Growing Together
Step into a virtual garden of spiritual growth and community connection with the "Growing Together" podcast. This podcast is a nurturing space for individuals seeking to deepen their faith, cultivate relationships, and explore the boundless beauty of a shared spiritual journey.
Each episode of "Growing Together" is a breath of fresh air, where Pastor Michael, Syd, Nic, Pastor Holly, and Pastor Roger try to navigate the twists and turns of life while staying rooted in faith. Their warm and inviting presence makes you feel like you're sitting in a cozy living room, engaged in a heartfelt conversation with old friends.
Diving into topics ranging from personal growth and self-care to building resilient relationships and fostering a sense of community, the podcast aims to equip listeners with the tools to nurture their faith in all aspects of life. Through scripture readings, open discussions, and interviews with experts in various fields, "Growing Together" provides a holistic approach to spiritual development.
Whether you're a lifelong believer, a seeker on the spiritual path, or simply someone curious about how faith can shape lives, "Growing Together" offers a welcoming haven for everyone. Tune in during your morning routine, while taking a leisurely stroll, or even during a quiet moment of reflection – the podcast fits seamlessly into your daily life.
Join the "Growing Together" community and embark on a journey of discovery, growth, and genuine connection. In a world that can sometimes feel disconnected, this podcast reminds us that nurturing our faith and cultivating meaningful relationships can lead to a life that's deeply fulfilling and spiritually abundant. Subscribe now to start your journey of growing together in faith and fellowship.
Growing Together
When Nothing Goes According to Plan
We've all been there—the carefully laid plans suddenly derailed by a flat tire, a work crisis, or an airport nightmare. In this candid and deeply relatable conversation, we explore how life's unexpected moments reveal our true character and faith.
When things go sideways, our initial reactions often involve frustration, anger, or anxiety. But what if these disruptions are actually opportunities? Through personal stories—from workplace disasters described as "train wrecks with no survivors" to roadside tire changes with elderly parents—we unpack the challenging yet transformative nature of unexpected situations.
The discussion takes a thoughtful turn as we consider how faith provides an anchor during turbulent times. As one participant notes, "Faith doesn't always take you out of the storm. Faith calms you in the midst of the storm." This perspective allows us to replace reactive emotions with more intentional responses, turning potential meltdowns into moments of growth and service.
With refreshing honesty, we acknowledge the particular difficulty of maintaining patience with those closest to us. Why is it so much harder to control our reactions with family members than with strangers or coworkers? And how do we practice the humility to apologize when we inevitably fall short?
Whether you're facing unexpected challenges or simply want to prepare for the curveballs life will inevitably throw, this episode offers practical wisdom for navigating life's unpredictable journey with grace, humor, and faith. Join us for a conversation that will change how you view life's inevitable disruptions.
Saturday 79 and then Sunday back up into the low 80s.
Speaker 2:We can do that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I meant to check like the real feel for the past few days.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, I haven't either. I didn't know, don't know what the heat index was Hot.
Speaker 3:Yeah, disgusting Hot, sticky. And yuck, hot, yeah, disgusting hot, sticky. And yeah, and when I flew back last was it last last week. Yeah, last sunday, I swear like the air quality is like still so bad yeah, oh here, oh yeah like compared to florida, like I didn't really realize it. Sometimes I would notice it, but then I really noticed it after I, you know, got back from vacation. I'm like, oh man, what?
Speaker 2:it was like 98 in Gettysburg on Friday and it was just as humid oh, was you over there? Yeah, well, lucky you yeah, although didn't get really to do much hiking why not, it's just too hot, just can't be out there very long.
Speaker 4:Can't hang. No, not now.
Speaker 2:Not anymore, me neither.
Speaker 4:I can't.
Speaker 1:Give me a cooling towel around my neck.
Speaker 4:I can't take the cold anymore, which it never used to bother me, and I can't take the heat anymore. So don't get old, nick, I'm getting there. Oh yeah, oh, believe me, I wish I was your age again and know what I know now. I'd have a completely different life, a completely better life. I'd have a completely different life, a completely better life. Well, yeah, yeah, okay, do you want?
Speaker 2:to reveal what you're doing at 45 no no, I wouldn't.
Speaker 4:I wouldn't. I would spend more time with the family instead of at the bar so yeah, that's what I meant yeah, yeah, yeah, she didn't listen to this anyway. So, instead of at the bar yeah, that's what I meant yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:She didn't listen to this anyway, so I could say anything, but I'm sure someone would tell her do you know what your husband said they always find out, yeah. Yeah, and you know what she'd say? Oh, I believe that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, she doesn't even have to listen to second guess it, she just knows. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4:And you know what she'd say? Oh, I, believe that? Yeah, she doesn't even have to listen to second guess it. She just knows yeah, yeah, after what Be 58 years. Really, that's awesome 59, something like that. I don't know.
Speaker 3:Something like that, like what's one more year.
Speaker 4:Well, I know, we were married almost two years before my son was born and he's 55, yeah, so that would line up 56, 57. I think it's 57 yeah how'd you manage that?
Speaker 2:I worked a lot, I mean just like no, seriously, I did.
Speaker 4:I mean I, I worked, I worked, I worked two jobs honestly like with my grandparents.
Speaker 3:Um, it would have been 53 years for them this year yeah if pat putnam passed, but, um, he worked afternoons and midnights a lot and a lot of the times.
Speaker 1:I'm like I wonder if that was like a benefit, you know or this year would have been mom and dad's 61st, and dad worked afternoons a lot. Then, when he retired, they were like, oh, boy what are we going to do? Kill each other, that's a real's.
Speaker 2:That's. That's a real test of marriage.
Speaker 4:That's that's kind of kind of my problem. My problem now. I mean, I used to doing something, you know not being home yeah and and it's awful, because I get lazy, you know you get lazy and say well, you know, okay, I can do that tomorrow. I don't have to do it today. And then tomorrow comes and you know it still doesn't get done and then you got to just kind of grab yourself by the seat of the pants and drag yourself outside. You got to do this.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I have a roller time doing that.
Speaker 3:Well, especially in this heat.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and then I think, well, I'll do it after the sun goes down.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and you're too tired?
Speaker 4:Yeah, I'm not going to do it now. It's almost time to go to bed.
Speaker 3:Why would I start?
Speaker 1:something so late. Yeah, I mowed yesterday with my cooling towel around my neck but I still have a little bit to do out back and I thought thought I'll do that tonight when I get home from here, for gets dark.
Speaker 4:Okay, everybody run down by Dawn's house.
Speaker 1:See if I can get that mode out back.
Speaker 3:I think people are on to something when they do it. In the morning I've caught my neighbor doing it Like he's done by like 10 am, 10 am Anytime he's doing it.
Speaker 1:I'm like my grass is too thick and too wet.
Speaker 2:I can't do it. You had the small yard, and yeah, that's what I was gonna say, though, because mine no way, his is like they have.
Speaker 3:Well, nick. You know where I'm at that the brick house right beside me.
Speaker 2:You've probably walked past it, but it's mainly pavement is their yard, so it's like whatever yard they do have yes yeah, so I can see that. Yeah, I mean that'd be that way to go.
Speaker 3:That's very true, very true.
Speaker 4:Yeah Well, I got two acres to mow, so yeah, different story then.
Speaker 2:Yeah, sometimes I envy those people.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 2:They're done, mowing in five minutes.
