February 21, 2024 • 56 mins
Have you ever considered the profound impact a coach or teacher can have on shaping a life? My sister, Megan Kinkenon, joins me to share her heartfelt experiences in the world of teaching and coaching at Faith Lutheran High School. With humor and earnestness, Megan recounts her transition from instructing high schoolers to captivating third-graders with stories of faith and resilience. Her journey is peppered with moments of athletic triumph and the humor of an unexpected golf career, illustrating her perseverance and the power of a positive attitude.
As we peel back the layers of coaching youth sports, I reflect on the unexpected path that led me to discover my own passion for molding young athletes. From the initial side job to the profound realization of its importance, Megan and I discuss the significance of instilling a love for the game and inspiring our players beyond mere technique. We weave through our own career contemplations, agreeing that patience and faith are essential companions as one navigates life's purpose—a narrative I am eager to share with fellow coaches and educators.
The conversation doesn't shy away from discussing the courage required to support loved ones through trauma and the value of empathy during such times. Megan's resilience through her own health challenges and our shared family stories offer a reminder of the strength found in understanding and loyalty. As we reminisce about our Kentucky childhood, faith, and the lessons we carry into our work, the message is clear: life's journey is as much about the support we give as the hurdles we overcome. Join us for a dose of inspiration, reflection, and perhaps a spark to ignite your journey through faith, career, and life.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to another episode of Catching Up
with Christians.
I'm your host, coach DanMcCarty.
Today I'm alongside my sister,who is actually a volleyball
slash, basketball and teacher,coach and teacher.
Today we're going to dive intothe conversation.
You can learn more about herand her faith journey and her
(00:23):
career and how her faith impactsher job.
Sweet Meg, thanks for hoppingon.
How are you today?
Speaker 2 (00:31):
I'm doing swell, how are you I?
Just finished my teaching day,so that was great.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Sweet.
So if you want to tell them thepeople who you are, where you
teach and how you got intoteaching and coaching, Okay, so
I am Megan Kincannon.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
I recently got married, so new name, yep,
exciting stuff.
I recently got sorry, still atschool, so part of the
instructions, maybe I actuallystarted teaching right after I
(01:13):
got my associates.
I became like a long-termsubstitute teacher while I was
finishing up my degree.
That was primarily in the highschool area.
Then I realized I did not enjoyteaching high schoolers all day
and then going and coachingthem all day, so I made the
(01:34):
transfer over to the elementaryschool.
Once I met my now husband, heactually went to Faith Lutheran
High School.
He's a faith faithful, I guessthat's what they call him.
He introduced me to faith theschool Sorry.
(01:54):
He got a full teaching job andstill again at that time I was
substitute teaching and becausehe got a full-time position they
lost a sub and he was like well, my girlfriend like substitutes
.
I don't know if that's weird,but I know she's good at her job
, so do you want to interviewher?
(02:15):
So I long-term substitutetaught for them for about a year
.
Then the next year I got hiredas third, fourth and fifth grade
PE and athletic director.
So I did that for three yearsand then now I am full-time in
the classroom and I teach thirdgrade.
This is my second year.
(02:37):
So I guess I've been at Faithfor five years if you're
counting the substitute yearthan six.
So long time.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
But yeah, I love it.
It's a great environment.
I think it's when I did highschool it was the public school
which I really enjoyedconnecting with those students.
It was weird because I was justout of college, so I felt like
their age.
So it was a little weird, butnow being at a school where I
(03:12):
can openly talk about God withthe kids and they ask me
questions about him, I find itreally special.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
So that's amazing.
Well, let's unpack also thesports side of things.
So if you want to tell themsports you played and growing up
and then how you got in thecoaching and that type of stuff.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Yeah, I grew up playing softball until I was
about 12-ish.
I would say I have really badjoints and I guess you can
figure or find that out at 12years old.
Who would have thought so?
I played softball, I was acatcher, I thought I was pretty
(03:54):
good for 12, but who knows?
So my parents were like youcan't really do softball anymore
because of your knees andjoints and all the things.
So I tried to pick anothersport and at that time my older
sister or our older sister sorry, that was weird she had just
(04:16):
started learning volleyball.
So I just remember playing inour backyard in Kentucky or was
it even backyard field, whateveryou want to call it Playing
with her, and she just taught methe basics.
Then, when we moved back toVegas, that's when I got really
into volleyball and I played allthroughout high school and I
(04:37):
played two years in college.
Then in college I picked upgolf.
There you go.
So throughout high school Iwould randomly go caddy for my
biological dad and never hitreally a golf club Like I was
awful.
First year in college theyneeded one more girl to make a
(05:02):
golf team.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Nice.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
The athletic director was like, hey, you're athletic,
you know golf.
And I was like, no, I don'tknow golf at all.
And he was like, well, you knowenough.
So just come out to the range,come hang out, come take a
couple swings, we'll get yougoing.
And I said no, that's nothappening.
I was like I'm here forvolleyball and he's like I could
(05:25):
probably get you some moremoney and I was like, all right,
I got you.
So I went out that next day orthat day actually, after like
volleyball weights and stayedand I sucked.
So bad, so bad.
But once I found out that Isucked, I was there every day
(05:49):
because our home course like youcould hit balls for free and
you could play around for freewhenever you wanted, just as
long as it wouldn't conflictwith, like their customers.
So I was out there every day.
It was bad.
You want to know what I shot onmy first round?
Like official tournament.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Sure, let me hear it.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Have I told you before.
No.
No, you want to guess?
Speaker 1 (06:14):
90.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
More.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Oh, like 105.
It's really embarrassing what105?
.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
More.
It's really embarrassing.
You can't pick up your ballever, especially when you get
stuck in a sand trap and it wasdown for rain or in Washington.
It was miserable.
It was on my birthday.
I will never forget this roundof golf.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Like 120.
More Like what?
Speaker 2 (06:44):
It was so bad.
At the end of the round mycoach was just up there on top
of the hill, arms wide open.
Like I'm so amazed that you didnot quit Because it was that
bad.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Wow.
So you got to tell the peoplewhat was it.
We got a dose.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Oh, it was a 156.
It was so bad.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
What's that math?
Was it 18 holes?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
It was a lot of strokes per hole.
I don't know that math off thetop of my head.
That's why I'm a third gradeteacher.
There you go.
I can use my calculator though.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
I'm doing it right now for the people All right
that is almost nine strokes.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Yeah, that sounds about right.
It's so bad, it's so bad.
But after that I realized Ilike sucked, really bad because
I got dead last.
And I felt bad for the peoplein my group because, like you're
matched up with three otherpeople from different schools so
they don't even know you, and Iwarned them before the
(07:48):
tournament.
I was like I've never played anofficial round, so I apologize,
like I'm not going to cheat,but just know like I'm going to
suck.
Were they nice they were.
OK, that's supportive, but Ithink they got annoyed towards
the end because it was pouringrain and I just held them up a
(08:08):
bunch.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
So how long did it take?
I got to know that round.
How long was that roundable?
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Oh, I don't even know .
It's probably.
Yeah, I don't know, it was solong, but I realized I sucked.
So then I went out to the rangeeven more like more than I
don't know, spent hours and thenguess what I shot by the end of
the year, the last tournamentseason.
What.
Yes 80.
(08:33):
82.
Wow.
And a coach from another teamcame up or from another school
came up to me.
He goes excuse me, were you thegirl that shot the 156, the
first tournament?
And I said, yep, yep, that's me.
(08:53):
I was like thank you for thereminder.
He goes wow, I'm impressed thatyou, like, could shave that
much off.
I said me too.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
There we are.
That's awesome, yes, so youfinished your golfing and
volleyball career, right?
You had some injuriesthroughout college, right you
know?
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Yeah, minor ones.
Yeah, I was like shoulderissues here and there and that's
partly why I feel like if Ikept playing like competitively,
I just would have wrecked mybody, so I stopped.
My shoulder is probably stillwrecked, but it's.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
OK, but you still have a passion for the game
though, right, like you'vealways had passion for sports.
So is that kind of how youwanted to get into coaching, so
like after you played in college, what kind of made you want to
transition to the coaching side?
Speaker 2 (09:46):
So in college actually I worked with my head
coach.
She did like a little clubscene there out of the college
and I would just kind of helpher here and there with the
little kids and I was like youknow, this is kind of fun.
So it grew a little bit of, orlike my passion grew a little
bit there with working with theyounger kids.
(10:08):
And then when I was planning tomove back home after playing,
my high school coach reached outand was like I think you're
going to make a great coach,like you want to try it out and
like she's a legend.
You know her coach.
Yeah, so if she's saying thatand I got that opportunity, I
was like you know, I might aswell like, because I really
(10:28):
didn't know what I wanted to do.
I just knew I wanted to finishschool at some point.
But coaching I was like youknow, some money on the side,
work with some kids and kind ofsee how it goes.
And as soon as I started like Iknew I really enjoyed it, just
(10:49):
connecting and building thoserelationships with the girls.
And I had the opportunity tocoach men's volleyball as well,
which actually still to this dayhas probably been my most fun
season Because they're justsuper energetic and want.
They're so athletic too.
They just want to get after itand they're sponges, so yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
That's awesome.
So you coach different sportsand now tell them what you're
doing.
What's your most recent coach?
Speaker 2 (11:20):
you could never yes, so I coach volleyball still.
I'm over at Faith Lutheran HighSchool and the varsity
assistant.
I've been there for four, fiveyears now, and then at the
elementary school that I teachat, they have little sports for
little kids and they are schoolkind of struggles to find
(11:44):
coaches.
So I offered last year to bethe girls' basketball coach if
they really could not findanyone.
But I think the AD just likeaided up.
He's like oh, I got somebody,like here we go, didn't go look
for anybody.
And I even told him I was likeI don't, like I know basketball,
I can YouTube a bunch of stuff,you figure it out, but I don't
(12:07):
know no basketball.
And he's like it's elementary,you'll be fine.
So we got quite the Motley crewthis year.
But they're really fun, theytry really hard, they just can't
shoot.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
I remember when you first called me, you're like so
yeah, I kind of got this coolopportunity and I then want to
start coaching basketball for,like the elementary school.
I'm like, oh OK, she's like,yeah, I just have a couple of
girls who can actually shoot atthat high and then the rest
really can't.
So do you have any playrecommendations?
I get people to try to score,but we can't really shoot it up
(12:46):
all the way, and I was like,yeah.
So I remember those early onconversations about so that was
last year.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
This year, the ability to shoot is like it's a
little less.
We're going to be really goodat defense, though.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
There we go.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Our games are going to be like 3 to 0 or something
random, if somebody is able tomake a free throw.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
That's OK.
Defense wins championships, sothat's good.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Yeah, did you see my comment on what the little girl
asked me about the games?
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Yeah about the running.
Yes, I did.
Yeah, so cute.
I guess that's what's fun aboutcoaching that age right?
Yeah, they're so naive or don'tknow yet.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
It was innocent.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
They don't know anything, yeah, and so you
really get to mold.
