We all like our privacy. It’s part of being an individual. But what happens when we get married? When we have kids? Should there be accountability with things like bank accounts, e-mail accounts, social media accounts? Is it your experience that you and your spouse maintain separate accounts in these areas? Do you require your children to share with you the login information for their e-mail and social media accounts? If not that, do you ask them to allow you to view their activity whenever you want? How can you maintain each other’s autonomy while at the same time making sure there are no “secrets” among you? Share with us your family practice by calling 1-800-585-9396.
Do You Ever Feel Lonely?
A lot of people today feel alone, isolated, with no support group around them. Even if they interact with hundreds of people a day. There can still be the crippling sense that they’re alone and that no one truly has their interests at heart. Is this the fruit of experiences earlier in life? Is it a matter of the individual having no close family members or friends? Can it translate into a belief that God is no longer with them, either? Do you sometimes find yourself feeling lonely? Maybe that’s your experience a great deal of the time. Do you know someone who often expresses that they feel alone and without anyone who loves and cares for them? This can be a very difficult cross to bear. What’s behind this feeling? It can certainly be the case that a person has little or no interaction with others. But you might have a sense of loneliness even if you are around people all the time. Have you delved into this to try to find the root of it? How have you attempted to comfort and console another person who is lonely? If you’ve overcome this in your own life, what kinds of things did you do or add or delete from your life to change things? Share your take on Thursday’s show.
Surviving Suicide
For perhaps many reasons, suicide is a growing problem in our world. According to an entry on Wikipedia, suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24. It is also the second leading cause for those ages 15–34. From 1999 to 2010, the suicide rate among Americans aged 35 to 64 increased nearly 30 percent. On Wednesday, Jerry and Debbie welcome Dave Muth to the program. His daughter, Madeline, died by suicide on October 4, 2015. She was part of a an ideal Catholic family. She received all the sacraments. She had loving parents and a younger brother. She went to Catholic schools. She was part of the parish choir. So, what went wrong? We’ll try to unpack this with her father, Dave. And we want you to weigh in with your takes and questions about the unfortunate issue of suicide. There is hope even in its aftermath. Dave and his family are living proof of that. Yet, it continues to wreak havoc on families everywhere. Don’t miss this impactful episode of the program!
RESOURCE:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Listen in to the show here! –
Listen in to our “Short Take” here! –
Where Do You See the “Little Blessings?”
In 1 Kings 19, God reveals Himself, not in an earthquake or other “big” ways, but in a small whisper. Too many times in life we get caught up in trying to find God in the spectacular events and happenings. How have you paused and thanked God after seeing His hand at work in something relatively “little” or “mundane?
If you’re a man or woman of faith, it’s usually easy to see the hand of God in your life when something major happens. It could be a healing from an injury or illness, a relationship restored, surviving a horrific accident with minor injuries, an answer to a financial crisis. It’s likely that you are filled with gratitude and acknowledgement of God’s hand in those circumstances. But what about those little ways in which He blesses you? Maybe a family member or friend calls on a day when you’re really having a tough time. Or you get a letter or an e-mail offering a word of encouragement. Perhaps there’s been something you’ve been wanting or needing to fall into place, and all of a sudden, there it is. Tell us about a moment in your life when you had to pause, take a breath and say, “Wow, that was really cool. Thank you, God.”
“I Didn’t Study For This!”
On Monday, we’ll present an encore episode of Take 2 With Jerry and Debbie. It features listeners’ takes on how they are currently (or previously) employed in a field completely different from the area they studied in college or elsewhere. It made for a lively discussion the first time around, so be sure you make a little time on Labor Day to revisit this with us!
Who Are You Praying For?
We believe in the power of prayer! Tell us who or what you are praying for. We will try to take as many calls as we can possibly handle. We will enter your prayer intentions in our prayer-book. Then, at the end of the show, we will offer a prayer lifting up all your requests to God. But it doesn’t stop there. Our Take 2 family is committed to prayer and will remember you in their Rosaries, Adoration and at Mass. This will be a fast-paced show with many calls all dialing 1-800-585-9396.
Tell Us How You Overcame Adversity
Just like in nature, life comes complete with a lot of storms. Some are rockier than others. What have you had to overcome to be the person you are today? An illness? An injury? A lost relationship? Losing your personal possessions in a fire or natural disaster? Going through difficulties helps us build our emotional and psychological muscles. But it sure isn’t fun at times. On Thursday, let’s talk about growing in strength and faith through the inevitable adversities of life.
What’s Unique About Your Marriage?
It’s often said that opposites attract. Some spouses are the epitome of opposites. One is tall, the other is short. One is outgoing, the other is an introvert. One may have come from a large family of siblings, the other may have been an only child. What attracted you to each other? Do you ever ponder the differences between the two of you? How do you celebrate the uniqueness of your marriage? Share with us what makes your marriage not only unique but special. Call in to 1-800-585-9396 and tell the world precisely what makes your marriage incredible. This will be a fast hour of calls so don’t hesitate, call in early.
Your Faith in Life
Most of us get in touch with our faith several times a day. Perhaps you offer morning prayers to God as you put your feet on the floor. You likely say a prayer before each meal. Maybe you go to daily Mass and/or pray the Rosary each day. Those are the more obvious ways in which the faith is part of our everyday lives. But today we want your take on how your faith informs every area of your life. When you’re at work. When you’re driving on the freeway. When you’re helping your children with their homework or changing a dirty diaper. When you’re mowing the grass or taking out the garbage. When you’re recreating in some manner. How do you keep your mind focused on the Lord throughout the day? Is there a sort of overarching “sense” of being connected to God that permeates your entire life? Share your take with us, and in the process you’ll provide insights that others may not have thought about.
How Do You Pinch Pennies?
It may not appear to be related to the spiritual life, but how we save money when we can is a very significant thing. It’s a different concept than how we contribute money to charitable causes. Making the effort to save money in every area of our lives is a way of honoring the gifts God has given us and proving that we are good stewards of his generosity. There are countless ways to do this. From clipping grocery coupons, to bundling your home entertainment services. From comparing prices at the store, to not running your heat or air conditioning as much as you might like. Maybe you make a conscious effort to eat out less frequently. Or you could be a parent who convinces your children that they don’t need the latest and greatest fashions or gadgets that many of their friends are wearing and using. Let’s have a creative and beneficial conversation about this. Can you list your top three money-saving strategies? Have you taken notice of how much you’re saving (or just not spending)? Has the money you’ve saved afforded you the opportunity to do other fruitful things in your personal or family life? Has it made it possible for you to give more to the Church or your favorite charity? Maybe it has made you more grateful for every penny the Lord gives you. Enlighten and inspire the rest of us with your take on Monday.
