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00:00:01
Do They Even Hear Us? (And Does It Even Matter?)
59 Plays3 months ago
Do they even hear us… and does any of this actually matter?
In this episode, Morgan is joined by her husband Cole for a real, honest conversation about the moments in parenting where we feel like a broken record—repeating the same things over and over and wondering if anything is actually sticking.
We talk about the tension between focusing on behavior vs. building connection, and how easy it is to chase immediate results while missing the deeper work of relationship. We also zoom out to a bigger perspective: what is the purpose of parenting?
If you’ve ever felt like you’re talking into the void, this episode is a reminder: your presence matters, your consistency matters, and the seeds you’re planting are not wasted.
We’ll keep saying “be gentle” 47 more times… in faith and with patience.
Book reference: Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer
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Transcript
Intro to 'That's a Win Podcast'
00:00:03
Speaker
Hey guys Morgan and Rachel here. Welcome to That's a Win Podcast, where we share the highs and lows of motherhood, celebrating the wins along the way. Thanks for joining us on our journey. Talk soon.
Guest Appearance: Cole Steps In
00:00:16
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of That's a Win Podcast with your hosts, Morgan And cold Surprise. We have a surprise guest. Cole is filling in for Rachel today. um Her poor family has gotten hit by the stomach bug, so she cannot make it tonight. And Cole just was delighted to step in.
Unpredictability of ESPN Brackets
00:00:37
Speaker
I've finally been invited to the podcast sanctuary. Here it ah here we are. what do you think about it? Uh, it's great. You know, it feels a little different sitting in the chair. Um, but if think it's going to be fun. Yeah. I'm curious what our vibe is going to be like because you know, me and Rachel are just a bunch of silly girls. So so to be with me and you, I feel like it's, I don't know, are we going to be joking or serious or what? I don't know. I don't know what's in store for tonight. So you tell me.
00:01:04
Speaker
Yeah. Well, it'll be fun. Thank you for coming on. um Happy Wednesday, everybody. We are coming up on I guess, the finals of the March Madness are going determined this weekend.
Friendly Competition Jokes
00:01:19
Speaker
And we have to fill everybody in on the devastating news that I'm, well, neither of us have a chance to win the OBC challenge this year.
00:01:31
Speaker
No words. No words. I was in first basically the whole time, you would say. You were top 32,000 out million ESPN brackets.
00:01:44
Speaker
you were top thirty two thousand at one point crazy but just like March Madness does it you know can change after one game so the Vols lost so I had a double heartbreak because i needed Michigan to lose and
Candy Bar Game
00:02:01
Speaker
fact they did not no they did not and I did not lose it that cut me out yeah that was a brutal game yeah that was rough but yeah so it'll either i think probably be my dad or my brother-in-law that are gonna win
00:02:17
Speaker
Michigan versus Arizona. Yep. The game of the century, baby. It's just so devastating when you're in the lead and you know that it can turn on a dime, but it's like, everyone's like, Oh, Morgan, like in the lead again in first, like, oh Morgan, you're doing amazing. And I'm like, guys, anything can happen. I'm not going to be excited about this. And then it always does. Yeah.
00:02:36
Speaker
But everybody always seems to trash talk everybody else except you. Can we just say that? Like say
Celebrating Simple Joys
00:02:42
Speaker
that right now? What do you mean? It's always, Oh Morgan, way to go Mo. Ooh, great pigs. Oh wow. You call that upset. Great job. And everybody else it's, you know, just, uh, you know, trash talk. and But for you it's, Oh yeah, Morgan, way to go. i guess I'm just a favorite. I mean, what can you say? That's true.
00:02:59
Speaker
All right. Well, technically we we will say that you're a guest on today. So since you're a guest today slash co-host, but we're going to start with our game that we play with our guest called start snooze and skip.
00:03:11
Speaker
Basically you have three things and you're going to start one snooze one and skip one. So the three items that I chose thinking about like Easter candy coming up candy bars.
00:03:23
Speaker
So we've got Twix, Snickers and Reese's cup. That's easy for me. Really? Yeah. Do you me to first? Yeah. All right. What is it? Start?