And I think that's what'simpactful about coaching at the
young age, because you reallycan make an impact for that
person and they can really growto love the game, depending on
how you are as a coach and Iknow you are a good coach, but
to all the coaches listening forthe younger ages you really
(13:52):
have a big piece of that personwanting to love that sport or
maybe they won't or wanting topursue competitive competition.
So I think it's reallyimportant to remember, like when
you have interactions with theyounger kids, like to remember
that it is a big influence onhow much they enjoy that sport.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Yeah, and that's one thing I've noticed and I noticed
it right away last year becauseI'm like you know me, I'm very
competitive.
So like high school, I'm onecoach, right.
But as soon as I'm with theselittle peeps, I am like a
completely different coach,because I'm like you know what?
They've never played basketballbefore, about.
(14:31):
I have 11 on my team and Ithink only two have played
before.
So nobody else has played.
They don't know what it is.
They're with their friends andI've taught some of them before.
So I'm like we just want tohave fun.
This is their little taste.
So then next year, like fromthe fifth graders, I'm like next
(14:51):
year, when you get to middleschool, you got the little taste
and the happy feel, hopefully,and you're enjoying it.
So then you can hopefully goand just keep it going in middle
school.
I guess, it gets a little moreintense and that's when you
start losing some people.
But yeah, absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
If you weren't mine, I'd love to kind of dive into
your life journey and you cancorrect me if I'm wrong.
But I also think you have acool story in the sense of you
don't necessarily know what youwanted to do right out of high
school or right out of college.
It took some time.
I know you possibly werethinking about being coming like
a flight attendant at one point.
(15:33):
Oh, all the things, all thethings.
But I think that's amazing in away for everybody who's
listening that doesn't quiteknow what they want in life, and
those type of things Like beingable to sit back and trust God
that you'll reveal the plan foryour life and give you
opportunities to try and you tryto handful of different things.
And you found eventually whatyour calling was and what you're
(15:55):
passionate about, but I thinkit could be a really impactful
story to people that are kind oflike I need to know what's like
, what I need to do with my life.
I got to know what's going on,but, you know, you took your
time and did what you needed toand you ultimately have worked
out.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Yeah.
So going into college I waslike you know, I'm going to be a
nurse, it's going to be so cool.
And then I realized I hateneedles and which is funny
because I have a bunch oftattoos.
But those needles that stay inyou, the IVs, not for me.
And then the idea of givingthat to somebody like I would
(16:31):
not want to do that.
So I quickly changed my majorwithin.
I don't even know it was bad.
My friend called me like whatdid?
She call me A major gypsybecause I just moved around a
bunch, yeah.
So I went nursing.
Then I went to teaching becauseI was like you know what, we
(16:54):
have a teacher in our family.
Like mom did it, I would helpyounger siblings with homework
or want to be a teacher when Iwas younger, or it would always
be like the little brown noserin class.
So I was like you know what,maybe a teacher.
(17:15):
Then I switched Again.
I just got my general AA.
Then I went for occupationaltherapy, which I really thought
I was going to stick with thatone.
But then I got to the pointwhere I was like this is not me.
I'm like I don't like forteaching.
(17:36):
I was like I want to have abigger impact, which I know
occupational therapists have,like the things that they do.
It's so impressive, right, yeah, but like you said, shaping
those young little friends.
That's kind of where my mindwent.
So then I went to or went theroute of psychology and
sociology and dove into thatbecause I was like maybe I could
(17:59):
be a psychologist in a schoolor counselor, but then I was
like that would make me cryevery day and I don't think I'd
want to cry every day, yeah, sothen, yeah, then I finally found
teaching again, again, wentthrough a bunch, and I have a
(18:23):
bunch of random credits now thatare for nothing.
But yeah, in the end I shouldhave just went with my gut the
second time around and there yougo.
Because I knew I wanted, I don'tknow and the idea of being able
to coach to that made the mostsense.
(18:45):
I think with teaching coachingI could help shape the young
little peeps in the classroom,help them figure out who they
are, help develop their funlittle personalities, how to
handle conflict so kind of bealmost all of those careers that
I was kind of tip or dipping mytoes in.
(19:06):
But teaching kind ofencompasses a wide range of
majors, I think, not to theextremes, obviously, but with
all the recess drama you got tohandle the conflict resolution,
all those things.
Nurse, got to put thoseband-aids on even if they're not
(19:30):
bleeding, because I'm justgetting on them down.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
No, it's true, it's true, and all those credits came
in handy.
You get to learn differentfields to be able to apply them
to what you're doing now.
I think that's awesome but,like I said, I wanted to touch
up on that because I know in myown life, like there's times
where, like what's God's willfor my life, or what do I want
to, where do I feel led to do?
(19:53):
And ultimately you came backand God came back to what you
truly call to do.
And from what I hear.
You know you love it and youlove coaching.
You love teaching and you getto be around some of your
favorite people all the time youknow, and which is awesome.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
Yeah, I think the biggest like pivotal point for
me, well, I guess two, but theykind of go hand in hand.
So, like I mean, you know,route 91, right, I was there
super just life changing right,super traumatic, and I was able
(20:35):
to talk with a therapist.
That kind of had me fall backon what I know right or what I
like it took a lot to.
I'm trying to like figure outhow to word it.
But to unpack, right.
(20:55):
But to again fall back on yourfaith, right, cause that's the
one thing that stays constant,even in those horrible things
that happened for some reason.
And again you're like why?
But like after that it took alot for me to kind of come and
(21:16):
come back, but she opened myeyes a lot and like what I
actually wanted in life, cause,again with the like, what is the
word?
There's a word for it.
I can't think of it right now,but when you survive, survival's
great or survivors.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Yeah, guilt, guilt, thank you.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Like that.
It kind of makes you think oflike, okay, like I wasn't meant
to die, so what am I supposed todo, you know?
And then so, yeah, that was abig one.
That kind of led me here.
And then also, obviously, mikeright Cause he grew up in the
faith school and in just thatenvironment and then, after
(22:05):
meeting him and having thisopportunity, it definitely
allowed me to just get back toit and get a little deeper in my
faith.
So it was good.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
That's awesome.
So you know, I think there's alot to unpack there, but Meg has
some of the most interestinglife stories she's been a part
of some really, reallyunfortunate events but also has
won like the most random ticketsand, like from you know,
calling radio shows, has donelike some of the most crazy
(22:38):
things when it comes to thatwent to a night's game and had
some luck at like a raffle andthings, but things like that
Like.
But then again, you know, and Idon't mean to make this as a
joke, but it's really wild tosee some of the extremely good
and some of the extremely, youknow, tough things that you
unfortunately had to experience.
But I think it really shapeswho we are and molds us.
(23:01):
But, like you said, the onething that's constant throughout
, that is God and our faith,right, like no matter the highs
and lows and the things that weexperienced, and I think that's
really important to thelisteners.
It's like God does not change,he does not move, he is forever
constant and he goes before usand whatnot.
And you know I would.
I'd love to talk about just alittle bit about your faith
(23:25):
journey.
You don't have to go too deepand do it unless you want to,
but just kind of talk about,basically, you know where you
grew, you know how you startedin your faith and how it evolved
to where you are now.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
So I mean, you grew up in the same household.
You can kind of help me outwith this.
But I don't know, growing up wekind of bounced around from
church to church.
It wasn't ever like consistent,but I think Christmas and
Easter we would go out withspecial people.
(24:01):
That's what we were, until wefound like random churches that
mom would like want to go testout, and then we go, and then we
go for a couple of weeks andthen it's just an odd I think an
odd upbringing when it comes toour faith.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
I can attest it.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
But we got exposure in like all sorts of ways.
So it's very complex, I think.
But I remember there was achurch I don't remember where it
was, I think it's in Nevada butit was like after you were born
and then Ronnie boy, so mybiological dad was like going
(24:40):
through hardships and likehealth issues.
You were born going throughyour craziness and health issues
and I went to mom and was likeI need to be baptized and she
was kind of like like what Likecause?
We never like talked about thatstuff, yeah, and I was like six
(25:04):
, five, like who are you Like?
What are you?
My daughter type of thing, youknow.
But I like decided on my own atthat age and I remember it
vividly.
I was like I know I can't helpthem but like if I become a part
of God's family, I know I canhelp others like and be a light
(25:28):
for others.
I mean I probably didn't saythat when I was five, it was
along those lines.
And so I remember gettingbaptized with mom because she
chose to get baptized as well,so that was kind of special.
And then, yeah again, thengrowing up we just popped around
(25:49):
.
I know dad would have likerandom times, we want to read
the Bible or like share somestories, so just super, just not
consistent I guess.
But again, I don't think itnecessarily needs to be
consistent in a way, I don'tknow, because I mean I still
(26:10):
like know that God is there ornew right when I was growing up
and like even through all thosehard times, or like your weird
early, late or early twentieswhen you're crazy, whatever
happens, and like you can alwayslean back on him, right, but I
(26:32):
think kind of hit like just wekind of just never talked about
it, I think, as a family.
And then in college I starteddating a guy that was like super
, super religious, which I lovehow, or I loved how he was so
(26:55):
involved and like wanted to beinvolved.
But it had to be that way or noway.
And I was not about that way,it was just very controlling.
And.
I think that's where it's.
I don't know like you alwayshear about people not wanting to
(27:20):
attend church and things likethat because of people that are
so just controlling about it.
I guess it's the best way toput it.
And so I kind of went alongwith it for a little bit.
I felt like I was just in likea, I was like a robot or
something, which I know isreally messed up to say, but I
(27:43):
was a little bit of a robot.
And then, once I got out of thatrelationship, I kind of just
did my own thing for a littlebit.
And then that's when, likeRoute 91 happened and I really
(28:03):
just pushed away from all thethings because I was like what
the heck, why is this happening?
And all the things.
And I was never able to reallyprocess it or anything like that
until I did like it tooksomebody like telling me
(28:28):
straight up like you are herestill, like for a reason I know
it might suck, or you feel acertain way right now, or you're
still having PTSD, like allthose things.
But you need to be willing totry to go back to what you like
not or raised with, but likewhat you?
(28:50):
I don't know, like what youknow.
So that's when I started divingback in and like I would attend
church.
Even by myself felt a littleweird, but I was like it's okay.
And then I met Mike and we madelike a pack together.
(29:11):
We're like you know what, we'regonna go to church or watch it
online, like as often as we can.
And so that became our likefaith together, which was kind
of nice Well, not our faith, butyou know what I mean Like our
journey, which was nice to havesomebody who was on the same
(29:34):
level with you.
I guess it wasn't a controllingthing, it was a partnership in
that and that we both can praytogether, we both can go to
church together, we both can dodevotions to get like, and that
we both work at a Christianschool.
Like I love being able to talkwith my kids about it.
We do religion every day.
We have chapel every Wednesdays.
I'm able to like talk about orunpack that message with them
(29:59):
when they get back to class.
