The Official Average Boy Podcast

Bob Smiley: G'day mate! Welcome to episode 119 from down under to the official Average Boy podcast. I of course am Bobby Smiley, aka Average Boy, aka the dingo loving, bloomin' onion, shrimp on the barbie, fair dinkum, no worries, a bludger ankle biter, slinging chockablock of fun and faith, right me old cobber?

Jesse Florea: Okay, well, cover my face in Vegemite and call me Jesse because that's my name. But I'm a bit confused. And wait a second, in your whole thing, am I the old cobber?

Bob Smiley: Rise rain and dead set me fair chat, hard yakka to you. Tell everyone on the old horn blower what there is going to be on the show please and thank you today.

Jesse Florea: Sure. And let's just go along with this I guess. Hey everyone, like I said, I'm Jesse and I work on Focus on the Family Clubhouse Magazine. But on this podcast, I just try to keep up with Bob and keep him focusing on task because right now, probably like all you guys out there, I have no idea what's going on.

Bob Smiley: Sorry Jesse. I forgot to warn you but I was listening back to our latest episode and I realized we never answered Xavier's first question. We answered all his other questions but not the first one about what our favorite color is. So I thought I would start this episode with that.

Jesse Florea: Okay, this is starting to make sense now. We read Xavier's question on episode 118, and because he's from Australia, you decided to read his question in a somewhat recognizable Australian accent.

Bob Smiley: Perfect Australian accent, I do say me old wallaby.

Jesse Florea: Yes. And if someone has never been to or met someone from Australia, then they might think it was a perfect accent.

Bob Smiley: My accent was quite the ripper. And after that episode Jesse, my family and I decided to have Australian Day at the Smiley household. We looked up a whole bunch of Australian phrases and for the rest of the day, we all talked like people from Australia. It was a blast! Or it was chockablock of fun, as we said that day.

Jesse Florea: Actually, that does sound like fun.

Bob Smiley: It totally was. I suggest everyone listening right now tries it at least once. Just get together with your family or friends, pick an accent, and then you guys just talk like that for the rest of the day. Or for at least lunchtime or something. I promise everybody's going to be laughing a lot. Oh, two words!

Yeah, and it doesn't even have to be Australian. You could pick any kind of accent. You could talk like a pirate or like my favorite mustard, you could talk like that.

Jesse Florea: Wait, do you mean French? Like French mustard? Oui, oui.

Bob Smiley: That's it, French. Or even, what's the country that took our language but then made it sound really weird? They have Stonehenge, one of the biggest hinges around the world. They also have that place, the place with all the angry pigs. I'm totally blanking on the name.

Jesse Florea: I think you mean England.

Bob Smiley: Hey, a little help producer guy, what's it called?

Producer: I think you mean the English.

Bob Smiley: Yeah, you can talk like the English. For instance, instead of saying aluminum, you could say aluminium, like a crazy person.

Jesse Florea: Okay, first of all, I think we need to tell our listeners English originated in England. And when they came to the new world more than 400 years ago, their language came with them. But wait, you said a palace with angry pigs? Are you referring to Buckingham Palace?

Bob Smiley: Buckingham Palace! That's it, yeah.

Jesse Florea: AB, Buckingham Palace is not a palace for angry pigs.

Bob Smiley: It's not? Well then why are the hams bucking all the time? Animals only buck when they get really angry, Jesse.

Jesse Florea: I get it. Buckingham Palace is not the... never mind. But for our listeners, you should know that Buckingham Palace is the official residence and the administrative headquarters for the British monarch.

Bob Smiley: Wait a minute, British monarch? So they have angry butterflies and not angry pigs?

Jesse Florea: Okay, I feel like we're getting way off topic right now. But I do want to point out that people in England didn't take our language. It's quite the opposite. We Americans changed the language. And I find the English accent quite posh if you will.

Bob Smiley: Actually we agree because I think it's posh too. In fact, I think it's a bunch of hog-posh. I wonder if they serve hog-posh at Buckingham Palace? Man, I don't even know what butterflies eat. What if it's ham? Yummy.

Jesse Florea: Before we lose all of our fans from across the pond or everywhere else for that matter, love you Australia. Bob, do you have a story that you want to share today?

Bob Smiley: I totally do. And I think this one will have a lot of... two words! I am on it today. Anyway, I think this will have a lot of good encouraging spiritual takeaway stuff for our listeners.

Jesse Florea: Good, because so far I think all we've done is maybe insulted a bunch of people from all over the world and definitely butchered a bunch of accents.

