May 6, 2024 • 32 mins
Have you ever found yourself tangled in the endless to-do lists of family and work life, wondering how to keep that spark alive in your marriage? You're not alone. Join Jonathan and Kate on a relatable exploration of the delicate balance between nurturing a strong marital bond and managing a packed schedule. We open up about the tactics that help us stay connected, like our shared podcast recordings and tech-free walks, while still juggling teaching, coaching, and the whirlwind of life's demands. With a nod to Deuteronomy, we delve into the ways we incorporate faith and teaching moments with our kids, even when the clock seems to be working against us.
But it's not just about keeping the romance alive; it's also about caring for the self within the chaos. We get real about the necessity of drawing boundaries, the art of declining excess commitments, and the understanding of our own limits. Saturday nights in our house are carved out for family before the Sunday rush, and we don't shy away from dedicating a whole month like July to recharge. We share the personal routines that sustain us, offering insights on maintaining readiness for life's significant moments, and gently remind you that self-care isn't selfish—it's vital.
Then there's the crux of all this: communication and adaptability. We talk candidly about voicing fatigue, the pitfalls of letting dialogue slip, and how a whiteboard can become your best friend in times of chaos. We navigate through setting priorities, knowing when to let go of less critical tasks, and how daily check-ins make a world of difference. As the sun sets on another busy day, we take you on a stroll down memory lane with tales of family walks, the enchantment of Charleston, and the lingering tastes of shrimp and grits, all wrapped up in the importance of keeping connections strong and a biblical foundation at the heart of it all.
Stock Music provided by wolfgangwoehrle, from Pond5
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Hi and welcome back to the Pleasing God podcast, a
show focused on helpingChristians to think biblically,
engage practically and livefaithfully for the glory of God.
I'm your host, jonathan Soule,and with me on today's episode
is….
Kaitlin Soule with me ontoday's episode is Kate Lensel,
(00:31):
and you know what that means.
It's another episode ofImperfect Marriage.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
You're such a dweeb what?
Speaker 1 (00:40):
do you want to talk about?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Oh, I think we're going to talk about managing
just a busy season with ourmarriage and as a family.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
That's an interesting subject.
I think there's a lot to talkabout.
Some real practical advice.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Well, do you want to kind of lead out?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Sure, I think this kind of stems from just the fact
that we ourselves are currentlyin a super busy season.
It does seem to be that everyMay tends to be pretty busy and
so just our schedules are full.
I was actually just looking atthe calendar downstairs and I'm
(01:20):
pretty sure there's just a fewdays of this whole month of May
that we don't have anythinggoing on, when we have a lot of
other outside, external whetherministries, activities, school,
(01:47):
whatever it may be kind ofswirling around us.
All good things, but all thingsthat are necessary to get done
and plan out.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Yeah, that's great and so true.
May the calendar is just superfull Teaching classes, baseball
coaching sports, town sports.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
We're both involved in a wedding next month, so
that's taken up some of our timeand some counselings and we're
doing school, finishing up ourschool year.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Yeah, and so I think maybe first off is the issue of
priority.
When seasons of life are just alot more intense more activity,
more running around, maybe morepressure, whatever it might be
I think what's helpful is tothink through your priorities.
(02:39):
You will always make time forwhat's most important to you,
and when we talk about in amarriage, what can happen is,
you know, we could just becomelike ships passing in the night
because or we can becomestrangers that live together
just because you know you'rerunning around, doing this, I'm
doing that, and how do we, howdo we prioritize the marriage
(03:05):
relationship in the midst of allthe other stuff that's going on
?
Yeah, I think that's key.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Yeah, you always say whatever you say yes to, you're
saying no to something else, andso sometimes we have to say no
to time with each other or as afamily in order to do a yes, and
so managing that is important.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Absolutely, yeah, absolutely.
It's fundamental to always beinvesting in the marriage.
If you're not trying, you'refailing.
There is no status quoMaintaining doesn't actually
happen.
Um, and so I know practicallyfor some of the things, even in
busy seasons, are trying to findthose moments that we can kind
(03:54):
of share together, whether it belike hey, we're going to record
a podcast and we get to talkabout things together, or going
for walks.
That's something that's beenreally kind of special to just
uninterrupted, no music, or justwalking and talking, walk for a
mile or so and connect in thoseways.
(04:14):
What are some other ways youthink about just being
intentional, I think?
Speaker 2 (04:20):
We try to do as much as we can together when it comes
to having to do things out ofthe home, but when, say, for
example, baseball, we all go asa family and we all go to the
field together.
We have dinner and then we allgo to have.
(04:42):
That's something we have to do,excuse me.
We all go together and make itfamily time and I think that's
important.
Or, like you just mentioned,going for a walk you know that's
something that we'veprioritized in our lives
recently is just our health andfitness and you know that's
something that we want to getdone.
(05:02):
But doing it together kind ofkills two birds with one stone,
in that we're doing what we knowwe want and need to do for our
physical bodies, but also anopportunity.
So I think trying to take thosetimes where we know there's
things that we want toprioritize and trying to do as
much as we can to do it togetheris super helpful.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Yeah, that's a good strategy and maximizing the time
right.
So if it is like this issomething we have to do, how can
we do this together?
Or how can I do this and bringmy family into?
Whatever it is that I'm doing?
I've been teaching OldTestament on Monday nights and
(05:49):
instead of just that, drawing meout of the home and leaving you
there with everyone it's likelet's grab a couple of the kids
that want to come, and theylistened to me talk for an hour
and a half on judges last weekand they're like that was great,
and they're not eight, nineyears old, but kind of bringing
them alongside and that kind ofreminds me just on the more of
(06:13):
the family side of Deuteronomy,chapter six, where God kind of
gives the well through Moses.
What I would look at is the OldTestament discipleship.
You have the Shema Hear, OIsrael, the Lord, our God.
The Lord is one.
You shall love the Lord, yourGod, with all your heart, with
all your soul and with all yourmight, and these words that I
(06:34):
command you today shall be onyour heart.
You shall teach them diligentlyto your children and shall talk
of them when you sit in yourhouse, when you walk by the way,
when you lie down and when yourise.
