Ever found yourself stuck in the dreaded 'password jail'? You're not alone! Join us as we laugh about these all-too-relatable scenarios and discuss our grandparents’ frugal ways with coffee. But the fun doesn't stop there. We kick things up a notch with a hilarious game of “To Have, To Hold, To Heck With It”, leading to some surprising choices. We bet you can't guess Nate's unexpected knowledge about Taylor Swift's lyrics!
From the lighthearted to the heartfelt, our conversation takes a turn to the topic of hope amidst despair. Drawing strength from Philippians 4 and the inspiring story of Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch woman who found hope in the most hopeless of situations, we explore the importance of faith, resilience and the power of God's promises.
Concluding our rollercoaster of an episode, we delve into the importance of seeking help, having grace for ourselves and holding onto faith in the face of adversity.
From chuckles over password woes to introspection over life's trials, this episode is a journey you don't want to miss. Tune in and let's walk this path together.
Ever found yourself stuck in the dreaded 'password jail'? You're not alone! Join us as we laugh about these all-too-relatable scenarios and discuss our grandparents’ frugal ways with coffee. But the fun doesn't stop there. We kick things up a notch with a hilarious game of “To Have, To Hold, To Heck With It”, leading to some surprising choices. We bet you can't guess Nate's unexpected knowledge about Taylor Swift's lyrics!
From the lighthearted to the heartfelt, our conversation takes a turn to the topic of hope amidst despair. Drawing strength from Philippians 4 and the inspiring story of Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch woman who found hope in the most hopeless of situations, we explore the importance of faith, resilience and the power of God's promises.
Concluding our rollercoaster of an episode, we delve into the importance of seeking help, having grace for ourselves and holding onto faith in the face of adversity.
From chuckles over password woes to introspection over life's trials, this episode is a journey you don't want to miss. Tune in and let's walk this path together.
Welcome back everyone. Hello, great to see you all. How are you guys doing today? Good, how are you?
Speaker 2:I feel low energy. I know I do too.
Speaker 3:We don't have coffee here with us. That was a main difference.
Speaker 2:Whose job was that?
Speaker 3:The intern Nate, that's me.
Speaker 1:Nate's not the intern, but I could be. You got the coffee last time.
Speaker 2:I did, I did.
Speaker 1:I was just assuming that it would happen again. I let you down.
Speaker 2:I almost texted this morning and offered, but then I was like, oh, it's going to be cold by the time we start. There was a whole lot.
Speaker 3:Cold coffee is still good.
Speaker 2:Cold coffee is still coffee, is that?
Speaker 3:what you're saying. Yeah, it's still coffee.
Speaker 1:Wait really though yeah, it's still good. Would you microwave it?
Speaker 3:Oh, yeah, oh yeah, I had to microwave it oh yeah.
Speaker 1:So my grandpa was kind of like known for you make a pot of coffee, he'd have like a cup. That pot might last him the whole week. That is gross, oh my gosh, that's disgusting.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so he would just like the next cup. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so he would just like the next day pour a cup, heat it up in the microwave and just keep on going until that pot was gone.
Speaker 2:I mean maybe the day. Maybe the day, like Nate is. He'll make a whole pot and then by the end of the day, if there's some left, he'll heat it up. But I can't. I can't go past couple hours.
Speaker 3:But Nate's like ooh, I've had a lot of bad like gas station coffee in my life, so I've built up a tolerance.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, an iron stomach over there, yeah.
Speaker 1:Man, I feel like where I spend a lot of money on coffee is not because I need the caffeine or because I like, love, love, love coffee. Yeah, it's when I'm driving and I just want to drink something warm. Yeah. And I just end up buying the coffee. I get it. I have an opening thought today. It's not necessarily positive or fun, but it's maybe relatable. Okay, have you ever found your? Have you ever found yourself in password jail all the time I cannot stand what is going on right now.
Speaker 1:So you know, the Salvation Army asks you, like every couple months to change your password. But that password is to your computer, it goes to your.
Speaker 1:The internet usage, the your email, but also your share drives. And then that stuff is connected to your phones. But then the passwords are different to your banks and to all your internet accounts and like, oh my goodness, yeah, it's bad. But when you try to use those, like someone listening, I'd be like, well, why don't you just use your phone? I'd be like, well, why don't you just use like a password vault or like one of those apps Like so passwords get saved on Chrome, passwords get saved on Safari. I use the website called last pass.
Speaker 1:And it's like you can either use it on a mobile or you can use it on a desktop, but you can't do both. And so when all these I know so, when all these passwords change, I just like either the certain browser is not like up to date or my I am just like I'm over it.
Speaker 2:I did you know. Have you used keychain in Mac?
Speaker 1:Yes, and that's like another. But that's another thing, yeah, so like if I save something, my best guess, like still it's not very helpful. I am just like I'm done. I'm about ready to open the window, throw my computer right out and just call it a day.
Speaker 2:The worst is when you get a new phone and you have to sign in all over to Facebook and Instagram, or your calendars, your contacts like everything.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm the king of. Just add one number to the password, so I think I'm up to like password 38 right now. Oh my good.
Speaker 2:Well, every time I know he's either password 38 or I asked recently I'm like hey, what's your password for this? And it was Nate, and then his full social security number. And I was like I'm not kidding, no this is rule 101.
Speaker 3:Here's the problem. Here's the problem they would not let me set the password with any of my previous passwords, and so I need to pick something I'm going to remember.
Speaker 2:Jackson, loretta, brooklyn anything?
Speaker 3:Yes, all taken, all taken. Can't do it again.
Speaker 1:So when you read stories online that say like someone's entire life savings went taken, and you're like how could this person be that that's Nate Well.
Speaker 3:I have nothing social security number. I have nothing for them to take, so jokes on you.
Speaker 2:I think it was Nate full social security exclamation Like it was something wild I couldn't believe it.
Speaker 3:Sorry, wow, this always turns into like a Nate shame.
Speaker 1:No, I don't think so. That's not true.
Speaker 2:Well, just kidding.
