James and Shawn are two friends who like to discuss life. Science, grammar, parenting, spirituality--they're likely to talk about it.
James Goering and Shawn D Schmidt
James and Shawn dive deep into some of the questions that many families are confronting today: What should I allow my children to look at? When should I give them a smartphone? How can I protect them from ungodly online content? Should I let my child use social media?Parents are now dealing with a lot of pressures from the internet, social media, and smartphones that didn't really exist a decade or so ago. How can we act wisely in an age that distracts us and tempts to fall prey to mindless consumption?Science CornerLucy spacecraft images asteroidLagrange pointsAsteroid facts from NASAJupiter Trojan asteroidsWikipedia - Tunguska EventWikipedia - Chelyabinsk MeteorFamily Technology PlanThe Tech-Wise Family by Andy CrouchJames's articlesDigital DiscipleshipTechnology's Road of DeathJonathan HaidtThe Anxious GenerationBook RecommendationPracticing the Way by John Mark ComerContact InformationEmail: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlifeJames's blog: Invisible Things
After Shawn accuses James of being a flaming liberal, they discuss the meaning and origin of the terms "conservative" or "liberal" and how they should or shouldn't apply to the Christian. Do some people naturally orient one way or another based on their personality or stage in life? How are conservative and liberals in the church to work together? Was Jesus a conservative or a liberal? And what does that mean for how Christians today should orient ourselves to the political and religious movements that categorize themselves as one or the other? Links Is the Christian believer conservative or liberal? Understanding Conservative Christianity: What is Means and How it Shapes Beliefs Liberal vs Conservatives: Meaning and Differences What Do Christians Mean When They Use the Word “Conservative”? Conservative or Christian? Encyclopedia Britannica: Conservatism What in the World is Fundamentalism? — Anabaptist Perspectives The root of the word radical Scientists Imaged and Mapped a Tiny Piece of Human Brain. Here's What They Found What We're Reading Gospel Versus Gospel—Theron Schlabach The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness—Jonathan Haidt Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid After Babel—Substack
James and Shawn talk about whether the rise of smartphones and computers will make handwriting unnecessary. But before attempting to answer that question, they make a diversion into Bible design and how it can affect your reading experience. They discuss fonts, typefaces, leading, and whitespace, so beware if you aren't a typography nerd. They then address the main topic and talk about whether we should make students learn cursive and whether we lose something if we don't. Is handwriting an essential skill that we should keep teaching even if we eventually never use it in real life? Should we be worried that we will lose the ability to write by hand, or are rumors of the death of handwriting greatly exaggerated? Show Links ESV Single-Column Heritage Bible ESV Heirloom Bible, Heritage Edition Typography Why Bible Typography Matters Lexicon Typeface Comic Sans Criminal The Origin of Bible Chapter and Verse Numbers Wiki - The D'Nealian Method Cursive in California Schools Is Cursive Going Extinct? Cursive Helps Brain Connectivity Cursive and Brain Connections Passionate Outcry Against the Lead-in Stroke Wikipedia - Ebook Ars Technica - Lp Sales Overtake Cd Sales Contact Information Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife James's blog: Invisible Things
Shawn learns what it's like to watch an eclipse, or at least James tries to convey his experience. It's an event that is not to be missed! James and Shawn also answer some questions from you, our listeners. Are we becoming more casual and losing our sense of etiquette and manners? How important it is to hold onto these things? What are "generational sins"? What did God mean when He said that the sins of the fathers will be passed on to the third and fourth generations? How do we deal with strong-willed people in our churches? What toilet paper orientation do you prefer, over or under? We also brought back a segment where we talk about a few books we are currently reading. James is reading productivity books and fantasy, while Shawn is being more righteous and reading books about church membership, discipling, and what our young people believe about God. Eclipse links Photos of the corona during the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse XKCD: Eclipse Coolness Other Links Great Depression - Wikipedia Etiquette – Wikipedia Toilet Paper Orientation - Wikipedia What We're Reading Slow Productivity by Cal Newport LOTR Chronological Bible Almost Christian by Kenda Creasy Dean Discipling by 9Marks Church Membership by 9Marks
Shawn and James talk about the bad things that happen in the world. We look at questions like, "How can a good God let bad things happen?" We discuss whether or not God is responsible for the bad things that happen in our lives. Did God cause your loved one to die? Did He direct in those events? What about when your child spilled his breakfast cereal? Did God direct in those events? How does God's sovereignty work? What have you seen in your experience? Why do bad things happen? Send us an email. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Invisible Things blog The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis Why Bad Things Happen by Michael Martin Wikipedia - 1931 China floods Wikipedia - 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami Wikipedia - Hurricane Katrina Wikipedia - List of natural disasters by death toll