Bob Smiley: Hey, our butcher sells ham! I wonder if he gets it from Buckingham. But I agree with you Jesse about not getting distracted. So I'm ready to jump into my story.

Jesse Florea: Please do. But if you make one more food reference today, I'm leaving for lunch.

Bob Smiley: Actually many people would say you're already out to lunch. But I need to tell you something Jesse, and it's very important. I don't own a tourniquet, and I don't think I'll ever need one.

Jesse Florea: Okay, well first, good. But why don't you think you'll ever need a tourniquet? And to make sure everyone can follow, can you please explain what a tourniquet is in case someone doesn't know?

Bob Smiley: Sure. A tourniquet is something you wrap around part of your body to stop the bleeding when you're hurt really bad.

Jesse Florea: And why don't you think you'll ever need one?

Bob Smiley: Because I can just ask my mom to give me a hug. Jesse, my mom is the tightest hugger in the world. In fact, now that I'm thinking about it, I bet those butterflies wouldn't be so angry if they actually got a big old hug from my mom. Oh, and she's also really good at making ham.

Jesse Florea: You had to go there with the ham. But keep going with your story. So you won't ever need a tourniquet because your mom is a really tight hugger?

Bob Smiley: Tight hugger Jesse. Sometimes she hugs me so tight that hours later, my eyes are still bulging out a little bit. In fact, I think the medical term for that is optical pop-titude.

Jesse Florea: I don't think that's a real medical term. But why are you sharing that with us today?

Bob Smiley: Because my dad on the other hand is not a hugger at all. Dad is a back patter. Dad likes to show his love by patting me on the back. And sometimes really hard.

Jesse Florea: Can you give us an example?

Bob Smiley: Sure. Like the other day mom was cooking dinner so I decided to help by setting the table. And then dad walked in just as I was finishing up. And then mom told him that I offered to set the table without even being asked. So obviously he was super proud of his favorite son.

Then he said, "Good job helping out son." And then he whacked me on the back. Jesse, it sent me about two feet forward and actually caused me to have to reset several things on the table. In fact, now that I'm thinking about it, between mom's hugs and dad's pats on the back, I'm super surprised I've hung on to my eyeballs as long as I have.

Jesse Florea: Well, I'm glad you have. And hugs are great. In fact, I hug my barbecue cooker all the time.

Bob Smiley: Wait, you do? That's weird.

Jesse Florea: Yeah, some would say she's the grill of my dreams. Grill of my dreams. I hope my wife is okay with that joke.

Bob Smiley: I wish your Jesse jokes were like my dad's steaks—extremely rare. But anyway, it got me to thinking about how people show love in different ways and how friendships are all so completely different.

Jesse Florea: That's true. I agree but tell us how so.

Bob Smiley: For instance, there's a girl on my bus that I'm really good friends with, but we only talk once a day. Whereas Billy and I talk all day. And Jesse, I mean all day. In fact, my parents actually have several notes from my teacher if you don't believe me.

Jesse Florea: I think we all believe you. But if you're such good friends with this girl on the bus, why do you only talk to her once a day?

Bob Smiley: Well, that's exactly the point that I'm making. Every friendship is different. The girl on the bus and I are just prayer partners. Or actually, I just pray for her.

Jesse Florea: Wait, why do you pray for her and she doesn't pray for you?

Bob Smiley: Oh, because the girl on the bus, she suffers from really bad leg cramps. And every day I get on the bus and I try to sit by her. But as I'm walking down the bus aisle, all of a sudden she gets a really bad leg cramp that causes her to have to kick her leg out over the seat right exactly where I was about to sit.

Jesse Florea: AB?

Bob Smiley: Yeah?

Jesse Florea: Nothing. Just carry on.

Bob Smiley: Anyway, she starts shouting, "Oh, my leg is cramping again! I have to keep it straight out on this seat!" Jesse, it's a chronological problem.

Jesse Florea: I think you mean a chronic problem.

Bob Smiley: Probably both. But this happens every single morning. And the worst part is Donnie. Actually, he's always the worst part of any story.

Jesse Florea: Bob, that's not fair.

Bob Smiley: Jesse, Donnie makes fun of her every single day.

Jesse Florea: Well, what does he do?

Bob Smiley: Well, as soon as her leg starts cramping right as I'm walking by, Donnie, who always sits across from her on the bus, he just starts laughing really loud.

Jesse Florea: Hang on. He's laughing at this girl every single day? What's her name?

Bob Smiley: I don't actually know her real name. I just call her Leg Cramp Girl.

Jesse Florea: Okay, so when Leg Cramp Girl puts her leg out to cover the seat you were trying to sit in, that's when Donnie starts laughing. Is he looking at you or her?