Speaker 1:So that's my opening thought. We're going to launch right into our first game. Yep, all right. So there's a very crude term for this game and I think a lot of people have played it, but people might know it as Mary kill. And then there's a third word. But so we're going to third word. Yeah, yeah. So, we're going to play a game called to have to hold to heck with it. I like it, I like it.
Speaker 2:That's good, so fun is this Disney version.
Speaker 1:So I'm going to start with Nate. Yeah, I'm going to give you a category and you're going to get three options. So if you have to select each one of these, so to have means you get to choose that thing one time, right, never again Got it To hold. Means that you're choosing that thing for the rest of your life, over and over and over and over, something you're never, ever going to get tired of. And then to heck with it means you're never going to experience that again. You don't want any part of it. It's out.
Speaker 3:Okay, cut off, got it.
Speaker 1:Okay, so here's the first category. Nate, I have prepared this for you. The first category is clothing. Oh, wow, I know, you know, nate the fashion aficionado. All right Clothing. Here are your three options Nate, okay, first one. Your Salvation Army uniform Okay, second option. Second option we're going to go all of fall clothing. We're going to include hoodies, jeans, sneakers, like fall clothing yeah Big option. Your third option Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey. Wow, so you have to have to hold, to heck with it. Salvation Army uniform, fall clothing and Steelers Jersey.
Speaker 3:Well, what do you got? I mean, if I'm thinking, I'm thinking too much into this, but that's what this is about.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's what this is about.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, if I was thinking from a professional point of view.
Speaker 2:I would.
Speaker 3:I wouldn't get rid of the uniform because it's it's my identity and I don't think I would have a job if I got rid of that. So I would have to.
Speaker 1:So to hold is the uniform I'd have to hold it.
Speaker 3:You wear the uniform every.
Speaker 1:I think everyone listening might have a different answer.
Speaker 2:But okay so. Nate is picking to hold I think others around this table might have a different answer.
Speaker 3:I know, I mean like it's with it's not with my heart, it's with my head, right.
Speaker 1:All right. So then, of the, the remaining two, which ones are you wearing one time and never again for the rest of your life? Steelers, jersey or fall clothing?
Speaker 3:Well, probably fall clothing, I guess.
Speaker 1:And then, so to heck with it. Wait, wait, wait, wait. So you're saying you would never wear a Steelers. Jersey ever again, for the rest of your life. It's over. It's over.
Speaker 2:Gotta burn them all, I mean.
Speaker 3:I could still wear it like a Steelers, like hoodie, right, no, no no, I'm saying. Oh, any Steelers? Okay, okay, then, never mind, reverse, reverse the two okay, so you get to.
Speaker 1:So he's gonna pick one day for the rest of his life to wear Steelers, everything, and then never again.
Speaker 3:Yeah, but he's gonna say a good day every single day.
Speaker 1:He's okay wearing a salvage arm uniform and then to heck with it with fall clothing. No more hoodies, wow.
Speaker 3:No more jeans, yeah he's gonna be in uniform. It's gonna be great.
Speaker 1:It's gonna be great. Okay, nate, I have one more category for you, but you can pick the category Okay. So I'm gonna give you a choice. You can either pick Vacations, okay, or NFL quarterbacks. Oh, nfl quarterbacks, let's go, of course. Of course. He chose NFL quarterbacks. All right to have to hold to heck with it. Okay, you got Mack Jones, new England Patriots.
Speaker 2:Okay, zack Wilson knew this was coming.
Speaker 1:You're jets, I knew it, and Kenny pick it. Pittsburgh Steelers, oh, come on. All right. So why don't we start with who's the quarterback?
Speaker 3:for the rest of your days, the rest of my days out of those three Yep I have to see. I have to say that the sample size is smaller on Kenny pick it than it is Mack Jones and Zack Wilson. Okay and so, just out of pure hopefully, ceiling that hasn't been realized yet, I'd have to go Kenny, pick it to keep forever, of course.
Speaker 1:He's loyal.
Speaker 2:Yeah, of course, even though he only wore his Pittsburgh stuff for one day and then throw it all away.
Speaker 3:No, it's gonna be a good day. It's gonna be when we win the big one, get the quarterback of your life. Yeah, okay, now lose the quarterback for one.
Speaker 1:Let's say you're in the playoffs, kenny pick, it gets injured. This is the Super Bowl. Okay, you have to have a quarterback for one game.
Speaker 3:Mack Jones. Wow Sorry. I mean we've seen the way the season is going.
Speaker 2:I don't know if I don't, I don't, I honestly, thought it was, I was gonna be Zack, and then you're just gonna be, you know no, this is it a loyal hater of the past.
Speaker 3:Mack Jones is not. Mack Jones is not it. He is not a franchise quarterback. But you cannot blame All of the failure Around the Patriots this year on Mack Jones like you can the receivers get no separation. The offensive line is trash. If you put him on a on a Super Bowl team, you put him on a Super Bowl team. I have to think that he can manage the game better than Zach Wilson.
Speaker 1:All right, all right, nate. Well, good job. So he has to to have once is Mack Jones to hold. Kenny, pick it. Wow, to heck with it, zach Wilson. There we go. All right, loretta, your turn.
Speaker 2:Okay, I chose for Matt, so this we joked about this one in our little planning meeting, but I need to know okay. This is just like a life. The category is life hobbies. Hobbies, aquariums, fish tanks, okay.
Speaker 1:Golf. I don't think we've ever talked about my aquarium on the podcast, but go ahead, have we not?
Speaker 2:so aquarium, golf and lawn care, lawn care, good Lord which one to have to hold to heck with the three like most like middle-aged dad Categories you've ever heard of you can only do these things when you have new balances and like high white socks.
Speaker 1:But Okay, to heck with it. I'm saying the aquarium.
Speaker 2:Wow, okay.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'll take your fish. It's cool.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's fine.
Speaker 2:That's fine, all right to heck with.
Speaker 1:It is the aquarium. I think that's kind of an easy one to have into hold. Let's see, I Think to hold Forever. I got to go with golf, really yeah, I'm sticking with golf and then long care. I would do like one day, like if they're really good.
