 Yeah. 198 00:11:52,290 --> 00:11:56,330 But we think we do and we want to pass on to you what we think we 199 00:11:56,330 --> 00:11:56,930 know is great. 200 00:11:57,090 --> 00:12:00,090 Yeah. I remember one time, this is not related, but like, I 201 00:12:00,090 --> 00:12:03,620 remember one time Bethany was telling me something that she was 202 00:12:03,620 --> 00:12:05,620 walking through and I don't even remember what the context was, 203 00:12:05,620 --> 00:12:08,140 but I remember like give, because I had walked through something 204 00:12:08,140 --> 00:12:12,140 similar and I was giving her my insight and I was like very aggress 205 00:12:12,300 --> 00:12:15,100 about it, like, I was like, this is, like, what you should do. 206 00:12:15,100 --> 00:12:18,500 Like, I've been there before. Like, and it ended up pushing her 207 00:12:18,500 --> 00:12:21,660 more away because she was just like, I. Like, I don't know. And 208 00:12:21,660 --> 00:12:24,940 so, like, in my desire, in my heart, was to, like, protect her 209 00:12:24,940 --> 00:12:27,740 from, like, the pain that I walked through in the same situation. 210 00:12:27,820 --> 00:12:30,630 Like, it doesn't always come off that way, you know? So, like, 211 00:12:30,630 --> 00:12:31,790 do you feel like that could be. 212 00:12:32,270 --> 00:12:37,190 Yeah. You know, I've Learned with all 3 of my kids becoming adults 213 00:12:37,190 --> 00:12:41,510 now. I mean, My youngest is 19. I realize that the more I come 214 00:12:41,510 --> 00:12:45,870 to them with saying, you have to do this, or it's usually not well 215 00:12:45,870 --> 00:12:50,270 received. And so I've learned to come and say, can I help you with 216 00:12:50,270 --> 00:12:52,030 something? You want to hear what I think? 217 00:12:52,110 --> 00:12:52,670 Yeah. 218 00:12:53,470 --> 00:12:56,230 What would you like for me to do? How do you. Like how you. Sometimes, 219 00:12:56,230 --> 00:12:59,360 you know, they'll come to you for, you know, a question, and then 220 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:02,480 you want to give them every answer of. So, you know, and they 221 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:03,360 just want one thing. 222 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:03,840 Yeah. 223 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:09,160 And so I. I try not to be, like, either pushy or necessarily 224 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:13,640 being a. Know it all. But I'm saying, how can I support you? 225 00:13:13,799 --> 00:13:14,160 Yeah. 226 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:14,520 You know? 227 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:16,520 Yeah. What about you? What do you think about? 228 00:13:16,680 --> 00:13:20,960 I don't know. I'm trying to gather my thoughts. Yeah. I mean, 229 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:24,160 I agree with what both of you are saying. I think I was just thinking 230 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:30,580 about how I'm very, like, stereotypical, like, firstborn child. 231 00:13:30,820 --> 00:13:34,020 Want to be hyper independent, want to, like, do my own thing, want 232 00:13:34,020 --> 00:13:37,580 to, like, I'm very much like, try to be mom to my siblings, even 233 00:13:37,580 --> 00:13:40,380 though that's not my job, but that's just older, oldest sibling 234 00:13:40,380 --> 00:13:47,100 type of thing. And I don't. I don't like asking for help. I also. 235 00:13:47,100 --> 00:13:50,460 But I also like being the person that fixes things. And so 236 00:13:50,460 --> 00:13:54,350 because of that, I have. And I've realized this lots in, like, 237 00:13:54,350 --> 00:13:58,390 the last couple years, just that I don't really, like, expect, 238 00:13:59,350 --> 00:14:03,470 like, how you're saying, like, I want to help you. I don't. Not 239 00:14:03,470 --> 00:14:05,990 that I don't think I can. I just don't feel like I should be 240 00:14:05,990 --> 00:14:09,430 asking you because I feel like I should be like, I'm an adult now. 241 00:14:09,910 --> 00:14:12,390 Yeah. I should be in a dip, and I don't need to ask for help. 242 00:14:12,550 --> 00:14:15,070 So when I do ask my dad for help and he's like, yeah, what do 243 00:14:15,070 --> 00:14:19,260 you need? I'm like, oh, my God. But it's not that, like, that 244 00:14:19,260 --> 00:14:21,980 door has ever been closed. It's just almost like an expectation 245 00:14:22,060 --> 00:14:26,540 of, like, I Don't know if it's just the world or, like, people around 246 00:14:26,540 --> 00:14:29,500 you that you have, like, that's an expectation, but it's like, 247 00:14:29,660 --> 00:14:32,660 it feels like we have to have everything figured out where at the 248 00:14:32,660 --> 00:14:35,260 same time, there's, like, your parents want to be there for you. 249 00:14:35,260 --> 00:14:38,300 And so it's just like, it's so interesting just to hear that perspective 250 00:14:38,300 --> 00:14:41,580 because I, like, know that, but I don't always believe that because 251 00:14:41,580 --> 00:14:43,940 I feel like I have to have everything figured out myself because 252 00:14:43,940 --> 00:14:44,540 I'm grown now. 253 00:14:44,540 --> 00:14:48,470 Yeah. You know, and I think. I don't know. Speaking for me as a 254 00:14:48,470 --> 00:14:53,510 parent is that you never stop loving your kids. You know, I mean, 255 00:14:53,750 --> 00:14:56,630 when they born and you're. You go crazy. You're nuts about this 256 00:14:56,630 --> 00:14:59,030 little baby. And the more they grow, the more you love them and 257 00:14:59,030 --> 00:15:02,190 the more you love them. And now neither adults. And they have 258 00:15:02,190 --> 00:15:04,790 their own mind and they have their own decisions, but you still 259 00:15:04,790 --> 00:15:09,750 love them even more. And so you never mean anything bad for them. 260 00:15:11,190 --> 00:15:18,000 But I don't think there's anyone in this earth that will come 261 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:22,840 to your aid or help you or to listen to you with the same amount 262 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:27,280 of love, you know, that your parents. Yeah, yeah. Hopefully that's 263 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:28,440 the case, you know, for most people. 264 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:29,920 Yeah. Yeah, yeah. 265 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:34,280 Whether they're. Whether they know how to fix things or whether 266 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:39,580 they have the tools to do things. There's a love there. Right. 267 00:15:40,220 --> 00:15:44,660 I. I love that you're talking about. There is the love, even if 268 00:15:44,660 --> 00:15:49,300 you don't even have necessarily the answers. Like, I. 269 00:15:49,300 --> 00:15:53,100 I experienced that. I mean, I am a father, but more so I'm just 270 00:15:53,100 --> 00:15:57,580 speaking about my dad and his availability to me. Like, that was 271 00:15:57,580 --> 00:16:03,740 one of the biggest things that I experienced was my dad was in ministry 272 00:16:03,740 --> 00:16:08,350 for 17 years. I'm still doing ministry. I mean, you know, but he 273 00:16:08,350 --> 00:16:12,430 was a pastor of a church for 17 years. I'm coming hot out of Bible 274 00:16:12,430 --> 00:16:17,270 college thinking I know everything, you know, And I just 275 00:16:17,270 --> 00:16:19,990 remember sitting down across the table from him, trying to tell 276 00:16:19,990 --> 00:16:22,950 him, like, here's how I'm going to do ministry, and here's 277 00:16:22,950 --> 00:16:26,670 all these things. And, like, some of it is new to him, some of 278 00:16:26,670 --> 00:16:33,420 it was old to him. But on the things that he knew he wasn't overbearing. 279 00:16:33,420 --> 00:16:36,620 Like, he wasn't like, oh, yeah, I know it all, you know, and 280 00:16:36,620 --> 00:16:40,260 the things that he didn't know, he was still very, like, humble 281 00:16:40,260 --> 00:16:43,540 and like. But it was like, for me, the biggest thing that I took 282 00:16:43,540 --> 00:16:49,260 away from him was availability and love. Like, kind of like we just 283 00:16:49,260 --> 00:16:53,700 like, for Me, it was like, to know that my dad was there and then 284 00:16:54,260 --> 00:16:57,780 me also wanting to have my own independence and like, exercise it, 285 00:16:58,620 --> 00:17:01,340 but then just knowing that I had somebody to fall back on, really, 286 00:17:01,500 --> 00:17:04,140 for me, was huge. Yeah. 287 00:17:04,140 --> 00:17:08,980 Growing up, so to have that support. Yeah, I agree. And I, I 288 00:17:08,980 --> 00:17:12,140 don't know, it just got me thinking about, like, whenever you 289 00:17:12,140 --> 00:17:16,180 do become an adult, sometimes you do need to set boundaries. Like, 290 00:17:16,180 --> 00:17:19,700 I think my, my mom had a lot of expectations of me whenever I 291 00:17:19,700 --> 00:17:24,110 moved to Arlington that were just really hard to meet. Like, I 292 00:17:24,110 --> 00:17:27,870 was like, mom, like, I can't, like, I can't, I can't spend like 293 00:17:27,870 --> 00:17:30,430 two hours a day on the phone. Like, I don't, I don't have time. 294 00:17:30,430 --> 00:17:34,070 Like it. And, and then hating myself for like saying that. But, 295 00:17:34,070 --> 00:17:38,070 like, that was just the season that I was in and that. And like, 296 00:17:38,070 --> 00:17:41,790 after, like a lot of conversations about it and she was 297 00:17:41,790 --> 00:17:45,590 just like, just really honest of, like, I feel like as your mom, 298 00:17:45,590 --> 00:17:49,550 like, I'm low key, entitled to that time and, and I, part of me 299 00:17:49,550 --> 00:17:52,720 agrees with her, but then the other part of me is like, what do 300 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:54,920 you mean? You know, like, and so it's just like, I don't know. 301 00:17:54,920 --> 00:18:00,080 So as a parent, like, how would you feel? Like, what is your 302 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:02,040 perspective on that? On something like that? 303 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:06,560 Everybody's different, you know, everybody. Some, some parents 304 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:08,840 are very needy, some parents are not. 305 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:09,640 That's true. 306 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:14,400 Everybody has a different personality. Yeah. Of course. You 307 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:16,120 want to hear from your children. You want to know they're 308 00:18:16,120 --> 00:18:20,080 doing okay. Yeah. You want to get a little, a text or a photo or 309 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:23,890 something. When Bethany was overseas, we would get her every 310 00:18:23,890 --> 00:18:27,690 once in a while. She would FaceTime and we would go nuts. Oh, 311 00:18:27,690 --> 00:18:31,450 here's Bethany. You know, we're all excited because like I 312 00:18:31,450 --> 00:18:33,930 said, you never stop loving them. You, you want to know they're 313 00:18:33,930 --> 00:18:40,170 doing well. You want to know? And you know, I, I, I got married. 