Enjoy the Joy – May Table Talk - #241

In this month’s table talk episode, our three cohosts chat through the discussion questions found in this year’s Make It Awkward curriculum video by Sherri Crandall.   

You can also find our cohosts on Instagram: @andreafortenberry, @ivymamma and @sherri_crandall.

Get a copy of Andrea's book, Two-Minute Timeouts for New Moms: 100 Devotions for Weary and Wonderful Days.

Get a copy of Sherri's book, Lexi the Butterfly.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:04

Welcome to the Momco Leadership Podcast. We believe that life and leadership are better in community. We're here to equip and encourage you as a leader and mom. We'll talk about real issues and practical tools to help you grow in your leadership, motherhood, and faith. Hi leaders, I'm Andrea Fort and Mary, and welcome to our Table Talk episode. While we love all the episodes we produce on the Mom Co Leadership Podcast, these are always among our personal favorites because it's what it feels like to be sitting around a Momco table talking with one another and getting to know each other better. We hope that you find them encouraging and inspiring as you get to know women in the various tables in your own life. I am joined, as always, by my co-host Jennifer Iverson and Sherry Crandall. Welcome, friends. Hey, how are you? Good, good. Excited for today.

SPEAKER_04 1:00

Always good to be together.

SPEAKER_02 1:02

For sure. Today we are discussing the questions that accompany this year's Enjoy the Joy video, which was written and filmed by the lovely Sherry Crandall. So it's fun because we worked on this video quite a while ago. So it's fun to sit and revisit it and go through the questions together. So let's dive in. First question: When do you catch yourself saying, I'll be happy when fill in the blank? Cherry, you want to go first on this one since it was your video?

SPEAKER_01 1:37

It's so funny. I had somebody send me a picture of them watching this video last week in their group. And as you know, we all video a lot of things. And sometimes I'm like, is that the one that I did? I'm not sure. Because, like you said, we work so far out that I forget sometimes which ones that I actually did. So this is one that um that I recorded. And I think I used to say that when my kids were really little, like once everybody's out of diapers, or once everybody's, you know, you tend to start doing those things. And I had a wonderful mentor mom that just one day stopped me in my tracks and she said, if we wish everything away, we don't enjoy what's happening in front of us. And I was just like, whoa. And I shared that with my husband, and we kind of made like a pact that night. I remember we had put all the kids to bed, and it was one of those like everyone was in the bathtub and crazy. And I had three little boys and they were wonky at night, you know, and they're all the wiggles and stuff to get out. And um, I just said, but I want to be there, I want to enjoy every minute. I don't want to waste it away. And so we kind of made like a pinky promise, like, yeah, we're gonna do it even when it's hard. And I think after that we stopped wishing away the things um because I always think there's something we can learn in it. Um yeah. So I I think it was harder when they were little, because you know, those nights are hard. Those things are, you know, you always need a snack, you always need a bottle, you always need something. And this is how you're like, I'll be so glad when they're independent. Right.

SPEAKER_02 3:27

Yeah, it's easy. My list was like, yeah, when they're sleeping through the night, when they're potty trained, when I don't have to drive them everywhere. Like those were very common things when when they were little for sure. What about you, Jennifer?

SPEAKER_04 3:40

I think I most often say that when things feel difficult. That's when I want to live in the past, like, oh, it was easier before we had to deal with this, or in the future, oh, this will be better. I love your example of when they finally drive because I do feel like you're constantly in the car. Um, but when they did finally drive, then I was dealing with stress over them driving or missing the time that I had in the car with them. And so for me, that often that phrase often comes up when I'm not sitting in the present. And and I don't know about you guys, but I will often say, Oh, this will be so much easier when life slows down. And the reality is life doesn't slow down, even even now as an empty nester, I can say life is still busy, it's just a different kind of busy. And so if we don't learn how to manage our expectations or our um it's okay to be nostalgic, but not like, oh, I wish things were the way they used to be, but being content with where they are right now.

