June 22, 2025 • 43 mins
We've all been caught in the trap of responding "crazy busy" when someone asks how we're doing. But what if our obsession with busyness is actually preventing us from living our true purpose?
In this soul-stirring conversation, Nancy Brusher reconnects with her high school friend Muffie Kruse to explore how simplifying our lives can lead to greater fulfillment. Muffie, a registered dietitian and homeschooling mother of three young boys, shares her journey of breaking free from what she calls the "taskmaster spirit" – that constant drive to check everything off the list at the expense of presence and connection.
Challenging conventional wisdom, Muffie explains that simplifying isn't just about doing less or owning fewer things. Rather, it's about eliminating distractions so we can step fully into our calling.
For anyone feeling overwhelmed by constant demands and endless to-do lists, this episode provides both practical wisdom and spiritual encouragement. Muffie's insights on prayer, presence, and purposeful living offer a roadmap for moving from perpetual busyness to meaningful engagement with what God has called us to do and who He's called us to become.
Listen now to discover how simplifying your life might actually expand your capacity for joy, purpose, and impact. Then share this episode with four friends who need this message of freedom from the cultural pressure to be constantly "crazy busy."
Watch the whole episode
https://youtu.be/WNoiJYypBJY
https://generationstogenerations.com/podcast
ordinarypeoplestories@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/ordinarypeoplestory
https://www.instagram.com/ordinarypeopleextraordinary/
X: @storiesextra
Any advice should be confirmed with a qualified professional.
All rights reserved: Ordinary People Extraordinary Things
Stories shared by guests may not always be shared views of OPET.
Being a guest does not mean OPET approves of every decision or action in the guests' life.
We all have a story, all of us, share your story. You don't have to have the perfect answer or the perfect life - share what Jesus is doing in your life. This is an easy, real way to witness & share your testimony.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
I'm so glad you're here.
I'm Nancy Brusher and I'm yourhost for Ordinary People
Extraordinary Things.
Are you having a busy summer?
If so, this podcast is for you.
I get to talk with Muffy Cruz,one of my best friends in high
school.
We have an amazing conversationand I can't wait for you to
hear it.
This podcast is also on YouTube, so if you like watching the
(00:23):
podcasts, head over to at JenNancy, that's G E N N A N C?
Y.
I can't believe it.
You guys, we are in 89countries.
Thank you for sharing ordinarypeople extraordinary things with
everyone.
You know, our goal for thispodcast is for you to share it
(00:43):
with four friends.
I picked four because it's myfavorite number.
Share this podcast with fourfriends right now.
That, you know, will beinspired.
Let's get started.
Welcome to Ordinary PeopleExtraordinary Things.
I'm here with Muffy Muffy.
Thanks for being on.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Thank you so much for having me.
I'm so honored and humbled tobe invited on here.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
So Muffy and I go way back.
I don't even know.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
I mean probably since we were babies, or yeah, I mean
we grew up in the same town.
Yeah, so many memories.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Yes, so many.
We played the flute togetherrollerbladed oh my gosh yeah
lots of sleepovers, even as wewere getting older.
Yeah, lots of fun, yeah.
So I'm so excited it's we weresuch good friends and then just
kind of life took us indifferent areas and my mom said,
(01:36):
hey, you should have Muffy on,and I was like I should, why
haven't I thought of Muffy?
And so I'm so glad that shereminded us and then we got to
talking and it's just been funto just rekindle this friendship
.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Oh, absolutely.
I was so thrilled when I saw atext from you Different last
name, but obviously you know wehave still talked after you got
married, but it was so cool tobe able to hop on the phone with
you.
Even then I felt like we did awhole nother podcast, just even
talking then.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
We did.
We did so.
If people don't know who youare, can you give three words or
phrases to describe yourself?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Yeah, absolutely.
I would say, first and foremost, I'm an encourager.
I've always had just I lovewriting notes to people, to my
own family and to people.
I've always been a note writerand verbally to encouraging
people, but I've always lovedputting little notes, whether
it's in lunchboxes or suitcases.
I've just been that person Just.
(02:34):
I feel like I can almost conveymore of my heart and encourage.
But just an encourager, alsodisciplined person, and I think
I've turned my type Apersonality into positive habits
and so I've kind of alwaysgrown up to be a very
disciplined person in my healthand so in fitness, but also
carries over into just positivehabits for self-development and
(02:57):
leadership.
And then I would say, thirdly,I'm just grateful.
I'm just super grateful.
I don't know if it's just aseason of my life, but I'm just
every day.
I used to keep a gratitudejournal when I was in high
school.
Every single day I would writedown one thing and I think I did
that for maybe a year or twoafter that but just something
every day to be grateful for.
(03:17):
So just grateful.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Oh, that's great.
I love that.
That's great Grateful.
And you're a wife and you havethree boys, is that right?
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Yes, three very active boys.
I can, yes, boy mama here.
They are two, four and sixyears old now and we are a
homeschool family.
We're actually entering intoour third year as in our
homeschool journey.
And then I also work part timeas a registered dietitian.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Yes, so we have that in common too, because we
homeschool our kids.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
So can you explain your word of the year?
Some people have these.
I think it's kind of become abig thing, hasn't it?
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Yeah, you know, I think it was maybe a handful of
years I was trying to think.
So our oldest is.
He's actually going to beturning six years old.
Might have been right before hewas born.
That I think.
As a dietitian, I've always beennot really against New Year's
resolutions, but I've just thathasn't really stuck well with me
and I think society is kind ofgetting away from that.
And you know, at the end of theyear, jeremy and I are good
(04:22):
about reflecting upon our yearand then just praying going into
the new year.
And yeah, I guess now the thingis words of the year.
A lot of people will do that.
It's just easy to focus on.
And so this year I've beenpraying.
I had been praying a lot aboutit.
I had just kind of recentlyovercome that perfectionist
mindset and just trying to letgo and just kind of let God, you
(04:47):
know, take control a little bitmore.
But one of the words that hedid lay on my heart going into
this year is simplify, and Ithink as a perfectionist, that's
not just in stuff, and so oneof the things I know we were
talking about is, with my wordbeing simplify.
A lot of the people think ofthat word, simplify and they
just think live a simple life.
(05:09):
And what is a simple life?
They think minimalism, theythink don't own a lot of stuff
and they think do less.
Certainly, for me that waspartly a lot of it.
You know, maybe getting rid ofthe excess stuff, stuff, even
(05:33):
physical stuff, but even themental clutter, physical clutter
, and it can mean doing less,but it doesn't necessarily mean
doing less.
So when I have that word, Ialso one of the things that
we've been going on with a themetoo, is these UN, these
un-words, and you know we areunhindered and unconquerable,
and so my un-word wasuncomplicated, and uncomplicated
(05:54):
is, ironically, kind of acomplicated word.
So I'm like, well, how aboutsimplify, and?
But I was thinking about thatand uncomplicated, the reason
why I think one of the toolsthat the devil uses is just to
complicate your life and make us, just make us more busy, and I
know we're going to talk aboutthat, but in terms of
simplifying our life, it's notdoing less just so we can, you
(06:17):
know, have a lot of people thinkpeace means doing less.
For me, simplify means, um,getting rid of the excess
clutter so that I can step intomy calling for what God has for
me, I can become who he hascalled me to become.
It can mean even doing more.
It can mean doing more in thethings that actually advance
God's kingdom or for whateverhis purpose is for you.
(06:41):
It can mean cutting out certainrelationships.
It can mean closing certaindoors, but it's not just doing
less for the sake of having lessstuff and just living a
minimalist life.
I had to learn as a homeschoolmom simplify.
I don't know if this is maybewhat you went through as a
(07:03):
homeschool mom.
When you're first starting out,it can feel very overwhelming.
It's really neat.
Now I feel like there are a lotof options and for homeschool,
just the format and thecurriculum.
Thankfully there are a lot ofoptions, but also it's
overwhelming and I struggledthere in the beginning with, oh
(07:26):
my goodness, I have to takeadvantage of all this stuff.
I need to do this, this andthis, and I need to have, I need
to do plan my year this way.
Oh they, you know, here'sanother planner, here's another
planner.
I just felt like I had to be socomprehensive so that it so
that he didn't miss out, and itgot to be the point where I was
not just in homeschool but in mylife I was getting so shallow
(07:47):
in so many things, you know, inactivities and even in my
self-development I was almosttrying to be very, maybe,
well-rounded or balanced.
I wanted him to be well-roundedand, you know, he was only
started out in preschool.
He was only four and I had tolearn that if I was getting into
too many things and shallow inso many things I couldn't really
(08:08):
go deep in in a few things.
You know, and I think that's thepurpose is God is calling us to
hire, he's calling us to more,but in more in his kingdom.
My word of the year then,simplify it kind of it's.
That's not also not the endgoal.
I think the end goal for me wasto simplify so that I could
surrender, surrender thosethings, surrender the things
(08:29):
that didn't matter, so that Icould steward the things that he
had for me, so that I could,you know, be more creative, I
could build, create and in theend, you know, finish strong.
So that's that's kind of myword of the year, where it all
came from, and I think it ismisconstrued as simply just
(08:50):
cutting things out, but I thinkit's it's so that you can step
into more and specifically intothe relationships and serving.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Yeah, I like that.
I feel like that's a.
It's a real thing right now.
To just say oh just say no, sayno, say no, and you know, take
care of yourself and likeself-help and all of these
things and they're good.
I just think we've kind of gonethe other direction where we've
(09:20):
.
We've had that become so muchthat it's almost too easy to say
no, it's too easy to not reallytake up your cross and like
every day, and it's easy to kindof get comfortable and oh,
wouldn't God just want me to becomfortable.
I've been doing a lot.
I should just like take it easyand and again, like there's a
balance.
I think we've just seen societymaybe take it a little too far.
(09:43):
If, if that's what in myopinion, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
I totally agree about that.
And when you say aboutself-care and self-help and
everything, I think a lot ofpeople too they miss the mark.