Bob Smiley: Oh, he's always looking at me. I think part of him feels guilty about laughing at Leg Cramp Girl, so he stares at me instead while he's laughing.

Jesse Florea: Okay, yeah, we'll just go with that.

Bob Smiley: Anyway, I realize that every day, every single day Jesse, I get an opportunity to pray for her. I have an opportunity to let her know that someone actually cares about her. Every morning I say, "Oh no, not again! Well, I'll pray for your leg. See you tomorrow." And then I go to the back of the bus and I pray for her. So you see what I mean? We don't talk very much, but we're really good friends because God put me in her life just to pray for her.

Jesse Florea: Well, that's a very positive way to look at that situation.

Bob Smiley: Exactly. It's a small friendship, but it's super important. And I have tons of those experiences and friendships like that every day.

Jesse Florea: So cool. Can you give us another example?

Bob Smiley: Oh yeah, one of my favorite ones is my coach. He's a great example. I only see my coach once a day for PE, but we have an awesome friendship because I help him with his health.

Jesse Florea: You help him with his health? I would have thought the coach would have helped you with your health.

Bob Smiley: Well, yeah, I guess we both do that. But about a year ago our coach wasn't feeling well so he went to the doctor, and the doctor told him that he was eating too much pasta and junk food and stuff and that he needed to exercise more and drop some pounds. Actually I think my coach, his blood type is Ragu.

Jesse Florea: AB.

Bob Smiley: No Jesse, my coach actually made that joke about himself. He actually told us one day in class he said that his doctor said that he needed to get more exercise and get his heart rate up daily. And then he made the Ragu joke. But that's exactly what I do for him. I help him get his heart rate up.

Jesse Florea: And how do you do that?

Bob Smiley: Actually I'm not sure. But he once told me, "Bob, just having you in my class gets my heart rate up to at least 120." I totally remember when he said it. And then I replied, "120, that's awesome coach! Your heart rate matches your age."

And then my coach said, "There you go doing it again. Now go run four laps." So I guess you're right Jesse, I don't know how I help him, but I obviously do. And he has me run a lot. Oh, two words again!

Jesse Florea: Man, you're doing good today.

Bob Smiley: Thanks. Anyway, yeah, coach has me run a lot of laps, so I guess we both help each other get more healthy.

Jesse Florea: Well, that's one of the best things we can do on this planet. We're meant to help each other and encourage one another. In fact, the Bible talks about that in many places. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 11 it says, "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." And Galatians chapter 6 verse 2 reminds us, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Bob Smiley: Oh, exactly like I do with Leg Cramp Girl. Also one of my favorite scriptures is Romans chapter 12 verse 8 and that one says, "If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly." So basically God wants us to use our gifts to bless and encourage others.

Jesse Florea: And speaking of blessing others, this verse kind of came to mind. In James chapter 5 verse 16 it says, "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." So a great way to bless other people is to pray for them.

Bob Smiley: Exactly. Just like my coach and Leg Cramp Girl. They confessed about things in their life that needed improvement and I helped them by praying or just by being there for them.

Jesse Florea: I'm not sure those are the best examples, but hopefully our listeners know the point that we're trying to make.

Bob Smiley: Well, okay. Actually, before we move on then, let's be like Mr. Papavado's vision when he puts on his reading glasses.

Jesse Florea: A lot clearer?

Bob Smiley: A lot clearer! Oh, also two words! I think you got me on that one. Anyway, here's what I'm trying to say. Every day you and I come in contact with people. I see people in my classroom, at PE, when I get sent to the principal's. I see lots of people.

And you do too Jesse, at your job at Focus on the Family, at your church, at that Pikes Peak mountain you're always talking about. We all run into people constantly. And sometimes we have a small friendship like the one I have with my coach or Leg Cramp Girl, and sometimes we have big long-lasting friendships like the one I have with my parents or Billy, people that I see way more.

Jesse Florea: I like where you're going with this.

Bob Smiley: Thanks. And each time we see these people, we have a chance to leave them either happier or sadder than they were before they saw us. And if you try to make others happier each time by putting them first or praying for them and overall just trying to be a good friend, not only does that make God happy, but you'll build some great friendships along the way.

So that's my challenge to everyone today. That and if we have any doctors listening who know how to cure leg cramps, reach out to us with a solution.

Jesse Florea: Something tells me that Leg Cramp Girl is going to be okay. But I also think this is one of our best challenges yet for our listeners. The best way to make a good friend is to be a good friend.

