Reverend Run--or Rev Run--was on the Glenn Beck Show on CNN the other night. I hate MTV, but I love Rev Run. If you don't know who Rev Run is, here is my brief description. Rev Run, AKA Joseph Simmons, is from 80s-rap-group fame, Run D.M.C. He has since become an ordained minister and has a reality TV show based around his family and life in New Jersey. During the five seasons it's been on MTV, Rev Run's family has been on numerous vacations, had a newborn child die, and adopted a baby girl. At the end of each episode, he texts a sermon from his bathtub doling out advice to live a good life, always ending with the phrase, "God is love. Peace out."
I was embarrased for Glenn Beck. It was almost as though he'd never watched a single episode when he was talking with Rev. The Rev was about to give one of his text-message sermons, when Glenn Beck shut him down, and instead, asked Run's wife Justine to answer the question. Justine is a pretty amazing wife as well, don't get me wrong. She's good-humored and sweet. She and Rev make a really good parenting team, one of the best I've seen on modern "reality" TV shows. Gene Simmons so-called parenthood, or even Ozzy Osbourne don't hold a candle to Rev Run's family.
Beck also talked with the family about paying tithing, prayer, and adoption. One thing the Rev and his wife said that really rang true for me was that they try to raise their family like a business, he and Justine being the CEO and president.
My parents ran their family like a business. My mom held at least two family meetings per day. We had one meeting in the morning for family scripture study and prayer. Then another meeting happened after everyone came home from school. It usually involved everyone saying what their plans were for that day and a reminder of activities coming up that week. In one or both meetings, Mom or Dad would remind us that the "budget was tight" and ask us to try not to ask for too many things.
We looked forward to family outings or vacations. We also looked forward to trips to the thriving mecca of Orem/Provo, our family's favorite destination, to visit with cousins and grandparents, and perhaps catch a BYU home game.
Kulani and I also have a rule about raising kids. Our number 1 rule is to support one another in front of the kids. If Kulani metes out a punishment I think is a little hard, I stand by him. Later, I might mention something to him, but not in front of the kids. Kulani does the same for me. Often he has told the girls, "Don't you treat your mother that way." And I say to them, "Don't look at me for sympathy, I'm on your dad's side." It's usually me who is the harsher one, however. Kulani knows when to intervene tactfully, such as, "Let's go read a book, girls."
I love family dynamics. I wish I would've went to school to study it: a certified family dynamatician.
4 comments:
When I got to the point of having two family meetings a day, I thought, "is this Kulani writing?" I don't remember meetings like that -- I remember scripture study at night and lots of "family finances family home evenings."
Still no baby - going to be induced tomorrow. Wish me luck!
I'm guessing we'd get many different versions of our family depending on who you asked. There was a good three years there where Mom tried having early morning scripture study. I remember it being from 5th grade to 8th grade. I can't believe you don't remember the after-school meetings. Those were more frequent and lasted years.
Oh, and get that baby here already! Not that it matters now, but have you tried putting 2 tablespoons of castor oil into a milk shake? That worked for me. The best part of having a baby is the anticipation of meeting him/her. I can't wait to meet him!
Yeah, I was just talking to Hetty to see if she remembered having family prayer and scripture study and she has a totally different memory about it than I do. So we've got three different versions going on -- I'm guessing they are all right, just different times in our parents' lives. It's been fun talking to Hetty and seeing what she remembers from her childhood.
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