SPEAKER_02 5:05

Yeah, it's easy to look back and have rose-colored glasses too, and just remember the good things and not the hard things that that accompanied. I it's so interesting how we have just a short memory sometimes when when it comes to that. And Jen, you said words when life slows down. I feel like for me, that is often what I say, and not that I'll be happy when life slows down, but I guess I in my mind say like life will be better or life will feel more peaceful when it slows down. But like you said, I feel like every season just has its own rhythm. Some are slower than others, but there's just always things, perpetually always different things as our kids are in different seasons, as we're in different seasons. And that word contentment is super important because we're always living for that future when we think life will slow down or look back like we're not experiencing contentment and peace and joy that I think Jesus wants us to have in every single season of our life. So I think it's good for us to stop and ask ourselves this question and be like, okay, this is the complaint I have in my head and kind of the mindset I'm having. So, how can I recalibrate and really focus on living for today and enjoying the joy that is found today?

SPEAKER_04 6:30

So I think there's other areas too. Like I I know I've said, oh, this would be so much easier if we had more money, or we can do that when we have more money. Um, so I think financial is another way to look at this. Um, and I'll be honest, I also think this when I think about the number on the scale. Oh, when I can lose 10 more pounds, then I can go do all of these things. And so I think there's lots of areas of our lives, not just our motherhood, where we can we can think about this, even in leadership. Oh, if I take this course, then I'll be able to do these things. And so I think that's really for me is not thinking in the present or in the future or the past, but how can I enjoy this moment right now?

SPEAKER_01 7:28

Yeah, the difficult is what you said, and um, for a lot of our audience, um, a lot of people know that I'm going through breast cancer treatment right now and I start chemotherapy this week. So I would like to fast forward through that. I actually asked my husband if we could sneak off to Paris tonight. Not that we would have the money to do that or be able to, you know, that makes no sense because I need to do it, uh, because I want to, you know, experience the healing that um I will experience. But what's so hard about anything that's difficult, go from like exhausted as a young mom with no sleep or a team that you feel like, if we just had three more people to help pull this off, or you know, when this happens, and when I lose 10 pounds, I'm sure I'll feel better or I'll look better, or I'll be in the picture then. Um, you know, we all tend to do that and we miss out on the joy. And I don't think it's going to be a fun experience the next 12 weeks, but I also believe there's still gonna be a lot of joy and I will enjoy it, but I have to look for it. And I think that's the other thing I want to say. We all have difficult things, and when we start just looking for like confirmation that this is so hard, this is so hard, instead of like there's still joy, even when things are really, really hard, there's still joy. But I think we have to like give ourselves a pep talk to look for it, but encourage each other, point it out to people to be like, I saw that and this was so amazing. And when we point it out to each other, let's be that for each other to find the joy because it's there. We just have to look for it.

SPEAKER_02 9:14

I think it's interesting timing. I think God had a little hand in us having this conversation the week that that you're starting that treatment. And um, yeah, like you said, I Sherry, I'll just pause to say that you have walked through this with so much poise and grace. And I know you're gonna lean into choosing the joy, even though it's hard, and we are cheering for you every step of the way.

SPEAKER_01 9:41

Well, I want to share just a little piece of joy that I think you guys are responsible for. Um, but I was, yeah, I just have been struggling as of late. And um, Bethany, one of our team members, she dropped off notes for me um that are I'm to read every week for the next 12 weeks and then into radiation, which is 15 times. And then she said there's a few extra when I'm really struggling. Um, that's a joy. That is, I haven't opened them yet because I was told I couldn't until day one. So I'm being a good girl.

SPEAKER_04 10:17

You're not that much of a rule follower.

