Life Happens Laugh Anyway

Episode 152-Christmas Under Fire

Hey Humor Consumers!

Tracy here. I’m typing out these show notes on my phone from an airport in Seattle on my way to Fairbanks, Alaska for a fun comedy gig. Forgive the brevity! 
Christmas Under Fire is an awesome 9 minute documentary created during WW2 to give people a glimpse inside what it was like when London was being bombarded by Germany. 

Gotta run! Enjoy the episode.

Bye   

Would you donate $10 bucks to our podcast mission?

Keep reading...

Welcome NEW Humor Contributors Jess, Kim, Beverly and Jackie. 👏👏👏 THANK YOU THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!

Guess what?

We are nearly to our $1,000 goal already. God is so good! Wait, what??? Yes, it's true, as of today (11/22/23) our total raised for new podcasting equipment is just over $850. Yay and THANK YOU! By the way, I had no idea that podcasting equipment would cost so much! Geez.

Because we love to be s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d, our little podcast team decided to take a giant leap of faith and extend our equipment upgrade to include VIDEO EQUIPMENT. 😳 This gives Cathrine a sudden surge of panic. 😰

That's right, you heard us, we are adding video. Those of you who have followed us for a while know that I (Tracy) have wanted to add video for a very long time. Cathrine is not quite as excited about the idea, but don't fret. She will come along. I got her to do the podcast in the first place. 

Video equipment and setting up our "pod lab" to be camera ready is going to take additional funds and additional time to raise those funds. We will go at the pace as God allows.

Much love to you all! 

 

 

Episode 151-Living Grateful

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

Would you donate $10 bucks to our podcast mission?

Keep reading...

Welcome NEW Humor Contributors Kim, Beverly and Jackie. 👏👏👏 THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

Guess what?

We are nearly to our $1,000 goal already. God is so good! Wait, what??? Yes, it's true, as of today (11/22/23) our total raised for new podcasting equipment is just over $850. Yay and THANK YOU! By the way, I had no idea that podcasting equipment would cost so much! Geez.

Because we love to be s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d, our little podcast team decided to take a giant leap of faith and extend our equipment upgrade to include VIDEO EQUIPMENT. 😳 This gives Cathrine a sudden surge of panic. 😰

That's right, you heard us, we are adding video. Those of you who have followed us for a while know that I (Tracy) have wanted to add video for a very long time. Cathrine is not quite as excited about the idea, but don't fret. She will come along. I got her to do the podcast in the first place. 

Video equipment and setting up our "pod lab" to be camera ready is going to take additional funds and additional time to raise those funds. We will go at the pace as God allows. Here's our plan:

We have TWO goals:

Essentials Goal: $2,500 By December 31, 2023

2 Shure MV7b Podcasting Microphones ($800) (Yay! We already have the funds for these so we will be purchasing them asap.)

2 Shure Podcasting Headphones ($200)

2 Bi-color LED Video Lights ($500)

Microphone Cloudlifter ($150)

Zoom PodTrak Podcast Recorder ($150)

Backdrop and set ($100)

Training on how to use equipment ($600)

Miracles Goal: $5,000 by Valentines Day 2/14/2024

Sony Camera ($1,600)

Lens ($800)

Monitor ($100)

If we don't raise the above funds in the timeframe outlined here, we will just go forward using what we do have and doing our best. We both really LOVE creating this podcast for all of you. Usually over 600 people open our weekly emails. If each one would give only $10 bucks, we will easily reach our goals. Or, one person could donate an extremely generous gift of $5,000. Either way. All of that to say, every dollar matters and it's not lost on us that you are partners with us in creating this content. ;)

You can make a one-time donation of any amount by clicking here. You can become a recurring donor through Patreon by clicking the SUPPORT button below.

Love you all!

Humor Contributors: Kim, Jackie, Beverly, Jessica, Katie, Colleen, Ursula, Nancy, Kenny, Karren, Jeannine, Muffin, Dar, Courtney, Joan, Gayle, Carla and Linda. Thank you for your generous support. We're saving up for new microphones (that will be awesome) and down the road maybe an editor and some advertising. We are also looking into attending a conference for podcasters in Florida in January. Fun. 