James and Shawn consider a recent loss and what it means to grieve. We also look at some tough questions, like, "How can a good God allow bad things to happen?" We're sure that your life has been touched by loss. We'd like to hear from you. How did you—or are you—dealing with that loss? How do you reconcile a good God and bad things? Send us an email. We also discuss the idea of preparing for our own eulogy. How will people be able to say nice things about us at our funeral? What are we doing to make it easy for them to do so? Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Invisible Things blog Unique death rituals around the world Christian Light Keith Crider obituary LOL: Episode 10: Community or Society? Living Forward by Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy Full Focus: Creating a Life Plan
Shawn and James go over their yearly themes—together in a van! We reviewed the themes for 2023 (Year of Appetite and Year of Key Actions) and looked at our themes for 2024 (Year of Devotion and Year of Family). If you use a yearly theme, we'd like to hear about it. How do you make it work for you? What have you learned? Send us an email! Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife
Shawn and James talk about crossing the milestone of 10,000 listens on the podcast. They also talk about the future of the podcast and give a sneak peek at the topic of a future episode. Shawn is heading to the States with family in tow while James and his wife recently added another son to their family. Both of us have big dreams for what we hope to accomplish in 2024. Will we be successful, or will our dreams fall apart like a sagging snowman on a 70-degree day in March? Thanks to everyone who has listened so far and has shared the podcast with friends and family. If you enjoy the podcast, the best thing you can do is to let more people know about it. Links Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church Faith Builders Educational Programs Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife
Shawn and James talk about whether Christians should be willingly ignorant about some things in the news and how the tsunami of information from the Internet is affecting us. How much are we responsible to know about what is happening in the world? What global issues should Christians feel compelled to address? What does Jesus call us to? How much information consumption is too much? We talk about these questions as well as a few others related to consuming news and dealing with information overload. We'd love to hear if you have any thoughts on these topics. Please send us an email. Invisible Things blog post: Light and High Beauty Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife
James and Shawn wrap up the series about evidences for Creation. In this episode, we look at some of the more difficult questions against creationism and offer some ways to think about them. We tried to give some answers that you can use in the check-out at the grocery store, but we're not sure how well we did with that. What do you consider a difficult question about Young Earth creationism and similar topics? What are some answers that have helped you in those tough conversations? Send us an email! Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Invisible Things Blog Science vs. Bible? 5 Arguments for and Against Creationism From the Ken Ham, Bill Nye Debate | U.S. News (christianpost.com) Wikipedia - Young Earth creationism Wikipedia - Epigenetics Wikipedia - Charles Darwin PubMed Central - Studies about lungs in the Andes Darwin's Black Box by Michael J. Behe Wikipedia - Radiocarbon Dating Wikipedia - Radiometric Dating Wikipedia - List of nearest bright stars
Shawn was surprised by an idea James came with about the invention that had the most fundamental change to humanity. What do you think about topic? What would you describe as the most important invention or development in history? Is it ChatGPT? The wheel? We'd really enjoy hearing your thoughts, so send us an email! Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Invisible Things Blog
James and Shawn try to figure out what modern idolatry looks like. Do you have a temple in your town that holds the idol that all your neighbors worship? Who is the patron saint of your community? Of your culture? Or maybe there really aren't idols in our modern, enlightened world. We'd like to hear from you. What do you think about modern idolatry? Send us an email. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Invisible Things Blog Modern Idolatry - Invisible Things Blog
Shawn and James are back to put to rest the debate for or against a Creator. Did you know that Cristians believe in the Big Bang Theory? What can you answer someone who tells you there is no way to prove God's existence through science? How can we talk about the Anthropic Principle in the Walmart aisle? These and more questions are pondered in our episode that is rapidly becoming a series. What are your thoughts? Send us your feedback. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Invisible Things Blog Wikipedia - The Anthropic Principle Why Creation Makes Sense - Invisible Things Blog Scientists look for space dust on cathedrals How far is the earth from the sun?
James and Shawn finally get to this long-awaited topic! And Shawn learns just how dangerous it is to use the phrase "only a theory" with James! Is there truly a conflict between science and religion? Or is that just an idea that should be de-bunked? Well, we certainly try to show another point of view on the topic. We really want to hear from you. Do you agree with what we shared? Did we change your views? Did we get some things wrong? Send us an email! Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Invisible Things Blog Do Science and Faith Conflict? - Invisible Things Blog “God's Undertaker” John C. Lennox The Soul of Science Nancy R. Pearcey and Charles B. Thaxton When Science Meets Religion Ian Barbour
Shawn and James enjoy recording a podcast in person in Peru! This time we talked about how we keep our devotional lives alive. What even is devotion? How do we cultivate a genuinely close relationship to God? What happens when we fall off the wagon? If you have any ways that you keep you private times with God vibrant, please send us an email with your tips. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Invisible Things Blog Juan David, a blog
James and Shawn share another FWIW episode with the LOL audience. We look at the seventh and final habit of the book and close out what was a rather long book review. In this habit, we discuss how important it is to take care of oneself before being able to do the important things in life. We looked at the four categories Covey gives of Physical, Mental, Social/Emotional, and Spiritual care. How do you find balance in taking care of yourself, considering these categories? Do you have any specific advice or tips? Please send us an email. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Invisible Things Blog Juan David, a blog The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey “On Slow Productivity and the Anti-Busyness Revolution” by Cal Newport Triggers: Creating Behavior That Lasts—Becoming the Person You Want to Be Marshall Goldsmith H.I. #3: Four Light Bulbs - Hello Internet Podcast
Shawn and James have another Q&A conversation. We talk about how James isn't really a science person after all and why Shawn decided to move to Peru. James also teaches us how to make and Indian dish. Please be sure to share this episode with a friend. It really helps us out. And if you have any questions for us, send us an email! Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Invisible Things Blog Juan David, a blog Chicken Tikka Masala Chicken Pathia
James and Shawn talk about death and separation and the feelings that go with it. James recently experienced a loss in his family and was pondering thoughts of death and life, so we decided to take some time to talk about it together. We hope this conversation can be meaningful to you, as well. If you have any thoughts you could share with us, please send us an email. We'd love to hear from you. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife "Would We Truly Long for Heaven" by Elizabeth Drudge "A Psalm of Life" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Shawn and James talk about artificial intelligence. We spend a good bit of time focusing on ChatGPT and its potential effects on society and the church. Will we become even more lazy and dumb as a society now that we have yet another crutch to lean on? We also had a bit of fun having the bot write some short stories based on our prompts. Have you been using a chatbot like this? What do you think of it? Maybe you have some stories or other pieces to share with us. Send us an email! Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Open AI's Chat GPT Microsoft's AI Search Engine The Turing Test NYT Article - Profesor Incorporates Chat GPT into Curriculum YouTube - Matt Whitman - Which sermon is his? Implanting Forgetfulness in Our Souls ChatGPT's response to James's question: The detrimental impacts of AI on education include: Decreased human interaction: As AI-powered technologies take over tasks traditionally performed by teachers, such as grading and providing feedback, there is a risk that students will have less interaction with human teachers. This could lead to a decrease in socialization and the development of interpersonal skills. Reinforcement of biases: AI algorithms are only as good as the data they are trained on, and there is a risk that they may reinforce biases and inequalities in the educational system. For example, an AI algorithm that is trained on historical data may perpetuate racial or gender biases. Job displacement: AI-powered technologies can replace jobs that are currently done by humans, such as grading papers and providing feedback. This could lead to job losses and a reduction in the number of human teachers in the educational system. Dependence on technology: Relying too heavily on AI-powered technologies can lead to a dependence on technology that may be detrimental if the technology fails or is unavailable. This could lead to disruptions in the learning process. Ethical concerns: There are ethical concerns surrounding the use of AI in education, such as privacy, security, and data ownership. For example, AI algorithms may collect large amounts of data on students, which could be used for purposes other than education.