You shall bind them as a signon your hand and they shall be
as frontlets between your eyes.
You shall write them on thedoorpost of your house and on
your gate and it goes on fromthere.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
But just thinking about being intentional, even in
a busy season of instruction,of bringing them and all of us
alongside prayer in the mornings, yeah, that would be another
way of just having a connectionpoint where at breakfast time we
try it's not every day, itdoesn't always happen, but we
(07:17):
try to make a point to sit downas a family at breakfast time.
So we're all there, we're allhaving to eat breakfast and
using that time to get the wordout to the children and just
have discussion, and it's justone of those connection points
for us.
And evening doesn't really workin this season because we are
running to the baseball field orto church on the evenings and
(07:39):
so we found for us that doingthe breakfast Bible kind of
situation works.
So I think, incorporating thosemoments to be able to connect
but also do what we need to do.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Yeah, very much.
That's so true, and I think oneof the challenges is in a busy
season is not to allow thebusyness to turn into points of
irritation, stress, strife,marital discord, just because
there's so much going on andpulling at you which it can do.
(08:15):
And so that's where I think youknow, as we're investing time
in one another, sometimes we'redepositing that early so that we
can get a return on that intime when we might not have as
much opportunity for a period inthe season.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Yeah, I was just kind of thinking about that, in that
I'm the type of person that Ireally don't mind being busy.
I kind of enjoy kind of havingthings to look forward to and
kind of being on the go.
I've always kind of been thatway.
But what I have found in my ownlife where it can be
(08:53):
challenging is because of that,a lot of times the house can
fall away.
Laundry starts piling up,dishes can pile up, sweeping
needs to be done, it just itkind of all builds up and then I
start to feel very overwhelmedand anxious and then that turns
(09:14):
into maybe outbursts of anger orfrustration or irritability,
impatience, because I'm also thetype that a cluttered house
gives me a cluttered mind, andso.
But I was just thinking aboutthis because this morning you
and I were talking about our day, what we all had going on.
(09:35):
We had a couple appointments togo to and things we wanted to
get done, and I said, well, Iwould like to get these things
done, but the house is apriority to me today to get, and
you were just like, yep, okay,we're going to get this.
And so I think just havingthose moments of like this is
what's going on.
These are the expectations ofthe home and kind of tag teaming
(09:56):
what we can get done too.
I just really appreciated thatthis morning and I figured I'd
just tell you now, while we'retalking about it.
Thank you this morning and Ifigured I'd just tell you now
while we're talking about itthat it was kind of like we both
not, was that your little likepat on the back?
Speaker 1 (10:15):
I was looking for the applause.
I hit the wrong button um, yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
So I think just having those moments of kind of
running through clearcommunication this was an
expectation for me.
In order to get some of thesethings done, I needed to have
the house tidied or whatever,and you really helped manage and
help delegate to the children,and it made the day so far
smoother knowing that we hadtackled some of those things as
(10:41):
a family.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Okay.
So first thing we were talkingabout is priorities.
Think through those.
If you know, as you'relistening and you're like, hey,
I can relate.
I'm in a busy season of life,I've got something going on
every day Start out andprioritize the things that
matter and as you get lower onthe list, those things that are
(11:02):
on the list, if they get done,they get done.
If they don't, then they movethem to the next and after a few
days maybe they get higher onthe list.
But if relationships andinvestment in people are not
high on your list as a marriedperson or as someone who's
looking to get married, or if afamily, you need to evaluate.
You need to evaluate yourpriorities, Because if you're
(11:24):
saying yes to a lot of thingsthat don't really matter and you
are creating busyness at theexpense of your relationships,
you're failing everywhere.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Yeah, it's definitely okay to say no, it's healthy to
say no, it's important to sayno when you can.
I know there are times you justcan't and that's okay.
But even today, this morning, Igot an opportunity to do
something for later in the weekand I automatically declined it.
I knew in my capacity it justwasn't going to fit into what I
(11:58):
was going to be able to handle.
And I think just being aware ofyour own capacity, your
family's capacity, husband'scapacity, your wife's capacity,
is just super helpful to justhave that understanding and to
be able to say no and be humbleenough to say you know, I can't
fit that into what is importantto me right now.
(12:18):
Maybe it's not like a humility.
Maybe it's more of just aself-awareness.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Yes, it's a self-awareness.
There are some people thattheir tendency is to overextend
themselves.
Then there are other peoplethat their tendency is to never
really do anything, and so it's.
You know, the hard part forthem is to say yes.
And so, keeping that in mind,which one are you Does yes come
easier, or does no come easierand work on the one that's
(12:45):
harder for you.
Don't overextend yourself.
I think practically we're outright now.
In this season, someone's outof the house Monday night,
tuesday night, wednesday night,thursday night, so Fridays get
circled.
But we want to do some kind offellowship hospitality on
Fridays.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
This month specifically, we have something
either a Friday night or aSaturday night as well this
month of May.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Yeah, we're hosting the camp out, right.
So that's not a good recipe fornormal rhythm, right.
But recognize also as we'reprioritizing.
We know it's a season, we knowthis month is coming it's really
May and June.
Yes, yeah, we've also blockedoff July.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
And.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
July is a blank calendar.
Yes, and that's intentional.
I might actually take avacation.
We don't have to travel toLouisville.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
I know.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
There's no going on campus, so that'll be great.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Though I did enjoy.
That was a nice time togetherto go down there and do that, oh
yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
So priorities, think about them, don't overextend.
But also in your priorities youneed margin, and so something
that we do is, like Saturday,after like the baseball field,
the rule is we don't do anything.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Well, it's a new founded rule that we've just
kind of We'll break the rule ifwe need to.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
I think we have an outing for church next Saturday,
this coming Saturday, but therule is Saturday nights,
Saturday afternoons, really wantto do like kind of games and
dinner.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
family is to sit down for an hour or two before bed
on a Saturday night, aftereverybody's been cleaned and
ready for bed, and we just turnon music videos of worship music
(14:53):
and the kids love it.
They sing out.
It's been wonderful.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Because the heart's getting prepared for Sunday.
Before Sunday, yeah, and aquiet night because I mean, you
and I got to be on our A gamecome Sunday.