Speaker 4:And then you'll hear them at the grocery store oh man, I got to mow again this week. But you see them out there watering and fertilizing and liming and then griping because they got to mow, don't fertilize it, don't water it. Let the Lord take care of it.
Speaker 3:So I always look at the forest.
Speaker 4:Look at all the trees they grow. They're green. What fertilizes them. God made the leaves to decompose to make fertilizer, so the trees could eat, you know?
Speaker 3:got to look at it that way. Yeah, I know, I was at Marshall's the other day and someone was on the phone with I don't know if it was his girlfriend or his wife or who it was. He was talking about someone like his friend maybe, was saying that they spent like 40, and he wasn't saying it was outrageous. But he's like, yeah, you know so-and-so was telling me that they're um, thinking about doing such and such, but they spent 45 or 48 000 on just landscaping. Oh my Right, that's a lot of money.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I got manicured weeds. Yeah, that's what I've got. I've got no lawn.
Speaker 2:That's a pretty weed yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it'll look a whole lot better. If it's a little shorter, we'll just cut her off.
Speaker 1:I've got this one section in the back, just a round circle. It's lime green, neon green. It circle lime green, neon green. It's like where did that grass come from? Just one section. You have a dog. I do have a dog. Did I go potty? Oh, she goes potty everywhere. The yard is fenced in and she does not stay in one area she goes everywhere, mine is too well.
Speaker 4:The topic why'd you say it like that?
Speaker 3:you didn't expect it roger oh nice, the uh, I try he's still looking at me.
Speaker 1:The unexpected. He's been dealing with it all day, yeah I'm used to it.
Speaker 4:I like to. I like to pivot in the middle of something, change everything.
Speaker 3:Change it up.
Speaker 4:Like I told Pastor Michael today. I said we've only done this two or three times. I said a couple more times I'll be able to get it right, but I doubt it.
Speaker 3:It's never like that Never.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, when I was in Gettysburg I wasn't really looking at my phone and of course, you know we had something planned for last week and I was like, well, it's kind of good because I don't have to worry about it, I can just go on my trip, come back, everything will take care of itself. And then I get the text. I think margie read it to me and I'm like, oh okay there we go well, I gotta think of something I'm like. Well, why don't we just talk about the?
Speaker 3:unexpected, and I don't think we've ever really talked about it either.
Speaker 4:Yeah, you just have to pivot, you have to think about what's going on. You know why did the Lord put me in this position? He put me in this position to learn something.
Speaker 1:That's what I was going to say. That's right, and to give glory to him.
Speaker 3:There's always a lesson we're always going to learn something.
Speaker 2:You probably have more problems when you tend to believe that everything is going to go according to plan every single day.
Speaker 4:Oh hey.
Speaker 2:When you hang your hat on everything going exactly as you planned it. You know what happens to me. It's usually when you're frustrated.
Speaker 4:Right, you know what happens to me Usually when you're frustrated, right. My hat falls off the rack, yeah, and then you've got to pick it up again.
Speaker 1:Recently, my daughter just took a new job on at hospice and she got hired in full time at the Truman House in Philly. Well, like the day before she was supposed to start, they called her and said hey, we're going to have to move you to the Wooster House if you want the position, and now it's only part time. Oh man, Very disappointed, Very upset, and I said, Caitlin everything happens for a reason.
Speaker 4:I was gonna say she may go up there.
Speaker 1:You know, she knows that, and I'm like Caitlin, everything happens for a reason. So she's in her orientation at Wooster and she's like well, it is quite a drive though, mom. You know I don't know what it'll be like come winter time, but she's enjoying it. But it wasn't a weekend to orientation Nine people got laid off from the Truman house.
Speaker 3:No, she would have been one of the first to go.
Speaker 1:Oh well, yeah, she would have been a new hire, she would have been the first.
Speaker 3:They probably, they probably did her a favor by doing that, because they probably knew we're going to lay off, right. Why are we hiring a new one, right?
Speaker 4:But they wanted to hire her.
Speaker 1:Right, yes.
Speaker 4:If they didn't want to hire her, they wouldn't have offered her that position.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah. So she's out at Worcester just part-time right now, so she's still working locally too. But I'm like see everything happens for a reason. It'll all work out. Oh yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's a perfect example right there. Yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, but sometimes some of that stuff we don't want it to. We want it now, we don't want it to work out, you know in time.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 4:And it gets frustrating.
Speaker 2:Well, and unfortunately, we all have the pressures of life Like you had a plan, you had a financial plan. You know, again you hang your hat on all these things and then something like that happens. You're like, wow, now I have to make a real adjustment here. You know, and sometimes it's not. What happens isn't fatal. You know, hardly is ever anything fatal to us when something like that happens, but it can feel that way because you get immediately can get overwhelmed by the financial you know burden of trying to figure out now, what am I going to?
Speaker 2:do and just you know. You want everything to be settled, you want to make a plan, you want to execute it, and then you want to sit back and reap the fruit of it. Right, you want to kick back and say, okay, I've accomplished that. Yeah.
Speaker 4:A lot of times you don't know what the future's going to hold for you either.
Speaker 2:So a lot of times you end up having to work harder for something than what you planned. That's not fun. I think we all have to have almost like a default with our faith and our prayer that when something like that happens, that we can fall right into that mode of prayer, mode of meditation and patience. Because if you don't have that a lot of times, yeah, then you are jumping off the cliff and you know calling all your girlfriends and you know yes.
Speaker 4:I don't have any girlfriends.
Speaker 2:No no.
Speaker 1:Or do I, and we've got to have that gratitude as well, even though things aren't going the way that we want them to.
Speaker 4:We have to be, you have to stop and think. You're still breathing, you're still upright, you're not sick, you're not ailing. You do have enough to eat. You can stay cool. You wonder how you're going to pay that bill, but you can still you know, and then, when it comes time, he provides for you you know, sure, as long as you as long as you believe right, yeah, as long as we believe and stay faithful and wait
Speaker 2:faithful to us and wait yeah yeah, that's, that's the worst part, that's the worst waiting, waiting well, and I and I think it's a good lesson of always making sure that you're in the right company. You know, because when something like that happens to you. You know it's important that you have good friendship, good support, good fellowship, all those things to where you know you do have other people to fall back on.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know, to help you out. Not that you're ever looking for handouts or anything like that, but the right people will step it in your life when something happens to you, right, yeah? And that's always a plus too. So you know, it's kind of like you know mind your P's and Q's with how you treat people. You know, perhaps there's been somebody in a similar situation in your life and maybe you had the opportunity to help them.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2:And you didn't maybe you had the opportunity to help them and you didn't. You know and you know. Now it's your turn.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, and you know you may get the same treatment. So they say karma.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, so it's always around yeah.
Speaker 3:So you know you always just want to be uh, when you deal with somebody that's going through something like that you deal with somebody that's going through something like that, you want to be dealing with it with a christian attitude and, yeah, be willing to help somebody.
Speaker 2:Um, not only if it's ever you, oh yeah, because you know sure enough it will be. Yeah, definitely, it definitely will be. So it's you know.
Speaker 3:You just never know um yeah, we can't control everything, you know even though we want to right because, like, like you know, nick said, you know you have your financial plans in order, you have everything all thought out and through, but then something throws you a curveball and I mean, yeah, you can't, you can't control it, right and we need to get our mindset in that gratitude rather than worry yeah yeah, you know, because when I was young it was always worry, worry, worry.
Speaker 1:You know, I don't worry anymore.