Click the link below to support us with a $5 per month contribution and you will become part of our growing community.

And now, back to Episode 151 Living Grateful

1. Why gratitude works
2. How gratitude has changed our lives
3. What you can do TODAY to be more grateful

Inspiration:

Ephesians 5:20

"Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Samuel 12:24

"But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you."

CTA: Write down what you’re grateful for either in a journal or text and share it with someone.

From The Science of Gratitude, three reasons gratitude works:

1. Establishes self-worth. If I say thank you to you for something, it means there’s been a cost incurred. There’s a value exchange. You gave something valuable for me therefore, I am valuable. Self-worth goes up and satisfaction with life goes up. 
2. Gratitude is a bonding social emotion. When I express gratitude to you, you feel more connected to me. More connected=More happy. 
3. Our brains are giant filters. Can’t take in all that comes at us. When we start to habitually exercise gratitude muscle we see things for which we are grateful more often. Sort of like when you start looking for a particular type of car you side fly notice them everywhere. 

Research shows gratitude improves your life in following ways:

1. increases happiness
2. Reduced depression
3. Improved physical health
4. Reduced blood pressure
5. Less chronic pain
6. Increased energy
7. Longer life
8. Boosts self esteem
9. Increases empathy
10. Pro-social behavior
11. Enhances sleep

Gratitude rewires our brains. Kickstarts production of dopamine and serotonin (feel good neurotic transmitters that activate the bliss center)

Inflates good thoughts. Deflates bad ones. 

Celebrate small accomplishments. 

Share the love and tell people in your life stuff you appreciate. 

Volunteer. 

Hold door. 

Be kind. 

Smile. 

Regular meditation. 

Mindfulness

Write it down. 

https://youtu.be/JMd1CcGZYwU?si=HJ1v5tAkgAtOaOia

***PLEASE NOTE:*** If you are receiving these show notes via email, scroll down to the bottom and hit play to hear the audio of the Life Happens Laugh Anyway podcast episode.

Tracy and Cathrine

P.S. The goal of the Life Happens Laugh Anyway podcast is to present our audience with a relevant topic weekly in an entertaining way followed by some spiritual encouragement. #lifehappenslaughanyway #tracydegraaf

***MORE ABOUT TRACY DEGRAAF COMEDY***

Hi Friends, Tracy here. My husband and I survived raising 5 boys and there were so many funny stories along the way. Now is my time to "show and tell." 🥳 I put these stories in my book and on stage in my comedy act. It's so much fun.

Join my email community to add some fun to your inbox. https://tracydegraaf.com/email-community Follow me on social!

➡️Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TracyDeGraafComedy ➡️Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tracydegraaf/ ➡️Twitter:https://twitter.com/tracydegraaf

If you're new to my comedy, here's a little about me.

I'm from the Chicago area and I perform my one-woman clean comedy show “Life Happens Laugh Anyway” nationwide for both corporate and non-profit organizations.

My comedy combines two of my passions: Christianity and breast cancer awareness. (I was diagnosed in 2016 with stage 1 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma...a fancy name for breast cancer. Currently, I'm doing great and am cancer free!)

As a Christian and a breast cancer survivor, I use my platform to inspire women spiritually and motivate them to schedule their breast cancer screenings. I like to tell women “I want you to know Jesus, but I don’t want you to meet Him face-to-face just yet.” 🙏❤️

I pull material from my experiences as a wife, mother of five grown sons and middle-aged woman. I love performing for Girls Night Out Events, Women’s Conferences, Fundraisers, Breast Cancer Awareness Events, Cancer Survivor Events and more. I was trained for comedy at The Second City in Chicago. I'm happily married to my husband, Ron (a.k.a. Muffin) since 1989 and we are now empty nesters! 😁 We can't stop smiling. Our boys are spread out between Colorado, Illinois and Indiana.

I publish a weekly podcast called Life Happens Laugh Anyway with my bff Cathrine and it is so much fun. We started the podcast when the world shut down during Covid since all of my shows were canceled. It's a hoot. We tackle a new topic weekly that we think our audience will care about and discuss it in an entertaining way. We close each episode with some spiritual encouragement. 👍

For additional information, check out my website: https://tracydegraaf.com #tracydegraaf #lifehappenslaughanyway #comedyvideo #standupcomedy

Episode 150-Gift Ideas for Christmas 2023

Hey Humor Consumers...