So I think that answers yourquestion.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
I know.
No, absolutely no.
I think Sorry, no, you're good.
I think you know it's sometimeswhen we experience trauma.
You know we, like you said, youhave to fall back on what you
know.
And fall back on, you know, theconstant and what's always
there and like, unfortunately,like you know, we have to
(30:30):
experience some sort of traumain our lives.
And but I do remember, you know, through that journey for you,
just on the outside, of lookingin, like that took you some time
to get to that point, right.
And so for everybody withsomething like if you've
experienced something supertraumatic or you know anything
in life like that, where I wouldrecommend, like, just don't be
(30:52):
hard on yourself, like it's aprocess, right, like I'm
speaking for you.
Maybe you could talk about thisa little bit, but just kind of
you know it's okay and to beunpacked, that and you'll get
through it if you you know, useyour resources and support
system.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
Yeah, definitely does not help to keep it in,
definitely needs to be unpackedand even, yes, I seek a
therapist right.
But like diving deeply into thechurch, like that helped too.
I talked with a pastor here atour church I talked with and
like the weird thing abouttrauma, it like happens and then
(31:28):
everybody how they handle itafterwards is obviously
different, but it's like you'realmost stunned for a long period
of time and then then yougrieve sorry, yeah you did.
Oh, sorry You're gonna be like.
It's not cool.
Can I turn that down, Okay?
(31:49):
never, mind never done.
Now.
Then you like grieve and thenyou start to kind of process it
slowly, but like I realizedafter like two weeks, like I
hadn't listened to music, like Irefused to listen to music, and
I was like, all right,something's wrong with me.
I should probably, and notwrong.
But you know, like I need tounpack this, I need to just make
(32:11):
sure I'm okay, right.
And then, like you get to thatpoint and it comes and goes and
waves, like something stillmight trigger it even six years
later, right.
But again, having that constant, like you said, and being able
to fall back on that was superhelpful, because then, not long
(32:32):
after that, we lost Claire, oursister, which was like all right
, Like another super traumaticthing, right.
That you don't ever think isgonna happen to you, which I
think is right to say for anytype of trauma.
Right Like you never.
You hear about it alwayshappening to other people or
(32:54):
whatever, but you just don'tever think it's gonna happen to
you.
And then it does and same thingLike.
Then you're back in that likelittle hole and you have to
figure out how or what's gonnahelp you get out of that.
And that for Claire, Idefinitely.
(33:14):
I never saw a therapist, but Idid speak with like pastors here
and unpacked a lot with themand my principal I was like you
guys have you've been through alot with me, but yeah, so.
But again, I think the biggestthing, everybody goes at it
(33:35):
their own way and it has tohappen at their pace.
With whatever trauma, rightLike you have to be ready, cause
I just remember, like the nightof Route 91, mom was like you
need to go talk to us.
Like whoa, I still don't evenknow what happened.
Right Like I was still justlike I hadn't cried, I hadn't,
like I didn't even know.
(33:57):
So it's not always like animmediate fix.
It takes time and effort fromthat person that's in it, I
think, to try to come out ofthat.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
Absolutely.
And I'll say from a familymember's perspective.
You can come time to see, likeI hope talking about this
doesn't trigger anything, but Iknow for me on an outsider
perspective, like being a familymember, like I remember, kind
of feeling like helpless in away because, like you know, when
it's a sibling and it's someoneyou love, I remember when this
(34:34):
first happened it was like therewas nothing I could do right
and like to give you peace andthere's nothing people we really
can do other than offer likeour listening and just being
there for that person.
And, like you said, when it'stheir time to open up to you,
you just be there for them.
And ultimately, the mostpowerful thing we could do is
pray.
Right, we couldn't go to Godand just say like just give them
(34:57):
, you know, strength and thepeace to be able to overcome you
know, or not even necessarilyovercome it's probably not the
right word but to be able todeal with this in the proper way
.
And I just remember from being ayounger kid too, and you're a
little bit older than me and butlike you have as a family
member, you have this sense oflike you wish you could change
(35:18):
it or something you could do.
But I just remember that feelingof like you know what, like the
biggest, the best thing I coulddo right now is pray and just
let you know that, like I loveand care about you and when
you're ready to talk about itand you want a different
perspective than mom and dad, orjust like wants to want to just
talk, you know, or listen, likethe most powerful thing is
listening.
Like sometimes, like you knowoff topic but funny like dad we
(35:43):
talk about you know things, butI would tell dad I'm like I
don't want advice, I just wantyou to listen and like all the
times with parents they'll wantto fix some problem, solved and
give you advice instead of justbeing there as a listener.
And I think just sometimes inlife you just have to listen.
You just have to be there andlet them know you love them and
you care for them and justlisten.
(36:04):
I think that's the most, one ofthe most powerful things we can
do.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
And that's one thing, like with, like you said,
praying, like even if it's notlike a whole thing, or like I
remember literally laying downin bed because I could not sleep
after that and I just was likeeyes up on the ceiling and I
started to just pray to myself,like in my head, or to God in my
(36:29):
head, and I was like I don'tknow what I'm praying for right
now, but I was like maybe tosleep, maybe the whole process,
hopefully nobody's hurt.
But, like I knew, people werehurt.
I think I again, I was still inshock Cause like just yeah, I
was just like I hope nobody'shurt, please, um, yeah, and then
(36:51):
like, but I get that, yeah,especially, but the listening is
that and that's something thatgoes a long way for cause.
I mean you were again, you werethere and you know some things
that people that visited thatwere not listening Exactly.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
Yeah.
No, it was definitely over hereExactly, if you're to think to
the listeners like it, mostpeople it's coming out of the
kindness of their heart, but wejust have to understand and have
some feel.
I think that's the biggestthing is like you have some
empathy, you, you, you know andand these things, and it's like,
yeah, you might think you'rehelping, but at the end of the
(37:35):
day you could just be pouringsalt on the wound and so it's
just like really just trying tolisten and and that type of
stuff.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Sorry, I'm just thinking about that encounter
and you know what's one.
Speaker 1 (37:47):
So I know exactly what you're talking about.
I'm so aware.
And it's just a while.
Okay and get back on track now.
No, it's okay and this is whatit's about, but no, I think you
have a really impactful journeyand just to see where you're at
today and the smile you have,and that's what you know,
everybody knows about you andlike, knows, like, when they
(38:10):
think of Meg, you know we thinkof you know happy, sappy, you
know smile and like energeticand you know volleyball beast
and all these other things andso, like, seeing you, you know,
in your element, has beenawesome.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
Um, volleyball beast.
I wouldn't go that far.
What does dad say?
Dad says I have a credit card.
I'm like I probably have thatnow after my hips are greased,
but talk about it.
I have a blocker, agrees?
I have like 14 blocks recorded,Okay.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
So there you go, talk about hit surgeries.
I have a joke that, like Meg's,like one of the disabled people
in my family because she's been, she's been equally as injured
as me because like it'll be like, but it's wild.
So you would you tell, like totell the listeners, some of the
uh, you know issues you've had.
(38:58):
You know, physically, you gotsome hips, you got some new hips
, you got some new hips.
Speaker 2 (39:03):
And wait, how old is I?
25?
Uh yeah, 2000 and 21.
Well, covid, mike and I startedgolfing a lot more.
I started working out a lotmore, which was all great, yeah
Right, so good, and I felt sohealthy.
It was wonderful until one daymy hip hurt and it continued to
(39:26):
hurt.
I couldn't sleep and I was likesomething is wrong with my hip.
And it was just my left one.
So I went to the doctor.
They're like, oh, it's yourback.
I was like my, my hip hurts,but okay.
So then they had to rule outthe back and do all those things
.
These, I think, wanted moremoney, but it's fine.
(39:47):
Um.
So at that time again leadingback on what I know, I was like
please, god, like help me figureout what was wrong with me.
I just need sleep.
And at that time I was still inPE, I was doing student
teaching.
I was like just 100%, stilldoing everything.
(40:08):
And then they were like, oh,yeah, it is your hip.
Like like, yeah, could havetold you that about four months
ago.
But here we are.
Um, so I had to get laborrepair and they had to shave
down extra bone growth in myleft hip.
Then I got this awesome hipbrace.
(40:30):
I was in that bad boy for likefour no, was it like three
months it?
Speaker 1 (40:38):
was miserable.
By the way it was miserable.
Speaker 2 (40:40):
Like maybe I can pull up a picture.
I don't think you guys can seeit on here, but um, yeah, that
was miserable.
Then, as soon as that onestarted to feel better, my right
one woke up and was like hey,I'm hurt too, but left one was
worse.
So here we are.
So I went back to him, to thesame doctor, who was amazing,
(41:01):
love him, would recommend him.
He's actually the golden nightsdoctor, which is cool or ortho,
um, and I was like I like myright hip hurts.
Same exact pain, same exactareas.
It's like a mirror, like pleasejust go in at this point.
I'm like I and that I had donePT and all those things before
(41:23):
to try to see if that would help.
Nothing helps.
Never.
Um, and so he went back inwithin like four months.
So I got first one in July,second one in November, and then
I was back in that stupid brace.
Same brace too.
They just flipped it, which Ithink was worse, but yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
So shout out to Mike Uh, that's when he got the most
points.
For me was seeing him duringthat recovery.
It was amazing.
Obviously, nurse Mike, youliterally nurse Mike, um, but it
really showed his character andhis commitment and you know, it
was pretty, pretty impactful.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
Poor guy wanted to um propose to me but he was like I
figured you didn't want yourhip brace in any of the photos
and I was like, all right.
Speaker 1 (42:11):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
You're right.
Yes, appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
Yes, and, by the way, he told me when he was going to
propose and we were out of townand he told me one time I knew
before anybody else um, youdidn't know that, but shout out
to Mike.
Speaker 2 (42:27):
Um, and that's wedding when he was Crazy.
Speaker 1 (42:32):
No, it was at a restaurant, uh, outside of a
restaurant, um, but yes and soum.
So that's pretty cool talkingabout that and and Mike's
loyalty, and I think that's justan important thing because it's
like it's very easy to be withsomeone or to be a friend with
someone or a relationship when,when things are going well and
(42:54):
people can help themselves andall that other things.
But you know, with your ups anddowns, even with your health
and things like he was committedand really cared and and love
you and and for who you are, andI think that's really important
and really thankful to have youknow him in our family.
Yes.
And uh guess what.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
So I guess I'll keep him.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Exactly, exactly.
So uh, why not?
We don't ever have familymembers on this, so why don't we
take the last few minutes hereand you maybe give a couple of
your favorite stories of us orme growing up, that, um, it
could be sports related, or Iknow for me like I used to enjoy
going all your volleyball gamesand like I'd sit on like the
bench and you'd always try tothrow the ball to me.
(43:38):
You know how you had to, likethe little volleyball.
Yeah, like throw out the littlewhite ones.
Yep.
And that was.
That was always cool.
Um, it's good.
I used to go to all your games.
