Navigating the Holiday Hustle with Ease and Grace

Are you ready to unwrap the gift of joy and relaxation this festive season? We promise that by the end of this episode, you'll be equipped with all the tools you need to not only survive but thrive amidst the holiday hustle and bustle. We, Kara R Hunt and Cheri  Swalwell, invite you to immerse yourself in a world of self-care practices, simplified Christmas decorations, and the heartwarming joy of serving others. 

Ever wondered how to keep your Christmas merry without getting buried under layers of glitter and tinsel? We share our personal journey of transitioning from extravagant holiday decorations to a more mindful, serene celebration. Learn how we incorporate aromatherapy, morning fires, and relaxing reads into our calm Christmas routine. Also, relish the joy we found in simple self-care practices like cozying up in flannel, basking in candlelight, and finding God-given joys.

Going beyond the surface, our conversation takes a deeper dive into how self-care intersects with our faith and service to others. We unravel the profound joy and fulfillment that comes from blessing others, serving in our communities, and strengthening our relationship with God. We also discuss how finding peace in the midst of life's challenges is possible and within reach for each one of us. So, here's a toast to a joy-filled and peaceful holiday season! Let's journey together towards finding more cheer in every moment.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:19

Hi and welcome to the Cheer Up podcast. I am your host, kara R Hunt, and with me is the sunshiney beautiful as the cloudless day, sherry Swalwell.

Speaker 2: 0:34

How are you today, sherry? I am doing great. I'm telling you. I'm going to have to start writing these descriptions of me down, because you are amazing, thank you. Oh yes, so creative and so generous with your compliments.

Speaker 1: 0:51

Oh, and I mean every one of them, and those of you who know Sherry personally, you know she will be humble and she will say oh, I'm not many of those things. But those of you who know Sherry personally and or have had the chance to meet her, you know I'm not exaggerating, right? So if those of you who haven't had a chance to meet her in person or personally, we are well, you get to meet her. You won't get to see her because this is going to be virtual and audio only, but we are hosting a Twitter space on Twitter on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at 5 to 7 pm Central Time and 6 to 8 pm Eastern Time. And, Sherry, there are two more time zones, right that I think you have, besides Eastern and Central. Can you remember those right at this moment?

Speaker 2: 2:00

Yep 3 pm to 5 pm Pacific Time and 4 pm to 6 pm Mountain Time. So, like Colorado area, arizona area, I believe you are the 4 to 6 pm. In California you're the 3 to 5 pm.

Speaker 1: 2:17

Yes, and so we are so hoping that you all could join us, because that is our Pochettup podcast anniversary. So it is our second or third anniversary, I don't know, but anyway it's an anniversary. We're going to be celebrating and we're hosting a Twitter space on that day at those times, and we would love for you to join us and we will be taking questions. It could be a Q&A session. You guys can ask us questions about our, about being authors, you can ask questions about our books or you can ask questions about any topic that we have ever covered on the Cheer Up podcast. So it would be free for all for 2 hours.

Speaker 1: 3:14

And if you send us a Cheer Up podcast, excuse me, if you send us an email at cheeruppodcastgmailcom and you let us know you're coming and if you include your SNML address, we will send you a packet of tea and it will be a herbal tea, a relaxing evening tea, and we will send you a packet so that when you sign on to the Twitter space that evening, you'll be able to join us with hot cups of tea or mug of tea, or however you enjoy it, and that way we can all just have a relaxing afternoon and or evening together as you guys help us celebrate that. So it won't be in person. You won't get to meet Sherri in person, but you will get to see other sides of her, and the rest of you will also know that I'm not exaggerating. So what is the answer to that, sherri?

Speaker 2: 4:13

You are well, Kara is exactly the same, and then some. In fact, it's so funny because I was just thinking and she doesn't even know this because I didn't say it to her but as we start the podcast every episode, we always pray right before it. When we finished praying, she just is so enthusiastic and so excited about doing the podcast. We both are, really, but her enthusiasm is so catchy that it just makes what we do so much fun. So I say that not because she compliments me all the time, but I was literally thinking that when she was saying, okay, I'm getting ready to hit the record button and I'm like man, she just makes it so fun every single week. So I think that y'all need to know that because she is a pretty spectacular, fantastic friend and sister.