***HELP WANTED!*** Nope, it's not a job, it's a mission. Please read. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

We need your help to upgrade our podcasting equipment. In the beginning we purchased "good enough" microphones that have gotten us through to this point, but it's time to take the quality of our sound to the next level.

Our goal is to raise $1,000 by the end of 2023. Will you help us? Typically, around 600 people open our weekly emails. If everyone reading these words right now just donates $2 to our equipment campaign, we will be successful. We say that to emphasize that no gift is too small.

If you have been wanting to become a sponsor of our podcast and just haven't pulled the trigger yet, now is a great time to jump on board. You can donate $5 per month by clicking here. That will take you to our Patreon page where you can join us as a monthly Humor Contributor. 

If you would like to make a one time gift (remember, no gift is too small), go here. Or, you can mail a paper check payable to Tracy DeGraaf to P.O. Box 80, Peotone, IL 60468.

Thank you to all of our Humor Consumers and Humor Contributors for your support. We LOVE creating this podcast for you and hope to keep doing it for quite a while. ;0)

Now, back to episode 150 and Gift Ideas for Christmas 2023

It happens every single year....gift giving time comes around and we all need fresh ideas. On today's episode we talk about a little history of the tradition of giving gifts. We also cover 

1. The origin of Christmas gift giving https://www.historyhit.com/why-do-we-give-presents-at-christmas/
2. Fun gifts that don’t cost a ton. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/gift-ideas/g29003353/cheap-christmas-gifts/
3. What if you want to change it up? How to propose a switch-a-roo

Inspirational close: James 1:17

CTA: Do what works best for you and your loved ones. 

Love you all!

Humor Contributors: Jessica, Katie, Colleen, Ursula, Nancy, Kenny, Karren, Jeannine, Muffin, Dar, Courtney, Joan, Gayle, Carla and Linda. Thank you for your generous support. We're saving up for new microphones (that will be awesome) and down the road maybe an editor and some advertising. We are also looking into attending a conference for podcasters in Florida in January. Fun. 

Click the link below to support us with a $5 per month contribution and you will become part of our growing community.

***PLEASE NOTE:*** If you are receiving these show notes via email, scroll down to the bottom and hit play to hear the audio of the Life Happens Laugh Anyway podcast episode.

Tracy and Cathrine

P.S. The goal of the Life Happens Laugh Anyway podcast is to present our audience with a relevant topic weekly in an entertaining way followed by some spiritual encouragement. #lifehappenslaughanyway #tracydegraaf

***MORE ABOUT TRACY DEGRAAF COMEDY***

Hi Friends, Tracy here. My husband and I survived raising 5 boys and there were so many funny stories along the way. Now is my time to "show and tell." 🥳 I put these stories in my book and on stage in my comedy act. It's so much fun.

Join my email community to add some fun to your inbox. https://tracydegraaf.com/email-community Follow me on social!

➡️Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TracyDeGraafComedy ➡️Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tracydegraaf/ ➡️Twitter:https://twitter.com/tracydegraaf

If you're new to my comedy, here's a little about me.

I'm from the Chicago area and I perform my one-woman clean comedy show “Life Happens Laugh Anyway” nationwide for both corporate and non-profit organizations.

My comedy combines two of my passions: Christianity and breast cancer awareness. (I was diagnosed in 2016 with stage 1 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma...a fancy name for breast cancer. Currently, I'm doing great and am cancer free!)

As a Christian and a breast cancer survivor, I use my platform to inspire women spiritually and motivate them to schedule their breast cancer screenings. I like to tell women “I want you to know Jesus, but I don’t want you to meet Him face-to-face just yet.” 🙏❤️

I pull material from my experiences as a wife, mother of five grown sons and middle-aged woman. I love performing for Girls Night Out Events, Women’s Conferences, Fundraisers, Breast Cancer Awareness Events, Cancer Survivor Events and more. I was trained for comedy at The Second City in Chicago. I'm happily married to my husband, Ron (a.k.a. Muffin) since 1989 and we are now empty nesters! 😁 We can't stop smiling. Our boys are spread out between Colorado, Illinois and Indiana.

