Rite of Passage

Jun 22, 2016 by Jim and Jerolyn Bogear

I met a woman at a meeting last week who recently sent her 14-year-old daughter on a rite of passage trip with her grandparents. They were headed to Italy.

Mom was experiencing a lot of anxiety – from her daughter being gone from her…… to her wanting her daughter to do well with the grandparents…. to her experiencing all she needed to experience on this trip. Mom even sent two questions with her daughter to help her in times of frustration.

But Mom’s biggest question? Have I’ve done right in raising my daughter?

Everyone asks himself or herself the same question. The last thing we want to leave is the legacy of failed parenting. Even though we know there is only so much we can do, (that pesky free will.) we still bear the huge responsibility of modeling the right life for our children and training them in how to live.

• Are you and your family living intentionally?
• Are you all aiming for the same goal and on the same page with how to get there?

We would love to help you with your child’s legacy trip. Learn more here.

~Jim and Jerolyn

 

 

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A Time to Renew – 2014

Jan 1, 2014 by Jim and Jerolyn Bogear

 

Launching into a new year it often causes us to launch into the new you. Although you have probably heard or read much on goal setting, resolutions, planning, etc., allow us to encourage you to do so. We probably won’t offer too many new insights but committing to do it is a huge step in and of itself. If we can help you make the jump to actually do it, we believe we have added value. If you are going to leave a legacy, you must be purposeful about who you are and it begins with a plan.

If we were coaching you, we would be working with you to ask what goals and plans do you want to see happen? What are you going to do about it? When will these be set? When will you commit to achieving these goals? What steps need to happen next, and then next, and then next to see these become a reality?

Let us remind us of the quote we used in last blog:

“It is necessary … for a man to go away by himself … to sit on a rock … and ask, ‘Who am I, where have I been, and where am I going?” ― Carl Sandburg

Find a time and place. Please see last blog for these recommendations in Review and Reflect.

Where are you going? If you read our last blog, you read about reviewing and reflecting on the past year. We believe in this, but suggest for all of us to not stop there.

We have been encouraged, and attempt to practice each year, to dream a little about the coming year. Here are some questions for us to ask, plans to make, and calendaring of events to make this year a great year:

• What are some dreams I would like to move closer to accomplishing?
• What family events or development would I like to see happen this year?
• What is on my bucket list, and what can I make happen this year?
• What goals would I like to achieve in a variety of areas of my life?
• How can I improve as a spouse and/or parent?
• What spiritual growth goals do I need to target?
• What physical goals do I need to set?
• What areas in my calling or career should I be looking to achieve more?
• What personal and professional goals should I be seeking?
• What other areas should I be planning and expecting God to work and open opportunities for me to improve?
• What do I need to do to make these happen?
  Who needs to know about these to help me to achieve them?
• When will I write them down and put these commitments on a calendar?
• What else do I need to think through, pray over, plan on, and put down in writing?

And finally, when will I sit down and answer some of these questions? A new year is kind of an opportunity for a do-over.

Do it well.

~Jim and Jerolyn

 

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Review and Reflect

Dec 30, 2013 by Jim and Jerolyn Bogear

Taking time to reflect is great. Gearing up to get ready for a new year is also needed and good. So, what are ideas that might work for both of these days? Let’s take a look at these knowing that we have already arrived to this time of year. You might choose to do these even now as you prepare for 2014, but look at the recommendations for applying these principles more than just one time a year.

“The Week Between”…every year between Christmas and New Year’s for several years now, I have learned from others the value of taking this time to both reflect and get ready.

Thinking back over the year…

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Christmas Family Traditions

Dec 23, 2013 by Jim and Jerolyn Bogear

Traditions! Traditions!

I love Christmas! I have been known to play some Christmas music in July. Jerolyn has always been guarded about playing the music too early and getting a head start on Christmas before we even celebrate Labor Day. I am all about “the bigger, the better,” and Jerolyn is much more about “bigger is not always better.” More does not always mean better.  She is correct, as usual, but it doesn’t stop me from the excitement and anticipation of Christmas while enjoying Thanksgiving along the way.

Jerolyn makes a very good point in not jumping holidays or neglecting Thanksgiving trying to wish our lives away getting to Christmas. But we are relentless in giving her a hard time and calling her “Scrooge.” She tolerates our jabs, but really she keeps us balanced and focused on what is important.

We do have a number of traditions for Christmas that are now being experienced and implemented by our grown kids in their homes. This makes us smile as we were sure some years they would never want to do a few of these traditions ever again.

When you grew up, what traditions did your family establish? Jerolyn’s family had their own traditions, and once we were married I had to correct her…tongue in cheek here people. In all seriousness we had to work through those that we wanted to keep from our own families’ growing up, compromise, as well as, create those we wanted to establish for our own home.

We know a family that over the years had the tradition of decorating gingerbread houses.  Our own kids have been a part in years past. We recently heard a great story about this tradition:

As the kids got older the tradition never stopped even in the grumbling, “I’m too old for this” stages of life. The youngest son just graduated from Marine Boot Camp. He has a few days home until he is deployed. His mom waited for him and, you guessed it, kept the tradition of the gingerbread decorating for him to participate. Someone overheard this son, who is definitely a man, say, “I am excited about decorating my gingerbread house.” Hoorah! (In honor of this Marine) Love it!

Christmas time is possibly the most popular time of the year to establish traditions. They give us hope and memories to hang onto for the rest of our lives. Traditions create a sense of home and belonging and family. What are your traditions? If you don’t already have any, what will you start?

Here are some more questions about Traditions…

• Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? I know, I know, but there are actually people who consider opening their presents on Christmas Eve…heretical.
• Do you go to either parent’s homes or stay at your home.
• When do you decorate?
• What do you do about buying gifts? Any kind of Christmas movies or stories you make sure are watched or read?
• Any kind of parties, looking at lights, or special foods that have to be made?
• What about reading the Christmas story or special advent activities?
• Buying a real tree or purchase an artificial one?  How do you make this a tradition and in what ways can you add to the tradition?

What traditions do you establish for your own family?

~Merry Christmas, Jim and Jerolyn

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Happy Father’s Day!

Jun 13, 2013 by Jim and Jerolyn Bogear

This coming Sunday is Father’s Day. A day to honor our dads, and we should.  Dads, we salute and applaud you. Personally, Jerolyn and I are both grateful for our dads, and the way they have lived their lives in front of us. Thanks Dads.

Dads, I would like to challenge you on what kind of father you are and in what ways are you influencing your children? In what ways are you teaching, sharing, showing, and modeling for your children how to live life and live it with significance? What legacy are you living that you will someday leave?

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