BUILDing Gratitude (and Managing Picky Eaters) This Thanksgiving

In this episode of the Rise & Build Podcast, host Kendra Morgan is joined by Lauren Gebhardt for a heartfelt conversation about cultivating gratitude during the Thanksgiving season. Together, they explore practical ways to teach our children how to be thankful, create a home filled with gratitude, and even share tips for managing those picky eaters around the holiday table.

It’s an uplifting and relatable discussion that reminds us Thanksgiving is about more than just the meal — it’s about building hearts full of gratitude.

For more Aha Moments visit https://buildingallchildren.org/podcast

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:01

Welcome. My name is Kendra Morgan, and I'm the host of the Rise and Build Podcast, where we hope to empower you to rise up and build a strong family, knowing you have to strengthen your hands to do the good work. Come with us as we rise and build. Hey you guys, welcome to the Rise and Build Podcast. Today we are talking about Thanksgiving and how to teach our children to be grateful and how to build a home full of gratitude. And so I am sitting with Lauren Gebhart. We um are have that visited before, but today we are gonna talk about Thanksgiving. Yes, I guess I feel like you can add so much from being a mom, but also being a speech pathologist. Um so go ahead and talk a little bit about you so that our viewers know you.

SPEAKER_00 0:53

Yes. Um I'm so happy to be back. Um I love it. I'm so so grateful to be here. I love that. Um I am a wife. I always try to remember to say that first because I do so quickly go to mom, a mom of three. Yep. Um my kids are now 10, 8, and 6. Um such a sweet time. It is. I really feel like we're in this like really sweet spot where they still want to be with us for the most part. Um I mean they have great friends, but they want to be with us, they enjoy being with us, but they're they aren't um dependent on us for every little thing. So I'm really trying to soak in this sweet spot because I know it's it it's fleeting. It goes fast. Uh so yes, and I'm a speech pathologist. I work in the public schools now and um am very grateful for that job. Uh really, I love going to work each day. Um and that's those are my kind of cornerstones.

SPEAKER_01 1:44

I love it. Yeah. So you have been on before, and we talked a lot about picking picky eaters, trouble eaters, problem feeders, problem feeders was the big word. Um, and so it was such a good episode. And we've had a lot of families actually thank us for it because you get some really wise advice. So I feel like today we're gonna talk about setting around the table. It's Thanksgiving, it's what most families do. So we're still gonna touch on those picky eaters, what to do, what not to do. Um, but I also just want to talk about gratefulness and gratitude and how do we teach our children to be grateful for what they have?

SPEAKER_00 2:26

Well, and I I love that you said teach because I think we I have to teach it. I think we have it's something that we have to model. I don't think it's something that our, you know, kids are just innately born to do, you know. Yeah. Development, or there's a certain sequence of development, and you know, from sitting up and then, you know, walk crawling and walking, like those things will probably come. Right. Gratitude isn't in that you know, developmental sequence. So I really do think it's something we have to teach, and I think we have to be really um mindful of that. And I think it just will make everyone's just life and homes and families happier and better uh if we can teach gratitude and model that for our kids.

SPEAKER_01 3:13

Yeah, I say it all the time is you are raising a future husband and a future wife and a future employee and a future friend. And if we can teach them to be grateful, um, they'll just be better at all that.

SPEAKER_00 3:26

And teach them the earlier we can teach them, the better. You know, I think I think about when I send my kids to someone's house, you know, and I want them to be welcomed. I want I want someone to enjoy having them, I want them to not add to their plate, but to just, you know, enhance their family. And I want them to be invited back. And I know, you know, manners and and and being showing gratitude, showing thankfulness, you know, that's important. And I think the earlier we can teach them, you know, we're setting them up for for success.

SPEAKER_01 3:59

Um, could we talk about how? Like, if I'm listening to this, going, uh, how do I teach my child to be grateful? And maybe we should talk with age. Like, when did when do kids start understanding gratitude?

SPEAKER_00 4:13

So I I really think, you know, the first thing that kids are gonna learn or be grateful for is are their parents. You know, their parents are the ones who are there day in, day out, caring for them. They're the ones who are, you know, kissing their boo-boos, you know, giving them just doing those daily tasks, baths, meals, you know, all of that. And so I think kids at like start to understand and you know, without being able to put words to that, you know, feel that they can they can count on their parents and be grateful for that. And and then, you know, they start things start being important to kids. And I think then, you know, they're thankful for their dolls, their Barbies, their cars, whatever it is. And and I think, you know, it just changes. And I I think you feel grateful for some like it's a feeling, right? That you you you label, you know, it's you have something and you have a feeling for it, and you anyway. So I think it's you they have to relate that feeling. I think, you know, modeling the word thank you is so important that and you have to start there. And we want our kids to say thank you, just like we want our kids to say please. Uh I think that we have to show them that and and teach them what that means. And then and to do that, I try with my kids to talk about if we're saying thank you, what did that person do for us?