SPEAKER_01 10:19

I don't know what's happening. I think because I feel like I'm gonna really need it on Wednesday, so I'm gonna grab it. Um, but but you know what I'm saying? Like instead of dreading, like there are that just was so kind that you that you love me, that you cared enough to do that. And um, we can be that for each other. And so um, yeah, just keep looking for it because it's under our nose. Good things are there, we just have to look.

SPEAKER_04 10:48

I think to enjoy the joy doesn't mean I may be jumping ahead in your questions, Andrea, and I'm sorry about that, but just based on what Sherry said, it it doesn't mean to be all you know like Pollyanna and super positive. You can acknowledge that it's hard. Like, I mean, potty training a a kid brought out the worst in me.

SPEAKER_03 11:14

It's amen.

SPEAKER_04 11:18

Oh, I I am sure I have scarred a number of children because of it, but um it it doesn't mean we have to be positive about it. We can acknowledge the hard, but we can also not wish it away, you know. Um, I as a badge of honor, I wear a button, metaphorically, that says I potty trained six children. Like I and I used it, I told my husband, I potty trained them, you teach them to drive. I can't do both. Like I was like, so I think um going through the hard things also boosts our resolve for the next hard thing. Like we got through that hard thing. Um, so I don't know that enjoying the joy, it's like it's hard because it's it kind of sounds like be happy about what you're doing, but it really is just be present in this moment and recognize the good in this moment, even when it's hard.

SPEAKER_02 12:29

So yeah, that's and I like that really we're differentiating here that joy is different than happiness, because I think happiness is a feeling we have based on our circumstances. Like we all feel happy when things are going well, but when life is hard, I feel like then we can choose joy, like we can lean into the good parts and look for them versus it just being kind of circumstantial as things happen. And and Jennifer, you were talking about, you know, the blessings that come, like the things that we learn and how we grow. And it reminded me of James 1, 2 that says, consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds, so that the testing of your faith will develop perseverance. And you need perseverance so that you can be mature and complete. I think, I think that's how the whole verse goes. Um, but yeah, it produces something in us that perseverance that we need, I think, for just for life and for the future and future experiences and to to encourage one another with the encouragement that God gives to us in the hard things. So it's super hard. It's really easy to say, oh, let's consider it pure joy when maybe we're not the one in a really hard thing, but when we even the little things, right? Like the washer goes out, or our kids are misbehaving in an afternoon, or harder things like walking through cancer treatment, like we can lean in and know that whatever trial we're facing, that it's gonna that God's gonna use it for our good and he's gonna teach us through it. And again, we have to look for and fight for the joy in it.

SPEAKER_01 14:12

And joy comes from the Lord, happiness comes from our circumstances. Like I'm happy when my hair looks great. Well, okay. I love that. Well, soon I will lose that. And so is that joy? No, that's happiness because of circumstance. Joy comes from the fact that Jesus loves me, that he was willing. Like we're in holy week as we're filming this. Um, that he died for us, and the joy that that has brought to us to know that we can have eternal life. Wow, I mean, there you go. That's the joy, and that comes from the Lord. It doesn't come from you know whether we get to eat all the jelly beans or whatever, although that that is a bit joyful for me.

SPEAKER_03 14:58

I mean stale peeps are my favorite. Oh, yes, Andrea and her stale peeps. I opened a package of peeps this week and I had to text her and be like, should I hold on a second? Sorry, I'm totally side rail.

SPEAKER_01 15:15

I think we need to go down this road for just a half a second. Do you how do you make them stale?

SPEAKER_02 15:22

So you just come out, cut the package open and leave it for a couple days and then come back. It just why does it make that so here's here's my thing. When you just open the package and eat it, it kind of like melts in your mouth. I don't like the texture. I like it if it's like a little chewier. So then if you leave it out for a few days and you bite it, it's just it's more chewy.

SPEAKER_04 15:44

Here's my one thing the stale peep left out on the counter for a couple of days has the same texture as a circus peanut. If that oh, yeah, there you go.