You had a late night onSaturday, didn't get great sleep
, something like that For whatwe're doing.
We got to be on point on aSunday.
So I need 12 and a half hoursof sleep going in.
(15:19):
No, I don't sleep that long,but I want to be well-rested,
refreshed.
Something I'll do on Sundaymornings often is I'll make sure
I get up early and exercise,and just that makes me feel so
much better.
Going into, I was doing longruns I'm not doing that anymore
but just something to get myheart rate going.
(15:40):
A couple cups of coffee.
I'm pretty jacked up and I'mready to go.
But, yeah, I think that'simportant.
Priorities matter and what yousay yes to, you're saying no to
something else, and be mindfulof what or who you're saying yes
to and what and who you'resaying no to.
(16:01):
So, priorities in a busy seasonand you kind of touched on it
but, as just kind of a topicpoint communication.
This can be breaking points alot just because of just
heightened activity and thefrustration that can come from
just being super busy,especially with one person in
(16:24):
the relationship, is like thego-getter and gets energized off
of activity and the otherperson is drained from activity.
You could be kind of like twothe opposite sides of a magnet,
you know, and so you got tocommunicate well in in that.
And that's where knowing yourpartner matters and being able
(16:49):
to read verbal or nonverbal andand hear verbal communication,
be open, talk, share.
What are you thinking?
I'm tired, I'm feeling burntout, those kind of things
because if you're not talkingand you're just gonna press on
through, it'll cause strain.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Yeah, you know on a regular basis.
There might be some days whereyou, you just flat out have to
push through the day like ohyeah, you just have to.
I felt that way yesterday.
Yesterday was a really full day.
It was a great day, it was agood day, but it was a great day
, it was a good day, but it justwas a full day and I just felt
like I was just pushing, pushingthrough to the end.
Actually, when I went to bed,finally at the end of the night,
(17:31):
you were still downstairs, butI went up, I just could not and
I had tears flowing from my eyesbecause I was so tired.
I wasn't crying.
Tears flowing from my eyesbecause I was so tired, I wasn't
crying, they just my eyes wereso tearful because I was so
tired.
And so there are days thatyou're just going to have to
push through, but, yeah, on aregular basis you're going to
(17:53):
burn out and then nobody's.
Nobody's going to be effective,you're not going to be
effective in what you need toget done and accomplished, and
communication will lag and itjust is a recipe for disaster.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
One thing I think you do well is you write out the
kind of the schedule in a veryvisible place on a whiteboard
that you know I walk by, I lookat it often.
That's helpful.
That's actually a way of you'recommunicating and you're
putting it out there, so I'm notwondering what's happening this
day.
Who's got an appointment, youknow?
(18:28):
Am I, you know?
Am I at work all day?
Am I, you know?
Is there a time that I have tobe semi-present, like what does
it look like?
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Everything's color coded, so you know who's going
where and when and and whatnot.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
So find out what, find out what works for you guys
, um and and do that, butcommunicate schedules,
especially in busy seasons if,whether it be a shared.
You know calendar.
You know through your phone orthrough outlook or google or a
physical whiteboard.
But I think sharing a calendaris very helpful because I know
(19:05):
what's going on, I know theplans, that you have, the
appointments that are made, thisand that you know what's going
on with me.
He's got meetings here, thereand so those are like absolutely
unavailable times.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Yeah, I tend to forget things very easily.
If it's not written down I willforget.
So having that just out, evenfor me it keeps just a clear
head, a clear understanding andvisual of just what's going on
day to day.
And maybe not everything'swritten on there, but the big
(19:42):
things are, and that's it'sreally helpful.
And you know what?
It's helpful for the childrento kind of see what it looks
like to be organized and theyget excited to go and look and
see what's going on today andespecially in this busy time
they're always looking for youknow who we're going to see,
what we're going to do, whatwe're going to eat.
They're all about that.
So it's a good training tooltoo for the family, I think.
(20:06):
Yeah, but even just dailycheck-ins this morning when we
went downstairs hey, what do yougot going on today Just a
morning check-in of just kind ofa run-through of the day is
helpful as well.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
That's just because I wanted to get pizza.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Which we did.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Yes, because we had to make time, for that was a say
yes to pizza.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
But also just learning how to be flexible in a
busy time For me, I have a hardtime being flexible and kind of
moving what my idea of the daywould look like, and so just
being able to go with the flow.
And it's okay if maybe some ofthose lower tier things don't
(20:54):
get done, like today one of ourkids had an appointment.
Well, that had to happen, so weworked around that.
But other things like like oh,I was hoping to go do something
out this afternoon and thatdoesn't get done.
Well, that's, it's okay, um, aslong as the responsibilities of
the home and the family aregetting done, to be able to be
(21:16):
flexible, and that is alsoreally helpful yeah, flex,
flexing schedule when necessary,like distinguishing between
responsibilities, needs,must-dos should do.
Want to do.
Want to do?
Yeah, could maybe possibly doif I have enough time.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Yeah right.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
I definitely have a lot of those on my schedule most
days, like I really have wantedto organize our game closet for
a really long time and that'salways on the well maybe, if I
can maybe sort of work it intomy day today it'll get done.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
You want to do it tonight?
Speaker 2 (21:52):
it would be nice, it really needs to get done yeah,
it does.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
I don't know if I have time for that, though.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
All right, so priorities in a busy season,
communication in a busy season,anything else.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Yeah, I would just say that obviously we can make
plans and we need to make plans.
It's helpful for us and it'simportant and it's necessary,
but also just understanding thatGod is in control and he is
sovereign and ultimately it'snot about the plans that we make
, it's about what his will isfor our lives and making sure
(22:33):
that we're not neglecting themost important thing, which is
obviously our walks with theLord and which I know in a busy
time, a busy season especiallyfor me, with juggling all the
outside of the home, thingsinside of the home, things
personal you know health andfitness and you know school and
all that it's easy to just kindof bypass the things that the
(22:56):
Lord would have me to do Prayer,scripture reading, meditating
on his word.
I have found for me getting upearly in the morning and going
out for a walk on my own or arun or whatever it is.
That's my time.