Speaker 1:One day I made me the groundskeeper for the World Series and I like was like, like mowing stripes into the outfield one day, give me one day, but that's awesome yeah well, for those who don't know, there is a top golf that is opening up literally like a hundred yards away.
Speaker 3:From where we're seated right now.
Speaker 1:So I may never work again.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Matt might be there every lunch break.
Speaker 1:Every lunch break.
Speaker 2:We'll be doing this via like teams. Matt will be over at lunch break.
Speaker 1:Yeah we're gonna do the podcast via teams. I'll just be on my phone.
Speaker 2:All right, so that was hobbies, okay, food mm.
Speaker 1:Okay wings Chili oh coffee oh man, that is rough, right is hard.
Speaker 2:Like I don't hold to heck with it.
Speaker 1:I don't know if I could function without coffee right. Yeah, I think chili I could live without. I'm gonna say to heck with it with chili. I do love chili. It's very seasonal, though for me, that's true, I would never don't want chili in the summer. Oh yeah, like chili, dogs are good. You're processing all of the things you're getting rid of processing in real time. Okay, chili, to heck with it. What we say wings and coffee.
Speaker 3:That is a tough one yeah.
Speaker 1:I think I could learn to live Without coffee, Wow. I'm gonna take wings to hold, okay, cuz that is like when we have mass brass Mondays. Like I know, the invitation is out to everyone in the band. Yeah we have to go out for wings afterwards, but wings is like man, that's my, it's my love life, I love language. So all right, those are good categories.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thank you. Yeah, you're welcome.
Speaker 1:Then Nate, you prepared for your wife I did.
Speaker 3:My first category is shopping. Okay, so to hold to hold or to heck with it.
Speaker 2:All right target Amazon oh or Starbucks.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's a twist. It is a twist.
Speaker 2:Huh, I think I could do without Starbucks Okay so I mean, you can get coffee other places exactly I'm gonna say, I'm gonna say target To have, that's the one day right. Yeah so I'd stock up for life In one shopping in a warehouse.
Speaker 3:Just rent out a warehouse.
Speaker 1:She goes $50,000 in debt to stock up for life.
Speaker 2:Well, Nate, you told me I had to have or to hold, but I say to hold Amazon. Amazon has so many things.
Speaker 3:It's so, so convenient, so convenient to leave your house.
Speaker 2:I just ordered, like print cartridges that will be there between 5 and 10 pm.
Speaker 3:It is prime day, yeah, prime day.
Speaker 1:Yes, it is.
Speaker 3:So, those are. That would be where I go with that. It's a good one, I like it. Yep, all right, so my next one is hygiene.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow, okay, Careful here, nate, would you. Mate is always on the verge of like marital fights, like in the pod. I know I've all of it between. Does the Rita use soap?
Speaker 3:go Between already just saying Zach Wilson, like we know that he's.
Speaker 2:I'm holding in all I'm smiles for the camera and saying that I'm gonna wear my uniform every single day. Okay, there we go All right, so Never shower again. Here we go.
Speaker 3:This is stupid never cut your hair again, wow, or never clip your nails.
Speaker 1:Wow, these are disgusting Wow.
Speaker 3:Those are good right. Yeah, that's perfect, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2:Or this one requires more thought than the shopping one.
Speaker 1:Yeah wait.
Speaker 2:So what it's? Never cut your hair, Never cut your nails or never shower.
Speaker 1:That is rough.
Speaker 2:I'm I just like going to live in a commune by myself.
Speaker 3:Hey, there are people that don't do this.
Speaker 2:Okay, I'm gonna say, I'm gonna say Wow. I'll cut my hair once.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 2:Okay, I'll shave it bald and then I'm good for a bit. I'm like I don't even I'd have to shower, to hold to shower and then clip, clip my nails never, never bite them, bite them.
Speaker 1:I don't think I count.
Speaker 2:No, we're talking about like you know your old days.
Speaker 1:They are curled in circles.
Speaker 2:I will never shower. Oh, I don't know.
Speaker 1:Like curls, they drag on the floor.
Speaker 2:Yeah, drag on the floor, so I'm gonna have really long hair. Freddy Krueger nails, you'll be popular you will.
Speaker 1:You have lots of friends, but you'll be. You will smell nice, so you will have showered like lucky me.
Speaker 2:Good job to have a hold to heck with it. Oh dear goodness.
Speaker 1:I don't know how to transition out of that, but we have a ministry, we have a ministry tip. We're gonna try to incorporate this in some of our podcasts and won't. It won't Be a super long segment, but I think every once while we want to give ministry tips out in the fields that we are in. So today's topic is music, and when I'm out in the core teaching or we're teaching during the summer, a lot of times we're doing brass lessons for beginner brass players. So I just want to take five minutes because I know a lot of people say like oh, I could never even make a sound On an instrument.
Speaker 1:It's so intimidating I could not play. I don't know how to do that. It's actually much more simple than you thought, especially to start beginners. So the things I want to list off before I kind of go through Maybe a first lesson here are the things that you should keep in mind when you are starting a beginner on a brass instrument. So first tip is you have to have a plan as a teacher and you have to give very clear instructions. So always stay one step ahead of the kids.
Speaker 3:So if the kids have never buzzed before.
Speaker 1:Make sure you know how to buzz before. So, have a plan, and by plan I mean, you know, come in and say like, okay, if this lesson is 15 minutes long. For five minutes we're gonna talk about the names of the parts of the instrument. For five minutes we're gonna learn how to hold the instrument and place our fingers, and the last five minutes we're actually going to make a sound.
Speaker 3:You know I have a plan.
Speaker 1:The kids that you're working with. They really will feed off of positive Encouragement and reinforcement. So find a way to communicate them that builds them up. So if I'm working with Johnny and he can't buzz and he can't make a sound and he can't get his lips to make you know the right shape, then my like words to Johnny are like Johnny, your posture is excellent right the rest of the group. Can we all?
Speaker 1:look we all sit up like Johnny. He looks like a professional, like you know. So then, all of a sudden, johnny wants to try harder because he feels really good.