SPEAKER_02 15:55

Like a little, a little more on that side. There you go. Which not break your teeth hard, but like a little more firm. But you made fun of me with the poofalettes from Romania because of the taste. It was the taste. And those tasted more like pack or felt more like packing peanuts to me.

SPEAKER_01 16:14

I just want to call that out. And so, in case everyone's like, what in the world are these girls talking about? When I'm in Romania, there is a snack that Andrea thinks tastes like packing peanuts, but I think it tastes amazing. They're like kind of popcorn-ish, but they're called pouffalettes and they're very famous. And the girls, when I'm in Romania, they brought me like eight bags, like as tall as I was, and then they brought them to mom con. And so I was sitting there so excited, and then I was like, I'll share with my friends like maybe one other person like them, and I love them. So I just I will try the stale peep, but okay, let me know. I'm not sure about it.

SPEAKER_04 16:58

Let me know. The the Poofet is like a cheese puff minus the cheese flavor.

SPEAKER_02 17:06

Yes, it was just flavorless to me.

SPEAKER_01 17:10

It's a nuanced, delicate flavor.

unknown 17:14

I like it.

SPEAKER_04 17:15

Well, I am glad you enjoy the ingredient list. Do not read the ingredient list.

SPEAKER_01 17:20

Let's just actually corn oil and like salt. That's great. Interesting. Oh, this is great. So, anyway, joy comes from the Lord, not from your, you know, whatever, but we we can have happiness in those other fine souls.

SPEAKER_03 17:36

We can, and you can find joy in stale peeps. I know.

unknown 17:43

So fun.

SPEAKER_02 17:43

Well, this leads into the next question is what are you grateful for today? In addition to what we've already mentioned.

SPEAKER_01 17:53

What are you grateful for today? Sherry, you want to go first? Well, I'm grateful for for you guys and my little time in Tennessee. I would say I love the word y'all. So I'm grateful for y'all because it's so wonderful. I just had a meeting before I hopped on this with our global team, and we are so blessed at the Mom Co. to not only get to do the work that we do, but to do it with people that we genuinely love and care for. And you know, I don't just that doesn't happen a lot. And so I'm very grateful for that. It is springtime in Colorado, and I'm grateful for all the little birds that are waking me up super early in the morning, the buds on the trees. Like if you just look around, it's just confirmation that you know God is working because it was just covered in snow a couple days ago, and now it is glorious with everything in full bloom. So a lot to be grateful for. And I have the best husband. You all probably think you do, but I'm so grateful for my husband who's standing beside me through all of this. So and my children. So I have a lot to be grateful for today.

SPEAKER_02 19:05

Um Jennifer, what about you?

SPEAKER_04 19:09

Well, I think it's interesting because when I stop and I think about what I'm grateful for, it is not like big giant things, it's usually people and small things. Um, I started years ago a gratitude journal because I felt like I was in that state where I wasn't noticing the things that were good. And I just do it on a monthly basis. I have one sheet of paper, I put the month at the top. So right now I'm doing March as Sherry's holding up her notebook. I have a similar notebook, but I just do it by month because daily felt way too overwhelming to me. And it's humorous to me. Like, I'm grateful for the sunrise. I think there is just something about when the sun is shining and it hits your face, it just is amazing. Um, I don't love gray days, but the gray days make me love the sunny days even more. It's this weird, you know, juxtaposition. Um, another thing that shows up is my morning coffee. I uh I have had moments where I'm like, oh, we get to go to bed, so we get to wake up and have coffee.

SPEAKER_03 20:26

Like I just love it so much.

SPEAKER_04 20:29

Um, but also I think like I just got off the phone a FaceTime message with um child number four, my daughter, um, a few minutes ago. And just hearing her excitement about some of the things that's going on in her life, I'm grateful for the technology to do that. And I'm grateful for the technology. I mean, the three of us live in three different states here in the US, and we get to come together um really anytime we want, unless my internet is out, which it was this last week. Um, but we get to come together and and share these beautiful conversations. And so I think it's the the people and the little things sometimes that I am the most grateful for. But always coffee, just FYI. Always coffee.

