BeTempered
We believe that everyone has the potential to achieve greatness, and that the key to unlocking this potential is through personal development. Our podcasts are designed to help you cultivate the skills and mindset you need to achieve your goals and live the life you want.
BeTempered
BeTempered Episode 84 - 2025 The Year That Clarified Our Mission
Before Christmas rushes past, we press pause to ask better questions. What truly mattered this year? Where is God leading the mission of BeTempered? And how do we show up for people in ways that outlast trends, algorithms, and noise?
Hosts Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr reflect on a season of growth, clarity, and calling, and they officially welcome the newest BeTempered team member, Shawn Ruebush. This conversation shares why the team chose conviction over convenience when adding to the mission, because passion for people is what turns content into connection and vision into action.
We revisit humble beginnings and meaningful milestones, including more than one million views across platforms and over 7,000 hours watched on YouTube. Not as trophies, but as proof that real stories still cut through. The center of gravity has shifted fully toward faith, service, and community, and that clarity is shaping what comes next.
The team unpacks upcoming initiatives including monthly gratitude walks designed to model simple, repeatable habits for resilience, training missions that build grit and teamwork, and men’s groups in partnership with the YMCA with hopes to expand. Each effort is built to get people out of their heads and into each other’s lives.
The focus on schools deepens as well. Too many kids scan empty bleachers. A principal who shows up, a teacher who attends a recital, a neighbor who mentors. These moments change trajectories. The conversation offers practical ways to get involved, resist labels, and make presence the strategy.
Landing just before Christmas, the episode closes with reflections on the memories that still shine and the generosity that brings the season back to its core. Hope, humility, and love made real through action.
If this moved you, help one more person hear what they need. Visit betempered.com and join our free community on Patreon at patreon.com/betempered. Your presence matters. Who will you show up for this week?
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SPEAKER_03:I want to share something that's become a big part of the BTEMPERD mission: Patreon. Now, if you've never used it before, Patreon is a platform where we can build community together. It's not just about supporting the podcast, it's about having a space where we can connect on a deeper level, encourage one another, and walk this journey of faith, resilience, and perseverance side by side. Here's how it works. You can join as a free member and get access to daily posts, behind-the-scenes updates, encouragement, and some things I don't always put out on other platforms. And if you feel called to support the mission financially, there are different levels where you can do that too. That support helps us keep producing the podcasts, creating gear, hosting events, and sharing stories that we believe can truly impact lives. And here's the cool part. Patreon has a free app you can download right on your phone. It works just like Facebook or Instagram, but it's built specifically for our community. You'll be able to scroll through posts, watch videos, listen to content, and interact with others who are on the same journey. At the end of the day, this isn't just about content, it's about connection. It's about building something together. Not just me and men putting out episodes, but a family of people committed to growing stronger through real stories and real faith. So whether you just want to hop on as a free member or you feel called to support in a bigger way, Patreon is the door into that community. Because at the heart of Be Tempered has always been simple. Real stories, raw truth, resilient faith, so that even one person out there that hears what they need to hear, and Patreon helps make that possible.
SPEAKER_05:Welcome to the Be Tempered Podcast, where we explore the art of finding balance in a chaotic world.
SPEAKER_01:Join us as we delve into insightful conversations, practical tips, and inspiring stories to help you navigate life's ups and downs with grace and resilience.
SPEAKER_05:We're your host, Dan Schmidt, and Ben Sparr. Let's embark on a journey to live our best lives.
SPEAKER_01:This is Be Tempered.
SPEAKER_05:What's up, everybody? Welcome to the Bee Tempered Podcast, episode number 84, sir.
SPEAKER_01:So serious. Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_05:Hey, as you're listening to this, we're heading into the final days before Christmas, a season that naturally causes us to slow down, to reflect, and focus on what truly matters. It's a time centered on faith, family, gratitude, and remembering why we do the things we do. Today's episode is a meaningful one for us. While it's not our final episode of the year, it's our final episode before Christmas. And we wanted to use this conversation to pause and reflect on 2025 so far, on the growth, the lessons learned, the challenges faced, and the moments that have shaped Be Tempered along the way. I'm joined today by Ben. Hello, Dan. And by Sean Rubush. Hola. He don't even know Spanish. I don't. Two guys who have played important roles in this mission. Ben has been in the trenches, especially with the work we've been doing in the schools and with young people stepping outside his comfort zone to serve and lead. And today we're also officially introducing Mr. Sean Rubush to the B Tempered team. Sean is stepping into a role where he'll be helping guide our marketing, our vision, our storytelling as our mission continues to grow. This conversation isn't just about looking back or talking strategy. It's about purpose. It's about why Be Tempered exists, where we believe God is leading us, and how we stay grounded in gratitude as we move forward. And because this episode is airing just before Christmas, we all also want to spend some time talking about what the season truly means to us. Not just the celebrations or the traditions, but the hope, humility, and love that came into this world through Christ. So wherever you're listening from, our hope is that the conversation encourages you to slow down, reflect, and head into Christmas with a grateful heart and a clear sense of purpose. What's up, Ben?
