Podcasts, Intentional Conversations, and Cheat Sheets

So I’ve had the pleasure of pod-chatting with Carl Trueman and Todd Pruitt on Mortification of Spin (I believe it will air next Wednesday). Amazingly, they have asked me back. I think they just like West Virginia biker bars. And now I have the opportunity to talk with Camden Bucey and Nancy Guthrie about my book on Christ the Center. Before my dates with these wonderful people, I kind of review my notes about things I’d like to talk about. Ok, I’ll just tell you. I write a few thoughts down on Post-It notes and stick them to my computer screen in case I freeze. I look at it as purposeful conversation. I mean, how terrifying is it to be on the receiving end of a Carl Trueman question (which he will never give you a heads up on, except from the warning that he plans on coming from left field)? So I try to remind myself of what I want to talk about with notes. Unfortunately, the first time, I didn’t stick to the plan. Here’s an idea of my thought cloud during the interview: Notes? What are notes? Who am I? Carl and Todd are sounding pretty darn funny, and then they blast me with this question that is way more intelligent than the answer I am going to give! Notes Aimee! You have notes! By the way, I never realized that I would need to study my own book, and that it wouldn’t be in print yet when I have to do that (Next week, baby!). So strange. But what I love about podcasts is that they are intentional conversations. This was really my motivator to write Housewife Theologian in the first place. I want to stimulate good conversation. My tool is already working! For someone like me who hates small talk, this is a dream come true. And now that I am preparing for these and other opportunities to talk about things that really matter to me, I am once again thankful for my friend Dana and what she taught me about cheat sheets. Do you ever start storing up topics that you’d like to discuss with someone the next time you talk on the phone or get together, but then when you actually get the opportunity, you totally forget what it was? Well, Dana keeps a cheat sheet going at home where she writes these thoughts down. It’s full of both deep thoughts and stupid observations. Sometimes the few words that she can muster the time to faithfully jot on her cheat sheet while making dinner or wrangling with the kids will stump even Dana when she whips that baby out for our talking time. Then we get to laugh while trying to figure it out. When I call Dana she will often say, “Hold on, let me get my cheat sheet.” And when we get together and the kids are stealing our brain cells, it’s the cheat sheet to the rescue. Do you ever prepare for intentional conversation with someone? It could even be considered good hospitality to begin conjuring up a cheat sheet. So, what are you sitting around for? Get to it!