Rejuvenated by ... The Review

Transcipt

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Welcome to the puzzler season three, episode six. As always, I'm here with the puzzlers who are. Sue? Hello. Well. Hi, Tracy. And Katherine. Hello. How are you all doing? Great. All right. So in a good couple days. Yeah. So. Well, this season, as you know, we have been puzzling over what it means to feel rejuvenated. And specifically, we're looking at rejuvenated by nature, by beauty, by joy, and by adventure.

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So. And in today's episode, we are looking back not only at those topics, but at the moments in these conversations that surprised us, challenged us, and maybe even changed us along the way. Now, for full transparency, this is the episode I kind of dread the most.

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It's the one I host, but I can't really prepare for it because I don't know what everyone is going to share. Or a discovery is a puzzle that will make an advance. And honestly, by this point, after producing an entire season and just two days, I am running on fumes. But still, I have to pull myself together, find some words, and come up with questions that keep everyone engaged.

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So here I am sitting with that, wondering what would actually rejuvenate my mind right now. Because in a way, this is life, isn't it? We all have those days where we feel completely depleted, where we only get ten minutes between appointments. Conversations are the next thing on our list. So what do we do with that? What should I do with that feeling right now?

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And I'm reminded of what Catherine said about that. Life is a treasure hunt. So puzzles help me find the treasure in the season that we just recorded. So what is the one thing you have learned from all of our episodes that you now want to incorporate into your own life? And how would you like to rejuvenate yourself? What is the one thing that you would tell me in this moment what I should do?

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And the place that took me actually is not related to any one conversation, but perhaps all of the conversations. And sorry, listeners, but the conversations that took place when you weren't with us, they were so good. Between our recorded conversations. I think what I'm most rejuvenated by this weekend is the experience of being with these people. Y'all, and being able to explore ideas and have really meaningful conversations and exchanges.

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Getting to know you better. Getting to know me better. Val said something. Hang on. Val said something about coming home. About beauty and adventure. And it's the beauty of it. Is that coming home, that coming into being ourselves more. And I guess what I'm trying to express is that I love being able to sit with the four of you and be myself.

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Right. The missed me. I can be there. Yeah, right. Like, it really is beautiful to explore, ideas and thoughts and feelings and experiences and have you echo them back. And it's a beautiful thing. I think of your question saying, what would you tell you, Nicole, to? And I think over the conversation and conversations, we saw it.

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Rejuvenation is what you need when you need it. Yes. So sometimes what you need is the community and the activity and the laughter. And maybe at this point for rejuvenation is what you need is the the quiet and all of those places. And, and I think that there's not a right or it's that there's not a right or wrong and rejuvenation you can explore.

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And hopefully I think what we've wanted to put out in front of you or is just options, like maybe you've never considered going down the Niagara River or just or thrifting or those kind of things, but that there's no right way and there's no wrong way, you know, healthy spaces to be rejuvenated and give yourself permission for what you need when you need it.

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Because that home home is being you, right? Yeah. Exactly what you said, Tracy. I think that's so beautiful. I feel like our conversations melded, so I. I thought it was Tracy. That's, But maybe it was you. I feel like it echoed in all of our hearts. You know, the beauty, our treasure hunt. But I think it's all that different.

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Space. There was a lot of. Yeah, sure. There. Beautiful. It is. Because it echoes. It's a lovely. Yes. Yeah. For me, I think this season I've really enjoyed it and I, I'm looking forward to, listening to it and just absorbing it. And actually putting into place all the things, like I, I'm glad they come out a week apart because I'm looking forward to, like, practicing nature, practicing beauty, a new adventure.

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Joy. But I guess for you, Nicole, I would say, like, at the end of something like this, when you're really depleted, I think your body and your mind and your spirit need rest. And so we are all looking forward to at the end of this going home and rejuvenating and rest. And, we didn't talk about rest as a rejuvenate her, but it certainly is, resting in our home, just very comfortable with the people we feel comfortable with and being.

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And that's why we kept talking about home. Because home equals rejuvenation, right? Like, And just. Yeah, I would say that would be, for you just even breathing as well. All of these things. Yeah, it's it's interesting because I know you're a big proponent of breathing, and I actually could feel myself just in our conversations that I actually stop breathing.

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Yes. It's kind of, you know, like, trying to to monitor things, and I'm kind of. Oh, that's. I have to breeze because that's, that's how things, you know, like flow as well. And to our bodies and, and even the, the breath of God to kind of be open to, to the leading of the Holy Spirit and, and where that will take us.

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And I actually notice a shift in, in the season in, in all of you and all of us in regards to, to our conversations. And, and I think the, the cultivation of, of community and home was actually very evident, I think in, in, especially in our conversations this season, because I feel like people feel a lot more comfortable.

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It was a process of, of this podcast, but, but as well to be seen and heard accepted. And and there was a flow where like, one would pick up where the other kind of stopped. And so it was a kind of beautiful puzzling, actually. Was, was ideas, was thoughts. And they're like and what struck me as well is because rejuvenation, I don't know who said it, but like in the etymology, Tracy sounds biology.

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That's all about entomology. Yeah. Thank you. About, coming back or. Yeah, to to be like a child to coming back to this childlike state and, coming back to the original identity, how God has created you. And, and so that that concept, like, I was struck by that and, and I thought that really highlighted like, how can we come back to how God has created us?

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And so, in, in the nature episode, it was that that was the first message that God gave, like, about who he is and through nature and that he reveals himself, how we can perceive nature and, as someone said, that nature speaks when we can't, and, and so how do we hear God in nature and what he's what is he telling you in your current season?

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How do you perceive him when you step out in nature right now? Like what? What do you think he's he's telling you. And while you're thinking about it, because I, I stepped out this morning and I tried to do it as a practice before I picked up my phone, just to step out and and breathe and breathe in the fresh air, and and make myself aware of my place and and creation.

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And, and that there are so many things that God takes care of. Yes. The the wind, that the sun rises, like all those kind of stuff, and that he takes care of me in the midst of it all, that he doesn't forget me. And so, what what he was saying to me in that moment was that as he reveals himself, you know, like that he's not worried, that that he is, not worried.

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And that the kind of when I look at nature, there's nothing like that is like there's a rhythm to it. Yes, but there is not kind of frantic. Frantic and not that's a stress level that that I feel. And I think being aware of it just calms you down and and experiences. So how is it for any of you?

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I think that that's very much in keeping with my season. This invitation to slow down and even to slow down, because I we have three have a niece and I walk them separately and it has to be even different in my own mindset because I love to get up for a walk and just go. But when you're taking those little ones, they're not needing it for exercise the way a big dog would, because we've got a fenced yard and stuff, but they need to wander, right?

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So slowing down so that they can sniff at this leaf and follow this little trail and that slowing down. And and then when you walk, you see things different. When you walk slower, you see things differently. And even like, I mean, we've I don't consider my dogs my children, but we talk about going for walks with children and they slow down and they see things.

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And Sue is saying about that and they're just aware and so much joy, though, like, like our one girl particularly, she's so excited and stands on her hind feet to get her vest on and to go out and be in nature and, and in creation. And so those pieces of just presence. Yes, presence and slowing down for all of the rejuvenation pieces.

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Yeah. One thing that stood out to me from the nature episode was, Sue was saying that, nature is basically the most tangible way to see God, and I really like that, because for me, one thing, it's probably the thing that drives me the most crazy about being a Jesus. Followers that I can't see him, and I can't I can't audibly hear from him.

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And so that's a new thing I want to contemplate is just, okay, maybe I kind of can see him and maybe this is, you know, his way. Maybe he even speak to me that way, you know, like, so I, I appreciated that. For me nature lately as I stepped out into it I've been noticing sunsets a lot.

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And maybe that's not a unique observation but I've been feeling his love in them, the gift of them. And the lavishness of them. We use that word this this season to the sun could just disappear at the end of the day. You know, the sky doesn't have to be painted all those beautiful colors, but it's that additional.

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It's like I've said, he he could just simply provide for us. But he doesn't need to be black and white. Exactly. Nature has been showing me that God loves us lavishly and loves to to give to us. And I loved Sue, your quote. I think it was Thomas Aquinas. But about how the vastness of creation, kind of the vastness of our individual pieces shows all the different pieces of who God is.