Growing up, meg used to babysitme all the time.
We've watched um, uh, rent, oh,all the we watched rent.
Speaker 2 (43:57):
Any musical on repeat .
Speaker 1 (43:59):
Yes, that was uh really fun and um yeah.
Kind of think of it in my hair,but that's like another.
Yeah, I don't like a memorable.
Speaker 2 (44:11):
I mean it's memorable but maybe not positive.
Um, try to think like miracleleague stuff.
I don't know.
I felt like I was like always.
Oh, that video, yes, fromKentucky, yeah, dan's like
really cool because he hurts alot and and like you can get
(44:33):
hurt, but he gets hurt a lotharder or so Like what did.
I say it was something, so nohe's literally like that.
Speaker 1 (44:40):
It was so bad, it was so funny.
But in that video we're likeplaying in the grass or in the
uh, the leaves the leaves.
Yeah, that was cute.
Speaker 3 (44:49):
We were so young, but we were just kind of messing
around.
Speaker 2 (44:51):
Gosh, I looked like good thing for some puberty and
I want to tell you, for somehair.
I don't know why, mom, let mecut my hair the way it was.
Speaker 1 (45:03):
It was like this short.
Yeah, we all had some wackyhair cut to the wife.
Can we talk about in?
Speaker 2 (45:07):
that whole video, how I'm the one that's picking you
up too, like where are we going?
Speaker 1 (45:11):
I know.
Yeah.
I know I thought about the samething.
I'm, like you know, in thevideo, like we're watching a
match game and they're like I'myelling at the store when we're
killed.
Speaker 2 (45:22):
You're yelling at the papa or something.
Speaker 1 (45:23):
Yeah, but I got in trouble from dad because we're
in the opponents fan section andwe're winning by a lot, and I'm
on the phone and they're, likeyou know, asking me like what's
the score, and I'm like it's 64to 13, but we have 64.
And dad's telling me like hey,be quiet, Like everybody's
around you.
Those are some fun stories.
Speaker 2 (45:48):
That was all Kentucky .
Speaker 1 (45:50):
Interesting, yeah, but I just remember a bunch of
volleyball in high school whenyou were.
You remember that.
Speaker 2 (45:58):
You used to go to all the being the youngest sibling.
Speaker 1 (46:00):
You always go to all the sports you know.
Volleyball is life or baseball,baseball, volleyball.
We would go on trips, some fun,like power trips.
Speaker 2 (46:09):
We went to.
Speaker 1 (46:09):
Baltimore yeah, that was cool, that was fun.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
What do I think?
Honestly, I have the worstmemory, I think.
That's okay, no, yeah there's.
He did a lot.
Okay.
Trying to think about the houselike across from Green Valley.
What happened there?
Any exciting things.
Speaker 1 (46:31):
Not that I really know of.
Speaker 2 (46:33):
No.
But, oh, we had the dogs.
That would always bark at you.
Speaker 1 (46:39):
Yeah, but let's talk about the.
You talk about like faith alittle bit, and why do you feel
like being able to share yourfaith in school and your job is
important to you and how that,you know, affects the way you
teach and that type of stuff.
Speaker 2 (47:02):
That's a good question.
I mean, I think, like I saidearlier, like I enjoy being able
to have that open conversationwith the kids, but I think it's
like being able to pray withthem too and kind of showing
them that like you don't have tobe like ashamed or nervous to
(47:26):
do that, you know and I meanthere are only eight, so they
don't really know either way butjust trying to help them figure
that out for themselves.
I don't try to like cram itdown their throat, right.
Like we have religion we talkabout openly.
I answer their questions, likethings like that, and I think
(47:47):
the biggest thing is teachingthem how to pray right.
It's not like wishing forthings, right, you're you're
more thanking God.
Right, we always talk about thefive finger prayers.
Speaker 1 (47:59):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (48:00):
But I think just in the way.
I'm trying to figure out how toword it sorry, Like I don't go
around and always talk aboutfaith, if that makes sense, Like
we do.
Religion, we have those things.
But I think, in the way that Iact, in the way that you respect
(48:23):
one another, I think the waylike when we go into chapel, I'm
like guys whose house are weentering, right, and they're
like God or Jesus, and I'm like,right, so how should we like?
How should we be acting rightnow?
Should we be jumping on thechapel chairs?
I know right, so just trying toguide them to again.
(48:47):
Yeah, I guess, just be thatlight for others and be those I
don't wanna say leaders, butjust like lead by example,
because I think that goes areally long way, especially at
this age, Like we mentioned,like having empathy for others
and showing that you care forothers and those type of things.
(49:09):
I don't know.
We talked about the fruits ofthe spirit a lot.
Yeah, because that kind of is agood connection for them at
this age.
Speaker 1 (49:21):
For sure.
I think that's a reallyimportant thing.
Breaking it down for youngerkids can be a little bit more
challenging, right, because theyhave their own things that
they're wrestling with.
They have wherever the case maybe right, but and obviously
they're still learning a lot.
(49:42):
So being I give a lot of creditto people who are able to break
it down so that kids canresonate a little bit and so
shout out to you guys that areable to do that.
Speaker 2 (49:54):
Yeah, some of the like Bible stories we read,
they're like what?
And I'm like, well, let's takeit back a notch.
What is Jesus trying to tell ushere?
What is like, what is yeah, orwhat was.
I'm trying to think of whowe're reading about right now.
I know we just read like whenJesus feeds the 5,000.
And I was like, okay, so what'sthe message?
(50:16):
Like they're like they.
Like Jesus fed them.
I'm like, okay, but how is thatpossible?
Like it's not like.
So just again, trying to relateit to little people words and
try to help them make thoseconnections and understand the
(50:37):
biggest one is fruits andspirits I'm like okay, we got
love, joy, peace, kindness,gentleness and self-control.
That's a big one.
We are still working on thatone over here, Eddie.
Speaker 1 (50:48):
Yeah, that's probably the most important one for the
elementary school ageSelf-control.
Keep your head to yourself.
It's your personal space.
Still talking about bubbles,right?
Is this your bubble?
Speaker 2 (50:59):
No, but for some of them I literally I'll tell them
like, guys, to enhance ourselves, like that's something we teach
and learn in kindergarten.
I'm like, do you need to goback there?
I'm like, are you sure?
Maybe?
I'm like, okay, bye, I'm justkidding.
Speaker 1 (51:15):
So no, I think Meg would be.
I obviously have never seen Megteach a senior coach.
Meg, it would be an incredibleteacher.
I know she is, and as a coach,I think Meg is hilarious and
awesome as a coach too,depending on what's going on.
It's so fun.
There's so much to like becausewe I think one of the biggest
things that Meg and I have incommon is we wear our heart on
(51:38):
our sleeves.
Like people can tell the way wefeel by our emotions, like by
our faces, like cause, like-.
Speaker 2 (51:44):
Oh, I can't say anything.
Speaker 1 (51:45):
Me neither, like I'm so bad at it, like.
So if you're like coaching andyou're like fired up in your
team, you can see the red likethe sweat.
You know, but like, but it'slike you're excited, like you.
Everybody in the whole buildingcan tell you.
And so I just remember, likeWatson, meg coach the Bresman
team and she just be like youknow, just like, walk me in and
(52:06):
like-.
Speaker 2 (52:07):
Brakes.
Please, gubby with those littlefreshies, they don't know
anything.
Speaker 1 (52:11):
No, but you had a couple of really good and nasty
Bresman teams a couple years.
That is true.
Speaker 2 (52:17):
One year, we only lost one game.
So one year we only lost onegame.
Speaker 1 (52:22):
Yeah, me and Ronnie Boy would sit together and enjoy
the games.
Oh yeah man.
Yes, no, I said it was RonnieBoy.
Speaker 2 (52:29):
See me in action tomorrow if you come to my game.
Speaker 1 (52:32):
Okay, where do you play At Faith?
Oh, there you go.
Nice, well, maybe I will.
But hey, you know what, meg, Iappreciate you stopping by and
hop on today's episode.
I really appreciate thevulnerability and I think that
your story could really make animpact on the listeners.
I think the whole goal of thispodcast is just to share a
variety of life journeys and howGod has always been at the
(52:57):
center and has always protectedus, even if it doesn't
necessarily look like it andwe've had other traumatic things
going on.
But look at you now, look whereyou are.
You just got married and yeah,Before you go.
Speaker 2 (53:10):
Actually, because at our school we have to do
devotion every day or not everyday, but I'm in charge of the
devotion next week for ourfaculty meeting.
Speaker 1 (53:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (53:21):
And it's actually talking about getting out of
your comfort zone.
Speaker 1 (53:25):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (53:28):
And the person I listened to.
He said sometimes it is thedevil who is giving you comfort
and is God who is putting you inthe conflict.
Mm.
And Jesus was sent to likeconfront people right, Not
necessarily comfort.
Mm.
And so that's I kind of likethat.
(53:49):
I was like kind of what yousaid just made me think of that.
Speaker 1 (53:52):
No, I love that and I think like and that's when I
tell people, like, when you'reuncomfortable, I think that's a
good sign, you're in the rightspot.
You know, I know that.
I know in my own life like I'min a season like pursuing
ministry, going back to school,like all these other things
right, like I have a jobinterview tomorrow and it's like
I completely switched careers.
I'm kind of like, ah, moved outon my own, I got all these
bills and things.
(54:12):
But I'm like when I know it'slike a little uncomfortable and
I know I'm doing the ministryand all these things, it's like
it's God's letting me know thatlike you're growing and like
you're in the right place foryour life and the will for your
life.
So I think that's an importantmessage right, when you're
comfortable, you're limitingyour growth and you're limiting
your potential because you'renot allowing God to do that yeah
(54:35):
, go ahead.
Speaker 2 (54:36):
I'm gonna write it down, yeah.
Speaker 1 (54:39):
Yes, write it down All right, you're limiting your
growth.
Speaker 2 (54:45):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (54:47):
Thank you.
Yeah, we drop bangers hereevery episode, so tune in people
.
But awesome, meg.
The way I like to close thisout every time is I end it with
a prayer, just like to give itback to God, allowing us to be
able to just reflect on thisamazing conversation and just
(55:07):
pray that whoever listens tothis receives whatever they're
meant to receive, and that weknow that whoever God plans to
listen to this, or whatever partthey listen to, we just pray
that they're able to receive andtake in what they're supposed
to do.
So let's go to God in prayer.
So, dear heavenly Father, Iwanna thank you for allowing me
(55:28):
to have Meg on this podcast.
As you know, while we're bearingmuch and her story is super
inspiring and, god, I think it'sa testament for don't judge a
book by its cover.
In the way that there'ssometimes, we have people on
this earth that might look 100%healthy or might look like
they've never experiencedanything, or they had a perfect
(55:49):
childhood.
You know they got a big family,both parents, all these other
things, but we don't necessarilyknow what people are going
through.
God, and I think it's a greattestament to just being there
for people and, regardless ofwhat it looks like we don't know
what they're experiencing, sowe just be there and listen.