I might not be sitting withopen Bible, but I'm meditating
(23:17):
on the word, I'm praying,talking to God about what the
day ahead it looks like, whatyesterday looked like, maybe
repenting of sins if needed,listening to worship music,
really centering my morning onthe things of the Lord has
really been helpful and thatdoesn't make it a perfect day,
(23:37):
but it does kind of start my dayhow I would like it to and how
I know would please the Lord.
And so definitely would saythat navigating busy schedules
don't neglect first love.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Yeah, 100%.
Same with me mornings Usually,it's usually once I've kind of
had a cup of coffee and start toget settled in, spending that
time with the Lord in his word,thinking through the day,
thinking through just all thesimilar stuff.
It's helpful, that's somethingthat gets to priorities, that's
(24:15):
our priority and ourcommunication and communion with
God.
And, oh man, let that go andand all of the busyness just
starts to drag.
Also, I would think of you,made me think of the word of, of
not not to compartmentalize ourlives.
Like, okay, I'm doing baseball,I'm doing midweek study at
(24:39):
church, I'm doing and like allof these silos, but seeing that
everything that we're doing isbecause we're disciples of Jesus
Christ.
So why do we go to the baseballfield?
Well, we have our kids in townsports.
But we're representatives ofJesus, yeah, for sure.
(25:10):
And I think it's a greatopportunity to be a faithful
witness in the community.
Yeah, for sure.
Seeing that all of life is tobe followers of Jesus and
bringing everything that we'redoing, especially in the
busyness, under that umbrella,so that hopefully, you know, in
(25:32):
times of maybe you could seewhere frustration might rise, we
could put that to death, we canrecognize and say, hey, these
emotions need to be sanctifiedbecause I'm doing this, because
I'm a follower of Christ, or howcan I be a faithful follower of
Christ in doing this, whateverthat thing might be?
So I think that's superimportant, super.
(25:56):
Don't neglect the mostimportant thing just at the
expense of doing stuff.
Our most important relationshipis our relationship with Christ
, because from that flows allhealthy relationships.
I don't know people that have ahealthy relationship with Jesus
and all their otherrelationships are terrible.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
I don't know if that's even possible.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
I don't think so.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
So I think that's important.
Well, in our busy lives we wereable to carve out some time to
sit and talk, which is good, andto record.
I hope it's encouraging,especially you that are in the
grind right now.
It's real and we understand andfind your encouragement.
We understand and find yourencouragement.
(26:45):
Lean on your spouse, find yourencouragement in the word and
make sure that when busy seasonscome, they are just a season.
You don't want to spend yourlife just running every day.
It's not healthy.
Prioritize, communicate,communicate.
Don't overly compartmentalizeand stay organized, because the
more organized you are in themidst of just a challenging and
(27:09):
a busy stretch, the smootherit'll feel.
If you're scattered and you'retrying to just figure it all out
, it's chaos.
If you think, oh, it makessense in my head, take it out of
your head, as Kate you said,just put it on the, put on the
board, make it, make it seen,make it known, and hopefully
those would be helpful ways tonavigate busy seasons.
(27:31):
Ok, well, before we go, we weredoing something a while ago
where you would ask me aquestion that I have no idea is
coming and I would answer, andthen ask you a question that I
have no ideas coming and I wouldanswer and then ask you a
question where you had no ideawhich was coming.
So you want to go first?
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Sure, I was actually just thinking about this as you
were kind of wrapping up.
What is something that you aremost looking forward to in the
next three or four months?
So, coming into the we're inspringtime now, but coming into
the summer let's just say, forthe summer, what is something
that you are most lookingforward to If you could pick one
(28:14):
besides getting a few weeks offin July?
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Ooh, um, that's.
That's kind of where I wasgoing to go.
Oh sorry.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
I just thought that'd be a no-brainer.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
Yeah, I am really looking forward to rest in a way
that pastoral ministry is timeintensive, it is spiritually
intensive and it just goesaround the clock and when I'm
(28:51):
able to you know, you don't turnit on and off, right, that's
not what I'm saying but likewhen I'm able to just like know
that I have a period of time,like when we would travel to
Louisville.
It's like I'm absent and I getto breathe, I sleep through the
night.
So that's what I'm reallylooking forward to is this
stretch of time, and I don'tknow, I must be just getting
(29:15):
older.
There's some house projectsthat need to get done that, like
, all right, we're going to beable to paint and do some work
that needs to happen.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Patch up some holes.
Patch up some holes in this.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
I mean, when was this house built?
Speaker 2 (29:29):
It was like 1850.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
Sometime pre-Civil War.
Yeah, so you got some oldhorsehair plaster and whatnot.
No, just being looking forwardto that time of relaxing my mind
, but also I've really beenworking hard on writing and
looking forward to publishing myfirst book.
(29:53):
Yay, so in the next month or soI hopefully am going to finish
this up and, uh, so that'll bereally exciting is to get that
published and, um, you know,hopefully it'll be a blessing to
to some people, so I am lookingforward to that.
That's a, that's a, a sideproject, that in the busyness of
(30:16):
life I decided to write a book,um, but that's been really a
blessing actually spending thetime.
I'll talk about it more, maybeon a different episode when I
get closer to the finish line.
I guess yeah, because right now,what am I?
40, 45 pages into it, so Istill got another hundred to go.
(30:37):
If you could describe one ofyour greatest summertime
memories, what would it be?
Speaker 2 (30:46):
Since we've been married, oh, since we've been
married.
A specific memory or a general?
Speaker 1 (30:52):
Experience.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
Okay, well, I guess I'll answer it as like a
generalized.
One of my favorite things to doevery summer is going on family
walks in the evenings afterdinner oh, that's cool um, we
always do just like a little onemile loop.
Kids will ride all sorts ofwhatever it is that they're
riding, and you and I get towalk and talk.
(31:17):
They get to have a blastrunning around and sometimes
seeing neighborhood friends andand whatnot.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Do you remember how frustrating those walks were a
couple years ago?
Yeah, we had one or two inparticular.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
that would just like have a meltdown halfway through,
it's true, and we said waitnext year it's going to be
better.