Speaker 3:That can I interrupt? Yeah, absolutely. That was me when I tried to play basketball in high school. I could not do anything, I could not shoot. I'm obviously five foot three and everyone else was really tall and the man you have just great hustle, nate.
Speaker 3:Great hustle oh yeah basically what you're saying is just just no, yeah, find something, but Nate, you're basketball player now you play, I don't play it's just, you found your way well the problem is now I'm 35 and I've I can still move, and so that puts me ahead of some people that are 35, I guess. So going out with diminishing tip, go ahead, thank you.
Speaker 1:Repetition is really, really important. Once they think their teeth into what they need to do, they have to do it over and over, and if they succeed once, I'll constantly say do it again, do it again, make sure your muscle memory starts to get locked in right from the beginning. Yeah, and then, lastly, you have to move quick.
Speaker 2:I oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Find the success that they are, you know, dwelling in and then move quick, because we live in an age of TikTok and YouTube and just the shows on Netflix and all the kids shows are moving so fast, they're so loud, and I'm not saying we have to compete with those things, but we need to move at a pace where their attention is there. So, really quickly, I'm going to go through with you guys. I know you don't have mouthpieces, but I did bring my mouthpiece today. Sorry, I didn't bring mine.
Speaker 1:And so for some of the young adults that have seen me teach lessons and have worked with me, they know that I do the exact same thing every single time. There's like a basic set of starter moves that I do to get the kids into it. But if you're listening and you want to start a kid on a brass instrument, the first step is going to be can they buzz on the mouthpiece? So that's what we're going to do really quick. So the first step when I talk to the kids is there's a letter that we all say together and they're like what letter? And so I'll say you have to think of the letter M.
Speaker 1:So I'll say okay, everybody say M. Go ahead, guys, oh, m, oh yeah, and you don't have to match pitch. But as long as they say M, that forms their lips in the shape of what we call an embouchure and that's the shape to play a brass instrument. So you want to look for, when they're saying M, make sure they're not doing anything abnormal. Some kids will push their lips out and be like M. Some kids will suck their lips in like fish face, and you just want to make sure that you say to them like now, does it look like I'm trying very hard or does it look like I'm really relaxed? So I'll say M and it's really, really boring. Have them do that five times in a row, look at all of their faces and make sure that there's this really flat kind of surface.
Speaker 1:Next thing I talk to them about is you have to find the target. So in the middle of your lips, directly in the center vertically and directly in the center horizontally, is going to be a target or a bullseye. They like those names, like find the target, find the bullseye. I'll have them take the mouthpiece and I'll have them say the letter M and then place the mouthpiece. So if you're watching on YouTube, you'll go M and then simply place the mouthpiece on the lips in the target and then I'll say do it again. Now they know exactly how to shape their lips and now they know exactly where to put the mouthpiece. If you're watching on YouTube, sometimes the mouthpiece will be off to the side, and if you let them develop their muscles with the mouthpiece off to the side, it will be a hindrance forever.
Speaker 1:So you have to catch it really quick, make sure the mouthpiece is in the center. They're saying the letter M Now, where you include humor and as you're moving quickly, I always say to them okay, after the letter M, I'm going to say something funny, but you have to promise not to laugh at me. Promise not to laugh, and they get all curious. And they're like okay, I promise. And then I make them say M poo, M poo.
Speaker 1:Jackson, look at this, you the laughter so they're all saying poo together and it's a lot of fun, but essentially you're finding the next step in that mouthpiece formation being able to buzz. Is that P syllable? And after we laugh and saying poo.
Speaker 1:I have them replace that word with literally air. So without the mouthpiece, I'll have them say can you guys say M? And then they get used to blowing air. So I'm moving really quickly through this, but we'll be now. Let's blow air for four counts. Now you've involved time and I'll be snapping my fingers. So now they're involved with pulse, rhythm, time, embouchure formation using your air. Without them knowing it, you've just built this whole foundation of what they're doing so once they blow the air.
Speaker 1:The last step is what actually makes a mouthpiece buzz? And they have different answers and it's fun to listen to them. Try to understand what's going on. Yeah, science, science is when your air moves fast enough through your lips, it causes your lips to vibrate. That vibration goes through the tubing of the instrument and comes out as the sound. But if I blow the air fast enough with my lips together in that formation, you start to get a buzz. So some kids will struggle with that right off the top. But repetition, repetition repetition.
Speaker 1:And what they love doing is they love competition and right now, in this age of like TikTok, they actually love doing solos. So when I'm teaching my kids I'll say okay, we're going to buzz for four counts, and they all buzz together, and then it's okay, who can buzz for eight counts? Who can buzz for 16? And then next thing you know, they're taking these huge breaths like who can go for 20 counts?
Speaker 3:and they're like they want to win.
Speaker 1:But then I'll go down the road and say, okay, who can play a solo Like this personal buzz, this personal buzz? And then, as you go through, you can start to identify, like, okay, don't puff your cheeks, Right? Okay, you're trying too hard, Relax a little bit. Yeah, let's go back to saying the letter M. So, anyways, that's the roundabout way of your very first breath. Lesson has to do with playing the mouthpiece and once they get that buzz, the transition is so simple you put the mouthpiece in the instrument, you do the exact same thing and they're going to get their first sound.
Speaker 1:And once they get that first sound, you have to celebrate that success, no matter what it sounds like and it news flash. It's not going to sound good, like the first notes are not going to sound good, but you have to celebrate what they're doing really, really well, and making a sound on the first day is a great accomplishment.
Speaker 2:Oh, it's huge. Absolutely, that's so awesome. Jackson is loves grabbing Nate's alto horn and playing into it and we're doing the like. You know not puff your cheeks and things like that. He's also trying to sing into the instrument.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And he's like oh really into greatest showman right now Nice.
Speaker 3:Well, he loves trains, so he thinks that he's making like a train whistle when he makes some noise go through it.
Speaker 2:But it is when they make that first little buzz.
Speaker 1:It's like oh it's huge, it's awesome. So that is our ministry tip of the. I was going to say a month, I don't, but we're releasing every two weeks.