314 00:18:40,170 --> 00:18:43,610 I, I lived with my parents until I got married. I was 24 and 315 00:18:43,610 --> 00:18:47,250 I moved to Texas immediately. And so here I am thousands of miles 316 00:18:47,250 --> 00:18:52,160 away. We didn't have FaceTime back then. This was the 90s. So we 317 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:56,640 had long distance call, 10 cents a minute. And, and it was hard 318 00:18:56,640 --> 00:19:02,360 to have a one hour phone call, you know, and so I would try to call 319 00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:05,320 my parents every once in a while. But I know it was hard for 320 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:09,080 them. It was hard for them not seeing us, not hearing from us. And 321 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:13,120 then you get busy. You have your own life and things. But there's 322 00:19:13,120 --> 00:19:17,140 these people over there who are dying to Know, how are you? 323 00:19:17,140 --> 00:19:17,780 Where are you? 324 00:19:18,100 --> 00:19:22,860 Are you doing okay? Because you, you don't stop caring for your 325 00:19:22,860 --> 00:19:24,340 children just because they're gone. 326 00:19:24,340 --> 00:19:24,820 Yeah. 327 00:19:24,900 --> 00:19:29,540 Just because they grow up doesn't mean that you stop being 328 00:19:29,540 --> 00:19:30,980 concerned about their well being. 329 00:19:31,620 --> 00:19:33,780 Yeah. Any thoughts? 330 00:19:35,940 --> 00:19:38,180 No, I'm trying to process. 331 00:19:39,700 --> 00:19:40,180 Yeah. 332 00:19:40,420 --> 00:19:43,970 I think I also have a hard time. Like, I said, I was super hyper 333 00:19:43,970 --> 00:19:50,090 independent, but I just, like, I don't know, I'm very easily, like, 334 00:19:50,090 --> 00:19:54,650 in my own world and don't reach out. And it's not out of a 335 00:19:54,650 --> 00:19:56,770 place of like, I don't like you, I don't want to talk to you. 336 00:19:56,770 --> 00:20:01,690 I just, I'm like, not thinking about it. And I. My mom is very similar. 337 00:20:01,690 --> 00:20:05,810 She loves to hear from me and wants to talk to me all the time. 338 00:20:05,810 --> 00:20:11,180 And I'm not good at it, but, you know, it's hard. Parents are 339 00:20:11,180 --> 00:20:14,620 different and, you know, but yeah, yeah, yeah. 340 00:20:14,620 --> 00:20:22,460 I mean, and it. I think that personalities and people have different 341 00:20:22,460 --> 00:20:26,020 ways of, of handling things like this, you know, I have a great 342 00:20:26,020 --> 00:20:28,780 relationship with. Relationship with my sister, but 343 00:20:28,780 --> 00:20:32,460 she never calls me. I call her and then when it's been a month or 344 00:20:32,460 --> 00:20:34,740 two months, I go, let me call her. And she's like, oh, yeah, I've 345 00:20:34,740 --> 00:20:38,900 been meaning to call, but. And so, but, but we know this and we 346 00:20:38,900 --> 00:20:42,740 accept it. And it's like, I'm the one who calls. She answers. But 347 00:20:42,740 --> 00:20:44,940 if I wait for her to call, then I never hear from her. 348 00:20:44,940 --> 00:20:50,380 You know, and pause. I just have to say something. I hate phone 349 00:20:50,380 --> 00:20:55,260 calls, like, more than anything in the world. Like, if you 350 00:20:55,260 --> 00:21:00,140 call me, like, well, I'm not gonna answer, like, so call me twice. 351 00:21:00,540 --> 00:21:03,620 And then, and then if I. And then if I, if I do answer, like, 352 00:21:03,620 --> 00:21:06,270 I hope, like, not that I hope you're dying, but like, I hope it's 353 00:21:06,270 --> 00:21:10,310 something like, yeah, like, I just text me, man. Like, I'll get. 354 00:21:10,310 --> 00:21:13,470 I'll answer you probably immediately. Whereas with a phone 355 00:21:13,470 --> 00:21:15,710 call, you're gonna have to call me a couple times before I answer. 356 00:21:15,710 --> 00:21:18,470 Like, I just, I don't know why. I just hate them. Like, I. I 357 00:21:18,470 --> 00:21:21,430 think it's the ambiguity of it. Like, this could be like, whereas 358 00:21:21,430 --> 00:21:24,350 with Marco Polo or a voice memo. Like, I know this is gonna 359 00:21:24,350 --> 00:21:27,310 be like five minutes. I know this is gonna be like, like, but 360 00:21:27,390 --> 00:21:30,470 the ambigu. Yes. I don't know what I'm signing up for. So, like, 361 00:21:30,470 --> 00:21:33,310 I think that's like my control issues. But, like, I hate phone calls. 362 00:21:33,310 --> 00:21:36,940 And that is like the biggest hurdle that me and my mom had. Like, 363 00:21:36,940 --> 00:21:40,140 whenever I moved away, was just like, I detest phone calls, 364 00:21:40,140 --> 00:21:40,500 Mama. 365 00:21:40,580 --> 00:21:41,380 It's generational. 366 00:21:41,460 --> 00:21:43,900 Yeah, I think so, too. And like, that was what she was explaining. 367 00:21:43,900 --> 00:21:45,620 She was like, it's generational because you. 368 00:21:45,620 --> 00:21:49,740 Have to understand, I come from a generation where we. We didn't 369 00:21:49,740 --> 00:21:54,420 have text, we didn't have email, we didn't have Marco Polo. 370 00:21:54,420 --> 00:21:57,140 We didn't have a message with a video. 371 00:21:57,220 --> 00:21:57,700 Yeah. 372 00:21:57,860 --> 00:21:59,460 We didn't have color id. 373 00:21:59,860 --> 00:22:02,700 That's correct. You're just answering the phone. 374 00:22:02,700 --> 00:22:08,000 Like, color ID was invented when I was graduate high school, 375 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:12,240 or at least it became available. And so. And so this is. 376 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:15,040 You know, you just. The phone rang and you're like, oh, I wonder 377 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:16,280 who is it? You know, and then you just. 378 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:18,320 That wouldn't be me. I'd be like, I'm not answering that. 379 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:22,240 There was an excitement about this mystery call. 380 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:23,360 That's crazy. 381 00:22:23,360 --> 00:22:23,760 And then. 382 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:24,560 But that makes sense. 383 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:27,880 You just pick it up. And. And so we come from a generation that 384 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:29,920 just need to talk to someone, just pick up the phone and call. 385 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,720 And that's something that. We just got used to it. Yeah. And so 386 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:38,800 now testing for us, because we come from a different. Texting feels 387 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:43,400 impersonal. It feels like if I'm texting you, because it's not 388 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:47,440 that important. Right. And so. So it's just. It's. It's different 389 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:47,960 upbringing. 390 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:48,240 Yeah. 391 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:52,080 No, you're right. You're right. Well, what about ex. Like, 392 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:55,240 you guys don't have to air out your business, but, like, what are 393 00:22:55,240 --> 00:23:00,050 some examples? What are some examples of, like, things that you've 394 00:23:00,050 --> 00:23:03,050 learned and, like, how to have healthy conflict or, like, how to 395 00:23:03,050 --> 00:23:09,210 put, like, respect. How to respect or put down healthy boundaries. 396 00:23:09,210 --> 00:23:09,570 Yeah. 397 00:23:09,570 --> 00:23:11,970 Like how. What are some things you've learned? Bethany, I'd like 398 00:23:11,970 --> 00:23:12,610 you to go first. 399 00:23:12,690 --> 00:23:14,050 How do we have healthy conflicts? 400 00:23:14,130 --> 00:23:16,850 The first thing that I thought about, which is so random because 401 00:23:16,850 --> 00:23:19,090 I don't think it's, like, a big conflict, but I think it's a 402 00:23:19,090 --> 00:23:25,530 good example. When I was in England, I. I was 18 when I moved 403 00:23:25,530 --> 00:23:31,450 there, and I turned 19 there. And when I turned 18, it was this 404 00:23:31,450 --> 00:23:35,610 whole thing because I. Since I could think about, I wanted a tattoo. 405 00:23:36,250 --> 00:23:39,170 And my mom, since I was very little, had always been telling me, 406 00:23:39,170 --> 00:23:42,210 like, promise me you'll never get a tattoo. Because she knew that 407 00:23:42,210 --> 00:23:44,730 if. Yeah, because she knew that if I promised her when I was 408 00:23:44,730 --> 00:23:47,490 little that I wouldn't do it because I was super obedient, and 409 00:23:47,490 --> 00:23:49,330 I was like, no, I'm not going to promise you, because I know I 410 00:23:49,330 --> 00:23:52,140 want one. And so, like, all the time growing up, she'd be like, 411 00:23:52,140 --> 00:23:55,580 promise me. Probably since I was, like, 2 years old, but as soon 412 00:23:55,580 --> 00:23:59,140 as I could speak, I was speaking. At six months old, I was 413 00:23:59,140 --> 00:24:02,620 speaking until as soon as I could open my mouth. But she. 414 00:24:02,620 --> 00:24:04,020 I remember struggle is real. 415 00:24:05,780 --> 00:24:09,180 But I remember, like, driving home from school in, like, middle 416 00:24:09,180 --> 00:24:11,580 school, seventh grade, mom being like, randomly, promise me 417 00:24:11,580 --> 00:24:14,180 you'll never get a tattoo. And I was like, no, why are you even 418 00:24:14,180 --> 00:24:16,340 thinking that? Like, literally randomly. 419 00:24:16,340 --> 00:24:17,740 She wanted to make sure she was. 420 00:24:17,740 --> 00:24:19,700 Like, covering all her bases. Let me get them young. 421 00:24:20,740 --> 00:24:23,380 And so I remember when I turned 18, she was like, you better 422 00:24:23,380 --> 00:24:26,020 not get a tattoo. And so I told her I was like, I'm going to 423 00:24:26,020 --> 00:24:31,300 wait till I'm at least 19 to. As a. Like, just testament that I'm 424 00:24:31,300 --> 00:24:34,740 not just doing this because I want it so bad and because I just 425 00:24:34,740 --> 00:24:37,700 want to be rebellious or whatever. And I actually waited until 426 00:24:37,700 --> 00:24:41,380 I was almost 20 and I was in England. And I remember I called 427 00:24:41,380 --> 00:24:44,900 my mom to tell her, and she was very devastated and very upset. 428 00:24:45,220 --> 00:24:48,270 You got it in England. Oh, I feel like I didn't know that. Yeah. 429 00:24:48,510 --> 00:24:50,350 And so she got the word obedience. 