Speaker 1: 5:04

Oh, thank you, and this is why we call the podcast your journey to joy, because life is always and as most of you know, those who have been listening for the past couple of seasons but for those of you who may not know, we refer to it as your journey to joy because life will have trials and tribulations and that is our foundational scripture, john 1633. And Sherry will go into that more later about the scripture and what it means, but it basically talks about life is going to give us trials and tribulations, but we need to be of good cheer because God has overcome the world and any and all joy. Every last single drop of goodness, of joy that I have is from the Lord. That's not saying my life or situations or circumstances have been perfect over my Christian journey. It absolutely has not, and some of you already know my testimony and things like that. But it's just saying God has been so good throughout it all that I sometimes I'm just on overflow of it, right, and when I just sit back and think and there's a, there's a whole gospel song from many, many years ago that talks about, when you just sit back and think about how good has, how God good has been to you. You know, you just, you just want to shout, you just want to dance, you know and everything.

Speaker 1: 6:40

And sometimes I feel like that and it's nothing because of what I do, it is all God, and when you, when I just sit back and I think about it, he's just. Why is he so merciful? Why is he so graceful? Why is he so faithful? Why does he give me that joy? But sometimes I know I could be very frustrating. You know, it's just something to be joyful about and the goal of the podcast for me and Sherry is to make sure that you have that same type of joy as you go through your day. That, as the him amazing grace talks about how you know, at the end of the day, just still let us be singing his praises, no matter what the day brings right. Some things we know about that it may bring, but then there's always those things that pop up that we may not know about. But at the end of the day, at the end of the evening, no matter what happens, may we always still be singing his praises.

Speaker 1: 7:41

So that was like a little bit rabbit trail, but actually not because it really flows into as we wrap up this month's series on self care and this is the last episode of the November series where we're talking about self care. And the first episode we talked about the difference between biblical self care versus what the culture says Self care is. The second one, we talked about being protective of it or the different ways. I should say the second episode of the month, the different ways that we can do self care, and then the third session, the third week in November. We were talking about ways to protect it, to guard it and to make sure you go ahead and actually practice it and how to guard that time.

Speaker 1: 8:36

Next week was an encore episode because of Thanksgiving, and this week we're going to be talking about, especially with the Christmas holiday season already upon us, how we can get through that time without letting the demands that the season just calls organically to steal our time of self care, when we already are busy and we're trying to squeeze in self care and then you're throwing Christmas, you know, and there's like more on your list to do, but it's still doable and still ways we can practice self care. What are some of your thoughts, sherry, on ways people can do that?

Speaker 2: 9:20

Well, our family has minimized our festivities throughout the years. Some things we took away for a season because of the time crunch and because we wanted to really be intentional about how we celebrated. Other things we took away for good. They never came back.

Speaker 2: 9:42

So one of the things for me is, in order to really enjoy the Christmas season, we used to and we still do. Sometimes it just depends on the year and the busyness and where everybody is. But in the past we used to always decorate for Christmas the Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving. Some years we have done it to where we've done it the weekend before Thanksgiving, which I know seems kind of weird that we have our Christmas tree up while we're celebrating Thanksgiving. But it worked for us some years when we know that we're going to be extra busy and we don't want to have that pressure.

Speaker 2: 10:26

We don't want decorating for Christmas to be pressure. We want it to be fun, we want it to be relaxing and we've even minimized with the way that we decorate and how much we decorate the last we put up, the last we have to take down, but yet it's still significant enough that we're able to celebrate and enjoy what we're celebrating. So those are some of the things that we've done and maybe the difference for you is like I talked about, aromatherapy is huge for me, so maybe during the Christmas season you have a specific like I have a Christmas tree. I think it's actually called Christmas tree from Twining.