Speaker 1:So it's our ministry tip for today For today, today is October 20th, episode number 11 of the plugged in podcast. We are going to take a short break and then, after our break, we have more great stuff for you. Yeah, nate, give us a little bit of a teaser where, when we come back from the break, we got one more game, but a devotional thought. Can you give us a teaser into the devotions for today?
Speaker 3:Yeah, we're going to be focusing on Philippians, chapter four, which says that the Lord is ever present with us. Don't be anxious about things. Instead, pray. Pray about everything, because he longs to hear your requests. So talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come, and know that the peace of God, a peace that is beyond all our human understanding, will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the anointed one. And so really focusing today on the fact that God is good even when life is not very good.
Speaker 1:Perfect, All right. Thank you, Nate. We'll be back at that in just a second. So here we go. We're going to take a break. Next we will be right back. Welcome back to the Plugged In Podcasts. We are in season number two, episode number 11. What you got for us, Larita.
Speaker 2:All right. So I know I know everyone is just as excited as I am that there's a potential relationship brewing between T-Swift and T-Kelsey.
Speaker 1:T-Kelsey. Is it potential or is it for real? No, it's confirmed?
Speaker 2:I don't know. Is it confirmed?
Speaker 1:Facebook official.
Speaker 2:I don't know. I found myself like she's hanging out with Donna Kelsey in the box.
Speaker 3:man, you don't hang out with the mom unless it's for real.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's true, I mean, I'm hoping for it. I'm being also made fun of relentlessly by Bethany and other people that are like it's just the publicity sun. Anyway, what other perfect time to do a game revolving around Taylor Swift than right now? Okay, interesting. And here we go. So here's. This game is called Taylor Swift, or Lamentations. The message translation.
Speaker 1:What.
Speaker 2:Yes, so the words that I'm going to read are either from Scripture or they're from. No, they're from a T-Swift song, and you need to tell me what it is. I don't want a T-Swift song or the book of Lamentations it's fantastic that you're going to do great You're doing swimming, I'm lost. Disclaimer this is the message translation, so it is a little bit more, you know.
Speaker 3:Matt and I can work together on this right. Oh yeah, yeah, you can work together. It's a collaborative effort.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you can work together.
Speaker 1:Wait, which one do you know more? You know Lamentations? I don't know. Okay, all right, let's go for it. I don't know.
Speaker 2:All right, here we go. Did you have to do this? I was thinking that you could be trusted.
Speaker 3:That sounds like Taylor Swift, right.
Speaker 1:Are you a Swiftie? Do you know the song?
Speaker 3:I'm not a Swiftie.
Speaker 1:I mean.
Speaker 3:I know the mainstream stuff. Yeah, I barely know that, maybe.
Speaker 1:I'm going to say I'm guessing.
Speaker 3:Lamentations. Okay, you're guessing Lamentations. Okay, I'm going to break from that. I'm going to guess Taylor Swift, so much for working together.
Speaker 2:It's Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift, bad Blood. All right, here's another one. Like shadows in a faded light, were invisible.
Speaker 3:Taylor Swift yeah, I'm going to say Taylor Swift, yes, I knew that one, I know that song. You were just playing that one, right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, before we came in.
Speaker 3:What song is that?
Speaker 2:Well, that matters.
Speaker 1:Yeah, later I'll tell you off air. Okay, I'll tell you off air Nate.
Speaker 2:Here's another one. I remember it all. Oh, how I remember that feeling of hitting the bottom.
Speaker 3:Lamentations Taylor Swift.
Speaker 2:Lamentations Lamentations 319.
Speaker 3:These are tough, though they could be interchangeable.
Speaker 2:Okay, let's see, I got another one. Oh, here's one. This is a oh wait, let me do a different one first. Okay, long were the nights when my days once revolved around you, oh, wow.
Speaker 3:Taylor Swift.
Speaker 2:Lamentations Are you just kind of playing devil's advocate here.
Speaker 1:Do you really think I have no idea?
Speaker 2:Taylor Swift, oh my God, taylor Swift, what song Nate?
Speaker 3:I have no idea. Oh, so you're just guessing. No, I just what sounds like it'd be Taylor Swift. There are.
Speaker 1:Swifties out there that are just cringing.
Speaker 3:Oh.
Speaker 2:I know they're at me and Nate right now.
Speaker 1:I apologize, I'm sorry.
Speaker 2:They're angered.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Okay, have you ever seen anything like this? Ever seen any pain like my pain?
Speaker 1:Lamentations.
Speaker 2:That's just your standard answer.
Speaker 3:Lamentations I don't know.
Speaker 2:I'm going to say Lamentations as well. You're right, lamentations.
Speaker 1:That was hard. Yeah, I studied up for that one. Here we go.
Speaker 2:I gave up on life altogether. I've forgotten what the good life is like.
Speaker 3:Lamentations Taylor Swift oh my goodness, all right.
Speaker 2:Okay, I'm going to say Lamentations. I remember it all. Oh, we did that one already. Here it is. You'll find out what it's like to get drunk and wake up with nothing.
Speaker 3:Wow Lamentations.
Speaker 2:You'll find out what it's like to get drunk and wake up with nothing.
Speaker 3:What'd you say? I said lamentations.
Speaker 2:Are you second guessing?
Speaker 3:I'm going with lamentations as well.
Speaker 2:Oh, you're both right.
Speaker 1:Finally.
Speaker 2:Finally, okay, here we go. These walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down. The time will come for us to finally win and we'll sing hallelujah.
Speaker 1:Taylor.
Speaker 3:Swift, taylor Swift, yes.
Speaker 1:What gave?
Speaker 2:it away. You guys were so confident. Was it too long above the?
Speaker 1:line. I don't know why you're shocked anymore. I'm literally guessing there's no knowledge.
Speaker 3:There's no rhyme or reason.
Speaker 2:There's no knowledge based to any of my guesses, there's no science to what point why you're guessing what you're guessing.
Speaker 3:I feel like I've luckily gotten them all correct so far.
