Category: Relationships with Bill Ronning

Parenting experts will tell you one of the most important things you can do for your child is admit when you’re wrong and apologize. What does a proper apology look like? Researchers at Ohio State say they’ve boiled it down to six basic elements. Expressing regret, explaining what went wrong, taking responsibility, repenting, offering to repair, and then asking forgiveness. If you have time to squeeze in all six, your chances of being forgiven go way up. However, if there’s just time for two, their study says acknowledging it was your fault and taking action to fix it are key. We also suggest reading through Matthew 18.

Hear how Family Life Radio member Kathy apologized and how her apology was received.

After reading about the following story in the news, I’ve realized how important Dr. Randy’s message is about overtime parenting.

A 30 year old man has to leave his parents’ home. It came down to a court decision. His parents were encouraging Michael Rotondo to get a job and get out of the house. They served him several eviction notices. In one, they even offered some financial help but he wouldn’t leave and now he has to.

“Overtime” Parenting: Your Kid’s Adult Years  – Dr. Randy

After you guide your children through the challenges of life from birth to adulthood, you will find that your coaching is not quite finished, and there will be some “overtime” to play.

• Know your role. It is no longer your responsibility to be a sole provider. Provide emotional support and encouragement. Be a friend and, when appropriate, share advice you have gleaned from your experiences.
• Hold them accountable. As adults, your children need to forge their own way. Early on, they may have a tendency to rely on you as a backstop for bad financial or relationship decisions. Don’t relieve them of the consequences of their choices.
• Let reality be the teacher. Ultimately, this means releasing your children. It will likely be the toughest thing you do as a parent, but it is the only way for them to reach their God-given potential.

We’re hoping you get the opportunity to create some memories with your family this summer. Check out our list of 50 Ways to have a Summer of Hope.

As a child, Ellen’s family helped her do that. She remembers going to the Redondo and Hermosa beach in California. She’d body surf and make sandcastles. She watched other people digging for clams so she did the same thing. She wanted to save them so she brought them home and put them in the basement. Her mom found the stinky critters.

I used to hang out at Santa Monica, Venice Beach and Malibu so I can relate.

Congratulations to our 2018 graduates! Your achievements have been recognized and celebrated…now find out what God is up to and serve your world as you follow Him! Keep looking up…God is Good!

This year’s Words of wisdom to graduates:

“A responsibility of every American citizen to each other is to preserve and protect our freedom by recognizing what truth is and is not.” – Rex Tillerson (Former U.S. Secretary of State)

“The question we ask ourselves is not what can we do but what should we do.” – Tim Cook (Apple CEO)

“Home shapes you…make sure you shape it back.” – Queen Latifah ( Actor)

“We’re the ones who get to decide…do I hate or do I love?” – Jimmy Carter (Former U.S. President)

Please pray for Art. He’s trying to be Intentional in raising his grand kids but he’s having a tough time making ends meet.  Focusing on God is one way to be Intentional because it helps us focus on the solution instead of our circumstances. God is bigger than our storm. Reach out to Him.

Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8

Dr. Randy has help for those who want to go from surviving to thriving.

Those who focus on survival tend to:

• Be overly concerned with how their lives appear to others.
• Hold tightly to everything in their lives (people, objects, jobs, status).
• Find their identity and security in possessions.

The move from survival to significance:

1. Manage risks as you contemplate change.
2. Identify a passion to pursue.
3. Don’t be ensnared by image or possessions.

If you’re living in survival mode in any area of your life, take a bold step toward significance. It might be uncomfortable at first, but true contentment is hard to find in mediocrity.

Nearly half of moms say their husband stresses them out more than their kids. Today surveyed 7,000 moms and found 46 % say that. The average American mom says her stress level is at an 8.5 out of 10. 75% of moms say they do most of the parenting and household chores.

The Hope For Your Home Conference can help with that. It’s a marriage and parenting conference. Dr. Randy Carlson will discuss how to strengthen intimacy in your marriage by applying 10 daily love habits. Dr. Kevin Leman will help you regain control of disobedient children by creating a strong plan of action. There’s one coming up in Glendale and another one later in Albuquerque.

How we communicate has an effect on how we relate to each other. God created us each unique and sometimes that means pronouncing words differently from each other. Some common mispronounced words are Often, Nuclear and Realtor. Sometimes people say the word often and include the “T”. Often has a silent “T”. The silent “T” is in other words too for example: listen.  Nuclear is pronounced like Nucleus except with an “R” at the end instead of an “S”. Realtor is said Reel tur.

Kids make up their own versions as they try out new words. Our children have a good time with Spaghetti.

No matter how you pronounce your words, speak kindly. Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24

Scripture tells us to Love others. “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:14

How do you connect with your neighbors?

Family Life Radio listener Michael says his goal this year is to be a better neighbor.  2018 has been productive. He’s found the process doesn’t have to be complicated. He and his wife have already found a way to serve one of their neighbors. They’ve been able to provide some relief to the son of an elderly couple. His wife also discovered she and one of their neighbors share the same career path.

The bible tells us to love God and love people. “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matt 22:37-39 We combine the two when we serve others.

Family Life Radio member Layla shares her experience of the hands and feet of Jesus.

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. Ephesians 6:7-8

Do It for Him 

Have you noticed it’s easy to think that freedom is doing what you want to do—doing what makes you feel good? That’s not as satisfying as it may first appear. When “self” is indulged it just usually wants more, and the thirst is never fully quenched. Yet, there is such joy in serving others. This doesn’t come naturally; you must rely on God’s power through His Holy Spirit to lead you.

Jesus lived the example of giving up His own desires for God’s will and His love for people. He served in the ultimate way so that humans can be truly free from the bondage of self-focused indulgence that leads to wanting more and more.

Do you find yourself dissatisfied? Tweak your perspective. Ask God for His help, and discover the reward of freedom in service to others.

Today’s One Thing

Choose to do something for another and enjoy God’s rewards of focusing on someone else’s needs.

– Dr. Randy Carlson of Intentional Living.