Life App Podcast

Ep. 64: Parables (Part 12-The Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Price)

Episode 65:  The Hidden Treasure and Pearl (Parable #12), Mark 13:44-46 A pearl is precious--a fine one can cost a fortune. But do you know where pearls come from? A tiny grain of sand or other material can find its way into an oyster shell and, by annoying the oyster, cause the oyster to secrete a film that protects itself and becomes a pearl!  Word of the Day: pearl (n.) a round, hard mass prized as a gem. Question of the Day: Is there anything in life that is annoying or maybe hurting ...

Ep. 64: Parables (Part 11- The Mustard Seed)

Episode 64:   The Mustard Seed (Parable #11), Matthew 13:31-32 In today’s world, are most people impressed with a big or a small start?  In early 2020, California billionaire Tom Steyer made a BIG start when he spent an amazing quarter of a BILLION US dollars on only four state primaries. In those four state elections, he gathered some 83,000 votes. But when you calculate the money he spent, that comes to an eye-popping US$3,373 per vote! And Steyer won NO delegates at all! After the Febru...

Ep. 63: Parables (Part 10-The Growing Seed)

Episode 63   The Parable of the Growing Seeds (Parable 10), Mark 4:26-29 Have you heard the English saying, “Man proposed, but God disposes”? It deals with the mystery that probably most of us struggle with from time to time: what in life can people actually make happen, and what are the limits that people face, beyond which only God or the supernatural can do? In this short tale, Jesus tells of a farmer who planted some seeds in the dirt, and even though he did not understand how, the seed...

Ep. 62: Parables (Part IX-Wheat and Weeds)

Episode 62 Do you garden? If so, how do you handle weeds? This parable (story) from Jesus, “The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares,” is found in Matthew 13 in the Bible. It tells about a farmer who found out an enemy had planted weed seeds among his wheat, and what he told his workers to do about it. At first, no one could tell the good from the bad, but after a time, the difference was apparent. Word of the Day: tares (n.) a kind of weed.  In this story, the wheat and tares looked alike ...

Ep. 62: Parables (Part 9-Wheat and Weeds)

Episode 62 Do you garden? If so, how do you handle weeds? This parable (story) from Jesus, “The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares,” is found in Matthew 13 in the Bible. It tells about a farmer who found out an enemy had planted weed seeds among his wheat, and what he told his workers to do about it. At first, no one could tell the good from the bad, but after a time, the difference was apparent. Word of the Day: tares (n.) a kind of weed.  In this story, the wheat and tares looked alike ...

Ep. 61: Parables (Part 8-The Four Soils)

Episode 61: Parables (Part VIII-The Four Soils) This episode is a short story, found in the Bible about a farmer who went out to sow (scatter/plant) seeds. His seeds fell on four different kinds of soils. Depending on what the soil was like, the seeds responded in very different ways. Is this just a story about gardening, or is there a deeper meaning about life? This story is unusual in that it appears three times in the Bible: Matthew 13:1-10, 18-23; Mark 4:3-8, 14-20; and Luke 8:5-8, 11-1...

Ep. 61: Parables (Part VIII-The Four Soils)

Episode 61: Parables (Part VIII-The Four Soils) This episode is a short story, found in the Bible about a farmer who went out to sow (scatter/plant) seeds. His seeds fell on four different kinds of soils. Depending on what the soil was like, the seeds responded in very different ways. Is this just a story about gardening, or is there a deeper meaning about life? This story is unusual in that it appears three times in the Bible: Matthew 13:1-10, 18-23; Mark 4:3-8, 14-20; and Luke 8:5-8, 11-1...

Ep. 60: Parables (Part 7-The Fruitless Fig Tree)

Episode #:  60  Parables (Part 7: The Fruitless Fig Tree) This episode is continues our series from earlier, some parables of Jesus. A parable is a short story that has two meanings: a physical, literal level, and a deeper, spiritual one. This story, from the Bible account in Luke 13:6-9, tells about a landowner who waited three years for a fig tree to bear fruit and what he saw and decided. Take a listen! Word of the Day: fig (n.) a kind of fruit that grows on trees; very popular in Medit...

Ep. 60: Parables (Part VII-The Fruitless Fig Tree)

Episode #:  60  Parables (Part 7: The Fruitless Fig Tree) This episode is continues our series from earlier, some parables of Jesus. A parable is a short story that has two meanings: a physical, literal level, and a deeper, spiritual one. This story, from the Bible account in Luke 13:6-9, tells about a landowner who waited three years for a fig tree to bear fruit and what he saw and decided. Take a listen! Word of the Day: fig (n.) a kind of fruit that grows on trees; very popular in Medit...

Ep. 59: Claim a Slogan or Bible Verse for 2019!

Ep. 58: Parables (Part VI-Watch!)

Episode #: 58   Parables   (Part 6: Watch!)  This episode, from Luke 12:35-48 in the Bible, examines the issue of watchfulness. It starts with the tragic story of unbelievable carelessness that led to one of America’s greatest tragedies: the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor that plunged the US into WW II. In the Bible story, Jesus contrasts servants who are watchful and obedient, versus those who are careless and rebellious. It closes with some key life principles, that the more we know and have...

Ep. 58: Parables (Part 6-Watch!)

Episode #: 58   Parables   (Part 6: Watch!)  This episode, from Luke 12:35-48 in the Bible, examines the issue of watchfulness. It starts with the tragic story of unbelievable carelessness that led to one of America’s greatest tragedies: the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor that plunged the US into WW II. In the Bible story, Jesus contrasts servants who are watchful and obedient, versus those who are careless and rebellious. It closes with some key life principles, that the more we know and have...

Ep 57: Parables (Part V-The Man Whom God Called "Fool")

Episode #: 57   Parables  (Part 5: The man whom God called “fool.”)  This episode, from Luke 12:16-21 in the Bible, tells the story of a man who seemingly had it all: money, possessions, status. However, he had some key flaws, and they were his undoing. He had Greed, but no Gratitude. Thanksgiving is a time to “count our blessings,” but it seems his blessings caused him fear and anxiety. Listen to hear Scott’s Thanksgiving greeting and learn how “anxiety replaces joy, or joy replaced anxiet...

Ep 57: Parables (Part 5-The Man Whom God Called "Fool")

Episode #: 57   Parables  (Part 5: The man whom God called “fool.”)  This episode, from Luke 12:16-21 in the Bible, tells the story of a man who seemingly had it all: money, possessions, status. However, he had some key flaws, and they were his undoing. He had Greed, but no Gratitude. Thanksgiving is a time to “count our blessings,” but it seems his blessings caused him fear and anxiety. Listen to hear Scott’s Thanksgiving greeting and learn how “anxiety replaces joy, or joy replaced anxiet...

Ep. 56: Parable (Unequal Debts)

Episode #:  56 Parables  (Part 4: Unequal Debts)  Have you ever been in debt? Has the person you borrowed from ever forgiven your debt? This story, from Luke 7:36-50 in the Bible tells a brief story about the beauty of forgiveness. Word of the Day: Pharisee (noun) 1. A religious leader from Jesus’ day; this group was known for their rigid law-keeping and opposition to Jesus  2. An arrogant, critical person who looks down on others and sees himself as perfect Question of the Day: Have you ...

Ep. 55: Purple Wave (2018 Mid-Term Elections Review)

Episode #:  55 Purple Wave (2018 Midterm Elections Explained) Blue Wave. Red Wave. Blue Tsunami. Flip this seat. Flip the House. Nancy Pelosi. Trump-Haters. Build the Wall. Red State Democrats. “Fake News.” It can all be so CONFUSING!  In this episode, Scott uses “plain talk” to explain some key terms, issues, and results from the November 2018 Midterm elections. The conversation gives a brief historical reference, plus discussions of races for the House of Representatives, Senate, governor...