00:03:34
Speaker
Start, snooze, and skip. Start, snooze, and skip. Starting Twix, 100%. Skipping Reese's Cup and skipping Snickers.
00:03:46
Speaker
Wait. Snooze. Which one are you snoozing? I'm sorry. I'm snoozing Reese's Cup. Okay. And skipping what are the Snickers? And skipping Snickers. Yeah. That's my fave. Wow. Well, mine's going to be quite opposite of that. I'm going to start Snickers, Snooze Reese's Cup, and skip Twix. Oh, man.
00:04:07
Speaker
You know, i just am not a big fan of Twix, and I know that's always been your favorite. And for some reason, feel like... the go-to. No, I feel like it has the rep of like the random chocolate bar that nobody eats. No, no, no, no, no. Maybe you could put out like an Instagram poll or however all those work. Instagram poll.
00:04:24
Speaker
Twix is way up there. No, I just feel like and literally nobody eats Twix. Nobody eats Snickers. Snickers is the best. No, nobody eats Snickers. You never, you never go into a gas station and see somebody buying a Snickers.
00:04:38
Speaker
Literally. I can see them buying a Reese cup or Twix. Whatever. I disagree, but agree to disagree. Okay. Well, let's move into our wins this week. Um, now it's time for our win of the week where we celebrate our victories.
00:04:56
Speaker
My win this week is probably a really silly one, but I've talked a little bit on the podcast and obviously, you know, we're trying to kind of implement more systems and just like monitor like our budgeting a bit more and...
00:05:12
Speaker
trying to cook more meals at home and stuff like that. So i feel like tonight I had the urge so bad. i was tempted. We had a meal planned out. You know, it was, it was, we had a meal planned out, our our meal plan system. It was all, all set up. I was so tempted to go pick up food for dinner. I really wanted Fuji. I don't know why. That's kind of like
The Repetitiveness in Parenting
00:05:32
Speaker
our go-to fast food. That's like not fast food.
00:05:35
Speaker
And I didn't do it. i cooked the meal at home. And yeah, so it's a win. I'm proud of myself. And I was a terrible partner. And I said, do it. I i said, just go for it. Go get it. And I was just proud of myself. Yeah, I'm proud of you. Usually i would give into that. i feel like old me. And it sounds so silly, but it's like, I feel like I'm like fighting something in my flesh to be like,
00:05:57
Speaker
Oh, just do it. Just eat out. But I'm like, you know what? We have a meal planned. It's here. I'm just going make it. So it's like of instant gratification things. Yeah. It's like, we like to be instantly gratified right away. Whatever we want, when we want it, how we want it. Yeah.
00:06:13
Speaker
And when you tell yourself, no, it makes you cringe. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm sorry. It wasn't, it wasn't a good partner there, but good job. The meal you made was great, by the way. Thank you. Yeah. I, um, it was one of my sheet pan meals i actually posted a reel about it. So if you want to find it, it was a Parmesan crusted chicken. It was really good, but yeah. And it it was like, once I made it, once I ate it, I didn't even think about the eating out, but it's just like in the moment, it's so strong that you really want to do that.
00:06:37
Speaker
But yeah, I'm proud of myself. So that was my win this week. What about you? Um, my win would be, i took some time off actually today from work. Um, it was a little bit slower, which was good. So I got to go out to the woods with my dad and we got to go, get ready for turkey season a little bit. So it was a beautiful day. So we got to go outside and enjoy it and enjoy spending time together.
00:07:02
Speaker
So that's always nice to, to get away and get out and So time slows down, i feel like, when you get out in the woods. You know, you're not looking at your clock. you're not looking at your phone. Although I did have to answer emails and stuff. um But it was nice. Yeah. So thanks to you for allowing me the time to do that. For sure. For sure. So maybe specify when you say like, out in the woods. Like, where are you going? Because it literally like you're just, like, walking through the trees. That's true. That's true. It probably does sound like that. No, we have family property um where we have – We have some fields and some food plots. So we go and we've got cameras set up and we'll we'll go out and check all the cameras and see what fun things are on there, whether there bear pictures or deer pictures or turkeys or hogs or all kinds of cool wildlife and look at the wildflowers that are blooming and And learned from my dad of he, oh, that's a trout lily. And oh, that's blood root. And all these cool things that like, if you're just not out there and you don't have somebody to take you and show you all these things, like you would never know. be like, oh, that's a flower. That's cool. You know? So.
