We talk about the value of hardships... and how the lack of them may have the damaging effect of causing us to love our lives too much.  We talk about how the past year has been difficult, but that difficulty shouldn't be wasted.  We talk about the global church and how it's flourishing where they are facing the most hardships... as opposed to the shrinking American and Canadian church.  There's also a lively debate over jumbo hot-dogs, smokies and bratwursts, and an epic parenting speech by Rita.

There's no denying that there are voices we value, and voices that we don't value.  So, how can you be sure that you're valuing voices that are positive and truth-filled?

We couldn't get through everything we wanted to discuss in Monday's episode... so that means bonus episode!  Today we talk about how Rita's family has to say goodbye to their loyal family dog, and then we dive into more on Covid, what the ICU is really like, early treatment, relabeled deaths, and where the heck this virus came from...

It has been quite the year. Throughout the year, Rita (a cardiovascular ICU nurse) has been speaking up about what she has been seeing in the world of health care. We're treating this episode like an interview, and Cecily is throwing some questions at Rita. Enjoy!

PS: Check out these blogs that Rita wrote throughout the pandemic:

https://ritarogersco.com/2020/04/20/unintended-consequences-the-impact-coronavirus-is-having-on-healthcare/

https://ritarogersco.com/2021/03/11/pandemic-or-perfect-storm/

https://ritarogersco.com/2020/06/09/where-did-it-come-from-covid-fauci-and-questions/

In this episode, Rita and Cecily are giving a nod to both Nurse's Week and Mother's Day.  We spend some time reflecting on our nursing careers.  We talk about the things that have made us cry, the things that will always stick with us, the things that have shaped us, the things that keep us going, and the things that have made us move on.  We also talk about being Mom's... the weight of it, the beauty of it... and some of the insecurities it brings out.  We hope you enjoy this episode!

Today we're interviewing Diane Boden of the top-rated Minimalist Moms Podcast.  Diane is a wealth of knowledge and a breath of fresh air as she discusses how the principles of minimalism can assist you in living a life that is aligned with your values.

Books recommended on the podcast:

+ Digital Minimalism - Cal Newport

+ How to Break Up With Your Phone - Catherine Price

+ The Tech-Wise Family - Andy Crouch

+ Sabbath - Wayne Mueller

+ Life at Home in the 21st Century - Jeanne E. Arnold

You can find Diane on her website, and from there you can find out where else she hangs out on the web:

https://www.minimalistmomspodcast.com/

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/minimalist-moms-podcast/id1159498258

The Science of Minimalism: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ep154-science-minimalism-evie-granville-sarah-davis/id1159498258?i=1000505059820

Interview with Joshua Becker: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep71-the-minimalist-home-with-joshua-becker/id1159498258?i=1000425574462

The days feel short, and the to-do lists feel long. So... how can we get it all done? We also talk about where worth is found- and it’s not in your productivity!

Self Censorship.  What it is, why it's become so prevalent, and what to do about it.  PLUS... how we really feel about doing this podcast..

In a world that loves to disagree, how can we learn to agree to disagree?  We're talking about stuff going down in Rita's hospital, masks, freedom, and the breakdown of civil conversation.

Book Cecily referenced: Winsome Conviction by Richard Langer & Tim Muehlhoff

**Cecily referenced that she and her children were vaccinated. To clarify, she was not talking about all vaccines, and she was not talking about the Covid vaccine.**