Ep. 54: Parables (Part III-Wise and Foolish Builders)

Foundations. Whether you are talking about a house, business, family, education, country, or business plan, a foundation is crucially important. Years ago my wife and I were looking at houses. We found a large, spacious, beautiful home nestled in a peaceful forest setting, with gorgeous mountain views nearby. However, we did not buy it. Why? It had had foundation problems. The house had been built on the side of a steep hill, and had developed cracks in the basement walls. We were told the p...

Ep. 54: Parables (Part 3-Wise and Foolish Builders)

Foundations. Whether you are talking about a house, business, family, education, country, or business plan, a foundation is crucially important. Years ago my wife and I were looking at houses. We found a large, spacious, beautiful home nestled in a peaceful forest setting, with gorgeous mountain views nearby. However, we did not buy it. Why? It had had foundation problems. The house had been built on the side of a steep hill, and had developed cracks in the basement walls. We were told the p...

Ep. 53: Parables (Part II: Salt and Light)

This episode takes one more step into our series on some parables of Jesus from the Bible. A parable is a short, simple story with a deeper, secondary meaning. This is one of the more famous parables, where Jesus called His followers “salt and light.” It is found in the Bible in several places: Matthew 5:13-15, Mark 4:21-25, Luke 8:16, and Luke 11:33. The English sayings “let your light shine” and “don’t put your light under a bushel” come from this parable, which show the profound, enduring...

Ep. 53: Parables (Part 2-Salt and Light)

This episode takes one more step into our series on some parables of Jesus from the Bible. A parable is a short, simple story with a deeper, secondary meaning. This is one of the more famous parables, where Jesus called His followers “salt and light.” It is found in the Bible in several places: Matthew 5:13-15, Mark 4:21-25, Luke 8:16, and Luke 11:33. The English sayings “let your light shine” and “don’t put your light under a bushel” come from this parable, which show the profound, enduring...

Ep. 52: Parables (Part I: Cloth and Wineskins)

Stories. They are powerful. Aesop and Jesus told stories thousands of years ago that remain popular today. Presidents such as Lincoln and Reagan employed them to motivate millions to action. People had divergent views of Jesus 2,000 years ago, as they still do today. But regardless of one’s views, most can agree on this: Jesus told some moving, enduring stories, all the more remarkable in that most were short and dealt with mundane topics such as sons, coins, lamps, seeds, weeds, sheep, or so...

Ep. 52: Parables (Part 1-Cloth and Wineskins)

Stories. They are powerful. Aesop and Jesus told stories thousands of years ago that remain popular today. Presidents such as Lincoln and Reagan employed them to motivate millions to action. People had divergent views of Jesus 2,000 years ago, as they still do today. But regardless of one’s views, most can agree on this: Jesus told some moving, enduring stories, all the more remarkable in that most were short and dealt with mundane topics such as sons, coins, lamps, seeds, weeds, sheep, or s...

Ep. 51: It all begins in the mind.....

Have you ever looked forward to something for weeks or months--maybe years--just to see it vanish before your eyes? As a college student in Germany, I had spent over three months looking forward to and planning for a month-long visit to then-communist Poland, behind the Iron Curtain, with a friend. Then -- poof!-- it was gone. In a moment the trip--as my friend and I had planned it--was cancelled. Paralyzed by self-pity and disappointment, and with heavy doses homesickness, culture shock and...

Ep. 50: Interview with Harvard Student, Richard Qiu

Harvard University. The name says it all. This episode features an interview with Richard Qiu, a recent graduate of William Byrd High School in Roanoke County, VA, who entered Harvard as a freshman in August 2018. Harvard’s acceptance rate this year is a mere 4.59%, so that puts Richard in an outstanding cohort and also distinguishes him as the only Roanoke Valley resident moving to the 1636 campus this fall. Qiu summarizes some of his childhood and school-year traits that helped him prepare ...