00:08:03
Speaker
Nice. That's fun. I'm glad you got to do that. It's always fun when we get to go up there. We don't get to super often, but it really does just slow down. Being out in nature, it's like, just kind of like a breath fresh air, feel like.
00:08:17
Speaker
Yes, quite literally. Quite literally. Quite literally. All right. Well, um today we are going to talk a little bit about when you feel like a broken record as a parent and how, you know, you can talk to your kid about something and you feel like each each day you're trying to tell them the same things over and over, whether it be Don't hate your sibling.
00:08:42
Speaker
Communicate what you need. Don't scream at me. Like, listen, when I ask you to do something, you know, I just feel like, do you ever feel like you say the same thing like 20 times a day and it just doesn't stick?
00:08:55
Speaker
Yes. Maybe a million times a day. And sometimes I'm like, am I just speaking out like and in void? Like, am I even, am I doing something wrong? Like it goes in one ear, out the other. Like, do you even hear me? Like, I feel like, do they even hear me at all sometimes?
00:09:14
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. No, I feel that way for sure. But I feel like they do. They like, they hear, like, there's plenty of examples that we've had where we're like, oh man, they're listening or they're watching, you know? And like, you don't even think they're watching and they're totally watching. I know it always seems like the things that you don't want them to hear or listen to, they like catch on do. Then the things you're actually trying to tell them, they're like, o what? don do Like not even paying attention. Funny story. The other last night I was putting Jude to bed and i can't remember how I got on this topic, but we were talking about like team selectmen, like how we say, and like, you know, everybody has a role and like, we all have a part to play and like, I'm young and I'm And sometimes I think it is my fault. Like I try to talk too much. Like I try to like over say all these things when it's really like, okay, I need condense it a little bit, but I'm talking, I'm talking. And then he just goes like, you know, I'm, I finish.
00:10:06
Speaker
He doesn't say anything. He just goes, who do you think would win in a fight, a Komodo dragon or a snake? And I was just, I just started cracking up because we've been reading those books like polar bear verse, verse grizzly bear or ocean rumble or like, you know, killer whale versus great white shark. We're ready tonight. Yeah. So spoiler alert.
00:10:27
Speaker
killer whale Killer whale wins. yeah Yeah. And he always picks the book, always wants to be the one that wins. you know, he's like, I'm going to be the killer whale. Yeah. But. Which side note, we need to get some more of those books. about that Yeah. Shout out Kelsey, my friend. She's the one who he who gave me a bunch of those from her classroom because she used to be a teacher. But they're really fun. I guess we just read that. And so that's what he was thinking. But like, that's just an example of like, did you hear a word that I just said?
00:10:52
Speaker
Like. And sometimes I really don't feel like they do like their face is just like totally focused on something else. It's like, they can't hear you when it's like the serious stuff that they, you want to talk about. Yeah. Yeah. and Sometimes. But I feel like you always say it the best is, is drip by drip.
00:11:07
Speaker
You know, it's like, you're not to teach them one thing once. Like you continually have to just drip it in, drip it in, drip it in, drip it in. And then I feel like they do pick up on certain things. Yeah. Um, which yeah, I mean, there's been cool stories even within them like with our kids that we've seen.
