Be Interruptible – July Table Talk - #249

In this month’s table talk episode, our three cohosts chat through the discussion questions found in this year’s Good Company curriculum video by Andrea Fortenberry. 

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

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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.

SPEAKER_00 0:21

Hi leaders, I'm Jennifer Iverson, your host for today. And I don't know about you, but for me, July is such a crazy month. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it's the heat of summer. Schedules are off, the days are long with the sun up super early and then staying up super late. And as a mom, I can feel like my kids live off popsicles and potato chips. In the back of my mind is the prep for school. And as a leader, there are still deadlines to be made, prep plans to prep, numbers to be made. The lazy schedule just seems so counter to all of that. As a mom co-leader, you may have taken a break to rest after this last year, and now be starting to think about what all needs to be done for the new year that is creeping up quickly. Sometimes as a leader, we can get all of these overwhelming thoughts and decide we just need to make a plan and stick to it. Give the kids chores, check in with our team, make sure they're getting their things done, and make a lengthy to-do list for ourselves. And while some of that may be good, many of us, not naming names, but probably someone whose name rhymes with Benefer, have a tendency to overload our to-do list, leaving us no room for any interruptions. So today, my co-hosts, Andrea Fortenberry and Sherry Crandall and I are going to chat about what it means to be interruptible. Welcome, Andrea. Welcome, Sherry. Please tell me you make lengthy to-do lists as well. Well good. Well good. Well, this is gonna be a fun chat. In our good company curriculum this year at the Mom Co. One of our sub themes is be interruptible. So today we're gonna walk through the questions that go along with that video. We know that real connection with people costs us time, comfort, uh, energy, uh, effort, but that cost isn't like something to be mitigated or fixed. It's actually the whole point of connection. When we embrace life's interruptions, both big and small, we can deepen friendships, we can strengthen community, and we can create meaningful moments in our motherhood. Now, Andrea, in this video, you encouraged moms to prioritize relationships over tasks and to see interruptions as opportunities rather than inconveniences. Can you tell us a little bit about what writing the content of this video brought up in you?

SPEAKER_02 3:31

Sure, I would love to. I was thinking about that question this morning, and the first word that came to mind was gratitude. Just so grateful because I can look back and in the video, I give several examples of people showing up for me and allowing me to interrupt them. And I'm just so grateful for the people God has put in my life who show up for me, who are willing to be inconvenienced to help me with something, whether that's a phone call of like, hey, can you chat or picking up something for me at the store, or bigger life things like coming to take care of my house or my dog or might run my kids somewhere? You know, those bigger things that that we all need sometimes. And so I just really felt grateful for that and then also grateful for the opportunities God puts in our paths to be able to do that. And do I do this perfectly? Do I always have a happy attitude about interruptions? No, no, because like you, Jennifer, I like a plan and I have a list, and here's the things that I want to get done and I want to do. But God can change our plans. And so I've learned to be more open to that, to let go of what I had in mind so that I can show up for others the way that they have shown up for me.

SPEAKER_00 4:50

Oh, that's excellent. That's excellent. I think that just highlights the fight against the independent nature that we often have and how important it is to actually have dependence on other people in places like that. That's great. Well, I'm excited to dig into these questions. Um, so let's get started. Uh, Sherry, what is a recent interruption in your life that ended up being a blessing?