James and Shawn look on the bright side. We flip the coin and talk about what excites us for the future. Shawn again took a more narrow, personal view of the future and got choked up thinking about it. James was again more focused on the broad view of society and the church and where trends may take us. Did you know there are good and hopeful things coming out of Millennials?! We'd love to hear what makes you optimistic for the future. Do you see something on the horizon that buoys your spirits? Send us an email. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife
Shawn and James pretend to be grumpy old men. We talk about some of the things we see in the future that give us concern. James focused mainly on big-picture societal issues that make him worried about the future of the church, the country, and the world. Shawn was more focused on his circumstances as they relate to the church and community in Peru and what the next five to ten years may bring. What are the things that worry you about the future? What would you say are the top three things you're pessimistic about? Send us an email. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife YouTube - Humans Need Not Apply by CGP Gray Tech Crunch - All US Flights Grounded *Desiring God, Revised Edition: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist* by John Piper
James and Shawn have a Q&A for themselves with questions intended to stump each other. This was a fun episode for us to do, and we may do it again, but we would like your help. Do you have a question or several that you would like to hear talked about? Please send us an email! And don't forget to answer the bonus question. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Do poor people act poor because they are poor, or are they poor because they act poor? What causes the Northern lights? Why did the Incas have so much gold? What disease has nearly a 100% death once symptoms appear? Why do we dislike hearing our voice in recordings? What is the best book you've read in the past year? When the Lord returns, the Bible says every eye will see Him. Does that prove that the earth is flat? What do you think is the most influential thing a Christian can do to revive their spiritual life? What is the difference between baking soda and laundry washing soda? What is the hardest job you've ever had? Or most difficult job? Bonus Question: What do you think is the biggest issue facing the conservative Anabaptist churches today?
Shawn and James talk about their plan for better Bible reading. We discuss what we've tried over the years and what we've found works for us. James brought a number of downloadable resources for easy Bible plans while Shawn tried to humblebrag without seeming to. What is your plan for Bible reading this year? Do you have a favorite or most effective method? Please let us know. Send us an email. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife There are some simple things you can do in the upcoming new year to read your Bible more consistently. Choose a Bible reading plan that works for you. (See links to recommendations below) Set a specific time and place to read every day. Set aside at least 10-15 minutes, preferably earlier in the morning. Limit distractions by putting your phone on Do Not Disturb or leaving it at a charging station. Have your reading area tidy and organized, with your Bible and Bible reading plan ready to go for the next morning. Rinse and repeat for 365 days! Bible Reading Plans Less-demanding Plans One Chapter a day, Three Years through the Bible Through the Bible in Two Years Read the Whole Bible in a Year M'Cheyne Reading Plan Five Days a Week Reading Plan Book at a Time Reading Plan Specialized and Customizable Plans Chronological Plan Theme Days Reading Plan Bible Plan Generator Website Other links One Year Bibles on Christianbook.com YouVersion Bible My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers
James and Shawn go over their yearly themes. We do a quick review of our themes for 2022 before we dig into what we want 2023 to look like. If you have a yearly theme, please let us know what you'll be doing. We would love to hear from you and gain some inspiration from your story. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Ink & Volt Yearly Planning Tool YouTube - Cal Newport - Four Life Buckets The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family by Patrick Lencioni Atomic Habits by James Clear Reset by David Murray Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Early
Shawn and James wrestle with the difference between needs and wants—Black Friday and Christmas aren't helping here. We ask for your input. How do you define these terms in practical ways? What are your applications or values? Did James make the right choice to buy that home wifi thingy? Send us an email. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Artemis mission - NASA Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist by John Piper
James and Shawn welcome Christopher Slabaugh to the podcast. The subject was ostensibly to talk about history, which we did! But we may have taken a few different bunny trails along the way, such as discussing how best to prepare for the apocalypse. Do you like history? What is your favorite time period? If you had to leave this time period for another, which would you choose? Let us know by sending us an email. We look forward to hearing from you. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Wikipedia - Luddites YouTube - Antikythera Mechanism Wikipedia - Egyptian Pyramids Wikipedia - Malta's Hypogeum Wikipedia - The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus Wikipedia - Machu Picchu Wikipedia - The Inka Empire Wikipedia - Stonehenge Wikipedia - Aztec Architecture Wikipedia - The Printing Press Wikipedia - A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Wikipedia - The Library of Alexandria