You know, it's almost likewhere, if you want to get to
know God, like you said, somethings are good, but it's like
reading all the devotionals andall the books about God but not
actually going to the Bible.
(10:08):
Right, it's like you missed themark.
Those things are good,devotionals are good.
You truly want a relationshipwith God, though you need to
spend time in his word and spendtime in prayer, and so that's
really.
I think, with simplifying that,I had to really prioritize that
first and foremost.
It it's.
Are we getting busy in so manythings that we're actually
missing the mark in what's mostimportant?
Speaker 1 (10:29):
And you're saying busy.
Do you see a correlationbetween society and do you feel
like everyone says busy?
I feel like everybody Like.
If you're like, hey, Muffy, howare you Busy, right?
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Yes, it used to just be fine or good.
But, yes, when you ask peoplelike, oh, just super busy, I
don't know if it's like, do youget like a reward for how many
times you say busy and now we'rein.
You know, just the technologydays and with phone we text
people back and forth and it'salmost like at one point I was
going to put a nickel in a jar.
You know, do one of those forevery crazy busy response that I
(11:06):
got, because it would be if Imet, like a mom, you know, maybe
at a park or something, and weconnected and maybe I stay in
touch with whoever it is and Isay, hey, how are you, oh, crazy
busy.
Now I don't know if they meanthat like I'm crazy busy or you
know, we're crazy busy, as ifthey're trying to win a reward.
You know we're crazy busy, asif they're trying to win a
reward.
But it almost became comicaland I think that being busy a
(11:35):
lot of times, that being busy isnot the same thing as being
productive and being busy is notthe same thing as growing.
God's kingdom Right?
I think of no.
You know, jesus never said like, oh, I'm so busy.
You know, I mean, jesus wasdefinitely crazy busy.
He definitely prioritizedrelationships over that.
But in response to you know, thesociety norm of being busy,
it's we've, that's exactly it.
(11:55):
It's we've almost like havegotten so out of balance.
We're so busy in so many things.
And one of the things that Ithought about was a lot of
people think, are they juststriving to be well-rounded and
balanced?
A lot of people say, oh, I'mout of balance.
And what does that mean?
That doesn't mean being in somany activities.
Sometimes you have to be out ofbalance in activities and be in
(12:18):
balance in your value system.
So are you just being busy inthings that don't really matter?
And, yeah, it's.
It's so funny because, thankgoodness, god has called me to
more.
I think God has, has called usto be uncomfortable.
He hasn't called us to be busyand are.
Are we getting so busy thatwe're missing life and we're
missing the point of it?
And do you want, at the end ofyour life I think about, do I
(12:41):
want to?
Do I want people to be like, oh, she was so busy, you know.
Or or she was too busy and Idon't know.
Again, I don't know if busy islike supposed to be a reward.
You know, like people are likeoh, I'm so busy, they have to
have a full calendar, but it'snot about busyness, but it's
about, you know, relationships.
Ultimately, in the end, yeah, Ifeel like we we have missed the
(13:06):
mark in getting busy in so manythings with that response as
far as being crazy busy, yeah,and I'm afraid that we either
are busy or we think we're busy,just like everyone says they're
busy.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
So it's like, oh, I guess I'm busy.
But with that response I'mafraid, like you said, that it's
easy to cut out relationships.
It's easy to cut out likeserving God, because it's like,
oh, I'm just too busy.
If I say, hey, muffy, can yougo to coffee?
No, I'm too busy.
Hey, muffy, can you join ourBible study?
(13:39):
No, I'm too busy.
And so I feel like that's likeyou were talking about like the
devil kind of using this thing.
That doesn't seem too terrible,but I think it's doing some
destructive things in our lifeand I think that a lot of us
don't know it either, and Ithink that's the sly part of it.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Yes, absolutely.
It can be so subtle as ourschedules and you know, even as
you know, when you have kids andyour schedule does fill up.
And I always say I'm glad youknow that.
You know God hasn't called usto be comfortable, he hasn't.
But in terms of being busy too,an example I have is I remember
(14:23):
during the school year we are apart of a co-op and we meet
weekly, we meet on Thursdays forkind of the main part of the
morning and the afternoon, andit's actually about 30 minutes
across town for us where we goand it's great, it's a great
opportunity I get to bring allthree kids and I get to be with
Salem in the classroom.
(14:43):
So that was just really a greatthing for us during the school
year.
And when the school year isdone, that kind of freed up our
Thursday.
And I remember I got a text fromanother friend from church who
is not part of the homeschoolco-op but she has little ones.
She said hey, I know your co-opis done, Would you like to come
clean the church with us onThursdays?
(15:05):
And kind of initially myresponse was going to be you
know, no, because in my head Iwas kind of selfishly like, well
, gosh, then I could do storytime with him, or I'm still,
we're still doing school, likeschool is kind of all the time,
it's not just you know, I wasplanning on maybe digging deeper
into him, learning how to read,just all these things we put on
ourselves.
I think about it too.
A lot of it's self-inflictedgood and bad as far as our
(15:28):
busyness.
A lot of it is self-inflicted.
But obviously she knew like oh,you don't have the co-ops
anymore.
But I'm like well, that doesn'tmean I have a lot of other
things, but you prioritizewhat's important and you will
make time for what's importantto you.
But you also got to think aboutwhat's most important in the
long run in terms of the, interms of God's kingdom and what.
What are my values?
(15:50):
One of the ways how I overcamethat taskmaster spirit I always
call it Cause like oh, I also Ithought, oh gosh, I could get my
laundry done earlier and allthese other tasks.
But I thought you know what, ifI prioritize God first in
serving um, also my busyness, Iwas missing the mark.
I was missing I would miss outon time with fellowship with
other moms with little ones.
(16:11):
My boys were able to, and so Isaid yes, um, no, I'm not not
that that means I'm saying yesevery time, but when I went to
help them it was really neatbecause I got that fellowship
time with those ladies and wewere able to pour into each
other and share what we'relearning and just that
fellowship time.
And then my boys were able toplay with the other kids and
(16:34):
they also saw me serving bycleaning the church.
They are witnessing that.
I remember growing up with mymom and she would go and clean
you know, woodlawn ChristianChurch.
I went with her and just greatmemories from that too,
something my mom wouldn't wantme to share, but I remember her
wearing like a football helmetbecause our church, you know
there were bats in the atticsometimes and I remember her
(16:57):
walking around with a footballhelmet and you know a little
broom and just great memoriesfrom that.
But I saw my mom, I witnessedher serving too, even at a young
age, and it's like I know,ultimately in this season of my
life, my, our purpose is toraise up children, train up our
children in the way they shouldgo.
So I love that, one of the ways, too, that I've overcome.
I always think, as far as mytasks, that I have.
(17:20):
One of the ways I've overcomethat task, master spirit is I.
I do think about that.
Is it more important to haveclean dishes or to stop what I'm
doing and go and be with myboys, be present with them, so
that I can make sure I'mnurturing a clean heart in them,
you know, a clean and pureheart.
Is it, you know, more importantfor me to take this long meal
(17:42):
prepping, me to take this longmeal prepping, or do I need to?
Or or I can go spend time withGod in word and in prayer, and
by doing that, he's going tobless that time and he's going
to show me doors that can beclosed, things that don't really
matter, and he's also going toshow me how, in ways that I can
be creative and because somethings do need to be done, you
(18:03):
can't neglect things either.
Some things are important butnot urgent, and so maybe he's
going to open up ways that I candevelop systems so that I can
be more efficient, so that I canfree up more time, versus
toiling.
It's that unnecessary,unnecessary, unnecessary toiling
.
You know, when you're trying todo everything yourself, and I
have this checklist and my goalfor the day is just to check off
(18:26):
the checklist.
If I just spend time with God,he's going to show me the one
important thing that I need todo for that day and he's going
to bless that time.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
That's really good.
That's really good.
What would you say to someone,maybe specific?
I kind of have two of thesequestions.
One is that feels like you do,like I am a perfectionist.
I love getting those tasks done.
How?
How do you prioritize thoselike relationships, and I think
you've kind of said that, but isthere something else that is
(18:55):
like you know, this has reallyworked for me, or is it just
that time in prayer that youwere talking about, or is there?
Yeah, absolutely, I think, oneof the things for me, or is it
just that time in prayer thatyou were talking about, or is
there?
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Yeah, absolutely.
I think one of the things forme, even to back up further, is
I had to actually be aware of it, because, if you're not aware,
I had no idea, I didn't evenknow there was such thing as a
taskmaster spirit.
I think it kind of startedbeing labeled.
I mentioned type A personalityat the beginning.
You know, there's lots ofthings being melancholy,
perfectionist, detail-oriented.
(19:24):
Sometimes, when you take thosethings too far or when you're
operating in the weakness ofthose things, you can hide
behind that personality and thenyou can start to identify
yourself as that.
But I didn't know.
I thought, oh, I'm just thisway, oh, I'm good, I'm the one
that keeps the, the schedule,and I'm the one that does this
and that, and you kind of prideyourself in that.
So, um, first and foremost it'sprayer, and while prayer is
(19:48):
powerful you know I had to spendtime in the word and with with
God um, prayer is powerful.
But if I wasn't aware of it?
So it also took me looking intothe fruit of other people's
lives.
Jeremy and I have people in ourlives, so association is a big
thing.
I think that's a big thing.
Look at the fruit in otherpeople's lives.
We have very close friends ofours who have prioritized
(20:09):
relationships, first andforemost their relationship with
God.
Specifically, a couple I'mthinking of that also has three,
three kids.
I always say young kids they'rea little bit older than ours
Now, kids always stay young tome they have been blessed.
They have been blessedabundantly in their life, in all
areas.
They've prospered.
They're not perfect, um, butthey have been able to bless
(20:31):
others abundantly because theyprioritize.
I look at them and I'm like, oh, my goodness, their life is so
quote unquote busy it's.
It's actually now, um, busy infruitful things and they love
their lifestyle now and they'reable to their.
Their blessing others has beenmultiplied.
And we also, jeremy and I, havepeople in our lives that are
(20:52):
close to us who have kind ofprioritized tasks, and they are
the people who respond back oh,I'm crazy busy.
But I look at the fruit oftheir lives now in a
nonjudgmental way you want to.
You know, look, think about thepeople who you're hanging
around, nonjudgmental way,meaning those aren't good or bad
people, but I look at the fruit, what I want to trade places
with them, what are their livesproducing, and, okay, they're
(21:15):
crazy busy in what you know, notto judge what they're doing.
But so that was my awarenessspending time in the word and
with God and also just walkingwith him throughout the day,
asking him God, please show me,open my eyes, convict me.
And then it's being obedient tohis voice.
That's so tough, it's so easysaid than done, but so I am
(21:38):
still a work in progress.
I will say I have notcompletely overcome.
It's a daily battle.
It's a daily battle.
It's a daily fight against theflesh.
It's intentional living, it'sbeing intentional, it's being
aware, but it's always.
Does this align with my purposefor God?
I filter all my decisionsthrough that.
But it is being obedient to hisvoice.
So when, for example, last nightwe had dinner and you know it's
(22:04):
usually clean up boys play alittle bit.
In the summertime they go tobed a little bit later, you know
, cause it's lighter out.
I love summertime, I also.
I love spending time outsideand going for walks, but again,
it's a daily battle against myflesh.
I'm like I need to clean upthese dishes, I need to get
ready for this and that and justa lot of things.
You know, we have a nanny whocomes to watch the boys during
(22:24):
the day and I like to have thehouse in order, not perfect, but
I remember Jeremy saying whileI was still cleaning we were all
still cleaning up from dinnerhe's like you want to go for a
walk?
And I'm.
Initially my flesh was like it'sgetting late, it's getting
bedtimes and we have to do baths, and you know this.
And that just started makingexcuses because I've prayed so
(22:45):
much about conviction in thatarea.
God please show me when I startto go into excuse mode.
I knew right away.
I didn't even answer when hesaid that I am like, oh, I would
not turn down a walk.
In my head I'm like how awesome, a walk with my family.
You know, the house is stillgoing to be there, the dishes
will still be there.
That was the best thing ever.
And even in my head I was like,oh, we'll just go for a walk
(23:09):
around the block, I'll come backand I'll still be able to do
things.
It turned out to be probablycloser to 45 minutes to an hour.
Salem just wanted to keep going.
He's our six-year-old, he wason his bike and he's like let's
go down this block.
And I'm like let's let him lead, you know.
And and can we go this way?
Can we go that way and I want,what do I want him to remember
(23:29):
Again?
We're training up our childrenin the way they should go.
My family is my, our firstministry.
You and I kind of talked aboutthis.
God will bless your time.
God will bless therelationships you choose,
whether it's a phone call,whether it's going to visit
someone, whether it's sending anencouraging word, taking time
out to do that or going for awalk with your family.
God will bless that time.
(23:49):
When I got home I was sorefreshed, I felt so great.
I actually didn't even reallyfeel like doing the dishes.
And sometimes, when I do, I saydoing the dishes, we're, you
know, first world problems.
We have a dishwasher, but allthe other're, you know, first
world problems, we have adishwasher, but all the other
tasks, you know I'm thinkingbefore I go to bed on top of,
you know, we just always havethis ongoing thing like, oh, I'm
going to get some sleep tonight, I want to go to bed early, but
(24:10):
life is not about gettingenough sleep either.
That was the best thing and Godblessed it in more ways than
one.
My mind was more clear, I was,so I was a lot more patient with
my kids.
You know, for bedtime.
We just the kids went to bedwith a great memory of that day.
So God will bless that time.
Yeah, I was going to mentionsomething else, just about being
(24:32):
obedient to his voice, but Ithink just acting on it and, um,
god will show you.
Okay, great, now look, I'lleither bless you with more time
like that or that's going tohave outlasting effects.
Oh, I know what I was going tosay about that.
Even for me, like getting sleep, number one, I slept better
that night but I didn't go tobed as early as I wanted to, but
(24:53):
God blessed my sleep.
I woke up with more energy.
I remember one of our pastorswho actually married us.
He at the time was traveling somuch and he led a worship
ministry and I remember he wouldstay up late with us, um,
pouring into us.
It wasn't really an organizedBible study, but he would get
(25:14):
together.
We were in our twenties thattime and none of us had kids.
He would pour into us.
He saw people, young people,hungry for God.
Then he would go home and hehad a family.
He had kids and a wife and youknow, he led worship and he had
church duties and traveling andwe're like, how do you do it?
How do you have energy?
(25:34):
You know we have no kids andwe're young and everything, and
you stay up till sometimes two,three, four in the morning.
You know whether, on the phone,with people being there for us,
he said you know what, whenyou're yeah, sometimes you know
it can it can be exhausting, butwhen you're doing the things of
God, he will give you theenergy to fulfill his purpose.
He will give you the energy.
You wonder why people I thinkthe crazy busy also goes along
(25:56):
with I'm so tired.
I'm oh, I'm just exhausted.
I'm tired Even though you got,you know, maybe enough sleep
that night.
I think it's because we'retoiling in the things that are
not of God.
We think they're good, butmaybe it's not where he has us
and it's one way that he'strying to communicate to us that
this isn't where I have you.
This is where I have you.
(26:17):
You be obedient to his voiceand he will give you that energy
.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
That's good, muffy, it's so good, and I loved how
you said that that's yourpersonality and I think that
it's important to know how Godmade us and not shy away from
that.
And there's good things aboutthose personalities and there
can be, like you said, somethings that will.
If you're not being likerefreshed and praying, then
(26:44):
those kind of things come out alittle bit.
But not being afraid or tryingto change your personality I
mean, that's who God made you tobe and for a reason but
understanding that there'ssometimes really great things
that come with that and thenthere's things that we have to
look out for.
So I like how you said that.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
That's so good.
I love you say that.
I want to bring that back to myword of the year simplify I
think that was a big thing isfor me to truly know who God
created me to be.
So many people who are in thisidentity crisis, or some people
hide behind their busyness, Ithink, and again another tool of
the devil.
But I think that is the dangerwhere someone, if I'm not busy,
(27:24):
oh, I'm alone with my thoughts,or I'm alone and I don't know
who I am.
For me, simplify going back tothat word, not meaning it
doesn't necessarily mean cuttingthings out.
It's me being able to know whoI was created to, my personality
, not only my personality, mypersonality is there, but now
what are the strengths of mypersonality?
(27:44):
So God created and designed meand designed my personality, um,
but what's my temperament?
And how can I operate best inthose strengths?
And by if I'm, if I can'tsimplify my life, I'm just
drowning in the busyness andthen I have no idea who I am and
I can't nurture them.
My boys, again.
I can't train them up in theway they should go, because how
can I nurture them in who Godcreated them to be if they don't
(28:08):
see me stepping into who Godcreated me to be, and that
simplifying just really hashelped me to do that so far this
year.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
What would you say to the person who feels like they
are busy or they're crazy busy?
Do you have a word or anencouragement or a thought to?
To kind of?
Make quiet that.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
I know and you know what there's.
There's so many books andresources and everything.
But again, simplify I it for me.
I go back to the basics um,prayer, spending time with, know
, my, that was my word at thebeginning of the year and this
is it's so funny to think aboutit.
That was my word at thebeginning of the year and what
was my first go-to was to buyall these books and podcasts.
(28:54):
And again, those are goodthings, those are things out
there.
I, I love reading and there'sgreat books.
I I, you know where.
I have a daily habit of readingand listening to podcasts as
well, but I have these paringdown podcasts, these decluttered
books.
Jeremy and I were at a book salewe do this book sale at the
library and one of the books was, I don't know, decluttering
(29:16):
your house.
And I'm like I don't know if Ishould get this book or not,
because then if I get it, itadds to my clutter.
But the book is aboutdecluttering.
So it's almost like we.
It's almost like we try to lookfor all these other answers.
So if I'm busy, if I have tothink about like I'm so busy,
how do I cut that out andeverything For me.
(29:38):
I need to simplify.
Okay, god, you gave me thatword.
Oh, my first thing was to turnto all these books.
What if I just first turn toprayer and turn to him first and
foremost?
He is our one thing.
Honestly, I know it sounds sojust foundational, but I don't
know any other answer to pointpeople to.
I don't have any magical book.
Yes, there's a lot of books outthere and resources and
(30:00):
professional help but God,honestly, is our number one.
He knows your heart and whatyou're battling.
And I had to just it almost.
I was almost afraid to.
Sometimes we are like, afraidto ask God, like God, open our
eyes to what we really cause.
We, it's almost like we alreadyknow what we need to do to be
unbusy, but we but we like don'twant the answer because we're
(30:23):
like, oh, but I can't, I can'tsay no to that, I can't cut that
out.
I don't know what to do if I'mnot doing that.
That's my identity.
Or I don't know what to do ifI'm not busy.
If I'm not busy, then I feelguilty because I'm not.
Am I not doing anything?
You know?
But we go to God and again, hejust be still in him and it.
I don't know why it's so hard.
(30:44):
It was hard for me andsometimes it even still is.
Just to, um, I had to literallytake my taskmaster spirit and
and turn it toward good.
I had to be like, okay, youknow, I have a taskmaster spirit
, I'm going to use that for good.
I'm going to say five minuteswith God.
You know like, it's almost likeit had to be a checklist for me
(31:05):
, so you can take yourpersonality or your busyness and
schedule in God.
Then, okay, schedule them inschedule in five minutes.
Not that God should bescheduled in, we walk with him
daily but for me that's how ithad to be.
I hate to admit that, but I'mhuman.
And when I did that, it'salmost like I didn't even have
(31:26):
to attempt to turn that intomore because again, oh my
goodness, the things that I waslearning and hearing from God,
the things that I was beingconvicted of, um, I liked it and
didn't like it at the same time, cause I'm like, oh, change is
so hard.