Ep. 49: Trip to East Asia (Part V-5-Hohhot, Inner Mongolia & Beijing))

This episode gives you a look into the end of our 25-day, 13-flight trip: Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia, and Beijing, the capital of China. You will learn more about the people, places, history, and lifestyles of China...plus you MIGHT learn a tip to help you make $700 next trip!Word of the Day: pagoda (noun) an ornamental, many-tiered tower, usually seen in India or East AsiaThe White Pagoda is an historical site just east of Hohhot, Inner Mongolia.Begun in the 1970’s, The Pagoda wa...

Ep. 48: Trip to East Asia (Part IV-Nanjing, China)

Episode #48: Trip to East Asia 2018 (Part 4--Nanjing, China)This episode tells you about Days 13-17 of Scott and Deborah’s 25-day trip to East Asia. Join them for a tour of the ancient city of culture and learning, Nanjing. Located at a strategic spot on the mighty Yangtze River in Southeast China, Nanjing has been the capital of China several times during different dynasties, and more recently, it was the capital during the early days of WW II. Learn about “the Father of the Country“ San Ya...

Ep. 47: Trip to East Asia 2018 (Part III- Shenzhen)

Episode #47: Trip to East Asia 2018 (Part 3--Shenzhen, China)Word of the Day: downpour (noun) a heavy rainEx. We left Guilin, China in a downpour.Question of the Day: Has your hometown changed greatly since you grew up there, or does it still look pretty much like it did as you remember it?This episode tells you about Days 11-13 on Scott and Deborah’s recent trip to China. Join them as they fly from Guilin in SW China to Xiamen in SE China on the Taiwan Strait, then to Shenzhen, in SE China ...

Ep. 46: Life App Podcast 1st Anniversary!

Word of the Day: mesmerized (adj.) fascinated; spellbound; mentally captivatedMany English words come from people’s names, and this is an example. It comes from Franz Anton Mesmer, a German doctor in the 1700s who had controversial ideas about magnetism, hypnosis, and the physical body.Ex. When is the last time you were mesmerized by a book?Question of the Day: When you have a dream or goal, do you tend to wait till you know all there is to know about it, or do you start sooner and hope you’l...

Episode 45: Trip to East Asia 2018 (Part 2--Reflections on Taiwan & Visiting Guilin, China)

Episode 45: Trip to East Asia 2018 (Part 2--Reflections on Taiwan & visiting Guilin, China) From May 21-June 15, 2018, Scott and Deborah Dreyer took a business trip for DreyerCoaching.com across 8,000 miles and 12 time zones from the US state of Virginia to East Asia. They visited Taiwan and five cities in Mainland China; they took 13 flights, went through 15 different airports, and stayed in 10 different places on their 26-day journey. Their primary purpose was to visit with their current on...

Ep. 44: Trip to East Asia 2018 (Part I - Taiwan)

Episode 44: Trip to East Asia 2018 (Part 1--Taiwan) From May 21-June 15, 2018, Scott and Deborah Dreyer took a business trip for DreyerCoaching.com across 8,000 miles and 12 time zones from the US state of Virginia to East Asia. They visited Taiwan and five cities in Mainland China; they took 13 flights, went through 15 different airports, and stayed in 10 different places on their 26-day journey. Their primary purpose was to visit with their current online ESL students and their families, pl...

Ep. 43: The Four Quadrants of Time (Part II)

Episode 43: The 4 Quadrants of Time Usage (II) As a follow-up to Episode 41, we review the 4 Quadrants of Time Usage:1. Important and Urgent (Crisis); 2. Important but not Urgent (Focus here); 3. Urgent but not important (Time Wasters); and4. Not Urgent and not Important (Time Wasters)To help make these principles clear, useful, and applicable to your daily life, Scott reviews the 4 Quadrants and gives you about 18 real-life scenarios. You can decide for yourself which of the 4 Quadrants each...

Ep. 42: U.S Supreme Court

Episode 42: The U.S Supreme CourtIn our first episode related directly to politics and government, you’ll find an easily-digestible introduction to the U.S. Supreme Court. Using “plain-talk” English, Scott gives you a Happy July 4th greeting, and introduces Virginian Thomas Jefferson as author of the Declaration of Independence, the phrase “separation of Church and State,” and founder of the University of Virginia (UVA). However, most of the episode examines the U.S. Supreme Court: why we hav...