Speaker 2: 11:06

And I love to drink that at Christmas time, during the month of December. That's when I start drinking that peppermint mocha or white chocolate. Raspberry is another significant creamer for me that I like to use during the Christmas season. Or peppermint coffee is a significant one for me during the Christmas season. So, whether you're lighting a candle or whether you're drinking a specific coffee or tea, pull those things out, because it may not be that you get like that 20 minute. Well, actually, pretty much anybody can find 20 minutes, but you may not get the two hours that you normally get. But if you're able to pull yourself into that feeling of relaxation and renewing your heart and your mind and your soul through candle smells, through coffee smells, through just sitting for 20 minutes when you first get home, like dinner doesn't have to be a dinner, 20 minutes wait, not that big of a deal. Most of the time we also celebrate Advin and that's another really good way to just kind of stop for just even 10 minutes before dinner starts, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 12:18

So, let's just start and just remember the real reason why we're celebrating Christmas. It makes a huge difference, instead of thinking about the presence and the money that you're going to spend and all of that, focusing on the real reason why we're celebrating. So those are some of the little things that we do that I think make a huge difference in the long run. So, even if it's not that you can spend as much time as you normally can, decompressing, if you can integrate those mouths and those little times.

Speaker 2: 12:50

I also spend an hour in a parking lot five days a week to pick up our youngest from school. If I don't get there early enough, I don't get a parking space. So use that time to bring with you a cup of tea or a cup of coffee. Blurge at the gas station and get yourself a cappuccino, and or you can blurge at Starbucks or Big B or wherever you want to go. But take that hours that you're sitting and, instead of doing more work, enjoy a book that you like, watch a podcast, whatever it is that fills you up. Use those times so that it doesn't feel stressful, but instead it fills you, so that when you are then starting the rest of your day, you're filled up and you're able to emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually give to those that you love.

Speaker 1: 13:47

Absolutely, and every last one of those things Sherry just mentioned are inexpensive and easily accessible. There's no special orders, there's nothing like that. You can pick up candles anywhere and everywhere, in all different types of price ranges, and just a novel Most of us usually have. Maybe. If you are a novel reader, you probably have one or two or three that's in your 2B Red pile that you've been meaning to get to for the past year or two, so it's a good time to pick that one up and dust it off. It'll be like you know what this relaxes me. And one thing I do want to say about novel reading is you guys can type this into your search engine and everything else to get a more, because I don't have the correct terms at my disposal, which I should, because I've had this explained to me Reading is it relaxes you because it takes, it is used by a certain part of your nervous system I believe is called the parasympathetic sympathetic nervous system or something, and it does that and it calms you.

Speaker 1: 15:11

And that's why I think one of the reasons a lot of people love to read is because it has that calming effect. But they just didn't know scientifically or medically exactly how that works. So that's why, of course, we're authors and we recommend novels and novel reading. But there's another reason too, and that's because it has found to be very helpful and very calming for people like when you're just in a stressful situation. It helps calm you. I don't want to use the word ignite or attach, but it connects. Maybe that's the best way I can say it. You know a certain part, I believe, of your nervous system that helps you relax. So again, type that into your search engine. Whatever little information I gave you, you know, and you can see there are medical professionals out there that will be able to explain that in a much more detailed, accurate, detail way than I just tried to describe.

Speaker 1: 16:10

But Christmas for me now, I'm a morning person, but I really believe this could be, you know, done at night. I love starting my mornings off with a roaring fire. My husband is very. He said we have a wood burning fireplace and he was thought the fire is for me and just having a roaring fire early in the morning, especially when it's cold out. I'm in a place where we do get winter, so a roaring fire would be perfect around the Christmas holidays and I either like to sit down and whether it be my gown and robe, because I get up very early, sometimes it's still dark outside whether it's my flannel gown in our robe, or a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt, I like to sit down, do a Bible study or a devotion and get into God's word.

Speaker 1: 17:10

And I say flannel because for some reason, I really love flannel in a winter, right, I would love it in the summer, right. But flannel just kind of is like a material hug right To me. Yes, oh, you know what I'm talking about, sherry, right? Yes, it's like a hug to me. And now it's got to be a right flannel, because I know there's some that could be scratchy or whatnot. But if I'm wearing anything it's usually going to be something flannel in a winter, especially in the mornings, and it also has flannel thrills and flannel, you know. So there's flannel everywhere.

