Author and podcaster Gretchen Rubin encourages her readers to select a one-word theme for the year, like “upgrade,” “free,” or “simplify.” You can read more here:https://gretchenrubin.com/2015/01/a-fun-way-to-shape-the-new-year-pick-a-one-word-theme/Picking up on her theme, I remember times I have chosen a Bible verse and claimed it as a focus verse for either a new calendar year or a new year after my birthday. For Bible-reading people, you too might want to identify one verse or passage, and “claim” it for your new year. For people who don’t read the Bible? For them, or anyone else, you can also choose a theme-- one-word or longer--to make an organizing principle for your new year. Last year my slogan was “Focus.” Take a listen to hear Scott’s theme slogan for 2018, and pick one yourself! And this doesn’t just work for an individual. A couple, family, church, business, club..anyone can claim a key verse or slogan. Give it a try!Word of the Day: claim (noun, verb) to state that something is yours; a statement or assertion that something is trueQuestion of the Day: Have you claimed a Bible verse or slogan for 2018? If not, what’s holding you back?Have a question or feedback? Maybe a topic you’d like to hear in a future episode? Please email Scott at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! If you enjoy our podcasts, please subscribe, write a review, and share them on social media and by word of mouth! Those are GREAT ways to help more people find our podcasts. Please also visit us at www.DreyerCoaching.com; check out the blog posts at the bottom of the page for more information about life in the USA and the crazy English language.

Ep. 24: Annual New Year’s message and a word about S.M.A.R.T. goalsIf a year is like a book, then the first, blank page we can call “New Year’s Day.” Scott tells a funny story about New Years Day, 2017, that began with a spectacular fireworks show, was quickly followed by a shock surprise, and ended some 36 hours later, in Virginia.Also, what is the difference between a GOAL, a WISH, and a DAY DREAM? Learn about S.M.A.R.T. goals and some ways to help you make your commitments stick and get more done in the new year!Word of the Day: specific (adj.) very clear and focused; not vagueQuestion of the Day: What is your SINGLE BIGGEST goal for 2018? Do you have specific steps to get there?Free resource: Goal tracker from the Dave Ramsey team:https://cdn.ramseysolutions.net/media/email/entreleadership/entre_lm/goal-tracker/el_goal_tracker_2016.pdf?inf_contact_key=17eabeea777ad7b6d993d164c3c421803d16adae6c7ed3dcfa2bbda220472e44Have a question or feedback? Maybe a topic you’d like to hear in a future episode? Please email Scott at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! If you enjoy our podcasts, please subscribe, write a review, and share them on social media and by word of mouth! Those are GREAT ways to help more people find our podcasts. Please also visit us at www.DreyerCoaching.com; check out the blog posts at the bottom of the page for more information about life in the USA and the crazy English language.

Ep. 23: Annual Christmas MessageOn behalf of all the team at DreyerCoaching.com, Scott gives his annual Christmas message. Christmas can be a wonderful time for many people (hear Ep. 19), but it can also be sad and painful for many others (hear Ep. 21). In this episode, Scott reads an opinion piece about Christmas 1942, during one of the most horrific and dangerous phases of WW II. From the past, we can learn to take hope.The article:http://www.roanoke.com/opinion/commentary/long-christmas-in-guadalcanal/article_a31a7764-6e90-5c34-b343-bafe6ecad796.htmlWord of the Day: yuletide (adj.) of or pertaining to ChristmasQuestion of the Day: What are some things you can do to keep your spirits and energy up, during the dark, cold months of winter?Have a question or feedback? Maybe a topic you’d like to hear in a future episode? Please email Scott at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! If you enjoy our podcasts, please subscribe, write a review, and share them on social media and by word of mouth! Those are GREAT ways to help more people find our podcasts. Please also visit us at www.DreyerCoaching.com; check out the blog posts at the bottom of the page for more information about life in the USA and the crazy English language.

Ep. 22: Thoughts on the Christmas StoryMost people think of Santa or Christmas trees at Christmas, but do you know the Christmas story? The word “Christmas” comes from “Christ Mass,” a holy day to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. Listen in to a reading from two passages in the Bible that tell about the birth of Jesus: Matthew chapters 1 & 2, and Luke chapter 2. Word of the Day: magi (noun) wise men, kings, astrologers. We get the words “magic” and “magician” from the same root.Question of the Day: Why do you think many people begin Christmas morning by reading Luke 2, before they open their presents?Have a question or feedback? Maybe a topic you’d like to hear in a future episode? Please email Scott at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! If you enjoy our podcasts, please subscribe, write a review, and share them on social media and by word of mouth! Those are GREAT ways to help more people find our podcasts. Please also visit us at www.DreyerCoaching.com; check out the blog posts at the bottom of the page for more information about life in the USA and the crazy English language.