Yeah, they've been pretty goodthis year this year's been good,
but if I had to pinpoint like aone-time thing that we've done
in a summer that just was a goodmemory is, I guess it wasn't
technically summer, but when wewent to Charleston that was
(31:49):
after 2018.
Yeah, after your graduation atLiberty.
Speaker 1 (31:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
We parted ways, so your parents brought the kids
back up home and we went downShrimp and grits.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Let's go.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
And I just know it was May, may I mean, it felt
like summer down there at thatpoint and that was probably one
of my favorite experiences thatwe've done in a summer cool.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Thanks for joining me .
I want to thank you forlistening to the pleasing god
podcast.
If you have any questions, Iwould love to hear from you.
You can reach out at questionsat pleasinggodpodcastorg.
And remember 1 Thessalonians4.3,.
This is the will of God, yoursanctification.
Hi and welcome back to the Pleasing God podcast, a
show focused on helpingChristians to think biblically,
engage practically and livefaithfully for the glory of God.
I'm your host, jonathan Soule,and with me on today's episode
is….
Kaitlin Soule with me ontoday's episode is Kate Lensel,
(00:31):
and you know what that means.
It's another episode ofImperfect Marriage.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
You're such a dweeb what?
Speaker 1 (00:40):
do you want to talk about?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Oh, I think we're going to talk about managing
just a busy season with ourmarriage and as a family.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
That's an interesting subject.
I think there's a lot to talkabout.
Some real practical advice.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Well, do you want to kind of lead out?
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Sure, I think this kind of stems from just the fact
that we ourselves are currentlyin a super busy season.
It does seem to be that everyMay tends to be pretty busy and
so just our schedules are full.
I was actually just looking atthe calendar downstairs and I'm
(01:20):
pretty sure there's just a fewdays of this whole month of May
that we don't have anythinggoing on, when we have a lot of
other outside, external whetherministries, activities, school,
(01:47):
whatever it may be kind ofswirling around us.
All good things, but all thingsthat are necessary to get done
and plan out.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Yeah, that's great and so true.
May the calendar is just superfull Teaching classes, baseball
coaching sports, town sports.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
We're both involved in a wedding next month, so
that's taken up some of our timeand some counselings and we're
doing school, finishing up ourschool year.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Yeah, and so I think maybe first off is the issue of
priority.
When seasons of life are just alot more intense more activity,
more running around, maybe morepressure, whatever it might be
I think what's helpful is tothink through your priorities.
(02:39):
You will always make time forwhat's most important to you,
and when we talk about in amarriage, what can happen is,
you know, we could just becomelike ships passing in the night
because or we can becomestrangers that live together
just because you know you'rerunning around, doing this, I'm
doing that, and how do we, howdo we prioritize the marriage
(03:05):
relationship in the midst of allthe other stuff that's going on
?
Yeah, I think that's key.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Yeah, you always say whatever you say yes to, you're
saying no to something else, andso sometimes we have to say no
to time with each other or as afamily in order to do a yes, and
so managing that is important.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Absolutely, yeah, absolutely.
It's fundamental to always beinvesting in the marriage.
If you're not trying, you'refailing.
There is no status quoMaintaining doesn't actually
happen.
Um, and so I know practicallyfor some of the things, even in
busy seasons, are trying to findthose moments that we can kind
(03:54):
of share together, whether it belike hey, we're going to record
a podcast and we get to talkabout things together, or going
for walks.
That's something that's beenreally kind of special to just
uninterrupted, no music, or justwalking and talking, walk for a
mile or so and connect in thoseways.
(04:14):
What are some other ways youthink about just being
intentional, I think?
Speaker 2 (04:20):
We try to do as much as we can together when it comes
to having to do things out ofthe home, but when, say, for
example, baseball, we all go asa family and we all go to the
field together.
We have dinner and then we allgo to have.
(04:42):
That's something we have to do,excuse me.
We all go together and make itfamily time and I think that's
important.
Or, like you just mentioned,going for a walk you know that's
something that we'veprioritized in our lives
recently is just our health andfitness and you know that's
something that we want to getdone.
(05:02):
But doing it together kind ofkills two birds with one stone,
in that we're doing what we knowwe want and need to do for our
physical bodies, but also anopportunity.
So I think trying to take thosetimes where we know there's
things that we want toprioritize and trying to do as
much as we can to do it togetheris super helpful.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Yeah, that's a good strategy and maximizing the time
right.
So if it is like this issomething we have to do, how can
we do this together?
Or how can I do this and bringmy family into?
Whatever it is that I'm doing?
I've been teaching OldTestament on Monday nights and
(05:49):
instead of just that, drawing meout of the home and leaving you
there with everyone it's likelet's grab a couple of the kids
that want to come, and theylistened to me talk for an hour
and a half on judges last weekand they're like that was great,
and they're not eight, nineyears old, but kind of bringing
them alongside and that kind ofreminds me just on the more of
(06:13):
the family side of Deuteronomy,chapter six, where God kind of
gives the well through Moses.
What I would look at is the OldTestament discipleship.
You have the Shema Hear, OIsrael, the Lord, our God.
The Lord is one.
You shall love the Lord, yourGod, with all your heart, with
all your soul and with all yourmight, and these words that I
(06:34):
command you today shall be onyour heart.
You shall teach them diligentlyto your children and shall talk
of them when you sit in yourhouse, when you walk by the way,
when you lie down and when yourise.
You shall bind them as a signon your hand and they shall be
as frontlets between your eyes.
You shall write them on thedoorpost of your house and on
your gate and it goes on fromthere.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
But just thinking about being intentional, even in
a busy season of instruction,of bringing them and all of us
alongside prayer in the mornings, yeah, that would be another
way of just having a connectionpoint where at breakfast time we
try it's not every day, itdoesn't always happen, but we
(07:17):
try to make a point to sit downas a family at breakfast time.
So we're all there, we're allhaving to eat breakfast and
using that time to get the wordout to the children and just
have discussion, and it's justone of those connection points
for us.
And evening doesn't really workin this season because we are
running to the baseball field orto church on the evenings and
(07:39):
so we found for us that doingthe breakfast Bible kind of
situation works.
So I think, incorporating thosemoments to be able to connect
but also do what we need to do.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Yeah, very much.