And also realizing what I was,what I had over me.
(31:47):
That taskmaster spirit, it'slike I don't like, I don't like
labels and I, that's not who Iam, that's not who he created me
to be.
You know, just that prayer andprioritizing that time.
Then he pointed me to peoplethat I could get in my life for
people to help me out.
Then he did point me to maybesome books or podcasts.
Then I knew, okay, like, wow,there's.
(32:09):
I had confirmation in differentareas.
You know, even I think Imentioned to you after our
initial phone call we actuallyhad a leadership called Level Up
Leadership.
It was just a one dayleadership and I got so much
confirmation and it's amazing,even for that one day leadership
, it's almost like you thinkabout the things that matter
(32:30):
most to you and I could fit thatinto my schedule and you know,
getting childcare and everythingelse.
You think of everything, theopportunity costs, but the
opportunity costs of me missingthat event, the opportunity
costs of not spending time withGod, think about that.
I had so much confirmationcoming out of that weekend, just
where God wanted me.
I'll have to admit this on hereEven when you asked me, I was
(32:57):
so honored and I was actuallysuper excited to do the podcast,
but at the same time I was like, oh, when am I going to do this
?
You know it's like, well, how?
And then I thought, well,you're in my same position.
You're a mom, you have kids,you're a wife, you have all the
things too, and you're you runmultiple businesses too.
But, like what you shared withme, your purpose for that all
intertwines for what God'spurpose has for you, and God
(33:18):
will make a way.
And I'm, I thought about thatand I'm like, well, gosh, if you
can make time, you know I canmake time for this and God will
bless that.
And so I think, yeah, justspend time with God, and he will
open up to you, looking to theHoly Spirit, to say where can I,
where do I need to say yes andwhere do I need to say no?
Speaker 1 (33:39):
Yeah, something that really hit me when you were
talking was I think that I lovewhat you said of just like pray
and kind of get started, becauseI think that's something that
we do as humans is we get all ofthe information.
We read all the books.
That we do as humans is we getall of the information, we read
all the books, we do thepodcasts.
We like get all of thisinformation and then don't do it
.
And, and so I love how you justlike, just just do it, like
(34:05):
just do it, and then if you needsomething else but I think
that's just one of our traits islike okay, let's just find out
all the information before weget started, and and that's what
we want from God, right, wewant like okay, like for me,
like you wanted me to start apodcast, okay, can you tell me
the whole thing of what it'sgoing to look like?
And he's like no, just do it,and then I'll give you another
(34:29):
step and I'll give you, butthat's so hard.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
Yeah, think about, though, driving a car.
This is kind of my analogy, forthat is, we're always getting
ready to get ready, to get readyto get ready, but when you are
learning to drive a car, yeah,you take driver's ed, but do I
know how a car works?
Do I need to know howeverything works about a car
before I can get in?
I know I know what I need toknow before I get in a car and
drive it and where I'm going.
(34:52):
Um, I probably should know alittle more about you, know car
maintenance and stuff, but youknow what you need to know to go
where you need to go.
Um, the main thing you knowdon't minor in the, don't major
in the minors.
Um, yeah, just get in the carand drive.
Um, I do want to say something,too, that reminds me what I do
as a registered dietitian.
I talk to a lot of my clientsabout healthy habits and
(35:16):
adopting healthy habits, and Imeet them where they're at.
So many times, though, when I'mtalking to them about just some
simple things to live a healthylifestyle nothing huge or major
A lot of people think it is amajor shift, but same thing in
your walk with God, in adoptinga healthier lifestyle, talking
about small habits, a lot oftimes they they hold off um,
(35:37):
starting even just one or twothings because of oh, I'll wait
till this holiday is over, or oh, this occasion or that occasion
, or the weather's hot, theweather's cold, my, you know
this or that, um, I'll wait tillthis.
Um, there's so manyinterruptions, and you and I
were even talking about this.
For me it's I, I've thoughtabout that and I'm like you know
(35:57):
what life is?
A series of interruptions, likethat's what life is.
They're like good and bad, andinterruption isn't just a bad
thing.
You know, when I have kids,that's an interruption, but it's
something we chose and it's agood thing.
Interruption can also take youthe other way too, but let's
just accept that.
That's what life is.
It is a series of interruptions.
(36:18):
So let's accept that.
And now let's go ahead andallow God into our life amidst
all the interruptions, becauseGod also calls us to make and
create interruptions.
If you think about it, if we'regoing to change people's lives
and truly serve, we're actuallyinterrupting people's lives in a
good way for his kingdom.
(36:39):
Again, I try to tell my clientsthat there's always going to be
something every day, and that'swhat life is.
If not, life would be so boring.
So let's just accept thatthere's interruptions and let's
just call it busy or whatever.
I think let's just accept thatwe're going to be called into an
uncomfortable place.
Let's live let's not try tolive a balanced life.
(37:04):
Jesus didn't ever say, hey, youguys need to be more
well-rounded.
Or the Bible I don't think itsays anywhere in there that we
need to live a balanced life.
Let's live out of balance inour activities so that we can
stay focused in our value system.
Speaker 1 (37:22):
Mic drop.
Yeah, we did it.
That was awesome.
That was so good.
That was so good.
Oh well, as we wrap up, buffy,I always ask these questions
what is your favorite Bibleverse or story?
Speaker 2 (37:37):
Oh, yes.
Well, a favorite Bible verseright now is Matthew 633.
Seek first the kingdom of God,and all these things will be
given to you.
I think that plays in so wellwith prioritizing him.
It's also kind of a verse thatus, as a family, I try to speak
every day to our kids and thenintertwine that into what we're
(38:00):
doing for the day.
As far as a Bible story, the topone that comes in this season
of my life, specifically aboutsimplifying is the story of
Martha and Mary and how, whenJesus came to visit them and
sometimes I get them switched up, but it was Martha who was in
the kitchen, I believe I thinkit was Martha who is the one who
was, and I'm like that is so meshe was in the kitchen
(38:22):
preparing and wanting everythingto be perfect, you know, for
Jesus to come and visit, andhere Jesus is in the other room,
mary is sitting at his feetlistening to him, and then
Martha kind of gets flustered,like why aren't you in here
helping me?
I'm like, oh my gosh, that hasbeen me so many times.
You know I want everything tobe perfect, but I've missed the
bigger mark.
I've missed the most importantthing.
That's even what Jesus said.
She is actually doing what'smost important and that's
(38:44):
listening to me.
So that story I just read to myboys yesterday was the story of
when Jesus is with his disciplesand the kids.
The little kids come to Jesusand the disciples are kind of
like you know, go away, littlekids.
You're bugging him.
And Jesus is like no, let thechildren come to me.
There's always time for themand that helps me remind me
(39:07):
whenever my kids want somethingyou know, mom, watch this, watch
this.
Speaker 1 (39:16):
I'm like, yes, I can watch.
You know, for the 10th time Ican watch what you can watch.
It that's so sweet.
And you said that one of yourphrases or words to describe
yourself is grateful.
What are you grateful for rightnow?
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Oh, yes, you know again the season.
I don't know if it's justbecause, with having kids and
you realize the value of time.
I'm just honestly it may soundcliche, but I'm just grateful
for every day, just waking up,and the people, the
relationships, first andforemost I am grateful for, I
(39:46):
will say too, not the busyness,but I am grateful for what God
has called me into.
I may look at it sometimes whenI start to think I'm busy, I
turn that around.
If I'm doing something for God,I turn that around and say I
don't have to do this, I get todo it.
So I'm grateful for what I getto do because that does mean
that I'm living.
That does mean that God isactually using me.
He hasn't overlooked me forsomething.
Thank goodness, I have thesekids, you know, again,
(40:06):
self-inflicted, like Jeremy andI chose to have three kids, I'm
grateful for them.
When I, you know they'reinterrupting and taking time
home, you know I want to showyou something, whatever.
Thank goodness you know I can,I'm taking my time.
So I'm just grateful for thepeople in the association, in my
life and for the opportunity toserve and that God is still
(40:27):
using me.
Speaker 1 (40:28):
I love it.
What kindness have you receivedin the last week or what
kindness have you shown?
Speaker 2 (40:35):
Shoot.
You know I was thinking aboutthis.
I was.
I was actually trying to thinkof a specific instance, and
while there are those, one ofthe things that we're actually
are intentional about being anexample to our boys and talking
to them about every day iskindness.
Isn't something necessarilythat we do.
It's who we are, and so everysingle day we do this.
(40:57):
When I take my boys out runningerrands, every before we get out
of the van, wherever we'regoing, we always pray.
We pray for God to speakthrough us, and another Bible
verse we are speaking a lot isMatthew 5, 16.
Our boys say it with an accent.
They say let your light shinebefore others, and so it's like
(41:18):
let your light shine beforeothers so that others may see
your good deeds.
They want to praise theirfather in heaven.
So they say that and I say whatdoes that mean?
It means being kind to othersand what does that look like?
Maybe it's smiling at others orsaying hi.
So we always pray that beforewe go in.
So now our two-year-old.
Whenever we go into a store, hehas that just outgoing
(41:39):
personality.
Now I can already tell he's hi,hi and some people looking down
.
I love it because mytwo-year-old is reminding people
, is reminding people, you know,with their face buried in their
phone he's like hi, hi.
So they look up oh, hi, youknow.
And so I think kindness is juston a daily basis.
I'm kind of seeing it throughmy kids.
It's wherever we go.
(42:01):
Showing kindness is justshining our light on others and
showing them that by example,I'm living a simple life and
that sometimes in this day andage, especially coming out of
COVID, I can look at you in theeye and I can say hi, you know.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
Right, oh, muffy, this has been so good.
Even if it was just for me andmy spirit, it's been so good.
But I think that's what's goingto really resonate with so many
people?
Right, Because we all feel busyand you know we do have tasks
to do, no matter if you are atask oriented person or not.