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It's this little droplets of him all over. And yeah, because one thing couldn't express. Yeah, I was thinking about our different joys, styles as well. And, because there's not only one thing, right? Like, there's so many different ways, that each of us experience joy. And like this, this concept about joy tanks and what fills you up.

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And, actually, our listeners, unfortunately, and it was referenced before, like, you miss some spirited conversations after the recording. But I want to ask everyone now what stood out to you about this Joy styles and and what joy styles you are and how how do you feel like you're going to use that knowledge of who you are going forward?

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Because I felt like joy is a lens. Yes. How you see the world and this is lens shift, in a sense, for you, or do you put on a different lens now that you know what joy style you have? Well, I, we were chatting about this and so I already said this to the puzzlers, but I discovered that I am a thinker and it is how I find joy to just search for information.

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I'm curious and I want to know everything under the sun. And so I often would think I'm wasting my time doing that. And I'm just, you know, my husband would say, why do you want to know all that? You're not going to remember it anyway. Well, now I realize, well, I, it's because I find joy in that.

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And that actually does bring me joy to research something, to know something, even though I'm probably going to forget it. And so it's okay to just embrace that. Yeah. And I think that is key, that it is okay. And that we don't have to feel guilty. Yeah. To do something that actually gives us joy or it's just fun for us.

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Some people may not understand and it may not be the same. Yes. Right. For every person. Gee, this is reminding me of season two and permission to write. Permission to embrace things that bring you joy. Yes. That's great. I if I could put those two questions together, I would do that right now because I wasn't able to say this.

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But when you were talking about Eden, Eden actually means place of delight. Yeah, right. That it was made for delight. And, for me in later. I think that's how I connect with God in nature. Is this communion like, I want to see you. I want to connect with you. And knowing that I can, like, hear his whispers kind of in nature.

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That's where I you and connect with him. And that joyful communion of his love, knowing that he's there. I think that's my message right now in nature is I'm here, I'm here. Look for me I'm here. Yeah. And it's it's interesting because none of you touched on the adventure part of the or what do you call the experiencer I think is is the joy style.

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Is that any of you. Maybe it's my second time, Mary. For anyone. Yeah, but I think that's what I was saying. Right. Because I'm a relator, some relating with him, but I'm also experiencing like. Yeah, the beauty of what he's made. Like, I think of the conversation we had that we weren't taped. I was sharing about my son, my one son who was like, my mom, you've got to come see this and see the sunset.

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And he was so little where he was like both experiencer and relator. And I think several of us here are, yes, two things. The experience of deep beauty together with someone with God or with another person. Right. Yeah. Hand up. That's me. Yeah. And I think it goes back to the rejuvenation. Right? Like how we are created. I think identity plays so much into that.

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And to learn how to embrace it and not necessarily what other people expect of us or very I think we said it at one point where we feel like it's not productive. You know, I'm just standing there watching a sunset. I could do other things that appear as more relevant or, you know, something put that in context of spending time researching dead people.

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I mean, that can feel very, like nonproductive like that. Genealogy. Yeah. Genealogy. Yes. My apologies. No. Not random, not random. That was the scariest. And I think some of that is, again, like you said, the the waste of time not being a waste of time. That mission just leaving room for imagination. But that's probably the biggest piece in that one.

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I think of, the slowing down, the my first one, no surprise to me was thinker, but an experiencer. And I think of even I've referenced reading John Muir and just experiencing adventure and and living in those places, but leaving room for imagination or reading fiction. Like, I've actually had to make a practice of reading fiction because that is trickier sometimes.

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So slowing down for that too. Yeah. And it's actually interesting what you just said, Tracy, because when Val described, her feeling about adventures, she actually use paradoxes and, because she said it can be terrifying and thrilling. And, and that just stood out to me that it's, it doesn't have to be either or. Right. It can be.

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Yes. And and. Yeah almost always. Yeah. And that is actually then the outcome of the life giving nature. And what motivates us in, in taking adventures. And well not only focused on adventures but on new adventures. New. Yeah. The new adventures. And then Sue said something in that episode and I'm going to quote a bunch of you because like certain comments just stood out to me.

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She commented about taking the right people with you on the adventure is crucial. Because it will dictate the outcome and how you actually experience that adventure. And in her case, it was about paddle boarding down the Niagara River. And I was thinking as well, about taking God with us. And to be very intentional about visualizing that actually God is with us.