Speaker 1: 17:49

You will not have a problem finding that if you're a person who really enjoys flannel. So I like doing that and, like Sherry said, I love being able to light a candle along with that, because it's a mixture of aroma therapy and you're getting the warmth of the fire. You're sitting in your most comfortable chair. If you're flannel person or sweater person, because sweaters kind of give you that same feeling. Sweater, turtlenecks and you know things of the like kind of give you that same feeling. All of that is a moment, and even if all of that just takes an hour, from you opening your eyes to you, sitting by a roaring fire and you know, either doing a Bible study or devotional or something like that, if it's just one hour, that has been self-care, that has. You know, it's just a way of. And now, of course, with me, I love to have hot chocolate, homemade hot chocolate that we make, sherry and I make from using Roca-Cola and I use coconut milk and I think do you?

Speaker 1: 19:00

use almond milk Sherry.

Speaker 2: 19:02

I go back and forth.

Speaker 1: 19:04

She goes back and forth.

Speaker 2: 19:05

Yes.

Speaker 1: 19:09

Oh, it just depends on your mood. Yeah, I'm pretty much solely coconut milk and Roca-Cola powder, and we add our goodies to it like vanilla extract, cinnamon. And in the winter and especially around the Christmas season, I like peppermint extract and I don't keep it all year round because I typically don't use it that much except around a holiday. From like end of October until January or February is when I love to add just a little bit of peppermint extract in there. Or if you have most people have tons of peppermint candies around during a holiday, so you can feel free to drop one of those in there and let it dissolve.

Speaker 1: 19:59

I try to stay away from the sweets and the sugar in those, but yeah, so just adding peppermint or your favorite holiday flavoring to your coffee, to your tea, to your hot cocoa, from the moment your eyes wake up to just if you could just do one hour of that I think you just be and letting God minister to you during that time, I think that is just a great and awesome way to start your day. And if you have nice, thick, plush house shoes, then that's even a bigger plus.

Speaker 2: 20:38

What do?

Speaker 1: 20:39

you think, Sherry?

Speaker 2: 20:40

Oh, I completely agree with you. You got it for me. Um, I love to start my mornings off that way, and I can do that in the summer and I can do that for the two weeks that they're off at Christmas time, um, but during the leading up to Christmas, um is any anytime schools and session. Um, when my feet hit the ground, I'm more of the. I have to get running. Um, and I don't like that, but it is what it is.

Speaker 2: 21:10

I can do that at night before you go to sleep as well. That's exactly what I was going to say. So for me it's the end of the day instead of at the beginning of the day, but both work wonderfully. It's it's, and it's something to look forward to Like. That's what you talked about last week. That I just, I think I want to highlight again is ask God, have a conversation with him. What brings me joy, lord? What brings me joy? And for me, like I said, it was the flowers.

Speaker 2: 21:39

I I never thought I was a flower person ever, and I don't think it was flowers in particular. I think that in this particular season that we're in, it was the love of a friend, two friends, who came over and brought the flowers and then it just continued. From there. I'm like, oh, I want to keep this joy and this feeling of, of specialness and you know, whatever else you want to, the feeling of the warm hug. I want to keep this going. And the thing that I love and this is kind of what I want you to do, this, this is what brings me excitement in life is that God saw the well.

Speaker 2: 22:16

First off, he nudged the friend to bring the flowers. They told me that it was him that nudged them to come and do that to begin with. So he started it. He is the one that showed me what would bring me joy during this season that we were in. Then he had me ask my husband to buy me flowers, and I don't have a problem with doing that, because you know what? Sometimes we have to communicate what we need and what we want, because people can't read our minds. So I know that I have an amazing husband who would buy me flowers if he knew that. That was what brought me joy. So I told him I'm like, hey, during this season I would love it if you brought me flowers, but they need to be. And then I was a little controlling. It needs to be less than $10.

Speaker 2: 23:01

Because, otherwise I won't enjoy them, because I don't want them to be too expensive, I don't want them to ruin our budget, because you know.