Speaker 1:All of them roll the tape back. I don't think you have Bring it back.
Speaker 2:It rains when you're here and it rains when you're gone.
Speaker 1:Taylor Swift Lamentations T-Swift Nate. Nate is a Swiftie, he's just playing it up there. I am.
Speaker 2:All right here. Last one, Ready Yep. See the vultures circling dark clouds. Love is a fragile little flame and it could burn out.
Speaker 3:Taylor Swift. Yeah, that's Taylor Swift, yeah.
Speaker 2:Taylor.
Speaker 1:Swift Wow Nice. No, not me. No, we'll say good job, nate Good attempt.
Speaker 2:Good job, nate. It is crazy, though, just how similar I don't know if the wording is. I don't know. I was going through it and I was like, wow, this is wild.
Speaker 3:Very similar themes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Thank you the message version of Lamentations. And T-Swift herself.
Speaker 1:T-Swift herself. Nice job. Thank you All. Right, that was awful.
Speaker 2:That'll transition right to what Nate has prepared for us.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So I've been thinking a lot, and I'm not sure where you are today, but I've been very convicted this week as I've turned on the news, as I've scrolled on my phone and just seen some of the devastation, some of the bloodshed and just the pure heartache that's unraveling in the Middle East. And so, as I was putting Jackson to bed the other night and I was just spending this moment just watching him there sleep, and just these thoughts just flooded my mind. I was overwhelmed by the terror. I was overwhelmed by the fear that our brothers and sisters in Israel and Palestine are experiencing, the unknown that, as they sleep, with the sound of guns and explosions in the background, in the distance, that fear wondering if they'll even wake up the next day if their children will be sleep will be safe.
Speaker 3:And as I was originally preparing this thought I was thinking of Philippians 4 and where it says rejoice in all things. And I think it's sometimes very hard to approach passages of scripture like that when we're suffering, to talk about joy and to talk about hope and not feel like we're being dismissive of the pain and the trauma of everyday life.
Speaker 3:And so, as we look at the word today, I want to start by saying that Jesus doesn't tell us to ignore our pain. We shouldn't avoid our grief, but what we can know and what we can cling to is that it's temporary and that Jesus promises that our stories will end in an enduring, unbreakable joy. And so, as we looked to Philippians 4, as it was referenced earlier that one line that keeps coming back to me know that the peace of God, a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding, will stand watch over our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. And so, as I was thinking about my situation and comparing it to, kind of the situations that are breaking out around the world in this very moment, I know that my own worries, my frustrations, my disappointments are so trivial compared to what so many others are facing, and so I really did struggle.
Speaker 1:We started preparing for this episode, or at least we talked about it, before this fighting broke out. So I mean, when we tease the last episode, we were like one life sucks.
Speaker 2:How do we?
Speaker 1:keep the good vibes rolling. That sounds so trivial now. You almost feel guilty rolling it back and hearing that, because anything that I would have added about the frustrations of my day are not.
Speaker 2:There's pale in comparison, yeah.
Speaker 3:I think life sucks when I get my order wrong at Duncan, but it's like look at what's happening around our world and the very real horrors and traumas that people face every single day. So, as always, when my words fail, God's word speaks and never fails to tend to my heart. And so I was drawn to the Gospel. Was drawn to the Gospel of John, chapter 16, verse 33, where Jesus speaking to his disciples, telling them of what's to come, that he would soon be away from them, that he'd soon go to the cross and that they would face hardships and difficulty and they would be driven out of the synagogues. And they're questioning and they're worrying and they're saying, Lord, what's going to happen? Jesus says to his disciples here on earth, you'll have many trials and sorrows, but take heart because I have overcome the world.
Speaker 3:And it reminded me of a story, an illustration that I heard a while ago, about a Dutch woman by the name of Corey Ted Boom. Corey Ted Boom, if you don't know, she lived during the Holocaust, and she and her sister, betsy, were imprisoned in Ravensbrook, which was one of the largest concentration camps built strictly for women during the Holocaust. Between 1939 and 1945, nearly 130,000 women were imprisoned at this location Ravensbrook in northern Germany where they were tortured, where they were starved, where they were subjected to abuse and rape and a whole bunch of terrible physical and emotional traumas. And so if there was any place on earth to question the goodness of God, I think that that would be it. That would be when we talk about literal hell on earth. That's what that was.
Speaker 3:Well, when Corey and her sister were in prison there, what they quickly noticed in the barracks that they were staying in was the overwhelming amount of fleas that infested their living space they were doing everything. That just caused pure frustration and just added an extra insult to the chaos of what they're experiencing the itchiness, the dirtiness, the nonstop reminder that they are in the pit of despair. And so I tried to think of just how overwhelming that must have been, and as I continue to read about this story, one day Corey stumbled across 1 Thessalonians, chapter 5, verse 18, which says this and everything, give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus, concerning you, and I don't know how I would receive that so difficult, so difficult to hear that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's one thing to read that when life is going well, when you have money in the bank, when you're on vacation, when your relationships around you are flourishing, when your job is going well, when you're getting great grades on all your assignments, it's really easy to say, oh yeah, give thanks.
Speaker 3:In all those situations that are easy to give thanks in Right, and that's probably at the lowest of the low in the pit of despair, when you have hit rock bottom, to read a reminder and everything, give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus. Do we really have the resolve and the assurance and the confidence to do that? Well, right there in that moment thankfully, corey did she made a commitment that she was no longer going to complain about the fleas that were in the barracks it's probably the least to worry about while she's there, right, but an everyday reminder. And she said In fact, I'm going to make it a reminder to myself that every day I'm going to set aside time to thank God for the fleas. It's wild, yeah, thank God for these fleas.
Speaker 3:And you know what? God actually used those fleas to perform a miracle in the most like, least likely place on Earth. Because the fleas were so bad. Where her and her sister were staying, the prison guards refused to come anywhere near their bunk, and so not only were Cori and her prison mates shielded from some of the more horrific abuses that were taking place all over the camp, but because the watchful eyes and the listening ears of the guards were not closed by, the women were also free to talk about Jesus, to read their Bibles and to share the love of God with the other women who were in there with them, and so through that, through that little prayer of thanking God and just allowing him to change the perspective of their situation and their circumstance, god used it to perform a miracle where dozens of women came to know who Jesus is and to receive his power, and so it's just a reminder that only God can orchestrate something like this.