00:11:24
Speaker
Yeah. I think, I think too, is just reminding yourself that it is a continual process, but I think it's easy to like, you know, this deep down question of like, do what we do as parents even matter? Like, do they actually hear us? Like, does it matter what we're actually doing? You know, do you think it's
Grace and God's Role in Parenting
00:11:43
Speaker
sticking more than they realize? And I think it does. i think that it's easy to feel those feelings because it, you do feel like a broken record over and over and over. But if you think about like,
00:11:54
Speaker
they're learning all these things for the first time and they're not going to be perfect. Right? Like, is is that what we're after? Like, is that the goal is to have them to behave perfectly, you know? Cause I think when we get so bogged down on,
00:12:09
Speaker
They're not behaving this way or they're not listening. They're not learning. The behavior is what our focus and our attention is on, you know, and we have to zoom out and be like, what is the goal of parenting here? Like, what is the purpose? Yeah. Yeah. i think it's easy to, to fall into that for sure of you know, you want them to obey you or go out in public or go to your family members and they'd be like, wow, you know, they just listen. They're so respectful. You know, then that comes back on you. And it's like, oh yeah, look at my kids. So therefore look at me. You know, I feel like there could be a big idol of self-worship. They are using your kids. Um, but I think it's easy to fall into of just wanting them to obey and be like a robot.
00:12:50
Speaker
So but I think it's a, that's a good thought of, you know, like, why are we actually parenting? Um, and I don't know if that's what you're wanting to get into, um, conversation wise, but I feel like i don't know. i like there's a lot of grace there.
00:13:07
Speaker
You know, like sometimes you you want the best for your kids, right? And so wanting the best for your kids, you want them to behave and be be be respectful. um I don't know. i don't know what I'm trying to say.
00:13:23
Speaker
You're saying like the intentions behind why you want them to, you know, you want to teach them these values, want them to grow up and be respectful human beings. And you want to help them to like know God and to love other people and to grow into he made them to be.
00:13:38
Speaker
But it can easily turn into an idol of like, oh, behave so that. Like the end goal being the behavior, not necessarily the heart change. Exactly. For them. You always do that. You always do that. what I fumble like 20 sentences and then you sum it up in like one or two or maybe even three words. Sometimes so that is maybe like my superpower over here. Yes, it is. Yes, that's exactly what i was trying to mean. Yeah.
00:14:01
Speaker
And it's really easy to do that. And I think that also if we remind ourselves how much grace and how much like we need in our own lives, how much God has patience with us as we are continually being molded and transformed as adults, like yeah we need that. So how much more are they going to need that when they've been on this earth for five years? Yep, yep, yep, for sure. Actually, one of my good friends just started the dad po or a dad podcast. And so this first episode I just listened to today, and it was all about God being our father as we father or you know parents or or kids. um Yeah, so that's really good. I feel like I've heard one time one guy said, you know,
Sincere Apologies and Learning by Example
00:14:44
Speaker
We need to pray, you know, like pray to, you know, pray to help raise our kids, but we need to pray, God, will you parent us as we parent our kids? And I feel like that is such a huge thing because I need to be parented because I don't know what the heck I'm doing.
00:15:00
Speaker
Yeah. And I think it can get into this easy if you're trying to just like do it on your own strength and... you you find out really quick, like, I don't really have that much control. Like, yes, it's important what we do. And yes, it's, you're honoring God and how you, um you know, are faithful in your parenting, but you have no control over the outcome. And I think it's easy to let um fear come in of what the outcome could be, future potential scenarios, you know? And so when you're parenting from a place of fear, you're trying to like hold everything so tightly and
00:15:34
Speaker
micromanage everything and make sure that like you're controlling it all or what you appear, what you think is control, but you really don't have control, you know, but if you're coming from a place of freedom and like letting it be, you know, receiving that from God and then giving that to them,
00:15:49
Speaker
how much more are they going to feel that, you know, like they know they're going to know the difference. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you always say things are caught, not taught. So it's like they watch and they see things. And so like, if they feel like you love them, you know, and they feel like you're there for them, like they're catching that way more by our actions and actually being there and like caring for them than they are just being like, Hey, I care for you.
00:16:12
Speaker
And then going off to do something else. hmm. Yeah. Do you feel like you've like seen a time where something has clicked with them or like an example of when they've maybe something we've been trying to teach them?