Speaker 2: 23:07

I can't feel free about that, blah, blah, blah Anyway. But then the other part that that was a side trail, sorry people, but the other part that I wanted to highlight was that God then sent me flowers on his own through another source that I never in a million years realized that I would get flowers from. So when you ask God, start with the conversation of okay, God, what if I don't know what my self care is, If I don't know, if I'm not in tune enough to myself of what brings me joy or, like me in years and years and years before this, I would bring joy to myself in the wrong way.

Speaker 2: 23:46

I would go through food and three things that were really hurting me. Like you talked about, kara, a couple of weeks ago, that's not true self care. That that's not true control. That's just an illusion. If you are that person who was me and I'm now learning healthy ways to find joy and to self care, ask God, say God, what is it? How did you make me, what is it that you will bring me joy and then just watch how he works? For instance, I know I've told the story before, but it's worth repeating.

Speaker 2: 24:24

The first year that I connected with my prayer partner, she blessed our family with a care package at Christmas time. I had started to go through like a real spiritual burnout, I guess like a spiritual condition, a spiritual valley. There we go. It was a spiritual valley. I remember it started in the summer time.

Speaker 2: 24:52

We were at the library and they had this coconut mocha coffee. I really wanted to try it, but I did not think I was worthy of 75 cents. That's how pathetic I was. We all know that that was just from the enemy, but I did not feel worthy of spending 75 cents on myself. I told God. I said you know what, lord? I said I would really like to try this coconut mocha coffee. If I never do, I'm not going to die, it's just a desire of mine, a silly, stupid desire. But I would really like to try it. I refuse to spend 75 cents on myself. If you want me to be blessed with coconut mocha coffee, it needs to come from you. I told no one, I did not tell my husband, I did not tell my prayer partner, I did not tell my kids. Nobody knew that I wanted to try this coconut mocha coffee. No one, because it was between me and God.

Speaker 2: 25:46

This time she sends us this care package and in the care package is a 24 count of coconut mocha coffee. If that is not a way for God to say I love you and you are worth more than 75 cents, I don't know what is. But if God is willing to do that for me, not just 10 years ago with the coconut mocha coffee, but this summer with the flowers, to show me, sherry, you get joy from flowers and I am going to bless you with them, Not once, but twice this summer. The other time you can ask your husband for them, that's okay, but the rest of the time I am going to bless you with flowers. If that is not an amazing God who cares about the minute details of our life. I just encourage you to have that conversation with him and see how he shows up in your life. Like that is what brings me excitement, because what God does for one, he does for all.

Speaker 1: 26:48

Absolutely. He is no respecter of persons and the scriptures talk about how we have not, because we ask not, and sometimes life has been hard, it has been rocky. You have been in a valley for quite a long time and you are like, well, you know what? I don't know. Like Sherry said, I don't know what brings me joy. Ask the Lord. He knows. He created you, he knew you before you were even born, so it's like he knows what brings you joy.

Speaker 1: 27:21

It may have been so long ago that you can actually even remember experiencing joy or even know what brings a smile to your face, but when you ask the Lord, lord, reveal it to me. Help me understand what makes me smile. Help me understand what brings me joy. Help me understand what gives me the giggles or makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Help me understand, reveal to me what I can do to help me relax and take care of myself so that I can take care of others. And sometimes you just and, like Sherry said, you know God will just nudge other people to do something that you didn't even know about. And, like I, have a relative who, I believe, just gets joy out of, like cuddling babies and cooing babies and babies that smile and have spit bubbles and you know, and things like that. So if you, if that brings you life, if that brings you joy, go find a baby to cuddle, of course a baby, you know right, I'll go.

Speaker 1: 28:41

Sarah, I'll go.

Speaker 2: 28:42

I have to say to you I have read more than one story where there have been overhaired, overweary mothers in grocery stores and Christ following women has said hey, can I help you, can I do something? Like? They have multiple children and they're crying. Obviously they're not planning on kidnapping, but they have perfect intent and God shows them that this isn't a kidnapping scenario. This is truly somebody who's coming to help you. There have been instances where you, but please proceed with caution because you do not.