SPEAKER_01:Hello, Dan.
SPEAKER_05:So we want to talk about 2025. You know, the year for us with this podcast, with all the different things we've been involved in through the schools, through churches, through um, you know, different speaking engagements. I mean, it's I thought last year was a year of like in my mind, like, holy cow, what's going on. But this year has far exceeded that. And uh I'm excited about where we're going because now we've we've officially taken that step to to bring someone onto the team that can help uh take a little bit of the load off of you know all the things we have going on and try to help to organize our thoughts, our visions, where we're going, what we're doing, um, and and and to keep pushing forward. But for me, it's been uh it's been an amazing year. I'm truly grateful for it, but it's been a little bit of a whirlwind.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. I feel like there's you know, Christmas time and holiday season, it seems like we can take a breath and kind of reflect. That's what we do in the new year, right? But I tell you, I feel like this year's been kind of clarity though, as well. You know, I feel like when we first started the podcast, we knew I felt like when we first started, actually, it was mainly because our transformations like body, fitness, um, also mental, like where we view kids and their mindsets, and then I don't know, it seems like as this thing evolves, I feel like it's more and more starting to get in faith based just because that's who we are as men. And um, and we know when you're vulnerable, that's when Christ is strongest. And I feel like that's the way it's starting to lead. And I feel like the more we lean into that, I feel like the more the podcast starts to grow. And uh it's exciting.
SPEAKER_05:It is exciting, and and and you uh it's it's right. It's amazing how it has morphed from that, that, that beginning where, you know, quite honestly, we were trying to build a brand, um, you know, trying to just provide a positive influence on people who might listen, but never really having that ultimate goal or vision to where we're at now, where we're at today, and and to to feel that fulfillment of having people share their stories and what it does for them and what it does for other people. And so that's where the growth has really um, I'm not gonna say overwhelmed. I don't like the the word overwhelmed, but it has just been very powerful for me and shown me that, you know, again, everybody has a story. And if they're willing to share it, it's amazing what comes from them sharing their story, the benefits they get hearing from other people, and then the growth that other people have by hearing that story because they can relate. And so that's what we're gonna continue to do and uh continue to provide those stories to people that inspire, that uh people can relate to, that help people in their daily struggles. And uh it's it's exciting time. And through all of that, we've we're gonna be adding some things into the Be Tempered mission. And that's where Sean has come in. And so I think most of our regular listeners know Sean's story. Uh, episode 24 was where you shared a majority of it. Then we came back in with episode 42.
SPEAKER_02:Matt Roberts is gonna be upset. That's this episode. Oh, that's Matt's? I was 41.
SPEAKER_01:We just wanted to name drop Matt. We knew that. It was totally playing. Dr. Matt Roberts. Dr. Matt Roberts.
SPEAKER_02:That's right. 41. And then he was sad.
SPEAKER_05:We did the live episode, 52.
SPEAKER_02:You were on that. Yeah, and then the book. Uh, I think I was 71.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah. So here you are. Let's let's talk about your your transformation from episode 24 to now being a part of the Be Tempered team, where this is your job. Talk about what the last year and a half has been like for you and and how we've got to this point.
SPEAKER_02:Man, how long do we have? As long as you need. No. Um, so you said job. Um, I don't consider this a job. This is the one of the first, like, this is not a job. This is a passion. Um, and that's what I based the decision on. But um, just starting the whole journey, 20, you know, how from episode 24. Um with what you just said, I mean, it's very impactful getting it off your getting the whole story off your, you know, off your shoulders. Um, obeying, I think that the the biggest thing that I've has started that I have started to do is just oh obey what I think God has in plan in store for me. Um and that's not always easy. It's not always comfortable. Um but I think um I I think uh the progression from where I was 24 months ago to now is my the main difference is I think my faith has grown tremendously. Um attending reg attending uh community of faith in Richmond is amazing, and I've done that for a solid straight year now. Past year's great, um very knowledgeable. Um so I think that's the biggest transition. And then again, I said this on the other one. Um so many more people are just willing to talk to me about hard things. Yeah. Um, so I think that's a huge impact, not only on myself, but on others. Um so the mess it's really weird scrolling through Facebook and not knowing a person, but they they're they're posting about my book. That's kind of the weirdest thing I've kind of had to go through. Um, which is a good thing. Right. Um but I mean I mean, it's all been truly blessed, truly a blessing. And uh I'm so grateful for you know, God putting the podcast on you on you. Um we talk about that all the time, and his plan is way bigger than we could have ever imagined.