430 00:24:53,630 --> 00:24:56,110 She's like, oh, I'm out of the house. I can't do nothing. 431 00:24:56,190 --> 00:24:59,230 No, but I mean, it was very helpful that I was not in the same 432 00:24:59,230 --> 00:25:02,990 country. No, but I. 433 00:25:02,990 --> 00:25:05,470 That was great because you gave your mom maybe six months to 434 00:25:05,470 --> 00:25:05,990 get over it. 435 00:25:05,990 --> 00:25:09,870 Yeah, but she did not even want to look at it when I moved back. 436 00:25:10,190 --> 00:25:13,990 It was so funny. But. No, but I remember I called my mom to tell 437 00:25:13,990 --> 00:25:20,080 her, and she was devastated, like. Like sobbing, like, Mark. She 438 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:22,880 did. She wasn't happy about me marking my body. She's not as upset 439 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:25,000 about it now. I think she's used to it since I have so many. 440 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:28,680 But I really just. I called her because I was like, I want to 441 00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:32,840 honor you and that I'm not hiding this from you, and I have 442 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:36,560 not. I don't find this to be wrong in my heart, but I know that 443 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:39,000 it upsets you. So I want to tell you so that you know I'm not 444 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:42,410 hiding this from you. Yeah. But at the same time, this is my 445 00:25:42,410 --> 00:25:46,730 decision, and she didn't like it, and she was not happy. But I 446 00:25:46,730 --> 00:25:51,330 think that from conversations that we've had, she's okay with it 447 00:25:51,330 --> 00:25:53,770 now because of how I approached it. And I called my dad, 448 00:25:53,770 --> 00:25:55,250 too, and he said. 449 00:25:56,050 --> 00:25:57,970 What did I say? I don't remember. 450 00:25:58,050 --> 00:26:06,170 I remember he goes, wow, did you tell your mom? Because I said, 451 00:26:06,170 --> 00:26:08,650 hey, just want to let you know I'm getting a tattoo tomorrow. Oh, 452 00:26:08,810 --> 00:26:14,450 tell your mom it's the only concern. Yeah, she's crying. He was 453 00:26:14,450 --> 00:26:16,250 at the office, too, so it was so funny. 454 00:26:16,250 --> 00:26:19,730 You set off the bomb and then you leave and I gotta deal. I gotta 455 00:26:19,730 --> 00:26:22,330 deal with them as I got, you know, I gotta pick up the pieces. 456 00:26:22,330 --> 00:26:23,650 That is so funny. 457 00:26:23,650 --> 00:26:26,930 Yeah. But, you know, I think it was really helpful. It was. It 458 00:26:26,930 --> 00:26:29,890 was one of the first things that I felt like I did against my 459 00:26:29,890 --> 00:26:33,050 parents, you know, or really like, my. What my parents wanted, 460 00:26:33,610 --> 00:26:37,790 especially just being a people pleaser, being, like, so, like, submissive. 461 00:26:37,790 --> 00:26:40,510 It was. It was really hard, but I was like, no, this is something 462 00:26:40,510 --> 00:26:43,470 that I've always wanted. And, like, I'm not getting. I'm getting 463 00:26:43,470 --> 00:26:46,310 a tattoo, like, with a scripture, you know, like, I'm not 464 00:26:46,310 --> 00:26:49,630 doing anything to my body. As I've gotten more tattoos, she's less 465 00:26:49,630 --> 00:26:52,830 surprised. And I don't tell her every time because it just comes 466 00:26:53,230 --> 00:26:55,630 up. But, you know, that's just myself. No, that's good. 467 00:26:55,630 --> 00:26:59,470 I think that, you know, again, I think generations and way of seeing 468 00:26:59,470 --> 00:27:03,790 things. I mean, there's the. You can go into the tattoo debate 469 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:07,840 of so many angles to look at it. Whether the scripture says this 470 00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:11,280 or that or what does that mean and whether it's right or wrong. 471 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:17,120 I think that at the same way, we come from a different generation, 472 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:21,200 you know, and when. When we were children, we. We learned what 473 00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:27,240 our culture taught us. And ask anybody who's over 50 who has had 474 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:31,160 a tattoo for at least 30 years or so, and they'll tell you how people 475 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:34,210 were discriminated. People were not given jobs for having a 476 00:27:34,210 --> 00:27:38,330 tattoo. People were, you know, looked upon or frowned upon. And 477 00:27:38,330 --> 00:27:44,210 so I think there's a fear of what this also means to the rest 478 00:27:44,210 --> 00:27:45,450 of the society and how people. 479 00:27:45,450 --> 00:27:47,810 Will look at you like, what could your consequences be? 480 00:27:47,810 --> 00:27:51,890 I mean, I remember even something that we talked about is, 481 00:27:51,890 --> 00:27:53,770 you know, so if you're going to be a missionary, you're at a different 482 00:27:53,770 --> 00:27:57,890 country. How do those people look at it from. From their point 483 00:27:57,890 --> 00:28:00,090 of view? What do they think about it? Is that going to affect 484 00:28:01,450 --> 00:28:04,730 your ability to be a. An effective witness of the gospel? 485 00:28:05,850 --> 00:28:08,170 And so, you know, even things like that. 486 00:28:08,250 --> 00:28:09,370 Yeah, yeah. 487 00:28:09,530 --> 00:28:12,250 Because whether it's right or wrong is irrelevant for the person 488 00:28:12,250 --> 00:28:13,610 who look at. Looks at you. 489 00:28:13,610 --> 00:28:14,090 Yeah. 490 00:28:14,090 --> 00:28:16,890 And just thinks about, you know, makes up their mind or has 491 00:28:16,890 --> 00:28:18,970 a prejudice against. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 492 00:28:18,970 --> 00:28:21,570 And I think, like, what I hear you saying, Bethany, about that is 493 00:28:21,570 --> 00:28:25,690 that you, like, you affirmed like that you respect her input. 494 00:28:25,690 --> 00:28:30,490 Like, you're like, I, I. I understand, but, like, I'm. I'm not 495 00:28:30,490 --> 00:28:33,250 making a reckless decision. So, like, I don't know. I guess, 496 00:28:33,250 --> 00:28:35,770 like, how does your communication change with your parents? 497 00:28:35,930 --> 00:28:36,890 I think. I think. 498 00:28:36,970 --> 00:28:40,250 Well, you want to answer that? I mean, like, and your children, 499 00:28:40,250 --> 00:28:41,610 like, how does it change? 500 00:28:41,930 --> 00:28:46,050 I think your parents eventually come to terms to, you 501 00:28:46,050 --> 00:28:49,890 made your decision, and you're an adult. And I have to respect her 502 00:28:49,890 --> 00:28:52,810 as an adult. You know, whether I agree with her decision or not, 503 00:28:53,030 --> 00:28:56,510 I'm gonna love her. I'm gonna be there for her. Would I. Would 504 00:28:56,510 --> 00:28:59,430 I go tell her, yeah, do this or do that? Maybe yes, maybe not. 505 00:28:59,750 --> 00:29:06,110 And so. But I'm gonna be there for her. You know, I. My dad was 506 00:29:06,110 --> 00:29:10,230 not the kind of affirming parent growing up for me, and so 507 00:29:10,230 --> 00:29:12,710 he was like, gru's mom. I don't know if you've seen the movie. 508 00:29:12,710 --> 00:29:15,670 Have you seen. Have you seen the Despicable Me? 509 00:29:16,470 --> 00:29:19,830 Oh, I don't. I thought it was a name. 510 00:29:19,910 --> 00:29:20,790 Gru's mom. 511 00:29:21,270 --> 00:29:26,990 Gru's mom. The mother of Gru. Yes. Yes. Yes, yes. Yes. Okay. Yes. 512 00:29:27,230 --> 00:29:31,270 Would come and say, hey, I built a rocket. You know, hey, look, 513 00:29:31,270 --> 00:29:36,470 Mom, I went to the moon. Me. You know? And so I would never get 514 00:29:36,470 --> 00:29:40,670 anything that would tell me, I approve of you, my child. Right. 515 00:29:40,670 --> 00:29:44,590 And so I was always trying to get my dad to say, great job. I'm 516 00:29:44,590 --> 00:29:47,510 proud of you. And it was just. They never. I did, you know, and 517 00:29:47,510 --> 00:29:51,220 then I. And then I, As a college student, I became a clown, 518 00:29:51,460 --> 00:29:54,340 you know? So I was. I was making money doing birthday parties. 519 00:29:54,500 --> 00:29:55,940 We'll get into that lore later. 520 00:29:56,900 --> 00:29:59,860 But my dad would be like, man, you know, I can't believe you're 521 00:29:59,860 --> 00:30:02,940 wasting money on this, on that. And then it's like, okay, look, 522 00:30:02,940 --> 00:30:05,340 that. I just did this event. They paid me 500 bucks. 523 00:30:05,340 --> 00:30:05,620 What? 524 00:30:06,740 --> 00:30:09,540 And then after a while, it became where, like, he respected 525 00:30:09,540 --> 00:30:13,140 that I was working, earning money, but I was always making decisions 526 00:30:13,140 --> 00:30:16,210 that he would not agree with. And it was hard to feel like I was 527 00:30:16,210 --> 00:30:19,530 honoring him while I was trying to respect him, but I was 528 00:30:19,530 --> 00:30:24,730 also being an adult and trying to do things. And so I know there 529 00:30:24,730 --> 00:30:30,250 is a tension there. And you can make it a healthy tension or 530 00:30:30,250 --> 00:30:33,730 a very unhealthy tension, because when people lose tempers 531 00:30:33,730 --> 00:30:39,570 or disagree, then you can go into saying words that are hurtful 532 00:30:39,570 --> 00:30:44,070 or. Or doing things that push people away. And so that's when it 533 00:30:44,070 --> 00:30:46,550 gets difficult. And the last thing you want to do is to push away, 534 00:30:46,870 --> 00:30:48,470 whether it's your parent or your child. 535 00:30:50,390 --> 00:30:51,670 That's good. What about y' all? 536 00:30:51,910 --> 00:30:55,030 Yeah. I think when I just think of, like. Because we're talking 537 00:30:55,110 --> 00:30:59,190 a lot about, like, at least for me, one of the biggest moments, 538 00:30:59,190 --> 00:31:02,630 I think, when I look at my adult life, where I had to set a 539 00:31:02,630 --> 00:31:06,070 boundary with my parents, was when I told them I was going to marry 540 00:31:06,070 --> 00:31:10,120 Farah. Only because here's the thing. I think we started dating 541 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:16,840 in October. I go home in December. 542 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:20,200 Y' all had that quick of an engagement. 543 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:24,600 No, no, no. Like, dating and in December, so two months we were 544 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:26,480 dating or something like that. I go home. 545 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:28,600 I remember I need to marry this woman immediately. 