Speaker 4:Yeah, no no, the older I get.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what will be will will be, you know it, just that's yeah I mean kind of the attitude I try to have now.
Speaker 3:I mean I can't control everything.
Speaker 2:So yeah, yeah, yeah, god is in control of everything. There's not much you can do about it.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:People have problems with that. Again, like Roger said, you want it now, you want to do what you want to do and you think you've executed perfectly and you've timed it out in your timing how it's going to go, and then it doesn't. And uh again, if you don't have that prayer to fall back on, and trust in god and his timing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you can get pretty frustrated you know, it's when people can lose their temper, make bad decisions, lash out at other people you know um. You can develop a lot of bad traits when you don't have that center with Christ you know you. Just because all those because that's the thing about having a relationship with Christ is a lot of times you can replace a lot of your human emotion that you would instantly react on and you get to replace those by more Christ-like behaviors emotions, all those things, to where it's like, when something like that happens, it's not even really like you're going into prayer.
Speaker 2:You think of Christ, you think of God. You think of okay, how am I supposed to handle this? Not lash out and then apologize to everybody and say okay now you know how do we figure it out. You can. You can be ahead of the game.
Speaker 2:You know you can control your emotions. You can control um, taking something that's bad happened to you off of that you go and make another bad decision because that's using it as an excuse or something yeah, or just your emotions get the better of you so then you're not thinking clearly yeah so then you'll go and make another mistake that just makes the situation even worse and it's like a snowball, snowball, just snowballing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, a lot of us do that yeah, we just our emotions get the best of us. We can snowball and you know, pretty soon you've instead of having one problem that needs fixing, you've got twice as many.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's just, yeah, so it can work out that way very quickly. So you know that's because we all talk about this. You know you go on vacation and you come back to work and if you're in a position where you know somebody has to cover for you, it's a nightmare. And I just went away for two days Friday and Monday and my desk was a complete disaster and that shows me like when I see that, I think, okay, that's that person's frame of mind. They weren't organized, they weren't thinking clearly, because my desk is just a complete mess and I'm thinking so that's how their mind's working, because you can see it.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then things like they'll take like one order and they'll write a note on that order, but the note is for a different order. So it's so disorganized and so spastic that it's just like your emotions obviously. It's like okay, you can see that the person is overwhelmed, the situation is getting the best of them and they're scrambling, so instead of finding like the actual order, and then saying okay, I need to make a note on this order, we're doing this.
Speaker 2:They just write it on anything in front of them and, before you know it, they got this whole. They don't even know what they're looking at. You know they just have a total mess, and at that point you can't even help yourself.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And so sometimes that's how I think like okay, so now you can see that in people. But on my end of it you know, I don't want to say I expect it, but I kind of do I didn't expect quite the mess I got I'm like, thank goodness, you knew there was going to be one there, didn't you?
Speaker 3:But you know, nick, but you telling me that you know a few weeks ago, I'm like you know what, nick's right? I am just going to come back, knowing that there is going to be a mess, because if not, it's like I already know how it goes. Every single time I'm not going to get my. You know, I'm not going to get my hopes up for anything different. I'm, and it helped me a little bit by having that attitude. So I guess like it's not wrong in thinking that way.
Speaker 2:No, because I go in and the production manager comes in and of course the kid that was filling in for me comes in, and they're just already like stressing stressing, stressing just throwing words back and forth and I'm like we're not going to do this. This is not what we're going to do.
Speaker 4:Nothing's going to get accomplished.
Speaker 2:No, I'm like save that for later. We'll talk about what happened later so this was tuesday.
Speaker 3:Is that this is tuesday and is that the day I texted you guys? Or was that monday?
Speaker 2:you text me monday okay yeah, so it was almost, it was fortuitous yeah we're talking about it. I'm just like, yeah, we're not. We'll worry about who did what and who who made mistakes, whatever, I really don't care. Let's just focus on what we need to do to get the train back on the tracks yeah because I told everybody I said I said this was just like a total train wreck with no survivors you know, we just gotta, you know, start fresh, start all over, yeah build a new train find a rescue.
Speaker 2:At this point, you know, and just it's like, okay, let's just take this one step at a time, let's stay calm, let's just stay focused, so let's get ourselves out of this mess, and that's what. And it took me two days until the end of today. It took me to get back to where we're supposed to be, yeah. But I didn't get upset, I didn't get mad. I mean I am having those emotions, I am upset, I am disappointed. I am frustrated, but I counter that with like okay, how am I going to handle?
Speaker 4:those emotions yes, you have them. Right, you have to repair the damage. Right, so there's no sense in getting mad, because all that's going to do is just make, make, make the problem bigger than what it really is right, yeah, because you're able to move forward and find the solutions where.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah yeah, you can tell they just lost him. Like I give up, just wait till nick gets back figure it out.
Speaker 4:You know, yeah, all right yeah, at least you know that they need you that's another.
Speaker 2:That's another great point. Like, well, if everything was perfect when I come back, that wouldn't feel so good.
Speaker 3:Well, my coworker texted me Friday Nothing really was just asking me how it was going. And I'm like, oh, it's a good vacation or something. And she's like, oh, you know, we, we're gonna be glad you're coming back with like a emoji. And I'm like, oh boy, look. So it's like she texted me to see how it was going.
Speaker 3:But then I had that in the back of my mind right, but at least they're like oh, we're just so happy to have you back, because I'm like, yeah, you realize that I all the things that I do undercover. Basically I'm not just sitting at a desk.
Speaker 4:You're not just a pretty face.
Speaker 2:No, the kid texts me on Monday, I'm driving home and he's like you might want to bring a pack of cigarettes. Because I'm like, oh my God, what did you guys do?
Speaker 4:Well, at least he didn't say a fifth of wine too, yeah, but kidding me.
Speaker 2:So you know.
Speaker 4:But yeah, if.
Speaker 2:I lose control, you know, and that's a part of leadership, you know, and dealing with the unexpected things like that.
Speaker 4:If you lose control.
Speaker 2:Everybody else does. So no matter what you're feeling, you have to be able to separate yourself from it.
Speaker 3:Everybody stay calm.
Speaker 1:Yeah, right, and sometimes we don't.
Speaker 4:And sometimes that's hard to do.
Speaker 1:We don't, yeah, because you know, you've got.
Speaker 4:You get somebody poking the bear. You know, and you can only poke the bear so many times.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I could try to be calm as much as I could, but my emotions get the best of me and then you can hear it out of my voice.
Speaker 1:Like me too. The tremble or the shakiness, like oh well, mine gets loud and I've got a loud voice anyway. So then it really seems like I'm yelling at you. But you're just and I'm not, I'm just in a hyper that's what it's gonna say your activated state my dad and I had a blowout on the way to columbus on oh no, saturday.
Speaker 1:We were almost to new al and I said, dad, your pressure light just came on for your tire. And he's like, hmm, that's odd. You feel any change in the steering? I'm like no, you know nothing, no change at all, going down. But so here we are, traveling 70, 75. And then, all of a sudden, I'm like we've just had a blowout, you know. So we got over onto one of those emergency um where the state highway patrol sit and the emergency vehicles use. Yeah, I mean, it just literally looked like the tire was dry, rotted. And dad bought this truck at an auction in 2013. It's only got 40 000 miles on it, but it's got the original tires on it. So here we are, we've got this blowout. Dad has no tools in the truck because he had just moved them over to the car, because he was going to the farm the next day and was going to take the car. So we have no tools. No, nothing with us. We get the jack out. Now dad's 83, getting some dementia, getting forgetful.
