#jinjer vuolo

So this podcast starts with an ad for SOS Radio, bragging about how it has no commercials. (Then what am I listening to?) 

The host starts by referencing how they’ve talked about 19 Kids and Counting before and he’s excited to have one of the kids (Jinger) and her husband here today. He says good morning to Jinger and Jeremy responds over her, then he says good morning to Jeremy. 

Then the host explains that Jinger’s parents “James and Michelle” have NINETEEN KIDS and their thirteenth grandchild is on the way. He asks Jinger what it was like growing up in that household and if there was “even time to have your own quiet”. 

Jinger: “It was awesome. I loved it. Definitely never a dull moment. There was always someone to do something with. We jokingly said we had our own basketball team two times over, so it was a lot of fun!”

Then he asks what it was like to have that many brothers and sisters and every element of your life lived in public.

Jinger: “Since we started so young with the TV show, I think it all kind of came naturally in the sense of having public lives. Even previous, prior to that my dad was in politics and so we were constantly used to the public life so when the TV show came along it wasn’t anything different and so it was always something that my parents balanced very well to have family time but then to have time when we were able to share our lives with the viewers.”

Then he mentions Counting On and says Jeremy and Jinger met on a mission trip and phrases it as if it was Jeremy who thought to “do dating a little different than most people do!”

Jeremy: [laughs] “That’s right! When I saw Jinger and her heart for the Lord - she has a selfless desire to serve other people - when I saw that in her and really how she submitted her life to God’s word I really knew that this is the woman that I want to marry and so I expressed that interest to her father and her father said ‘Hey, well, why don’t I get to know you a little bit?’ and then did that, built a relationship with Pops now and then Jinger and I started courting. I had to adjust a little bit to courting but it was great. We really enjoyed that time.”

The host asks Jeremy how courting is different than the average dating experience. Jeremy explains that it’s sometimes called “dating with a purpose”, but it’s essentially focused on honoring Christ and relating to one another through intentionality and purity and “not playing fast and loose with someone’s heart”. Jeremy makes it clear that whether you call it courting or dating doesn’t matter, what matters is the intention. 

Then the host says that Jeremy’s mom is there too. He asks Diana what her thoughts were about teaching her kids to date differently and how she had that conversation “so it doesn’t sound awkward”. Diana explains that it was always an ongoing conversation, and that they taught them from childhood how to take an interest in others and serve others. That naturally goes into dating relationships because it’s not just about “fun fun fun” but about intentionality and focusing on building a strong relationship. She says if you can relate well to familial relationships you can relate well to dating relationships. 

Then he mentions Counting On again (he does this a lot), and says “Jinger there’s a baby this season!” Jinger plugs this season’s birth episode and says that there are a lot of other exciting things to see including John’s wedding, Josiah’s honeymoon, their miscarriage (she doesn’t say miscarriage, just that they’re walking through "one of the most difficult challenges in their lives” since this is before the season premiered), and says it’s a “very interesting season for sure”. 

He asks how Jinger and Jeremy set up parenting strategies so she’s honoring her husband but also taking care of her kid. Jinger says it “naturally falls into place” because God designed us to be up to it. She’s also grateful for all the help and support from family and close friends. Then he asks Jeremy what the first tough lesson he had to face as a new dad was.

Jeremy: “You know, I don’t know if it was a tough lesson, but it was definitely a lesson. I say maybe not tough because when I became a father these paternal instincts just immediately kind of cropped up in my life, and it was pretty cool. People would tell you what to expect or how to prepare, but then you actually become a father and all of a sudden you kind of kick into fifth gear. And the lesson I think was less sleep, more coffee, but, you know, it wasn’t a burden really because it was just kind of natural. The baby would be crying during the night and I would hop out of bed and run over and see how’s she doing. So it’s a joy, but it’s definitely an adjustment.”

The host mentions Diana again and how the family grew up with a lot of music and art and culture. He asks Diana about SWAN, and she explains how 1 in 14 US children have a parent in prison and this places trauma and struggles on the kids. SWAN is addressing this by helping provide a support group for the children but also free music lessons because research shows music helps children succeed. They’re looking to break the cycle of children feeling worthless and powerless when their parents have to leave them by helping them develop strengths and skills and will help them learn that their circumstances don’t define them. The host says “As Christians if we don’t believe in second chances what are we doing, right?” and Diana just laughs and then goes back to the focus of SWAN which is empowering the kids [my note: the kids aren’t the ones needing second chances in this situation?] and asks the listeners to check out their website or Facebook page. The host rambles about parents lying to their kids about the other parents being in jail and talks about his own program about setting up 50 living room sets in the same room and gave kids with incarcerated parents Christmases in these living room sets and a surprise parent showing up for it. [my note: how do they get these parents out of jail for a giant warehouse Christmas?] Diana says it sounds lovely then goes back on message talking about SWAN and how it provides an impactful solution. She thanks the host for helping her get the word out and says they’re trying to expand to other cities. 

Host back to Jinger, asks about schedules and “guardrails” and strategy “when every kid wants to play baseball or try dance or take some music lessons and Mom and Dad are trying to get them there”, and says Jeremy knows a lot about the “diligences that come with this” since he was a professional soccer player. [my note: did this man actually watch 19KaC as much as he claims if he thinks JB and Michelle balanced kids in organized sports and dance?] He asks what they suggest families look at when trying to schedule with all the activities. Jeremy says that as a pastor, he feels it’s important to recognize the “primacy and place of the local church” and that it shouldn’t be something we attend on Saturday morning [my note: not a typo, I went back and replayed it and he says Saturday, not Sunday] or drop the kids off on Tuesday, but really place important on church. Even as a professional soccer player he says he grew up not playing on Sundays because his parents said they wanted to keep Christ and the local church first. People told him he’d never go to a good college or make it pro if he didn’t play on Sundays [my note: I highly doubt that’s true] but out of all the kids he knew who played soccer he’s one of two or three who made it professionally because he put Christ first. Then the host asks Jinger’s perspective because she had eighteen siblings fighting for Mom and Dad’s time and trying to fit in the van for all of the activities. Jinger says there was definitely a lot to keep up with all the music lessons. As for Felicity, they’re waiting to see what she expresses interest in growing up, but that music lessons are definitely in store for her. “Get some violin in, like her grandma!” Her priority is balancing activities but making sure they value Christ first and "all other activities” else second.