I publish a weekly podcast called Life Happens Laugh Anyway with my bff Cathrine and it is so much fun. We started the podcast when the world shut down during Covid since all of my shows were canceled. It's a hoot. We tackle a new topic weekly that we think our audience will care about and discuss it in an entertaining way. We close each episode with some spiritual encouragement. 👍

For additional information, check out my website: https://tracydegraaf.com #tracydegraaf #lifehappenslaughanyway #comedyvideo #standupcomedy

Episode 149 - Review of Beyond Hoarding Documentary

Hey Humor Consumers...

***HELP WANTED!*** Nope, it's not a job, it's a mission. Please read. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

We need your help to upgrade our podcasting equipment. In the beginning we purchased "good enough" microphones that have gotten us through to this point, but it's time to take the quality of our sound to the next level.

Our goal is to raise $1,000 by the end of 2023. Will you help us? Typically, around 600 people open our weekly emails. If everyone reading these words right now just donates $2 to our equipment campaign, we will be successful. We say that to emphasize that no gift is too small.

If you have been wanting to become a sponsor of our podcast and just haven't pulled the trigger yet, now is a great time to jump on board. You can donate $5 per month by clicking here. That will take you to our Patreon page where you can join us as a monthly Humor Contributor. 

If you would like to make a one time gift (remember, no gift is too small), go here. Or, you can mail a paper check payable to Tracy DeGraaf to P.O. Box 80, Peotone, IL 60468.

Thank you to all of our Humor Consumers and Humor Contributors for your support. We LOVE creating this podcast for you and hope to keep doing it for quite a while. ;0)

Now, back to episode 149 Beyond Hoarding Documentary

1. What is Hoarding?
2. Levels of hoarding
3. Our own stories
4. Solutions

Inspiration Matt 7:3-4

CTA: Have grace with others and be mindful of these types of issues in your own circle.

Love you all!

Humor Contributors: Jessica, Katie, Colleen, Ursula, Nancy, Kenny, Karren, Jeannine, Muffin, Dar, Courtney, Joan, Gayle, Carla and Linda. Thank you for your generous support. We're saving up for new microphones (that will be awesome) and down the road maybe an editor and some advertising. We are also looking into attending a conference for podcasters in Florida in January. Fun. 

Click the link below to support us with a $5 per month contribution and you will become part of our growing community.

***PLEASE NOTE:*** If you are receiving these show notes via email, scroll down to the bottom and hit play to hear the audio of the Life Happens Laugh Anyway podcast episode.

Tracy and Cathrine

P.S. The goal of the Life Happens Laugh Anyway podcast is to present our audience with a relevant topic weekly in an entertaining way followed by some spiritual encouragement. #lifehappenslaughanyway #tracydegraaf

***MORE ABOUT TRACY DEGRAAF COMEDY***

Hi Friends, Tracy here. My husband and I survived raising 5 boys and there were so many funny stories along the way. Now is my time to "show and tell." 🥳 I put these stories in my book and on stage in my comedy act. It's so much fun.

Join my email community to add some fun to your inbox. https://tracydegraaf.com/email-community Follow me on social!

➡️Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TracyDeGraafComedy ➡️Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tracydegraaf/ ➡️Twitter:https://twitter.com/tracydegraaf

If you're new to my comedy, here's a little about me.

I'm from the Chicago area and I perform my one-woman clean comedy show “Life Happens Laugh Anyway” nationwide for both corporate and non-profit organizations.

My comedy combines two of my passions: Christianity and breast cancer awareness. (I was diagnosed in 2016 with stage 1 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma...a fancy name for breast cancer. Currently, I'm doing great and am cancer free!)