Speaker 3:Well, and those jacks alone are awful, oh yeah.
Speaker 4:They're terrible, they're pretty much worthless.
Speaker 3:Anytime I had like to deliver mail. I just had an actual jack because those things, because I would have to do it sometimes and those things were terrible, yeah Well dad's under the truck to get down the spare, yeah, and he's like, oh, I can't tell if this is turning or not.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm just thinking he's knowing what he's doing and so I'm not fussing. You know, he's not gonna let me do anything anyway, so I'm just patiently waiting and he's under there fussing.
Speaker 1:I'm like Dad, what's wrong? And he's like well, I don't, I don't think this thing's a moving. So I like I googled you know how you get this tire down? Yeah, so there's that little, that little area on the back that opens up, that the yeah, that you stick that through that guide hole. I'm like, oh, dad, get out from under there, you don't even need under there. So I guided the jack, or not the jack, but the extensions that go on the crowbar, so got the tire down.
Speaker 1:Well then, he can't figure out how to get.
Speaker 4:Well, that was a blessing in itself, because 99% of those are so rusted up that they don't move.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, so you know that was a blessing, but now we can't get the hubcap off. We got the tire out, but now we can't get the hubcap off. No tools. So I Google how do you get this hubcap off? You need a straight screwdriver. Do we have a straight screwdriver with us?
Speaker 4:No, no Do you have a pocket knife.
Speaker 1:No, we didn't. You have a rope, a string and a rope, so my post office key was the thickest key on my ring, so I'm sitting on the asphalt with my key trying to pry this off.
Speaker 2:What day was this?
Speaker 1:Saturday.
Speaker 2:It was hot, too. It was hot.
Speaker 1:Oh, just sweating, Just sweat dripping. Can't get it, can't get it. Dad's like. So now dad's looking, he's got some bungee cords. He gives me a bungee cord. I stick the hook of the bungee cord up in there I'm sitting on the asphalt, my knees are up about that time. Here comes these two new Albany police officers. They're going to pull in, they're going to help, but I'm sitting there with that and I'm just a-pryin' and a-pryin'. It finally pops off and goes flying, as those Albany police officers.
Speaker 4:I was going to say it's a good thing that Benji didn't, but Dad and I are arguing with each other what's the hubcap, what's not the hubcap?
Speaker 1:What's the rim? How do you get the tire down? I'm like Dad. So here come these 30-something-year-old like dad. Let them do this for us so we can get back on the road. You know? Nope, you boys don't need to get your hands dirty, are you kidding? No, I'm not kidding. They patiently stood there and waited on my dad to change that tire. The one guy he carried the spare over and put it on for him. But, and he's like, hey, who's driving? I'm like, so dad's like, you know, she's got a lead foot. I'm like dad, don't tell them that they're gonna follow us down the road and I'm gonna get a ticket. Don't be telling them that. Yeah, yeah, I said one ticket every 20 years. The guy's like, oh, that's not bad, not bad, not too bad. Yeah, not too bad. Oh, what a mess it was, but improvise oh yeah yep and pray.
Speaker 1:And I was praying because I was getting hyper with my dad and I was raising my voice right, yeah just pray, yeah yourself down and pray, yep it's not yeah that time, yeah, so it's nobody's fault no you know let's just yeah, but to make a small shift here.
Speaker 2:why is it? Why is it so hard to not get emotional with your significant other, like that's the easiest thing to do, like if it's for me, if it's like coworkers? If it's, you know, a stranger. If it's like, I can be like as calm.
Speaker 3:You can give grace and yeah.
Speaker 2:But sometimes like when it's your wife or your husband people that you're closest to
Speaker 3:hurt it's easy to let them see all of the ugly, because you know all the ugly there regardless and I feel bad about that. Oh yeah, I was like.
Speaker 2:I know like I don't ever lose my temper and yet I like kind of yelled at her because we were frustrated about something unexpected.
Speaker 1:I had to apologize to dad. I said, dad, I am so sorry for raising my voice Now, this is the next day. This isn't that day. This is the next day. I'm like, dad, I really need to apologize to you for raising my voice. And he said I just consider the source. I'm like thanks, dad.
Speaker 3:But it's good that you apologize, because I have loved ones no apology.
Speaker 4:You can't eat that, you can't squeeze it in.
Speaker 3:I know my grandma's listening. It's not her. Okay, so I was on the same airplane as someone who used to live with her. I used to live with him. You know where I'm getting at my DAD, but he's always the hardest on me, always. And you know we're going through airplanes are so. They're just so stressful anyway, and they're airports.
Speaker 3:Yes, sorry, airports, and so you know, know, and before we had even you know, I'm two weeks before and I'm just looking at, okay, well, a pack and play is considered an essential item. So it's not. You don't have to do a personal check bag or a personal, it's just a. It's an essential item, that's something that's an extra yes, exactly, and it's free.
Speaker 3:But they were like, okay, I had that, I had the diaper bag, I had all these questions that I'm just googling and researching weeks beforehand. Okay, well, for formula, because we're like weaning cooper off of the formula. They said you can, you can go with it, just put it in his diaper bag, which is also an essential item. Well then, we get stuck, you know, and that it gets checked and I'm like, ok, and he didn't. I mean, we had plenty of time, but I didn't ask him to hold. You know, he didn't have to wait on us. I'm a big girl like me, chase and Cooper with me, whatever, they decided to wait, and then we catch back, I don't know, up to him, because they were about 15 yards in front of us, about 15 yards in front of us, and, um, you know, the airplane's like asking us, like, oh, do you want the diaper?
Speaker 2:bag. Do you need it?
Speaker 3:for the plane, or do you want us to put it. I'm like, oh, you could actually take it, because cooper had a little bag himself, like a little backpack. But I'm like, oh, hold on a sec, because cindy was. You know, cindy had it like let me grab that formula. And I saw my dad like look at her. It was one other time he like looked at her, but it was within two minutes and then he did the same look again and I finally was like what he's like? And he's like, all right, I'm gonna make sure you guys are sitting at the you know the most far end as you can, like you're gonna go here, you're gonna go there.
Speaker 3:But you know he was proceeding to tell shy, like how good that we did on the plane and this and that. And they were saying, because you know how there's family blow-ups and like that was the first blow-up of the week and there wasn't too many, like that was very mild, you know. But there was another bicker between two other individuals and someone's like yeah, you know, we did have a couple and they're like, you know, like dad and Sid, and he's like what do you mean, you know? And Cindy's like well, the airport, and he's like well, you know what? Yeah, you know I was pretty hard on her, but like never apologizes and he's always been like that. I'm like you will say it to other people, right, and then that's my way of hearing it, but like you will never come to me and tell me like why yeah and I, I don't know, it's probably the, the guy in him, you know, but don't be afraid to be vulnerable men.
Speaker 3:Okay, that's all I'm asking. Yeah, so, but yeah, that was I mean. Well, and also at the airport, it was, you know. Another thing I was Googling was I didn't have my real ID, which is fine because if you have your passport, you're good. Okay, well, my passport has my maiden name, which I knew that. So I'm like okay, well, I'll just bring my marriage certificate, because it said that should be fine.