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, and you you know, you talk about being obedient and how difficult that is. Excuse me, that's you know, I I feel the same way. I, you know, I hear things, um, whether it's God's voice or whether it's just my mind working, you know, we just recently purchased another building, you know, for growth of of our uh Catron's glass business, but also to provide um some space for Be Tempered. And uh it's been it's been a unique journey. I mean, even the just the last six months, you know, I've I'm fortunate enough to have uh an advisory group that I lean on and bounce things off. And and one of the things that we discussed probably six months ago was they made the comment, like, Dan, you're gonna burn out. Like you're you're doing so many different things. You got so many irons in the fire. And and I felt it, you know, they had posed the question, how much time are you spending on the podcast? And I couldn't answer that. I don't know. I don't, I don't clock in and clock out with that stuff. I mean, I'm just I just I just do. And I I recognize that. So that's where the conversation started with, hey, why don't you work on finding somebody to help? And so my mind instantly shifted to, you know, let's find a part-time person that can come in and maybe work on, you know, these things and this thing, and then I can I can focus more on on the podcast or whatever it is that that um, you know, we'll get into a little bit of the vision that we have for this. And I kept thinking I needed someone who had more of a IT background that could do a lot of the things that I was doing with the shorts and the reels and all those things that we put out on social media. And um, you know, one of the members of the advisor group's like, I don't think you're thinking right. Like, okay, what do you think? And they're like, I think you need to find someone who believes in the mission and who has the passion to carry forward your vision for the Be Tempered podcast and for the movement. And so your name came up, Sean came up, and uh I was like, man, I don't know. You know, Sean's a friend, and uh, I've learned in 20 years of business hiring friends is that's a big no-no. Um, it's fine when things are good, but when things get difficult, it can be very challenging. And uh, so uh, you know, I was hesitant on it, but it he was right. He was right, you know, as far as the passion and the vision goes, you know, you know, Ben and I have have that. I mean, this is our passion and our vision and our goals to to help people and and to do this. And it was very obvious that you were right there with us. And so the more I slept on it and the more I thought about it, and then we started having conversations, and it just became clear. Uh, I felt that God was saying, like, what are you waiting on? Like he he hadn't spoken for 40 some years of his life. He tells his story, and now he's on fire. Life completely changes. And uh, so that's kind of what led us to having the conversation. And and actually what's crazy is we had the conversation at the Arboretum one day when we just randomly ran into each other. You were walking your dogs, and I was heading back, you know, from my from my ruck back to the truck to go home, and and we talked about it. And that was like pretty recent after your first episode. Right. And uh, you know, it's just amazing. I I if you could go into my mind, I think I planted a seed that day. You you did plant the seed and hold a day in you did, and but it was it was one of those where I was like, all right, Sean, like he'll he'll calm down, you know, and uh and boy, the the opposite happened, you know. Then you write the book and you're on fire and you get baptized, and and then here we are, you know, and it's just amazing how in 12 months from last year at this time to this year, like the the change is unbelievable. And uh it's hard to even put into words like the feeling that I have um for this this whole be tempered mission. And so, I mean, that's maybe rambling a little bit, but I just kind of wanted to let the listeners in on my thoughts and how we progressed to where we're at today. So I don't know what you guys have to add to that, but that's my story.
SPEAKER_02:I think what was kind of big for me was we never really talked about our vision, but I kind of put it on paper and handed it to you, and you're like checked, checked like you had the same things in your head without uh without us even ever talking about it. Yeah. Um so I think that was a huge part of it. Um, at least it was for me. Um, so the same vision, the same passion. Yeah. So what is that vision? Helping leading people to faith. Why everybody talks about left and right and what side you're on, people overlook the biggest part. It's good versus evil. Which side are you on? That's it. Right versus wrong. It's not left versus right. It never will be. It's just a distraction. It's good versus evil. That's the way I feel, and um it took me a long time to get there. Like I don't even I don't even worry about politics anymore. There's only one person that's gonna be able to say that.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah. Yeah. You're right. I'm the same way. I mean, I don't I don't know very little about what's going on in the world of politics because I had a conversation with uh with my wife's aunt uh over the holiday season, and they were talking about different news outlets and this going on and that going on. And I'm like, I don't even know what you're talking about. Like, and they're like, You don't care, how do you keep up on the news? I'm like, if it doesn't affect me in a positive way, I don't care. Like what I'm focused on is my people. I'm focused on my family, I'm focused on my faith, I'm focused on my employees. That's what I care about. Well, I mean, why am I I I that's what I asked them. I'm like, so when you watch Fox or CNN or you, whatever news channel you're watching, like, have you ever came away from that feeling good? Like, ever one time been like, wow, these Republicans are amazing. These Democrats are just so all. I mean, have you ever? Nobody's ever came away from that. You come off ticked off, right? So why? You know, I have uh, you know, people say, Oh, did you see what such and such posted on Facebook? No, I don't care. Like, if you're if that's who you like, if somebody, if I'm friends with somebody or I'm following somebody, and all of a sudden I find my blood pressure rising because of something they say or they post, I'm unfollowing them. Like I don't have time for that. Like we have a goal to help the one person, right? We know that it's more than that. Now we're now we're uh we're putting our our money where our mouth is, bringing you on to really push this vision forward. So, what I want to talk about also with this is some of the things, and we we can talk about you know, some of the things we've already discussed internally about what we want to do. Let's talk about some of those things. Give give some examples.