Speaker 1: 29:23

You don't want to be a kid now.

Speaker 1: 29:28

Yes, we'll make sure you ask permission.

Speaker 1: 29:32

Yeah, because sometimes you can be grant taken to grocery stores, especially around the holidays, right, right, you may have one in a little buggy seat.

Speaker 1: 29:41

You may the mom may have one in a buggy, the little buggy chair attached to the cart or on her hip and one at her knee.

Speaker 1: 29:50

So, yes, sometimes if the Lord leads you to do that, then do that because and I call my cousin a baby whisperer right, because even when people around them are like I've tried everything, nothing is stopping them, nothing is making they've been changed, they've been bad, they've been or whatever, and she's one that could go in, and then within seconds it's like they're just quieted, right. So it's like, and if that brings you joy, if there's people in your family that have recently had little babies or newborns, or you like playing with toddlers, getting down on a carpet and playing Legos with them, or having tea with them, or coloring with them, or even rough housing with them, just be that great aunt or uncle that's always been inside of you. You've just been looking for a way to let it out and everything, so that type, if being around children brings you joy, then first of all try being around the children you know and your family, but then volunteer doing the Christmas season at your local church because God, we, they need help.

Speaker 2: 31:03

Yes, they do.

Speaker 1: 31:06

Yes, especially during the holiday season where people are traveling. Their regular volunteers that they normally count on are probably traveling. They're probably out of town with family and things like that they practice self-care.

Speaker 2: 31:21

The normal volunteers might just plain old me the break.

Speaker 1: 31:24

Right, yes, oh, that is the truth. I have spent my time in enough nurseries and toddler rooms and with kids to know that, yes, if you do that on a regular basis, you do need a break. And so just ask if you could be like a substitute teacher in a classroom or a substitute a volunteer with a newborn, like they just call you when there's a need because someone had to call in or they just couldn't make it and you don't think about that and then just the baby's just looking into those cute little eyes and a little.

Speaker 2: 32:10

I completely agree. That is. There's just that, and not only can you be helping the people that need a break, but at Christmas time, in Easter, there's usually a ton more people, oh right, which is awesome, so they need extra volunteers as well, because you need to have enough adults to watch all of the children.

Speaker 1: 32:35

I forgot about that Christmas. In Easter, you're right, where you tend to have a whole lot more families coming than you do like, maybe, during the rest of the year. That is a good point, sherry. So see, with anything that brings you joy, there's always a way to be able to find to do it. And, like we mentioned in a previous podcast, if it's animals, if it's puppies, I can almost guarantee you that your local humane society needs volunteers. We act at ours.

Speaker 2: 33:09

We actually have a thing where you can go in and just play with the cat.

Speaker 1: 33:16

Oh, see, see what I mean. So, yeah, there's some that you can go there and you're like, ok, I need a self-care moment and I just want to play with some puppies, I just want to play with some kitties, I just want to play with some cats, you know, and you know, sign up and be a volunteer. You know to be able to go and do that, because if that brings you joy, you'd be surprised how relaxed you are afterwards, Even though you may have had a hectic day of preparing a holiday meal and doing shopping, and once you get through doing that, you're ready to come home and relax and you're just like refreshed. Ask God, what is it that brings you joy? What makes you smile? Ask Him to reveal it to you and he will answer.

Speaker 2: 34:03

And it goes along with the whole. You're filling yourself up and in this particular case you're filling yourself up as you're serving, so you're shining like the others around you. And you know there is a scientific I don't know all of it and again, I would have researched it if I knew I was going to say this right now but there is a scientific thing that says when you are depressed or when you are upset, if you serve somebody else, it lifts your depression because you are actively blessing somebody else. So when you bless other people, it blesses you. And it's scientific and biblical, so it's both.