SPEAKER_02 21:21

I think that's so good because again, I think we can live for that mindset of oh, I'll feel grateful when these things happen, or the big mountaintop moments of life. But how often are we in the mountaintop moments? Most of the time we're in the the mundane every day, but I think God can does great work in the mundane every day. And so I like identifying the little things that we're grateful for and that bring us joy. It's really important. Well, I'll share mine. I had the amazing privilege to travel this past weekend to North Carolina to a getaway with a writer speaker group that we're all part of, the three of It's called called Creatives with Allie Worthington and Lisa Whittle. And first of all, I won a free ticket to go, which is a huge blessing because initially I saw the email. I looked at my calendar and the cost, and I was like, nope, can't make it happen this time. Deleted the email. Well, then two days later, they sent out another email that's like, win a free ticket to the getaway. So I was like, I'm sure, I'll enter that. And then I won. So so grateful for that. It was so grateful to be in the room with them. And then also met a couple of friends who I know from online but got to see in real life. And my biggest takeaway from the weekend was I asked Ellie a question about what is your, what's your best advice for navigating my full-time job and my writer speaker part of my life too. And what Ellie said was so brilliant. If I were a tattoo person, I honestly would tattoo it on my arm. I'm not, but so I think I'm going to like make a plaque or something and put it where I can see it every day. And this is what she said. She said, What a joy it is to be exhausted from your calling. And that was just so profound to me because I am in a season where I am exhausted, but it's because I am living in my calling and getting to do so many amazing things here at the Mom Co. And then in my writing-speaking life, I have a book coming out. I have my daughter's graduating. Like I am really living in answered prayers and just God's plan for my life. And I'm so grateful. And so that just really revived me of like, it's okay to be exhausted. And isn't it a joy to be exhausted from the things that you have dreamed about? So that was just super encouraging to me. And I feel like I went there to hear that. So super grateful.

SPEAKER_01 23:56

Amazing. She's so great. And I would say I've asked her that almost identical question. Um, and that answer gave me so much pause and reflection of gratitude because you know, it is the things that we pray about, it is the opportunities that we want to be able to share our experiences and our love for Jesus. And for those of us who do this like for a living, right? It's um it's rare to have like all of that align, and it feels like sometimes it just all shows up at your door at the same time. Um, but to to reflect on it differently. Um I I have a good friend who went through years of infertility and then she ended up having triplets. And um she said I had to remind myself, especially when they were little, that this is what I prayed for. This is what I was hoping for. I wanted that loud, boisterous house full of kids and to be a mom. And you know, so it's the same thing. Like we we sometimes pray for those things, and then when we're in it, we're like, whoo, that's a lot. But it's the gratitude to go, wait a minute, I'm actually living in an answered prayer. What a beautiful reality.

unknown 25:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:16

I I wish I would have had that phrase when my kids were little, because same thing, like always wanted to be a mom and a stay-at-home mom, which I was for a season, and I was exhausted, but what a joy and a blessing it was to be able to do that. So, listeners, for you, you know, think about what what current season you're in, and you are likely exhausted and managing life and leadership and motherhood and all of those things, and what a joy it is to be exhausted from being able to live out our calling. So, love that.

SPEAKER_04 25:50

I think too, there's different stages of life, right? Like when I was a mom with young kids, and that older mom would say, Enjoy these moments. Someday you'll miss them. I was like, I am not missing this moment. Like, you are crazy, lady. And now, as a a mom, an empty nester, like my house is really quiet. And when my kids are home, it is like my heart is so full, it could explode. It is the best feeling in the world, and um, but I still feel really busy with all these things and traveling from here to there to see kids because they're spread all over the country. And um, we had a family member say something like, Oh, you know, treasure those moments of traveling to see your kids because there will come a day when you aren't able to travel. And I took it differently that time, not a, are you kidding me? It'd be so nice to not have to travel, you know, I'm not gonna miss that. And so I think there's something about maturity that when we look back, we can go, oh, these are hard times, hard seasons of life. And I'm I'm on one hand glad I'm not in that season of my life anymore. And yet there were a lot of good things about that season that I wish I would have enjoyed more in the middle of it.