SPEAKER_02:Uh monthly, monthly walks. I do uh, you know, Arbor Reedem. Anyone's welcome, it's free. Come out and walk with us.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah. Well, and we'll start posting. I mean, that's right. Yeah, we're calling them gratitude walks. Right. And what I envision is is I envision, you know, there's people that listen, or maybe you listen and you have a family member or a friend who keeps talking about, you know, I need to get my life back on track, whether that's uh physically, whether that's emotionally, mentally, whatever it is. Hey, here's your opportunity to come. We'll probably do it once a month. Come for a walk with us through the arboretum. It's not going to be anything where it's going to be super strenuous. If you want To wear a rucksack you can, and we're just gonna walk and talk, and we're gonna talk about positive things. We're gonna be where it's a gratitude walk. So I want to show people what a gratitude walk looks like. Then from that, if they want to do it on their own, great, that's what we want. We want to continue to build that community so people can help other people. We've talked about doing some training missions. Not a lot of details on that, but or what that might look like, but something to get people, you know, not like a 5K, something a little more strenuous than that, where you would actually have to physically train for something. And I see it on more of a team basis, you know, like, hey, this is a this is a three-man or three-woman or a co-ed division. We're gonna go out and and train for this event, and that's what we're gonna do. Again, not a not a ton of details on this stuff, but I just kind of want to let people into the things that were that are on our mind that we're looking forward to doing in 2026. You know, one of the other things we've talked about is is doing a Bible study or a men's group. And the men's group thing, I I think is is probably gonna happen sooner than later in partnering with our local YMCA. And um, you know, so we'll have some details to come on what that looks like. And, you know, if we can get a women's group, obviously there's not what any women sitting here, but I know that the Y has some ideas and having a men's group and a women's group. And um, you know, just one of those things where just like what we're doing here now, just sitting around having a conversation, talking about maybe some of the difficulties people are facing and how you know we can help each other get through it. Sometimes that's just through conversation, it's through listening. Um, you know, just just trying again, just to help people little by little. So those are some of the things that we're we're looking to do moving into 2026 that um you know, that that Sean that you'll be working on. And um, I'm excited about it because these have all been things in my head, but it's like, how in the world are we gonna move forward with this? But God provided Sean. What do you think, Ben? What's your what's your vision here?
SPEAKER_01:Oh, I think some of the things that we've been doing too, like you guys talking with the hope squad at Shawnee, figuring out a way to get into school and give the kids hope, let people know that we believe in them, my kids believe in them, even if they don't have that background of somebody at home that can reinforce that, you know, uh training people to be that person, getting more people involved with the school and being that person to walk beside a kid and and mentor, you know.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I spoke in Eaton the other day, and there's a lot of kids that it sounds like in there that need mentoring just in you know one school. You open it up to all these different schools, how many different kids need mentors that don't have them at home for those reinforcements? Like, hey, it don't matter what's going on at home. Like, you can do it, you put your mind to it, you can do anything.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, not putting labels on kids.
SPEAKER_01:Yep, that's a big one.
SPEAKER_05:Which we've talked about before. Yeah. Yeah. Getting involved in our youth, getting involved in in men's groups. I mean, all these things are are what we're gonna do. I mean, they're they're gonna happen. And so we will will continue to share those ideas, um, you know, of what's to come. So it's it's an exciting, it's an exciting time. It's a scary time for me, a little bit. Um, you know, it's a big, it's a big step um business-wise, but that's okay. You know, God has provided, and uh, I'm grateful for, you know, all the support that we've had with, you know, like through Patreon, you know, all our subscribers on Patreon who are out there who, you know, have bought into the mission and who love to to see the posts that we do every day in that community. I mean, it's it's pretty amazing how that's kind of taken off and grown. And it's and it's exciting. It shows us, gives us confirmation, I think that you know, we need sometimes, right? Because you can get lost in the sauce, uh, the daily grind. So let's talk about some stats. Where's that paper that we printed?
SPEAKER_01:Memorized stats.
SPEAKER_05:No, I I I don't, you know, we don't we talked yesterday, and you know, the kids always talk about, well, how many subscribers do you have? How many views do you have? You know, because that's what the kids look at. This is uh an influencer or whatever. That's not what we're doing, but it is interesting because I don't really look at that stuff. You've been doing the numbers for the last year, you know, just just out of the goodness of your heart by tracking everything. So talk a little bit about the stats of Be Tempered, because from starting in our basement on an iPhone, cartoons. That was episode one. Everybody has to go back and watch episode one. Please don't. Please do. Remember, you all had to learn how to walk when you were a child.