That's so true, and I think oneof the challenges is in a busy
season is not to allow thebusyness to turn into points of
irritation, stress, strife,marital discord, just because
there's so much going on andpulling at you which it can do.
(08:15):
And so that's where I think youknow, as we're investing time
in one another, sometimes we'redepositing that early so that we
can get a return on that intime when we might not have as
much opportunity for a period inthe season.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Yeah, I was just kind of thinking about that, in that
I'm the type of person that Ireally don't mind being busy.
I kind of enjoy kind of havingthings to look forward to and
kind of being on the go.
I've always kind of been thatway.
But what I have found in my ownlife where it can be
(08:53):
challenging is because of that,a lot of times the house can
fall away.
Laundry starts piling up,dishes can pile up, sweeping
needs to be done, it just itkind of all builds up and then I
start to feel very overwhelmedand anxious and then that turns
(09:14):
into maybe outbursts of anger orfrustration or irritability,
impatience, because I'm also thetype that a cluttered house
gives me a cluttered mind, andso.
But I was just thinking aboutthis because this morning you
and I were talking about our day, what we all had going on.
(09:35):
We had a couple appointments togo to and things we wanted to
get done, and I said, well, Iwould like to get these things
done, but the house is apriority to me today to get, and
you were just like, yep, okay,we're going to get this.
And so I think just havingthose moments of like this is
what's going on.
These are the expectations ofthe home and kind of tag teaming
(09:56):
what we can get done too.
I just really appreciated thatthis morning and I figured I'd
just tell you now, while we'retalking about it.
Thank you this morning and Ifigured I'd just tell you now
while we're talking about itthat it was kind of like we both
not, was that your little likepat on the back?
Speaker 1 (10:15):
I was looking for the applause.
I hit the wrong button um, yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
So I think just having those moments of kind of
running through clearcommunication this was an
expectation for me.
In order to get some of thesethings done, I needed to have
the house tidied or whatever,and you really helped manage and
help delegate to the children,and it made the day so far
smoother knowing that we hadtackled some of those things as
(10:41):
a family.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Okay.
So first thing we were talkingabout is priorities.
Think through those.
If you know, as you'relistening and you're like, hey,
I can relate.
I'm in a busy season of life,I've got something going on
every day Start out andprioritize the things that
matter and as you get lower onthe list, those things that are
(11:02):
on the list, if they get done,they get done.
If they don't, then they movethem to the next and after a few
days maybe they get higher onthe list.
But if relationships andinvestment in people are not
high on your list as a marriedperson or as someone who's
looking to get married, or if afamily, you need to evaluate.
You need to evaluate yourpriorities, Because if you're
(11:24):
saying yes to a lot of thingsthat don't really matter and you
are creating busyness at theexpense of your relationships,
you're failing everywhere.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Yeah, it's definitely okay to say no, it's healthy to
say no, it's important to sayno when you can.
I know there are times you justcan't and that's okay.
But even today, this morning, Igot an opportunity to do
something for later in the weekand I automatically declined it.
I knew in my capacity it justwasn't going to fit into what I
(11:58):
was going to be able to handle.
And I think just being aware ofyour own capacity, your
family's capacity, husband'scapacity, your wife's capacity,
is just super helpful to justhave that understanding and to
be able to say no and be humbleenough to say you know, I can't
fit that into what is importantto me right now.
(12:18):
Maybe it's not like a humility.
Maybe it's more of just aself-awareness.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Yes, it's a self-awareness.
There are some people thattheir tendency is to overextend
themselves.
Then there are other peoplethat their tendency is to never
really do anything, and so it's.
You know, the hard part forthem is to say yes.
And so, keeping that in mind,which one are you Does yes come
easier, or does no come easierand work on the one that's
(12:45):
harder for you.
Don't overextend yourself.
I think practically we're outright now.
In this season, someone's outof the house Monday night,
tuesday night, wednesday night,thursday night, so Fridays get
circled.
But we want to do some kind offellowship hospitality on
Fridays.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
This month specifically, we have something
either a Friday night or aSaturday night as well this
month of May.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Yeah, we're hosting the camp out, right.
So that's not a good recipe fornormal rhythm, right.
But recognize also as we'reprioritizing.
We know it's a season, we knowthis month is coming it's really
May and June.
Yes, yeah, we've also blockedoff July.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
And.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
July is a blank calendar.
Yes, and that's intentional.
I might actually take avacation.
We don't have to travel toLouisville.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
I know.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
There's no going on campus, so that'll be great.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Though I did enjoy.
That was a nice time togetherto go down there and do that, oh
yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
So priorities, think about them, don't overextend.
But also in your priorities youneed margin, and so something
that we do is, like Saturday,after like the baseball field,
the rule is we don't do anything.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Well, it's a new founded rule that we've just
kind of We'll break the rule ifwe need to.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
I think we have an outing for church next Saturday,
this coming Saturday, but therule is Saturday nights,
Saturday afternoons, really wantto do like kind of games and
dinner.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
family is to sit down for an hour or two before bed
on a Saturday night, aftereverybody's been cleaned and
ready for bed, and we just turnon music videos of worship music
(14:53):
and the kids love it.
They sing out.
It's been wonderful.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Because the heart's getting prepared for Sunday.
Before Sunday, yeah, and aquiet night because I mean, you
and I got to be on our A gamecome Sunday.
You had a late night onSaturday, didn't get great sleep
, something like that For whatwe're doing.
We got to be on point on aSunday.
So I need 12 and a half hoursof sleep going in.
(15:19):
No, I don't sleep that long,but I want to be well-rested,
refreshed.
Something I'll do on Sundaymornings often is I'll make sure
I get up early and exercise,and just that makes me feel so
much better.
Going into, I was doing longruns I'm not doing that anymore
but just something to get myheart rate going.
(15:40):
A couple cups of coffee.
I'm pretty jacked up and I'mready to go.
But, yeah, I think that'simportant.
Priorities matter and what yousay yes to, you're saying no to
something else, and be mindfulof what or who you're saying yes
to and what and who you'resaying no to.
(16:01):
So, priorities in a busy seasonand you kind of touched on it
but, as just kind of a topicpoint communication.