00:16:28
Speaker
Like, I don't know, so far down the line, we're like, oh, they actually caught on to that. Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's a good question. That's why this podcast. Great. Right. Brings up good questions. It actually makes you ponder. Yeah. You know, it actually makes you think of a good, positive things. Um, to answer the question, I think one comes to mind.
00:16:47
Speaker
I don't remember exactly what happened to start all of it, but our son like yelled at you or hit you or something. And it was a huge, huge, big deal.
00:16:58
Speaker
And instead of being like, dude, you got to go apologize to mom right now. I just went into his room with him and we played magnet tiles for like 20 minutes and we built this cool castle. And then when he was calmed down, i was able to talk to him in just a little bit by being like, Hey man, do you know why mommy was upset?
00:17:17
Speaker
And I think, I don't know if he hit your screen or whatever, but he was like, yeah, like I hit her. And I was like, yeah, man, I don't think that made her feel that good. I was like, whenever you're ready, I think it might be a good idea if you went and apologized.
00:17:28
Speaker
And sure enough, when we were done playing Magna Tiles, he walked out of the room, came and found you, and I could hear him down the hall, and he genuinely apologized.
00:17:38
Speaker
Hey, Mom, I'm really sorry for hitting you. And my chin's like hit the floor. i was like, what just happened? Well, and it was the most genuine apology that he has ever given. You know, like it's different when you're like forcing an apology, which I think there's some warrant to that. Like you want them to learn how to make it right with people. But he genuinely was like felt remorse for what he did.
00:18:00
Speaker
Yeah. And... But I think he's seen like us apologize to each other and us work with them like, hey, you hit your sister. You need to make this right, you know, and vice versa with his sister and, you know, and him.
00:18:11
Speaker
So I feel like it's ah one of those things like every day. It's like, hey, yeah we all make mistakes, but let's try to go apologize for it and ask for
Parenting Imperfections and Relying on Grace
00:18:19
Speaker
forgiveness. Yeah. Doing it on his own. Yeah.
00:18:23
Speaker
And this is kind of like a side tangent, but I think it's easy. We were talking couple episodes ago. I don't know if it was last week, but about like emotional regulation and stuff. And I think sometimes there's so much wisdom and just like the whole idea of, okay, in a heightened moment like that, like taking time to connect with them first and then correct.
00:18:42
Speaker
Um, and you saw how much different the outcome was instead of being heightened, yeah jumping on him and, you know, reacting, being repul repulsed, no, yeah impulse, being impulsive, reactive. Um, but how much more that calmed him down and gave him that space to do it in a genuine way.
00:19:05
Speaker
Yeah. I would like to say that's just one example. There's been about 40 other examples where I'm like, you need to go apologize right now. yeah You know? Right. Yeah. Well, just like them, we're in learning. We're not always going to get it right either. Yeah. You know?
00:19:19
Speaker
But yeah, it's sometimes hard to think about those moments. It's like, i need to start writing them down or something. Cause it's like, I know we've had times that I'm like, wow, I'm so impressed. I like this happened, but right.
00:19:29
Speaker
you know, you do, those are the moments that give you almost like a refill of your tank of like, okay, I'm doing, yes I'm doing, i guess I'm doing okay job with this, you know, like you see the things and you know, that can be something little or it can be something big, but even just, I don't know, watching him you know, a lot of times he likes to wrestle Eden or whatever, but then he can also be so tender with her too. And so you just see the moment, like just the little moments of the days that help you feel like, wow, okay, you're doing an okay you know an okay job. Or i can't even tell myself that I'm doing a good job. I don't know why I like can't say you're doing a good job.
00:20:10
Speaker
That's probably a whole issue in and of itself, but you're doing a fantastic job. Thanks. Yeah. It's hard. i don't know why I feel like I'm start crying. I haven't really cried on the podcast, but it's just really... Oh, man, going to be the that makes you cry. It's just...
00:20:28
Speaker
i And I think that I can see i'm just pretty hard on myself. And, like, I can see, like, different qualities in our oldest, especially about him being hard on himself. And, you know, it's like to be able to, I have to receive the grace to give the grace, you know. in Yes.