(42:38):
Right, we all have tasks to doand I really love what you said
about the life is aninterruption.
I just that's just somethingthat's really hitting me, so I
can't wait to see how God usesthis on others.
Thank you so much for being on.
Speaker 2 (42:51):
I can't wait to see how God uses this on others.
Thank you so much for being on.
Thank you so much for you beingobedient to God's voice in your
life, because I wouldn't behere if it weren't for your
obedience.
Speaker 1 (43:00):
So thank you so much.
Oh, thank you.
And on ordinary people,extraordinary things.
Your story is his glory.
If Muffy's story impacted you,please share it with four
friends right now, beforeanything else happens, before
you get quote, unquote busy andyou forget.
Let us know you did via socials, sending us an email through
our websitegenerations2generationscom
(43:22):
Generations is plural and T isT-O or leaving a comment on
YouTube at JenNancy.
We'll see you in two weeks fora brand new episode.
I'm so glad you're here.
I'm Nancy Brusher and I'm yourhost for Ordinary People
Extraordinary Things.
Are you having a busy summer?
If so, this podcast is for you.
I get to talk with Muffy Cruz,one of my best friends in high
school.
We have an amazing conversationand I can't wait for you to
hear it.
This podcast is also on YouTube, so if you like watching the
(00:23):
podcasts, head over to at JenNancy, that's G E N N A N C?
Y.
I can't believe it.
You guys, we are in 89countries.
Thank you for sharing ordinarypeople extraordinary things with
everyone.
You know, our goal for thispodcast is for you to share it
(00:43):
with four friends.
I picked four because it's myfavorite number.
Share this podcast with fourfriends right now.
That, you know, will beinspired.
Let's get started.
Welcome to Ordinary PeopleExtraordinary Things.
I'm here with Muffy Muffy.
Thanks for being on.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Thank you so much for having me.
I'm so honored and humbled tobe invited on here.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
So Muffy and I go way back.
I don't even know.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
I mean probably since we were babies, or yeah, I mean
we grew up in the same town.
Yeah, so many memories.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Yes, so many.
We played the flute togetherrollerbladed oh my gosh yeah
lots of sleepovers, even as wewere getting older.
Yeah, lots of fun, yeah.
So I'm so excited it's we weresuch good friends and then just
kind of life took us indifferent areas and my mom said,
(01:36):
hey, you should have Muffy on,and I was like I should, why
haven't I thought of Muffy?
And so I'm so glad that shereminded us and then we got to
talking and it's just been funto just rekindle this friendship
.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Oh, absolutely.
I was so thrilled when I saw atext from you Different last
name, but obviously you know wehave still talked after you got
married, but it was so cool tobe able to hop on the phone with
you.
Even then I felt like we did awhole nother podcast, just even
talking then.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
We did.
We did so.
If people don't know who youare, can you give three words or
phrases to describe yourself?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Yeah, absolutely.
I would say, first and foremost, I'm an encourager.
I've always had just I lovewriting notes to people, to my
own family and to people.
I've always been a note writerand verbally to encouraging
people, but I've always lovedputting little notes, whether
it's in lunchboxes or suitcases.
I've just been that person Just.
(02:34):
I feel like I can almost conveymore of my heart and encourage.
But just an encourager, alsodisciplined person, and I think
I've turned my type Apersonality into positive habits
and so I've kind of alwaysgrown up to be a very
disciplined person in my healthand so in fitness, but also
carries over into just positivehabits for self-development and
(02:57):
leadership.
And then I would say, thirdly,I'm just grateful.
I'm just super grateful.
I don't know if it's just aseason of my life, but I'm just
every day.
I used to keep a gratitudejournal when I was in high
school.
Every single day I would writedown one thing and I think I did
that for maybe a year or twoafter that but just something
every day to be grateful for.
(03:17):
So just grateful.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
Oh, that's great.
I love that.
That's great Grateful.
And you're a wife and you havethree boys, is that right?
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Yes, three very active boys.
I can, yes, boy mama here.
They are two, four and sixyears old now and we are a
homeschool family.
We're actually entering intoour third year as in our
homeschool journey.
And then I also work part timeas a registered dietitian.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Yes, so we have that in common too, because we
homeschool our kids.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
So can you explain your word of the year?
Some people have these.
I think it's kind of become abig thing, hasn't it?
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Yeah, you know, I think it was maybe a handful of
years I was trying to think.
So our oldest is.
He's actually going to beturning six years old.
Might have been right before hewas born.
That I think.
As a dietitian, I've always beennot really against New Year's
resolutions, but I've just thathasn't really stuck well with me
and I think society is kind ofgetting away from that.
And you know, at the end of theyear, jeremy and I are good
(04:22):
about reflecting upon our yearand then just praying going into
the new year.
And yeah, I guess now the thingis words of the year.
A lot of people will do that.
It's just easy to focus on.
And so this year I've beenpraying.
I had been praying a lot aboutit.
I had just kind of recentlyovercome that perfectionist
mindset and just trying to letgo and just kind of let God, you
(04:47):
know, take control a little bitmore.
But one of the words that hedid lay on my heart going into
this year is simplify, and Ithink as a perfectionist, that's
not just in stuff, and so oneof the things I know we were
talking about is, with my wordbeing simplify.
A lot of the people think ofthat word, simplify and they
just think live a simple life.
(05:09):
And what is a simple life?
They think minimalism, theythink don't own a lot of stuff
and they think do less.
Certainly, for me that waspartly a lot of it.
You know, maybe getting rid ofthe excess stuff, stuff, even
(05:33):
physical stuff, but even themental clutter, physical clutter
, and it can mean doing less,but it doesn't necessarily mean
doing less.
So when I have that word, Ialso one of the things that
we've been going on with a themetoo, is these UN, these
un-words, and you know we areunhindered and unconquerable,
and so my un-word wasuncomplicated, and uncomplicated
(05:54):
is, ironically, kind of acomplicated word.
So I'm like, well, how aboutsimplify, and?
But I was thinking about thatand uncomplicated, the reason
why I think one of the toolsthat the devil uses is just to
complicate your life and make us, just make us more busy, and I
know we're going to talk aboutthat, but in terms of
simplifying our life, it's notdoing less just so we can, you
(06:17):
know, have a lot of people thinkpeace means doing less.
For me, simplify means, um,getting rid of the excess
clutter so that I can step intomy calling for what God has for
me, I can become who he hascalled me to become.
It can mean even doing more.
It can mean doing more in thethings that actually advance
God's kingdom or for whateverhis purpose is for you.
(06:41):
It can mean cutting out certainrelationships.
It can mean closing certaindoors, but it's not just doing
less for the sake of having lessstuff and just living a
minimalist life.
I had to learn as a homeschoolmom simplify.
I don't know if this is maybewhat you went through as a
(07:03):
homeschool mom.
When you're first starting out,it can feel very overwhelming.
It's really neat.
Now I feel like there are a lotof options and for homeschool,
just the format and thecurriculum.
Thankfully there are a lot ofoptions, but also it's
overwhelming and I struggledthere in the beginning with, oh
(07:26):
my goodness, I have to takeadvantage of all this stuff.
I need to do this, this andthis, and I need to have, I need
to do plan my year this way.
Oh they, you know, here'sanother planner, here's another
planner.
I just felt like I had to be socomprehensive so that it so
that he didn't miss out, and itgot to be the point where I was
not just in homeschool but in mylife I was getting so shallow
(07:47):
in so many things, you know, inactivities and even in my
self-development I was almosttrying to be very, maybe,
well-rounded or balanced.
I wanted him to be well-roundedand, you know, he was only
started out in preschool.
He was only four and I had tolearn that if I was getting into
too many things and shallow inso many things I couldn't really
(08:08):
go deep in in a few things.
You know, and I think that's thepurpose is God is calling us to
hire, he's calling us to more,but in more in his kingdom.
My word of the year then,simplify it kind of it's.
That's not also not the endgoal.
I think the end goal for me wasto simplify so that I could
surrender, surrender thosethings, surrender the things
(08:29):
that didn't matter, so that Icould steward the things that he
had for me, so that I could,you know, be more creative, I
could build, create and in theend, you know, finish strong.
So that's that's kind of myword of the year, where it all
came from, and I think it ismisconstrued as simply just
(08:50):
cutting things out, but I thinkit's it's so that you can step
into more and specifically intothe relationships and serving.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Yeah, I like that.
I feel like that's a.
It's a real thing right now.
To just say oh just say no, sayno, say no, and you know, take
care of yourself and likeself-help and all of these
things and they're good.
I just think we've kind of gonethe other direction where we've
(09:20):
.
We've had that become so muchthat it's almost too easy to say
no, it's too easy to not reallytake up your cross and like
every day, and it's easy to kindof get comfortable and oh,
wouldn't God just want me to becomfortable.
I've been doing a lot.
I should just like take it easyand and again, like there's a
balance.
I think we've just seen societymaybe take it a little too far.
(09:43):
If, if that's what in myopinion, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
I totally agree about that.
And when you say aboutself-care and self-help and
everything, I think a lot ofpeople too they miss the mark.
You know, it's almost likewhere, if you want to get to
know God, like you said, somethings are good, but it's like
reading all the devotionals andall the books about God but not
actually going to the Bible.
(10:08):
Right, it's like you missed themark.
Those things are good,devotionals are good.
You truly want a relationshipwith God, though you need to
spend time in his word and spendtime in prayer, and so that's
really.
I think, with simplifying that,I had to really prioritize that
first and foremost.
It it's.
Are we getting busy in so manythings that we're actually
missing the mark in what's mostimportant?
Speaker 1 (10:29):
And you're saying busy.
Do you see a correlationbetween society and do you feel
like everyone says busy?
I feel like everybody Like.
If you're like, hey, Muffy, howare you Busy, right?
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Yes, it used to just be fine or good.
But, yes, when you ask peoplelike, oh, just super busy, I
don't know if it's like, do youget like a reward for how many
times you say busy and now we'rein.