SPEAKER_02:Why here we go. Flip the script here. Why did you videotape it like that? You told me the answer, but I think people should know.
SPEAKER_05:Because I didn't want anybody to see me. I was afraid, you know. Why are you bringing this up? Because it's important. No, I was completely when I thought of a podcast in the very beginning. I thought it was just going to be a conversation. We were just going to have a conversation. It was going to be an audio. And the more we looked into it, it was audio and video. And I'm like, you know what? I don't want people to know we're in the basement of my home recordings. So I'm going to turn this filter into a cartoon. So please do not go back and listen to.
SPEAKER_02:Go back. Hey, just to let you know, I can track how many people go back and watch episode one. So let's let's go back and watch episode one.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. On the ping pong table.
SPEAKER_02:So where were we? Stats. Oh, okay. Uh, which which kid always makes fun of you because you don't have very many views?
SPEAKER_01:Definitely not Nate. He's the most supportive.
SPEAKER_02:Who was it? Ryan. Oh, yeah, all of them. Hey, Ryan. Last year we hit a million views, buddy. Million views.
SPEAKER_05:That's hard to believe.
SPEAKER_02:When you add up all the platforms um together, uh Facebook was the the largest, over 350,000 views. Uh TikTok's, I think it's gonna be the the biggest growth. It's we we didn't even we only done it four months, five months, or however long you've been doing it. Um, but yeah, well over a million views. And um the increase from month over month in the views has been pretty tremendous. Um, one one stat that kind of stuck stuck out to me, and I kind of told you guys yesterday, but we had over 7,000 hours watched on YouTube. Think about that. That's a lot of 7,000 hours.
SPEAKER_05:So that was just one person, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Probably, probably Rose.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_05:That is a lot. And that's where I, you know, we talked about it yesterday. You know, whether you get a thousand views on something or a hundred views, it doesn't matter. I I well how I don't care. Like, I don't care. The numbers don't really mean anything to me. What they mean is that there are people out there who somehow find a connection through us, through our guests, whatever it is. And they take the time to watch, to listen, whatever it might be. So, my my question is, and the only reason I wanted to talk about the stats a little bit was because I want to know for those people out there who who had that connection, who, who, from for whatever guest it is, whatever story it is, whatever week it is, you have that connection. Can you share that with someone else so that they can have that same connection? And it's not, it's not for us. It's it's to help people. Like that is the whole, that is our vision, is to help people. So if if it's impacted you in any way, shape, or form, you know, share with someone else that you know. Just share with one person. That's all, that's all we're asking, so that we can continue to grow to help that one person. And then we can have people come to us like we do. I mean, I had three phone calls this morning of people that want to share their story, that it was amazing, powerful stories, so that their story can help them and help other people. That's the that's the whole purpose of this whole thing. So a million views is that's a lot of people. Right.
SPEAKER_02:And then yeah, Ryan. I'll challenge our YouTube people though. So of the 7,000 hours that was watched, only 49% of them, or 51% of them are subscribers. So 49% of the people who watch aren't subscribed. Are not subscribers. Just click that subscribe button. There you go. That helps huge. That's it. That's my one plug. See, this is stuff I hate though. I I do too. I hate it too.
SPEAKER_01:But like I hate it, but then it's part of me is like, man, like why, like, why not? You know what I mean? Like, I think we had we had a conversation yesterday about like how many you know, people do we have following on Facebook, and where you say, like, it doesn't really matter. It kind of does, because you know, our goal for this is to help one person. Well, the more people that you have follow, the better your algorithm is, the more people see it. You know what I mean? It's gonna help more than one more person. And that's the whole thing, right? That's how you help more people. So it is an uncomfortable conversation, but it's one that I've thought too, because I think you said you have like 3,000 followers on Facebook or something like that, and I have quite a bit, Dan has quite a bit, you know. And it's like so, especially like the local people, it's like, what like what's your holdup to just hit the the follow button or the like button? Like, you know what I mean? Like just hit the follow button. Like, that's kind of one thing for me. It's like, well, you support local businesses, right? Well, this is this is a local business that kinda is a business, but really we're here to help people. Like that's legitimately what we're we're here to do. And how many people need help in this world? You know, how can we make our community stronger? Well, you can start by doing one little thing hit a subscribe button, hit a follow button, follow us on our platforms. That's all it takes. We're not asking you to pay a dollar to us. Legitimately just hit a follow button.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah. I still don't like talking about that stuff. Yeah, I don't either, but it's I get it. It's it's necessary.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_05:Okay. So Christmas. You know, this this episode drops the Friday before Christmas. And we talked about Christmas and what it means to us. So then starting with you, what what does what does the Christmas season mean to you?
