We live in a world that’s vastly different than it was just a generation or two ago. So many things have changed – some for the better, some for the worse – it’s hard to keep up with it all. One thing that should never go out of style is people treating others with common courtesy. Thanking those who help you. Holding the door for someone. Letting another driver merge into the lane in front of you. The examples and instances are endless. What is your experience of this? Do you think our culture is less courteous than it once was? Perhaps you see common courtesy exhibited all the time. Let’s have a conversation about this on Tuesday, and we’ll all come away a little bit better for it.

On Monday, Jerry and Debbie invite you to take part in what should be a very impactful discussion. Many people today are burdened simply by life. God wants us to have abundant lives. But sometimes human nature, painful experiences, bad choices and so forth get in the way of that, to the point where we are tempted to think, “How much more can I endure?” Again, while this is not the ideal type of life, it is a fact that a lot of people are facing. Do you ever feel like the burdens or baggage of your life are just too heavy? Maybe talking it through briefly on the air – and securing the prayers of your fellow listeners in the process – will help to make things just a little lighter for you!

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Our monthly Unscripted show is very popular with our Take 2 family.  It gives folks a chance to ask anything, talk about previous shows, and suggest topics for future broadcasts.  Remember, our callers drive the show.  We listen and learn from you!  Please call us Friday and share what is on your mind and heart. 1-800-585-9396.

Let’s face it. We all agree that babies are precious. Toddlers are cute. Children are fun.  But teenagers can be out of control. Ugh. Sometimes a parents’ nightmare. But that doesn’t have to be the case. Every individual, including our youngsters, have a unique personality, and need to be “handled with care.” If you’re the parent of teenage kids, call in Thursday and share how you manage to keep some level of control over them, while allowing them to spread their wings and establish their independence. Are you finding them to be responsible as they grow up? Or, do you feel that you have a huge chore on your hands? As always, what you share on the show will educate and inspire countless people!

Do you find yourself jumping out of bed in the morning racing to go and take on the day?  Or maybe you have become accustomed to hitting the snooze button on your alarm, once, twice or even several times.  Are you excited to start your day?  Well, really we all should be excited by virtue of our Baptism, to use each day to grow in holiness and to be Christ in the world. When people have a mission and there is passion behind it, then life becomes an adventure and very exciting.  Let’s explore this reality and more on the next Take 2 with Jerry and Debbie.  Call in, 1-800-585-9396.

RESOURCES::
Music Debbie listens to to sleep: BENEDICTA: Marian Chant From Norcia

None of us is perfect. In fact, we’re often very imperfect in the way we live our lives. But that’s part of human nature, fallen human nature, that is. We might look at others and think of how much we admire them for living a holy, virtuous life. But we don’t always tend to see ourselves in the same light. Which can easily translate into a perception of how God looks at us, a perception that may be radically flawed by our own self-perception. We may know intellectually that God sees everyone the same way, from St. Teresa of Calcutta to St. John Paul II, from The Little Flower to me. Let’s talk on Tuesday about how we can better convince our hearts of this awesome reality, and come to a better understanding of how we’re viewed by God.

RESOURCES:
Blessed Bartolo Longo

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Criticism of oneself or others is highly demoralizing.  As Catholic Christians we are called to inspire and encourage one another which includes ourselves as well. Yet, all too often it becomes an easy habit of finding fault instead of focusing on the positive.  Pointing out the negative aspects in people can be quite tempting.  In order for us to be the best version of ourselves and to help others do the same, we must make every effort to find the redeeming value rather than falling into the practice of being overly critical.  Let’s talk about this and see how it affects our spirituality.  Call in and share your take. 1-800-585-9396.

The history of our lives is a powerful force that can even invade our subconscious.  If we obsess on our history, then our destiny can never truly be celebrated.  God has a plan for each and every one of us.  Staying in our history, with regrets, shame and all, is like a slow death.  Learning from our past can be beneficial, but unfortunately it rarely stops there for most of us.  Focusing on the past can be quite paralyzing for our spiritual growth.  Negative thoughts and feelings tend to impede our forward movement.  Plus, looking back never really allows us to enjoy the present moment.  These are all things we come up against, so let’s learn together from our experiences.  Call in to 1-800-585-9396.

On Wednesday, Jerry and Debbie invite you to reminisce and share some reflections on the time you spent in high school. All high schools have classes, i.e. the academic kind. But most, if not all, have “classes,” or “cliques,” that the students invariably fall into. Some are “jocks” (the athletic type). Others are “nerds” (those who seem only interested in passing their classes). Still others are “stoners” (primarily interested in getting high between classes). And, of course, there are those who are viewed as “teachers pets.” Was this how things were when you went to high school? Did you find yourself identifying with any of those or other categories? Perhaps more than one? Share your take on Wednesday.

There are many times in life when we think to ourselves, “Oh, my, do I have to go to that function?” Or, “Why did I commit to that phone call?” We had great intentions when we added it to our calendar. But we plan a lot of things that way, including sometimes just committing to something in order to end a correspondence or conversation with someone. You know, the old, “Hey, let’s get caught up by phone sometime.” However, when the appointed time comes, we have so many other things we need to tend to. Nevertheless, we honor the commitment we made, attend the function (whether it’s a wedding, a friend’s birthday celebration, a monthly meeting of a social organization we belong to) and have our lives changed in a beautiful way. Looking back, we often say, “I wouldn’t have missed that for the world.” When has this happened to you? Share your take with Jerry and Debbie on Monday.