You know, just the technologydays and with phone we text
people back and forth and it'salmost like at one point I was
going to put a nickel in a jar.
You know, do one of those forevery crazy busy response that I
(11:06):
got, because it would be if Imet, like a mom, you know, maybe
at a park or something, and weconnected and maybe I stay in
touch with whoever it is and Isay, hey, how are you, oh, crazy
busy.
Now I don't know if they meanthat like I'm crazy busy or you
know, we're crazy busy, as ifthey're trying to win a reward.
You know we're crazy busy, asif they're trying to win a
reward.
But it almost became comicaland I think that being busy a
(11:35):
lot of times, that being busy isnot the same thing as being
productive and being busy is notthe same thing as growing.
God's kingdom Right?
I think of no.
You know, jesus never said like, oh, I'm so busy.
You know, I mean, jesus wasdefinitely crazy busy.
He definitely prioritizedrelationships over that.
But in response to you know, thesociety norm of being busy,
it's we've, that's exactly it.
(11:55):
It's we've almost like havegotten so out of balance.
We're so busy in so many things.
And one of the things that Ithought about was a lot of
people think, are they juststriving to be well-rounded and
balanced?
A lot of people say, oh, I'mout of balance.
And what does that mean?
That doesn't mean being in somany activities.
Sometimes you have to be out ofbalance in activities and be in
(12:18):
balance in your value system.
So are you just being busy inthings that don't really matter?
And, yeah, it's.
It's so funny because, thankgoodness, god has called me to
more.
I think God has, has called usto be uncomfortable.
He hasn't called us to be busyand are.
Are we getting so busy thatwe're missing life and we're
missing the point of it?
And do you want, at the end ofyour life I think about, do I
(12:41):
want to?
Do I want people to be like, oh, she was so busy, you know.
Or or she was too busy and Idon't know.
Again, I don't know if busy islike supposed to be a reward.
You know, like people are likeoh, I'm so busy, they have to
have a full calendar, but it'snot about busyness, but it's
about, you know, relationships.
Ultimately, in the end, yeah, Ifeel like we we have missed the
(13:06):
mark in getting busy in so manythings with that response as
far as being crazy busy, yeah,and I'm afraid that we either
are busy or we think we're busy,just like everyone says they're
busy.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
So it's like, oh, I guess I'm busy.
But with that response I'mafraid, like you said, that it's
easy to cut out relationships.
It's easy to cut out likeserving God, because it's like,
oh, I'm just too busy.
If I say, hey, muffy, can yougo to coffee?
No, I'm too busy.
Hey, muffy, can you join ourBible study?
(13:39):
No, I'm too busy.
And so I feel like that's likeyou were talking about like the
devil kind of using this thing.
That doesn't seem too terrible,but I think it's doing some
destructive things in our lifeand I think that a lot of us
don't know it either, and Ithink that's the sly part of it.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Yes, absolutely.
It can be so subtle as ourschedules and you know, even as
you know, when you have kids andyour schedule does fill up.
And I always say I'm glad youknow that.
You know God hasn't called usto be comfortable, he hasn't.
But in terms of being busy too,an example I have is I remember
(14:23):
during the school year we are apart of a co-op and we meet
weekly, we meet on Thursdays forkind of the main part of the
morning and the afternoon, andit's actually about 30 minutes
across town for us where we goand it's great, it's a great
opportunity I get to bring allthree kids and I get to be with
Salem in the classroom.
(14:43):
So that was just really a greatthing for us during the school
year.
And when the school year isdone, that kind of freed up our
Thursday.
And I remember I got a text fromanother friend from church who
is not part of the homeschoolco-op but she has little ones.
She said hey, I know your co-opis done, Would you like to come
clean the church with us onThursdays?
(15:05):
And kind of initially myresponse was going to be you
know, no, because in my head Iwas kind of selfishly like, well
, gosh, then I could do storytime with him, or I'm still,
we're still doing school, likeschool is kind of all the time,
it's not just you know, I wasplanning on maybe digging deeper
into him, learning how to read,just all these things we put on
ourselves.
I think about it too.
A lot of it's self-inflictedgood and bad as far as our
(15:28):
busyness.
A lot of it is self-inflicted.
But obviously she knew like oh,you don't have the co-ops
anymore.
But I'm like well, that doesn'tmean I have a lot of other
things, but you prioritizewhat's important and you will
make time for what's importantto you.
But you also got to think aboutwhat's most important in the
long run in terms of the, interms of God's kingdom and what.
What are my values?
(15:50):
One of the ways how I overcamethat taskmaster spirit I always
call it Cause like oh, I also Ithought, oh gosh, I could get my
laundry done earlier and allthese other tasks.
But I thought you know what, ifI prioritize God first in
serving um, also my busyness, Iwas missing the mark.
I was missing I would miss outon time with fellowship with
other moms with little ones.
(16:11):
My boys were able to, and so Isaid yes, um, no, I'm not not
that that means I'm saying yesevery time, but when I went to
help them it was really neatbecause I got that fellowship
time with those ladies and wewere able to pour into each
other and share what we'relearning and just that
fellowship time.
And then my boys were able toplay with the other kids and
(16:34):
they also saw me serving bycleaning the church.
They are witnessing that.
I remember growing up with mymom and she would go and clean
you know, woodlawn ChristianChurch.
I went with her and just greatmemories from that too,
something my mom wouldn't wantme to share, but I remember her
wearing like a football helmetbecause our church, you know
there were bats in the atticsometimes and I remember her
(16:57):
walking around with a footballhelmet and you know a little
broom and just great memoriesfrom that.
But I saw my mom, I witnessedher serving too, even at a young
age, and it's like I know,ultimately in this season of my
life, my, our purpose is toraise up children, train up our
children in the way they shouldgo.
So I love that, one of the ways, too, that I've overcome.
I always think, as far as mytasks, that I have.
(17:20):
One of the ways I've overcomethat task, master spirit is I.
I do think about that.
Is it more important to haveclean dishes or to stop what I'm
doing and go and be with myboys, be present with them, so
that I can make sure I'mnurturing a clean heart in them,
you know, a clean and pureheart.
Is it, you know, more importantfor me to take this long meal
(17:42):
prepping, me to take this longmeal prepping, or do I need to?
Or or I can go spend time withGod in word and in prayer, and
by doing that, he's going tobless that time and he's going
to show me doors that can beclosed, things that don't really
matter, and he's also going toshow me how, in ways that I can
be creative and because somethings do need to be done, you
(18:03):
can't neglect things either.
Some things are important butnot urgent, and so maybe he's
going to open up ways that I candevelop systems so that I can
be more efficient, so that I canfree up more time, versus
toiling.
It's that unnecessary,unnecessary, unnecessary toiling
.
You know, when you're trying todo everything yourself, and I
have this checklist and my goalfor the day is just to check off
(18:26):
the checklist.
If I just spend time with God,he's going to show me the one
important thing that I need todo for that day and he's going
to bless that time.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
That's really good.
That's really good.
What would you say to someone,maybe specific?
I kind of have two of thesequestions.
One is that feels like you do,like I am a perfectionist.
I love getting those tasks done.
How?
How do you prioritize thoselike relationships, and I think
you've kind of said that, but isthere something else that is
(18:55):
like you know, this has reallyworked for me, or is it just
that time in prayer that youwere talking about, or is there?
Yeah, absolutely, I think, oneof the things for me, or is it
just that time in prayer thatyou were talking about, or is
there?
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Yeah, absolutely.
I think one of the things forme, even to back up further, is
I had to actually be aware of it, because, if you're not aware,
I had no idea, I didn't evenknow there was such thing as a
taskmaster spirit.
I think it kind of startedbeing labeled.
I mentioned type A personalityat the beginning.
You know, there's lots ofthings being melancholy,
perfectionist, detail-oriented.
(19:24):
Sometimes, when you take thosethings too far or when you're
operating in the weakness ofthose things, you can hide
behind that personality and thenyou can start to identify
yourself as that.
But I didn't know.
I thought, oh, I'm just thisway, oh, I'm good, I'm the one
that keeps the, the schedule,and I'm the one that does this
and that, and you kind of prideyourself in that.
So, um, first and foremost it'sprayer, and while prayer is
(19:48):
powerful you know I had to spendtime in the word and with with
God um, prayer is powerful.
But if I wasn't aware of it?
So it also took me looking intothe fruit of other people's
lives.
Jeremy and I have people in ourlives, so association is a big
thing.
I think that's a big thing.
Look at the fruit in otherpeople's lives.
We have very close friends ofours who have prioritized
(20:09):
relationships, first andforemost their relationship with
God.
Specifically, a couple I'mthinking of that also has three,
three kids.
I always say young kids they'rea little bit older than ours
Now, kids always stay young tome they have been blessed.
They have been blessedabundantly in their life, in all
areas.
They've prospered.
They're not perfect, um, butthey have been able to bless
(20:31):
others abundantly because theyprioritize.
I look at them and I'm like, oh, my goodness, their life is so
quote unquote busy it's.
It's actually now, um, busy infruitful things and they love
their lifestyle now and they'reable to their.
Their blessing others has beenmultiplied.
And we also, jeremy and I, havepeople in our lives that are
(20:52):
close to us who have kind ofprioritized tasks, and they are
the people who respond back oh,I'm crazy busy.
But I look at the fruit oftheir lives now in a
nonjudgmental way you want to.
You know, look, think about thepeople who you're hanging
around, nonjudgmental way,meaning those aren't good or bad
people, but I look at the fruit, what I want to trade places
with them, what are their livesproducing, and, okay, they're
(21:15):
crazy busy in what you know, notto judge what they're doing.
But so that was my awarenessspending time in the word and
with God and also just walkingwith him throughout the day,
asking him God, please show me,open my eyes, convict me.
And then it's being obedient tohis voice.
That's so tough, it's so easysaid than done, but so I am
(21:38):
still a work in progress.
I will say I have notcompletely overcome.
It's a daily battle.