Episode 21 It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year? What about S.A.D.? Andy Williams’ famous Christmas carol starts:It's the most wonderful time of the yearWith the kids jingle bellingAnd everyone telling you be of good cheerIt's the most wonderful time of the yearThese make catchy lyrics for a long, but for many people, the reality of late December and winter are anything but wonderful and cheery. Christmas, as it’s celebrated in current American culture, is often laden with stress, conflict, over-indulgence, and debt. (Please listen to Episode 19, “Preparing for Christmas.”) But beyond the tension that often accompanies Christmas, there are also the mid-winter “blahs.” Starting in late June every year, people in the Northern Hemisphere get about two minutes’ less of daylight each day. That might not sound like much, but when you add it all up, by December it’s often getting dark by the time kids get out of school and adults get off of work. These shorter days, combined with the lower, weaker sun rays during daylight, can trigger a medical malady aptly-labeled as Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.). Listen to this episode to find out more about what causes S.A.D.; what some of the symptoms are; and how getting outside, putting more lights inside, and other changes can help you fight this condition.The bumper music is Bill Monroe (1911-1997) and his band “The Blue Grass Boys” singing “Christmas Time’s a Comin.’” Bill Monroe is known as the “Father of Bluegrass Music,” a famous music genre from the Appalachian region of the US. Word of the Day: affective (adj.) relating to moods, feelings, and attitudesQuestion of the Day: What are some things you do to keep your mood and energy boosted in the winter months?Have a question or feedback? Maybe a topic you’d like to hear in a future episode? Please email Scott at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! If you enjoy our podcasts, please subscribe, write a review, and share them on social media and by word of mouth! Those are GREAT ways to help more people find our podcasts. Please also visit us at www.DreyerCoaching.com; check out the blog posts at the bottom of the page for more information about life in the USA and the crazy English language.

Episode 20: Get a Money Life: Interview with Mrs. Denise MannWe like to do something special to mark every 10th episode, and with our 20th podcast we are delighted to welcome Mrs. Denise Mann to impart some wisdom and guidance regarding money, career, and spending. Mann has led Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University classes before and she will share some of her insights with us. Christmas can easily become a time of out-of-control spending, giving people debts to face at the start of the new year. She will share some Christmas-time money tips too.The bumper music is Bill Monroe (1911-1997) and his band “The Blue Grass Boys” singing “Christmas Time’s a Comin.’” Bill Monroe is known as the “Father of Bluegrass Music,” a famous music genre from the Appalachian region of the US. Word of the Day: budget (noun, verb) to make a plan to handle money, time or resourcesIt’s important to have a budget, so you can tell your money where to go, instead of wondering “where did it go?” (noun) “Be sure you budget your time wisely, so you can finish your projects by the due date,” Mr. Crawford reminded his students. Question of the Day: What is the most valuable piece of financial advice you’ve ever received?Have a question or feedback? Maybe a topic you’d like to hear in a future episode? Please email Scott at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! If you enjoy our podcasts, please subscribe, write a review, and share them on social media and by word of mouth! Those are GREAT ways to help more people find our podcasts. Please also visit us at www.DreyerCoaching.com; check out the blog posts at the bottom of the page for more information about life in the USA and the crazy English language.

Episode 19: Preparing for ChristmasBy far the biggest holiday in the US, a federal holiday, it can be a time of cheer and joy, but also a time of stress and loneliness...it’s Christmas! From the decorations in the yards, sales in the stores, and Christmas carols on the radio, you can’t miss Christmas in the USA. This episode tells about some ways Americans get ready for the holiday, and also gives some tips on ways to avoid some pitfalls that can accompany Christmas. The bumper music is Bill Monroe (1911-1997) and his band “The Blue Grass Boys” singing “Christmas Time’s a Comin.’” Bill Monroe is known as the “Father of Bluegrass Music,” a famous music genre from the Appalachian region of the US. Word of the Day: advent (noun) arrival.The 4 Sundays and weeks before Christmas Day. (religious meaning) “Many children like to open one window per day on an Advent calendar and get out the piece of chocolate!The arrival or start of something (secular meaning) “Since the advent of the automobile, many Americans have moved from the cities to the suburbs.”Question of the Day: If you celebrate Christmas, what are some things you do to get ready for it?Have a question or feedback? Maybe a topic you’d like to hear in a future episode? Please email Scott at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! If you enjoy our podcasts, please subscribe, write a review, and share them on social media and by word of mouth! Those are GREAT ways to help more people find our podcasts. Please also visit us at www.DreyerCoaching.com; check out the blog posts at the bottom of the page for more information about life in the USA and the crazy English language.