Speaker 3:Only God can reach into the heart of despair and remind us that we are fully seen, that we are fully known and that we are fully loved. And later, in her writings before her death, cori, reminiscing on this experience, she wrote this there's no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still. And so here's the test and the challenge. And, to be completely transparent, I can't even begin to count the number of times I've already failed this test. But ask yourself the question today, when life gets hard, do I have the faith to pray God? Thank you for the fleas, Whatever those fleas are in your life. Do I have the confidence to plant my feet and ground my heart in God's goodness?
Speaker 3:while torment, torment and disaster and chaos closes in on every side.
Speaker 3:And there's just a stark reminder on my heart this morning, not a dismissing of the traumas in our world, but just a reminder that who is the God who holds us in the midst of the trauma, who is the God who grounds our hearts, who as we read in Philippians 4, who guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, as we place our trust and our confidence in Him. And so, as we continue to grieve and be just shocked and dismayed by what's happening in Israel and Palestine in these days, my personal prayer is that I would have that confidence, that my heart and mind would continue to trust in Him. And I pray that for those who are experiencing the darkness of this world in a real, present, powerful way, whether it's external or just the everyday personal darkness that we live in, experience in our lives. And so here's the reminder you're not alone. God is present with you, he longs to hear your requests, he always comes to your rescue and often he comes to your rescue in ways that you never would have chosen or anticipated.
Speaker 3:And so, as it says in Philippians, chapter 4, present your requests to God, talk to Him about your needs and be thankful for what has come, because he longs to hear your requests. And so what a just, powerful reminder today that there is nothing that God does not see, there is nothing that God does not care about, and there is nothing that he's unable to impart His peace into, even when it seems hopeless. And do I have the willingness and the confidence to say God, guard my heart and mind in you.
Speaker 2:Perspective man.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's such a. I personally hate this topic because it's so hard. Even the verse that says you know the peace of God that's beyond human understanding. It's like before you even try to understand it, know that it's not understandable.
Speaker 1:I have very rarely publicly talked about this, but I mean I won't really dive into this, but the worst thing that's happened to me in my life personally is the injury that I've gone through. That happened to my face and I can't play the trombone anymore. I can't play. That was the one thing I thought I was born to do, and it ended my performance career and I had to withdraw and resign from every ensemble I've ever played in. So much joy and happiness and love and adventure and excitement. All of that. My entire identity was stripped away from me and it's been more than five years now.
Speaker 1:I still think about it every single day in some fashion, big and small. I can't listen to music, the same, I can't be around. It's just. My whole life is different.
Speaker 1:The things that I'm left with, where I just again, beyond understanding, you know, I can't understand why it happened, or you ask, you're left with the questions, you know, is this a punishment? Am I, you know it's got striking me down, or you know? But the things that I've been left with to think about in the aftermath of it are, you know what Opportunities has God given me to do something different, at a very high level now whether I've taken those opportunities to, not the level of performing I was doing, and the traveling and the touring, like you know. Hopefully I'm a better husband now Because I have More time. Yeah, you know, if I kept up with that performance career, like I don't know if I could be the father that I am today and I'll you know, you never know. It's just a, it's a question game, but I just when terrible things happen and again even an injury or a career-ending injury, like even that sounds trivial compared to what is happening overseas, but again, it's just, it's such a tough topic.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I know for me personally, that's what kind of I've been left with to talk with God about, like this happened, and I don't even know if it's worth asking why it happened. But what is left? What new opportunities are there? You know, I don't that's just me personally, but I know people listening Can identify with this topic. Yeah, because I think I've said this before publicly but pain and suffering Is Part of the human experience.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's universal.
Speaker 1:It's a, it's actually like a defining quality of humanity. In some form we have all Taken part and some sort of suffering, yeah, and a big, small, trivial or not. We can all identify with that. Yeah, and so I'm not sure how to wrap that up. I'll, I don't. I don't have a good rap to it.
Speaker 2:I'll say it's. I had a couple conversations even today on my ride. In this morning I was talking to a friend about some of the things that she's dealing with and some of the frustration she's feeling. And it's hard in the moments, especially when you are the one that's going through it, to View the truth of this Reality. But I said to her I'm like, listen you just, you need to. You know breathe, number one breathe, you know, breathe through it. But also there is nothing too small that the Lord doesn't want to hear from us about. You know what I mean, like our, our struggles, our frustrations, our anxieties, when we scale them to what's happening around the world, feel so, it looks so minuscule, but they still feel so real. And so, just, there is comfort in knowing that the Lord cares just as much about your injury. The Lord cares just as much about the things that she's going through, that I'm going through, that we were, you're going through, and his heart breaks for those things as much as it breaks for what's happening.
Speaker 2:Yeah you know, to our brothers and sisters. And so there's just, there's nothing too small that the Lord can't, that he doesn't care for right, you know what I mean, and it's hard, it's hard to fathom, but I mean, what would you say I, what would I don't?
Speaker 1:I always think about like first steps, like if you are at rock bottom and you know what's, what's, what's the first way out of this feeling, because I think a lot of times the thought process Is not to rejoice in these things but to be angry with God, yeah why did this happen to me? Right, yeah, and so I don't know if, if there's a practical you know, spiritual application here.
Speaker 3:Well, I think, I think we need to have grace for ourselves and recognize that. We all need space to grieve and that it's okay to be angry. Yeah it's okay to be upset, and I think that when we I think so many times we try to Just suck it up, Yep and go through our everyday life as if life is is great, and the traumas and the pains that are eating at us are suppressed and so I think that there's real.