Speaker 3:Well, no, we go, we even get through check-in and then we get to tsa and they're like well, now you got to go back to check-in and basically have your, your boarding ticket, say what you're basically made. Oh, so I'm gonna be sydney mackie for this week. Awesome, because it had to say that going there and going back, and I'm like so it was just so many unexpected things that I even tried for, I tried to plan and prepare myself for and, heck, I even had Cooper's birth certificate with me too, because you know, if they're two and under, they can fly for free, but sometimes they ask for documentation. I had like our whole life story with us and still we had all these, but that's what you get in airports, because no, no, that's what you get, but and your passport has your picture, yes, and your maiden, maiden name and married name well, my passport just has my maiden name can you get your oh?
Speaker 1:but you're, yeah, you're in your passport but my boarding flight ticket, which was like I, actually has to be your driver's license name is what's when you book your flight, so it's how it is on your driver's license so even a small discrepancy like that, oh yeah, there's so much bureaucratic garbage.
Speaker 3:yeah, and, and, like the thing is there's like the check in point, like the, basically the first step into the airport to check in. They, you know that basically take your bags. They didn't say anything about it and I almost brought it up like you know what. No, it's fine, I'm not going to make it an issue if it's not an issue. And then we get to TSA and I'm like here we go. I mean, they were, they were nice about it, but I'm like man, oh man, because they're like well, I said well, you know, I, I looked into this and they beforehand and I said they said, as long as I have something that proves right, I've got the documentation.
Speaker 1:I have the documentation, like.
Speaker 3:Well, it depends on the airline, and I don't know, for I think we're on frontier. I don't know, for I think we were on Frontier. I don't know what their policy is, oh my goodness.
Speaker 4:So yeah, yeah, yeah. The way I look at it, though, they're just doing their job and that's you know.
Speaker 3:You can't yeah, and I didn't want. When I, when I came back, I was like I was definitely frustrated, but then I was like thinking, oh, I hope that same girl is over there when I do come back. That way I can show her, shed her some light, and she was very nice, I'm like you know. Thank you, I know, you were just doing your job. It's just frustrating. It's already so nerve-wracking whenever you don't fly a lot, let alone with a child. You've got the pack and play. You've got a stroller. You've got the diaper bag plus your two personal items and play. You've got a stroller.
Speaker 2:You've got the diaper bag plus your two personal items, plus the two suitcases.
Speaker 3:I'm like oh my god, and you're on borrowed time?
Speaker 2:yes, exactly, you got. You got three minutes to get your gate yeah yeah, yeah so yeah, there's no, there's no other option yeah, wow sometimes life is just stressful.
Speaker 3:Oh yes, oh yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 1:We have to be able to adapt.
Speaker 4:Adapt and overcome Improvise adapt, overcome Yep.
Speaker 3:Repeat Repeat Right, yes, I just see like the recyclable thing, like that logo right now.
Speaker 2:Or the biohazard.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:One or the biohazard yeah, one or the other, and hopefully that all these situations bring personal and spiritual growth yeah yeah, because you know, looking back at it now, I you know we can all laugh, and you know you can laugh about your saturday instance but it was stressful oh, as you've got sweat rolling down into your eyelid, I, I'm sure Right right and the glasses are on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we all laugh about that when we're watching Home Alone.
Speaker 3:That's so fun when you're actually doing it.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, I've only flown once though. Really Twice In a plane Flown twice, yes, twice, okay, and have never really had any issues.
Speaker 4:Well, lucky you.
Speaker 2:You know so, but it is nerve wracking oh yeah. Parking.
Speaker 3:Parking.
Speaker 1:That's my stressful situation Like if I go over to Pittsburgh. So I book my parking before I ever leave. I already have it paid for and everything, but I want to get over there early because it seems like it takes forever to find a parking place. So when I was flying up to boston there a couple weeks ago, I'm like I'm going early because last time it took me forever to find a place. Yeah, this time it seemed like it took forever. It took six minutes but it seemed like, yeah, it seemed like an hour that I was driving up and down those aisles trying to find a parking place.
Speaker 4:Z247.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then I get to TSA pre-check. Because I have pre-check Nice, nice, well, I forgot to put it on my boarding pass. And she's like you don't have TSA pre-check. And I'm like, yes, I do. And she's like what's not on your pass? And I'm like, oh Okay, so there was only like a handful of people in regular TSA anyway. So, yeah, I just popped over there and that was not a problem, but I made sure my TSA pre-check was on my boarding pass on the way back when we flew out of Pittsburgh with the instances I was talking about.
Speaker 3:Um, there's a tunnel that goes over the, so that was open, like I had never been there. But my um, you know, parents had flown out of there before and they're like, oh, this isn't normally open, like we can actually do this, and it was. I mean it was. It wasn't busy at all on that side. So, yeah, that was nice, yeah that side your gate was on. Well, that was the side I had to walk Clear.
Speaker 4:Back and forth to. Back to Denison, back to your expel.
Speaker 1:Were you praying?
Speaker 3:during all of that. Yeah, I was trying Right.
Speaker 4:What's really stressful is that you know you're out of the country and you go and you're sitting there this is where your plane is supposed to be and it's like five minutes before you're supposed to load and there's no plane there. Oh well, sorry, your plane's broke down. You're not going to leave, we're going to put you over in this other spot. So they put us over in this other spot. There's no plane for that spot. You're going to stay here overnight.
Speaker 1:Oh boy, I've not had anything happen like that. I've had a couple 20-minute delays or something.
Speaker 4:Well see, that's what we thought. We thought, well, it's just going to be a delay. So we're sitting there and it's like an hour and a half two hours.
Speaker 4:This is in Germany Wait and wait and wait. And the worst thing about it was my son lived like an hour and a half away, so as soon as we went through the gates he left, you know. So you know we really it was kind of dumb to go, you know, call him, come back, pick us up, drive another hour and a half, you know, and then drive an hour and a half home.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it was, but it was nice, it was interesting. They put us up in a hotel and they fed us oh nice and they says you know, be be back here at seven o'clock in the morning to get on, get the bus to go back to the airport. But it was different.
Speaker 3:It was unexpected.
Speaker 4:Yeah, but I mean it was a learning experience. You know, you learn how other people run things and it's completely different than you know the way we do things here in the United States.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:But it was interesting, it was nice, I mean, the people were nice, you know.
Speaker 2:Well, and sometimes the unexpected is what gives somebody the opportunity to be, charitable to be you know to do something for you, you know, to practice those Christian principles. Right, we're all trying to uphold you know, yeah, you know, being part of the plan, it's like well, yeah, you have to be the. I don't know how I want to say it, but you know you're on the sharp end of the stick, I guess, while the other person gets to have the blessing. Yeah, you know or gets to you know, exercise that.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 4:But yeah, that whole ordeal, though, was a blessing, because they gave us, like I forget what it was, I mean how a blessing because they gave us, like uh, I forget what it was I mean how many free flying miles, you know, and phone cards and you know, so we could call home, which we were supposed to be home like the next day, because the dogs were in the kennel, you know, somebody was taking care of the house, I mean it was, you know, but we get, I mean got everything you know, but we got, I mean got everything you know handled. Plus, I got a free flight to where did I go? To Either Texas or Washington State, I forget which one Visit my son. And then Linda she had the same deal, I think she went to Washington. But you know, it was a blessing in disguise.
Speaker 2:Is it Michael that says don't steal my blessing.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So you have to look at it that way sometimes. Sometimes, yeah, you're in those situations and that's going to be somebody else's blessing, that you're in it, right, right to be taken care of. But, yeah, sometimes you don't see that.