546 00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:29,640 She's the one. 547 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:32,600 Literally, I go home. I'm sitting across the table at Chick 548 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:36,390 Fil a with my dad, and I said, dad, this is it. I'm gonna marry 549 00:31:36,390 --> 00:31:39,110 her. And this is the first thing he said. He said, what? You 550 00:31:39,110 --> 00:31:44,830 don't got a job. You're still in school. You're like 21 years old. 551 00:31:45,950 --> 00:31:49,550 How are you gonna get married? And I just said, I'm gonna do it. 552 00:31:50,590 --> 00:31:54,110 But here's the thing, you know? And then he did a very similar 553 00:31:54,110 --> 00:31:59,030 thing. He said, have you told your mom yet? Oh, no, I didn't. I 554 00:31:59,030 --> 00:32:02,990 remember we picked her up, and the first thing he said when my mom 555 00:32:02,990 --> 00:32:08,430 got in the car was, tell your mom what you just told me. So I told 556 00:32:08,430 --> 00:32:11,790 her. Oh, man. She was silent for, like, that's worse. 557 00:32:11,870 --> 00:32:15,910 Good. While that's so much worse, she's like. The wrath is, 558 00:32:15,910 --> 00:32:16,510 like, loading. 559 00:32:16,510 --> 00:32:17,070 Oh, yeah. 560 00:32:17,310 --> 00:32:19,910 It was like. I don't think her brain was processing, like, what 561 00:32:19,910 --> 00:32:26,550 is going on here? Oh, yeah, it was. It was. But you know what? It 562 00:32:26,550 --> 00:32:31,650 was so interesting to hear her response, because it wasn't. My dad 563 00:32:31,650 --> 00:32:35,170 was very logical. It was like, you didn't have. You know, you didn't 564 00:32:35,170 --> 00:32:38,770 have the things that you need. My mom was very much like. 565 00:32:40,530 --> 00:32:40,810 What. 566 00:32:40,810 --> 00:32:45,090 Do you see in her? What are the things that make her a quality 567 00:32:45,090 --> 00:32:47,210 person that you would want to spend the rest of your life with 568 00:32:47,210 --> 00:32:51,810 her? Like, it was just very, like, emotional. Very, like, so. 569 00:32:51,810 --> 00:32:55,910 But there. There came a point when the. The ride was done. We were 570 00:32:55,910 --> 00:32:59,510 at home, and they both turned around, we parked in the driveway, 571 00:32:59,510 --> 00:33:02,710 and they were just like, okay. Like, after hearing all the things 572 00:33:02,710 --> 00:33:05,830 that we've talked about, are you still going to decide to want 573 00:33:05,830 --> 00:33:09,710 to get to marry this woman? And I. I sat and I processed it, 574 00:33:09,870 --> 00:33:14,430 but it was a moment of like, okay, I hear your wisdom, but I'm 575 00:33:14,430 --> 00:33:18,470 also an adult, and I. I have Thought this through. I prayed it 576 00:33:18,470 --> 00:33:22,690 through. Like, and I made the decision. I said, I. I respect you. 577 00:33:22,690 --> 00:33:24,450 Thank you so much for giving me your input. 578 00:33:24,450 --> 00:33:24,890 Yeah. 579 00:33:24,890 --> 00:33:28,890 But, yes, I'm gonna. When I get back to Texas, we're gonna continue 580 00:33:28,970 --> 00:33:32,050 dating, and I'm gonna marry this woman. And you know what? Guess 581 00:33:32,050 --> 00:33:37,329 what? I graduated, I got a job, bought a ring, and voila, here 582 00:33:37,329 --> 00:33:41,330 we are, married. So it did take a bit of, like, okay, I receive 583 00:33:41,330 --> 00:33:45,890 it. I respect it, but here's the boundary, and I. I move forward. 584 00:33:45,890 --> 00:33:48,530 And I think that's the thing of, like, we're not giving these 585 00:33:48,530 --> 00:33:52,170 people, like, a formula of, like, how to receive or how to, like, 586 00:33:52,170 --> 00:33:55,650 receive feedback. Like, will you, like, mean it? Like, say it, 587 00:33:55,650 --> 00:33:59,650 but mean it, like, like, truly accept what they're. Take what they're 588 00:33:59,650 --> 00:34:02,090 giving you, like, the wisdom. Because, like, the reality is, like, 589 00:34:02,090 --> 00:34:04,770 our parents are wiser than. Than us. Like, you know, and I think 590 00:34:04,770 --> 00:34:07,930 sometimes it's easy to forget. Well, that's what I'm saying. Like. 591 00:34:07,930 --> 00:34:11,130 Like. But that's what I was saying. 592 00:34:11,130 --> 00:34:12,450 Like, they are gonna have to say. 593 00:34:12,770 --> 00:34:13,610 We all knew it. 594 00:34:13,610 --> 00:34:16,520 It's like, you can think it, but you don't have to. But, like, 595 00:34:16,520 --> 00:34:19,600 they are, you know, they are wiser than us. They have, like, more 596 00:34:19,600 --> 00:34:22,200 like, you know, my mom is 30 years older than me, you know, so, 597 00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:25,400 like, she has, like, decades of experience and of life wisdom 598 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:28,400 and experiences over me. And, like, just because it's not. The 599 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:32,000 wisdom isn't, like, attained through this context or this culture 600 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:34,760 doesn't mean it's not still wisdom. So, like, when she does tell 601 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:37,040 me something, and I immediately am like, no, I don't 602 00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:39,600 receive that. I'm gonna do what I want. Like, I think the Lord 603 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:42,579 has helped me grow in, like, truly receive what she's saying, 604 00:34:42,579 --> 00:34:45,019 like, and even if you disagree with it, like, wrestle with it of, 605 00:34:45,019 --> 00:34:47,939 like, like, is what she's saying something that I'm disagreeing 606 00:34:47,939 --> 00:34:50,539 with just because I don't agree with it? Like, is there any 607 00:34:50,539 --> 00:34:53,579 truth that I can receive to it? But, like, mean it. Like, I receive 608 00:34:53,579 --> 00:34:55,899 what you're saying. I hear what you're saying. I've processed 609 00:34:55,899 --> 00:34:59,099 it, and I'm still gonna do, like, you know, like, I think that 610 00:34:59,099 --> 00:35:03,099 there's Be genuine in it, like, because, yeah, I mean, they 611 00:35:03,099 --> 00:35:08,090 are. Why they are years ahead of us, and. And they have more life 612 00:35:08,090 --> 00:35:08,850 experience than we do. 613 00:35:08,850 --> 00:35:10,210 I think as the older person in. 614 00:35:10,210 --> 00:35:13,290 The room, I have something to say. 615 00:35:13,530 --> 00:35:18,090 Well, I've been in both sides. I think you guys are young, where 616 00:35:18,250 --> 00:35:22,050 you've only been on one side, you've been on the side of. I became 617 00:35:22,050 --> 00:35:25,890 an adult and now I'm making my decisions and I have to deal with 618 00:35:25,890 --> 00:35:30,090 how my parents like or not or support or don't like my decisions. 619 00:35:30,570 --> 00:35:34,370 And I think I was there and I made some decisions. Like, I went 620 00:35:34,370 --> 00:35:36,930 up to my mom and I said, hey, guess what? I feel the Lord's calling 621 00:35:36,930 --> 00:35:39,590 me. I've applied to seminary, I'm moving to Texas, I'm getting 622 00:35:39,590 --> 00:35:43,750 married, and I'm, you know, I'm going to live 3,000 miles away 623 00:35:43,750 --> 00:35:44,230 from you. 624 00:35:44,310 --> 00:35:47,710 You dumped all that on her in the same sec in the same city? That's 625 00:35:47,710 --> 00:35:48,150 crazy. 626 00:35:48,150 --> 00:35:51,350 I dumped all that in my parents, my sister, you know, my. 627 00:35:51,590 --> 00:35:56,310 Everybody. And so I love that they, they were having, they were 628 00:35:56,310 --> 00:35:59,950 having a hard time with it, but. But I wasn't thinking of, you 629 00:35:59,950 --> 00:36:04,720 know, whether they liked it or, you know, I was moving on. But, 630 00:36:04,720 --> 00:36:08,360 you know, thinking back now, on the other side of this, I'm. I 631 00:36:08,360 --> 00:36:10,960 have a daughter who's 18 and is telling me I'm moving to England. 632 00:36:11,520 --> 00:36:15,520 And that's very hard. I was like, I'm 24. 633 00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:18,720 Emma's moving to England. Yeah, right. 634 00:36:18,800 --> 00:36:22,000 And so, and so you, when you're on both sides and you're like, 635 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:26,440 ah, I get, I get how my parents were feeling. I mean, you 636 00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:29,160 have kids now and your kids are doing everything you say, but 637 00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:31,160 when your kid sits down with you and says, I'm getting married, 638 00:36:31,160 --> 00:36:34,980 and you go, wait a second, what? Right? Because, you know, your, 639 00:36:35,060 --> 00:36:37,620 your mom was talking, your dad was worried about whether you're 640 00:36:37,620 --> 00:36:39,740 gonna be a good husband, the logistics. Your mom was worried about 641 00:36:39,740 --> 00:36:41,300 whether she's going to be a good wife to you. 642 00:36:41,380 --> 00:36:41,940 Oh, wow. 643 00:36:41,940 --> 00:36:45,540 I didn't think about that. Yeah. And so parents have concerns, 644 00:36:45,780 --> 00:36:49,580 and sometimes it's fears or, you know, I don't want to see you 645 00:36:49,580 --> 00:36:52,380 suffer the way I suffer. I don't want to see you, you know, 646 00:36:52,380 --> 00:36:56,740 face the same consequences. You know, there is a wisdom in, in 647 00:36:56,740 --> 00:37:00,180 heeding advice. There is a wisdom in, in listening. You know, 648 00:37:00,180 --> 00:37:03,550 I think that you can go to the proverbs, and there's so many proverbs 649 00:37:03,550 --> 00:37:06,630 that's going to tell you the foolish person does not heed advice, 650 00:37:06,630 --> 00:37:12,390 does not listen to the wise. But it's hard. It's hard because 651 00:37:12,630 --> 00:37:16,909 once you feel like you got this and you're grown up, it just 652 00:37:16,909 --> 00:37:20,670 doesn't feel great taking somebody else telling you what they 653 00:37:20,670 --> 00:37:24,430 think you should do. But that's not only true to parent, children, 654 00:37:24,430 --> 00:37:28,390 relationship, but that's true to Your boss that's due to even friends 655 00:37:28,390 --> 00:37:31,480 or, you know, like, you made an example earlier where it's just 656 00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:34,400 hard sometimes to take it from someone else to tell you you shouldn't 657 00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:36,840 do it that way. Yeah, you should do this. Or I think you should 658 00:37:36,840 --> 00:37:37,440 think about it. 659 00:37:37,520 --> 00:37:41,120 Yeah. Yeah. Well, and I kind of want to ask you, too, something, 660 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:44,520 but, like, you know, whenever you. Marty brought up a good point 661 00:37:44,520 --> 00:37:48,080 about, like, whenever you have, like, a child, like, Farah, 662 00:37:48,080 --> 00:37:51,640 Marilyn was pregnant with a baby, like, first