Speaker 3:There's real freedom and healing and and peace that is found in Lamenting those things and and yelling those things out to the Lord, but also Finding a confidant who can be trusted, who will just be a listening ear, to recognize that we all have our own traumas, we all have our own pains, we all have our own struggles, and so, while we may not have the same experience, we share the same feelings about right, about when life doesn't go the way that we'd like it to go. And so finding somebody who can be a listening ear and then, if it requires more than that, seeking, seeking professional help for some of the things that that may be pervasive or or debilitating to our everyday lives and there shouldn't be any shame or stigma about Reaching out for professional help and counseling and and things of that nature and so finding somebody, but also Not just not just a Sunday school answer, but clinging to the promises of God's word, because he speaks his promises over us and I. I wanted to reference Psalm 46, which says this God is our refuge and our strength and ever present help in times of trouble. Therefore, we will not fear that the earth gives away if the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. Though it's waters roar and foam. In the mountains quake with sir, with surging, there is a river who streams make glad, the city of God, the holy place where he dwells. God is within her. She will not fall. God will help her.
Speaker 3:At break of day, though, nations are an uproar and kingdoms fall, he lifts his voice. The earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress, and so there's such promise and power in clinging to who God is, knowing that the world around us. We may not be able to control the situations that we face around us, but that doesn't change the fact that God is good.
Speaker 3:And so finding space to, to journal, to write out, to write out your lament, to yell it to Whatever you need to do, to symbolically release that into the hands of God, to burn that, whatever it is, doesn't erase the pain. It doesn't erase what's happened, but it allows us to redirect the focus of our hearts and minds, the one who truly can Carry us and sustain us through it. And so I'd say I'd say grieve, yeah. Find somebody you can trust, seek professional help if that's something that you need, and Don't forget the promises of God be in his word, be in his prayer. As we read in Philippians 4 present your request to God. He, he longs to hear from you, and so.
Speaker 1:Nate, would you pray over our listeners?
Speaker 3:today? Yeah, of course, father, god, we. We come before you today, God, in so many different places and spaces, and and the great thing about who you are is that you know each one of us Intimately, inside it out. You know when we are, you know the things that hurt us. Lord, you know Us in spite of our weakness, and, god, you love us through it all. And so, lord, we pray this morning, lord, that we would be able to rest On the promise of who you are, that you are a God who is perfectly good, even in a world, lord, that is perfectly chaotic and tumultuous. God, we recognize that this was never your design for brokenness, this was never your design for destruction and bloodshed and evil. And, god, we also recognize that you are in the process of making all things new. You are a redemptive God, and so there is nothing that you cannot heal, there's nothing that you cannot restore.
Speaker 3:Lord, we pray specifically right now for our brothers and sisters around the world, god, for the parents, the children, the innocent victims of a violence and bloodshed and and war.
Speaker 3:And, god, we pray, lord, that just the peace of Christ would cover those situations. Lord, we pray for us, your church, that we would be a people, god, who are Daily living out what it means To be your hands and feet, god, to be agents of peace in a world of division and conflict. And, lord, I pray that you would, just, by the power of your Holy Spirit, surround us with your love, comfort us in the midst of our own longing and pain and, god, remind us that we are seen by you. Lord, I pray that we would have a desire, god, to know your word, to allow its promises to wash over us and, lord, to Come to you in our times of need, knowing that you're always available. We thank you, lord, just for your responsiveness to us, your grace that covers a multitude of our sin, and, lord, just the assurance that you can guard our hearts and minds, lord, when we plant them fully in you. Bless us this day. We pray Amen.
Speaker 1:Amen. Thank you, nate.
Speaker 3:Thank you.
Speaker 1:Thank you, loretta, thank you.
Speaker 2:Matt.
Speaker 1:You're welcome.
Speaker 2:I can't wait to make you guys a Taylor Swift playlist.
Speaker 3:Oh, can you make me a mixtape? Wow, old school.
Speaker 1:Yeah, can you?
Speaker 3:burn me a CD that. Still.
Speaker 1:Man. Well, another fun episode of the plug-in podcast. I know I don't want to like. I feel like I Want to trivial, trivialize the devotional. You know it's, it's a different, yeah, it's a different vibe. Yep, but recording the plug-in podcast said it before it's probably the most fun I have all week. So it was a fun time today with our devotions, with our games. What do we got coming up? Can we think of it off the top of our head? I know today is October 20th, tomorrow, october 21st, youth arts ministry Kickoff of a brand new season.
Speaker 1:We've got mass brass on Monday. Yeah, whole bunch of stuff coming up.
Speaker 2:Uh.
Speaker 1:Sunday, december. I'm gonna plug this real quick. Is it second or third? I should really know this but third.
Speaker 3:Right now it's the third.
Speaker 1:Sunday, december. Third is the sounds of Christmas, one of my favorite programs.
Speaker 2:Yeah, how is it almost Christmas.
Speaker 1:Right, it's coming.
Speaker 2:What is going on?
Speaker 1:Sunday, december third at the Boston Croc Center is the sounds of Christmas. It's always a great program six o'clock, yep. I'll see you guys there. Yeah hopefully our listeners will flood the auditorium.
Speaker 3:And and support a wonderful try to remember to bring my music folder.
Speaker 1:Yeah, cuz I'm not making copies this time. I got one other announcement, yeah.
Speaker 3:October 26. Okay, wait, now you got me.
Speaker 2:Questioning is it the 27th. I mean, I made the graphics and I you know she's right, luritas, always right.
Speaker 3:October 27, October 27, friday night fellowship. Yep, that is a just a fellowship opportunity for young people here in the Massachusetts division. If you want to come out, we are having a night of bowling and food and fun at North Bowl lanes in North Attleboro. If you want to sign up for that, make sure you get signed up by today.
Speaker 1:Yeah, today today.
Speaker 2:Oh my goodness.
Speaker 1:Make sure you get signed up.
Speaker 3:Not bad, make sure you get signed up today we keep pretending like we're recording it's.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're spinning ourselves in circles today.
Speaker 3:Yeah, today, the 20th by today, so that they know how many bowling lanes we need all right guys.
Speaker 1:This was season number two, episode number 11 of the plugged in podcast. This was a great time, yep. Like I say every time, we will see you next time.