Speaker 3:You know it's hard to see that right, but to consider that he stole that from ray porter, though, and he said that before, but yeah, no, don't you rob me of my blessing, now. Oh, that's right. Yeah, that's right yeah, actually was it a flat tire that he was telling him that, for I feel like it might have been.
Speaker 1:I think you're right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think that is the story that he's told let us know, michael, right, if you're listening, let us know in the comments. We're going to test and see if he's listening.
Speaker 2:He comes flying in the room.
Speaker 4:This is only a test.
Speaker 2:Comes sliding in like Kramer yeah.
Speaker 4:He's got a birthday party tonight, so he's kind of tied down.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I saw that.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, I saw that Because he had to leave early.
Speaker 1:Yes, as all of these situations are tests, I've got to learn better self-control. That is my test, still working on my self-control and my tone.
Speaker 3:It's so hard to look at it that way though. Yeah, it is when you're living, especially when you're living in the the world, the pace of the everyday world, like it's so hard during that moment to look at it that way you know, everybody says live in the moment, yeah, right, they're trying to do but.
Speaker 2:I don't want to oh, you're right. A lot of times like you gotta be able to remove yourself yes, from the situation. Yes in order to look above and say okay, you know, how should I really handle this? Instead of just being in the moment and, you know, just making a complete mess of everything. Yeah, yeah, but it's hard. Oh yeah, yeah, but I'd say that's a struggle for most people, I think. I think self-control is, you know, it's not easy.
Speaker 1:Well, no, and when you've been so independent and you're able to do everything on your own, all of your life. And you know, now Dad's 83, soon to be 84 in September and, like I said, his mind's getting a little. But it's like Dad, just let me help you. No, you know, no, you know. And so he struggled, and struggled, and struggled, and I'm getting more frustrated because he won't let me help. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4:They don't want to lose their independence.
Speaker 1:Exactly yes.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And I understand that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and especially he's like you're my daughter.
Speaker 1:I don't want that. I don't want that you taught me how to change a tire, Dad Right that you taught me how to change a tire.
Speaker 3:Dad, let me help, let me help you.
Speaker 4:Yes, yes yep, this is why you showed me how to do this, exactly, exactly, yeah and it's like the.
Speaker 3:I think you're saying people lack the self-control. Like yeah, they do.
Speaker 2:Like no wonder we have so many addiction problems you know, like, like, if you look at it that way like.
Speaker 3:I think we all struggle with self-control, like in all circumstances, whether that's just keeping your mouth shut or even just meditating on something before acting out Right.
Speaker 4:Engage brain before mouth.
Speaker 2:Yes, I only found one really good scripture that I was looking for other ones. This is the only one I thought really fit the bill. It's Romans 12.12. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer, share with God's people who are in need and practice hospitality.
Speaker 4:That's a good one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I had the Romans 8.28 where you know, God just turns everything for our good you know yeah, so I had that one.
Speaker 3:Well, I had another twist. It was basically Isaiah 60.22. The smallest family will become a thousand people and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation. At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen. So it's like, even if you're trying all the things and plans to make sure everything lines up on your way, or you know, he's still going to make it happen. If that's what he wants, done you know what I mean.
Speaker 4:It's not your way, it's God's way.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yep, well, you know and I was just scrolling through Facebook the other night, and so just a funny thing Just faith doesn't always take you out of the problem. Faith takes you through the problem. Yes, faith doesn't always take away the pain. Faith gives you the ability to handle the pain, gives you the ability to handle the pain. Faith doesn't always take you out of the storm.
Speaker 3:Faith calms you in the midst of the storm. Yes, yeah, so you're still going through the storm, right?
Speaker 2:yeah, but it's a calm but right, you're calm in the storm yeah, yeah we're more calm, yeah well, and you're like you're talking about the numbers. You know it doesn't matter. You know money is very important to a lot of people. You know you think if you can build up wealth and build up all these other things and you know forestall garage and yeah all these other things, and then you know it doesn't matter.
Speaker 2:I mean you can be stricken down with cancer, just yep, like everybody else I mean all those putting your faith in all of those things you know, if that's your, I suppose a lot of people lean on things like that as their comfort, as their security.
Speaker 3:It's like, oh well, money can buy everything.
Speaker 2:You know, that's how they live. Their life is by building things up and it's just like it doesn't matter, it's going to get you just the same as everybody else. You're going to have those challenges.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know you can't hide behind wealth, or you know status or anything like that. You know, and that doesn't mean you know you're not a good person, but it's just at the end of the day, you just have to be careful where you're putting your faith. Yeah, Because when it comes time to need patience and humility and self-control and all those things, your pretty car is not really going to help you much.
Speaker 2:You'll lose sight of your prized possessions really quick. When something like that's happened, all you're going to have to lean on is your faith. That that's it. So yeah, you got to keep that in mind too, um I had this you know, for us 80s kids this has been a tough, tough couple weeks. We lost hulk hogan. That one hurt yeah and then, uh, I don't know if you know who r Sandberg?
Speaker 3:was.
Speaker 2:You know we all loved him as a kid baseball player for the Chicago Cubs. It's like what are you doing?
Speaker 3:I saw something say bubble wrap Willie Nelson, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, yeah, somebody, please go bubble wrap Willie Nelson right now at Willie Nelson right now. But talking about Hulk Hogan, I said you know if I've got four columns pedestals to my childhood. He's like one of them yeah. One of those kicks it out from under you and you know, and then you know Ryan Sandberg, and so, yeah, because you start to think you know Ryan Sandberg was 65, hulk Hogan was 71, and I'm 45, and I'm thinking, okay, I might have 20 years left, ah, you got more than that.
Speaker 2:I'm just saying you might.
Speaker 4:Yeah, but yeah.
Speaker 2:You can look at it and go, I might have 20, 25 years left. And I remember when I was in my 20s. I'm thinking it seems like a long time ago, but ago, but it really wasn't. And you think, wow, like a lot of time is already gone. Yeah, you know, and the next 25 years. If I don't, if I don't appreciate it, if I, if I don't, um live in the moment. Yeah, start smashing coffee machines with baseball bats.
Speaker 3:You know what?
Speaker 2:I'm saying but uh, you just, I don't know it gives you a perspective yeah that you know your life is goes very quickly, and then everybody tells you you know, the older you get, the faster it goes amen to that, uh-huh you know, and so it's like you, don't you just realize? You don't want to waste any time on foolish things. Yeah, and sometimes having a bad temper, things like that.
Speaker 3:Is foolish, it's foolish, yeah.
Speaker 2:And you just realize that you know to have patience and humility is just more important than anything else you're chasing after.
Speaker 3:Yeah, especially like all the people that sit and dwell and like, oh, woe is me, like think of all that time that they're putting into, and like all that energy they're putting in, just to be miserable right and, like you said, I have to add forgiveness to that, patience and humility as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, that as well, yeah it's just, yeah, it just really does give you a perspective that you know. It's like I was just. I was just 10 years old, just 10 years 20 years you know now Hulk Hogan's dead, it's like how is this possible?
Speaker 2:Right, you know, how is this possible. And then it was like Ryan Sandberg. You hear just about how great of a guy he was and how he approached the game and how steady he was and he and they said he never said much, he was always calm, he was always like the voice of reason.
Speaker 1:You know, the guy that had a lot of self-control, that's my dad. My dad is very calm.