Shawn and James discuss the idea of living churches, comparing to the church of Sardis found in the Book of Revelation. Of course, James had to make a science lesson out of it! So, we drew parallels between the definition of physical life that biologists use and the definition of spiritual life that the Bible uses. We wrapped it up with an answer from Shawn: You—on your own!—can infuse life into your church. Are you up to the task? We're looking forward to your feedback. What did we miss or get wrong? What is your experience? Send us an email. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife DART mission DART impact video Chelyabinsk meteorite Scott Manley video about DART mission Tunguska event Church Planting Movements by David Garrison
James and Shawn do a bit of crossover work by bringing some of their FWIW content to the LOL podcast. We look at the fourth habit "Think Win/Win" from Stephen Covey's popular 7 Habits book, giving everyone a peek at what we talk about in the FWIW podcast for our Patrons. What is your relationship paradigm? How can you make your interactions at work, at church, at home Win/Win scenarios? Is that even possible? We talk about some of what has worked for us as we look at Covey's direction. Do you have any stories about how you made a Lose situation a Win/Win? We'd love to hear about it. Send us an email. If you'd like to hear the previous chapters of this discussion or the continuation of the series, join us on Patreon. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman The Love Dare by Alex Kendrick
Shawn and James talk about Cal Newport's method for organizing life using four buckets. You all know that James is a fan of Cal Newport's, so it is no surprise that James schools Shawn on this method for thinking about life and self-improvement. We discuss Cal's classic four of Craft, Community, Contemplation, and Constitution as well as some ideas of our own. It's a simple way of looking at the various categories of life and giving each one focus for a time to improve who you are. Do you have a system for self-improvement or planning? Maybe you use Cal Newport's method or a version of your own. We'd love to hear about it. Please send us an email. Also, you'll find James's foray into Not-Space-Science interesting: Biomimicry. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Biomimicry article by interestingengineering.com Cal Newport's blog post about the four buckets Youtube version of Cal answering questions about the four buckets
James and Shawn talk about gratefulness and how to instill the value into our children. We talk some about the book by Kristen Welch, Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World, but we mostly just share our thoughts and experiences on what we've learned or are learning about gratefulness. We're certainly grateful for our listeners and your feedback. Please send us an email with ideas for James's science corner or with any feedback about the topic of gratefulness. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Apollo and Artemis Artemis missions Cost of the Apollo missions Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World by Kristen Welch
Shawn and James talk about the glorious James Webb telescope! Well, we mostly talk about the pictures that James Webb has been sending back. James—our James—has been very excited to talk about these photos. Shawn mostly stays quiet with his mouth hanging agape, but we do try describe our visual experience in this audio medium. Check out the links below to get a look at what we were enjoying. Do you have a favorite James Webb photo? James would be delighted for you to share it with him and tell him a bit about what it means to you, and Shawn will agree that it is pretty. Send us an email. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife JWST Orbit Legrange Points and Orbits First Images from the James Webb Space Telescope | NASA How JWST's Images Compare to Hubble's JWST's Image of Southern Ring Nebula Hubble's Image of Southern Ring Nebula JWST's Image of Carina Nebula Hubble's Image of Carina Nebula JWST's Image of Stephan's Quintet Hubble's Image of Stephan's Quintet JWST's Image of SMACS 0723
James and Shawn welcome guest Naoma Lee to talk with them about life as a single. It was a fun conversation going over the difficulties and the perks of being a single person. Naoma gave us some tips for how married folks can related to their single friends, and she even gave some suggestions for messages preachers should and should not preach! Let us know what you think of the conversation. If you're a single, what has your experience been like? Do you have any tips or resources you could suggest? Send us an email. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Single and Satisfied by Nancy Wilson Singled Out for Him by Nancy Demoss Woglemuth Penn Valley Singles Seminar - Next Week! July 22-24
Shawn and James beg for listener support before talking about why we find it so difficult to change. We discuss the idea of whether or not we are naturally good or if there is actually need to change, and if so, how we go about changing ourselves. There's a good bit of philosophical talk, but we try to give some practical tips that you can put to practice on yourself. How do you find self-work or self-improvement? Do you have any life hacks you can share with us? Please send us an email. And if you would like to support the podcast, look us up on Patreon or recommend the podcast to a new listener. Thanks so much for your support! Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife
James and Shawn talk about writing... on a podcast. Is that weird? James tried correcting Shawn about the butterfly effect, but Shawn rose to the challenge and proved he knows things! We both enjoy writing and writing-adjacent things, so it was fun to have a conversation about the topic. We discussed why we write and why we think we need more contemporary writers. We went over some of our techniques for getting writing done and give you all some tips for making your writing a bit better. We shared some favorite books on good writing with each other and gave you a request to send us some of yours. We're looking forward to your suggestions! Send us an email. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Butterfly Effect 7 Laws of Teaching by Milton Gregory On Writing Well by William Zinsser Good Prose by Tracey Kidder and Richard Todd Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott Elements of Style by Strunk and White Essays of E. B. White The Best-Loved Short Stories of Jesse Stuart How Language Works: How Babies Babble, Words Change Meaning, and Languages Live or Die by David Crystal Wikipedia - David Crystal (see the bibliography)
James and Shawn are back again, this time to talk about having babies! As James mentions in the episode, we know this can be a tricky topic to navigate, but we hope you find the conversation interesting. We're sure that you may hold different views than we do, so we'd be glad to hear from you. Send us an email with any feedback or critiques. In this episode, we look a bit at the Quiverfull movement as it is active in the States and try to compare that with the heart God has for children. Some questions we ask are, "How big should a family be? Is God okay with us not having children or having very small families? What are children for?" We aim to put a bit of nuance into a conversation that can be somewhat polarizing at times. Share this episode with a friend and get their thoughts on it, too. We look forward to your responses. To hear the Patron episode where we first discussed this topic, visit our Patreon page. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Ship of Theseus Wikipedia - The Quiverfull Movement Pew Research - Growing Share of Adults Who Plan to Never Have Children
Shawn and James welcome another James to the podcast. James Shank joins us to talk about fasting—at last! We look at an old email from a listener and talk together about what fasting is or should be. We also discuss some of our own experiences with fasting and what we have learned along the way. Thank you for your patience with us while we took a bit of a break. We're trying to gear back up and get back on schedule, hopefully. Our Patrons have been enjoying occasional episodes along the way, but we haven't had the time for a full LOL episode. We're excited to get back to it. We're glad we had a listener email to prompt this episode. If you would like to hear your idea discussed, you can also send us an email for us to consider. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife God's Chosen Fast by Arthur Wallis
James and Shawn go on a bit of a ramble. We talk about the scale of everything and what orders of magnitude are before giving an update of our yearly themes. Shawn "lost" his phone, but a chivalrous lady in a corn field gave it back to him—it's a wild story. We then give everyone a heads up on our schedule over the next several months so that you can know what to expect. If you don't want to miss out on hearing from us, you can always sign up to get the FWIW episodes for Patrons. And don't forget to let us know what you're doing for a yearly theme or goal. Please send us an email. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Orders of magnitude Observable universe Light travel time from the Sun to Neptune Distance to closest star Planck length God's Chosen Fast by Arthur Wallis
Shawn and James talk about how institutions can get in the way of the gospel of Jesus. We discuss how all the trappings of the church as an institution can actually hinder the gospel and keep people away from coming to Jesus. How different are modern church institutions from the Pharisees Jesus condemned? Why is the church on the decline? Why is religion dying in the west? If you have any answers to our many questions or any feedback about our discussion, please send us an email. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Questions and Answers - How much of an atom is empty space? (jlab.org) White Dwarfs Facts, Information and Photos | National Geographic NASA - Neutron Stars James Webb Space Telescope, the biggest ever built, fully unfolds giant mirror to gaze at the cosmos | Space JWST Launched Inside an Ariane 5 rocket All hail the Ariane 5 rocket, which doubled the Webb telescope's lifetime | Ars Technica Church Planting Movements by David Garrison You Are Special by Max Lucado
James and Shawn go over their yearly themes. We first look back at how we did with our themes from 2021 before discussing our new themes and goals for the year ahead. If you have a yearly theme, please let us know what you'll be doing. We would love to hear from you and gain some more inspiration. Yearly Planning – Ink+Volt (inkandvolt.com) Weekly Marriage Check-in The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family by Patrick Lencioni Deep Work by Cal Newport