baby, but little 663 00:37:51,640 --> 00:37:56,060 Bethany, little Kai, you were like, realizing, like, the Lord is 664 00:37:56,060 --> 00:37:59,380 bringing together life in. In her womb. That's like, part me, part 665 00:37:59,380 --> 00:38:02,780 my wife, like, part me, part Marilyn. Like, what was the kind 666 00:38:02,780 --> 00:38:05,140 of the thought process that you had or were there any, like, 667 00:38:05,140 --> 00:38:08,820 epiphanies that you had of, like, this life is coming into the 668 00:38:08,820 --> 00:38:10,860 world, and the Lord is entrusting me with shepherding and 669 00:38:10,860 --> 00:38:13,540 discipling this child. Like, what were kind of some of the thoughts 670 00:38:13,540 --> 00:38:15,300 that were going through your head? I'd love. Because I feel like 671 00:38:15,300 --> 00:38:20,020 that would just help children get perspective, too. Of, like, my 672 00:38:20,020 --> 00:38:22,940 mom, like, loved being a mom. Like, that was like, her favorite 673 00:38:22,940 --> 00:38:26,120 thing in the whole world. And so, like, I feel like that would 674 00:38:26,120 --> 00:38:28,160 be a question that I probably should ask her. Like, what were. 675 00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:29,920 I don't know. What are your thoughts about it? 676 00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:33,360 Yeah, my initial thoughts when we found out we were pregnant, obviously, 677 00:38:33,360 --> 00:38:38,160 this is joy. You know, it's like, man, it's exciting. It's man, 678 00:38:38,800 --> 00:38:44,040 I want this child in my arms and I want to love this baby. But 679 00:38:44,040 --> 00:38:49,120 on the other side, as a husband, and we were both, you know, 680 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:53,250 in the workforce, so full time, full time, she's telling me, 681 00:38:53,250 --> 00:38:58,330 hey, I want to stay home and take care of this baby. So there's 682 00:38:58,330 --> 00:39:02,730 this joy, but there's also this, like, there is a fear. But 683 00:39:02,810 --> 00:39:06,850 it was the weight. I felt the weight and the responsibility to 684 00:39:06,850 --> 00:39:11,850 say, hey, it's not just my wife now there's a living, breathing 685 00:39:11,930 --> 00:39:16,610 baby who needs us to take care of them. She's going to nurture him. 686 00:39:16,610 --> 00:39:21,040 But I also need to provide the home, the money coming in, the clothing, 687 00:39:21,040 --> 00:39:25,120 food. Like, there was such a weight to it. But I think when you 688 00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:29,320 pair the two together. For me, when I look at my son, it's like 689 00:39:30,760 --> 00:39:35,880 I really am giving so much of myself to my kid to not only grow 690 00:39:35,880 --> 00:39:39,240 up physically and mentally and emotionally, but like Jen, like what 691 00:39:39,240 --> 00:39:43,040 you said earlier, my hope is that my kid would know Jesus and 692 00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:46,070 love Jesus just as much as I love Jesus. And that is the kind 693 00:39:46,070 --> 00:39:50,670 of Love that we have, that I've had towards my. All my sons. 694 00:39:51,790 --> 00:39:53,310 Yeah, that's good. 695 00:39:53,950 --> 00:39:57,910 Yeah. I would say specifically with the first child, you. You just 696 00:39:57,910 --> 00:40:00,910 don't know what's coming. You. You. What? I'm. 697 00:40:00,910 --> 00:40:02,510 I mean, a star is born. 698 00:40:03,150 --> 00:40:06,670 There's a train heading your way, and it's gonna hit you, and 699 00:40:06,670 --> 00:40:11,460 you have no clue. You don't know what it feels like. You're excited. 700 00:40:11,620 --> 00:40:14,980 You're happy. I'm gonna have a baby. You're thinking about names 701 00:40:14,980 --> 00:40:19,100 and how do we pick this crib? And we got this thing. And, I mean, 702 00:40:19,100 --> 00:40:23,300 this is just. It's just joy, and. And then this child is in your 703 00:40:23,300 --> 00:40:26,659 hand, and your brain is going, what in the world? And. And everything 704 00:40:26,659 --> 00:40:29,900 is changing because all of a sudden, you don't even think the 705 00:40:29,900 --> 00:40:33,660 same. All of a sudden, your mind goes to, how do I care for my 706 00:40:33,660 --> 00:40:36,060 baby? How do I provide for my baby? You go to the store, you know, 707 00:40:36,060 --> 00:40:38,460 you no longer go to look at the things you like. You know, you 708 00:40:38,460 --> 00:40:42,400 go to the baby section because. Because your mind is now 709 00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:48,960 on this creature. But I think that, you know, I was 24, 25. I don't 710 00:40:48,960 --> 00:40:52,960 know. And it was just. You're still maturing. You're still learning 711 00:40:52,960 --> 00:40:53,760 life yourself. 712 00:40:53,920 --> 00:40:54,320 Yeah. 713 00:40:54,320 --> 00:40:57,320 And so I don't think you realize, depending on how old you 714 00:40:57,320 --> 00:41:01,280 are, when you have kids. I don't think I realized at that moment 715 00:41:01,360 --> 00:41:04,560 exactly. So many responsibilities. Oh, so many things. 716 00:41:05,690 --> 00:41:10,650 You know, I've learned a lot more about parenting as I go, and 717 00:41:10,650 --> 00:41:14,330 later on, reading books or even as a pastor meeting with families 718 00:41:14,330 --> 00:41:18,570 that I go, man, I wish I knew this when. When we were getting pregnant, 719 00:41:18,570 --> 00:41:21,570 when, you know, I think the only thing we read was a book that 720 00:41:21,570 --> 00:41:23,930 Marilyn was reading, and I would just kind of read with her 721 00:41:23,930 --> 00:41:27,050 and kind of hear from her, which was about the pregnancy, you 722 00:41:27,050 --> 00:41:29,290 know, how your body's changing, what to expect the next 723 00:41:29,290 --> 00:41:33,790 month, what to expect on the. On the last few days, and. But when 724 00:41:33,790 --> 00:41:37,830 it comes to parenting, raising your children, you know, in the gospel, 725 00:41:38,790 --> 00:41:42,790 I wish somebody would have sat down with me and given me even more 726 00:41:42,790 --> 00:41:49,030 advice on that. On. On being a role model or just, you know, just 727 00:41:49,350 --> 00:41:52,230 living out the gospel to your children so that they cannot hear, 728 00:41:52,310 --> 00:41:54,230 just see it all the time. 729 00:41:54,390 --> 00:41:58,230 But even in that, like, just hearing you say that, I feel like 730 00:41:58,460 --> 00:42:02,460 somebody could have sat me down and gave me everything and just. 731 00:42:03,740 --> 00:42:07,540 You would have taken it. Like, it's. Because it really is. Like, 732 00:42:07,540 --> 00:42:11,420 you're saying you're already still growing up. You're probably 733 00:42:11,420 --> 00:42:17,500 sleep deprived You're. You're. You know, and as much as you like, 734 00:42:17,500 --> 00:42:19,860 one thing that we've always said, me and Farah to each other, 735 00:42:19,860 --> 00:42:22,620 is like, when are you ever going to be ready? I mean, that's. 736 00:42:22,620 --> 00:42:25,820 Honestly, that's kind of like how we got married so fast is why 737 00:42:25,820 --> 00:42:26,660 we. How we had kids. 738 00:42:26,660 --> 00:42:28,700 All you can pray for is for an obedient child. Brother. 739 00:42:28,700 --> 00:42:33,080 Amen. And pray and be present and. Amen. Yeah. 740 00:42:33,880 --> 00:42:38,280 No, And I say how blessed I am because she's an obedient child, 741 00:42:38,280 --> 00:42:41,200 or she has been, or she's just wonderful. Yeah. 742 00:42:41,200 --> 00:42:44,400 I have so much I could say about sweet Bethany, but I'm not 743 00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:48,600 gonna cry on this podcast because that would be too much. Anyways. 744 00:42:49,400 --> 00:42:53,520 Okay. I. I think another. I have a couple. Like, I have, like, 745 00:42:53,520 --> 00:42:56,810 two questions that I really want to ask, and I think one of them 746 00:42:56,810 --> 00:43:00,530 is, like, how does your position in this relationship, like, 747 00:43:00,530 --> 00:43:03,330 being a child, slash, like. And a parent, like, being a child. 748 00:43:03,330 --> 00:43:08,210 Being a child and parent, like, how does that inform or, you 749 00:43:08,210 --> 00:43:11,890 know, wrestle with your relationship with God? Is there any 750 00:43:11,890 --> 00:43:15,130 correlation to that? Like, I think speaking from experience, like, 751 00:43:15,130 --> 00:43:20,370 I didn't grow up with my dad involved in our life, and it really 752 00:43:20,370 --> 00:43:23,250 affected my relationship with God because God is like, the metaphor 753 00:43:23,250 --> 00:43:25,690 for God, or not the metaphor, but, like, one of the names he gives 754 00:43:25,690 --> 00:43:29,110 himself is Father. And so, like, how do you have a relationship 755 00:43:29,110 --> 00:43:32,230 with, like, your heavenly Father if you have such a broken 756 00:43:32,230 --> 00:43:35,070 or, like, absent relationship with your physical Father? And so, 757 00:43:35,070 --> 00:43:39,390 like, that was something that I really had to overcome. And, like, 758 00:43:39,390 --> 00:43:42,390 I've seen a lot of that even in my marriage. Like, how. How, like, 759 00:43:42,390 --> 00:43:46,470 it's hard for me to receive love from people that I do love, 760 00:43:46,790 --> 00:43:49,350 even though I love it. Like, even though I enjoy it, like, it's 761 00:43:49,350 --> 00:43:51,750 hard for me to receive it because, like, that foundational 762 00:43:51,750 --> 00:43:55,610 relationship wasn't there in my formative years. And so, like, 763 00:43:55,610 --> 00:43:57,770 my mom tried to overcompensate as much as she could, but, like, 764 00:43:57,770 --> 00:44:00,650 the reality is, like, you know, you look at. I could. I. We 765 00:44:00,650 --> 00:44:03,210 could make a whole podcast on, like, the fatherlessness of the United 766 00:44:03,210 --> 00:44:06,490 States and, like, how it's affected culture and crime and economics. 767 00:44:06,490 --> 00:44:08,810 Like, we could do a whole episode on that. I feel. I've done 768 00:44:08,810 --> 00:44:10,769 a lot of research on it. I feel very strongly about it. But 769 00:44:10,769 --> 00:44:14,570 all I had to say is, like, I think it was a real big hurdle, and 770 00:44:14,570 --> 00:44:17,250 I think the Lord, you know, did break that down. And I have. 771 00:44:17,250 --> 00:44:20,250 And I think the word that the Lord gave to me to help me overcome 772 00:44:20,250 --> 00:44:24,330 a lot all of that was like, your first relationship with a dad 773 00:44:24,330 --> 00:44:28,530 is me, and I'm the perfect father. And that was just like, where, 774 00:44:28,530 --> 00:44:31,770 where I used to feel like I was missing a piece or, like, broken. 