Speaker 2:You know he played the game with that, with that level of yeah, you know self-control and um, just no matter what happens, he kept us cool and played the game the same way all the time and you appreciate that, um, and then you, like I said, it's so sad that you know he got cancer and within a couple years you know he's gone and again it just goes back to you know it's going to touch, something's going to touch all of us at some point, you know, and if we can look back on ourselves the way, maybe that he could you know, then I think that says a lot more than well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he was a famous baseball player so he could afford, you know, cars and go out to fancy restaurants and have a big house and all those things. All those things are going to be meaningless. Nobody's going to remember those things, but the way he played the game and the way he conducted himself is what everybody's going to remember for all time.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So I think, just looking at our lives, you know we can't get caught up in trying to. You know waiting on the next, you know remodel, or the next nice car that we want, or you know whatever it is in your life that you chase.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know it's not going to do you much good in the end if you don't, if you don't have that relationship with christ and and what did I hear one time? If god has you in the waiting, do what a waiter does serve yeah, yeah yeah, if we're in the waiting, well, and I think that's another thing about you know, being in the unexpected is when those situation arise. You should be thinking, okay, how can I serve in this situation? Yeah, you know, being in the unexpected is when those situations arise.
Speaker 2:You should be thinking okay how can I serve in this situation? You know, because I think that's what again going back to having that default mode of saying okay, I know, I'm in this situation, I don't like it. Yep, it's uncomfortable. You know, I'd rather go home right now, go back to bed, but I can't. So, rather than be upset and you, you know, get everybody else upset around me, how can I be a leader? How can I? Yeah, you know, fix the situation. How can I be the example? You know all those things.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, I think that's perfect yeah, I was just going to add, like with the comparing, you know, and looking for the next best thing, like I think that's really important to you know, realize and understand, especially with today's society. Like you know, on social media or you could even be, I don't know, just you could even just be scrolling, like, oh, you know, those oddly satisfying videos, you know, and or those ASMR things that just sound nice and relaxing. But then someone had, like I think they were doing a relaxing cleaning of a shower or something. I'm like, oh OK, this is nice. But then all of a sudden I'm comparing, like what her shower looks like versus what mine is, not even like the cleanliness, just like the aesthetics, you know, and I'm like oh my gosh like here.
Speaker 3:I thought I was doing myself a favor, you know, giving myself a little treat to watch this video. And then here comes this comparison. You know what I'm saying like it's got three shower heads yeah, right yeah, like darn it, mine only has one. But yeah, it's just something, because you know a lot of people say, oh well, yeah. So you know, social media, is that that one.
Speaker 3:That's comparison and stuff but, there's little things that just creep into you and like, like that video I'm just watching. Then I'm like wait a minute, why am I feeling this way? I should not be feeling this way right now. So I don't know yeah, well again, it's human nature to to want the next best thing, next best thing, keeping up with the joneses, yeah, yeah it's hard to ever be satisfied.
Speaker 2:But you know and there is some positives to you know a lot of people say you should never be satisfied, you should always want to go to the next level. But I think you gotta kind of measure that and like you never know.
Speaker 3:Like okay, nick, you know my neighbor a catty corner from me, so like, next time you're walking near my house, just notice they're. They've been putting a lot of work into their house, but like what? A lot of people don't know because they, you know, told us that they took out a loan. So basically they're paying their mortgage plus more to get it done.
Speaker 3:So it's like they're probably obviously financially hurting more than us right now because they're trying to get that done. You know, like a lot of people just look at it as oh they're, they must be bringing in the big bucks, yeah yeah, no actually, they're probably just a little bit Right. Exactly yeah.
Speaker 2:They're going out on a limb to.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Because they can't be patient.
Speaker 3:Yeah, exactly. Wait till they have it. Wait till they have it. Exactly, they have a little bit more money.
Speaker 2:They're just willing to. Yeah, go for it everything like you said you can look at somebody else's life, go, wow, that must. That must be nice. Yeah, sometimes I have. It's a bad habit sometimes when I'm driving, like in the neighborhood, and I'll be looking at houses and sometimes I'll think I'll bet you they're just in their house just relaxing with their feet up watching tv and everything.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I gotta go nice and quiet you Nice and quiet, you know, and they probably haven't had any drama today. I'm thinking like that's probably not the case at all. Sometimes I'll think that, like I'll think must be nice, you know, because I'll just see like just a little light in their window.
Speaker 3:You'll just see the TV on.
Speaker 2:But in all reality that TV's been playing like non-stop for three years and that's their electric bill going up but you're just like, oh, they've just got it kicked back. They're watching this tv show.
Speaker 3:You know to come home every night just you know, but yeah, it's like, don't do that. No, it's like that's not reality everybody's.
Speaker 2:Most people are, you know, yeah, in the same boat and everybody has issues and, you know, got things they have to do and take care of. Yeah, everybody got called into work early or has to go and stay late or planned on not working tomorrow and got called in. There's always something, yeah, with the unexpected. I guess if you're living well, I suppose there's something always unexpected, because if there's not, I guess you really aren't going anywhere.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:You know if you're sitting on the curb every day? I guess no, you probably don't explain that that much. You know, yeah, unexpected happening Because you're not moving. You're not, you know.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So maybe there's something positive in the fact that, yeah, if you're moving in life, if you're, you know, trying to do what you need to do, yep. You know, you got to learn to hit that curveball. Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1:That unexpected. He's taking us to the next level. He's trying to teach us something, whatever it is whatever it might be.
Speaker 3:Yep, stretching you thin, yeah.
Speaker 2:Can't expect a fastball in the middle of the plate.
Speaker 3:Yeah, every time For the third pitch, you know, yeah, it's like yeah, you got to learn to hit the slider, the curveball.
Speaker 2:Now they got so many pitches Mm-hmm. You know, I don't know how how they do it really I know. But uh, yeah, well, that's, that's kind of a great metaphor for life yeah, you want to go around the bases. You gotta learn the pitches. Yeah, you do, you got you know. You gotta be prepared for all kinds of things and learn when they're gonna throw the pitches. Yeah, yeah I mean, I would just like to get walked once in a while, just you know.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'd like to hit a home run for just one time. Just walk me, intentional, walk me once in a while you can even hit me with the ball, and then I can walk.
Speaker 2:Not in the hip or anything.
Speaker 3:Maybe the helmet, that would be nice, not too hard, or just one of the ones where it just kind of nicks the sleeve. Yeah where they're like did that actually hit him, gotcha?
Speaker 2:Take your base.
Speaker 4:I've been hit with the ball, but you still got to go in the next time.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, so you know A sore arm, it's not that easy, yeah.
Speaker 2:You know it's a free walk for a moment.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, you're great for a little while you know, but you still may only get to first base.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:You know, because you're depending on your next player.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that's all the further you'll get yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and then you get kicked off and you've got to start all over again.
Speaker 2:You got caught napping and got tagged out at first.
Speaker 4:Yep and you got to start all over.
Speaker 3:You got caught in a rundown Yep, you were almost there. You were almost there.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I never was real fast, that's why I didn't, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's looking around in the stand.
Speaker 4:Yeah, watching little birds.
Speaker 3:Blowing his bubble gum.
Speaker 4:Butterflies, little butterflies, aren't they cute.
Speaker 3:Picking dandelions yeah.
Speaker 2:I wonder when the hot dogs are going to rain. Is that the fifth inning or the sixth inning?
Speaker 4:Is it going to rain? It's going to rain hot dogs.