SPEAKER_01 5:25

Well, you know, I feel like this is where I am, so I'm gonna just go right to it. A big interruption has been a recurrence of breast cancer. And that's heavy. It's even heavy and hard to say out loud. However, um there are blessings that are attached to it that I think only can happen when you allow yourself to be on God's timetable and not your own. And I think I've always prided myself in, and pride isn't a good thing, usually, but I'm independent. I don't need you, and I can do it by myself. And sometimes I just like to do it by myself because arrogantly I think I could do it better. Now, the three of us have talked about this because we all tend to like kind of be able to lean that way. However, I love to help people. And I remember um there was a time where I needed someone to help my family and cook, and I was just feeling so bad about it and like just apologizing to this person. And she was like, Why would you spoil that and take away the fact that you've blessed me? This is my turn to bless you. And this time around, because it is a recurrence, I'm 20 years older than I was the first time. And I do think with that has come some wisdom, and I do think with that has come some softening and the knowledge that I know that I can't do life on my own. That I I love the community that I've built. I love the relationship with my husband and my now adult kids that I've built that allows these huge interruptions that feel like almost daunting and overwhelming, like there's no way you could get through it. I don't think I could without relying on somebody else. And that has made my husband uh interrupt his schedule uh and be able to be there for me, my kids and their willingness to fly home and spend time with me. And um we celebrate really big, small, silly things. Um, we started this interruption because my kids are in college or they're working every Tuesday night before chemo. We got together and did a family Zoom call. And in that, this was my um time to just kind of like soak it in from them so that it gave me courage to sit in that chair every Wednesday. And that meant that they had to interrupt their busy life and all of those things. Um, and I'm so grateful that they were willing to be interruptible. Um, you all have had to interrupt the way that sometimes we've done business to accommodate my doctor's appointments or my um schedule. And what's been so lovely is no one has made me feel like my interruption has been horrible to them. They've really made me feel like I will interrupt because you have interrupted for me. And it is this circle, you guys. If if you're listening and you're like, oh gosh, I hate to be interrupted. I think there was a time where I really did too. And now I just think that's been the best parts of all of this. Is as hard as it is the interruption of the busy life or the interruption of whatever you think is so important. Um, Jen, you touched on it in the beginning. That isn't the thing. The thing is the sharing of life and the circumstances. And sometimes circumstances are amazing and sometimes they're not, but I'm so grateful. Um, it has brought about this sense of gratitude for this really hard interruption. There's been a lot of beauty and a lot of blessing in it.

SPEAKER_00 9:18

Thank you for sharing that. I know it is a big part of your life and it is a hard part of your life. Um, and it is an interruption, it was not on the schedule. No, it messed with a lot of to-do lists, it messed with a lot of things, but it has been even a joy and a blessing, I think, for us to get to see some of those blessings that are happening in your life, from time with people to um God just putting things in line for what is next, and we get to be participants in that um from the sidelines. So I appreciate you having that attitude about this transition and interruption.

SPEAKER_01 10:05

So thank you.

SPEAKER_00 10:07

Andrea, how about you? Do you have a recent interruption that really is a blessing?

SPEAKER_02 10:12

I feel like this entire month has been uh June and July. I had this feeling, you guys, the ones I got out of May and the craziness of graduating my daughter and the party and family trip and all this, that like summer we were gonna coast, and that has not been the case. So there's been several interruptions. The one that I'll share, and I'm gonna try to describe it to protect the guilty, is that we had some water damage in our house that happened from an accident, someone not paying attention. And so that has cost financially, like we had a big hole in our ceiling, like very frustrating. But at the same time, it relationally among the people in my house has brought up some really good conversation, some really good skills have been learned and put into practice by the guilty party. And so, even though I never would have asked or wanted for this situation, God has found a way to work good from it as He does and as He promises us. And so I'm just grateful that we were able to come out on the other side better than things were before. And sometimes it takes those little accidents or mess-ups or again interruptions for us to be that catalyst, to have maybe a hard or healing conversation or to just communicate and talk about things in a different way. So that's that was the biggest one as of late. Other things have been like our dryer broke, which is funny because I referenced my dryer in the video that it wasn't working, so it finally died. I think we need to talk about appliance choices. So we we our appliance repairman told us to get an LG. So that's what we got, and we ended up getting a new washer and dryer. Again, a blessing, but it costs some money. So that's been my season.

SPEAKER_00 12:16

Yeah, it has been a lot. I think what's fascinating to me in both of those stories is the relationship aspect of it. It's been an interruption that has brought about stronger relationships uh as a result. My interruption, um, I feel like this is almost like an exercise video where it's like, we're doing this, and here's the easier version, and here's the harder version. Because my interruption that I would reference was simply a phone call that was unexpected from a friend that we got to talk for an hour. Wasn't this big inconvenience or major life thing, but it was such a blessing to catch up with a friend that we have this deep friendship, but we honestly only get the opportunity because of schedules and life to talk on the phone maybe once a year. And it was one of those conversations that you spend like 30 seconds saying, Oh my gosh, how are you doing? And then instantly you're talking about deep personal stuff that is hard. And it was such a good time of connecting, it wasn't on the schedule. Um, in the middle of the phone call, I was texting somebody else to say, Hey, I need to delay our time together by 30 minutes, you know, just because I needed to make space for this. Um, but such a blessing, and I feel like I have a better understanding of how to pray for my friend and what she's going through, and um just a great reminder of how grateful I am for those friendships. So it really does all come down to relationships.