775 00:44:32,090 --> 00:44:35,250 I have a very sweet relationship with God because he 776 00:44:35,250 --> 00:44:39,130 is my first father. And then he gave me, like, bonus dads, like 777 00:44:39,210 --> 00:44:43,730 Luis Rivera, who's like my adopted dad. And like, even my, my 778 00:44:43,730 --> 00:44:47,810 father in law, Carlos, like, Carlos's dad, like, I have such a 779 00:44:47,810 --> 00:44:50,410 sweet relationship with him too now. And so, like, the Lord, 780 00:44:50,410 --> 00:44:53,930 that was the Lord in his kindness, like. And so all that to 781 00:44:53,930 --> 00:44:56,690 say is, like, I feel like it did affect me. But are there any 782 00:44:56,690 --> 00:44:58,850 specific ways that you feel like your relationship with your 783 00:44:58,850 --> 00:45:01,570 children or your parents, like, have affected your relationship 784 00:45:01,570 --> 00:45:02,090 with God? 785 00:45:03,530 --> 00:45:08,090 Wow. I mean, there was a very popular song in the 90s, a Christian 786 00:45:08,090 --> 00:45:12,330 song, that the singer said, lord, I want to be. I want to be 787 00:45:12,330 --> 00:45:15,250 more like you, because he wants to be like me. And it was a 788 00:45:15,250 --> 00:45:18,850 dad singing, saying, you know, I want to be more like the Lord because 789 00:45:18,850 --> 00:45:22,120 this little boy is watching me. He wants to be like me. He wants 790 00:45:22,120 --> 00:45:26,480 to. He wants to grow up to be like me. And so it's a big responsibility 791 00:45:26,480 --> 00:45:34,520 that I'm to model. And I think that those are things you start realizing, 792 00:45:34,520 --> 00:45:37,040 right? Like, you know, the way you talk, your kids are going to, 793 00:45:37,040 --> 00:45:39,280 you know, your kids are going to do what you do, not what you say. 794 00:45:40,080 --> 00:45:43,840 And parents, we don't have it all together. We're still growing, 795 00:45:43,840 --> 00:45:47,880 we're still maturing. You know, some people at 18, 19, they're 796 00:45:47,880 --> 00:45:50,940 super mature in their faith and their, you know, they have a, 797 00:45:52,140 --> 00:45:56,980 a healthy habit of spending time with the Lord. And some people 798 00:45:56,980 --> 00:46:01,660 are 27 and still don't have that. And so I think that, you know, 799 00:46:01,660 --> 00:46:04,180 there's a wisdom that comes from walking with the Lord daily 800 00:46:04,180 --> 00:46:07,700 and the Holy Spirit leading your life that would make parenting 801 00:46:07,700 --> 00:46:11,860 so much easier. But sometimes you don't have that wisdom. 802 00:46:11,860 --> 00:46:12,620 Yeah, yeah. 803 00:46:12,780 --> 00:46:16,260 You know, Bethany was incredibly obedient. And then, and 804 00:46:16,260 --> 00:46:21,000 then my son was born, and he's the complete opposite from her. You 805 00:46:21,000 --> 00:46:25,680 have this girl who's, you know, very smart, very witty, obedience, 806 00:46:25,680 --> 00:46:31,120 submissive. But then you have this kid who's just wild. And, man, 807 00:46:31,120 --> 00:46:35,600 he can climb too. Like, he can hang on, hang off from ceiling, wall 808 00:46:35,600 --> 00:46:42,480 as fans. I mean, and. And he, he was maybe three, four years old. 809 00:46:42,480 --> 00:46:45,160 We went, we went down on this mission trip to Mexico. We took our 810 00:46:45,160 --> 00:46:48,970 whole family and we stayed with missionaries who were, who lived 811 00:46:48,970 --> 00:46:53,450 there. And this missionary had like three or four Kids. And these 812 00:46:53,450 --> 00:46:59,330 kids were like, so well behaved. And so, and I was like, 813 00:46:59,330 --> 00:47:02,530 how does he do? I mean, how did they do that? I couldn't believe 814 00:47:02,530 --> 00:47:08,010 it because here we were hanging out after the day of work 815 00:47:08,010 --> 00:47:13,160 and we're just kind of, you know, trying to relax a little bit, 816 00:47:13,400 --> 00:47:17,120 and we're playing Uno cards or we're doing something, and this man 817 00:47:17,120 --> 00:47:19,800 would look at his clock and it was like, I don't know, 8:30. And 818 00:47:19,800 --> 00:47:23,080 he would look at his teenage kids and go, guys, it's time to go 819 00:47:23,080 --> 00:47:27,200 to bed. And they would immediately stand up. Okay, bye. 820 00:47:27,200 --> 00:47:30,760 We'll see you later. The immediately that was not me. I would 821 00:47:30,760 --> 00:47:35,160 have been like, but dad, it's only 8:30. You know, these kids did 822 00:47:35,160 --> 00:47:40,730 not even utter a disagreement. They were immediately submissive 823 00:47:40,730 --> 00:47:45,610 and, and obedient. And yet my, my son was in that same room and 824 00:47:45,610 --> 00:47:51,650 I couldn't get him to sit down in a chair. And I remember one time, 825 00:47:51,650 --> 00:47:54,930 you know, he, he's, he's, he's just running towards the street and, 826 00:47:55,410 --> 00:47:58,170 and I'm like, you know, trying to run out there to stop him. And, 827 00:47:58,170 --> 00:48:02,650 and we, we used to count, okay, Juan, come over here. 2. And 828 00:48:02,650 --> 00:48:06,620 then he would come and one lady came, said, brother, if there 829 00:48:06,620 --> 00:48:10,460 was a car coming, you're not going to get to three. You know, 830 00:48:11,020 --> 00:48:15,020 you need to teach him to obey you right away. And I remember that 831 00:48:15,100 --> 00:48:19,060 one of those days we were there, this pastor, missionary, he 832 00:48:19,060 --> 00:48:24,900 was trying to correct Jerry and Jerry just kicked him. And I 833 00:48:24,900 --> 00:48:28,300 went over, I apologized, and then I said, how do you do this right? 834 00:48:29,020 --> 00:48:32,240 And he says, you have to correct him. Them. You don't correct 835 00:48:32,240 --> 00:48:36,480 them. You know, you have to, you have to correct them even though 836 00:48:36,480 --> 00:48:41,080 it hurts you. And then, and then he says something to me that 837 00:48:41,080 --> 00:48:45,120 changed my life. Like he said to me, the first example of obedience 838 00:48:45,120 --> 00:48:49,800 that your son has is you. If your son doesn't know how to obey 839 00:48:49,800 --> 00:48:53,400 you, he's never going to learn how to obey God because God's going 840 00:48:53,400 --> 00:48:56,960 to call you to hard things. But if you're used to saying no to 841 00:48:56,960 --> 00:49:00,690 authority, then it's going to be really easy to say no to God. 842 00:49:03,170 --> 00:49:07,530 I think that was the beginning of probably the hardest year, year 843 00:49:07,530 --> 00:49:11,690 and a half of my life. Parenting a child that had to be 844 00:49:11,690 --> 00:49:15,010 disciplined every day, multiple times a day, and it would 845 00:49:15,010 --> 00:49:21,730 just break my heart. But I don't regret it. I am so proud of 846 00:49:21,730 --> 00:49:25,290 my son, where he's at now, and the young man that he is, the leader 847 00:49:25,290 --> 00:49:30,360 that he is, how the Lord is using him. The calling in his life. 848 00:49:31,080 --> 00:49:34,720 And I think the Lord used that testimony of that other family to 849 00:49:34,720 --> 00:49:39,320 teach me. The first example of obedience that your children have 850 00:49:39,480 --> 00:49:42,400 is learning to obey you. And if you can't teach them that, if 851 00:49:42,400 --> 00:49:45,240 you can't discipline them, then they're not going to learn to 852 00:49:45,240 --> 00:49:47,640 be obedient. Because one day I'm going to call him, or one day 853 00:49:47,640 --> 00:49:51,360 I'm going to have purposes for him. And if he's used to saying no 854 00:49:51,360 --> 00:49:53,560 or just doing whatever he wants, he'll do the same. 855 00:49:54,940 --> 00:49:55,820 Yeah, that's good. 856 00:49:56,060 --> 00:49:59,460 And just to give testimony that, like, my little brother, he 857 00:49:59,460 --> 00:50:01,940 just finished his freshman year of college, and he has been 858 00:50:01,940 --> 00:50:04,540 dreaming about being an engineer since he could build Legos. 859 00:50:05,100 --> 00:50:09,260 And in the middle of his first semester, like, the Lord has changed 860 00:50:09,260 --> 00:50:11,660 his heart and he changed his majors to ministry, you know, like. 861 00:50:12,140 --> 00:50:15,860 And that wasn't easy for him. But even just that testimony of, 862 00:50:15,860 --> 00:50:19,380 like, how, like, my brother is listening to the Holy Spirit and 863 00:50:19,380 --> 00:50:21,660 listening to what the Lord and obeying, even though that's hard. 864 00:50:23,230 --> 00:50:24,990 But, yeah, that's just really cool to. 865 00:50:24,990 --> 00:50:29,510 See because, you know, I think that ultimately, all of us, when 866 00:50:29,510 --> 00:50:33,390 the Lord calls, when the Lord says, this is what I want, we should 867 00:50:33,390 --> 00:50:38,590 say, yes. We shouldn't say, but God, I think we all should obey 868 00:50:38,830 --> 00:50:46,430 immediate obedience. Right. My wife loved using the phrase delayed 869 00:50:46,430 --> 00:50:50,070 obedience is disobedience. Right. Because you're. If you're 870 00:50:50,070 --> 00:50:55,750 not obeying immediately, you are disobeying. And so, praise God. 871 00:50:56,070 --> 00:50:59,350 That's a good word. That's a good word. What about y' all? 872 00:50:59,350 --> 00:51:03,910 I'm just receiving it. I'm like, as a. Honestly, write it down. 873 00:51:03,990 --> 00:51:05,430 Said, I'm gonna talk to Finn when we go. 874 00:51:08,870 --> 00:51:12,910 You know me too well, because I ain't gonna lie, man. As soon as 875 00:51:12,910 --> 00:51:15,990 you said that, I was like, oh, man, my second born, he's crazy. 876 00:51:16,070 --> 00:51:22,180 He's a little wild. And. But hearing you, like, the moment that 877 00:51:22,180 --> 00:51:25,820 you had with that missionary family is the moment that I'm having 878 00:51:25,820 --> 00:51:28,460 right now. And these are things that I've heard, you know, 879 00:51:28,460 --> 00:51:31,780 I've heard. Yeah, but like, to sit in a room with you, Rafi, to 880 00:51:31,780 --> 00:51:38,300 hear how you did that, like, how you applied it. Like, I already 881 00:51:38,300 --> 00:51:40,700 feel. I haven't even done it yet, but I feel the weight of, like, 882 00:51:40,780 --> 00:51:45,370 oh, man, it's going to be hard to go home to Phineas. Yeah. 883 00:51:45,370 --> 00:51:50,170 Say no, your kids to. Or. Or to discipline them constantly four, 884 00:51:50,170 --> 00:51:53,810 five, six times a day. And. And. And they. They're not happy 885 00:51:53,810 --> 00:51:57,290 about it. But I tell you, we. We got to the point later on where 886 00:51:57,290 --> 00:52:00,490 I could be anywhere, I could say, hey, come over here and sit 887 00:52:00,490 --> 00:52:04,650 over here for a minute. And there was no question, there was 888 00:52:04,650 --> 00:52:07,850 immediate obedience. And I, I don't, I don't say this to proud 889 00:52:07,850 --> 00:52:12,820 to be prouder to say, hey, you know. No, it was just hard work. 890 00:52:12,820 --> 00:52:16,780 It was really hard work. Consistency. You know, when a parent 891 00:52:16,780 --> 00:52:19,980 says to a child, come over here and the child doesn't come over 892 00:52:19,980 --> 00:52:22,900 here, you can't say it again. You have to get up and go get him 893 00:52:22,900 --> 00:52:28,860 and bring him until his brain realizes I don't