Looking Over Life

Shawn apologizes for the upload delay and offers and explanation. We hope to return to normal episode uploads soon. Website: lookingoverlife.com 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...

James and Shawn work through the book Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport. In this episode, we look at the first section of this book and discuss the principles behind digital minimalism. We both committed to going through the digital declutter ourselves for a month. We talk about the things we’re giving up and why. Perhaps you would like to join us by going through the steps of the declutter yourse...

Shawn and James talk about what community means to them and what it might mean to God.  Shawn pronounces German words poorly from the inside of a fish tank while James keeps the conversation on track as we consider what Christian Community is or should be. We discuss ways to improve our community—though we’re sort of scared to actually try them.  What does community mean to you? How is y...

Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok—James and Shawn tackle social media.  This topic is a minefield in the current digital landscape, but we wanted to talk about how it is affecting us as individuals, as communities, and as a society.  Is social media good or bad? How does God feel about social media? Can I use it as a tool?  We want to hear from you. Do you use social media? Your...

This is part two of the conversation with Josh Nisley from Faith Builders.  In this episode, we go further into the pros and cons of higher education for Christians and consider how we can serve God with our minds. We'd like to hear from you. Please send us your feedback or suggestions or even your education story. Email: lookingoverlife@gmail.com Culture Making by Andy Crouch Karen Swallow P...

James and Shawn welcome another guest to the pod. Josh Nisley is a lover of education and has a lot to say about it.  We delve into the risks and rewards of higher education and consider our perspective of the Conservative Anabaptist point of view regarding education beyond grade school. This is a two-part podcast, so you’ll be seeing the conclusion released in Episode 8. As always, we’d like...

Shawn and James talk about having Covid and enjoying food and missing the sense of taste and smell. Warning: You may not want to listen to this episode on an empty stomach! You might end up feeling hungry.  From steaks to soups and a lot in between, James and Shawn go over some of their favorite dishes. Also, James teaches Shawn what a hotdog bun is. Please send us some recipes to try! And if...

James and Shawn enjoy having a guest on the podcast. They talk with Andrew Crider about what it's like to be a missionary to a foreign country. Have you ever eaten intestine soup or chicken head soup? How about a plateful of honey? And what does that have to do with being a missionary? What is a missionary, anyway? James quizzes Andrew and Shawn on their experiences in Guatemala and Peru. From hau...

Did it rain before the flood? What sort of apple did Eve give Adam? How many wise men visited the manger where Jesus was born? And what color eyes did Jesus have? James and Shawn go deep — maybe too deep — into some common misconceptions from Bible stories. Where do these misconceptions come from, and how do they permeate our culture? Do you know of any more misconceptions? Send us an email a...

Shawn and James discuss differences in personalities. Are you sanguine or choleric? Black bile or phlegm? Introvert or extrovert?  A good bit of the discussion looks at the Myers-Briggs personality theory. Share the episode with one of your friends and take the tests together. You might find out things about each other you never knew before!  Email us: lookingoverlife@gmail.com  Rea...

James and Shawn talk about their reading habits and personal reading trends. They also look at the current climate of reading in society.  Also, Shawn tried to teach James how to say a word, and James attempted to explain the difference between power and energy—Shawn still doesn't get it. Note from James: Hoe moe GEEN ee us is a correct pronunciation. See Merriam-Webster's homogeneous and hom...

In which James and Shawn try their hands at being podcasters.   The topic is yearly themes and how they differ from New Year's resolutions. What is a yearly theme? How do you make one? What makes for a successful year?  Email us: lookingoverlife@gmail.com  Yearly Planning Tool  Atomic Habits  Do you have a yearly theme? Email us about it. Side note: If it sounds like...