Speaker 1: 34:43

Absolutely, and that could even be because a lot of people look forward to Christmas. It's not necessary to shopping that they look forward to, it's all the cooking and baking right. If the season is starting out stressful and you're just like, oh my goodness, I can't believe this has come up and everything else and you start filling yourself again a little stress, go get your rolling pin right and go toss some flour on a counter and start baking pies. And people may be it's not Christmas here, why are you doing that? And you're like, oh, that's okay, you just start baking pies, you start baking cookies, you start baking you know anything that you can do and you're like, yeah, well, my family probably won't eat it. Then take it to church. There's always those people there or the hostess committee that could probably use extra, like little cupcakes or goodies, you know, on Sunday mornings, you know, or something like that. Take them to your neighbors.

Speaker 1: 35:46

That is a lost art to me, to where it wouldn't be abnormal for someone to bake a pie and just take it to their neighbors and just say I hope you enjoy it. You know what I'm saying. So, just because you were thinking of them and just because you like to bake and you're pet are you share cookies, or when your kids' friends are over, because they're probably on Christmas break, bake cookies, right? If that really stressed for you and you just absolutely love seeing the look on people's faces because you've just put so much love into your baking and your cooking, then let that be your self-care moment. You know, and one good thing about cooking is that in baking you can listen to your favorite minister, you can listen to the Bible, you can listen to your favorite devotions or audiobook while you're doing it, and you could be being fed while you're feeding others. What do you think of that, sherry?

Speaker 2: 36:50

Absolutely, and that is one of the ways that I used to fill up. A lot is when our youngest was in elementary school. Every once a week we would make banana bread and we would take it in.

Speaker 1: 37:04

And.

Speaker 2: 37:05

I would. I've always learned the lesson that when you bless others, you need to bless your family first. So no matter what you do, you bless your family before you bless other people. It's just, it's kind of a respecting and honor thing. You just do it so and I learned that from Elizabeth George. I believe I read a fantastic book by her. I think it was called Like A Woman After God's Own Heart. Oh, it was great. It was an older book, loved it, learned so much from it, but anyway.

Speaker 2: 37:34

So every I think like Tuesdays is how it turned out to be. But Tuesdays I would bake, I would get up or extra early I would bake banana bread and I would Do four loads. So two loads would stay at home and I'd cut up two loads and we would Give it out, handed out to the different teachers it got. First it was just his teachers and then it turned out to be well, I don't want to exclude other people because that's just mean, because then it turned out to be like the whole school and it filled me up. And then he Graduated to middle school and now high school and you can't do that anymore because that's like the lame mom. So I don't have.

Speaker 2: 38:18

Banana bread to anymore, and the same thing with my in-laws. I used to Absolutely love making a cake or making something you know delicious and sharing it with them, or Two out of the five of us like chili, well, I love to make a big pot of chili, but nobody wants to eat chili all week long, so I would share it with them Well.

Speaker 1: 38:41

I'm one of those who do, but go ahead.

Speaker 2: 38:45

And so it's hard for me and I actually feel selfish when I make something for us and I don't share it like I used to. I get filled up by sharing things with other people and to me it was just a normal everyday thing when our daughter and our son or other son would ride the bus. I would take out a cup of coffee to the bus driver every morning and we would, I would share my pot of coffee because I'm like I don't need a whole pot of coffee, I would rather share it with somebody else. So it's just, yes, you really truly do fill up when you Can be a blessing to others, and it it goes back to and it ties I think there's whole series of self-care nicely, because it ties us back to the very first episode that we did, and that is that when we are doing self-care, either as a blessing to others and that fills us up, or we fill up in such a way so we can then pour into other people, I think that that truly pleases God and, honestly, isn't that the way that we want to live our life every single day is doing things actively, actively pursuing the things in our life that please our father, who doesn't want to please our father.

Speaker 2: 40:05

I know I sure do. Is there anything else you want to say as we wrap up today, clara?