00:20:48
Speaker
And just, yeah. It's just a crazy journey. It really is. Yeah. You're doing a fantastic job. Thank you. know why it's so hard to say. Yeah, it's it's normal to have those questions of like, does what we do even matter? Obviously, we know the answer is yes, right? We know that the showing up day after day and the the thing the values we're trying to instill in them, to love God, to love others, you know, consider other people more significant than ourselves. Like,
00:21:18
Speaker
that's shown in in what we do with our lives, like how we spend our time, how we spend our money, how we spend our, you know, resources and energy and comforts. And, and i think just, you have to also remind yourself that yes, it's normal to have those questions, but also that it is important and you know, that it, it does matter what we do.
00:21:41
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. I think I always think about, you know, I think about my childhood. I look back, I don't really remember what my parents told me or really what they taught me. I mean, I do some things, you know, but when I look back on my childhood, I think, oh, wow, I had parents that loved me, that were there, that threw a ball with me in the yard, that took me to to sports practice and sports games and, you know, that, you know, spent time with me and that took me to the woods.
00:22:07
Speaker
And it's like, I feel like that's, that's what they're going to remember. I mean, maybe I could be completely wrong. And obviously we teach them things and, you know, instill morals and and values and things like that.
00:22:18
Speaker
But I feel like, i don't know, for us, I want our kids to look back and be like, yeah, my mom and dad love me. And there's no question, you know? And so I feel like just being there with them, you know, playing with them, you know, taking putting your phone down, going out and spending 20 minutes, throwing the ball in the yard or playing tea party or something.
00:22:38
Speaker
It's like, that's, that's where they feel loved. That's everything. not, yeah, it's not an algorithm or it's not some, um, I don't know, just like wordplay where, Hey, you got to memorize this. You got to memorize these, these intellectual truths.
00:22:52
Speaker
It's like, no, you just, don't You spend time with them, be with you know, be with them. Yeah. It's like, don't we want to be spent time with, right you know, yeah and be loved and be seen and be known and be comforted and secure.
00:23:04
Speaker
Yeah, that's good. I remember i listened to a podcast once that was talking about, um,
00:23:11
Speaker
I don't even remember the topic, but they were interviewing people and they were asking them like, what's the best piece of advice or like, what's one thing you would give advice to younger parents? And somebody said this and it just popped back into my head. But it was like, when you zoom out, you think in the moment that every single little thing that you do is all these tiny little points on a graph of like, making it right or doing it right or not doing it right. But when you zoom out, there's just the trending upward trajectory. You know, it's not every single, there's not so much pressure on every single moment to handle it right. But just like that you're trending upward overall.
00:23:49
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, that's good. That's what we'll, when we we've talked about this before, I feel like it's my personal opinion. I feel like our kids need to see us make mistakes and how we are sinful and how we need a savior.
00:24:03
Speaker
And that's how we can point them to Jesus. You know, like if we were perfect, it's like, then like, I don't know that we would give them a bad example, right? Like they need to see us make a mistake and then come back and reconcile, you know, and redeem that with each other.
00:24:18
Speaker
And it's like that's the best one of the best gifts we can give them I feel like it's just being real and being honest not being fake, you know not trying to have it all together like I want this I want them to see us fight, you know I want them to see us make a big mistake with somebody else and we have to go apologize for it Like I want them to see all those things.
00:24:35
Speaker
Yeah, that's good. I want to read this quote because it was something that I Saw
00:24:45
Speaker
um by this sick girl named abby wedgworth she's somebody that i follow on instagram but she's also also an author in like i don't know she just puts out like content and stuff but it's really really good and i feel like it kind of is a good way to wrap up all the things that we've been talking about and kind of encouraging So it says, our kids can't be perfect and neither
True Aim of Parenting: Knowing God and Loving Others
00:25:04
Speaker
can we not on this side of eternity we are prone to forgetfulness and need reminders we are prone to wandering and need guidance we'll never outgrow the need for god's word will also never outgrow the need for the gospel and neither will they
00:25:17
Speaker
as much as we repeat instructive reminders to our children and to ourselves we need to rehearse the refreshing truth of the gospel just as often if not more So as you offer correction, guidance, and reminders, don't forget to rehearse the truth of the gospel with them on repeat too.
