The Zebra Lounge

There is a massive difference between deconstructing wrong beliefs and deconstructing the faith.  Like the difference between renovating a room versus tearing down the whole house; one is supposed to add beauty and character while the other completely destroys.  One is a kind of intellectual repentance and the other is faith abandonment.  One is healthy deconstruction and the other is faith destruction. IF YOU FORGET THIS DIFFERENCE, YOU CAN DESTROY YOUR FAITH. Today, we talk about the spiritual formation paradigm using the words: construction, deconstruction and re-construction.

In this episode, Marty and Stripes are under their 3rd lockdown of the pandemic, and discuss fun activities. You may recall, on Episode 5, where we talked about our favourite pandemic songs. Canadian government leaders, with the exception of Newfoundland,  P.E.I and Nova Scotia, have failed their citizens. We feel like we are  back in March 2020. How is it possible that they remain in leadership? In the age of coronavirus that originated in China, social distancing  and stay-at-home orders are in place AGAIN across the country. In many  ways, it makes life feel far from normal. While you’re no longer living  your regular day-to-day routine and are trapped at home, you can still  have fun and find things to do during coronavirus. We discuss our top five activities. What are you doing during  lockdown? Perhaps you can share with other readers/listeners your  favourite things to do during lockdown.

We all tell stories. Everyday, when we share about our lives, we use stories to communicate. How can we become better story-tellers? What makes a good story? In the end, all of our stories are really a small act in the Grand Story of the Bible. Please subscribe to our podcast. Leave a review and share with your friends.

Is it ever ok to tell a lie? Should we tell a "white" lie to maintain a relationship? Are we called to always tell the truth, in all situations, no matter the cost? Listen in as we unpack the topic of lying. What do you think? Please subscribe, share with your friends and leave a review.

Today, we answer a question many people have asked, how can I develop my curiousity? Curiousity is the fuel that drives life. Psychologists call curiousity a trait cluster. In other words, it is a core aspect to other attributes, and determines growth and development. 1.Be willing to become a beginner Take the posture of a learner. Ask questions and begin with "why". The only bad question is the one you didn't ask. We have seen talented people—people much smarter than us—fail as leaders. They talked a good talk, but they were not good at asking questions. 2.Read widely and outside your specialty When you discover an interesting thread, follow it. Consume content that is not inside your comfort zone. Explore new topics and force yourself to be stretched. 3.Get off your screen and into the real world As good as Google is, it cannot compare to meeting a real person. There is so much to be gained from sitting across the table with an older and wiser person. Perhaps the most impactful time of our lives is around the dining room table. How do you develop your curiousity? Please subscribe, leave a review and share with your friends!

On this episode, we interview Ed "Simba" the Eagle. He is a father of four, grandfather of nine and married to one wife for 57 years. He spent the majority of his life flying airplanes. In this conversation, he answers our questions about life, flying and what were the most exciting flights has ever done. Big hint: it was not the time when he flew the Queen of England to Ottawa OR when he flex Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to Mexico. Listen and learn from this veteran as he shares a lot of practical insights from decades of being a military and commercial pilot. Please subscribe, leave a review and share with your friends!

If you want to be a leader, you have got to be a reader. You cannot give to others what you don't already possess. Join us as we talk about the value of reading in the life of a leader.

We kick off Season 2 with a question. We share our themes for 2021. What about you? There is a difference between setting outcome goals and identity goals. One focuses on what you want to achieve and the other on who you want to become. Identity goals point to something deeper than outcome goals: the type of person you want to be. What are your goals for 2021?

This is the Season 1 Finale. We sit down to interview one of our listeners, Joe "Scar" Devitt, and hear what he has to say. He helps us review the year and remember our first year of podcasting. You do not want to miss this episode.

Today Stripes and Marty discuss their three biggest tips for starting a podcast. Although they are not "pros" they've had a year of experience and would like to share some highs and lows with you! 

What are ways you can become more grateful in your life? Listen in as we offer three ways to increase your gratitude. If you are not an active subscriber, please subscribe now.

Today Stripes asks some questions regarding money. Have you ever heard of the three main piles? How much money is enough? When do you have too little? When do you have too much? Listen to the podcast to find out more!

On this episode Stripes talks about making choices when you have lots of options. Some people are good in big, dramatic and loud ways. Other people are  good in quiet, deep and rich ways. The truth is that God has given  everyone gifts. He doesn’t value any person's gift above another person’s  gift. Choosing which dreams to pursue using your God-given skills,  abilities and talents can sometimes be hard. There are so many to choose  from that we can get paralyzed. That is the case with some lucky people. It can be hard to know where to start.  It is like looking at the pastries in a Greek bakery and being told to  pick just one. The truth is you need to pick one OR two of your dreams and dive  deep. It never works to admire everything God has given you and then do  nothing. Remember the parable of the talents.

On this episode, we interview featured guest Finesed (aka Son #2). He talks about his involvement in sports. At the moment, he is playing soccer(football) with a local Athens U14  Boy’s Club. The team has been playing friendly matches against other  local clubs. In the next few weeks, he hopes to play official matches. Can you imagine how hard it would be to join a team, where you know no one, and your coach cannot speak English? Listen in as Finesed talks, in detail, about everything he has gone through related to playing football in a foreign land.

Listen in as Stripes shares her thoughts about going to school online. Online learning is growing—the virus accelerated the growth—because  the culture is shifting from face-to-face to screens. Remarkably, 80% of  universities and colleges offer online courses. The old days of mail  correspondence where assignments are literally posted to your  professor in the snail mail are gone. Instead, online learning is as  dynamic and interactive as on-campus learning and you can set your own  pace. Stripes suggests the greatest advantage is that flexible learning  means you can live life. Here’s the magic of distance learning: you can  actually weave-in your courses between sports, family activities and  life. Her favorite part of online learning: she can wake up late. Even  if it’s a super busy day online, she can wake up at 9am and still get  her work done.

Listen in as we talk about how travelers are scammed by locals. We talk about three experiences we have had with fraudsters who are attempting to rip people off. Although our time in Athens has been good, we do have a steep  learning curve in front of us. We remain wary of who is who and on guard  for being taken advantage of by tricksters.

Listen in as we talk about our first week in a new culture We talk about leaving one continent and entering another—moving from  one culture to a new culture—and learning how to navigate one country’s  values. We admit there are few things we enjoy more than being in a different  cultural context. We find the new sights, smells and and sounds mesmerizing. Most of all, we are fascinated by the people around us, and  developing curiousity about those do things according to their own  ways.

Today we have yet another featured guest on the podcast! So excited to talk with Balto about heaven as she has recently read a book on heaven. Take a listen to hear some more!

Do we have the right to referee the referees? Take a listen as Marty and Stripes discuss this topic having to do with justice. 

Wow! Halfway through our goal of producing 24 podcasts this year! This is our 12th, hope you enjoy as we discuss some problems of the present as well as where the ideas behind these problems formed! Enjoy, give it a listen.