SPEAKER_01 14:07

It does. You know what I'm thinking as we've each shared our story. Um I think interruptions also give you a new way to move forward. And for us, we're my kids have loved this Tuesday night thing. And even though I'm done with chemo, I'm starting radiation. And I was kind of like, I wonder, I want to ask if they still want to meet, and separately conversations with each of them. They're like, you know, we should keep meeting. Like, I don't know if we need to meet every week, but maybe like twice a month, we just say, whoever is available, we're gonna hop on this call. They felt so connected, not only to my husband and I, and and cheering me on, but to each other. They were cheering each other on. And Andrea, you had mentioned moving forward, we've we've gained some new life skills and we had some really hard conversations. And Jennifer, you just said, now I know how to pray moving forward. And I was just thinking, you know, God in his infinite wisdom, yeah, um, we have these interruptions. I think if we're paying attention, it will move us forward in a much better way. And so, yeah, from big to small, they all matter. And if it changes how you uh create relationship, I think it's it's a it's a really good thing. So absolutely, absolutely. I just like that thread that I was hearing.

SPEAKER_02 15:34

You're like yeah, I love that insight.

SPEAKER_00 15:36

That's good, that's good, which makes me think like, how do we usually? This is our next question too, but how do we usually respond when somebody interrupts? You know, do we express frustration, joy, anticipation, something, something in between? Uh Andrea, how about you? What's your normal response to interruptions?

SPEAKER_02 16:02

I feel like now I'm somewhere in between. If you would have asked me that 10 years ago when my kids were really little, 10 plus, I would have said frustration because I had a timeline and things I wanted to do and places I wanted to take them. And so I would be frustrated if someone didn't want to put their shoes on or someone has an accident, or you know, like those types of interruptions are not fun versus sometimes, sometimes you get a fun interruption, like, hey, do you want to take your kids to the park and you know, see you there in half an hour? Like those are fun interruptions, right? So now I've learned to, I think, just regroup and kind of pause and say, okay, like what do I do in this situation and try to have wisdom and lean on God? Like, what do I do? Is this my turn to respond to this? Sometimes it's like a community group thing, like, can anybody do this? And so in situations like that, it's like, okay, maybe someone else, it's their turn to respond and it's not my thing to own. But if it's, you know, a one-on-one or you know, something like that, it's like, okay, is this doable? Is this possible? And could this be God inviting me into something versus you know, me trying to cling to my plan? So I think just prayer and discernment is really helpful to help us kind of regroup and then move forward, like you said, Sherry.

SPEAKER_00 17:26

Absolutely. Sherry, how how would you describe how you often respond when someone interrupts your plans?

SPEAKER_01 17:35

I think if I'm being super honest and I'm in a zone and I'm working on something that I feel like I need to get this done, or it's like requiring like maybe some creativity on my part. I don't like to be interrupted. And um that's just very honest. Like I don't, I want to like get it finished or get the thought out. Um, but to Andrea's point, I think I I was less patient as a younger mom when my kids were little. And as much, I love toddlers. I really do. I just think they're so cool. Oh my gosh. I love those little people. I'm not sure that those types of things the interruption bothered me. Um, but it was more like the the grade school when they felt like they could have made that decision on their own. Like toddlerhood and questioning and all that kind of tickled me. But it was those as they got a little bit older, where I think I found myself like, you guys, I'm trying to get this done. And I probably was a little more snappy than I needed to be. Um and even work-wise, I think when I first really started in my career, I would have been more like, Why are you interrupting me? Now I find interruptions more of like a challenge. Like I always ask myself, huh? I wonder why I'm being interrupted right now. And so I think I have a better attitude about it. Um, but if I'm in the zone, I still am like, can I please get this done? Yeah. So I think some of it's maturing leader-wise. I think some of it's maturing as a mom, as a woman. Um, and to Andrea's point, like it's the discernment. Because sometimes you need to also stand up for yourself and say, I can't be interrupted right now. Like, not every interruption needs to be accepted. Right. Right. Right. Is what I would tell you. Like your kids don't have to, you don't have to go, oh, I'll drop everything for you. They also, I mean, obviously when they're little or if it's an emergency, but also teaching them like we don't need to learn to wait. Yeah, exactly. And even sometimes with our jobs too. Like, honestly, I know we got a big smile. You can't necessarily see it unless you're watching our YouTube channel. But here's what I would tell you we do get interrupted sometimes, and you're like, I think that could have waited, you know. So yeah, learning that you don't have to answer every interruption like immediately. Your emergency doesn't have to be my emergency. Sometimes it is, but not always.