God, I pray that whoever listensto this today can just get an
understanding that we wanna beable to be there for our loved
(56:12):
ones and people we don't know,and we love them where they're
at, we listen to them and weprovide our guidance and our
prayer for them.
Lord, I just thank you forhaving Meg in our family and the
great memories we've createdand will create in the future.
And, lord, I just wanna givethis all to you and this
(56:32):
platform to you, that you justallow your people and whoever
wanna listen listen and they cangrow from this.
And we ask this all and youjust only name my prayer Amen,
amen, amen.
Meg.
All right, I will talk to yousoon.
Bye, peace out, bye.
Welcome back to another episode of Catching Up
with Christians.
I'm your host, coach DanMcCarty.
Today I'm alongside my sister,who is actually a volleyball
slash, basketball and teacher,coach and teacher.
Today we're going to dive intothe conversation.
You can learn more about herand her faith journey and her
(00:23):
career and how her faith impactsher job.
Sweet Meg, thanks for hoppingon.
How are you today?
Speaker 2 (00:31):
I'm doing swell, how are you I?
Just finished my teaching day,so that was great.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Sweet.
So if you want to tell them thepeople who you are, where you
teach and how you got intoteaching and coaching, Okay, so
I am Megan Kincannon.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
I recently got married, so new name, yep,
exciting stuff.
I recently got sorry, still atschool, so part of the
instructions, maybe I actuallystarted teaching right after I
(01:13):
got my associates.
I became like a long-termsubstitute teacher while I was
finishing up my degree.
That was primarily in the highschool area.
Then I realized I did not enjoyteaching high schoolers all day
and then going and coachingthem all day, so I made the
(01:34):
transfer over to the elementaryschool.
Once I met my now husband, heactually went to Faith Lutheran
High School.
He's a faith faithful, I guessthat's what they call him.
He introduced me to faith theschool Sorry.
(01:54):
He got a full teaching job andstill again at that time I was
substitute teaching and becausehe got a full-time position they
lost a sub and he was like well, my girlfriend like substitutes
.
I don't know if that's weird,but I know she's good at her job
, so do you want to interviewher?
(02:15):
So I long-term substitutetaught for them for about a year
.
Then the next year I got hiredas third, fourth and fifth grade
PE and athletic director.
So I did that for three yearsand then now I am full-time in
the classroom and I teach thirdgrade.
This is my second year.
(02:37):
So I guess I've been at Faithfor five years if you're
counting the substitute yearthan six.
So long time.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
But yeah, I love it.
It's a great environment.
I think it's when I did highschool it was the public school
which I really enjoyedconnecting with those students.
It was weird because I was justout of college, so I felt like
their age.
So it was a little weird, butnow being at a school where I
(03:12):
can openly talk about God withthe kids and they ask me
questions about him, I find itreally special.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
So that's amazing.
Well, let's unpack also thesports side of things.
So if you want to tell themsports you played and growing up
and then how you got in thecoaching and that type of stuff.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Yeah, I grew up playing softball until I was
about 12-ish.
I would say I have really badjoints and I guess you can
figure or find that out at 12years old.
Who would have thought so?
I played softball, I was acatcher, I thought I was pretty
(03:54):
good for 12, but who knows?
So my parents were like youcan't really do softball anymore
because of your knees andjoints and all the things.
So I tried to pick anothersport and at that time my older
sister or our older sister sorry, that was weird she had just
(04:16):
started learning volleyball.
So I just remember playing inour backyard in Kentucky or was
it even backyard field, whateveryou want to call it Playing
with her, and she just taught methe basics.
Then, when we moved back toVegas, that's when I got really
into volleyball and I played allthroughout high school and I
(04:37):
played two years in college.
Then in college I picked upgolf.
There you go.
So throughout high school Iwould randomly go caddy for my
biological dad and never hitreally a golf club Like I was
awful.
First year in college theyneeded one more girl to make a
(05:02):
golf team.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Nice.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
The athletic director was like, hey, you're athletic,
you know golf.
And I was like, no, I don'tknow golf at all.
And he was like, well, you knowenough.
So just come out to the range,come hang out, come take a
couple swings, we'll get yougoing.
And I said no, that's nothappening.
I was like I'm here forvolleyball and he's like I could
(05:25):
probably get you some moremoney and I was like, all right,
I got you.
So I went out that next day orthat day actually, after like
volleyball weights and stayedand I sucked.
So bad, so bad.
But once I found out that Isucked, I was there every day
(05:49):
because our home course like youcould hit balls for free and
you could play around for freewhenever you wanted, just as
long as it wouldn't conflictwith, like their customers.
So I was out there every day.
It was bad.
You want to know what I shot onmy first round?
Like official tournament.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Sure, let me hear it.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Have I told you before.
No.
No, you want to guess?
Speaker 1 (06:14):
90.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
More.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Oh, like 105.
It's really embarrassing what105?
.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
More.
It's really embarrassing.
You can't pick up your ballever, especially when you get
stuck in a sand trap and it wasdown for rain or in Washington.
It was miserable.
It was on my birthday.
I will never forget this roundof golf.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Like 120.
More Like what?
Speaker 2 (06:44):
It was so bad.
At the end of the round mycoach was just up there on top
of the hill, arms wide open.
Like I'm so amazed that you didnot quit Because it was that
bad.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Wow.
So you got to tell the peoplewhat was it.
We got a dose.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Oh, it was a 156.
It was so bad.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
What's that math?
Was it 18 holes?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
It was a lot of strokes per hole.
I don't know that math off thetop of my head.
That's why I'm a third gradeteacher.
There you go.
I can use my calculator though.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
I'm doing it right now for the people All right
that is almost nine strokes.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Yeah, that sounds about right.
It's so bad, it's so bad.
But after that I realized Ilike sucked, really bad because
I got dead last.
And I felt bad for the peoplein my group because, like you're
matched up with three otherpeople from different schools so
they don't even know you, and Iwarned them before the
(07:48):
tournament.
I was like I've never played anofficial round, so I apologize,
like I'm not going to cheat,but just know like I'm going to
suck.
Were they nice they were.
OK, that's supportive, but Ithink they got annoyed towards
the end because it was pouringrain and I just held them up a
(08:08):
bunch.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
So how long did it take?
I got to know that round.
How long was that roundable?
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Oh, I don't even know .
It's probably.
Yeah, I don't know, it was solong, but I realized I sucked.
So then I went out to the rangeeven more like more than I
don't know, spent hours and thenguess what I shot by the end of
the year, the last tournamentseason.
What.
Yes 80.
(08:33):
82.
Wow.
And a coach from another teamcame up or from another school
came up to me.
He goes excuse me, were you thegirl that shot the 156, the
first tournament?
And I said, yep, yep, that's me.
(08:53):
I was like thank you for thereminder.
He goes wow, I'm impressed thatyou, like, could shave that
much off.
I said me too.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
There we are.
That's awesome, yes, so youfinished your golfing and
volleyball career, right?
You had some injuriesthroughout college, right you
know?
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Yeah, minor ones.
Yeah, I was like shoulderissues here and there and that's
partly why I feel like if Ikept playing like competitively,
I just would have wrecked mybody, so I stopped.
My shoulder is probably stillwrecked, but it's.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
OK, but you still have a passion for the game
though, right, like you'vealways had passion for sports.
So is that kind of how youwanted to get into coaching, so
like after you played in college, what kind of made you want to
transition to the coaching side?
Speaker 2 (09:46):
So in college actually I worked with my head
coach.
She did like a little clubscene there out of the college
and I would just kind of helpher here and there with the
little kids and I was like youknow, this is kind of fun.
So it grew a little bit of, orlike my passion grew a little
bit there with working with theyounger kids.
(10:08):
And then when I was planning tomove back home after playing,
my high school coach reached outand was like I think you're
going to make a great coach,like you want to try it out and
like she's a legend.
You know her coach.
Yeah, so if she's saying thatand I got that opportunity, I
was like you know, I might aswell like, because I really
(10:28):
didn't know what I wanted to do.
I just knew I wanted to finishschool at some point.
But coaching I was like youknow, some money on the side,
work with some kids and kind ofsee how it goes.
And as soon as I started like Iknew I really enjoyed it, just
(10:49):
connecting and building thoserelationships with the girls.
And I had the opportunity tocoach men's volleyball as well,
which actually still to this dayhas probably been my most fun
season Because they're justsuper energetic and want.
They're so athletic too.
They just want to get after itand they're sponges, so yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
That's awesome.
So you coach different sportsand now tell them what you're
doing.
What's your most recent coach?
Speaker 2 (11:20):
you could never yes, so I coach volleyball still.
I'm over at Faith Lutheran HighSchool and the varsity
assistant.
I've been there for four, fiveyears now, and then at the
elementary school that I teachat, they have little sports for
little kids and they are schoolkind of struggles to find
(11:44):
coaches.
So I offered last year to bethe girls' basketball coach if
they really could not findanyone.
But I think the AD just likeaided up.
He's like oh, I got somebody,like here we go, didn't go look
for anybody.
And I even told him I was likeI don't, like I know basketball,
I can YouTube a bunch of stuff,you figure it out, but I don't
(12:07):
know no basketball.
And he's like it's elementary,you'll be fine.
So we got quite the Motley crewthis year.
But they're really fun, theytry really hard, they just can't
shoot.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
I remember when you first called me, you're like so
yeah, I kind of got this coolopportunity and I then want to
start coaching basketball for,like the elementary school.
I'm like, oh OK, she's like,yeah, I just have a couple of
girls who can actually shoot atthat high and then the rest
really can't.
So do you have any playrecommendations?
I get people to try to score,but we can't really shoot it up
(12:46):
all the way, and I was like,yeah.
So I remember those early onconversations about so that was
last year.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
This year, the ability to shoot is like it's a
little less.
We're going to be really goodat defense, though.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
There we go.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Our games are going to be like 3 to 0 or something
random, if somebody is able tomake a free throw.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
That's OK.
Defense wins championships, sothat's good.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Yeah, did you see my comment on what the little girl
asked me about the games?
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Yeah about the running.
Yes, I did.
Yeah, so cute.
I guess that's what's fun aboutcoaching that age right?
Yeah, they're so naive or don'tknow yet.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
It was innocent.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
They don't know anything, yeah, and so you
really get to mold.
And I think that's what'simpactful about coaching at the
young age, because you reallycan make an impact for that
person and they can really growto love the game, depending on
how you are as a coach and Iknow you are a good coach, but
to all the coaches listening forthe younger ages you really
(13:52):
have a big piece of that personwanting to love that sport or
maybe they won't or wanting topursue competitive competition.
So I think it's reallyimportant to remember, like when
you have interactions with theyounger kids, like to remember
that it is a big influence onhow much they enjoy that sport.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Yeah, and that's one thing I've noticed and I noticed
it right away last year becauseI'm like you know me, I'm very
competitive.
So like high school, I'm onecoach, right.