This can be breaking points alot just because of just
heightened activity and thefrustration that can come from
just being super busy,especially with one person in
(16:24):
the relationship, is like thego-getter and gets energized off
of activity and the otherperson is drained from activity.
You could be kind of like twothe opposite sides of a magnet,
you know, and so you got tocommunicate well in in that.
And that's where knowing yourpartner matters and being able
(16:49):
to read verbal or nonverbal andand hear verbal communication,
be open, talk, share.
What are you thinking?
I'm tired, I'm feeling burntout, those kind of things
because if you're not talkingand you're just gonna press on
through, it'll cause strain.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Yeah, you know on a regular basis.
There might be some days whereyou, you just flat out have to
push through the day like ohyeah, you just have to.
I felt that way yesterday.
Yesterday was a really full day.
It was a great day, it was agood day, but it was a great day
, it was a good day, but it justwas a full day and I just felt
like I was just pushing, pushingthrough to the end.
Actually, when I went to bed,finally at the end of the night,
(17:31):
you were still downstairs, butI went up, I just could not and
I had tears flowing from my eyesbecause I was so tired.
I wasn't crying.
Tears flowing from my eyesbecause I was so tired, I wasn't
crying, they just my eyes wereso tearful because I was so
tired.
And so there are days thatyou're just going to have to
push through, but, yeah, on aregular basis you're going to
(17:53):
burn out and then nobody's.
Nobody's going to be effective,you're not going to be
effective in what you need toget done and accomplished, and
communication will lag and itjust is a recipe for disaster.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
One thing I think you do well is you write out the
kind of the schedule in a veryvisible place on a whiteboard
that you know I walk by, I lookat it often.
That's helpful.
That's actually a way of you'recommunicating and you're
putting it out there, so I'm notwondering what's happening this
day.
Who's got an appointment, youknow?
(18:28):
Am I, you know?
Am I at work all day?
Am I, you know?
Is there a time that I have tobe semi-present, like what does
it look like?
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Everything's color coded, so you know who's going
where and when and and whatnot.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
So find out what, find out what works for you guys
, um and and do that, butcommunicate schedules,
especially in busy seasons if,whether it be a shared.
You know calendar.
You know through your phone orthrough outlook or google or a
physical whiteboard.
But I think sharing a calendaris very helpful because I know
(19:05):
what's going on, I know theplans, that you have, the
appointments that are made, thisand that you know what's going
on with me.
He's got meetings here, thereand so those are like absolutely
unavailable times.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Yeah, I tend to forget things very easily.
If it's not written down I willforget.
So having that just out, evenfor me it keeps just a clear
head, a clear understanding andvisual of just what's going on
day to day.
And maybe not everything'swritten on there, but the big
(19:42):
things are, and that's it'sreally helpful.
And you know what?
It's helpful for the childrento kind of see what it looks
like to be organized and theyget excited to go and look and
see what's going on today andespecially in this busy time
they're always looking for youknow who we're going to see,
what we're going to do, whatwe're going to eat.
They're all about that.
So it's a good training tooltoo for the family, I think.
(20:06):
Yeah, but even just dailycheck-ins this morning when we
went downstairs hey, what do yougot going on today Just a
morning check-in of just kind ofa run-through of the day is
helpful as well.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
That's just because I wanted to get pizza.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Which we did.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Yes, because we had to make time, for that was a say
yes to pizza.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
But also just learning how to be flexible in a
busy time For me, I have a hardtime being flexible and kind of
moving what my idea of the daywould look like, and so just
being able to go with the flow.
And it's okay if maybe some ofthose lower tier things don't
(20:54):
get done, like today one of ourkids had an appointment.
Well, that had to happen, so weworked around that.
But other things like like oh,I was hoping to go do something
out this afternoon and thatdoesn't get done.
Well, that's, it's okay, um, aslong as the responsibilities of
the home and the family aregetting done, to be able to be
(21:16):
flexible, and that is alsoreally helpful yeah, flex,
flexing schedule when necessary,like distinguishing between
responsibilities, needs,must-dos should do.
Want to do.
Want to do?
Yeah, could maybe possibly doif I have enough time.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Yeah right.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
I definitely have a lot of those on my schedule most
days, like I really have wantedto organize our game closet for
a really long time and that'salways on the well maybe, if I
can maybe sort of work it intomy day today it'll get done.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
You want to do it tonight?
Speaker 2 (21:52):
it would be nice, it really needs to get done yeah,
it does.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
I don't know if I have time for that, though.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
All right, so priorities in a busy season,
communication in a busy season,anything else.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Yeah, I would just say that obviously we can make
plans and we need to make plans.
It's helpful for us and it'simportant and it's necessary,
but also just understanding thatGod is in control and he is
sovereign and ultimately it'snot about the plans that we make
, it's about what his will isfor our lives and making sure
(22:33):
that we're not neglecting themost important thing, which is
obviously our walks with theLord and which I know in a busy
time, a busy season especiallyfor me, with juggling all the
outside of the home, thingsinside of the home, things
personal you know health andfitness and you know school and
all that it's easy to just kindof bypass the things that the
(22:56):
Lord would have me to do Prayer,scripture reading, meditating
on his word.
I have found for me getting upearly in the morning and going
out for a walk on my own or arun or whatever it is.
That's my time.
I might not be sitting withopen Bible, but I'm meditating
(23:17):
on the word, I'm praying,talking to God about what the
day ahead it looks like, whatyesterday looked like, maybe
repenting of sins if needed,listening to worship music,
really centering my morning onthe things of the Lord has
really been helpful and thatdoesn't make it a perfect day,
(23:37):
but it does kind of start my dayhow I would like it to and how
I know would please the Lord.
And so definitely would saythat navigating busy schedules
don't neglect first love.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Yeah, 100%.
Same with me mornings Usually,it's usually once I've kind of
had a cup of coffee and start toget settled in, spending that
time with the Lord in his word,thinking through the day,
thinking through just all thesimilar stuff.
It's helpful, that's somethingthat gets to priorities, that's
(24:15):
our priority and ourcommunication and communion with
God.
