We had several letters and comments recently and we share them today.

We also update you on a programming note as we head into Spring and Summer.

In this episode, I sit down with Jane Sauter, candidate for Idaho State Representative District 1 Seat A, to discuss the issues, values, and questions surrounding an important local primary election. In North Idaho, the primary often carries more weight than the general election, making it especially important for voters to pay attention.

Jane shares her concerns about whether some elected officials truly govern according to the principles they campaign on, and we talk about why a candidate’s voting record can reveal more than campaign slogans ever will.

We also discuss faith, family, respectful disagreement, and the realities of small-town politics—including the so-called good old boy network.

Most importantly, this episode is not about telling anyone how to vote. It is about encouraging citizens to become informed, attend forums, ask questions, study the candidates, and take voting seriously. Good government begins when voters do their homework and participate responsibly.

We went to Canada yesterday, where we visited what may be the finest DQ on the continent. Yes, another acronym—because apparently nobody says full words anymore. We no longer visit Dairy Queen. We go to DQ. We do things ASAP, finish them PDQ, and pretend everyone knows what we mean.

That got me thinking. We live in an age of initials. Politics gives us POTUS and SCOTUS. Business gives us HR, ROI, and COB. The military, bless them, can tell a whole story without using a complete word. Even people become shorthand now. Victor Davis Hanson becomes VDH.

Some acronyms are useful. Others are camouflage. They make simple things sound important, complicated things sound manageable, and ordinary people feel left out of the conversation.

Words matter. Plain speech matters. If you need help, say help. If something is foolish, say foolish. If people are hurting, name the hurt plainly.

And yet, I confess, there are exceptions.

DQ needs no explanation.

Because after one Blizzard north of the border, clarity arrived immediately.

Have a great day, everyone—and do something kind today, preferably PDQ.

When we first moved to North Idaho, the deep green spring pasture looked like a blessing. After years in Kansas and Colorado, I had never heard of cheat grass, so I admired the lush growth—until a neighbor stopped by and informed me that our beautiful field was actually an invasive pest.

Around here, everybody knows cheat grass except the newcomer praising it. Like fool’s gold, it succeeds by appearance. It looks valuable at first, then reveals itself later as dry, troublesome, sharp, and stubborn.

Experts offer complicated plans and cheerful wishes of “good luck,” but many landowners simply learn to manage it one season at a time. The lesson reaches beyond weeds.

Fool’s gold and cheat grass both remind us that not everything bright or green is good. As Scripture says, “You will know them by their fruits.” Some things require time, heat, and hardship before the truth appears.

In Part 2 of this Morning Brew, I take a step back from the political themes of the Great Awakening film and admit I missed the bigger picture the first time around—the power of prayer.

As the Constitutional Convention teetered on the edge of collapse, Benjamin Franklin’s call to prayer helped shift hearts, open minds, and guide the delegates toward compromise. But what does that kind of prayer look like in our everyday lives?

From the founding of a nation to a simple moment in my workshop—searching for a missing one-inch piece of plastic—I explore how prayer isn’t just for life’s biggest crises, but for the small, ordinary moments too.

With a touch of humor (and three uncooperative cats), this episode reflects on what it means to “pray without ceasing” and why inviting God into the daily details of life might matter more than we think.

Tax Day has a way of stirring up more than just paperwork—it stirs up questions. In this episode, Ted gathers around the table with a couple of his friends for a candid round table discussion on taxes, stewardship, and responsibility.

But beyond the numbers and deadlines, there’s a deeper tension many of us feel: contributing to a system we don’t always understand—or agree with.

This episode doesn’t offer financial advice (far from it), but it does explore something more personal. Why does the tax system frustrate us? Where’s the line between obligation and conviction? And how do we respond in a way that reflects both our values and our faith?

Drawing on the words of Jesus Christ—“render unto Caesar”—we wrestle with what it means to live with integrity in a complicated world. Do we simply comply? Push back? Stay engaged?

Maybe the answer is found somewhere in the middle: being honest, informed, and involved citizens—while treating others with respect and keeping our perspective grounded.

It’s not about having all the answers. It’s about asking the right questions… and continuing the conversation.

In this lighthearted Morning Brew, we tackle one of life’s most overlooked annoyances—loose change. From the ever-growing coin bowl in your dresser drawer to the moral dilemma of Coinstar fees versus rolling coins like it’s 1955, it’s a problem we all know too well. But what if there’s a better way?

Enter the 67-cent solution: a simple, intentional habit that keeps the change from piling up in the first place. Along the way, we explore the unique challenges of North Idaho living—like unexpected Canadian coins and the fear of accidentally spending a rare treasure worth far more than its face value.

With a touch of humor and a dash of faith, this episode reminds us that it’s often the small things—the daily habits and tiny choices—that shape our lives in bigger ways than we realize.

Sometimes, a little change…can make a big difference.

After watching The Great Awakening, I dusted off my old history teacher hat and took a fresh look at a familiar story. We all know about the Constitutional Convention and the Founding Fathers, but what shaped the people who shaped the nation?

In this Morning Brew, we go back before 1787…before 1776…to a time when a preacher named George Whitefield was drawing massive crowds in open fields, and a printer named Benjamin Franklin was helping spread ideas that stirred hearts and minds across the colonies.

This isn’t a deep dive into dates and documents—it’s a look at the culture, beliefs, and conversations that helped prepare a people for independence.

Along the way, we’ll connect those early influences to our lives today and ask a simple question: where do big ideas really begin?