SPEAKER_02 20:10

I love like boundaries, right? Boundaries are healthy and good, and discernment helps us make healthy boundaries, and you know, so I think both are valid. Be interruptible, but also it's good and healthy to have boundaries.

SPEAKER_03 20:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:26

I think Jesus models this so well for us.

SPEAKER_00 20:29

He does. Absolutely. I think um, you know, just work-wise, I'll know I'll I'll give it this way. Occasionally we might get an instant message asking me a question, and it is an interruption of what I'm currently doing. And sometimes I'll answer right away. And sometimes I'm like, nope, I'm gonna finish this, and then I will go look at it. And sometimes they've answered their own question by the time I get back to them. So it there's some sometimes the discernment of what to do when. Um, in asking myself this question, I came face to face with the fact that sometimes in certain settings, I will have a sense of professionalism when I'm interrupted that I might not have if I'm interrupted by someone in my home. And I can think of a couple instances where maybe somebody interrupted what I was doing, and I was like, Oh, that's okay. What can I do for you versus my child interrupting me and me going, like, what do you want? Can't you see I'm doing something? I wouldn't ever say that to you, Sherry. If you said, You'd be like, Jen, we need to have a talk, you know. So I think it's um it was eye opening to me that we need to be sometimes even more. Careful with the people that we love the most because they get to see the real us, the real raw feelings. And that's not to mean you should hide your exasperation or your frustration, but it's being mindful. If I can have self-control to be professional with my coworkers, I can probably have more self-control with the people in my house as well. So, but I definitely get frustrated when I have tunnel vision going down, like this is what we're doing, and we veer off into something else.

SPEAKER_03 22:37

So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:39

Yeah, that's such a good point. I think so often with many things, the people we love the most, uh sometimes we can be the hardest with, or um yeah, because I would never if you send me a text, I send you both a lot of texts, and I know I interrupt you, but I also try and be like, hey guys, if you get when you get the chance, or it's sometimes how you frame it, you know. Um and with our kids, they don't feel like they go, hey mom, when you have a moment, is there any way that you could help me?

SPEAKER_02 23:09

They're like, mom, like mom, mom, mom, mom.

SPEAKER_01 23:13

Yeah, great. Or even your leadership team, you know, oftentimes, especially the morning of your mom co meeting, um, things can feel emergent. And so we're interrupting people because we feel the like panic. I would also say I've taught myself to like count to 10 and be like, is this emergent? Yeah, it is. I need to get some help with that, but oftentimes we can solve it. We don't have to be interruptible.

SPEAKER_02 23:42

Absolutely. I think a great skill that came out of what you're saying, Sherry, is when we do need to interrupt someone, like adding a timeline to it is really helpful because, like you said, not everything is urgent. And I think sometimes if we're not careful, we can sort of create that the sense that everything is urgent. So adding just those qualifiers of you can respond tomorrow, but I needed to ask you this question, or hey, when you get a sec, will you give me a call? You know, nothing to worry about, just need to ask you a question. Like just adding those things is helpful because agreed, like I'm one of those people that, yeah, I'll see the messages. And if I'm getting several messages or like emails, you know, even if it's from different people, I'm like, oh my gosh, all of this is so urgent and people are waiting for me. It's like, no, you know, you can take a breath and and get back to people when it's when it's good for you.

SPEAKER_00 24:36

It's interesting because I think that is actually a way that we I don't want to use the word train, more maybe lead others, is if we're learning how to be interruptible, how to set boundaries, but maybe the people around us don't know how to do that, when we model that to them, it gives them an opportunity to learn how to do that as well. So, like you said, using some of those phrases like, hey, when you get a second, like this is not an emergency, gives them some language that they could begin to use as well. So it's very good.