It's a daily battle.
It's a daily fight against theflesh.
It's intentional living, it'sbeing intentional, it's being
aware, but it's always.
Does this align with my purposefor God?
I filter all my decisionsthrough that.
But it is being obedient to hisvoice.
So when, for example, last nightwe had dinner and you know it's
(22:04):
usually clean up boys play alittle bit.
In the summertime they go tobed a little bit later, you know
, cause it's lighter out.
I love summertime, I also.
I love spending time outsideand going for walks, but again,
it's a daily battle against myflesh.
I'm like I need to clean upthese dishes, I need to get
ready for this and that and justa lot of things.
You know, we have a nanny whocomes to watch the boys during
(22:24):
the day and I like to have thehouse in order, not perfect, but
I remember Jeremy saying whileI was still cleaning we were all
still cleaning up from dinnerhe's like you want to go for a
walk?
And I'm.
Initially my flesh was like it'sgetting late, it's getting
bedtimes and we have to do baths, and you know this.
And that just started makingexcuses because I've prayed so
(22:45):
much about conviction in thatarea.
God please show me when I startto go into excuse mode.
I knew right away.
I didn't even answer when hesaid that I am like, oh, I would
not turn down a walk.
In my head I'm like how awesome, a walk with my family.
You know, the house is stillgoing to be there, the dishes
will still be there.
That was the best thing ever.
And even in my head I was like,oh, we'll just go for a walk
(23:09):
around the block, I'll come backand I'll still be able to do
things.
It turned out to be probablycloser to 45 minutes to an hour.
Salem just wanted to keep going.
He's our six-year-old, he wason his bike and he's like let's
go down this block.
And I'm like let's let him lead, you know.
And and can we go this way?
Can we go that way and I want,what do I want him to remember
(23:29):
Again?
We're training up our childrenin the way they should go.
My family is my, our firstministry.
You and I kind of talked aboutthis.
God will bless your time.
God will bless therelationships you choose,
whether it's a phone call,whether it's going to visit
someone, whether it's sending anencouraging word, taking time
out to do that or going for awalk with your family.
God will bless that time.
(23:49):
When I got home I was sorefreshed, I felt so great.
I actually didn't even reallyfeel like doing the dishes.
And sometimes, when I do, I saydoing the dishes, we're, you
know, first world problems.
We have a dishwasher, but allthe other're, you know, first
world problems, we have adishwasher, but all the other
tasks, you know I'm thinkingbefore I go to bed on top of,
you know, we just always havethis ongoing thing like, oh, I'm
going to get some sleep tonight, I want to go to bed early, but
(24:10):
life is not about gettingenough sleep either.
That was the best thing and Godblessed it in more ways than
one.
My mind was more clear, I was,so I was a lot more patient with
my kids.
You know, for bedtime.
We just the kids went to bedwith a great memory of that day.
So God will bless that time.
Yeah, I was going to mentionsomething else, just about being
(24:32):
obedient to his voice, but Ithink just acting on it and, um,
god will show you.
Okay, great, now look, I'lleither bless you with more time
like that or that's going tohave outlasting effects.
Oh, I know what I was going tosay about that.
Even for me, like getting sleep, number one, I slept better
that night but I didn't go tobed as early as I wanted to, but
(24:53):
God blessed my sleep.
I woke up with more energy.
I remember one of our pastorswho actually married us.
He at the time was traveling somuch and he led a worship
ministry and I remember he wouldstay up late with us, um,
pouring into us.
It wasn't really an organizedBible study, but he would get
(25:14):
together.
We were in our twenties thattime and none of us had kids.
He would pour into us.
He saw people, young people,hungry for God.
Then he would go home and hehad a family.
He had kids and a wife and youknow, he led worship and he had
church duties and traveling andwe're like, how do you do it?
How do you have energy?
(25:34):
You know we have no kids andwe're young and everything, and
you stay up till sometimes two,three, four in the morning.
You know whether, on the phone,with people being there for us,
he said you know what, whenyou're yeah, sometimes you know
it can it can be exhausting, butwhen you're doing the things of
God, he will give you theenergy to fulfill his purpose.
He will give you the energy.
You wonder why people I thinkthe crazy busy also goes along
(25:56):
with I'm so tired.
I'm oh, I'm just exhausted.
I'm tired Even though you got,you know, maybe enough sleep
that night.
I think it's because we'retoiling in the things that are
not of God.
We think they're good, butmaybe it's not where he has us
and it's one way that he'strying to communicate to us that
this isn't where I have you.
This is where I have you.
(26:17):
You be obedient to his voiceand he will give you that energy
.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
That's good, muffy, it's so good, and I loved how
you said that that's yourpersonality and I think that
it's important to know how Godmade us and not shy away from
that.
And there's good things aboutthose personalities and there
can be, like you said, somethings that will.
If you're not being likerefreshed and praying, then
(26:44):
those kind of things come out alittle bit.
But not being afraid or tryingto change your personality I
mean, that's who God made you tobe and for a reason but
understanding that there'ssometimes really great things
that come with that and thenthere's things that we have to
look out for.
So I like how you said that.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
That's so good.
I love you say that.
I want to bring that back to myword of the year simplify I
think that was a big thing isfor me to truly know who God
created me to be.
So many people who are in thisidentity crisis, or some people
hide behind their busyness, Ithink, and again another tool of
the devil.
But I think that is the dangerwhere someone, if I'm not busy,
(27:24):
oh, I'm alone with my thoughts,or I'm alone and I don't know
who I am.
For me, simplify going back tothat word, not meaning it
doesn't necessarily mean cuttingthings out.
It's me being able to know whoI was created to, my personality
, not only my personality, mypersonality is there, but now
what are the strengths of mypersonality?
(27:44):
So God created and designed meand designed my personality, um,
but what's my temperament?
And how can I operate best inthose strengths?
And by if I'm, if I can'tsimplify my life, I'm just
drowning in the busyness andthen I have no idea who I am and
I can't nurture them.
My boys, again.
I can't train them up in theway they should go, because how
can I nurture them in who Godcreated them to be if they don't
(28:08):
see me stepping into who Godcreated me to be, and that
simplifying just really hashelped me to do that so far this
year.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
What would you say to the person who feels like they
are busy or they're crazy busy?
Do you have a word or anencouragement or a thought to?
To kind of?
Make quiet that.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
I know and you know what there's.
There's so many books andresources and everything.
But again, simplify I it for me.
I go back to the basics um,prayer, spending time with, know
, my, that was my word at thebeginning of the year and this
is it's so funny to think aboutit.
That was my word at thebeginning of the year and what
was my first go-to was to buyall these books and podcasts.
(28:54):
And again, those are goodthings, those are things out
there.
I, I love reading and there'sgreat books.
I I, you know where.
I have a daily habit of readingand listening to podcasts as
well, but I have these paringdown podcasts, these decluttered
books.
Jeremy and I were at a book salewe do this book sale at the
library and one of the books was, I don't know, decluttering
(29:16):
your house.
And I'm like I don't know if Ishould get this book or not,
because then if I get it, itadds to my clutter.
But the book is aboutdecluttering.
So it's almost like we.
It's almost like we try to lookfor all these other answers.
So if I'm busy, if I have tothink about like I'm so busy,
how do I cut that out andeverything For me.
(29:38):
I need to simplify.
Okay, god, you gave me thatword.
Oh, my first thing was to turnto all these books.
What if I just first turn toprayer and turn to him first and
foremost?
He is our one thing.
Honestly, I know it sounds sojust foundational, but I don't
know any other answer to pointpeople to.
I don't have any magical book.
Yes, there's a lot of books outthere and resources and
(30:00):
professional help but God,honestly, is our number one.
He knows your heart and whatyou're battling.
And I had to just it almost.
I was almost afraid to.
Sometimes we are like, afraidto ask God, like God, open our
eyes to what we really cause.
We, it's almost like we alreadyknow what we need to do to be
unbusy, but we but we like don'twant the answer because we're
(30:23):
like, oh, but I can't, I can'tsay no to that, I can't cut that
out.
I don't know what to do if I'mnot doing that.
That's my identity.
Or I don't know what to do ifI'm not busy.
If I'm not busy, then I feelguilty because I'm not.
Am I not doing anything?
You know?
But we go to God and again, hejust be still in him and it.
I don't know why it's so hard.
(30:44):
It was hard for me andsometimes it even still is.
Just to, um, I had to literallytake my taskmaster spirit and
and turn it toward good.
I had to be like, okay, youknow, I have a taskmaster spirit
, I'm going to use that for good.
I'm going to say five minuteswith God.
You know like, it's almost likeit had to be a checklist for me
(31:05):
, so you can take yourpersonality or your busyness and
schedule in God.
Then, okay, schedule them inschedule in five minutes.
Not that God should bescheduled in, we walk with him
daily but for me that's how ithad to be.
I hate to admit that, but I'mhuman.
And when I did that, it'salmost like I didn't even have
(31:26):
to attempt to turn that intomore because again, oh my
goodness, the things that I waslearning and hearing from God,
the things that I was beingconvicted of, um, I liked it and
didn't like it at the same time, cause I'm like, oh, change is
so hard.
And also realizing what I was,what I had over me.
(31:47):
That taskmaster spirit, it'slike I don't like, I don't like
labels and I, that's not who Iam, that's not who he created me
to be.
You know, just that prayer andprioritizing that time.
Then he pointed me to peoplethat I could get in my life for
people to help me out.
Then he did point me to maybesome books or podcasts.
Then I knew, okay, like, wow,there's.
(32:09):
I had confirmation in differentareas.
You know, even I think Imentioned to you after our
initial phone call we actuallyhad a leadership called Level Up
Leadership.
It was just a one dayleadership and I got so much
confirmation and it's amazing,even for that one day leadership
, it's almost like you thinkabout the things that matter
(32:30):
most to you and I could fit thatinto my schedule and you know,
getting childcare and everythingelse.