SPEAKER_02 5:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:40

You know, I I think about um really when I was thinking about this and reflecting, I think about Costco. Yeah. Uh we when we go to Costco and the people are giving out samples. Yeah. And I actually heard one time a woman say who was giving out samples that no one says thank you. And she was, I could tell, it was hurtful. Sure. And I think, I hope before that I was having my kids say thank you, thank you when they got samples, but it really stuck with me. And so instead of just modeling thank you or saying make sure you say thank you and please, I we've when we before we go in, we'll talk about why are we thankful for those people who are standing there? We're thankful because they're on their feet, right? They're letting us try something before you're buying it. They're usually smiling. A lot of times they'll check with parents to make sure, you know, there's no allergies or there's no, you know, um, they're the parents are okay with it. And we're grateful for those people who are providing that for us. And so it's not just a check the box. I'm saying thank you. You know, we're thankful for a service they're providing and and what they're doing for us. And I know that kind of sounds silly and simple, but uh we go to Costco once a week, so it's a great place to teach my kids gratitude.

SPEAKER_01 6:57

I actually love it because in some ways it's something we do all day long, and when we overlook it, it's just an opportunity we're missing to not teach our children, right? Right. And so, I mean, I I love that you actually take the time and talk to them. Like, why are we saying thank you for the snack that they just gave us? And it's just teaching them to be more observant of the service that they're providing, which really goes back to all the services we get, right? All the opportunities. Yeah. We taught Ryan and I talked about now that our kids are older, because I have older, I mean college kids, like out of college, we talked about like dream world we would love to save and then come together and just talk about people that have served us well all year long and give them an extra little something at Christmas. I love that. And we just Ryan and I are talking about that because there's one every day after church, we go eat at a restaurant and the same kid serves us, and he does such a good job. And I was like, I just feel like we should give him something, you know. And so it kind of started the conversation of it should be a family thing. And it makes us more observant of paying attention to the people that serve us and just thanking them.

SPEAKER_00 8:09

I I could not love that more. And I think just going above and beyond, you know, a tip as a thank you, and just saying, like, we see you, we recognize you, and letting our kids see that it's not all about us, right? Right. Like there's a really big world out there, and it's so easy to get centered on yourself and your family and what you have and what you don't have and what you want. Right. And I think especially during the holidays, you know, um, it's really easy to to not focus on gratitude. Right. Um so I I love I love that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:44

I love well, it's just seeing people we're past the thank you and teaching them to say thank you. Right. So it's like, how do you take it to that next step?

SPEAKER_00 8:53

You know, I think something we really try to do a couple times a year, some you know, service project of some go serve somewhere, right? You know, uh that we've served at Building All Children before. Uh we have served at um Catholic charities before in the in the market, and um, we've made cards for people, or we've gone and worked in gardens and um picked up trash at you know the school because we're thankful for our school, we're thankful for this playground. Like let's help keep that nice. And yeah, you're right, it's not always just please and thank you, but I think I think it's a great place to start and uh and just modeling that we are we're grateful.

SPEAKER_01 9:33

Well, and I think it's us too. I mean, I know there were times that I told my kids, I'm just grateful I get to be your mom. Like, God could have chosen anyone to be your mom. I know, and I'm so grateful that I get to be your mom. Um, and it's just it's it's saying that to our husbands, right? I mean, it's just important.

