Why does every town in America feel exactly the same? You pull off the highway and it’s the same Applebee’s, the same Walmart, the same McDonald’s, the same beige strip malls with the same parking lots. In this episode, Jason and Emily wonder out loud: is this what it was supposed to be? We talk about how copy-and-paste towns strip away character and community, what we miss about places that actually feel unique, and whether it’s possible to find (or build) something different in a world of sameness.

00:00 The Cracker of Cracker Barrel 

02:38 America has become copy & paste.

04:52 Cracker Barrel’s maple syrup problem. 

06:31 Modernism in America.

09:05 Capitalism?

11:02 Regulations can be really bad…

12:56 We’re too far gone. 

15:01 It’s not supposed to be this way. 

17:37 Emily’s theory. 

21:27 The future looks bleak. 

24:01 Emily knows whose fault it is. 

29:05 sigh…

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should we stay or should we go? In this episode, Jason and Emily wrestle with the big question so many families face: do you settle into the home and life you already have, or do you uproot everything in pursuit of something “better”? It’s the tension between being grateful and content where you are, while also dreaming about more space, a different town, or a new chapter. Join us as we talk about the pros, cons, and deeper heart questions behind making (or not making) a big move.

00:00 We went out to eat!

02:44 Our kids bought hatchets.

06:21 We couldn’t believe this happened.

11:45 Library books in the bathroom?

13:11 Would you ever move to Nashville?

14:46 We were looking at a house…

19:13 The Dave Ramsey Method

22:00 We are the problem. 

24:16 A new house. 

28:30 Housing prices are nuts.

30:38 Factory farmed meat rant. 

33:00 Emily brings a lead test kit.

36:06 Why RVC exists…

37:02 Our house is awkward.

39:26 Clarity from a shooting.

40:52 What about core memories?

45:46 My way or the kids’ way?

46:58 Jason shouldn’t be home…

49:00 Jason wants to move.

51:49 Emily just wants visitors. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily takes the lead to talk about something every parent wrestles with (whether we admit it or not): guiding our kids toward a career path, even when they’re still years away from driver’s licenses and first jobs. Should we be steering them early, or letting them wander?

00:00 Emily doesn’t feel well

01:46 Terrain Theory

04:38 Jason’s Starbucks Mug

05:41 Emily’s Beautiful Drinking Jar

09:46 Who sells these things?

11:37 The dangers of Dawn Dish Soap.

12:58 Emily’s leading the podcast today.

16:53 It’s natural to interrupt people.

18:08 How parents influence their children.

20:09 Students can’t have water bottles.

23:40 Teachers can’t pay for classroom supplies.

25:37 Back to back to school signs…

27:09 Influencing your kids’ careers. 

28:22 Emily chokes on her own words…

29:07 Knowing what you want…

32:31 Hidden secret of grocery store displays

34:57 Ministry jobs are hard.

36:59 Father-son occupations. 

42:28 Emily wanted to be a soldier. 

45:23 Emily hands over the reins. 

46:34 When the world changed…

47:49 Homeschool field trips are different. 

50:54 Kids have no idea. 

54:54 Emily’s epiphany. 

55:18 Gen Z.

01:02:53 The way parents should go…

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rejection happens to everyone, but that doesn’t make it any less awkward, humbling, or downright hilarious in hindsight. In this episode of The Really Very Crunchy Podcast, Emily and Jason share their funniest and most cringe-worthy rejection stories, from celebrity “no’s” that left our inbox feeling lonely, to job applications that went absolutely nowhere, to those relationship rejections we swore we’d never talk about (until now).

(00:00) Intro

(01:40) Rejected by Carrie Underwood

(02:54) Rejected by John Crist

(05:53) Rejected by Relient K

(06:49) Rejected by Switchfoot

(09:12) Not famous enough…

(10:20) Rejected in relationships

(16:02) Rejected in job interviews

(18:16) Rejecting each other

(21:40) What is rejection?

(22:48) Not caring

(23:36) Rejected by publishers

(29:40) Emily’s dark joke

(30:50) The End

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why buy new when you can thrift? In this episode, Emily dives headfirst into her love of thrifting, digging through racks, the joy of the hunt, and that magical feeling when you score something amazing for just a few dollars. She shares her all-time best thrift store finds,  what makes secondhand shopping so special, and why it’s the ultimate sustainable, budget-friendly, and personality-packed way to shop.

Emily's best thrift finds:

The Couch

The Painting

The Table

(00:00) Emily’s Ailments

(02:47 ) Teaching our son about traffic safety

(04:03) This keeps Jason up at night…

(05:41) What does Emily love about thrifting?

(06:20) Our town’s terrible book outlook

(08:36) What is twaddle? 

(10:43) Back to - What does Emily love about thrifting

(11:25) The state of thrifting today

(14:14) Facebook Marketplace woes

(18:50) You can’t get this anywhere else!

(20:15) Thrifting clothes

(21:41) Price vs. Vibe

(23:33) Emily is impossible to shop for

(26:16) Our favorite thrift finds

(35:25) Rapid fire questions

(40:26) Wasting Emily’s time…

(43:30) Hacking the system

(47:40) The End

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That episode about the murder in Emily’s childhood, and how it made her so afraid of death:

Anxiety Nearly Broke Me

https://pod.link/1743468035/episode/f1a62a79a167c534d48c5ef33b16eab2

Emily’s Book:

https://amzn.to/4kMHpDX

Episode Description:

This week Emily and Jason wade through the attic (and their feelings) to talk childhood keepsakes. They confess their own nostalgia bins are embarrassingly light and unpack the weird regret of not hanging onto more tiny treasures. Along the way they tackle questions every parent eventually faces:

* How much memory clutter is healthy clutter?

* When does sentimental value turn into straight-up hoarding?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we talk about how Emily threw out her back, weird things happening at the Paducah gaseous diffusion plant, and we contemplate living ten miles upriver from what feels like a future disaster zone. But the heart of this episode? Families are homeschooling their kids… from Disney World. Every day. We have thoughts. Many thoughts. And possibly a few rants.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily’s Book:

https://amzn.to/4kMHpDX

Episode Description:

In this episode, Jason and Emily pull back the curtain on their creative routine—sharing the hard deadlines that keep ideas moving, the mini workouts that shake loose fresh perspectives, and the small, repeatable habits that turn scribbles into polished projects.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this bonus episode, we're talking: How far would you go financially to save a pet you love like a child? This week we’re talking about the DINK (dual income, no kids) pet economy: $4,000 emergency surgeries, acupuncture for arthritic goldendoodles, raw-food subscriptions that cost more than your own groceries, and the emotional math of “worth it.” 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the sponsors of this episode!

Reencle: visit⁠ reencle.co⁠ and use Discount Code “Crunchy” for an exclusive 10% off in addition to any current promotion.

https://tinyurl.com/RVCReencle

_____

The Road to Kaeluma: Visit jesusfilm.org/kaeluma-RVC to listen, learn more, or access discussion guides and other bonus content!

———

Episode Description:

In this episode, we talk about what it means to live intentionally—not in some perfect, curated way, but in the real, messy, everyday decisions we all make. From the big-picture stuff to the choice to veg out, we explore how purpose can be woven into every moment. We share how we (try to) live with intention in our own lives, why it matters, and why sometimes doing nothing is exactly the right thing to do.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices