Some of us are old enough to remember when Kirk Cameron was a teenage heartthrob and the star of an 80’s family sitcom called “Growing Pains.” This show was also notable for its catchy theme song and for the fact that it starred his TV father, played by Alan Thicke…who is the real-life father of Robin Thicke, the famous singer, producer, and now judge on The Masked Singer.

None of this has anything to do with the topic of today’s podcast, except for the fact that it shares the same name and that it’s the first thing that came into my mind when I sat down to write an intro to today’s topic.

Join us this week on A Time To Sharpen, as we discuss “Growing Pains.” You’ll just have to listen to find out what that actually means in relation to teachers, counselors, and parents. But trust me, it does mean something meaningful, helpful, and applicable in the real world…not just on TV.

It’s impossible to overestimate the importance of marriage. Sure, some marriages fail, some are toxic, and some are even deadly.

Still, there is nothing that has the power to build a person, a church, a community, or a nation like healthy marriages.

Thing is, they take work. Lots of hard work, on both sides. A lifetime of hard work buy two people growing closer to each other as they focus on growing closer to God.

Join us this week on A Time to Sharpen as we discuss how to stay married. It might be the hardest thing that any of us ever have to do in our life - but that might make it the most meaningful, rewarding, and impactful thing we ever do as well.

Flu season is almost over, but if you hurry, there’s just enough to catch the seasonal bug if you want. You have until the end of May, in case you're interested. There’s really a lot to be said for being sick. It forces you to slow down. It teaches you how to be sympathetic towards others when you’re well. It jump starts your body’s immune system, which needs a good workout every once in a while.

Of course, there are a lot of downsides as well. There are the obvious physical aches and pains, but there is also a more hidden (and sometimes sinister) impact that long-term illness can wreak on a family.

Join us this week on A Time to Sharpen, as we discuss the ups and downs of being sick. How we care for the boys at the ranch when they come down with something. How we counsel families who are fighting chronic and sometimes deadly diseases. And how, sometimes, God speaks through suffering, or what C.S. Lewis called, “the megaphone of pain

In part two of this special podcast dealing with school bullying, Axel, Brandon and Thomas share thoughts about the bullying problem, along with some simple, proven effective ways to address childhood bullying and some ideas about what could work as well.

Whetstone's Thomas Brown joins Brandon and Axel for the first of a two-part series on the subject of childhood bullying.

Once a victim of terrible bullying, Thomas emerged as a three-decades filmmaker, educator, national speaker and consultant on a subject he knows all-too-well.

Despite a frightening childhood filled with physical torment and ridicule, Thomas ultimately forgave his tormentors and moved on to a life-long mission, to realistically and creatively address the problem, utilizing his own film creations and a nationally-recognized program that put kids and adults alike, through a powerful and emotional experience.

Thomas sums up his feelings about the subject of childhood bullying like this:

"Despite the numerous life-shattering school-shootings and youth-suicides that were directly attributed to childhood bullying, this epidemic problem that continues to adversely affect the lives of children and adults world-wide, has yet to shed itself of the notion:

Bullying is just a natural part of growing up.

Thomas concludes:

"The darkest part of history certainly tells us something entirely different, giving strength to this chilling reminder:

Those who do not remember the past, are condemned to repeat it.

In part one of this episode of "A Time to Sharpen", Thomas shares just a small portion of a childhood filled with fear and in some instances, outright terror, focusing not-so-much on his own life 'then' but his deep concerns for what is happening in the lives of tormented children now, and the terrible path that bullying can sometimes take.

Rules without Relationship = Rebellion. We’ve said this before on the podcast, but it bears repeating. Whetstone Boys Ranch was founded upon this basic assumption. Rules are necessary, but without a human being to explain, interpret, apply, and at times modify those rules, they become a formula for failure as parents, teachers, and counselors.

Just watch any of the hundreds of dystopian television shows and movies that are currently streaming. They all demonstrate that rules can’t guarantee happiness. They can’t make people be good, and they can’t stop people from doing bad things.

Join us this week on A Time to Sharpen as we discuss what we call “Life on Life” ministry (LOL!) as it’s practiced here at Whetstone. It’s not easy for us to have 1 staff member for every 3 boys, but our boys are worth all the extra effort.

Bad parenting is often compared to snowplows and helicopters. There is a very strong temptation to rescue our kids from their mistakes: swooping in to save the day, or plowing a path so smooth that they never have to struggle.

Every parent is guilty of it to some extent. First because the motivation behind these parenting styles seem so noble. And second, because the line between helping and enabling is the grayest of grays. It’s easy to miss because it’s hard to see, and because we don’t want to admit when we’ve crossed it.

It’s also difficult to go back. Difficult, but not impossible. We can learn from our mistakes.

Join us this week on A Time to Sharpen as we discuss parenting strategies that avoid these two pitfalls; and if you have fallen into one of these traps, how to get yourself out!

‘Tis the season to be over-working, over-spending, over-eating…and under-sleeping.

I don’t know about you, but I feel like the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is probably the most stressful of the year…with the possible exception of the weeks leading up to April 15th.

What does that say about Christmas if the feelings it evokes rival those of falling victim to legalized theft. Throw in the unintended consequences of materialism and entitlement, and you have the recipe for something that tastes nothing like the holiday it was intended to be.

Join us this week on A Time to Sharpen as we discuss strategies for coping with, overcoming, and even, dare I say, eliminating anything that detracts from the real reason for the season:

Celebrating peace on Earth, given to everyone, great and small, through our Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