And, oh man, let that go andand all of the busyness just
starts to drag.
Also, I would think of you,made me think of the word of, of
not not to compartmentalize ourlives.
Like, okay, I'm doing baseball,I'm doing midweek study at
(24:39):
church, I'm doing and like allof these silos, but seeing that
everything that we're doing isbecause we're disciples of Jesus
Christ.
So why do we go to the baseballfield?
Well, we have our kids in townsports.
But we're representatives ofJesus, yeah, for sure.
(25:10):
And I think it's a greatopportunity to be a faithful
witness in the community.
Yeah, for sure.
Seeing that all of life is tobe followers of Jesus and
bringing everything that we'redoing, especially in the
busyness, under that umbrella,so that hopefully, you know, in
(25:32):
times of maybe you could seewhere frustration might rise, we
could put that to death, we canrecognize and say, hey, these
emotions need to be sanctifiedbecause I'm doing this, because
I'm a follower of Christ, or howcan I be a faithful follower of
Christ in doing this, whateverthat thing might be?
So I think that's superimportant, super.
(25:56):
Don't neglect the mostimportant thing just at the
expense of doing stuff.
Our most important relationshipis our relationship with Christ
, because from that flows allhealthy relationships.
I don't know people that have ahealthy relationship with Jesus
and all their otherrelationships are terrible.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
I don't know if that's even possible.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
I don't think so.
Speaker 1 (26:23):
So I think that's important.
Well, in our busy lives we wereable to carve out some time to
sit and talk, which is good, andto record.
I hope it's encouraging,especially you that are in the
grind right now.
It's real and we understand andfind your encouragement.
We understand and find yourencouragement.
(26:45):
Lean on your spouse, find yourencouragement in the word and
make sure that when busy seasonscome, they are just a season.
You don't want to spend yourlife just running every day.
It's not healthy.
Prioritize, communicate,communicate.
Don't overly compartmentalizeand stay organized, because the
more organized you are in themidst of just a challenging and
(27:09):
a busy stretch, the smootherit'll feel.
If you're scattered and you'retrying to just figure it all out
, it's chaos.
If you think, oh, it makessense in my head, take it out of
your head, as Kate you said,just put it on the, put on the
board, make it, make it seen,make it known, and hopefully
those would be helpful ways tonavigate busy seasons.
(27:31):
Ok, well, before we go, we weredoing something a while ago
where you would ask me aquestion that I have no idea is
coming and I would answer, andthen ask you a question that I
have no ideas coming and I wouldanswer and then ask you a
question where you had no ideawhich was coming.
So you want to go first?
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Sure, I was actually just thinking about this as you
were kind of wrapping up.
What is something that you aremost looking forward to in the
next three or four months?
So, coming into the we're inspringtime now, but coming into
the summer let's just say, forthe summer, what is something
that you are most lookingforward to If you could pick one
(28:14):
besides getting a few weeks offin July?
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Ooh, um, that's.
That's kind of where I wasgoing to go.
Oh sorry.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
I just thought that'd be a no-brainer.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
Yeah, I am really looking forward to rest in a way
that pastoral ministry is timeintensive, it is spiritually
intensive and it just goesaround the clock and when I'm
(28:51):
able to you know, you don't turnit on and off, right, that's
not what I'm saying but likewhen I'm able to just like know
that I have a period of time,like when we would travel to
Louisville.
It's like I'm absent and I getto breathe, I sleep through the
night.
So that's what I'm reallylooking forward to is this
stretch of time, and I don'tknow, I must be just getting
(29:15):
older.
There's some house projectsthat need to get done that, like
, all right, we're going to beable to paint and do some work
that needs to happen.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Patch up some holes.
Patch up some holes in this.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
I mean, when was this house built?
Speaker 2 (29:29):
It was like 1850.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
Sometime pre-Civil War.
Yeah, so you got some oldhorsehair plaster and whatnot.
No, just being looking forwardto that time of relaxing my mind
, but also I've really beenworking hard on writing and
looking forward to publishing myfirst book.
(29:53):
Yay, so in the next month or soI hopefully am going to finish
this up and, uh, so that'll bereally exciting is to get that
published and, um, you know,hopefully it'll be a blessing to
to some people, so I am lookingforward to that.
That's a, that's a, a sideproject, that in the busyness of
(30:16):
life I decided to write a book,um, but that's been really a
blessing actually spending thetime.
I'll talk about it more, maybeon a different episode when I
get closer to the finish line.
I guess yeah, because right now,what am I?
40, 45 pages into it, so Istill got another hundred to go.
(30:37):
If you could describe one ofyour greatest summertime
memories, what would it be?
Speaker 2 (30:46):
Since we've been married, oh, since we've been
married.
A specific memory or a general?
Speaker 1 (30:52):
Experience.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
Okay, well, I guess I'll answer it as like a
generalized.
One of my favorite things to doevery summer is going on family
walks in the evenings afterdinner oh, that's cool um, we
always do just like a little onemile loop.
Kids will ride all sorts ofwhatever it is that they're
riding, and you and I get towalk and talk.
(31:17):
They get to have a blastrunning around and sometimes
seeing neighborhood friends andand whatnot.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Do you remember how frustrating those walks were a
couple years ago?
Yeah, we had one or two inparticular.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
that would just like have a meltdown halfway through,
it's true, and we said waitnext year it's going to be
better.
Yeah, they've been pretty goodthis year this year's been good,
but if I had to pinpoint like aone-time thing that we've done
in a summer that just was a goodmemory is, I guess it wasn't
technically summer, but when wewent to Charleston that was
(31:49):
after 2018.
Yeah, after your graduation atLiberty.
Speaker 1 (31:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
We parted ways, so your parents brought the kids
back up home and we went downShrimp and grits.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Let's go.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
And I just know it was May, may I mean, it felt
like summer down there at thatpoint and that was probably one
of my favorite experiences thatwe've done in a summer cool.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Thanks for joining me .
I want to thank you forlistening to the pleasing god
podcast.
If you have any questions, Iwould love to hear from you.
You can reach out at questionsat pleasinggodpodcastorg.
And remember 1 Thessalonians4.3,.
This is the will of God, yoursanctification.
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