SPEAKER_01 25:16

But I think the key to this whole episode is our willingness to be interrupted. Yes. Because I had I know people, and I think I used to be that person that really was so rigid of like this is my plan. I wasn't willing. Now I'm very willing to be interrupted, but there's a discernment of like, do I need to be or not? But the key is, are you willing?

SPEAKER_00 25:42

You know, I a great point, Sherry. I think it leads well into the next question too. So I'd love to explore that a little bit more.

SPEAKER_01 25:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:52

How do we make ourselves more available or more willing to be interruptible? Do you have thoughts on ways that leaders can do that, make space for that?

SPEAKER_01 26:05

Yeah, each day. Um I haven't always done my devotions or read my Bible in the morning when my kids were little. Um, but that's works really well for me now because I'm an empty nester, so I can do that. Although my husband can be super interruptible, you know, he's interrupting, he's adorable, but he does interrupt. Um, but all that to say is that I'm open, like it's even part of my prayer each day. Like, God, show me the people that I'm supposed to be available for today. And that can mean, you know, just because your kids are out of your home doesn't mean they don't need you. Or so knowing when, like, and I've been in a meeting with you guys, I'm like, you know what? I need to answer this, and this is really important. I know my one of them might be struggling, or they're at the emergency room or wherever, you know, like you know when you need to be interrupted. But I pray about it because I want God to show me if it's the older lady I needed to help at the grocery store the other day, I needed to be interrupted to take that time because she was so confused how to use her debit card and there wasn't anybody helping her. And the lady was like had a huge line behind her. I needed to be interrupted of what I was trying to do to help her, but I don't think if I don't ask, that sometimes my eyes are closed to it. So I actually pray that that God will show me where I need to take the time to like show his love to somebody and just the kindness that we can show is an interruption that I think we can all make effort to, but I've really worked on like asking God to show me that.

SPEAKER_00 27:51

Yeah, that's a great tip. Andrea, how about you? What's a small way that you make yourself more willing to be interruptible?

SPEAKER_02 28:02

I think when I have someone in my life who is struggling, going through a hard thing, has an unexpected thing. Like actually, I have a friend right now that had to have her gallbladder out unexpectedly last week. And so it's like, okay, if I were in that spot, what would be helpful? What would I want other people to do for me? And then I tried to do that. Sometimes that means I make a home cooked meal for someone and drop it off. Sometimes that means I send a gift card because I can't fit that into my schedule, or it means I send them texts on a regular basis, checking in and praying for them, right? So the range of what we are able to do might be different in different seasons, but just trying to remember what would be thoughtful, what would be helpful, what would show them God's love in this hard thing. And even, you know, in good times too. Like just thinking about, you know, I haven't connected with this friend in a long time. Like I would love to just let her know I'm thinking about her. So just just thinking about that. And I love that Jesus gives us the golden rule like treat others the way that you would want to be treated. So I try to use that as my as my guide.

SPEAKER_01 29:12

Well, that's your guide.

SPEAKER_00 29:13

That's great. Um, I thought of two things. One, I like to actually give people permission to interrupt me. I um I was having a conversation with somebody the other day, and I said, Well, just give me a call. And they were like, Well, what's your schedule? You know, so I know when to call. And I was like, You don't need to keep my schedule in your head. I want you to call me at a time that's convenient for you. And so if it's after you put your kids to bed and it's 10 o'clock at night and you're gonna call me, just call me. And if I can answer the phone, because we're all on different time zones sometimes, you know, if I can answer the phone, I'm gonna answer the phone. Um, I think my parents, um, my mother in particular, who I would call very proper in what was allowed and not allowed, would say, you don't call anybody before 9 a.m. and nobody after 8 p.m. Like this is your time zone to make phone calls to people. And you know how the same rules, which was really hard when we used to be charged based on what time of day you were making a long distance phone call. Thank you to technology for fixing that. I think it costs us less money. I really don't. We probably pay more now, but but you know, there are times when I am literally sitting on the sofa watching TV, scrolling social media at nine o'clock at night. And if you were to call me, I can turn off the TV and answer the phone, and I could talk rather than than sitting there. And so I just always say, you call me on your schedule, and if I can answer, I will, I will answer. Um, so I think that's one thing is giving permission to others to interrupt you. But the other thing is I think often we'll say things like, oh, let's get together, let's do things, let's, and so for me it's been the follow-through. Like I actually pull out my phone right then, standing there saying, okay, what is your schedule look like? We all carry the calendar in our pocket. We just take the time right then to set it. And I know that's less interruptible and more scheduled, but it's interrupting this pattern that we get in where we're putting off actually taking action, actually doing something, actually having that relationship. So I think sometimes it requires us to actually take the step to do it.