Speaker 3:Yeah, all right, I missed that part All righty there you go All righty, all righty Lynn Well so yeah, I dedicate this episode to mine, sandberg. And Oscar Mayer.
Speaker 4:And Oscar Mayer. Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Mayer.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, you probably know the really old song, yeah, yeah. I was just kidding, it was $7 for a hot dog when I went there a few weeks ago.
Speaker 3:Is that right?
Speaker 2:$7.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think it's been like that for a few years now, and it wasn't even a foot long. No, oh, you know what, though? I'm going to a game this Sunday, I was going to say I'm going to one on the 15th.
Speaker 4:Save your money. Well, it's dollar dog night, it's fireworks, yeah we got fireworks, something else, they're getting them, little Vienna sausages, they're so skinny.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they're not giving you the regular, ours is a Sunday afternoon game while my son's home, because he's like, well, we can go during the week, and then he's like, oh no, we can't, because they're playing the Mets during the week.
Speaker 4:So we can't go then, oh yeah, dang it.
Speaker 3:I can't think of what else would they be? Oh, is it a t-shirt? Maybe, maybe a t-shirt.
Speaker 2:It's a bobblehead. They don't even use the t-shirt cannons anymore.
Speaker 3:You know who does, though the Cavs.
Speaker 2:Oh, do they.
Speaker 4:Oh, and there's sky rockets, it's.
Speaker 2:They don't even. Mm-hmm, I mean they got Don't say that too loud the he's already wanted to buy one Not to pass offense, but they got a few small teenage girls throwing them into the stands. Oh, I know they can't get them more than three rows deep. Uh-uh, uh-uh. So yeah, like the same kid gets four t-shirts, nobody else gets one.
Speaker 3:First 10,000 fans gets a free shirt. Fireworks and Dollar Dog night. So it is a shirt. That's a good one, yeah.
Speaker 4:So you better be there early.
Speaker 3:Well, yeah, but I, you know, god forbid, I leave work an hour early, because last time I left an hour early it was like a tornado. We'll see, it starts at 710. And I get, I'm telling them, I don't know, maybe I'll leave at four.
Speaker 4:There you go, there you go. You're going to have to give yourself plenty of time for the traffic, I know. And then you get there and it's going to take you an hour to get into the stadium and then you're going to get your t-shirt. We already booked our parking spot too.
Speaker 3:We already have a parking spot. That's a good idea. I need to do that.
Speaker 4:Maybe I'll leave about 3.30.
Speaker 3:Well, that's what I did last time, for maybe the game was 7.10.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and what time did you get there In your seat, like 6.20, 6.25,.
Speaker 3:I think we were in the seat.
Speaker 2:Yes, but you had we had somebody sitting in our seats when we got there, so I had to go back up tell the guy I felt like such a tattletale. Can you go tell the guy it felt like such a?
Speaker 4:tattletale. Can you go tell the job? That was very admirable of you, because I just said hey bud, you're in my seat, let me see your ticket, Tickets please. Get your ticket here.
Speaker 1:Sunday 82 degrees, so it shouldn't be too terribly hot.
Speaker 4:while we're there, you'll get the breeze off the lake.
Speaker 3:That'll be nice, yeah.
Speaker 4:If it's breezing.
Speaker 3:Should be. It will be Breezing.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that's like wind. I know Breezing, yeah, but you have to have you know Wind, yeah. Did you ever see anybody hauling a sailboat fuel?
Speaker 3:no, but my, my brother-in-law is like a sailor, like I see what you're saying. What, oh, all right, I, I don't know. There's no more brain cells. There's none, pastor roger, it's the hot dog. All right, there's no more rain cells?
Speaker 1:There's none, pastor Roger. It's the hot dog race, not raining hot dogs, oh, hot dog race.
Speaker 3:And they have. Onion is now who's the new one? Is it onion? Oh I don't know, it's a girl.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think it is onion, onion, and she's all sparkly and dazzling and holds a purse and runs.
Speaker 1:She wasn't there last year when I went, they got ketchup mustard, yeah, I think onion is the new one Do they have relish too.
Speaker 3:I feel like they don't. I think so. There's four of them. Is it ketchup mustard and then ballpark mustard Two mustards. We have two mustards in my house. I have ballpark mustard and then onions Two mustards. Yeah, we have two mustards in my house. I have ballpark mustard and yellow mustard.
Speaker 4:I can't remember them, yeah, but if you were at the ballpark you'd get ballpark mustard. They're not going to carry two. You either take the ballpark or you just do without, yeah.
Speaker 3:Who was the? Is the other one? Like they wouldn't have mayo.
Speaker 2:I was yeah, no, not on Uh-uh no.
Speaker 4:Maybe it is relish, maybe peanut butter, peanut butter On your hot dog. I know people put peanut butter on their hot dog, on their Sloppy Joes? Huh yeah, that's kind of what I saw. I never tried it, but I like peanut butter. I never tried it. No, what are these? Are these people that are dressed as I'm? Just, I'm, I'm dead serious, I've never, I've never seen them.
Speaker 3:Oh, you haven't they run around, they yeah, the hot dog.
Speaker 4:Yeah, do they chase the hot dog?
Speaker 3:try to get on top of him no, they've got like a buzz is it's not in the seventh inning stretch A bus no.
Speaker 2:Sixth inning, I think, oh, golf carts.
Speaker 3:No, they've got a buzzer. Like they go, you know three, two, one, and then they run around, and then they run. It might be to Mario Kart too.
Speaker 4:Is it?
Speaker 3:Mario Kart sound Around the bases. Yeah, oh, I was going to see. Yeah, yeah, oh, I was going to see.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what is?
Speaker 3:it? Who is spicy mustards? Okay.
Speaker 4:So we've got pink, pink lemonade.
Speaker 2:Michael will be so proud of us.
Speaker 1:Right, he's like they should have closed down prayer a long time ago.
Speaker 3:Ketchup mustard onion and newcomer spicy mustard. So the newcomer was spicy mustard. But, they've had onion Interesting. Oh, here's the picture, roger.
Speaker 2:So they actually race.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and they push each other and they fall down and do flips.
Speaker 2:I think onion was hitting the other one with her purse.
Speaker 3:Probably.
Speaker 4:That's pretty neat. Yeah, I mean I was being dead serious. Yeah, Anything for a gimmick.
Speaker 1:Yep, alright, well it's Beth, oh look at her. She's always on vacation we're going to have to remember that she's always on vacation.
Speaker 3:I feel like we should put a sign, like a paper, and say hey, beth, it's your turn to pray tonight, so we don't forget.
Speaker 2:I think we should just call her She'll use that we're out at the boat.
Speaker 1:I didn't have any service.
Speaker 3:Exactly that's what I was about to say. All right, so, nick, would you mind? Okay, let me get us ready.
Speaker 4:Okay, all right.
Speaker 2:Lord, thank you for bringing us all here together tonight. I know that you know we never know what's coming up in our life next. You know there's always challenges that we have to face that will come as a surprise to us. But the one thing I do know is that, no matter what comes our way, with you at our center, we can always handle those problems. We can always help other people handle their problems.
Speaker 4:Yes.
Speaker 2:And we can just take anything that may seem at first like something unfortunate. We can turn those things into a blessing. We can be leaders, we can guide people and just keep our life going in the direction that you would see fit. And I just pray that we can continue to do those things and I know that we can as long as we always look to your guidance first. I pray that we all have safe travels tonight. I pray we can all meet again here next week. I say all these things in your precious name, amen, amen.