Bob Smiley: Well said Jesse. So to recap, don't just walk by people. Invest in their lives, even if it's just a little bit, like asking to pray for someone or just giving them a smile to brighten their day. Be friendly and don't be afraid to talk to people. And if possible, do it in an Australian accent.

Jesse Florea: Nice recap, except for the accent. But before we go, since we've talked for most of this episode, let's take a few minutes to hear from our listeners.

Bob Smiley: Great idea! And I want to start if you don't mind Jesse by reading Joshua's comment, who's been listening to us since the beginning. So here's what he wrote: "Hello Average Boy, I've been listening to your podcast from the beginning and I love it. Best podcast ever." And then he added a joke. "What did the sushi say to the bee? Wasabi!"

Jesse Florea: That's good.

Bob Smiley: I love that joke Joshua. Thanks for sending it in and thanks for listening to us from the very beginning, which I actually think was episode one.

Jesse Florea: I think it was. And we love our long-term listeners who are kind of like our long-term friends. And we love our new listeners too. Since we're almost out of time, do you have any other comments that have jumped out at you?

Bob Smiley: Actually yeah, this one we got from Evelyn, and it's a serious one and something that I think a lot of kids deal with. She wrote in through our website and here's what she said: "Dear Average Boy, how do you walk the line between fitting in and standing out at a not-Christian public school? I don't want to seem pushy or rude, but I want to grow in my faith and help others."

Jesse Florea: That's actually a perfect question, and I know you're taking it seriously because you didn't shout out "two words" when you said a lot. We both missed it. It's also a perfect question because really that's what we've been talking about today.

Bob Smiley: Exactly. So Evelyn, one of the best ways to stand out as a Christian is just to show people Jesus's love. Like we've already said, pray for people, ask how they are doing, treat everyone with kindness. But also don't do negative stuff. Don't spread rumors. And as a side encouragement, find your worth in God and not what people say about you.

Jesse Florea: You don't need to be pushy or rude to make a difference for God. Just look for those opportunities to be kind and helpful. And as far as growing in your faith, maybe you could start a Bible club at school. If you can get a teacher sponsor, I know a lot of schools that have Bible clubs, or maybe you could just start a group where kids can pray for each other, pray for your school and maybe your teachers.

Bob Smiley: And honestly I definitely know how hard it is to not fit in sometimes. There's lots of times that I just don't fit in with the group I'm around. But I've learned how to adjust. For example, maybe that hat and silly suspenders were a bad idea, so I adjust. But when it comes to helping others or praying for people, I never adjust. I know what my purpose here on this planet is.

Jesse Florea: We're here to bring glory to God. So that's great advice, AB.

Bob Smiley: Thanks. And before we end, I have one more thing to add. Blue.

Jesse Florea: Blue?

Bob Smiley: Yeah, blue. That's the answer to Xavier's question from the last episode. He asked us what our favorite color is and mine's blue. Sky blue. It's just really cool to look at. Jesse, what's yours?

Jesse Florea: Oh yeah, that's right. I completely forgot we started this episode with that question. And AB, your mind amazes me. I actually like blue too, but more like a turquoise-y kind of a sea blue, like the water in the Caribbean.

Bob Smiley: Or like the water in Australia!

Jesse Florea: Good callback.

Bob Smiley: Thanks. Wait a minute. I think our producer guy is telling either he doesn't like my Australian accent or it's time to go. It can't be the Australian thing, that was spot on. I think he's telling us it's time to go. So as always, I just want to remind everyone that the official Average Boy podcast is a presentation of Focus on the Family. If you haven't heard our other episodes, you can always go back and listen to them at averageboypodcast.com.

Jesse Florea: At that website, your parents can click on the parents page link, which is a little green box at the top. Then they can scroll down and click on the subscribe now button to sign up for Focus on the Family Clubhouse Magazine, so you can read a new Adventures of Average Boy story that will be sent to your mailbox every month.

Bob Smiley: Parents can also click on the link to the focus store to buy my devotion books, Devotions for Super Average Kids books one and two, or they can get my two newest books, Average Boy's Above Average Year or Average Boy's Above Average Summer.

Jesse Florea: While your parents are checking out AB's books on that website we just mentioned, they can help you send a question or comment. Anyone can send us a message at averageboypodcast.com by clicking on the ask a question at the bottom of the parents page. You can also leave a voice mail by clicking on the leave a voice mailbox. Just make sure to get your parents' permission before you call because we might use your message on a future episode.

Bob Smiley: Thanks for listening everyone. I'm Bob.

Jesse Florea: And I'm Jesse telling you, don't be average.

Bob Smiley: Be super average!