SPEAKER_01 32:00

You're really good at that, Jen. Um, not only as a coworker, but as a friend, like you tell people, hey, if you need anything, you know, don't be afraid to reach out and just let me know. Um you always have that posture. So I do feel like I can reach out to you. And same with Andrea. If if you need something, you just, you know, let me know what it is, I'll help you with it. You both have that posture. Um I hope in turn you feel like you can always reach out to me. I'm always like, you can text me, I'm gonna text away. Um, and I tell my kids that too. And I loved what Andrea did earlier. There is a party that shall remain the guilty party, remain nameless in my extended family who I know loves me dearly, but is super rigid with their schedule in that I wouldn't feel like I could be like, hey, could you help me with this? Because they would be like, today's the day I do laundry. I can't help you. You know, they're very, very rigid versus other people who truly mean, you know, because also you can't just say it, you have to do it, right? Like I've received that so much lately. Like there are people who will say, if you need anything, they know you're going through a rough spot. Let me know. Well, that's not the person that I because I don't know what I need sometimes at the moment. But the beautiful friends are the ones who've dropped things off on my porch, or a bossy friend who says, Hey, I'm bringing dinner on Thursday. Period. She just brings us dinner on Thursday, and she didn't need my permission. She um she's interrupting herself to be able to care for our family during this time. And those are beautiful. So it it's the posture of letting people know, but it's the follow-through the actual actions of like, I am interruptible, I'm here. It's a beautiful thing when we do it well.

SPEAKER_00 34:08

When we do exactly when we do it well, Sherry, you mentioned too having this posture before God to have Him lead you into people you need to see, times you need to be interrupted. Andrea, do you have a way that you feel like you lean on God to help you see interruptions as opportunities?

SPEAKER_02 34:31

I do. And what has helped me is actually uh I remember listening to Michael Hyatt on a podcast before. He's a great author, speaker, leadership guy. And he tells a story about he was getting up like he does every day, getting his coffee, getting ready for work, walking down the stairs. He fell and broke his ankle and was really mad, total interruption, right? Like he had to reorient his life to working on his couch downstairs, like work had to be put off, all of these things. And he was so frustrated. And then he said it occurred to him to ask the question what does this make possible? And that was so helpful for me because he talked about like then he was able to work on projects that he had been putting off. He was able to rest, he was able to spend more time with his wife, things like that. So that just helped me to see, okay, maybe what I had planned wouldn't have brought about good things like that. So kind of sharing my story from earlier, like there's silver linings, there's blessings that can come out of interruptions or things that we didn't expect. But I think we have to ask the question, like, God, what do you want me to learn in this? What do you want me to do? What do you want me to see? How do you want me to grow? So it's just having those open eyes and that curiosity as to what God might be doing or what he wants us to learn, that's really important. And again, I feel like this is a practice and a skill that we learn over time. We're not just magically, after listening to this podcast, all going to be doing this 100% perfectly all the time. But again, I think when we just have open eyes to discerning and seeking what God is doing or what God would want us to do, that helps me to reframe and to be like, okay, this is an opportunity in some way versus like this frustrating thing I wasn't expecting.