Ep. 41: The 4 Quadrants of Time Usage

Episode 41: The 4 Quadrants of Time Usage“Time waits for no man,” is an old English saying. And frankly, we probably keep saying old sayings because they are true! As Zig Ziglar said, “We all get the same amount of time as the average billionaire.” But the difference is, some of use our time better than others. This episode builds on Episode 39, where we discussed the difference between “urgent” and “important.” Once we grasp this crucial distinction, we can take the next step to understand ...

Ep 40: Get a Money Life with Denise Mann (Part II)

Episode 40: Money Talk II: Guest--Mrs. Denise MannIt’s another 10th episode! So we enjoy a conversation with a guest speaker, Mrs. Denise Mann, who also joined us for Episode 20. In this chat we build on our earlier conversation about money and discuss more about debt, budgeting, and just being wise with our finances. We are not giving professional accounting or financial advice; for that, see your personal adviser. However, we are giving some time-tested principles that will help you get a b...

Ep. 39: Urgent versus Important

Ep. 39: Urgent v. Important?This episode starts with an Addendum to Episode 38, abou Decluttering. (“Addendum” is a Latin word, which is a fancy way to say “this is some stuff I forgot to tell you last time but I want to tell you now.”) In addition to PHYSICAL clutter (papers, piles, stuff), ELECTRONIC clutter (old emails, too many apps, etc.), and MENTAL clutter (bad attitudes, envy, anger, etc.) there is also SCHEDULE clutter. This comes from taking on too much and thus having too much to ...

Ep. 38: Around the World with Eden Pan (Sept. 2015-January 2017)

Episodes 10 and 11 were an interview with Mr. Terry Racher, who traveled around the world with another friend and me in 1991, and in this episode, I interview Eden Pan, who also traveled around the globe. Like Terry’s trip, Eden’s voyage began and ended in Taiwan; however, unlike Terry’s trip, Eden did most of the traveling solo, and she spent over one year on the road! This episode is based on an interview I conducted with her in Chinese on Sept. 22, 2017, when she was living with our family...

Ep. 37: Declutter!

When I sat down to write an outline that later became my book, Write Like a Champion, one step was “Cut the Clutter.” That is, cut needless words to say the most with the fewest words possible. But writing is not the only place we can “cut the clutter.” We can cut physical clutter: messy desks, cluttered tables, crowded closets. We can cut electronic clutter: delete old emails and apps or store our photos to safe back-ups. We can cut mental clutter: cut the envy, regret, and resentment, so ou...

Ep. 36: Life Lessons from the Civil War (Part X-Gen. Jubal Early, Gen. William Sherman & another man who saved a presidency!)

When people think of Civil War generals, names like Grant, Lee, Jackson, Meade and others often spring to mind. However, not many think of “Jubal Early,” but we should, because he actually fought in more Civil War battles than any other Confederate general, including Lee! What’s more, his homeplace in Franklin County, Virginia is a mere thirty-minutes’ drive from our home office of DreyerCoaching.com. Take a listen to learn more about “Old Jube” and how this irascible general, with a tiny ar...

Ep. 35: Life Lessons from the Civil War (Part IX-Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson)

One of the key habits in Stephen Covey’s bestseller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is “Practice Synergy.” That is, true greatness occurs when people work together and the sum is greater than the individual parts. One of the finest examples of synergy in the Civil War that I know of was that of Lee and Jackson. Both were brilliant generals and strategists on their own, but when they worked together in 1862-1863, they created a string of brilliant victories for the South including Seco...

Life Lessons from the Civil War (Part VIII- Robert E. Lee)

On April 9, 1865, Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Gen. U.S. Grant and his Army of the Potomac, at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, effectively ending the Civil War. So, it is appropriate that this podcast episode is posting on April 9, the 153rd anniversary of Lee’s surrender.While the North was blessed with more successful political leadership in the Civil War, the South was endowed with more successful military leadership, and probably no one was more succes...