But as soon as I'm with theselittle peeps, I am like a
completely different coach,because I'm like you know what?
They've never played basketballbefore, about.
(14:31):
I have 11 on my team and Ithink only two have played
before.
So nobody else has played.
They don't know what it is.
They're with their friends andI've taught some of them before.
So I'm like we just want tohave fun.
This is their little taste.
So then next year, like fromthe fifth graders, I'm like next
(14:51):
year, when you get to middleschool, you got the little taste
and the happy feel, hopefully,and you're enjoying it.
So then you can hopefully goand just keep it going in middle
school.
I guess, it gets a little moreintense and that's when you
start losing some people.
But yeah, absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
If you weren't mine, I'd love to kind of dive into
your life journey and you cancorrect me if I'm wrong.
But I also think you have acool story in the sense of you
don't necessarily know what youwanted to do right out of high
school or right out of college.
It took some time.
I know you possibly werethinking about being coming like
a flight attendant at one point.
(15:33):
Oh, all the things, all thethings.
But I think that's amazing in away for everybody who's
listening that doesn't quiteknow what they want in life, and
those type of things Like beingable to sit back and trust God
that you'll reveal the plan foryour life and give you
opportunities to try and you tryto handful of different things.
And you found eventually whatyour calling was and what you're
(15:55):
passionate about, but I thinkit could be a really impactful
story to people that are kind oflike I need to know what's like
, what I need to do with my life.
I got to know what's going on,but, you know, you took your
time and did what you needed toand you ultimately have worked
out.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Yeah.
So going into college I waslike you know, I'm going to be a
nurse, it's going to be so cool.
And then I realized I hateneedles and which is funny
because I have a bunch oftattoos.
But those needles that stay inyou, the IVs, not for me.
And then the idea of givingthat to somebody like I would
(16:31):
not want to do that.
So I quickly changed my majorwithin.
I don't even know it was bad.
My friend called me like whatdid?
She call me A major gypsybecause I just moved around a
bunch, yeah.
So I went nursing.
Then I went to teaching becauseI was like you know what, we
(16:54):
have a teacher in our family.
Like mom did it, I would helpyounger siblings with homework
or want to be a teacher when Iwas younger, or it would always
be like the little brown noserin class.
So I was like you know what,maybe a teacher.
(17:15):
Then I switched Again.
I just got my general AA.
Then I went for occupationaltherapy, which I really thought
I was going to stick with thatone.
But then I got to the pointwhere I was like this is not me.
I'm like I don't like forteaching.
(17:36):
I was like I want to have abigger impact, which I know
occupational therapists have,like the things that they do.
It's so impressive, right, yeah, but like you said, shaping
those young little friends.
That's kind of where my mindwent.
So then I went to or went theroute of psychology and
sociology and dove into thatbecause I was like maybe I could
(17:59):
be a psychologist in a schoolor counselor, but then I was
like that would make me cryevery day and I don't think I'd
want to cry every day, yeah, sothen, yeah, then I finally found
teaching again, again, wentthrough a bunch, and I have a
(18:23):
bunch of random credits now thatare for nothing.
But yeah, in the end I shouldhave just went with my gut the
second time around and there yougo.
Because I knew I wanted, I don'tknow and the idea of being able
to coach to that made the mostsense.
(18:45):
I think with teaching coachingI could help shape the young
little peeps in the classroom,help them figure out who they
are, help develop their funlittle personalities, how to
handle conflict so kind of bealmost all of those careers that
I was kind of tip or dipping mytoes in.
(19:06):
But teaching kind ofencompasses a wide range of
majors, I think, not to theextremes, obviously, but with
all the recess drama you got tohandle the conflict resolution,
all those things.
Nurse, got to put thoseband-aids on even if they're not
(19:30):
bleeding, because I'm justgetting on them down.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
No, it's true, it's true, and all those credits came
in handy.
You get to learn differentfields to be able to apply them
to what you're doing now.
I think that's awesome but,like I said, I wanted to touch
up on that because I know in myown life, like there's times
where, like what's God's willfor my life, or what do I want
to, where do I feel led to do?
(19:53):
And ultimately you came backand God came back to what you
truly call to do.
And from what I hear.
You know you love it and youlove coaching.
You love teaching and you getto be around some of your
favorite people all the time youknow, and which is awesome.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
Yeah, I think the biggest like pivotal point for
me, well, I guess two, but theykind of go hand in hand.
So, like I mean, you know,route 91, right, I was there
super just life changing right,super traumatic, and I was able
(20:35):
to talk with a therapist.
That kind of had me fall backon what I know right or what I
like it took a lot to.
I'm trying to like figure outhow to word it.
But to unpack, right.
(20:55):
But to again fall back on yourfaith, right, cause that's the
one thing that stays constant,even in those horrible things
that happened for some reason.
And again you're like why?
But like after that it took alot for me to kind of come and
(21:16):
come back, but she opened myeyes a lot and like what I
actually wanted in life, cause,again with the like, what is the
word?
There's a word for it.
I can't think of it right now,but when you survive, survival's
great or survivors.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Yeah, guilt, guilt, thank you.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Like that.
It kind of makes you think oflike, okay, like I wasn't meant
to die, so what am I supposed todo, you know?
And then so, yeah, that was abig one.
That kind of led me here.
And then also, obviously, mikeright Cause he grew up in the
faith school and in just thatenvironment and then, after
(22:05):
meeting him and having thisopportunity, it definitely
allowed me to just get back toit and get a little deeper in my
faith.
So it was good.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
That's awesome.
So you know, I think there's alot to unpack there, but Meg has
some of the most interestinglife stories she's been a part
of some really, reallyunfortunate events but also has
won like the most random ticketsand, like from you know,
calling radio shows, has donelike some of the most crazy
(22:38):
things when it comes to thatwent to a night's game and had
some luck at like a raffle andthings, but things like that
Like.
But then again, you know, and Idon't mean to make this as a
joke, but it's really wild tosee some of the extremely good
and some of the extremely, youknow, tough things that you
unfortunately had to experience.
But I think it really shapeswho we are and molds us.
(23:01):
But, like you said, the onething that's constant throughout
, that is God and our faith,right, like no matter the highs
and lows and the things that weexperienced, and I think that's
really important to thelisteners.
It's like God does not change,he does not move, he is forever
constant and he goes before usand whatnot.
And you know I would.
I'd love to talk about just alittle bit about your faith
(23:25):
journey.
You don't have to go too deepand do it unless you want to,
but just kind of talk about,basically, you know where you
grew, you know how you startedin your faith and how it evolved
to where you are now.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
So I mean, you grew up in the same household.
You can kind of help me outwith this.
But I don't know, growing up wekind of bounced around from
church to church.
It wasn't ever like consistent,but I think Christmas and
Easter we would go out withspecial people.
(24:01):
That's what we were, until wefound like random churches that
mom would like want to go testout, and then we go, and then we
go for a couple of weeks andthen it's just an odd I think an
odd upbringing when it comes toour faith.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
I can attest it.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
But we got exposure in like all sorts of ways.
So it's very complex, I think.
But I remember there was achurch I don't remember where it
was, I think it's in Nevada butit was like after you were born
and then Ronnie boy, so mybiological dad was like going
(24:40):
through hardships and likehealth issues.
You were born going throughyour craziness and health issues
and I went to mom and was likeI need to be baptized and she
was kind of like like what Likecause?
We never like talked about thatstuff, yeah, and I was like six
(25:04):
, five, like who are you Like?
What are you?
My daughter type of thing, youknow.
But I like decided on my own atthat age and I remember it
vividly.
I was like I know I can't helpthem but like if I become a part
of God's family, I know I canhelp others like and be a light
(25:28):
for others.
I mean I probably didn't saythat when I was five, it was
along those lines.
And so I remember gettingbaptized with mom because she
chose to get baptized as well,so that was kind of special.
And then, yeah again, thengrowing up we just popped around
(25:49):
.
I know dad would have likerandom times, we want to read
the Bible or like share somestories, so just super, just not
consistent I guess.
But again, I don't think itnecessarily needs to be
consistent in a way, I don'tknow, because I mean I still
(26:10):
like know that God is there ornew right when I was growing up
and like even through all thosehard times, or like your weird
early, late or early twentieswhen you're crazy, whatever
happens, and like you can alwayslean back on him, right, but I
(26:32):
think kind of hit like just wekind of just never talked about
it, I think, as a family.
And then in college I starteddating a guy that was like super
, super religious, which I lovehow, or I loved how he was so
(26:55):
involved and like wanted to beinvolved.
But it had to be that way or noway.
And I was not about that way,it was just very controlling.
And.
I think that's where it's.
I don't know like you alwayshear about people not wanting to
(27:20):
attend church and things likethat because of people that are
so just controlling about it.
I guess it's the best way toput it.
And so I kind of went alongwith it for a little bit.
I felt like I was just in likea, I was like a robot or
something, which I know isreally messed up to say, but I
(27:43):
was a little bit of a robot.
And then, once I got out of thatrelationship, I kind of just
did my own thing for a littlebit.
And then that's when, likeRoute 91 happened and I really
(28:03):
just pushed away from all thethings because I was like what
the heck, why is this happening?
And all the things.
And I was never able to reallyprocess it or anything like that
until I did like it tooksomebody like telling me
(28:28):
straight up like you are herestill, like for a reason I know
it might suck, or you feel acertain way right now, or you're
still having PTSD, like allthose things.
But you need to be willing totry to go back to what you like
not or raised with, but likewhat you?
(28:50):
I don't know, like what youknow.
So that's when I started divingback in and like I would attend
church.
Even by myself felt a littleweird, but I was like it's okay.
And then I met Mike and we madelike a pack together.
(29:11):
We're like you know what, we'regonna go to church or watch it
online, like as often as we can.
And so that became our likefaith together, which was kind
of nice Well, not our faith, butyou know what I mean Like our
journey, which was nice to havesomebody who was on the same
(29:34):
level with you.
I guess it wasn't a controllingthing, it was a partnership in
that and that we both can praytogether, we both can go to
church together, we both can dodevotions to get like, and that
we both work at a Christianschool.
Like I love being able to talkwith my kids about it.
We do religion every day.
We have chapel every Wednesdays.
I'm able to like talk about orunpack that message with them
(29:59):
when they get back to class.
So I think that answers yourquestion.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
I know.
No, absolutely no.
I think Sorry, no, you're good.
I think you know it's sometimeswhen we experience trauma.
You know we, like you said, youhave to fall back on what you
know.
And fall back on, you know, theconstant and what's always
there and like, unfortunately,like you know, we have to
(30:30):
experience some sort of traumain our lives.
And but I do remember, you know, through that journey for you,
just on the outside, of lookingin, like that took you some time
to get to that point, right.
And so for everybody withsomething like if you've
experienced something supertraumatic or you know anything
in life like that, where I wouldrecommend, like, just don't be
(30:52):
hard on yourself, like it's aprocess, right, like I'm
speaking for you.
Maybe you could talk about thisa little bit, but just kind of
you know it's okay and to beunpacked, that and you'll get
through it if you you know, useyour resources and support
system.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
Yeah, definitely does not help to keep it in,
definitely needs to be unpackedand even, yes, I seek a
therapist right.
But like diving deeply into thechurch, like that helped too.
I talked with a pastor here atour church I talked with and
like the weird thing abouttrauma, it like happens and then
(31:28):
everybody how they handle itafterwards is obviously
different, but it's like you'realmost stunned for a long period
of time and then then yougrieve sorry, yeah you did.
Oh, sorry You're gonna be like.
It's not cool.
Can I turn that down, Okay?
(31:49):
never, mind never done.
Now.
Then you like grieve and thenyou start to kind of process it
slowly, but like I realizedafter like two weeks, like I
hadn't listened to music, like Irefused to listen to music, and
I was like, all right,something's wrong with me.
I should probably, and notwrong.
But you know, like I need tounpack this, I need to just make
(32:11):
sure I'm okay, right.
And then, like you get to thatpoint and it comes and goes and
waves, like something stillmight trigger it even six years
later, right.
But again, having that constant, like you said, and being able
to fall back on that was superhelpful, because then, not long
(32:32):
after that, we lost Claire, oursister, which was like all right
, Like another super traumaticthing, right.
That you don't ever think isgonna happen to you, which I
think is right to say for anytype of trauma.
Right Like you never.
You hear about it alwayshappening to other people or
(32:54):
whatever, but you just don'tever think it's gonna happen to
you.
And then it does and same thingLike.
Then you're back in that likelittle hole and you have to
figure out how or what's gonnahelp you get out of that.
And that for Claire, Idefinitely.
(33:14):
I never saw a therapist, but Idid speak with like pastors here
and unpacked a lot with themand my principal I was like you
guys have you've been through alot with me, but yeah, so.
But again, I think the biggestthing, everybody goes at it
(33:35):
their own way and it has tohappen at their pace.
With whatever trauma, rightLike you have to be ready, cause
I just remember, like the nightof Route 91, mom was like you
need to go talk to us.
Like whoa, I still don't evenknow what happened.
Right Like I was still justlike I hadn't cried, I hadn't,
like I didn't even know.
(33:57):
So it's not always like animmediate fix.
It takes time and effort fromthat person that's in it, I
think, to try to come out ofthat.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
Absolutely.
And I'll say from a familymember's perspective.
You can come time to see, likeI hope talking about this
doesn't trigger anything, but Iknow for me on an outsider
perspective, like being a familymember, like I remember, kind
of feeling like helpless in away because, like you know, when
it's a sibling and it's someoneyou love, I remember when this
(34:34):
first happened it was like therewas nothing I could do right
and like to give you peace andthere's nothing people we really
can do other than offer likeour listening and just being
there for that person.
And, like you said, when it'stheir time to open up to you,
you just be there for them.
And ultimately, the mostpowerful thing we could do is
pray.
Right, we couldn't go to Godand just say like just give them
(34:57):
, you know, strength and thepeace to be able to overcome you
know, or not even necessarilyovercome it's probably not the
right word but to be able todeal with this in the proper way
.
And I just remember from being ayounger kid too, and you're a
little bit older than me and butlike you have as a family
member, you have this sense oflike you wish you could change
(35:18):
it or something you could do.
But I just remember that feelingof like you know what, like the
biggest, the best thing I coulddo right now is pray and just
let you know that, like I loveand care about you and when
you're ready to talk about itand you want a different
perspective than mom and dad, orjust like wants to want to just
talk, you know, or listen, likethe most powerful thing is
listening.
Like sometimes, like you knowoff topic but funny like dad we
(35:43):
talk about you know things, butI would tell dad I'm like I
don't want advice, I just wantyou to listen and like all the
times with parents they'll wantto fix some problem, solved and
give you advice instead of justbeing there as a listener.
And I think just sometimes inlife you just have to listen.
You just have to be there andlet them know you love them and
you care for them and justlisten.
(36:04):
I think that's the most, one ofthe most powerful things we can
do.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
And that's one thing, like with, like you said,
praying, like even if it's notlike a whole thing, or like I
remember literally laying downin bed because I could not sleep
after that and I just was likeeyes up on the ceiling and I
started to just pray to myself,like in my head, or to God in my
(36:29):
head, and I was like I don'tknow what I'm praying for right
now, but I was like maybe tosleep, maybe the whole process,
hopefully nobody's hurt.
But, like I knew, people werehurt.
I think I again, I was still inshock Cause like just yeah, I
was just like I hope nobody'shurt, please, um, yeah, and then
(36:51):
like, but I get that, yeah,especially, but the listening is
that and that's something thatgoes a long way for cause.
I mean you were again, you werethere and you know some things
that people that visited thatwere not listening Exactly.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
Yeah.
No, it was definitely over hereExactly, if you're to think to
the listeners like it, mostpeople it's coming out of the
kindness of their heart, but wejust have to understand and have
some feel.
I think that's the biggestthing is like you have some
empathy, you, you, you know andand these things, and it's like,
yeah, you might think you'rehelping, but at the end of the
(37:35):
day you could just be pouringsalt on the wound and so it's
just like really just trying tolisten and and that type of
stuff.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Sorry, I'm just thinking about that encounter
and you know what's one.
Speaker 1 (37:47):
So I know exactly what you're talking about.
I'm so aware.
And it's just a while.
Okay and get back on track now.
No, it's okay and this is whatit's about, but no, I think you
have a really impactful journeyand just to see where you're at
today and the smile you have,and that's what you know,
everybody knows about you andlike, knows, like, when they
(38:10):
think of Meg, you know we thinkof you know happy, sappy, you
know smile and like energeticand you know volleyball beast
and all these other things andso, like, seeing you, you know,
in your element, has beenawesome.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
Um, volleyball beast.
I wouldn't go that far.
What does dad say?
Dad says I have a credit card.
I'm like I probably have thatnow after my hips are greased,
but talk about it.
I have a blocker, agrees?
I have like 14 blocks recorded,Okay.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
So there you go, talk about hit surgeries.
I have a joke that, like Meg's,like one of the disabled people
in my family because she's been, she's been equally as injured
as me because like it'll be like, but it's wild.
So you would you tell, like totell the listeners, some of the
uh, you know issues you've had.
(38:58):
You know, physically, you gotsome hips, you got some new hips
, you got some new hips.
Speaker 2 (39:03):
And wait, how old is I?
25?
Uh yeah, 2000 and 21.
Well, covid, mike and I startedgolfing a lot more.
I started working out a lotmore, which was all great, yeah
Right, so good, and I felt sohealthy.
It was wonderful until one daymy hip hurt and it continued to
(39:26):
hurt.
I couldn't sleep and I was likesomething is wrong with my hip.
And it was just my left one.
So I went to the doctor.
They're like, oh, it's yourback.
I was like my, my hip hurts,but okay.
So then they had to rule outthe back and do all those things
.
These, I think, wanted moremoney, but it's fine.
(39:47):
Um.
So at that time again leadingback on what I know, I was like
please, god, like help me figureout what was wrong with me.
I just need sleep.
And at that time I was still inPE, I was doing student
teaching.
I was like just 100%, stilldoing everything.
(40:08):
And then they were like, oh,yeah, it is your hip.
Like like, yeah, could havetold you that about four months
ago.
But here we are.
Um, so I had to get laborrepair and they had to shave
down extra bone growth in myleft hip.
Then I got this awesome hipbrace.
(40:30):
I was in that bad boy for likefour no, was it like three
months it?
Speaker 1 (40:38):
was miserable.
By the way it was miserable.
Speaker 2 (40:40):
Like maybe I can pull up a picture.
I don't think you guys can seeit on here, but um, yeah, that
was miserable.
Then, as soon as that onestarted to feel better, my right
one woke up and was like hey,I'm hurt too, but left one was
worse.
So here we are.
So I went back to him, to thesame doctor, who was amazing,
(41:01):
love him, would recommend him.
He's actually the golden nightsdoctor, which is cool or ortho,
um, and I was like I like myright hip hurts.
Same exact pain, same exactareas.
It's like a mirror, like pleasejust go in at this point.
I'm like I and that I had donePT and all those things before
(41:23):
to try to see if that would help.
Nothing helps.
Never.
Um, and so he went back inwithin like four months.
So I got first one in July,second one in November, and then
I was back in that stupid brace.
Same brace too.
They just flipped it, which Ithink was worse, but yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
So shout out to Mike Uh, that's when he got the most
points.
For me was seeing him duringthat recovery.
It was amazing.
Obviously, nurse Mike, youliterally nurse Mike, um, but it
really showed his character andhis commitment and you know, it
was pretty, pretty impactful.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
Poor guy wanted to um propose to me but he was like I
figured you didn't want yourhip brace in any of the photos
and I was like, all right.
Speaker 1 (42:11):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
You're right.
Yes, appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
Yes, and, by the way, he told me when he was going to
propose and we were out of townand he told me one time I knew
before anybody else um, youdidn't know that, but shout out
to Mike.
Speaker 2 (42:27):
Um, and that's wedding when he was Crazy.
Speaker 1 (42:32):
No, it was at a restaurant, uh, outside of a
restaurant, um, but yes and soum.
So that's pretty cool talkingabout that and and Mike's
loyalty, and I think that's justan important thing because it's
like it's very easy to be withsomeone or to be a friend with
someone or a relationship when,when things are going well and
(42:54):
people can help themselves andall that other things.
But you know, with your ups anddowns, even with your health
and things like he was committedand really cared and and love
you and and for who you are, andI think that's really important
and really thankful to have youknow him in our family.
Yes.
And uh guess what.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
So I guess I'll keep him.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Exactly, exactly.
So uh, why not?
We don't ever have familymembers on this, so why don't we
take the last few minutes hereand you maybe give a couple of
your favorite stories of us orme growing up, that, um, it
could be sports related, or Iknow for me like I used to enjoy
going all your volleyball gamesand like I'd sit on like the
bench and you'd always try tothrow the ball to me.
(43:38):
You know how you had to, likethe little volleyball.
Yeah, like throw out the littlewhite ones.
Yep.
And that was.
That was always cool.
Um, it's good.
I used to go to all your games.
Growing up, meg used to babysitme all the time.
We've watched um, uh, rent, oh,all the we watched rent.
Speaker 2 (43:57):
Any musical on repeat .
Speaker 1 (43:59):
Yes, that was uh really fun and um yeah.
Kind of think of it in my hair,but that's like another.
Yeah, I don't like a memorable.
Speaker 2 (44:11):
I mean it's memorable but maybe not positive.
Um, try to think like miracleleague stuff.
I don't know.
I felt like I was like always.
Oh, that video, yes, fromKentucky, yeah, dan's like
really cool because he hurts alot and and like you can get
(44:33):
hurt, but he gets hurt a lotharder or so Like what did.