have a choice when 894 00:52:28,860 --> 00:52:33,420 my dad gives an order. Right? Because right now in their brain 895 00:52:33,420 --> 00:52:38,460 they have multiple choices. And so that's just. It sounds good. 896 00:52:38,540 --> 00:52:40,060 That's good. What about you? 897 00:52:42,300 --> 00:52:48,860 I don't have kids, but I have been just want to tell you guys. 898 00:52:49,180 --> 00:52:52,020 No, I was just, I've been thinking about it and I like have 899 00:52:52,020 --> 00:52:54,300 been just walking through. I don't know what this next season 900 00:52:54,300 --> 00:52:56,820 of my life is holding. I don't know what God is calling me to, but 901 00:52:56,820 --> 00:53:00,980 just feeling very confused about like what it is and just try 902 00:53:00,980 --> 00:53:03,060 to be open. But at the same time when I feel like God is saying 903 00:53:03,060 --> 00:53:05,780 things, I'm like, no, I don't want that. I but been thinking about 904 00:53:05,780 --> 00:53:11,620 this podcast and preparing. I don't know, my perspective is I don't 905 00:53:11,620 --> 00:53:15,500 have kids. But I was going to say I have lots of adopted nieces 906 00:53:15,500 --> 00:53:18,980 and nephews. Shout out to the McKay's to the hatchers, all my little 907 00:53:18,980 --> 00:53:22,540 babies to the surrogals. I have all these like kids that I am 908 00:53:22,540 --> 00:53:25,820 invested in their life and most, for some reason people trust 909 00:53:25,820 --> 00:53:28,500 me with their kids all the time. And I'm basically a single 910 00:53:28,500 --> 00:53:32,750 mother and I have learned like parenting is really hard and like 911 00:53:32,750 --> 00:53:35,710 they don't ever want to listen to you and they don't ever. And I'm 912 00:53:35,710 --> 00:53:38,230 like, don't go in the street. Hey, don't grab the emergency brake 913 00:53:38,230 --> 00:53:45,350 while I'm driving, you know. But I just, that has really like 914 00:53:45,350 --> 00:53:48,190 helped me like all these stories my dad has been telling, 915 00:53:48,190 --> 00:53:53,630 like I have heard before but like trying to see the Lord's either 916 00:53:53,630 --> 00:53:58,100 correction or like guidance as like, hey, he's not just trying to 917 00:53:58,100 --> 00:54:03,020 like reprimand me or restrain me or like hold me back, but like 918 00:54:03,020 --> 00:54:06,900 the Lord really sees like all the, all these different things that 919 00:54:06,900 --> 00:54:10,140 I don't understand. Like that I think I know because I'm grown. 920 00:54:10,300 --> 00:54:13,220 But it's like an America doesn't know why I'm telling her, 921 00:54:13,220 --> 00:54:17,180 hey, don't run into the street when, you know, like, or like, look 922 00:54:17,180 --> 00:54:20,980 both ways. Because she does. She's three years old. You know, 923 00:54:20,980 --> 00:54:24,740 she doesn't know these things. But, you know, like, I don't know, 924 00:54:24,740 --> 00:54:30,780 I just, it has really like helped me to feel like, okay, God, 925 00:54:30,780 --> 00:54:34,620 like, I don't understand, I might not even like it, but I'm gonna 926 00:54:34,620 --> 00:54:38,820 trust you. Like, even if it's like a small step of just going on 927 00:54:38,820 --> 00:54:43,060 a trip or if it's just saying yes or being open to being like talking 928 00:54:43,060 --> 00:54:47,100 about my, my story of like being in England to people, you know, 929 00:54:48,840 --> 00:54:52,280 but it is hard. It is hard because I am so sinful and strong 930 00:54:52,280 --> 00:54:54,600 willed and all of the things. 931 00:54:54,920 --> 00:54:57,600 But I think that's what makes it the hardest is that we are all 932 00:54:57,600 --> 00:55:01,400 sinful. We don't like to be told, we don't. There's some pride 933 00:55:01,400 --> 00:55:05,120 that we have to deal with all the time. Again, whether it's obeying 934 00:55:05,120 --> 00:55:09,840 parents or somebody else, it's just hard. And she was giving the 935 00:55:09,840 --> 00:55:12,640 example. Sometimes a parent can see the danger in something and 936 00:55:12,640 --> 00:55:16,390 a child doesn't. And you're trying to. And in the same way a 937 00:55:16,390 --> 00:55:20,310 parent can see the danger into an adult decision. Even though when 938 00:55:20,310 --> 00:55:24,270 you're 25, but because I'm 50 something, I can see a danger that 939 00:55:24,270 --> 00:55:30,990 you don't see yet, it's hard to get you to understand that I can 940 00:55:30,990 --> 00:55:35,310 foresee something that you don't. And how do I do that without 941 00:55:35,310 --> 00:55:37,790 making you feel like I'm telling you what to do or I'm just 942 00:55:39,470 --> 00:55:43,460 sticking my nose in your business. So it's a hard balance. 943 00:55:43,460 --> 00:55:48,740 Yeah, no, that's good. And I think, I guess, like, if we could 944 00:55:48,740 --> 00:55:52,740 close on anything, I, I, I was gonna say it one way, but I guess 945 00:55:52,740 --> 00:55:56,940 I'll say it this way. If you could say anything to like Bethany 946 00:55:56,940 --> 00:56:01,300 as a child, like, imagine she's like, she's like a little baby, 947 00:56:01,620 --> 00:56:04,620 like, or like a toddler. Let's imagine baby, toddler Bethany. She 948 00:56:04,620 --> 00:56:10,100 was blonde by the way. It was crazy. But like, she was, what would 949 00:56:10,100 --> 00:56:12,580 you say to her? And then I'm gonna ask you the same thing about 950 00:56:12,580 --> 00:56:15,060 like your kids. Like what? Like, if you could say one thing. 951 00:56:16,660 --> 00:56:20,340 Well, and like, I want you to, like, I don't know, like, maybe even, 952 00:56:24,660 --> 00:56:27,900 but like, what would in even you, like, what would you say to 953 00:56:27,900 --> 00:56:31,420 your dad or your mom? Like, and I'll try and say, like, what 954 00:56:31,420 --> 00:56:34,420 would I say? Well, like, yeah, just I don't know. If you could leave 955 00:56:34,420 --> 00:56:37,430 them with one thing, what would that Be. 956 00:56:41,750 --> 00:56:44,590 Well, that's hard to think. I mean, all of a sudden you got to 957 00:56:44,590 --> 00:56:49,070 think about that. But now say I'm proud of you. I just, you know, 958 00:56:49,070 --> 00:56:56,470 it'll. Everything's going to be great. Keep going. I think that, 959 00:57:00,150 --> 00:57:09,620 you know, looking back, I. I don't have many regrets or things 960 00:57:09,620 --> 00:57:16,260 that I can think of not doing with my kids. I mean, we. I feel 961 00:57:16,260 --> 00:57:21,420 like I've tried everything I could and I'm really proud of them. 962 00:57:21,420 --> 00:57:25,660 And so, yeah, I. I would say, Bethany, you're gonna turn out okay. 963 00:57:25,980 --> 00:57:28,980 You know, we are great. You're gonna be great. Great woman. 964 00:57:29,940 --> 00:57:32,180 That's so sweet. Okay. What about you? 965 00:57:32,420 --> 00:57:37,140 Yeah, I would just talking to my boys if I were to say something. 966 00:57:37,620 --> 00:57:42,420 I mean, they haven't lived much life, you know, but I think, 967 00:57:42,900 --> 00:57:49,460 oh, they are. Yeah. I would tell them one, that I love them and 968 00:57:50,100 --> 00:57:55,910 that they don't have to earn my affection for them. That it doesn't 969 00:57:55,910 --> 00:58:00,310 matter what they do, right or wrong. Like I'm always going to be 970 00:58:00,310 --> 00:58:03,430 there, I'm always going to love them. And obviously, you know, 971 00:58:03,430 --> 00:58:08,630 there's. There's consequences for things you do, but that doesn't 972 00:58:08,630 --> 00:58:11,590 change your identity. And the reason I would say that is because 973 00:58:11,590 --> 00:58:14,510 this is something I'm learning right now in my relationship with 974 00:58:15,070 --> 00:58:16,150 my heavenly father. 975 00:58:16,150 --> 00:58:22,110 Is that, yeah, brother down rather than change mine, Ditto. 976 00:58:22,110 --> 00:58:27,510 But it is, right? Like, yeah, I need to know. Cuz that is how the 977 00:58:27,510 --> 00:58:33,070 father looks at me. He. He calls me his son and I. That is my 978 00:58:33,070 --> 00:58:36,990 identity. And I don't have to earn his love or affection, but I 979 00:58:36,990 --> 00:58:41,310 still do that. I still live that way. And if I live that way, 980 00:58:41,310 --> 00:58:44,110 if I don't tell my sons this, they're going to live this way. So 981 00:58:44,190 --> 00:58:46,270 that's what I want to instill in them. 982 00:58:46,430 --> 00:58:46,950 That's great. 983 00:58:46,950 --> 00:58:49,470 That's deep, brother. I'm having that moment now that you had 984 00:58:49,470 --> 00:58:53,150 a minute ago. Seriously. Praise God. What a good word. 985 00:58:54,590 --> 00:58:55,850 You deserv them. 986 00:58:57,610 --> 00:58:58,530 We got to get together. 987 00:58:58,530 --> 00:59:00,330 Yeah. What about you? 988 00:59:00,650 --> 00:59:02,930 What little me is saying? Well, like what. 989 00:59:02,930 --> 00:59:04,970 What would you say to Rafi and Marilyn? 990 00:59:04,970 --> 00:59:17,090 Rafi and Marilyn? Yeah, I'm getting that tattoo. I'm sorry. Oh 991 00:59:17,090 --> 00:59:19,970 my goodness. That's so funny. I'm trying to hold back my wheeze 992 00:59:19,970 --> 00:59:29,720 laugh. Oh my God. I don't know. I feel like I would want to. 993 00:59:29,720 --> 00:59:30,040 Say. 994 00:59:32,360 --> 00:59:37,400 Listen to me like I am. I feel like I. Because of how I grew up, 995 00:59:38,040 --> 00:59:40,880 I was just very like very. I've always been very self aware 996 00:59:40,880 --> 00:59:43,840 and very like. I don't want to say, like, wise beyond my years, 997 00:59:43,840 --> 00:59:47,280 but I feel like I've always just understood life and was like, 998 00:59:47,280 --> 00:59:51,440 hey, this is happening. And they were, like, not dismissive, 999 00:59:51,440 --> 00:59:54,920 but I've just always just. Just, like, know things. And so I 1000 00:59:54,920 --> 00:59:59,280 feel like if they, like, why would they listen to me? 1, because 1001 00:59:59,280 --> 01:00:01,640 I was a little kid, because I didn't know anything, but I feel 1002 01:00:01,640 --> 01:00:06,320 like I understood more than they thought I did. And I feel like, 1003 01:00:06,560 --> 01:00:09,080 not that things would be better or different, but I think 1004 01:00:09,080 --> 01:00:13,680 that our relationship could be just a little bit different if, like, 1005 01:00:14,570 --> 01:00:16,930 we actually, like, communicated better and listened 1006 01:00:16,930 --> 01:00:21,410 to each other. Not in, like, a bad way, but I don't know. I just 1007 01:00:21,410 --> 01:00:25,970 feel like that's what I would say. But he did. They did a good 1008 01:00:25,970 --> 01:00:27,130 job. They did a good job. 1009 01:00:29,130 --> 01:00:33,770 I, I think what I would say if I was like, I'm imagining baby Becky 1010 01:00:34,010 --> 01:00:37,130 and imagining, like, what I would say to my mom. And I think, 1011 01:00:37,130 --> 01:00:40,990 like, because of, like, the atmosphere and the circumstances 1012 01:00:40,990 --> 01:00:47,430 that we were in, she just kind of raised