00:25:35
Speaker
As Jesus points out in John 15, the assurance of God's love is the motivation for obedience. And obedience is the means by which we live out that identity. Everything God asks us to do, everything expresses his loving concern for us.
00:25:50
Speaker
We don't obey to earn God's love. We already have it. We obey to remain in his love, not because it's something to lose, but it's because the place we belong.
00:26:03
Speaker
That is good. Can take this mic off and drop it? know, right? That's perfect. I know. That's awesome. That's a good quote. I love that. So encouraging. Yeah. And just realize that like our goal, On the days that we feel like we're over and over and over again, you know, like I think we need to zoom out and realize like our goal of parenting, it's not to control their behavior. Number one, yes, it matters to some extent, but really the ultimate thing is like be faithful in our parenting, like help them to know God, help them to love others and help them to just grow, you know, into the person that he created them to be.
00:26:37
Speaker
And we need his help to do that.
Book Recommendation: 'Practicing the Way'
00:26:39
Speaker
Amen. Amen. ah Good stuff. um All right. Well, before we wrap up, let's go to our bestie bite. And this is where we leave you all with a little something to chew on for the week.
00:26:51
Speaker
And my bestie bite this week is a book that I just started. And actually, thanks to you, you told, you recommended it to me. It's called practicing the way. And I'm only like a few pages in. So maybe you can like elaborate on it a little bit more, but it's also, or it's already really, really good. And just like,
00:27:10
Speaker
How would you describe it? I guess if you give it a little synop synopsis. Oh, you're better at this than me. um Basically, it is just creating what's called a rule of life for your life and for your family in carving out space and rhythms so you can better follow Jesus.
00:27:34
Speaker
And the whole point is like the quote you just read. It's not so we do these things so it makes Jesus love us, you know, but it's we have his love. So therefore we follow him.
00:27:45
Speaker
And how we follow him is built into our everyday life. So we're all following something, um, whether it's God or ourselves or whatever it may be. And so if we're going to choose to follow God, then you have to build in a rhythm and a rule of life to actually help you do that. And it's been extremely restful for me personally and us as a family, um, in different, in different ways that we do that.
00:28:09
Speaker
Um, I feel like, and like I said, I just started it, but we've obviously had conversations around it based on you already read it. But some books I read, i leave you feeling worse about myself and like guilty that I'm not doing this or guilty that I'm not doing that. yeah It does not feel that way at all. It's almost encouraging to me, even though it's still stating things that like...
00:28:32
Speaker
you know i don't know, just the way he communicates it, it's encouraging. Even though you're thinking about maybe changing things, it's in an encouraging way, not in a guilt way. Yes.
00:28:43
Speaker
It's like, do this so you will find life. Like Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. It's like, you do this so you can be with Jesus who is life.
00:28:56
Speaker
Like, i don't know. I've always kind of been on the... like the side of, Oh, rules, rules, rules, rules. Like I got to keep it. Got to do these rules and more legalistic in that way. But it's like, no, like if you follow these rules and these commandments by God, it's because he loves us and it's because we get more of him.
00:29:13
Speaker
And, um, you know, it's like, that's the best thing that we could ever have. So I don't know if that, that probably doesn't do a justice. You should just get it and read it. I think it was good, but yes, I would recommend to get it and read it too. So, That's my best seatbelt for the week. And thanks for filling in.
00:29:29
Speaker
I'm sure that you'll be a fan favorite. Maybe they'll, you know, beg for you to come back on. Yeah, we'll see. um But thank you guys for listening.
Closing and Audience Appreciation
00:29:38
Speaker
And we will talk you all next time.
00:29:41
Speaker
Bye. see you.
00:29:46
Speaker
Thanks so much for listening to another episode. Remember, everyone is worth celebrating. Talk soon.