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And what does it look like if I'm actually embarking on something new, to know that God is with me and, and Tracy, actually said, when, when it is a lot to deal with or when things are overwhelming, there's a safety and doing it with God. And so I think these adventures can take on a life of their own.

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And I can see that because in the beginning of all of that, the reframing of it, and it was the beginning of the whole doc adventure, like people ask me, like, did you always want to read dogs? I'm like, no, I'm a cat person, you know? And at the beginning of that, though, there was so much about trust.

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There's so much in that. Like when that was beginning, I just had a moment. I wasn't even praying. It was waking up before we'd taken the dogs. And I kind of said, God, why are we doing dogs? And I just really heard him say, because you trust me. And that's been an anchoring point so many times. But early, I think they had just arrived.

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But whatever it was, that picture of life as a roller coaster. And I actually heard him say to me, are you having fun yet? I'm like, are you kidding me? I'm so stressed out. But I had to take that going because you know how we can switch stress to excited and reframe those things in our in our minds.

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And so that place. But I haven't found yet. That's what was making me go. Because sometimes, sometimes adventure is, well, a lot and a lot. It doesn't mean a bad thing. Right. You're, you're traveling for the first time, you're going through customs for the first time, you're in a new culture. What I do restaurant a new conversation.

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It's. Yeah. And I think that goes back to our first episode when we were saying about the difference between being refreshed and being rejuvenated. Yes. And, so these type of adventures are actually more in the rejuvenating category because they can be a lot. But but the refreshment is, is almost like, b before we can rejuvenated, we have to be refreshed to a certain extent to be able to receive or to be able to even want to embark on something that, is maybe uncertain.

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Or as you said, this roller coaster ride because the practices like your things about joy and those awarenesses are the refreshing choices that lead us toward our rejuvenation. And I was thinking when you're saying stressed, and like the words came to mind like stressed and rest like if we're not at a place of rest, then we aren't going to actually experience the fullness of the joy.

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Right? Right. But what you're saying is that you can find safety. And that's the thing I think that's the ticket for us on every adventure is if there's something that's keeping us from feeling safe, yeah, then we have to figure out how we can find our safety again. So for me, in doing new things, new adventures, it became like not believing lies.

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Like God. If you give provision, sorry, if you give vision, you give provision. This is isn't all riding on me like you were saying, right? It doesn't rest on me. So really making sure that my mindset is right so that I can lean into rest and then I get to be blessed. Which means happy, right? And I that's really cool, Nicole.

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Because like, I did that podcast, but I just learned something. It because every adventure does come with uncertainty and new adventure. And so there is an element of uneasiness almost with every new adventure which. But what that does is it like thrusts you into feeling a bit unsafe and then you seek out safety. And so for me, when I did take on that new adventure, actually, that is why I loved being on this adventure with God, because in that on safety, he made me feel safe.

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And that's what I wrestle with. I wrestle with feeling safe. And so it's a growing experience for me. And I didn't even put that in my growth traits. But, just it deepened my trust in him because for sure, it's a journey that together, it's a picture of faith, really, because we start off not knowing God, doubting, perhaps even the existence of him.

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And as we get to know him, then we get to trust him. And so, so it's really a picture of the unknowing moving into the knowing, building trust, building faith. Yes. Small, gentle steps. He doesn't like throw us. No, he made us like, say, how about we wander down this path? Yes, yes. You know, so it doesn't like adventure has to be crazy because, like, safety is it's being safe in the middle of it.

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And that maybe with safe person, with you having the right person or just because he cares so much about us. Right. Like a lot of people think he's like, why do you, like, throw you off the cliff and show me that you're you trust me. And it's like, actually, trust grows. He's not asking for a blind trust. And I think even along with the word safety, it's important for us to understand is that, like, physically, I'm feeling unsafe, emotionally I'm feeling unsafe, or spiritually am I feeling unsafe?

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Because depending on which we need different tools. Right. And if I just mean like trust. And this was because that's been a journey word for me. And we can really think of trust as black and white. But either I'm trusting or I'm not trusting God or I'm not trusting God. And I had one time where he just said, Tracy, it's not about black or white.