us to be very aware of, 1013 01:00:47,430 --> 01:00:51,230 like, the threats that were in the world because of things that 1014 01:00:51,230 --> 01:00:53,270 she walked through, because of things that we had already walked 1015 01:00:53,270 --> 01:00:56,910 through as a family. Just, like, kind of like, be careful, be 1016 01:00:56,910 --> 01:01:00,550 cautious. Like, be aware. Like, be, you know, make, make yourself 1017 01:01:00,550 --> 01:01:05,190 small so you don't get, you know, hurt or whatever. And I think, 1018 01:01:05,510 --> 01:01:08,920 like, I don't know. Not that I would want to challenge that, because 1019 01:01:08,920 --> 01:01:13,280 that's, again, like, the Lord has used it, but maybe just, like, 1020 01:01:14,000 --> 01:01:20,400 it's okay to feel safe. Like, I, I, I don't need to look over my 1021 01:01:20,400 --> 01:01:24,360 shoulder every now and then, like, or every second. Like, I think 1022 01:01:24,360 --> 01:01:27,880 that that would be what I would love to do. And then, like, 1023 01:01:27,880 --> 01:01:32,040 I guess I last thing is just, like, if you, you know, I think we 1024 01:01:32,040 --> 01:01:35,440 all have, like, sweet relationships with, you know, our 1025 01:01:35,440 --> 01:01:37,600 parents. Like, I have a really great relationship with my mom. My, 1026 01:01:37,600 --> 01:01:41,040 my, the one with my dad is like, all right. But, you know, there 1027 01:01:41,040 --> 01:01:43,960 are some people that don't have that, like, have a healthy or 1028 01:01:43,960 --> 01:01:48,560 a good relationship with either parent. And I guess, like, 1029 01:01:48,800 --> 01:01:52,440 something that, like, as, as me and Carlos have, like, you know, 1030 01:01:52,440 --> 01:01:55,120 been vision casting for, like, what our future could look like with 1031 01:01:55,120 --> 01:01:59,360 children. Like, I think one, one piece of hope that I have is, 1032 01:01:59,360 --> 01:02:02,640 like, my children don't have to. To have the relationship with 1033 01:02:02,640 --> 01:02:05,440 their dad. Like, the one that I have with my dad. You know, like, 1034 01:02:05,520 --> 01:02:08,640 Carlos is going to be a great dad. Like, he's going to be a great 1035 01:02:09,200 --> 01:02:13,320 father. And, like, I have hope in that. And so, like, That I don't 1036 01:02:13,320 --> 01:02:17,200 have to repeat the cycle. And so, like, if you're, you know, if 1037 01:02:17,360 --> 01:02:21,640 I don't. I don't have to work seven jobs to provide for our family 1038 01:02:21,640 --> 01:02:25,840 the way my mom did. Like, I can be emotionally, like, present 1039 01:02:25,840 --> 01:02:29,480 with my children. Like, and so, I don't know. Like, I think I. 1040 01:02:29,480 --> 01:02:33,560 I just want to give people hope. Like, not that you have to 1041 01:02:33,560 --> 01:02:37,080 have children to have hope, but, like, that you. You don't have 1042 01:02:37,080 --> 01:02:40,560 to repeat the same story. Like, you can be present with your 1043 01:02:40,560 --> 01:02:42,960 community, you can be present with your friends, with your family. 1044 01:02:42,960 --> 01:02:46,800 Like, you can restore a relationship that was once broken. 1045 01:02:46,800 --> 01:02:50,040 Like, there is. There's hope you don't have. Like, what you were 1046 01:02:50,040 --> 01:02:55,780 given doesn't have to be what you end with. And so, yeah, I. I 1047 01:02:55,780 --> 01:02:58,780 think that that's. And I. I think, like, what I would say to 1048 01:02:58,780 --> 01:03:02,100 my children, like, whenever they do come to this earth, like, 1049 01:03:02,420 --> 01:03:07,580 it's just like, I. Like, you're. I don't know. Like, there's. 1050 01:03:07,580 --> 01:03:11,460 There's hope beyond what you can understand because of Jesus. 1051 01:03:11,460 --> 01:03:15,380 Like, and I feel like I didn't. I don't feel like I had that 1052 01:03:15,540 --> 01:03:19,460 as a child, not because my mom didn't try, but just because, like, 1053 01:03:19,460 --> 01:03:23,140 our circumstances were just really hard. And so I think I just 1054 01:03:23,140 --> 01:03:28,060 became very detached in a lot of ways. And so, yeah, just, like, 1055 01:03:28,140 --> 01:03:32,820 I don't know, instilling hope in your everyday life. Like, can 1056 01:03:32,820 --> 01:03:38,100 I honestly say that I believe that God has my, like, his best for 1057 01:03:38,100 --> 01:03:41,260 me. Like, even if I don't understand, even if it sucks, like, 1058 01:03:41,260 --> 01:03:44,820 do I believe that? Yes. And even when my flesh doesn't believe 1059 01:03:44,820 --> 01:03:48,380 that, like, I can ask the Lord to give me grace to believe that. 1060 01:03:48,770 --> 01:03:52,610 And so, yeah, like, the. The relationship you have with your parents, 1061 01:03:52,610 --> 01:03:56,410 like, if it's great or if it's not, like, your relationship with 1062 01:03:56,410 --> 01:03:59,810 God still needs to be better, you know? Like, I don't know. Like, 1063 01:03:59,810 --> 01:04:04,769 I think, like, the Lord is worthy of all trust and all. Yeah. 1064 01:04:05,010 --> 01:04:05,410 So. 1065 01:04:05,490 --> 01:04:06,010 Yeah. 1066 01:04:06,010 --> 01:04:07,090 Any final thoughts? 1067 01:04:07,730 --> 01:04:10,490 Well, you know, I think, you know, the Lord is the answer. 1068 01:04:10,490 --> 01:04:11,010 Yeah. 1069 01:04:11,490 --> 01:04:16,080 I want to. Paraphrasing a Bible verse where it says, you know, 1070 01:04:16,400 --> 01:04:18,960 even when you're. When your parents are not there anymore, when 1071 01:04:19,280 --> 01:04:22,960 your mom and your dad can't be there anymore, the Lord will be there. 1072 01:04:22,960 --> 01:04:28,760 Right. I think that, you know, because of sin and brokenness in 1073 01:04:28,760 --> 01:04:33,760 this world, families are not perfect. They're broken. There's 1074 01:04:33,760 --> 01:04:38,400 brokenness in families. And even though, you know, God intended 1075 01:04:38,400 --> 01:04:42,370 family to be this unit where, where he's glorified where a married 1076 01:04:42,370 --> 01:04:46,690 couple model the gospel to the children. A lot of times that doesn't 1077 01:04:46,690 --> 01:04:51,050 happen. And so there's brokenness. But the Lord restores. 1078 01:04:51,050 --> 01:04:55,170 Right. I think the Lord restored me when the day I was able 1079 01:04:55,170 --> 01:04:58,850 to forgive my dad because he was not what I wanted him to be or 1080 01:04:58,850 --> 01:05:02,130 what I expected him to be. But the Lord showed me he didn't have 1081 01:05:02,130 --> 01:05:04,810 it. He couldn't give me what he didn't have. He wasn't a believer. 1082 01:05:04,890 --> 01:05:10,140 He didn't have a dad himself. But, but look at, look at what's 1083 01:05:10,140 --> 01:05:13,420 happening now. How, you know, I'm the first in that generation 1084 01:05:13,580 --> 01:05:17,260 of the different generations, I'm the first one who is not an alcoholic, 1085 01:05:17,580 --> 01:05:24,580 who, who is married and didn't get a divorce, who is following the 1086 01:05:24,580 --> 01:05:28,580 Lord and serving the Lord. And so there's, there's chains that were 1087 01:05:28,580 --> 01:05:36,300 broken that don't. That my, my kids did not see what my dad saw 1088 01:05:36,540 --> 01:05:40,500 and his dad saw. And so because of the Lord, because of what 1089 01:05:40,500 --> 01:05:41,140 God can do. 1090 01:05:41,140 --> 01:05:41,660 That's right. 1091 01:05:41,660 --> 01:05:46,460 There is hope in any family. You know, you may come from a broken 1092 01:05:46,460 --> 01:05:49,620 family, but your family doesn't have. Your next family doesn't 1093 01:05:49,620 --> 01:05:50,620 have to be a broken one. 1094 01:05:50,620 --> 01:05:51,020 Yeah. 1095 01:05:51,020 --> 01:05:52,740 Because the Lord and heal. 1096 01:05:52,740 --> 01:05:54,100 Yeah, yeah. 1097 01:05:54,100 --> 01:05:56,300 And I was going to say something very similar to that. I'm 1098 01:05:56,300 --> 01:06:00,190 glad that you said that. Just like even in my mom's family too, 1099 01:06:00,190 --> 01:06:05,510 like my mom has broken so many generational like sin and all these 1100 01:06:05,510 --> 01:06:10,830 chains. Like both my parents, like through my dad's dad and then 1101 01:06:10,830 --> 01:06:13,870 my mom's just parent. Both of our parents, like, should not be 1102 01:06:13,870 --> 01:06:17,310 the amazing parents and like how loving and like supportive and 1103 01:06:17,310 --> 01:06:20,350 I mean every parent, I mean, you're always going to have situations 1104 01:06:20,350 --> 01:06:23,270 and families like, yeah, like just because you're, it's. You put 1105 01:06:23,270 --> 01:06:27,220 a bunch of broken sinners in a family. But like the beautiful childhood 1106 01:06:27,220 --> 01:06:30,900 that me and my sibling had, like siblings had shouldn't. Like 1107 01:06:30,900 --> 01:06:34,380 if you looked at all the, you know, behind the scenes footage of, 1108 01:06:34,700 --> 01:06:38,060 you know, like, yeah, it's only the Lord. And I mean, Becky 1109 01:06:38,060 --> 01:06:40,940 and I talk about this all the times, like when we have kids, we're 1110 01:06:40,940 --> 01:06:43,180 not going to traumatize them the same way our parents did. We're 1111 01:06:43,180 --> 01:06:46,620 gonna find new ways to traumatize them. But parent man, 1112 01:06:46,620 --> 01:06:51,140 like, and I think, like, we're just gonna do something else to them. 1113 01:06:51,140 --> 01:06:55,810 But it's like slightly less every generation because the Lord 1114 01:06:55,810 --> 01:06:59,770 is continuing to change. You know, me and Becky and you know my 1115 01:06:59,770 --> 01:07:04,170 dad and, and so, yeah, just getting to see first fruits of like 1116 01:07:04,170 --> 01:07:07,010 through my life of how much the Lord has already broken change 1117 01:07:07,010 --> 01:07:08,050 is just encouraging. 1118 01:07:08,770 --> 01:07:09,570 No, that's good. 1119 01:07:09,570 --> 01:07:12,530 That's good. I don't got much to add. I just think it's a great 1120 01:07:12,530 --> 01:07:13,090 episode. 1121 01:07:13,330 --> 01:07:14,370 Glad to be here with you. 1122 01:07:14,610 --> 01:07:19,810 Yeah. And you know I think like parting. Parting word is I'm 1123 01:07:19,810 --> 01:07:23,090 gonna go call my mom in a little bit. Like I know me being 1124 01:07:23,090 --> 01:07:26,130 convicted, like I'm gonna call my mom. I'm gonna be. I'm gonna die 1125 01:07:26,130 --> 01:07:29,650 to self and ignore the fact that I hate phone calls. I'm so brave 1126 01:07:29,650 --> 01:07:35,330 like. But call your parents. That's our parting isn't. No, no, 1127 01:07:35,330 --> 01:07:37,410 no, no no. Call them I guess. 1128 01:07:38,370 --> 01:07:39,730 Please do. Please do. 1129 01:07:40,770 --> 01:07:44,090 Thank you guys so much for listening. We hope you guys enjoyed 1130 01:07:44,090 --> 01:07:48,830 this episode. Very heartfelt. So I'm a little teary eyed right 1131 01:07:48,830 --> 01:07:51,030 now, but anyways, we're going to ignore that and move on. Thank 1132 01:07:51,030 --> 01:07:53,350 you guys so much for watching. We'll see you later. Peace.