SPEAKER_01:So I talked to you about this this morning that I was thinking about on the way over. And I don't know what it was that really made me. I think this year Christmas crept up on me, like really crept up on me. Like all of a sudden, I think it was today. I was like, What what day is Christmas? This is the last one before, you know, that we get to put out before Christmas. And so on the way over this morning, I was thinking about it. And and you know, the usual question that everybody asks is like, what was the most memorable gift that you got like when you were a kid? And I go back and I think about it. I really, I mean, I remember some gifts that I got from my parents and stuff or from Santa. And uh you just wink.
SPEAKER_02:Can we get that on camera?
SPEAKER_01:Can we get that, Kevin? It's like if you were Santa or something.
SPEAKER_05:You're not supposed to say anything when he winks. There's a reason.
SPEAKER_01:We got all we gotta work on his onto things. He was winking at Santa's elf. Right. But no, and I I was just thinking, like, um, you know, one of my we had tradition of going to my grandparents every Christmas Eve, we go to my my dad's mom's, and then we go to my my mom and you know, my mom's mom and dad. And like those were literally the memories that I remember. And so I think when people get stressed out this time of year about like what you know gifts their kids are gonna get and all that stuff, like just remember those memories of just the family being together because you don't you don't know how many more you got with those family members, you know. And I'm sure everybody's thinking about a family member they don't have right now that uh they wish they had during this Christmas season. But I don't know. But for me and my family, I mean, we always emphasize, you know, the reason why you get gifts, the reason why we give gifts is because uh obviously the ultimate gift that we got, you know, Jesus born and his birth and what he did later on in life for us, like that's the ultimate gift. And so I feel like re-enterizing or re- you know, telling that every year is is important, you know.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah, that's great. How about you, Sean? What's Christmas mean to you?
SPEAKER_02:I mean, you know, lot last two years, what Ben just said has become way more important to me. Um favorite gift, it's gonna sound crazy, but when the Nintendo first came out, we got Duck Hunt and Super Mario Brothers. Like I remember that. There was four of us. So me and my brother, and then my two stepbrothers, I remember getting a Nintendo and just playing that. And now if you go and watch a kid play a game, like they're just they're like this, they're just locked in, even adults. Back then, if you wanted Mario to jump, you went like that. Like if you watch all the old videos, here comes the Nintendo with it, right? Because it's it's a wired raw. So I I I don't know why that is just seared into my mind, like my mom and my stepmom and my four three brothers and me just sitting around just laughing at each other because the Mario music. Can you just play the Mario music right now? Um, like that was just a great memory. And uh I just remember that. And then of course there was it was only a one-player game, and you sh you know they only had one gun. Right. And so the the fighting and bickering on who was gonna play next. Yeah, I just remember that. And um really well, I mean, there's nothing more satisfying than just watching your kids be happy. That's it, that's what it's about. And that it's just amazing, and I love it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. And I feel I, you know, Dan, you guys get together with your family just about every Sunday, you know. And man, like that's an ultimate goal for me. And I think that's why Christmas means so much to me. Like with my grandma and grandpa, like it was Christmas, especially my my dad's mom. Um, we would get together every Christmas, every 4th of July. Like, those are the two times you get to see grandma, you know. And she lives in West Carrollton, but it's like, you know, we didn't have the every Sunday thing. So I think that's why maybe this time of year, just you know, I mean, those ones are when you hop when you pour your loved ones close, you know, or we got family now that moved from Columbus to to what Massachusetts. So they come in and just seeing like, you know, the cousins playing together and just really taking it in. Cause you only you know, you only got so many Christmases where everybody's together, right? You know, we say it's the most important thing is family, and then you know, well, life happens and we go fast forward, and then next thing you know, it's Christmas again. You're like, uh, you know, family's most important. We're gonna start getting together more, and then you fast forward again, and yeah, you know, there it is. Yeah, get the duck hunt up with duck hunt right there. I can see the orange. Oh, you missed it. Nice, yeah. Get the orange gun up faster.
SPEAKER_02:Isn't that crazy how some things are just like you knew exactly that was seared in there? I hate a big duck. The clay pigeons coming across too much. If Kevin's really good at his job, he'll man, that sounded like an A D at the end. He'll flash the ride.
SPEAKER_05:Duck hunt. Yeah. That'd be awesome.
SPEAKER_01:Challenge accepted.