SPEAKER_00 9:49

And those uh that affirmation, and yeah, I think it's so important. I mean, uh my daughter Maggie the other day just said, Mom, thank you for taking me to school every day. Aw, so I said, You're welcome. It's something I take for granted, but it was so nice to know that she doesn't. Yeah. Um, and she really will like thank me for things that I feel like as a mom, those are that's my job to do. Yeah. But I think that was that really touched me and was pretty powerful in the fact that everyone has a job to do, and we can still show gratitude, we can still be grateful because that's how our world is the world we live in, and yeah, and it can be a happier and better place if we do, like you were saying, you know, seek people out and yeah and appreciate them. But I do, I think in your own family, it's easy to not do that. Yes. I think it's very easy, you know. I think kind of about um love languages and different ways to show appreciation and things like that. And it's really easy. Um my husband Eric, his love language, like or one is physical touch. So when he comes in from work, like he would love for me to stop what I'm doing and give him a hug. And and to me, I I think that's a way to show like I'm grateful for you. I'm so happy you're home, you know. I'm thankful you you're here. And and for me, I would love before I walked in the house, like for the dishes to be done. Like that's how I would, you know, like to be shown love and and um and that if he did that, it would show like I'm grateful, gratitude. And so I think it's important to do it in our own families because it's so easy to overlook those who are closest to you because you feel like they should know. Like you know that I'm happy you're home, so I don't need to stop when I'm dying to give you a hug, you know. You know that you already know that I love you. You already know that I'm grateful for you. So I think it's really I love that point.

SPEAKER_01 11:41

No, I agree 100%. And it's it's just the the children get to see and learn through your actions, right? Right. We always say actions are are stronger and better than our words, and so the more that you can show children how to behave with a gratitude heart, the better.

SPEAKER_00 11:58

Not just say say thank you, box checked. Right, yeah. I love the showing, the modeling.

SPEAKER_01 12:03

Yeah, the modeling is important. Let's talk a little bit. So, Thanksgiving is a busy time, and we we were talking in the office about Christmas and who decorates, who doesn't, and we're like, I hate to decorate before Thanksgiving because I don't want it to be a forgotten holiday because it's so important, and there's so much to teach our children through Thanksgiving. Um, but let's also talk about typically families' traditions set around the table, have big family dinners. I feel like this is kind of your specialty.

SPEAKER_00 12:34

Um, and I live it too. I live it as a mom and I live it as a speech pathologist. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:40

So let's talk about what to do, what not to do. Um, how do we how do we get our children that are picky eaters around the table with food they've never seen before? Do you recommend practicing?

SPEAKER_00 12:55

I I think you know parents know their kids best. Yeah. You know, I think I don't ever think practicing is a bad idea unless you know that it's gonna heighten your kiddo's anxiety. I think I definitely think teaching into it and talking about, you know, what to expect, what you know, because Thanksgiving is what once it's once a year. And and yes, we, you know, you probably have had a big meal at Easter or another, you know, birthday or something like that. But Thanksgiving is a different kind of food. There's different smells, different looks, you know. Think most people don't just have a carved turkey, right, you know, multiple times a year. So I do think talking into it and giving kids an idea of what to expect and kind of what that parent, those parents' expectations are of those of your of their kids. Um, are those are your parents, you like I said, parents know their kids best. Are they going to expect them to eat or try the turkey? You know, I think it's good to give our kids an idea of of what that's gonna look like for their family.

SPEAKER_01 13:56

What about you as a parent, I might have expectations, but grandma and grandpa have different expectations. I knew you were gonna ask me that. I know, or even because I feel like it's a problem. I hear families all the time say my sister does not get this.

SPEAKER_00 14:11

Or you know, so and it's hard to get, and I understand that if you don't live with it. Like if you aren't living that and you're kiddos, or you know, you don't even if you don't have kiddos, you haven't experienced what picky eating is. I totally understand that you would be confused why this kiddo didn't want to eat, you know, sweet potato casserole that has cinnamon like sugar and cinnamon and marshmallows and butter. Like I totally get that. Right. Um but I the speed or the feeding therapist in me would say that's a lot of like mixed textures and different flavors and the look of it, you know. But as a parent, and as a parent of picky eaters, I too am like they would never even want that to be on their side of the table. Um, I think as much as you can, like with the teaching into it with your kids, if there's an opportunity to talk to talk to family ahead of time and you know that you know that this is gonna be an issue, it's I I think it's easier to approach it ahead of the holiday when emotions aren't as high, when it's you're not on the defense, yeah, when you're you're trying to play offense here and just you're your kiddo's biggest advocate and you you are just trying to protect them, and I think you want to protect, you know, the person who might have these concerns too and keep the holiday as centered on what it's supposed to be about as possible. So I think talking about it is important. I think if you don't have the chance to talk about it and something is said, like I do think, and I think I would have a really hard time doing this, but I think being able to, you know, respectfully at the table say, you know, we be able to speak up for your kids and communicate what that expectation is in a in a polite and kind way, of course. But again, we are our kids' biggest advocates and we don't want our kids to feel uncomfortable. It's okay to feel uncomfortable sometimes, but around food and in that situation, that pressure can be really, really hard. Yeah. I think our kids want to please. I know our kids want to please. And if if they know the expectation, they know that when they're sitting down at the table, the expectation is to eat. So I think they we just want to be careful about putting that pressure on them in a in a positive way and not at a in a time where it's really, really stressful and could end up, you know, backfiring and making their feeding journey harder, longer. You know, there can really be might sound silly, but some trauma around around the feeding. Um so I think we just have to be really gentle, kind, understanding, patient, yeah with with our kids and with our family members because it is it's a hard position to be in.