Ep.33: Life Lessons from the Civil War (Part VII-Abraham Lincoln)

Abraham Lincoln. The name is an icon; the man, a legend. As our podcast pivots to positive leadership examples from the Civil War, Lincoln ranks among the greatest. Frankly, in many ways, the Union’s survival is arguably due more to him than any other single person. Despite the Union’s overwhelming superiority in terms of men, material, and overall resources in 1861, the North was plagued by poor--sometimes terrible--military leadership, especially in the early years. In many ways, Lincoln h...

Ep. 32: Life Lessons from the Civil War (Part VI: Ulysses S. Grant)

After hearing about five examples of failed leadership in previous episodes, now we get to pivot to some SUCCESSFUL leadership from the US Civil War, and a chief name is General Grant. Grant was responsible for the turning point campaign in the Western theater of War, at Vicksburg, Mississippi, on July 4, 1863, and in 1864 Lincoln promoted him to fight in Virginia where he took on the masterful General Robert E. Lee. Though brilliant, Lee could not replace his fallen men, but Grant could, so ...

Ep. 31: Life Lessons from the Civil War (Part V: The Battle of the Crater)

This episode continues our Civil War series of what NOT to do. Our goal is not to share dry stories from long-ago history, but to make it real and teach valuable life lessons that can help us today. Episodes 26-29 were about a specific person who failed as a leader; in this episode, we look at a particular battle in the Civil War, one of the most bizarre stories of that conflict. In this story, a bunch of Pennsylvania soldiers who had been coal miners hatched a plot to dig a tunnel and blow u...

Ep. 30: Supernatural Stories with Guest: Pastor Chad Forte

For our 10th episodes, we like to switch up our topics a bit and invite a guest speaker to join us. In our 30th episode, Pastor Chad Forte shares three remarkable stories from his early life, where he believes he was visited by someone from “the other side.” This is a Life App Podcast “first,” to talk about supernatural tales and visitations, but stories like these should encourage us all to ponder, “is there more to this life than meets the eye, at the surface? Take a listen and be challen...

Ep. 29: Life Lessons from the Civil War (Part IV-Jefferson Davis)

Ep. 28: Life Lessons from the Civil War (Part III-Joseph Hooker)

In Episode 27 we learned there is an old English saying from the Bible (Proverbs 16:18), “Pride goeth before a fall.” That was certainly the case with Union General George McClellan, but also with General Joseph Hooker. Many times in 1862, the Northern armies greatly outnumbered their Southern foes, but the Rebel armies under the brilliant leadership of Lee, Jackson, and others, continually beat back the Yankee armies. When Lincoln named Hooker lead general of the Northern Army of the Potomac...

Ep. 27: Life Lessons from the Civil War (Part II- George McClellan)

An old English saying that comes from Proverbs 16:18 in the Bible says, “Pride goeth before a fall.” And that was certainly true in the case of Union General George McClellan. McClellan was brilliant and successful in some ways, which probably led to his huge arrogance. However, that conceit--coupled with his overcaution--caused him to get fired by Lincoln, not just once, but twice! Listen to this episode to find out why the men in his army loved him, Lincoln was furious with him, TWICE he co...

Ep. 26: Life Lessons from the Civil War (Part I-Ambrose Burnside)

Have you ever been in a class where the teacher really does remind you of Charlie Brown’s teacher?Like this?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss2hULhXf04&feature=youtu.beI have been a licensed history teacher since 1987, and I cannot remember how many times someone has told me, basically, “I used to hate history when I was in school, but now that I’m an adult, it fascinates me and I can’t get enough of it.”In my opinion, this may be because a lot of our history is taught badly, or we teachers j...

Ep. 25: Claim a Bible Verse or Slogan for 2018

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, an...

Ep. 24: Annual New Year’s message and a word about S.M.A.R.T. goals

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 mo...