James and Shawn talk about feeling middle-aged. The conversation covers the excitement over a new stove range to grumpiness over the way Gen-Z disregards punctuation and the meanings of words. It's been a hot minute since we've been able to talk, and we literally knocked our heads against the wall until we were through. We also looked at an email question from listener Sonya about fasting. We'll be reading the book God's Chosen Fast in preparation for a future episode. Please join us. What's your take on changing language and punctuation usage? Do you use periods in your texts? Let us know in an email! Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Zvezda Russian module leak Russian anti-satellite missile test draws condemnation from space companies and countries | Space How many satellites orbit Earth? | Live Science Kessler Syndrome and the space debris problem | Space Octothorpe / Hashtag / Pound sign / Number sign Emoticon - Wikipedia Emoji - Wikipedia “No More Periods When Texting. Period.” - NYT article “Young People Don't Trust Anyone Who Uses This Punctuation Mark” - NYP article “Does This Punctuation Make Me Sound Angry?” - Everyday Research article “Writing, Technology, and Teens” - Pew Research article The Lost Generation (contemporaries of Gertrude Stein) Interrobang - Wikipedia Word Matters - Podcast by Merriam-Webster editors Emojipedia God's Chosen Fast by Arthur Wallis
Shawn and James talk about why they have so many things to do. We discuss our thoughts on productivity and how that can lead to overwhelm. We also talk about feelings of overwhelm and how we deal with them. Stay for the end because we answer a listener's question on how older single people should view tithing. We'd like to hear your thoughts on that, so please let us know. If you have a question we could discuss on the podcast, please send us an email. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife
James and Shawn talk with John R. Perfect about conspiracy theories. What are they anyway? What makes them so prevalent or easy to swallow? We talked about whether or not a particular person may be more susceptible to believing conspiracy theories and what we can do to avoid falling into that trap ourselves. What do you think about conspiracy theories? Are there any particular ones in your community that seem especially strong? Why do you think that is? Send us and email with your thoughts. We'd be glad to hear from you. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Choice Books The Bearded Onion James Webb Space Telescope James E. Webb - Wikipedia Edwin Hubble - Wikipedia Conspiracy theory - Wikipedia Jesse Walker's 5 types of conspiracy theories - Wikipedia Worldview - Wikipedia Mental model - Wikipedia Flowchart - Wikipedia Illusory Truth Effect - Wikipedia The Onion - satirical news site The Onion - satire on moon landing debunked (Read the onion with care—if at all—recognizing its satire and irreverence.) The Babylon Bee - satirical news site Proportionality Bias - Wikipedia Cognitive Bias - Wikipedia Critical Thinking Skills - Wikipedia Correlation vs. Causality - Wikipedia Tyler Vigen - Spurious Correlations Edward Snowden - Wikipedia How to Use Occam's Razor Without Getting Cut Hanlon's Razor: Relax, Not Everything is Out to Get You
Shawn and James talk about friendship. This is an Episode Out of Time, meaning that it was recorded out the flow of episodes you've been listening to. When was it pulled together? When was it recorded? When was it edited? No one knows.... We start off the episode reviewing our Digital Declutter from earlier this year before moving into a discussion on what it means to be a friend and how to go about finding friends. Do you know how many hours to make someone your best friend? Listen to find out. It would be great to hear from you about your friendships. Do you have a best friend? If so, how did you become best friends? Please share your friend-making tips and tricks. James really needs your help! Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com FWIW: patreon.com/lookingoverlife LOL Episode 1: 2020 Yearly Themes Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport "How many hours does it take to make a friend?" study by Dr. Jeffrey A. Hall Dunbar's number - Wikipedia "Can you have more than 150 friends?" NYT article "Friendships: Enrich your life and improve your health" Mayo Clinic article "Why friendships are so important for health and wellbeing" Everyday Health article
Shawn and James talk about James's book and the trip it took to get there. We talk about long-distance biking and the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. James did that biking trail with a friend―all 2,500 miles of it from Canada to Mexico! We also answer a listener email about tithing with our time instead of our money. We have another question coming up about how single people tithe differently from married people. What do you think? Send us an email with your thoughts or any other feedback you may have. And don't forget to share the podcast! Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com FWIW: patreon.com/lookingoverlife Gas duster - Wikipedia Bitterants Odorant (Ethyl mercaptan) Cardiovascular Effects and Benefits of Exercise (nih.gov) When You Hit the Wall: Bonking vs. Fatigue vs. Cramping Great Divide Route The Impossible First: From Fire to Ice―Crossing Antarctica Alone by Colin O'Brady If you're interested in James's book, we'll be letting you know when it's available for sale later. You can also email the podcast to request to be put on a waiting list.
James and Shawn welcome Andrew Crider back to the podcast. We discuss leadership. What is it? Who does it? Is it even necessary? These and many other questions are contemplated. We also do a lightning round of leadership qualities we think every leader ought to have. Which ones did we miss, or do you think there is one that is more critical than another? Please let us know! Website: lookingoverlife.com Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Patreon: patreon.com/lookingoverlife What causes the seasons? What causes the phases of the moon? Looking Over Life Patreon Javan Bender "Leading With a Servant Heart" Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders The Way of the Shepherd by Kevin Lehman The Birth Order Book by Kevin Lehman Christian Light Publications The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make by Hans Finzel The Effective Manager by Mark Horstman Good Leaders Ask Great Questions by John C. Maxwell The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni Reset by David Murray
Sneak peek For What It's Worth episode! Shawn and James are glad to have Andrew Crider back on the podcast. This is actually the episode we recorded for our Patron-only podcast For What It's Worth, but we decided to let you all have access to it this time. In this episode, we talk about what it means to be in the center of God's will—or if that is even a possibility. What do you think? Please send us your feedback. You can reach us at our email or on our website. Please share the podcast with a friend. We like seeing more downloads, which means we have more listeners. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Website: lookingoverlife.com Patreon: For What It's Worth Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung
James and Shawn talk about their Bible reading. We look at the various methods we've used over the years for reading the Bible and talk about why we choose to read it in the first place. We also discuss our favorite translations and formats, including reading-format versus study-format Bibles. How do you go about your Bible reading? Do you have a favorite translation? Let us know! Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Patreon - For What It's Worth episodes The boiling point of water at various altitudes Imperial units Can you survive in space without a spacesuit? The Armstrong Limit 2021 Yearly Themes episode YouVersion Bible app Organization of the books of the bible NIV One Year Bible Types of Bible translations Why We Read episode Social Media episode Reading on paper versus on screens Learning differences on paper versus on screens Paper versus screens - Scientific America Why Bible Typography Matters Reader's Bibles James's reader's Bible Pilcrow (paragraph symbol) NIV NLT NVI How long does it take to read the Bible?
Shawn and James talk about money matters, specifically about giving. Why is it that churches often struggle to pay for the various programs of the church? What is tithing, and should we be giving a certain amount? We talk about giving in various seasons of life and how that could look. It is fascinating to do the math and see just how much a little giving grows when everyone contributes. We are happy to announce our new Patron-only podcast "For What It's Worth." This is a way for you to help support the podcast and make it easier for us to put out more episodes in the future. As always, we want to hear from you. Thanks for your ideas and encouragement and corrections. Send us an email! Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Patreon Page for Looking Over Life The Perseverance Rover Number of US taxpayers Median Annual Income in the United States Average Debt in the United States Wikipedia - Consumer Debt Kingdom Focused Finances by Gary Miller Dave Ramsey's 7 Basic Steps LOL 7: Thoughts on Higher Education with Josh Nisley - Part 1 LOL 8: Thoughts on Higher Education with Josh Nisley - Part 2 Cost of launching small rockets Jeff Bezos' yacht
James and Shawn talk about technological developments from the beginning of time up through the near future. In this episode, we go all over the place, looking at amazing technologies that range from the humble garden hoe to flying cars! You may hear some background noise, but that's because we were able to record together, in-person for the first time. We were pretty excited for the opportunity, and we hope you enjoy the conversation. If you have any thoughts about modern technology or the history that brought us here, please send us an email. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Cork heat shield Ablative heat shield Domestication of maize Domestication of the Cavendish banana The Jungle by Upton Sinclair Wikipedia - The Green Revolution Wikipedia - Guano Wikipedia - Guano Islands Act Environmental cost of electric cars versus gasoline-powered cars Electric airplanes
Shawn apologizes for the upload delay and offers and explanation. We hope to return to normal episode uploads soon. You can still reach us at our email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com
Shawn and James finish their review of the book Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport. In this episode, we look at the second section of the book in which Cal presents practices to fill time gained through the digital declutter. We discuss effective leisure activities—including long showers—and how we've been applying some of the practices in the book. James is replacing ceiling fans he forged in his own backyard, Shawn is still waiting for his baby to arrive (Spoiler alert: She came after we recorded.), and all the dogs in Peru conspire to bark at the same time as we record. We're looking forward to hearing how your digital declutter is going. Please send us an email! Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com "The Anabaptist Vision" by Harold Bender Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
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