SPEAKER_01 16:57

It is hard. It's hard for the child, and it's also hard for the family, for the parents. Yeah, it's it's can be uncomfortable. And it's hard for the grandparents who meanwhile prepared this huge mill. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 17:08

I mean, I see all of it. I do too. And I think um I I think another good idea would be to make sure that you know there it does you could find a food that probably would fit into that Thanksgiving that you're that the kiddo felt safe eating. And so I would say definitely have a safe food on the table. Whether you are hosting and can prepare that or say, you know, I would love to help contribute. What can I bring? Mashed potatoes. Oh, and I'm gonna bring XYZ, right? You know, and because you don't want to be disrespectful, but right again, we we have to be mindful.

SPEAKER_01 17:44

Yeah. So I also love whoever invented the kid table and the adult table. So smart deserves a gold. So smart. Like that person should wear a gold medal for the rest of their lives.

SPEAKER_00 17:54

I agree. I would actually still love to be at the kid table. I know.

SPEAKER_01 17:58

Well, it just for us, it always allowed, because I do have a picky eater too, she's much better now, but um it just allowed her to hang out with her cousins and talk and not necessarily have to eat. I yes.

SPEAKER_00 18:10

Um and so eating is such, especially at Thanksgiving, so social.

SPEAKER_01 18:15

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 18:15

And it can feel probably pretty isolating if every and nerve-wracking and anxiety, you know, if everyone around you is is eating and you're you're you know that that's the expectation. And if you're at the adult table. Right, you know. I also think um, going back to your question before, if our kettos can be involved in setting the table and you know, in the cooking process of things, like any involvement is is so good and I think helps them feel more and more comfortable and included. Yeah. And if they're just included in that part of the meal and not the actual eating, like that is a success to me. Yes, you know. I agree. Just being around the food and the whole thought process of because really preparing and all of that, setting the table, and yeah, that takes actually so much longer than the actual sitting there and eating. Um, so I think there's so many ways we can be successful.

SPEAKER_01 19:06

So okay, you brought up that. So building all children created um, so we created a placemat that we use often in our playgroups, and we give them out to families. Um, and so I can would love one. Okay, well, I can talk or two. I can give you several, but I can talk to the team about maybe even putting a link with this. Yeah, it's a great idea. And the reason we created it is really more for organization and executive functioning because it's it's a big deal to be able to, it's a lot of steps to set a table. Yes. Um, but we've learned the more that they are involved in this process, the more they're willing to sit down around the table. And so um so yeah, I do think the more that they can help set the table or cook or prepare or bake, I mean, any of that helps.

SPEAKER_00 19:55

And last year a friend gave us these big turkey placemats that the kids could color and they had so much fun coloring those. And then it made, I mean, my tablescape didn't look exactly the aesthetic was not exactly what I had, you know, pictured, but they were so excited to put their placemat down. And you know, they're only young ones and so they could decorate these to look more, you know, Thanksgiving, or they could make their own placemats. I just think anything that's going to encourage, encourage that, you know, sitting around the table together, because we know that's where you build a lot of family conversation and language and all that.

SPEAKER_01 20:35

Yeah. Talk to us about, because since you're a speech pathologist, it's the season of thankfulness, the season of activities. Could you share just some fun things that families could do at home to talk about being thankful and grateful?