You think of everything, theopportunity costs, but the
opportunity costs of me missingthat event, the opportunity
costs of not spending time withGod, think about that.
I had so much confirmationcoming out of that weekend, just
where God wanted me.
I'll have to admit this on hereEven when you asked me, I was
(32:57):
so honored and I was actuallysuper excited to do the podcast,
but at the same time I was like, oh, when am I going to do this
?
You know it's like, well, how?
And then I thought, well,you're in my same position.
You're a mom, you have kids,you're a wife, you have all the
things too, and you're you runmultiple businesses too.
But, like what you shared withme, your purpose for that all
intertwines for what God'spurpose has for you, and God
(33:18):
will make a way.
And I'm, I thought about thatand I'm like, well, gosh, if you
can make time, you know I canmake time for this and God will
bless that.
And so I think, yeah, justspend time with God, and he will
open up to you, looking to theHoly Spirit, to say where can I,
where do I need to say yes andwhere do I need to say no?
Speaker 1 (33:39):
Yeah, something that really hit me when you were
talking was I think that I lovewhat you said of just like pray
and kind of get started, becauseI think that's something that
we do as humans is we get all ofthe information.
We read all the books.
That we do as humans is we getall of the information, we read
all the books, we do thepodcasts.
We like get all of thisinformation and then don't do it
.
And, and so I love how you justlike, just just do it, like
(34:05):
just do it, and then if you needsomething else but I think
that's just one of our traits islike okay, let's just find out
all the information before weget started, and and that's what
we want from God, right, wewant like okay, like for me,
like you wanted me to start apodcast, okay, can you tell me
the whole thing of what it'sgoing to look like?
And he's like no, just do it,and then I'll give you another
(34:29):
step and I'll give you, butthat's so hard.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
Yeah, think about, though, driving a car.
This is kind of my analogy, forthat is, we're always getting
ready to get ready, to get readyto get ready, but when you are
learning to drive a car, yeah,you take driver's ed, but do I
know how a car works?
Do I need to know howeverything works about a car
before I can get in?
I know I know what I need toknow before I get in a car and
drive it and where I'm going.
(34:52):
Um, I probably should know alittle more about you, know car
maintenance and stuff, but youknow what you need to know to go
where you need to go.
Um, the main thing you knowdon't minor in the, don't major
in the minors.
Um, yeah, just get in the carand drive.
Um, I do want to say something,too, that reminds me what I do
as a registered dietitian.
I talk to a lot of my clientsabout healthy habits and
(35:16):
adopting healthy habits, and Imeet them where they're at.
So many times, though, when I'mtalking to them about just some
simple things to live a healthylifestyle nothing huge or major
A lot of people think it is amajor shift, but same thing in
your walk with God, in adoptinga healthier lifestyle, talking
about small habits, a lot oftimes they they hold off um,
(35:37):
starting even just one or twothings because of oh, I'll wait
till this holiday is over, or oh, this occasion or that occasion
, or the weather's hot, theweather's cold, my, you know
this or that, um, I'll wait tillthis.
Um, there's so manyinterruptions, and you and I
were even talking about this.
For me it's I, I've thoughtabout that and I'm like you know
(35:57):
what life is?
A series of interruptions, likethat's what life is.
They're like good and bad, andinterruption isn't just a bad
thing.
You know, when I have kids,that's an interruption, but it's
something we chose and it's agood thing.
Interruption can also take youthe other way too, but let's
just accept that.
That's what life is.
It is a series of interruptions.
(36:18):
So let's accept that.
And now let's go ahead andallow God into our life amidst
all the interruptions, becauseGod also calls us to make and
create interruptions.
If you think about it, if we'regoing to change people's lives
and truly serve, we're actuallyinterrupting people's lives in a
good way for his kingdom.
(36:39):
Again, I try to tell my clientsthat there's always going to be
something every day, and that'swhat life is.
If not, life would be so boring.
So let's just accept thatthere's interruptions and let's
just call it busy or whatever.
I think let's just accept thatwe're going to be called into an
uncomfortable place.
Let's live let's not try tolive a balanced life.
(37:04):
Jesus didn't ever say, hey, youguys need to be more
well-rounded.
Or the Bible I don't think itsays anywhere in there that we
need to live a balanced life.
Let's live out of balance inour activities so that we can
stay focused in our value system.
Speaker 1 (37:22):
Mic drop.
Yeah, we did it.
That was awesome.
That was so good.
That was so good.
Oh well, as we wrap up, buffy,I always ask these questions
what is your favorite Bibleverse or story?
Speaker 2 (37:37):
Oh, yes.
Well, a favorite Bible verseright now is Matthew 633.
Seek first the kingdom of God,and all these things will be
given to you.
I think that plays in so wellwith prioritizing him.
It's also kind of a verse thatus, as a family, I try to speak
every day to our kids and thenintertwine that into what we're
(38:00):
doing for the day.
As far as a Bible story, the topone that comes in this season
of my life, specifically aboutsimplifying is the story of
Martha and Mary and how, whenJesus came to visit them and
sometimes I get them switched up, but it was Martha who was in
the kitchen, I believe I thinkit was Martha who is the one who
was, and I'm like that is so meshe was in the kitchen
(38:22):
preparing and wanting everythingto be perfect, you know, for
Jesus to come and visit, andhere Jesus is in the other room,
mary is sitting at his feetlistening to him, and then
Martha kind of gets flustered,like why aren't you in here
helping me?
I'm like, oh my gosh, that hasbeen me so many times.
You know I want everything tobe perfect, but I've missed the
bigger mark.
I've missed the most importantthing.
That's even what Jesus said.
She is actually doing what'smost important and that's
(38:44):
listening to me.
So that story I just read to myboys yesterday was the story of
when Jesus is with his disciplesand the kids.
The little kids come to Jesusand the disciples are kind of
like you know, go away, littlekids.
You're bugging him.
And Jesus is like no, let thechildren come to me.
There's always time for themand that helps me remind me
(39:07):
whenever my kids want somethingyou know, mom, watch this, watch
this.
Speaker 1 (39:16):
I'm like, yes, I can watch.
You know, for the 10th time Ican watch what you can watch.
It that's so sweet.
And you said that one of yourphrases or words to describe
yourself is grateful.
What are you grateful for rightnow?
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Oh, yes, you know again the season.
I don't know if it's justbecause, with having kids and
you realize the value of time.
I'm just honestly it may soundcliche, but I'm just grateful
for every day, just waking up,and the people, the
relationships, first andforemost I am grateful for, I
(39:46):
will say too, not the busyness,but I am grateful for what God
has called me into.
I may look at it sometimes whenI start to think I'm busy, I
turn that around.
If I'm doing something for God,I turn that around and say I
don't have to do this, I get todo it.
So I'm grateful for what I getto do because that does mean
that I'm living.
That does mean that God isactually using me.
He hasn't overlooked me forsomething.
Thank goodness, I have thesekids, you know, again,
(40:06):
self-inflicted, like Jeremy andI chose to have three kids, I'm
grateful for them.
When I, you know they'reinterrupting and taking time
home, you know I want to showyou something, whatever.
Thank goodness you know I can,I'm taking my time.
So I'm just grateful for thepeople in the association, in my
life and for the opportunity toserve and that God is still
(40:27):
using me.
Speaker 1 (40:28):
I love it.
What kindness have you receivedin the last week or what
kindness have you shown?
Speaker 2 (40:35):
Shoot.
You know I was thinking aboutthis.
I was.
I was actually trying to thinkof a specific instance, and
while there are those, one ofthe things that we're actually
are intentional about being anexample to our boys and talking
to them about every day iskindness.
Isn't something necessarilythat we do.
It's who we are, and so everysingle day we do this.
(40:57):
When I take my boys out runningerrands, every before we get out
of the van, wherever we'regoing, we always pray.
We pray for God to speakthrough us, and another Bible
verse we are speaking a lot isMatthew 5, 16.
Our boys say it with an accent.
They say let your light shinebefore others, and so it's like
(41:18):
let your light shine beforeothers so that others may see
your good deeds.
They want to praise theirfather in heaven.
So they say that and I say whatdoes that mean?
It means being kind to othersand what does that look like?
Maybe it's smiling at others orsaying hi.
So we always pray that beforewe go in.
So now our two-year-old.
Whenever we go into a store, hehas that just outgoing
(41:39):
personality.
Now I can already tell he's hi,hi and some people looking down
.
I love it because mytwo-year-old is reminding people
, is reminding people, you know,with their face buried in their
phone he's like hi, hi.
So they look up oh, hi, youknow.
And so I think kindness is juston a daily basis.
I'm kind of seeing it throughmy kids.
It's wherever we go.
(42:01):
Showing kindness is justshining our light on others and
showing them that by example,I'm living a simple life and
that sometimes in this day andage, especially coming out of
COVID, I can look at you in theeye and I can say hi, you know.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
Right, oh, muffy, this has been so good.
Even if it was just for me andmy spirit, it's been so good.
But I think that's what's goingto really resonate with so many
people?
Right, Because we all feel busyand you know we do have tasks
to do, no matter if you are atask oriented person or not.
(42:38):
Right, we all have tasks to doand I really love what you said
about the life is aninterruption.
I just that's just somethingthat's really hitting me, so I
can't wait to see how God usesthis on others.
Thank you so much for being on.
Speaker 2 (42:51):
I can't wait to see how God uses this on others.
Thank you so much for being on.
Thank you so much for you beingobedient to God's voice in your
life, because I wouldn't behere if it weren't for your
obedience.
Speaker 1 (43:00):
So thank you so much.
Oh, thank you.
And on ordinary people,extraordinary things.
Your story is his glory.
If Muffy's story impacted you,please share it with four
friends right now, beforeanything else happens, before
you get quote, unquote busy andyou forget.
Let us know you did via socials, sending us an email through
our websitegenerations2generationscom
(43:22):
Generations is plural and T isT-O or leaving a comment on
YouTube at JenNancy.
We'll see you in two weeks fora brand new episode.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.