SPEAKER_02 27:21

Good reminders. Okay, last question for today. What small rituals bring you joy, and how can you make them part of your regular life rhythm? Sherry?

SPEAKER_01 27:36

Well, I held up a few minutes ago my journal. Um, that brings me joy, and it's also a good reminder when you're having a bad day that um the majority of the things are really, really good. And so the gratitude that you can look back has become like a rhythm in my life. I also started, um, I wrote about it this month in my blog about how I'm going on a walk without my phone because I tend to call somebody or listen to music really loud because I love music. And so I'm not listening to what's around me. And because again, it's springtime, I just started walking without my phone and noticing, like paying attention to what's blooming. What's oh, that wasn't blooming last week. Oh, now I see the little squirrels are running on top of the fence and they bring you joy. They're so cute stinking cute, right? Um, and mischievous, like it just feels like a fun thing. So I've started to really try to just put my phone down, um, not only for a walk, but also at dinner um at different times in the night because it's easy to just scroll your phone instead of talk to your husband or watch a show together, but you know, you're both on your phone. So we're making that effort to just really, and I love my phone because it keeps me connected to everybody around the world that I need to be or that I want to be. Um, but also I think it's it's been really good. That's been something that I have um really started to put into practice. So more like being present to like what's around me sight, smell, sounds, and people, and then um sort of recording that in my journal. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 29:26

Jennifer, why not you?

SPEAKER_04 29:28

Um one small ritual that I've done, and um, if any of my kids are listening to this, and I'm so sorry, I don't want this to feel like um a project, but I have six kids, and I find myself, I tend to easily fall into the out-of-sight, out of mind uh space occasionally. And so I have a little checklist and I check in with each of my kids every week. I have a few kids that are very independent. I mean, I raised them that way. I don't know why I should be surprised. Um and so I just have to remind myself to check in with them, whether it's me sending them a text or making a phone call. And on the one hand, that feels really icky to say I have to have a checklist to check in with my kids, but it's what I know about myself, and I want to cultivate a good relationship with my children, and so it is bringing me joy to like touch base with them every week.

SPEAKER_01 30:43

So I don't think that's it at all. No, I think that is like amazing, and even if one of your kids is listening, to know that you're being intentional about it, like that's amazing. You're making them a priority. I I think with everything that we've listed, it's the intentionality behind it, and that's just beautiful. Um, I think when your kids are even at home, I same thing was like, I only have four when you say in comparison.

SPEAKER_03 31:14

I love the week only four, like it's a real number.

SPEAKER_01 31:19

I don't have six. Um okay, but but in that was the intentionality of is everybody feeling loved, seen, valued this week. And sometimes, you know, those weeks could be harder. So to have a checklist, I think that's awesome. I'll probably yeah, I tried to my kids are all you know grown as well. So that's I think it's great. That's beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 31:45

I think that's integrating that ritual into your regular life rhythm, which was part of that question. So yeah, I don't I don't ever think it's a bad idea to have a system for things that we want to be intentional about.

SPEAKER_04 32:00

So well, and I know myself, and I think that's the the thing is I can get distracted and miss some of those things, and so um it's really it's really a ritual for myself.