SPEAKER_00 20:50

Yeah. Uh so something I do at home and at school, uh, I we I have this thankful tree, and I've seen them, you can buy them at Michael's or Target, or you can make one, you know. Yeah, we made one. Yeah. And you I love like having the leaves be what you're thankful for. So I think that's so fun and it's it's cute. And a lot of them, the things that they're thankful for, I are things that I again don't really think about. And it's it's good for me to know, oh, okay, that actually makes an impact on them. I should keep doing that, or we should do more of that, or we need to see this person who we haven't seen because they're, you know. So I do that. I do that at school too with my kids, and I think it's really fun because I just sometimes they surprise me. And then if they say they're thankful for X, Y, Z, I can make sure to ask about that later and follow up. And I think that just deepens that connection and the relationship. Uh so we do the thankful tree, and then I keep it up um as I keep it up for a while, really, until it's time to crisp decorate for Christmas. And then each year around Thanksgiving, I bring it back out. And I have at school, I have mine from all my years that I've done it. Really? And then at home I kind of do the same thing. Um, or at least the leaves, you know, I'll keep on like a ring if I have a if I have a different tree. I just, you know, it's their memories that I want to keep. And so um anyway, so that's fun. I've seen, you know, a lot of classrooms and I think some um moms of kids who are younger do those turkey, like thankful turkeys where you have the like five or six or however many feathers and they can write, you know, what they're thankful for on those feathers. And it's always some of the things they say are so funny. Yeah. And then some of them are so, like I said, some of the things are so deep. Um, and then there's, you know, the ones in between. Um, and so I love that each year at school I've started doing, I print off like a little template and it just says, I'm thankful for you because, and I write to my students, you know, a line or a word or something, like a reason that I'm thankful for them. And I love, I I usually I this year I do have a couple older kids on my caseload, but typically I work with the younger ones, and so I read it to them, and it's really fun to see like their eyes light up, like, oh, she's thankful for me because I ask questions, you know. Oh, I love it. She's thankful for me because I walk down the hall like a leader, you know. And it's really fun to see like their reaction to that. And then what I also love is that I and I hope that they take them home and they show their parents and that their parents see and feel that their kiddos are loved by and you know, seen seen by you know, different people in the school, and then also like maybe they don't know that they walk down the hall like a leader, you know, it just gives them another peek into their day. And so I've that's really one of my favorite things to do. And I really do spend a lot of time like making a list. I never repeat, I never, you know, maybe year to year I do, but in on my caseload, like I don't there's never two that are the same because there's something about everyone, you know, each of these kids that I really want to show them that I'm grateful for. So those are kind of some of the ways that I I like to celebrate this season.

SPEAKER_01 24:10

I love the the letters that that's just so sweet. And I feel like families could just do that with their kids easily. It's just a kind of a great conversation to talk around the table.

SPEAKER_00 24:20

And I think so too. You know, I know at at um not Halloween, at uh Valentine's Day, a lot of parents do like the hearts on the door with things they love, like maybe I'm gonna go cut out some feathers when I get home and put you know, feathers on my kids' door, or or like you said, around the table. It doesn't have to be a crafty thing, it doesn't have to be a big production, but I think just really taking a step back. Yeah. And in this fast-paced world, you know, where we can order something at from Amazon right now and it can be here by six o'clock. And when we have all these things just at our fingertips, it's easy to forget that we have so much to be grateful for. And uh so I really think taking a step back and and talking into that is really important.

SPEAKER_01 25:07

I love it. I love it. Is there anything that you want to add table-wise, Thanksgiving-wise? Um, we talked to we talked about that. I think it's just so important because it's to me, Thanksgiving is just that dinner. Right. I know what it is about. Um, and it just can be overwhelming. Um, so I I feel like you covered it all. Yeah, I think what about do you think it's okay? Like I know you said like to bring a dish, but I mean, some children don't even like to eat off of some like not their plate. Right. That's true. Is it okay to bring their own food and bring their own plates?

SPEAKER_00 25:43

What do you how do you feel about it? I know I it's so hard because again, you want to be respectful of the person that's hosting, and maybe in that case, you just try to be the host. You know, you try to have control of those things. I think again, just talking to the person who is hosting if it's not you, and just say, you know, that this is just what we have to do for this season of our life. You know, I know that we're gonna get to the point where your Maggie is, yeah, and she's you know, is gonna be able to eat, yeah, take the things on the Thanksgiving table, but right now that's just not where we are. And so I hope that you can understand that we're gonna bring this plate because you're right. Sometimes the plate makes all the difference. Sometimes the way something's cut makes all the difference. And uh I think having a plan with your kid, like I said, is just really important. Um, and seeing if, you know, they're okay with we're just gonna your your job is gonna be passing the food, you know. Are you okay with that? Are you comfortable, you know, doing that? Or that's good, giving them little jobs that they can fill. Yes, or um, are you comfortable, you know, putting a little spoonful of each of these things on your plate? And you know, if they say no, then you I guess if you're asking the question, you probably need to honor that. But um, I think really just finding ways to include them uh is the best thing you can do. Knowing that they will can the next Thanksgiving, they will have made some progress. Yeah, you know, there's a year between and just knowing this is where we are now, yeah, having hope and and being grateful for where they are because I'm sure that they're some, you know, they've made progress from last Thanksgiving and um keeping that in perspective, but it can be hard, you know, it can be stressful not to compare.