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Yes. Do you trust me more than you trusted me yesterday? Yes. And I felt, okay. I can do that. I can do that. Yeah. Tracy, I feel like that's my life. Like I always think of God as being, like, the best life coach or the best teacher, and, Yeah, exactly. And step by step by step, he's leading us along the way.

00;26;23;25 - 00;26;41;02

So we have a kid that's really scared of the gym. You don't go. It's fine. Just get in the gym. You'd be like, put your foot in. Right? So he's so good. He's like, let's do it, let's grow it, let's grow it. And I think that my life has been growing, growing, growing, growing. We don't learn trust without doubt, right?

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We don't learn trust without fear. Those are not yeah an adventure. So those things they are faith building. Trust building. Yeah. And I think we we don't have to have it all figured out. I think that, it's one of the things that stops us, actually from, from, even embarking on a new adventure is because we there there's an element of unknown, and, and things we can control.

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But I think if you can lean into the curiosity about what might unfold, I think that's maybe a lens shift or a mind munch. Mindset shift that that could be helpful. Like this element of of curiosity. Yes. And, and and I think so knowledge because safety is key as well. That that we are not alone, that God comes with us.

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And as you said, Catherine, that he's not one who just tells us what to do and see how how well we do it, and that he's in the mess with us. Yeah. And he leads us to tools. Right. If I tools in each of the ways to. Yeah. Forward. Yeah. Because we're meant to live life with God not for God.

00;27;54;08 - 00;28;24;10

Yes. As we give ourselves for God, we're meant to live with him. Yeah. So and actually, this, on that theme, it might be something that's next for us as a puzzlers as well. Because we are not just talking about ideas. But, we're going to try to find ways to live them out, live in them out to share them in real time and in a space where reflection meets experience.

00;28;24;12 - 00;28;56;19

So I think maybe it's time to talk about so let's stand quietly taking shape. You mind to join us? Room. So. Well, where do you guys start? Now? Hey, we need a new journal. You guys, I think it's a new adventure for us. Yeah, and last year, we were invited to be part of Agora Network and the conference that they had.

00;28;56;26 - 00;29;22;02

It was like a super special experience for all of us to do a live recording of a podcast on stage. And actually, that experience was phenomenal. Like, I like, at least for, for me and I, I think I speak for all of us to, to see the reaction of the audience and, be able to respond to that in, in, in a way, it completed my joy.

00;29;22;05 - 00;30;10;10

So, and, and we actually thought it would be awesome to get more of that. Yeah. And so we would like to invite you to be part of, one day retreat with the puzzlers. Well, I'm pretty excited because for a very long time, y'all know that I would love to be in a barn and Nicole has this incredible friend who has offered for us as puzzlers and you as our fellow puzzler, to come together for this one day retreat in a beautiful barn setting with twinkly lights and fellowship and food and a chance for a getaway, rejuvenation, a new adventure.

00;30;10;12 - 00;30;43;29

Recharge. Reset. Rewire. Rejuvenate. We really want to build on what we've been talking about in this season, so if you have connected with what we've been talking about and been looking for some rejuvenation in your own life, we want to explore these ideas further and deeper experientially, really. Like we want to actually do some workshops and conversations and, give people, a chance to be rejuvenated alongside us, with us.

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And the alongside is so key, I find, too, because we sit here as puzzle pieces of the puzzlers. But at least for myself. But I know for all of us, we're so aware of each of you and your each unique piece. And so, like, I just kind of feel like we've got a great big puzzle box and we'd love to see what puzzle pieces join in, and we will be rejuvenated by what you bring as well, because you bring yourself.

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And that's the that's the refreshing, rejuvenating because it's really neat. We we have amazing people responding and telling us about this new adventure that we are on as they've been listeners. But to be able to put faces to those names, that's a different kind of puzzle fitting together. And we realize that joy is contagious and we just want to we just want to share and we just want to be with others and see things through other people's eyes and learn and grow from one another.

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Yeah, yeah. So is safe's a date. It's Saturday, September 26th, 2026, and, it will be in Saint Catharines, Ontario. And for more details, please head over to our social media sites, and, we hope to see you there. Yeah, we'll let you know when it's live because it's limited spaces, right. We can't wait. We can't wait to see you.

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See you soon. See you then. Bye. So.