Five on Friday: On Disappointing Others, Being Frugal vs Cheap, and Hardcore History
Issue IX
Every Friday I send an email with five pieces of content. These are things I’ve found insightful, inspiring… or just interesting.
If you want to receive Monday’s Disciple Notes email but not this one, simply unsubscribe below.
Here are five things from my week I thought were worth passing on.
Today at a Glance
Quote: Dealing with disappointment
Tweet: Are you frugal or cheap?
Article: Fake Love, Fake War
Podcast: King of Kings
Bonus: More than a feeling
One Quote
“You will disappoint people in life. Sometimes it’s because you aren’t living up to your potential. Sometimes it’s because you aren’t living up to their expectations. You should always try to correct the first. The second you must learn to live with.”
– Anon
Part of being human is disappointing people. You can’t avoid it. Even Jesus disappointed many of his contemporaries. The trick is identifying why and then responding the right way.
Knowing why people are disappointed in you and then taking appropriate action is critical. It’s the difference between being a wise person and being a people-pleaser.
One Tweet
I like this contrast between being frugal and being cheap. I’ve learned over the years to pay a little more for quality versions of certain things like tools, furniture… even food.
What do you think of the distinction here? What are some things you’ve learned to pay more for in order get quality?
One Article
Fake Love, Fake War - Samuel James
I missed my deadline for last week’s Five on Friday so this is dated, but this article by Samuel James offers meaningful insights on Will Smith, the Oscars, and the slap heard around the world.
“When Will says he, like the father of Venus and Serena Williams, is a fierce defender of his family, we have to ask out loud what the words ‘defender’ and ‘family’ mean nowadays.”
Great 2 minute read.
One Podcast
Kings of Kings - Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Apple Podcasts / Spotify / YouTube
I’ve thought about tackling Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History podcast for almost 3 years now. But the episodes run 3-6 hours in length and that was enough to keep me from diving in. Until now. This past month I had several long road trips and ended up listening to the first episode, King of Kings.
It describes the rise of the Persian Empire and is really well researched and produced. If you’re interested in history, think of these podcast episodes as short audio books and give a listen.
One Bonus
Warning: If you start watching Rick Beato’s series “What Makes This Song Great?” you might go down a rabbit hole and suddenly realize an hour or two has passed.
I have no musical talent but that doesn’t matter. Beato does an amazing job explaining the songs and bands he highlights and helps you understand why they’re great.
One of my favorites from the series is his breakdown of Boston’s classic hit “More Than A Feeling”.
Personal Note
The past six weeks have probably been the most taxing in my life. Not in a bad way, just full of challenges. Having beauties like these in my life recenters me and makes me grateful for how God has blessed me in ways that matter most.
Thanks for reading and if you like Five on Friday, please share it with others who might enjoy it too.
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