This week we're talking about what we've been reading lately, the authors we'll automatically read whenever they release something new, books we wish we could experience again for the first time, and Amy's very exciting discovery that you can put a library book on hold online instead of wandering around the library trying to find it.

Then the conversation takes a turn when Patty shares what happened after deleting social media for a few days.

Spoiler: she suddenly has a LOT of free time.

That extra time led her from Philippians into a deep dive on Paul, the letters he wrote, what was happening when he wrote them, and why words written almost 2,000 years ago can still feel uncomfortably relevant today.

We're talking about rejoicing even when circumstances aren't ideal, choosing what we allow our minds to dwell on, complaining less, and how putting down our phones might actually create some room for something better.

A little book club, a little Bible study, and a pretty accurate picture of where we are right now. 💚

Scriptures Referenced

Philippians 4:4–9

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Philippians 4:11–13

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 2:14–15

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.”

1 Corinthians 13:4–7

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Feeding of the 5,000

Matthew 14:13–21
Mark 6:30–44
Luke 9:10–17
John 6:1–15

Near the end of the episode, Amy talks about reading the story of the five loaves and two fish across the Gospels and what has been standing out to her: God can make plenty from our little.

Links:

Document about Paul's letters: https://cartoonistbible.com/the-bible-bookshelf/pauls-letters/?shem=aimgspe

Kids Bible stories told by a kid: https://open.spotify.com/show/4jsAyqOhxSsnSu9P0Awu9K?si=188a4eb6d5d64188

This week we're talking about some of the things we've changed our minds about as we've gotten older, from friendships and spending money to homework, school attendance, work boundaries, social media, marriage, and yes, having an “end time” when you go somewhere.

We're also sharing a few very little things bringing us a surprising amount of joy lately, including a $7 sleep mask, a new rug, fresh flowers, blush and nail strengthener.

And somewhere along the way, the conversation turns to something we're both admittedly not very good at: being quiet.

We're talking about how rarely we give ourselves actual silence, what Elijah's story teaches us about God's gentle whisper, and what might happen if we stopped trying to immediately find every answer and simply gave God a little room to speak.

A little lighter, a little reflective, and pretty much exactly where we are right now.

Scripture referenced: 1 Kings 19:11–12
The conversation also touches on the broader idea of being still and listening for God, but you don't specifically quote or name Psalm 46:10 (“Be still, and know that I am God”), so I wouldn't list that as Scripture referenced unless you want to add it as a related verse.

Links Referenced:
Eye Mask: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HVRNXZQ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Color Analysis: https://www.instagram.com/trisha_thecoloranalyst/

We sat down to record this week with absolutely no idea what we were going to talk about... and somehow ended up talking about exactly where we are in motherhood right now!

Patty is watching her oldest go to homecoming, listening to high school gossip from the couch, navigating phones and independence, and realizing that the little boy she raised is somehow becoming a teenager who is almost as tall as his dad.

Meanwhile, Amy is deep in sticker charts, kindergarten mornings, trying to get three kids out the door without anyone whining, and one family pumpkin project that nearly sent everyone over the edge.

We're talking about how our role as moms changes as our kids grow, the pressure to raise good humans, wanting someone to reassure us that we're doing okay, and the reminder that prayer might be one of the most powerful things we can do for our kids.

Plus, harvest meals, middle-school birthday parties, expensive pumpkins, washable paint that absolutely should not have been used on a pumpkin, and Patty's legendary miniature leprechaun trap. 😂

No big topic this week. Just life. And honestly, maybe that's the topic.

Links referenced:
The Blessing: youtube.com/watch?v=QnC7z03QkEM
The Bible App Plan: Promises to pray over your children: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/37551-14-promises-to-pray-over-your-children

Scripture: Numbers 6:

The Priestly Blessing

22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

24 “‘“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”’

It’s fall, y’all!

This week we're sharing our very important and completely unsolicited opinions about all things fall.

Pumpkin spice lattes? Maybe. Pumpkin desserts? Absolutely. Carving pumpkins? No thank you. Corn mazes? Also no thank you. Adult Halloween costumes? This one nearly ends the friendship.

We're talking seasonal drinks, fall decorating, pumpkin patches, the pressure of the fall bucket list, Halloween traditions, and whether we're actually creating magical memories for our kids or just making ourselves stressed trying to fit everything in.

We also talk about harvest season from the farm-wife perspective, why a tractor or combine on the road deserves a little patience, and what this season looks like for farm families.