SPEAKER_05:You know, for me, you're right. It's the it's family. And what I remember when I when I think back to my childhood memories and Christmas, um, I don't remember any specific gifts, but I I always remember there was, I don't know how many years my grandparents would go to Florida. They had a house in Florida, and we would go and spend the pretty much the entire Christmas breakthrough New Year's at their home. And they had a pool uh in their backyard, and they had doors going out to the pool. And I remember they would wheel the TV, which was a big, I mean, the size of this table as far as like it was a humongous box. It wasn't anything flat, probably weighed 600 pounds. And they would wheel it out and and they'd open the doors. And my brother and my dad and I, we would swim in the pool and we would watch football. And that would, that that's my memory from Christmas of being in Florida and uh, you know, with my grandparents and my grandma and and mom and dad. And so, you know, those, those are that, that is what you remember, and that's what's seared into my mind. And uh, but it's, you know, for me, you know, everybody talks about how much how how important it is, it's better to give than to receive. And, you know, we we've as a family, and and I think we've all probably done it, tried to help families in need during this time, because there's a lot of people that are struggling and you know, can't provide. And um, you know, Christmas, you know, in the commercial world has become about how many gifts you get, all those things. And when you're able to actually truly give to a family in need, that is the most fulfilling thing to me, is to to know that there's a family out there that's struggling, that cannot provide for whatever reason. And we're able to provide for their family and to see those faces uh of the kids, you know, it's it's amazing. That is, that is the most amazing feeling, uh, you know, watching people in hard times smile, you know. And so that's that that's what this the season is for me. And I I go back to, you know, Allie Schaefer when we interviewed her and she talks about how the holidays for her are difficult because she knows of all those families who are out there struggling. And so, you know, she feels that pain. And uh, you know, I'm starting to feel that pain. We were, you know, yesterday we were at the school uh serving what third, fourth, and fifth graders for their holiday feast and having having conversation, you know, had a conversation with the principal, you know, about the kids and you know, the need in the community and the need in that school. And, you know, he we were talking about, you know, how many kids do you think in this school are at the poverty level? And he's he guesstimated almost 60%. And he said, you know what's crazy is a lot of these kids in here, this is the only true sit-down meal they'll have where they can come and dress up and someone serves them. You know, I I'm spoiled. You know, my my kids are spoiled. Um, that's not anything that they will ever have to face, hopefully. Um, but 60% of those kids do. And so I I tried my darndest to go around when we were, we were the milkmen, you know, we were passing out chocolate or white milk to all the kids, and you know, the little girls in their dresses, you know, all dolled up, you know, I'd tell them how beautiful they looked. And the the uh the young boys uh had ties on and some of them had suits on. I mean, it was it was just a pretty cool experience just to, you know, say, hey, you guys look great, you know. Um, and understanding that, you know, who knows what they go home to. It's that th those are the things that keep me up at night. That it's like, how, how can we? As be tempered. Help those kids, help those families. Not not just to help them, you know, to enable them, but to help them to change their life, to break those chains, to um you know, to be better. You know, I think it'll help our community and help our world. And that's ultimately what I want this to be.
SPEAKER_01:Right. Shout out to Mr. Matthews, too. What do you say? 20, 20 some years they've been doing that?
SPEAKER_05:22.
SPEAKER_01:22 years they've been doing that.
SPEAKER_05:He's a principal, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And every, you know, most of the kids that don't come in with ties. Yes, he provides ties so that way everybody they have ties and they look their best. Make them tie them?
SPEAKER_05:Or is it a rotary rotary comes in and they'll they teach them how to tie them, yeah. So you had quite a few kids with t-shirts on but had ties on.
SPEAKER_01:It was pretty good. Me neither.
SPEAKER_05:You can't?
SPEAKER_01:I can't.
SPEAKER_05:You can't you feel that judgment right there?
SPEAKER_01:No, we're gonna have no Kevin, you got it. How do you show up for his interview?
SPEAKER_02:I tie it one time and I stays tied.
SPEAKER_01:I really did wear I really did wear a tie to my interview with Dan. My Uncle Jeff tied my tie. The secret is to tie it and then never shout out to the unchange.
SPEAKER_05:Shout out Uncle Jeff tied my tie. You guys really don't know how to tie it. And before the before I'm not judging Sean, to be clear.
SPEAKER_01:Before coming to uh Catrins, my last day of wearing a tie was probably well, a tie that's actually tied was probably high school basketball. I had a SpongeBob tie I wore because you had to wear a tie at a Spongebob one I wore.
SPEAKER_05:I feel special that you were tied to the interview. That's I I remember it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, this guy don't remember anything.
SPEAKER_02:I don't think I wore a tie to your interview. Did we have an interview?
SPEAKER_01:The first two episodes you did. There you go. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Oh my God. One thing that you said, you said your kids are spoiled, man. And I I just gotta say I I think parents like you and Kim are a blessing. Parents like you know, you and your wife are blessings. And not every kid has that. And that's you know, I think my kids are spoiled too. Like I know my daughter is, Haven. Um, but I think they're all blessed. And not saying that the other parents aren't blessed or anything, but we we're just very fortunate, and that's why I feel very blessed to be in the position I am in.