Speaker 1: 40:11

No, just With the holiday season coming with extra tasks, extra chores, extra to-do lists, don't let that Distract you from taking care of yourself. You are Important. And how do I know you're important? I know you're important because Jesus Christ said so. He thought that he thinks and he thought that you were so important to him that you are so important to him, that you are worth so much to him that your value is so Significant that he died on the cross for your sins and for you to be able to have a blessed and Abundant life. That's how valuable you are, that's how important you are, and Life is a gift. Every breath we take is a gift, and we have to make sure that we Consider ourselves as valuable as Jesus Christ did so that we can continue his work on the earth. So do not let think the to-do list, the tasks, the chores, the extra, everything else that comes along with the holiday season don't let that distract you from taking care of yourself. You are worth it. Did you want to add something to that sherry? I?

Speaker 2: 41:41

Just want to say that if you are listening today and if you are feeling the Holy Spirit snudge to invite Jesus into your heart to fully surrender and to let him be Lord of your life, then we want to Say a prayer and have you repeated after us. God assures us that when we say this prayer with a submissive heart, that we will be saved. It's not the words of the prayer, it's the surrender of our hearts that makes the difference. So if you are there today and if you want to enter into the Christmas season this year as a Christ follower, as God's child, then we Encourage you to please pray this prayer after us. Oh Heavenly Father, I come to you in Jesus name. I believe you died on the cross and that you rose again and you're seated on the throne. Jesus, forgive me for all that I have done wrong and I choose to forgive all others. Come into my life today and forever. I am yours in Jesus name, amen. If you prayed that prayer today, we want to say welcome to the family. We are so glad that you're here. We love all of our listeners and if that is something that you made a commitment with today, we are just so proud of you because it takes. It takes courage to take that step To surrender yourself to your Lord and Savior and not completely and totally know what it is that you're doing, what the next step is like. You know what you did and you know that you're surrendering to God, but now you're like well, now, what? Now? What do I do? What does this mean? How does this change my life? Well, we encourage you to get into a Bible-believing church. We encourage you to spend time in the word, and One of the ways to do that is through the membership Jesus in the everyday, monthly membership. And you know what, if you're listening to this Episode and you have just recently asked Jesus into your heart, I don't want you to think that we're Doing a ploy for you to spend money. So email us at the cheer up podcast at do you know calm? Let us know that you made that decision and I will gift you a membership so that you can start growing closer to God and grow your relationship with your heavenly father, because that is how important it is. That is how much we love sharing God's word and Helping you to start that personal relationship with him. So email us at cheer up podcast at gmailcom, and I will gift you a membership to help you grow and start that Relationship with our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ. We are so Glad and just grateful that you are all here.

Speaker 2: 44:45

I am really sad, kara, that we are ending the Sabbath and self-care episodes. I'm like really sad, but but in January we are going to have awesome episodes. We are going to have a live Twitter feed celebration on January 17th, from 5 to 7 central time, 6 to 8 Eastern time, three to five Pacific time and four to six mountain time. We would love it if you would join us. Please RSVP at the cheer up podcast at gmailcom and, if you choose, to give us your snail mail and we will send you a packet of tea so that we can all be sipping our tea, possibly in our pajamas, but having the time of our lives. A nice little Cheer up podcast bumper party, if you will Just enjoy being together and celebrating the new year, and maybe we can even talk with people about how they were able to implement Self-care in their holiday season as well.

Speaker 2: 45:50

As, how are you doing With observing the Sabbath?

Speaker 2: 45:54

Is that something that God has been talking to you about and how is that going for you, as well as finding your place, because 2024 is not going to slow down I don't think from 2023.

Speaker 2: 46:04

So we need to have those habits and those practices in place so that we can live that abundant life that God promises for us In John 1633.

Speaker 2: 46:16

I will leave you with these words. He says these things I have spoken to you that in me you may have peace in the world. You will have tribulation, but the of the cheer I have overcome the world. Last week we talked about how he sandwiched positive, negative, positive, and this week what God highlighted to me is peace and cheer, because those are two words that you hear a lot of around the Christmas season Peace on earth, good will come in you know Merry Christmas and be of good cheer, those types of things. So I think that it's really fitting, as we head into the holidays, that God reminds us, or Jesus reminds us, that in him we have peace and that we can be with good cheer despite Everything that's going on around us, because he has the, or he's given us the promise that he has overcome the world. On that note, have a wonderful rest of your day, have a fantastic week and we will talk to you next week.