SPEAKER_01 27:32

Oh, it's right, so hard not to compare when you've got cousins and you've got siblings and you've got the mixture of all that, and they it's easy for the cousins. It it's hard to be like, okay, wait, what why? Why is this so hard for us? I know. Um and I think you just have to not compare and just just know what's best for your child, and it's it's okay.

SPEAKER_00 27:56

I I that was so hard for me, and I like eating is our probably biggest struggle at our house. Um, but I know that other families have struggles that aren't around eating that are something different, and whether you know them or whether you don't, you know, everyone, every person struggles with something. And so eating is more like visible, I feel like, because it's something we do so often throughout the day, and it is something we do if we have friends or family over. Like there's usually food involved because that's how our culture is. I mean, that I love that about our culture. I am like planning my next meal at the meal that I'm currently eating, and so I just think we have to be sensitive to the to the fact that if that is your family's struggle or one of your kiddo's struggles, it is okay and it's gonna get better, and someone else is probably struggling with something else, it just might not be visible.

SPEAKER_01 28:51

Yeah, I agree. Okay, so I I mean I've loved all this. I think I think as parents, we tend to overlook gratitude and we don't realize that it is actually something we have to teach, and we know, I mean, we know what research says, and the brain is wired for fear, anxiety, but it has to be taught forgiveness and gratefulness and thankfulness. And so we have to model it and we have to teach it and we have to encourage it. And the only way we do that is by using those words and stopping and teaching them about others and about what we have, um, and not comparison. I mean, there's just there's just so much. And I think you've actually done a really good job giving just some simple ways to games to play and things to think about, um, how to teach our children that building all children always turns back to the Bible. I love that. It's what we stand on, it's what we know is true, it's the same, it never changes. Um, so I would love for you to share a scripture um that kind of fits into this topic. Do you have one? I I do.

SPEAKER_00 30:01

Um, I I think they're probably, you know, throughout the Bible, but the one that comes to mind and came to mind when I was thinking about this is James 1, 17. And just every good and perfect gift comes from God, comes from above. And again, those aren't just things, and I think that's so hard to remember when you're thinking about being grateful. Like I know if I was to you know make a list, there would be a lot of people on there, but there would be a lot of things. Right. And I just think I really want to be good, better at teaching my kids that we can be grateful for experiences and places. It's it's not just it's not just stuff. Yeah. And I think it around the holidays, you know, as those Amazon catalogs are coming and the the Target, we're going to Target and they're seeing toys, and I think it's good. Those things are okay to it's not bad to be grateful for those things, you know. And but I just really think we have to remember that everything we have, the life that we live, you know, it's all from and because of God, and and just giving thanks to Him for that and um and like you said, modeling it for our kids and not I don't want to ever beat it into them. I just want them to see me as a grateful person, yeah, grateful to others, grateful to the Lord.

SPEAKER_01 31:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:24

I think being living in a living a life of gratitude equals living a life of joy, you know, and I think that's a beautiful way to live. And I want people to, when they look at me, to to see that, and obviously to see God in me. And I feel like showing gratitude is a really good way to do that.

SPEAKER_01 31:44

Yeah, I love it. Lauren, thank you. Thank you for having me. Yay!

SPEAKER_00 31:48

Happy back again. I I love I love to be here.

SPEAKER_01 31:51

Yeah, no, well, and now that we're uh visual, yes, yes, um, we wanted to invite you back. And really, we were talking about just the whole Thanksgiving thing and the eating came up, and we know how you handle that so well as being a mom, but also being a therapist. And then just your beliefs and the way you love Jesus and the way um He's the best. Well, I think when you are on fire for him, you are more grateful because he chose you, um, right? And he he chose us, and to know that we're chosen is just so comforting, but we want to be so grateful for that too. Because we didn't have to. No, right? So, but thank you, thank you for your time. I'm grateful.

SPEAKER_00 32:31

Thanks for having me.