SPEAKER_05:And and I know you feel the same. Yeah. Well, that was part of that conversation with Mark yesterday was you know, I I asked him, I'm like, how how can we how can we break the cycle? What what can we do? And and obviously that's there's no simple answer, but he said, uh what really struck me is what he said, he said, what I'm trying to do, you know, we have teachers retiring every year or moving different positions. When we bring on a new teacher, what I tell them is, if you have a student, and and this is at the the third, fourth, and fifth grade level, if you have a student that mentions something about they're gonna be in a play or they're gonna be doing a recital at their church or they're gonna they got a football game coming up, if you can just show up. You don't have to say anything, you don't have to do anything, just be present. And he tries to make it to all the things that he can for those students if they specifically or he hears them mention that, because not everybody has that parent or that guardian that shows up to anything. And I thought, man, that's a very simple thing to do. But in our lives, we're so tied up in so many different things and we're so busy that you know, we make we may make it to all of our kids' stuff, but how many other kids out there don't have mom and dad that show up or grandma and grandpa that show up to support them in whatever it is? But there's principal Matthews standing there in the stands watching, cheering them on.
SPEAKER_01:I'd been there on the sideline when he shows up, you know, and I'll never forget. Well, there's two times I remember where Mr. Matthews, first time he came, and that was it would have been Jude's like fourth grade year, I think, at Tip City. He went to Tip Canoe and watched him play. And uh every single kid, they just went nuts. They're like, Do you see Mr. Matthew? Like, Mr. Matthews is over there. And then Psy, uh their superboy at Monroe, uh, Miss Holland, it was her first year teaching, and that was his teacher. And you know, I've never missed one of Cy Size games. And he ran up to me. And that this a kid that his parents were always at all of his games. He's like, Miss Holland's here. Like, did you see Miss Holland's up in the state? Like, she's here to watch us. And it's like kids that know that that the teachers care, like those are relationships that those kids would do anything for you. You know what I mean? And so imagine like a kid that has the parents there to support him, how they felt. And then I'll imagine that kid that doesn't have his parents there, but all of a sudden his teacher shows up like some remarkable, and that's going above and beyond and really caring, you know.
SPEAKER_02:But that's what it takes. And to flip the script, you know, I was a kid that didn't have any parents into stands. And uh it does something to a kid. I see it every year in football. I see it every year when I'm watching a basketball game. The kids are always looking into stands, even though they know there's nobody there. Like it's heartbreaking. Um trust me, I was one of those kids, man. And I I think I mentioned this, like, I was always jealous of you know, you, Justin, David, that had two parents that came to games that supported um it does something to the kids that don't have the people there to support them. So I imagine you're you're right, man. If a principal says, you know, shows up to watch you, that's amazing. Right. And I will shout out to National Trail. I see the principals of all those schools there all the time. At every almost every sporting event I go to, I see them. And uh they support they support their kids there for sure.
SPEAKER_05:Yeah. Something as simple as uh showing up. I think that's um you know, an easy, easy thing to do, but a lot of times I think a lot of people overlook uh overlook it. So yeah. What else you got?
SPEAKER_01:I got nothing else. I'm super excited about where this is going though. Very pumped to have Sean. Yeah. Sky's the limit, I feel like.
SPEAKER_02:You know, I think a lot of things led up to this. Um, you know, just my last career that I was in started from scratch. That program that I ran was had no employees, no, no vans, no nothing. I was hired to basically start a transportation program. And you know, six years after that I got eight drivers, nine vans, you know, a dispatcher, and and when I walked out, I think it it's in a good spot. You know, I I hired a girl who I thought was gonna be who stepped right into my position. And that's I mean, that's that's kind of what you want to do. Yeah. Uh when I work for Finish Line, they and if you ever wanted to be promoted, they always said train your per train your replacement. And uh back to the point though, like not saying we're starting at ground zero, but pretty much are, yeah. We're gonna mess around and see where it goes. Yeah, that's that's is that what the kids say?
SPEAKER_01:Mess around and see where it goes. No. No.
SPEAKER_05:Maybe not. All right. Before we wrap up, I just want to say thank you. I want to thank you for your time to listen, to support this mission, and to walk alongside us in this journey. Be Tempered exists because of this community, because of the people who believe in doing hard things, growing through challenges, and showing up for others. So as we head into Christmas, our hope is that you carry this message with you, that you slow down, that you reflect, you stay grateful, and you remember that growth often comes through the hard moments. So, from myself, from Ben, from Sean, from Kevin on the other side of the glass, thank you for supporting us. Thank you for being a part of this journey. We'll see you next time. Go out and be tempered.
SPEAKER_00:Hi, my name is Allie Schmidt. This is my dad Dan. He owns Catrin's Glass.
SPEAKER_04:Thanks, Allie. Things like doors and windows go into making a house. But when it's your home, you expect more, like the great service and selection you'll get from Catrance Glass. Vinyl replacement windows from Catrins come with a lifetime warranty, including accidental glass breakage replacement. Also ask for custom shower doors and many other products and services. The 962-1636, locally owned with local employees for nearly 30 years.
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