I say it was something, so nohe's literally like that.
Speaker 1 (44:40):
It was so bad, it was so funny.
But in that video we're likeplaying in the grass or in the
uh, the leaves the leaves.
Yeah, that was cute.
Speaker 3 (44:49):
We were so young, but we were just kind of messing
around.
Speaker 2 (44:51):
Gosh, I looked like good thing for some puberty and
I want to tell you, for somehair.
I don't know why, mom, let mecut my hair the way it was.
Speaker 1 (45:03):
It was like this short.
Yeah, we all had some wackyhair cut to the wife.
Can we talk about in?
Speaker 2 (45:07):
that whole video, how I'm the one that's picking you
up too, like where are we going?
Speaker 1 (45:11):
I know.
Yeah.
I know I thought about the samething.
I'm, like you know, in thevideo, like we're watching a
match game and they're like I'myelling at the store when we're
killed.
Speaker 2 (45:22):
You're yelling at the papa or something.
Speaker 1 (45:23):
Yeah, but I got in trouble from dad because we're
in the opponents fan section andwe're winning by a lot, and I'm
on the phone and they're, likeyou know, asking me like what's
the score, and I'm like it's 64to 13, but we have 64.
And dad's telling me like hey,be quiet, Like everybody's
around you.
Those are some fun stories.
Speaker 2 (45:48):
That was all Kentucky .
Speaker 1 (45:50):
Interesting, yeah, but I just remember a bunch of
volleyball in high school whenyou were.
You remember that.
Speaker 2 (45:58):
You used to go to all the being the youngest sibling.
Speaker 1 (46:00):
You always go to all the sports you know.
Volleyball is life or baseball,baseball, volleyball.
We would go on trips, some fun,like power trips.
Speaker 2 (46:09):
We went to.
Speaker 1 (46:09):
Baltimore yeah, that was cool, that was fun.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
What do I think?
Honestly, I have the worstmemory, I think.
That's okay, no, yeah there's.
He did a lot.
Okay.
Trying to think about the houselike across from Green Valley.
What happened there?
Any exciting things.
Speaker 1 (46:31):
Not that I really know of.
Speaker 2 (46:33):
No.
But, oh, we had the dogs.
That would always bark at you.
Speaker 1 (46:39):
Yeah, but let's talk about the.
You talk about like faith alittle bit, and why do you feel
like being able to share yourfaith in school and your job is
important to you and how that,you know, affects the way you
teach and that type of stuff.
Speaker 2 (47:02):
That's a good question.
I mean, I think, like I saidearlier, like I enjoy being able
to have that open conversationwith the kids, but I think it's
like being able to pray withthem too and kind of showing
them that like you don't have tobe like ashamed or nervous to
(47:26):
do that, you know and I meanthere are only eight, so they
don't really know either way butjust trying to help them figure
that out for themselves.
I don't try to like cram itdown their throat, right.
Like we have religion we talkabout openly.
I answer their questions, likethings like that, and I think
(47:47):
the biggest thing is teachingthem how to pray right.
It's not like wishing forthings, right, you're you're
more thanking God.
Right, we always talk about thefive finger prayers.
Speaker 1 (47:59):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (48:00):
But I think just in the way.
I'm trying to figure out how toword it sorry, Like I don't go
around and always talk aboutfaith, if that makes sense, Like
we do.
Religion, we have those things.
But I think, in the way that Iact, in the way that you respect
(48:23):
one another, I think the waylike when we go into chapel, I'm
like guys whose house are weentering, right, and they're
like God or Jesus, and I'm like,right, so how should we like?
How should we be acting rightnow?
Should we be jumping on thechapel chairs?
I know right, so just trying toguide them to again.
(48:47):
Yeah, I guess, just be thatlight for others and be those I
don't wanna say leaders, butjust like lead by example,
because I think that goes areally long way, especially at
this age, Like we mentioned,like having empathy for others
and showing that you care forothers and those type of things.
(49:09):
I don't know.
We talked about the fruits ofthe spirit a lot.
Yeah, because that kind of is agood connection for them at
this age.
Speaker 1 (49:21):
For sure.
I think that's a reallyimportant thing.
Breaking it down for youngerkids can be a little bit more
challenging, right, because theyhave their own things that
they're wrestling with.
They have wherever the case maybe right, but and obviously
they're still learning a lot.
(49:42):
So being I give a lot of creditto people who are able to break
it down so that kids canresonate a little bit and so
shout out to you guys that areable to do that.
Speaker 2 (49:54):
Yeah, some of the like Bible stories we read,
they're like what?
And I'm like, well, let's takeit back a notch.
What is Jesus trying to tell ushere?
What is like, what is yeah, orwhat was.
I'm trying to think of whowe're reading about right now.
I know we just read like whenJesus feeds the 5,000.
And I was like, okay, so what'sthe message?
(50:16):
Like they're like they.
Like Jesus fed them.
I'm like, okay, but how is thatpossible?
Like it's not like.
So just again, trying to relateit to little people words and
try to help them make thoseconnections and understand the
(50:37):
biggest one is fruits andspirits I'm like okay, we got
love, joy, peace, kindness,gentleness and self-control.
That's a big one.
We are still working on thatone over here, Eddie.
Speaker 1 (50:48):
Yeah, that's probably the most important one for the
elementary school ageSelf-control.
Keep your head to yourself.
It's your personal space.
Still talking about bubbles,right?
Is this your bubble?
Speaker 2 (50:59):
No, but for some of them I literally I'll tell them
like, guys, to enhance ourselves, like that's something we teach
and learn in kindergarten.
I'm like, do you need to goback there?
I'm like, are you sure?
Maybe?
I'm like, okay, bye, I'm justkidding.
Speaker 1 (51:15):
So no, I think Meg would be.
I obviously have never seen Megteach a senior coach.
Meg, it would be an incredibleteacher.
I know she is, and as a coach,I think Meg is hilarious and
awesome as a coach too,depending on what's going on.
It's so fun.
There's so much to like becausewe I think one of the biggest
things that Meg and I have incommon is we wear our heart on
(51:38):
our sleeves.
Like people can tell the way wefeel by our emotions, like by
our faces, like cause, like-.
Speaker 2 (51:44):
Oh, I can't say anything.
Speaker 1 (51:45):
Me neither, like I'm so bad at it, like.
So if you're like coaching andyou're like fired up in your
team, you can see the red likethe sweat.
You know, but like, but it'slike you're excited, like you.
Everybody in the whole buildingcan tell you.
And so I just remember, likeWatson, meg coach the Bresman
team and she just be like youknow, just like, walk me in and
(52:06):
like-.
Speaker 2 (52:07):
Brakes.
Please, gubby with those littlefreshies, they don't know
anything.
Speaker 1 (52:11):
No, but you had a couple of really good and nasty
Bresman teams a couple years.
That is true.
Speaker 2 (52:17):
One year, we only lost one game.
So one year we only lost onegame.
Speaker 1 (52:22):
Yeah, me and Ronnie Boy would sit together and enjoy
the games.
Oh yeah man.
Yes, no, I said it was RonnieBoy.
Speaker 2 (52:29):
See me in action tomorrow if you come to my game.
Speaker 1 (52:32):
Okay, where do you play At Faith?
Oh, there you go.
Nice, well, maybe I will.
But hey, you know what, meg, Iappreciate you stopping by and
hop on today's episode.
I really appreciate thevulnerability and I think that
your story could really make animpact on the listeners.
I think the whole goal of thispodcast is just to share a
variety of life journeys and howGod has always been at the
(52:57):
center and has always protectedus, even if it doesn't
necessarily look like it andwe've had other traumatic things
going on.
But look at you now, look whereyou are.
You just got married and yeah,Before you go.
Speaker 2 (53:10):
Actually, because at our school we have to do
devotion every day or not everyday, but I'm in charge of the
devotion next week for ourfaculty meeting.
Speaker 1 (53:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (53:21):
And it's actually talking about getting out of
your comfort zone.
Speaker 1 (53:25):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (53:28):
And the person I listened to.
He said sometimes it is thedevil who is giving you comfort
and is God who is putting you inthe conflict.
Mm.
And Jesus was sent to likeconfront people right, Not
necessarily comfort.
Mm.
And so that's I kind of likethat.
(53:49):
I was like kind of what yousaid just made me think of that.
Speaker 1 (53:52):
No, I love that and I think like and that's when I
tell people, like, when you'reuncomfortable, I think that's a
good sign, you're in the rightspot.
You know, I know that.
I know in my own life like I'min a season like pursuing
ministry, going back to school,like all these other things
right, like I have a jobinterview tomorrow and it's like
I completely switched careers.
I'm kind of like, ah, moved outon my own, I got all these
bills and things.
(54:12):
But I'm like when I know it'slike a little uncomfortable and
I know I'm doing the ministryand all these things, it's like
it's God's letting me know thatlike you're growing and like
you're in the right place foryour life and the will for your
life.
So I think that's an importantmessage right, when you're
comfortable, you're limitingyour growth and you're limiting
your potential because you'renot allowing God to do that yeah
(54:35):
, go ahead.
Speaker 2 (54:36):
I'm gonna write it down, yeah.
Speaker 1 (54:39):
Yes, write it down All right, you're limiting your
growth.
Speaker 2 (54:45):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (54:47):
Thank you.
Yeah, we drop bangers hereevery episode, so tune in people
.
But awesome, meg.
The way I like to close thisout every time is I end it with
a prayer, just like to give itback to God, allowing us to be
able to just reflect on thisamazing conversation and just
(55:07):
pray that whoever listens tothis receives whatever they're
meant to receive, and that weknow that whoever God plans to
listen to this, or whatever partthey listen to, we just pray
that they're able to receive andtake in what they're supposed
to do.
So let's go to God in prayer.
So, dear heavenly Father, Iwanna thank you for allowing me
(55:28):
to have Meg on this podcast.
As you know, while we're bearingmuch and her story is super
inspiring and, god, I think it'sa testament for don't judge a
book by its cover.
In the way that there'ssometimes, we have people on
this earth that might look 100%healthy or might look like
they've never experiencedanything, or they had a perfect
(55:49):
childhood.
You know they got a big family,both parents, all these other
things, but we don't necessarilyknow what people are going
through.
God, and I think it's a greattestament to just being there
for people and, regardless ofwhat it looks like we don't know
what they're experiencing, sowe just be there and listen.
God, I pray that whoever listensto this today can just get an
understanding that we wanna beable to be there for our loved
(56:12):
ones and people we don't know,and we love them where they're
at, we listen to them and weprovide our guidance and our
prayer for them.
Lord, I just thank you forhaving Meg in our family and the
great memories we've createdand will create in the future.
And, lord, I just wanna givethis all to you and this
(56:32):
platform to you, that you justallow your people and whoever
wanna listen listen and they cangrow from this.
And we ask this all and youjust only name my prayer Amen,
amen, amen.
Meg.
All right, I will talk to yousoon.
Bye, peace out, bye.
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