Plus, we're sharing what we've been reading lately and ending with a verse from Ezekiel that has Amy thinking about the places where we might need to ask God to soften our hearts.

Basically, it's fall. We have opinions. Let's discuss.

We're back after fair week, and we have some catching up to do!

First, we're giving you a peek into what county fair week actually looks like for our families, because no, we're not just riding rides and eating fair food all day. We're talking months of work with animals, show-day nerves, forgotten white shirts, expensive food, proud mom moments, and why watching our kids grow in confidence through 4-H makes all the craziness worth it.

But coming out of such a busy season, we both noticed something: we'd gotten pretty negative.

We're tired. Our houses are a mess. We don't want to go back to work. There's too much to do. We need more sleep.

And then we came across a question that stopped us both: What if you keep calling it venting, but you're actually planting?

This week we're talking about the power of the words we continually speak, how gratitude can interrupt a negative spiral, and the difference between acknowledging that something is hard and allowing “everything is terrible” to become the story we're telling ourselves.

We're not pretending every day is good. Sometimes we're genuinely tired. Sometimes things really are hard. But maybe we can be honest about those things without losing sight of what's good right in front of us.

Plus, apparently the solution to everything might just be water, sleep, sunshine, a little movement, and becoming two positive girlies. 😂

Scriptures referenced:

Proverbs 18:21

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit."

Romans 12:2

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Are you a Martha or a Mary? Because apparently we're both Martha. 😂

This week, Patty kicks things off with the story of two sentimental bracelets that disappeared for weeks, a prayer asking God to help her find them, and the very specific feeling that they were hiding in a pocket somewhere.

Then we're diving into Luke 10 and the story of Mary and Martha. Martha is serving Jesus, doing something genuinely good, but somewhere along the way her serving turns into distraction, worry, frustration, and resentment. And wow, do we relate.

We're talking about the pressure to stay busy, prioritizing tasks over people, making time to actually be with God, resentment when we feel like we're doing everything, and even the temptation to become so focused on creating a good childhood that we forget to actually enjoy our kids.

The takeaway isn't that serving, working hard, keeping a home, or doing the things is bad. We still have to do the things. It's about our heart posture while we're doing them and making sure they don't become more important than God and the people right in front of us.

Scripture referenced:

Luke 10:38–42
Mary and Martha, and the main passage for the episode.

Romans 12:2
“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” This comes up beautifully toward the end when you talk about negativity, gossip, and actually being able to change the patterns of our thinking.

A few weeks of back-to-school chaos have us thinking about what we're filling our minds with when we finally get a minute to ourselves.

This week, we're talking about the things we consume every day, from social media and news to TV, true crime, text messages, and everything our algorithms decide we need to see next. Amy shares how following a heartbreaking trial started taking up more space in her mind than she realized, while Patty talks about how quickly one scary story can turn into a feed full of things that make us anxious and afraid.

We talk about being informed without consuming every detail, why we're so careful about what our kids see but sometimes less careful with ourselves, and the simple question of how something leaves us feeling after we've consumed it. We also talk about the good side of social media and how intentionally filling our feeds with things that are good, true, helpful, and life-giving can change what we're seeing.

Philippians 4:8 reminds us to think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. Maybe we don't need a complicated list of what Christians should or shouldn't watch. Maybe we just need to pay a little more attention to what we're letting in and what it's producing in us.

Scripture referenced:

Philippians 4:8

Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.

Back to school is here, and we're all exhausted!

This week we're catching up after the first week of school and talking about the adjustment that comes with getting everyone back into a routine. Amy is figuring out kindergarten, preschool drop-offs, lunches, apps, folders, and approximately 900 things she's afraid she'll forget. Patty is back in the classroom, navigating a high schooler, teaching her own son, changing schedules, and one very unfortunate post-school catnap.

We also share a few things that are actually helping, from morning workouts and weekly calendars to giving kids a little space to decompress after school. And we talk about something bigger than simply surviving the schedule: remembering how quickly these seasons go and trying to be present enough not to miss them.

Patty also shares a reminder we loved: schools are the heart of a community. Teachers are human, kids are human, everyone will have bad days, and a little communication and grace can go a long way as we head into a new year.

Whether you're sending a baby to kindergarten, watching a teenager walk into high school, teaching a classroom full of kids, or just trying to remember what time practice ends, we're figuring it out right alongside you. 💚

Scripture referenced:
Proverbs 3:5–6, trusting the Lord instead of leaning on our own understanding and allowing Him to direct our paths.