SPEAKER_00 36:30

And and we can just say, you have a freshly painted dining room. I mean that's a beautiful thing that maybe wasn't on your to-do list. Yes. So yeah. No, I I think too for me, sometimes it's listening. I call it like this nudge that I get. It's not God saying, Jennifer, go talk to so-and-so kind of thing. It is the Holy Spirit, the conscience, the, you know, however you would necessarily describe that. There is this part where you just know that you know this is what you should go do. And um, I think sometimes I'm like, that is absolutely ridiculous. Like, why would I go do that? But okay, I don't understand it. Let's go see what this is. It's almost like this. Well, this could be an adventure that could go really great or really bad, but let's go find out. Um, just yesterday in church, um, a man was seated in front of us, and uh he was tall. And what was fascinating to me is I was standing there singing, and he gets you know brought into the aisle in front of us. I'm watching his body language, and he's like crouching down, like kind of uh very uncomfortable. And he turned around and he looked and he was like, Oh, sorry, and like scooched over to the side and all this kind of stuff. And then we have this, you know, meet and greet time where all the introverts feel incredibly uncomfortable because they have to say good morning and introduce themselves, and it's awkward. And he says, I'm so sorry, I know I'm tall. Would you like to swap spots so I'm not in front of you? And I just had this nudge. Normally I'd be like, No, no, you're fine, you know, whatever. But I had this nudge to say to him, You are the exact height that God created you to be. Stand tall in that kind of thing. And I'm like, I heard it. It wasn't like I immediately responded to him. I'm shaking his hand as he's saying it, looking at him, hearing this in my head, going, That's hokey, but okay. And I said it, and the look on his face was somewhere between shock and absorbing it. And then he smiled and he said, Thank you. And he turned back around because we were done and we all had to pay attention. Um, but he didn't like crouch down anymore. He stood tall. And it's one of those things where it was interrupting the flow of things, interrupting my cordial professionalism, like, oh no, no problem, you're not bothering me. It's all good. To say something that was risky. Um, but to see the reaction in that was uh um a blessing to me, and clearly by the look on his face, a blessing to him. So I think it's uh like Sherry said, it's asking God, like give me those eyes to see. Show me, you know, who I need to give a smile to today or say something to. Um and it's uh it's asking what does the interruption make possible. I think those are good good things.

SPEAKER_02 39:56

And did I I think I think that's such a good point that you made about interrupting a pattern or a flow. Like that's huge because again, I kind of came from the angle of like these unexpected things that sometimes happen versus like, I mean, and that that does affect the status quo, but when we think about, yeah, just small talk about like relationships and I don't know, I just feel like that's huge because we do get into patterns or we do just keep things surface level. And it's like, what if we interrupted that? What if we were open to someone interrupting that so that our relationship could be stronger, even with the stranger, right? Like just this like now you have this little connection with him. So if you see him next time, like you know, I don't know, I think he'll remember that you gave him some confidence uh by speaking that into him. So yeah, I just I think that's a really important point about we can interrupt patterns and and flows.

SPEAKER_01 40:54

When we interrupt those patterns um with what I shared earlier, we we never have set aside a Tuesday night once my kids, because I have two kids that live in different states and two that live in Denver. Um, now my one son is going to come have dinner on Tuesday. Um, so he's like, oh, we'll start having dinner and then we connecting with the other two that live in different states. Well, on top of that, my dad, who's 90 and kind of suffering from some Alzheimer's, he said to me, um, well, what if I could I just call you during the day? And he doesn't remember that he asked me that last week, you know. Sure. And I said, Dad, you can call me anytime. Well, I don't want to interrupt you. Yeah, and I knew we were gonna be doing this podcast. So I saw we were at a a wedding this weekend and he said to me, Can I call you this week? And I was like, Dad, of course you can call me. It's not an interruption. Well, this morning he called and he and it just felt like such a beautiful like before, and I was trying to get ready for this, and you know, I need to water the plants because we're in a drought, and blah, blah. And I think before years ago, I would have been like, I'll call him back when I'm done with my game. But instead, I said, Oh, good morning, just the person I wanted to talk to. And he was so tickled by that. And literally, it took two minutes because that's about all he can do. And it was so sweet and it was so special. And it is that pattern that you just said, Andrea, that's just broken, but give permission. Now he feels like he could call me anytime. And he's 90. Like, I don't know how many phone calls I'm gonna get that you know, you can interrupt me, dad, anytime. And um, so it's an attitude, it's uh restructuring and the willingness of you to do that. Um I just think it's such an important topic this year. I really hope that our ladies not only take it in how they're leading their groups as leaders, but how they're interacting with um the people that are most important to them.

SPEAKER_00 43:05

Absolutely. Great, great ending words, Sherry. Leaders, as we start the second half of our calendar year, I want to leave you with the final paragraph of our write-up for Be Interruptible in our good company theme. This is what it says anyone can show up when it's convenient, be the kind of person people can count on when it's not. Bring back being a normal, generous person, bring back being inconveniencing ourselves for others. This is how we resist overwhelm by choosing availability, by being someone who can be interrupted by whatever God puts in front of us that day. So today I pray that you will find joy in the interruption.

SPEAKER_02 44:02

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 for you.