¶ Avoiding Disappointment During the Holidays
Hey friends , welcome to the Problem with Perfect . What is the Problem with Perfect ? It's the myth that if we just do more , be more and have more , our lives will be perfect . I'm Robin May , a journalist , wife , mother and , most days , a faith-filled Christian .
And I'm Denise Bickel , a clinical therapist , educator , mom Mimi and spirit-filled follower . As recovering perfectionists , we promise to be transparent and real and to share the wisdom of trusted advisors and guests .
So pull up a chair and have a seat . There's always a place for you at our table . Music . Welcome back to another episode of the Problem with Perfect . Hello Denise , hello Robin , how are you Doing ? Well , it is getting very close to Christmas .
It is . However , I noticed that you're skipping past the game yesterday .
OK , so for our listeners , we're recording this after the chief's loss to the Buffalo Bills , and I don't want to make enemies on this podcast . I won't talk about the officiating , but it , oh my gosh , it was so terrible , I don't know what else to say . It was just heartbreaking .
I mean , we were for sure we had won that game with a minute and 12 seconds left , and then , when the flag came out , you're like it has to be against them . And then I was like what ? What is that penalty ? I don't even know what that penalty . Can someone explain that penalty to me ?
Yes , yeah , well as the game At some point . So , as you know , when the Broncos and the cheese are playing at the same time , they broadcast the Broncos games here , not the cheese . So I don't want to make any enemies there either , but at the last one minute and 54 seconds , the Broncos game was over , so they switched over to the cheese .
So I was like , yeah , and as Mahomes came out on the field , one of the announcers said you know this , we used to have Brady and now we have Patrick . Mahomes . One minute and 54 seconds means nothing , and I thought that is so true .
However , I'm beginning to notice this year we've gotten so used to it always just pulling it out that when he said it , I thought , oh , yeah , I guess . And so , yeah , I could not believe . The flag and what a play .
I mean just the way it all unfolded and I know and so that was the thing I think that you just said , you nailed it that you know , previously plays like that one happened all the time , every game , and that hasn't been the case this season . So it not only was it just a victory , we were going to probably win the game at that point probably .
I mean nothing saying that , you know , buffalo couldn't have scored in a minute , 12th or whatever , however much time was left on the clock , but it was that we did it . You know , it was kind of like , oh man , this has been a hump that we haven't been able to get over , and we got over it and oh , and then it was gone .
So , yeah , I listened to the post game on the drive home and I have never , ever , ever heard Andy Reed , so , fired up , and Patrick was as boisterous as I've ever heard him .
Yeah , they showed him on the sidelines , really livid and people , other players , kind of restraining him . I don't know where they thought he was gonna go . I don't know where he thought he was gonna go , but he was . You know , he was fiery mad .
So yeah , and I saw lots of criticism over his emotional outburst and that's not the Khypa leader and blah , blah , blah blah . So yeah , I was like , well , I don't need to read any of that , that will just ruin my day . That's right , that's right .
Well , I was pretty sure you were there . Sorry for your bad luck , but I am glad that Christmas right around the corner . We'll just go back to your original skim over the game Very excited kind of that .
Christmas is right around the corner and I think we've done a good job of really talking about all the different aspects of the holidays and gift giving and how to minimize stress .
What we haven't talked about is avoiding disappointment this holiday season , and so you know I can resonate with that over the years through different circumstances , and so when I found this article called the 12 Steps to Avoid Disappointment this Holiday Season , I thought , ah , let's do that and then we'll have a wrap on Christmas .
I was so glad that you suggested it because I think tempering our expectations is so important . It's so important . But , number one , how many of us stopped to really think about that ? Like , what does it mean to temper our expectations and to write , set our expectations and to get our minds and our bodies in the right place where we can do that ?
So what does that really mean ? And then how would we do it ? Like , what are some practical steps ? So , in your wisdom , I loved the suggestion and I can just say for me , I need it already .
You know , like , so , with the countdown on , I don't really stress about it normally until it gets to a certain point , and then , if I'm not where I should be at that point , should should , yeah , and then , denise , the other thing that I've learned over the years is that there's just an emotional response for me this time of year and it starts this week ,
because this is the week that my mom got sick and I used to be like what is going on ? What is wrong with me ? And now I just know like oh , yeah , yeah , yeah , yeah , yeah , I get that , go ahead , I was just gonna say so . All of that together , if I'm not careful , leads to disappointment .