SPEAKER_02 32:15

Yeah, that's good. Well, I will share that mine is keeping cards on our kitchen, little lazy Susan that sits on our table. And just last night, my husband and my daughter and I were playing Monopoly Deal. That's our favorite family game. And what I love about it is it's Monopoly-ish, but in like 15 to 20 minutes because my son loves playing regular Monopoly, and it is just the worst. It just takes forever. I feel like somebody gets mad. It I do not love Monopoly, but Monopoly Deal is the best. So I keep the cards and regular deck of cards just on that little lazy Susan so that as we're sitting there after dinner, if we don't have anything going on, it's like, hey, you want to play Monopoly Deal? And then we sit and then we've added another fun component that we we all will bring our phones for the intentional purpose of we kind of play round robin with music. So somebody will start with a song, and then the next person has to somehow make a connection and pick the next song. So whether it's the same artist, or sometimes my kids get really creative and they're like, this song came out the same year, or I remember one night Lila picked Piano Man by Billy Joel, and then my son picked another song that started with piano at the beginning. So it's just super fun to be silly and see each other's creativity through the songs, and then we're playing the card game. So, and it's never really organized like every night we're gonna do it, or this particular night. It just randomly happens and it just brings me a lot of joy that in the midst of our busy season, like we get to sit and play cards for half an hour and listen to music together and and talk, and it's been really fun. So I think what has helped make it part of our life for them is just having them at the table, like their insight versus if they were up in our game cabinet. I think we would all just spread out and do our own thing, but it's because they're right there in our line of sight that we make that happen.

SPEAKER_01 34:19

Oh, I'd love that so much. I'm a I love a good game, but Monopoly, I get like kind of I think a lot of moms have like PTSD from having to play Monopoly with their kids.

SPEAKER_04 34:33

I think that's just the honest truth. I also love just that tip. Um, and that can be any age, like even if you have little kids leaving a matching game or a memory game, or um, and you can do that with a deck of cards too if you wanted to. But um, we have um cribbage on our table, it just lives in the middle of our table to play. And again, it you know, it could be two people, it could be three people, it's just something intentional and quick. I love that.

SPEAKER_01 35:06

Yeah. When all my kids are home, we like to play the card game nerds. You've ever heard of that, and it's really fast-paced and competitive, so surprise, like, oh, crandles are a little wacky. And um, but when they're home, normally I'm like, let's put all the things away. I like to put everything away. But I have done that where I just kept it out on the counter so that it's right there. You can just grab them. Like, hey, do you have a few minutes to be able to do this? And we don't always finish the whole game or you start around or whatever, but it just became something that is available. So I love the intentionality behind like make it available because if it's in the game cabinet or in the closet, you really and it's not like our closet's, you know, a mile away, it's like two feet away. But it's out there, like you're saying. So um I remember when my kids were little, I left a journal in the middle of the table and they could write a prayer request to me. So if they felt like they didn't want to say it out loud, um, that they could write their prayer request. And that was such a beautiful thing because I was surprised at some of the things that they shared, but they wouldn't have done that if it wasn't right in front of them. And it was a really cool thing that we did when they were younger. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:30

I think just taking those opportunities to cultivate things that we enjoy is important. So whether that is Jennifer, I was thinking about with your coffee, you know, like setting it out at night so you are excited to have it in the morning, or again, playing games or the journals, like those are such great things. And it's really small things I think that we can do to help ourselves experience them more often because life is busy, like we said, and just sometimes in the the mundane and the running our kids around and all those things, we forget to take the time to experience some joy. And just I think that little reminder will be really helpful.

SPEAKER_01 37:08

Yeah, it's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 37:10

Well, friends, this has been such a fun conversation, as always. And again, I think just really timely for all of us where we are with work and life to just remember to enjoy the joy. And leaders and listeners, we hope that you will also be reminded to hunt for that joy. It's there to be found, and remember that we get to choose it no matter what our circumstances look like. Again, happiness is fleeting and dependent on when things are going well, but joy is something we can choose no matter what season we're in. And we really hope that you will do just that. Leaders, we know that your time is valuable. We're proud of you for investing in yourself by listening in today. We know that when you invest in mom, you change the world. We believe in you and we're here.