What am I known for?

I met Scott a couple of summers ago. He was not hard to miss as I passed his table at my favorite restaurant. I was headed to meet some friends on the patio.

"Does that guy know he is still wearing his nametag?" I figured he was in town for a conference.

When I finished dinner one of my friends, who works at the Chamber, came up and said "We had this great motivational speaker today and I want you to meet him!"

When I got to the table it was the guy with the nametag. He said, "Hello, my name is Scott." For the next hour he and I visited and we talked about motivating people and where we found our personal inspiration.

Our conversation stopped when he asked me a tough question I couldn't answer. "What are you known for?"

I tried to explain some of the volunteer projects or community service events I had participated in. This wasn't what he was looking for.

"Can you say it in one word? What is the one word people think of when they think of you? Does that word make you stand out from all the other motivational speakers?"

I actually think it has been three years since I met Scott and I find myself still thinking of him and his question to me. Tonight I thought I would ask for your help.

Go online and look up Scott Ginsberg the Nametag guy. You will see why his word is approachable. He uses this word in all of his presentations. He helps others find ways to become more approachable in their personal and professional life. Check out his youtube, podcast and blog. You will find the word works for him.

After checking Scott out, I want you to come back to this blog and help me answer the question.
"What is John Beranek known for?"

Can you say it in one word?

Then there were MORE

The joy continues for the Beranek family. My brother Tom and his wife Robin, who have struggled to have a baby brought us great news. They are going to have a baby!! Not only one, but TWO. Our family is going to have two sets of twins in one year.

I got a kick out of watching Robin take in all Angela and Davin are having to do with their twins. She recently told me on the phone she "watched little cousin Sarah to know just what she should do."

Robin comes from a small family and it is sad to know that her mother is no longer here to share in the blessing, but I am sure she is smiling from above.

If any of you know my brother Tom you can imagine he is busting his buttons. He paid attention however, when my brother in law Davin told him I could handle the night time feedings. He called me the other day wanting to know when I would like to come to Vegas to visit. I am pretty sure he meant AFTER the babies were born.

I wish I had the picture in my mind as I saw the great joy, relief and then tears on my Dad Leo and mother Mary when they were told the news. Dad seems to think lately all of his prayers have been answered, so if you have any wishes I would suggest calling Dad.

2:00 AM Feeding of the Soul

This week I travel to Wilder, Idaho to work with teen gang members. I find myself awake trying to get down a couple of ideas I have just had. I have learned some of my best thoughts come in the between time of sleep and awake and if I don't get the ideas down they are lost when I fully wake.

I look up from my thoughts to see it is 2:00 am. I feel a sense of relief knowing I have hours yet to sleep but can't help wondering how sleepless my thoughts are going to make me.

I have been asked by a school district to come and help create a dinner event for parents to better understand the draw of gangs. They have also decided to throw in the topic of alcohol. I will be going to correctional facility and attempting to convince gang members to come to this dinner event and give advice, through teen eyes, to anxious parents. I have to teach others how to facilitate this dinner, I have not yet created, after I am no longer in the state. No wonder I am restless!

I can't help but sympathetically think of my sister Angela and her husband Davin. One of them is up right now rocking the twins. I wonder how many other parents are getting up from their coma like sleep in order to feed their children?

The most common excuses why teens join a gang are they needed "someone to have their back" or needed "somewhere to belong." How many parents right now are rocking children who will eventually choose to join a gang?

My experiences are different. I will never rock my own children, but it doesn't mean that I am not awake at 2:00 am thinking about what they need. I remember the teens I have met who are locked up because they made bad choices and too often I hear their ache of a disconnected or uncaring family. I wonder how I am going to help these Hispanic families beat the odds?

It is in these early hours when all the garbage of the day has disappeared and our true heart is revealed. If only I could capture these "mental snapshots" of late night feedings and exhausted rocking. I would like to reflect these pictures back into their faces when they feel the loss of connection. I have to believe it would make a small difference.

Keep Rocking.

The work

Here is the real Uncle John. I spent some time with the twins and broke all the rules. If one of the babies started to cry I could not resist pulling them out of the crib. It didn't take me long to figure out they would fall asleep while sleeping on your chest. It also didn't take long to figure out I could catch a couple of winks during this time. Davin took this picture of me and flash startled me awake. It was amazing how in tune your senses become when you are dealing with little souls.

I can't imagine what it would be like to go from the center of attention to having to share every moment with not one, but two new babies. Uncle John spent a few days last week trying to help out. When you are constantly feeding burping or trying to get them to sleep it is hard to focus attention on John. He is a great big brother and finds his own special way to get noticed.

Cousin Sarah

The Beranek clan arrived in White Bear Lake to celebrate with the Brandt's as they baptized their new twins. The Best Western hotel had no idea what they were in for when they took a reservation at Rudy's Restaurant. The food was great, but we were certainly the entertainment. The cousins were thrilled to spend time together and Cousin Sarah wondered how she was going to continue to give special time to each of her cousins with new Brandt twins (my sister Angela is their mother), their big brother John, Bernie and Mary Alice (brother Tim's girls). But, she was amazing at making them all feel special. She spent time in the pool with them and helped to feed the little ones. I didn't, however find her when it was time to change diapers.

Last Thanksgiving we visit brother Tom and his wife Robin in Las Vegas. Brother Joe is on the left. They have a great house, interesting life and live close enough to the Strip for any guests to get downtown quickly by far enough away to avoid all of us crazy tourists.

Uncle John could not be happier after a recent mass mobbing of the Beranek clan to the Twin Cities. We not only joined in the baptismal celebration of the new Brandt twins, we found out Uncle Tom (without the hair) and his wife Robin are going to have a baby. Imagine the surprise and joy Mary and Leo felt when they found out they were going to be the proud Grandparents of two sets of twins. We should see the next set arrive around October. Four new grandchildren in one year.

Uncle John says

I have been an Uncle for a great deal of time now. My sister Barb has given me four hockey playing children to be proud of. Tonight Austin became the league champions. I watched as the last minutes clicked down and he was thrown out of the game after having enough of the bad calls from the referees. He certainly has a bit of Beranek in him. The night before I watched as little Sarah played hockey. The pace, intensity of the parents and overall energy in the room was very different. She likes being able to play like her brothers, but certainly does not have the furry of her older brother.

Sister Angela has given birth to twins Luke and Leo. It is our hope they will get home in the next few days. I secretly am glad they did not go home right away because I think it gave Davin, Angela and big brother John time to get ready to bring them home. Angela seems well rested and ready for the new challenge.

Now if only brother Tom and cool Robin could have the stars align, God shine down and blessing sent to have a baby of their own. No child could arrive to more giving parents who have the means, desire and commitment to give themselves to a child. I KNOW it will happen for them.

Brother Tim and Paula make it look easy with their two red headed delightful girls whose behavior, attitude and roots are firmly planted in the desire to have all the benefits of a good life without the Paris Hilton attitude of privilege. They are, continue to be and will remain great parents.

Brother James and Joe still live the wild life their father has instilled in them. They know how to have a good time, enjoy the people around them and appreciate what has been given to them.

I can't wait to see what life will continue to bring to Uncle John. He will remain in the wings wishing they read more, talked more and got together more, but happy in the mental snapshots he takes of each of them. I can hardly stand the fact I have not seen the twins, but know there will be good times ahead. I am secretly waiting until all the other family members have visited and the newness has worn off and the parents are exhausted. Then Uncle John will arrive to take some of the night duty to give their parents a few extra hours of sleep. Until then I will leave for vacation, a good amount of tanning, drinks with strange names and the Florida coast cruise to gear me up for what is to come.