Right , yeah , I got an email from a patient's mom today and the patient passed away the week of Christmas , and so the mom reached out and said you know , I'm just a hot mess and it's been five years . But you know , as you know , five years doesn't mean anything . 10 years , doesn't you know ?
I mean when you miss someone , you miss someone , and so you know , we chatted for a bit about what do you do with all that . Especially at a time of the year when you know ho , ho , ho and everybody's jolly , and at a time when everyone else seems ho , ho , ho and jolly , it can be easy to be disappointed for lots of different reasons .
For lots of different reasons I agree . So again , love this idea to discuss this article . We'll link it in the show notes , but it's called 12 Steps to Avoid Disappointment this holiday season , and so we're just gonna highlight this article and kind of unpack it and I love to get to unpack it with you because , again , I'm all about free counseling .
So thank you in advance .
I don't think that's what this is . We are co-hosts , not counseling . But if you're getting free counseling as a you know byproduct , good on you . The first thing that the article talks about is identifying your main thing and I think that's sort of what we're talking about already is just what is it that you want the holidays to be ?
You know , maybe you want it to be quiet , maybe you want it to be a big celebration , maybe you want it to be just your immediate family , maybe you want everybody you know to come over on Christmas Day for dinner . But just to be sure that , whatever your expectation is that it represents what's most meaningful to you .
Is it religious , family time , or do you just need a break , a rest ? My mom worked on the holidays for years and you know we learn that sometimes Thanksgiving is just the fourth Thursday in November and we had our Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday , you know .
So sometimes you have to make those types of adjustments , yeah yeah , well , it's just being challenged with that question of identify your main thing , right , and so in the last few days I've been sort of wrestling with that , okay , because it's identify your main thing , so it's identify your main thing for the holiday season , and so I had to sit with that .
I really had to sit with that , and so I think for me , what I came up with is connection . The holiday season is about connecting with my family , connecting with my friends and those certain parties and things , and then connecting with my creator and the gift of the presence that my God gives me in the Holy Spirit in my life .
So that's helpful for me , and I just use my example because then if that's what's important to me , then that helps me prioritize my yeses and helps me see where I need to .
Exactly . Yeah , this is one of the times of the year where I really respect and treasure the Catholic rituals . Around Christmas they have novenas , there's the Advent wreath , the nativity scene is set up at the altar with no Jesus in there yet , and I've always thought that those traditions were really meaningful to me as I grew up and as part of my faith .
So sometimes you have to church hop a little bit when you need to .
Yeah , get what you need from the Christmas yeah , yeah I appreciate that yeah well the second thing this article talks about was also painful for me . I know you're gonna be shocked by that and that is slow down , yeah well .
And the fifth reminder is make room for rest . So I think those two go together very well Slowing down and making room for rest , Because if you are frantically trying to bake all the cookies and send out all the cards and wrap all the presents and do all the shopping , I mean just saying all of that exhausts me and I'm not even doing it .
I don't send Christmas cards , I don't have very few presents to wrap , but I think for most people it can just be exhausting this time of year .
Yeah , also , I always add into that that it's so such a I don't know A quandary to me about why are the days the shortest and we seemingly have the most to do , right , because the days in December are the shortest days of the year . So I don't know , maybe God has a sense of humor , or maybe God's trying to say quit trying to do so much .
Exactly . I think that that would be my answer , because days are the days , but if we fill them with 30 hours worth of activities and we only have 24 , then , yeah , we are going to be really tired and exhausted and it is a time to really prioritize where and how you're spending your energy .
Yeah , and that's a good point . Spending your energy yes .
Yeah .
I love what the author said . He said piece is rarely found in adding commitments and errands . That's right . So cut them out on purpose .
Yes , exactly , I'm a big to do list maker . So since I've been back , I mean it just feels like Christmas is on warp speed because we were gone . You know , I miss Thanksgiving completely . And so I sent my grandson's a text yesterday that said if you do not send me a list , you are both getting coal .
And I heard from one of them almost immediately with it . He forwarded his list to me , so he was on it . Yeah , he already had his . I love it , I I don't . Number three was one that really caught my eye , especially , for the problem with perfect is to realize that perfection is not possible .
Yep , yeah . Absolutely you know things are going to go wrong . They just are . They're going to go wrong . People are going to be late , you know , maybe because they didn't leave soon enough , or maybe because you know they got stuck in traffic . People are going to forget things . The dog's going to have money pause and the house is going to be a mess .
You know somebody's not going to like what you give them . Somebody's good , yes , somebody's going to , you know , bicker and say something that they shouldn't . You know , it's just all of those things like it's not going to be perfect .
Right , and just you know , if you want to make that your mantra for the holiday season you know it's not going to be perfect and just sit with that and know . Okay , you know , and when I was before I went to India , I made a mantra and the mantra was I have always wanted to do this .
So even in the moments when I never expected to be doing what I was doing , I reminded myself I always wanted to do this . So sometimes , kind of setting that mantra can can help you stay focused and granted , yeah , what if we said this ?
what if we said it wasn't perfect for Mary and Joseph either ?
That's exactly right . Yeah , I like it . Yeah , just a reminder .
It's never been perfect , but it's always been God's . God's . God uses it all . Right , that's right , that's right , I like it .
Yeah , number six was offer forgiveness quickly , and I think we covered that . It was maybe last last episode where we talked about , you know , giving each other grace and kind of how you could reply to comments that were hurtful or are not something you wanted to talk about .
You want to avoid that topic , so I think just giving people grace and accepting them for who they are , and if you need to take a breath or you need to escape to the bathroom , it's okay .
It's okay . But also I really loved how the article was challenging , in that you know , this disruption , this fracture in the relationship , many times it grows and it grows and it gets bigger , and sometimes it just gets bigger because it's been there longer .
Right Time seems to make the distance larger , and so this article is like you take the step , you take a step towards that other person , and it could be simply about hey , how is your year been ? Or , you know , it doesn't have to be grandiose , let's bury the hatchet conversation . I would just encourage us all
¶ Navigating Boundaries, Traditions, and Expectations
. We all have those relationships where you're like oh , if I could not see that person , it wouldn't hurt my feelings , you know , but if we took a step towards them , just in common , courtesy .
Yeah , I'm preaching to the choir here .
I'm preaching to the choir myself , yeah me too .
I think , from what I do for a living with people that pay me to do their counseling , is that sometimes you do have to have boundaries and you have to draw a line and you have to be consistent in how you respond . And so it .
We would all love to have kumbaya moments and really forgive each other , and let's move past this , but sometimes relationships are very toxic and unhealthy .
Good point , and in those situations you know , wishing someone well , praying for them every morning , but being firm in your boundary settings so that , so that you don't continue to be hurt by an unhealthy relationship .
Yeah , I actually thought of this point today when I was at Starbucks waiting for my coffee and this woman had been through the drive through and she brought in her to Carmel Machiatos I don't know what they were , I do know this she did not get the extra Carmel that she ordered and so she brought it in and the manager tried to make her happy .
And it was just like the more the manager tried to make her happy , the sassier this woman got and I was just like , oh my gosh , this poor manager is bending over backwards . She was like , oh , I'm so sorry about that , friend , you know , blah , blah , blah , blah , blah . And she's like don't be slamming my cups down .
I mean , there was just no making this person happy and I think that's what you're talking about , that there are people that we can take a step towards them all day long and they are gonna step on our toes , that's right , yeah , so know who those people are and decide how you wanna navigate that .
The holidays , you know , are special , but they are also just one day out of 365 . And so sometimes you have to remember that too , that although it's Christmas and everyone would love it to be a time of peace and forgiveness and kindness and graciousness , sometimes you just have to stay consistent with what you've already established .
Yeah well , like you said , go to the bathroom , yes , go to the bathroom . Yeah , but I have to back you up . We miss number four , and number four was one of my favorites . Oh , yes , go ahead .
Number four is don't push your expectations onto others , and it just talked about how we all have different expectations of how Christmas should be like , so what it should it look like , and oftentimes it's based on well , this is what we did when I was a kid , so it must be right , right ?
For the best way , and I think this also is just prime for new couples , new married couples , new couples , couples trying to navigate whose house we'll go to for Christmas , whose house we'll go to for well , we've always celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve . We don't open our presents till Christmas day . I mean , you start merging families and merging traditions .
It can be easy to start expecting that things are gonna be a certain way and understanding that this is probably one of the biggest times to negotiate yeah , how your traditions will be , and then communicating that to the mother-in-laws and the father-in-laws and the grandparents . This is what we decided to do for Christmas this year .
It may not look like that every year , but this is a time of year when that gets to be a pretty big problem it does , it does .
And I would just echo everything you said and add to that just communicate . Communication is so important . Like , look , we want to establish our own traditions , but we also wanna honor whatever , and so how does this look like ? And it is going to be a negotiation .
But I think what's hard is when you meet up with those people that expect their traditions to become your traditions and vice versa . It's gonna be conflict if we expect our traditions to be other people's traditions .
So Exactly yeah . And then you add into it maybe I have a niece that lives out of town so they're alternating with her parents' holidays .
So one Thanksgiving they come into St Louis and then the next holiday their family parents go where they live and then they alternate that every other year and I don't know who keeps track of all that , but I know it's a big deal to people .
It's a big deal . And then , if you have multiple children that you're trying to coordinate schedules for Exactly , yeah , yeah well , ask me about that in a couple years , because I'm gonna get good at coming up , I'm gonna get some practice .
Yeah , you do . Yeah , exactly . Well , number seven was my favorite and that is remember
¶ Memories and Lessons From Holiday Mistakes
. Memories are made in the mistake , and that got me thinking about all the different things over the years . I remember my youngest brother was probably five or six and he was wrapping his own presents and he kept telling us I need a two from , I need a two from . We were like we don't even know what you're talking about .
And he goes you know a two from . Got so upset with us . So any guesses what a two from is ? None , yeah , those tags that go on the gift oh , two from , two from . We still call those , still call those two froms many , many , many years later , because it was just so fun , that's brilliant . And then there was the year that my I think it happened twice .
Once my mother gave me a gift and it was the same gift I'd bought her . So that was like oh my gosh . And then once my daughter gave me a gift which reminded me that I had gotten her the same thing but forgot to put it under the tree . So I said hold that thought .
And I went into and found the gift and brought it out and said oh , here's your little angel that you bought me . It's just like mine , I know .
Wow . So , I guess that apple didn't fall far from the tree twice .
No , it did not . Yeah , strong lineage there . How about you ? Do you have any memories that came from mistakes ?
Yeah , None is compelling and fun as yours , denise .
I like yours , especially the two from yeah two from Two from you will not forget that Now , whenever you wrap a gift and you get a two from , you'll think of my brother . Yeah , I will .
I love it . I'm just yeah , I've been thinking about that and I don't no really fun ones like yours , Like we had some mistakes , like waiting till 10 o'clock on Christmas Eve to start putting the Barbie car together . You know , that was just a mistake and there are memories made in it , but we'll leave it at that .
Oh , we've all been there too .
So we did learn we cannot do that or we will not have many more Christmases together together , that's right .
Yeah , yeah . So many many years ago was when I was married and we were having Thanksgiving at our house are probably 25 people , big Thanksgiving dinner and I already had all the tables set , napkins , everything , everything . And my husband wanted to light both fireplaces . We had one on the lower level , it was kind of like a split level house thing .
We had one on the lower level and then we had one in the formal dining room and he said I'm going to go , I want to , I'm going to light them both , I think that'll be great . And I said I think that's going to make the room too hot . And I really rather you didn't do that . And he goes no , no , no , it'll be great .
Well , here's what we found out is that when you have fireplaces on two different levels , the flus won't draw appropriately because there's two , and so the room filled up with smoke .
I was going to say like a porous fire .
Yeah , my aunt who came for dinner that year was blind , and even she , when she walked in the room , said oh boy , it's really smoky in here . So lesson learned on the two fireplaces , okay .
So for everyone who was thinking about lighting two fireplaces to create the perfect holiday . You know , whatever , maybe just pass .
Yeah , that's right . Yeah . So number eight is realize the meaning is in the giving , not the gift .
I appreciate this one a lot and I think for a lot of us , what we need to hear is that the gift that we give because we labor over the perfect gift , right , and what should I get ? No , I don't know what to get and it gets so stressful because I would just go get whatever if I knew what to get .
So flipping that back on ourselves and reminding ourselves that the gift really that we're giving is the gift of love when we give that gift and that . So for putting pressure on ourselves to give the perfect gift , just remember look , this gift is just a symbol of the love that I'm giving and I'm going to give that freely and openly to that person .
Yes , I think for me that's more helpful because I really I think I do appreciate gifts . I just appreciate people thinking of me . You know , don't you at this age ?
Yeah , oh gosh , and quite honestly , I mean , there's just so little that I really need . We talked about this couple episodes ago . You know , this is where the generation . If we wanted , we ordered on Amazon and it comes in two days , or you have prime , so it comes the same day or the next day on .
Have prime , and so you know , invite me over and let's talk or let's have , you know , hot cocoa and let's reminisce about things . But I don't really need many gifts . There's not really much I need , although I do have a list this year . So , yeah , I'm , I'm a . If my kids ask , I'm going to tell them I do .
I want to hitch for my car so that I can get a bike rack so I can take my bike over to the park and ride it without having to like load it in my car . Bikes are heavy , so you know that . Yeah , yeah , yeah .
That would be a great gift .
I know it would be .
Are you going to do ? You have a bike rack right now .
No , I have to fold the seats down and lay the bike in , the which is it's heavy .
My bike rack attaches to the back of the car .
Uh-huh .
I don't know how hard it is to get on there , because I have my husband to it . So there you go , yeah , but I think , I hope that your kids are listening Me too . I'll tell them to for sure . Wink , wink , wink , wink , wink , wink , because I bet they are stomped like what to get , mom ? I bet they are .
So , yeah , before we move on to that point , I think just remembering the gift is not the gift . The true gift is the giving and the giver . And for me , tying it back to the ultimate gift yes , right , which is the birth of Christ .
Yes , all right . Number nine is admit you can't change others .
Oh , yeah , so .
I have a .
I have a brother that I'm never going to change , never going to change him . He's coming on Saturday and he doesn't listen to this , this podcast , but other family members do , and I've just had to just realize that he's going to say inappropriate things , he's going to use foul language , uh-huh .
He is as far away from politically correct as one maybe could get and I have to admit I cannot change him and I will enjoy his company because I do love him so much and he's funny and he's winsome , he's lots of great things . I'm going to appreciate and enjoy our company and our time together . If I just know I'm not going to change him .
So I know what to expect there you go Well , and you know you have several bathrooms in your house so you can make several trips to the restroom if you need to . Just kind of . You know , and you can remember the the um examples we gave a couple of weeks ago of you know gosh , you know I'm sorry to hear that . Or gosh , that must be difficult .
Or you know my , my common answers . You know my mom always taught me not to talk about politics or religion . You know , just kind of joke about it and move on . Yeah , um , thankfully , you know , our family out here in Denver is very small and so I think we all know the triggers that we're not going to .
We're not going to , you know , step on those on Christmas day , but it it could happen , it could happen to anyone .
So deep breath . It happens accidentally , you know . You stumble onto a conversation and you're like oh , here we are . But yeah we are , we are only in control of ourselves , and that's a big job to be in control of ourselves in certain situations .
Well , certainly can't be in control of other people who have been this way for however many years , not going to change . That's right .
I can barely control myself , much less try and take anybody else on . So I think that's very true . Um , number 10 is when no one to stop , and I thought this was a really good suggestion . Doppel , you know , from overeating , over drinking , that's a lost art during the holiday season is what the article says , and I think that's true .
Um , you know , we won't feel good about ourselves if we wake up the next day and our stomach hurts or and our head hurts .
And our heart hurts because , inevitably , if we've drank too much , we may have said something we wish we wouldn't have said , or done something . Yeah , so sometimes there's consequences Doesn't feel good . Um , for sure , I do have a memory with this one . Okay , yeah , let's hear .
So remember last week when I told you there was like 40 to 50 people that would pile into my grandma's little house and that was our Christmas and there was one bathroom , right , mm , hmm , and let me just say the seat was always warm . Okay , yes , okay . So I was must have been like 10 or 11 .
And you know , up to that point in my life , I didn't like nuts . I don't know why I didn't like nuts . I never had nuts . I just said I didn't like nuts because I didn't think I like nuts .
I don't know why , but on that blessed Christmas I realized I loved nuts and I love chocolate covered peanut clusters that my grandma made , mm hmm , and loved them and loved them and ate them , and ate them , and ate them . And you know , when you talk about you're going to make yourself sick .
You know , up to that point in my life , I thought that was just a farce . I didn't think you could eat so much as something that you can make yourself sick . But it turns out you can . So , imagine throwing up around the warm toilet , with a line outside waiting for you to hurry up . So sorry , was that too graphic ?
Gosh , yeah , I feel sorry for you that that happened .
So I have to tread lightly with those . Let me tell you , even to this day , you know , oh , can you eat that ? Well , my mother-in-law , she , god lover , she makes Christmas candies and it's , it's one of the things that she makes and I can eat them now , but they're really Tom's favorite , and I love the peanut butter , the Buckeye balls .
So I do my , I do my balls and he does his nuts . No .
Oh , this podcast is going to heck in a handbasket quickly
¶ Holiday Budgeting and Maintaining Perspective
. Okay , number 11 . Stay within your budget . Oh yeah , everything is so expensive this year it is so expensive .
from food to presents , you know , and even stamps , you know , christmas cards , it's all so expensive , and so I think there's just stress that's attached to that . You know , in some ways , you know going to or wherever you do your shopping , trying to find , okay , you know , I have a list or I have an idea .
But if you don't go with an idea of how much you can spend , I think it's going to be really easy and people are going to be really fussy Because come January they're going to be in a world of hurt .
Yes , I agree . Well , and I think this is where and we mentioned this , I think , last week or the week before they're all running together at this point . You know , have people bring things .
Don't try and have the host the entire meal , you know , maybe make a menu and then say can you bring a salad , can you bring a veggie , can you bring a roll , and try and spread that expense out among people , you know . You know a family is going through a hard time or maybe doesn't have a lot of resources .
Ask them to bring paper plates yeah , you know , but be sure , and ask them to bring something because you don't want them to feel badly about not contributing . But , you know , look at your guest list and decide who can , who can handle what , and then ask people to share in the meal .
Yeah , I agree , and I think also extending it beyond just the budget of what you're going to spend , being cognizant of the fact that December is just a really expensive month anyway , you know , for some people , even if you're driving two hours away , well , that's an extra . Take a gas , you know . So don't forget to build that in .
And maybe you'll have a couple of extra work parties and you're supposed to bring a $20 gift for both of them . So that adds up . None of it alone sounds like a lot , but it all ends up . And then also , you know , taxes come do as well .
Yes , they do . So in my case my car insurance is due on January 11 , you know , just like $700 due on .
January 11 . And then we're going to be able to fill ourselves today , yeah .
And then also , I want to combine this one with another one about controlling your expectations , because I think there's been times in the past where I've splurged on that gift that I know they're going to love and they're going to be so excited about it , and it's a real huge burden for me to spend the extra amount .
But I do it and then the the way the gift is received or the reaction that I wanted , it doesn't happen . And then I'm doubly disappointed because , you know , I've I so thought that they were going to love that gift and they really didn't think I was disappointed in that .
Their excitement didn't meet my expectations of how excited I thought they were going to be and on top of it , I've spent too much money . And then I'm just mad at them and me . Yeah , exactly .
Yeah , I hear you . Yeah , compound disappointment , I agree , and that's why we're telling people ahead of time how to avoid those disappointments .
And number 12 was probably my favorite embrace spirituality , and I think in everything that we we talked about , everything you know , it boils down to graciousness and passion and kindness and all the things we want to extend to others . I think that's , you know , part of spirituality too .
Yeah , the article says champion love , hope , forgiveness and grace . And rather than losing yourself in the hustle and bustle , find intentionality and remembering the heart of Christmas and celebrating the soul of everything .
Good yeah well said , yeah , and I had found a little saying to that said . Especially during this holiday season , don't forget to listen to the whispers of your soul .
Yeah , yeah , and I think taking the time and building in the the budget of you , if you will , the budget of time and quiet and rest , will allow us to do that and then for me it comes full circle , because then I can really be connected to the people and the reason for the season which isn't , is the main thing .
So you know , back to the beginning , remember that the main thing is the main thing .
So , if nothing else , take a few minutes and get into this podcast and remember or identify what is the main thing that I want this holiday season to be about and then , if you have a few minutes , check out the show notes so you can get the full article , because it really it's a short article but it was powerful pack to punch .
And so that was well , and I will wish our listeners early Merry Christmas , because we too are putting our words to action and not podcasting next week .
I know we're taking a week off , which , yeah , good for us . So this episode will come out on the 19th of December and , for all of our listeners , we will not have a podcast episode the week of Christmas .
So normally we would come out on December 26 , the day after Christmas , and no , we're going to take the week off and enjoy the time with our family and rest and rejuvenate and refuel and then we'll be back . I think it's January 2 . So it is yeah , so it's January 24 . So , happy holidays to all our listeners .
Denise , happy holidays to you , and what a pleasure and a blessing is to get to do this with you every week .
Thank you , merry Christmas everyone .
Thanks for listening to the podcast . We're honored . You're sharing your day with us .
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As always a special shout out to our editor , jordan Overkamp , for making us sparkle and remember .
there's always enough grace for you today , so be sure to give it to yourself .