When you see the words “Thanksgiving Story,” you might have mental images of Pilgrims eating turkey and thanking God for their blessings in the New World. But in this case, Scott tells the personal story about his first year living overseas, and thus his first Thanksgiving away from home and family. Stripped of all the familiar trappings of a family Thanksgiving, Scott was lonely, homesick, and struggling with self-pity in snow-encrusted Germany...until he had a sudden change of attitude, and then an even more sudden change of circumstances! Listen for the surprise ending!You can read more about this story in Scott’s blog. http://dreyercoaching.com/en/component/k2/item/68-thanksgiving-meaningWord of the Day: self-pity (noun) the negative attitude of feeling sorry for oneselfQuestion of the Day: Self-pity is obviously a harmful mindset. (Check out the two quotations below.) Since it is obviously not a helpful attitude, why do so many people still choose to embrace it?Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything good in the world. --Helen KellerYou can be pitiful or you can be powerful, but you can’t be both at the same time. --Joyce MeyerHave a question or feedback? Maybe a topic you’d like to hear in a future episode? Please email Scott at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! If you enjoy our podcasts, please subscribe, write a review, and share them on social media and by word of mouth! Those are GREAT ways to help more people find our podcasts. Please also visit us at www.DreyerCoaching.com; check out the blog posts at the bottom of the page for more information about life in the USA and the crazy English language.

While our Churchill Part 1 episode focused on some highlights from his life story and character, Part 2 focuses on a few of his famous speeches. An old saying goes “Talk is cheap,” but in Churchill’s case, his talks helped keep the British Empire and the cause of global freedom alive during World War II and thereafter. In this episode you will hear excerpts read from a few of Churchill’s key speeches, along with some explanations of the historical backgrounds of his speeches, thus putting them into a context for you. We will also discuss some of his masterful word choices and literary devices that gave his speeches such punch. Word of the Day: defiance (noun) a strong-willed refusal to surrender or obeyQuestion of the Day: Is it possible for strong-willed defiance in a child to become a positive character quality in an adult? If so, how?Have a question or feedback? Maybe a topic you’d like to hear in a future episode? Please email Scott at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! If you enjoy our podcasts, please subscribe, write a review, and share them on social media and by word of mouth! Those are GREAT ways to help more people find our podcasts. Please also visit us at www.DreyerCoaching.com; check out the blog posts at the bottom of the page for more information about life in the USA and the crazy English language.

Episode 16: Churchill (Part 1)Over the years, many people have told me they like how I can help them make connections between people and events in history and our lives today. That is a goal for this episode, where we look at the life of Winston Churchill, especially his strong will, bravery, humor and amazing way with words. After the sudden fall of France in June 1940, until Hitler’s foolish invasion of the USSR one year later, tiny England basically stood alone against the Nazi onslaught. (The British Empire, though large, powerful, and helpful, was far away.) It is incredible to think that, to a great extent, it was Churchill’s powerful personality and oratory that kept the British Empire (and thus the cause of freedom) afloat in an Axis ocean. We have much to learn from Churchill, and we owe him a debt of gratitude. Word of the Day: evacuation (noun) a large retreat or withdrawal from a place of danger to a place of safely. The evacuation at Dunkirk in 1940 was a turning point in World War II. Question of the Day: Do you think Churchill was a politician or a statesman? What is the difference? Have a question or feedback? Maybe a topic you’d like to hear in a future episode? Please email Scott at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! If you enjoy our podcasts, please subscribe, write a review, and share them on social media and by word of mouth! Those are GREAT ways to help more people find our podcasts. Please also visit us at www.DreyerCoaching.com; check out the blog posts at the bottom of the page for more information about life in the USA and the crazy English language.