As a Christian and a breast cancer survivor, I use my platform to inspire women spiritually and motivate them to schedule their breast cancer screenings. I like to tell women “I want you to know Jesus, but I don’t want you to meet Him face-to-face just yet.” 🙏❤️

I pull material from my experiences as a wife, mother of five grown sons and middle-aged woman. I love performing for Girls Night Out Events, Women’s Conferences, Fundraisers, Breast Cancer Awareness Events, Cancer Survivor Events and more. I was trained for comedy at The Second City in Chicago. I'm happily married to my husband, Ron (a.k.a. Muffin) since 1989 and we are now empty nesters! 😁 We can't stop smiling. Our boys are spread out between Colorado, Illinois and Indiana.

I publish a weekly podcast called Life Happens Laugh Anyway with my bff Cathrine and it is so much fun. We started the podcast when the world shut down during Covid since all of my shows were canceled. It's a hoot. We tackle a new topic weekly that we think our audience will care about and discuss it in an entertaining way. We close each episode with some spiritual encouragement. 👍

For additional information, check out my website: https://tracydegraaf.com #tracydegraaf #lifehappenslaughanyway #comedyvideo #standupcomedy

Episode 148-2023 Fall Fashion

Hey Humor Consumers...

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: ***Check out Tracy live on Fox32 Chicago Orange Friday segment as she spoke on behalf of The Chicago Bears and the Crucial Catch campaign sponsored by the NFL and American Cancer Society. Schedule your screening today.***

Know anyone near Lansing, MI? Tracy will be performing there on November 11, 2023 More info here: https://tracydegraaf.com/events

And now.....here's Episode 148: 2023 Fall Fashion

1. What’s in and what’s out?
2. Essential Accessories

OmG. Buckles, wedges, big statement jewelry. Free the nipple 🤪 (Ummm, we can't make this stuff up. You have to listen to the "free the nipple" part.)

3. Hottest color this fall = RED!

YouTubers that help:

Linda Paige https://www.lindapaige.com

Beth Djaladi https://www.youtube.com/c/BethDjalali

Angela Masson https://www.youtube.com/@angelamasson-fashionover50

Inspiration:

1 Samuel 16:7

Psalm 139:14

Proverbs 31:30

CTA: Go through your closet and purge stuff you know you won’t wear again. Then add a few things that really make you happy. 

Thank You to our amazing sponsors: We have a NEW sponsor. Thank you Jessica Kruger. Welcome to the other side. You've crossed over from Humor Consumer to Humor Contributor. And you've joined these fine folks right here...

Humor Contributors: Jessica, Katie, Colleen, Ursula, Nancy, Kenny, Karren, Jeannine, Muffin, Dar, Courtney, Joan, Gayle, Carla and Linda. Thank you for your generous support. We're saving up for new microphones (that will be awesome) and down the road maybe an editor and some advertising. We are also looking into attending a conference for podcasters in Florida in January. Fun. 

Click the link below to support us with a $5 per month contribution and you will become part of our growing community.

***PLEASE NOTE:*** If you are receiving these show notes via email, scroll down to the bottom and hit play to hear the audio of the Life Happens Laugh Anyway podcast episode.

Tracy and Cathrine

P.S. The goal of the Life Happens Laugh Anyway podcast is to present our audience with a relevant topic weekly in an entertaining way followed by some spiritual encouragement. #lifehappenslaughanyway #tracydegraaf

***MORE ABOUT TRACY DEGRAAF COMEDY***

Hi Friends, Tracy here. My husband and I survived raising 5 boys and there were so many funny stories along the way. Now is my time to "show and tell." 🥳 I put these stories in my book and on stage in my comedy act. It's so much fun.

Join my email community to add some fun to your inbox. https://tracydegraaf.com/email-community Follow me on social!

➡️Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TracyDeGraafComedy ➡️Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tracydegraaf/ ➡️Twitter:https://twitter.com/tracydegraaf

If you're new to my comedy, here's a little about me.

I'm from the Chicago area and I perform my one-woman clean comedy show “Life Happens Laugh Anyway” nationwide for both corporate and non-profit organizations.

My comedy combines two of my passions: Christianity and breast cancer awareness. (I was diagnosed in 2016 with stage 1 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma...a fancy name for breast cancer. Currently, I'm doing great and am cancer free!)

As a Christian and a breast cancer survivor, I use my platform to inspire women spiritually and motivate them to schedule their breast cancer screenings. I like to tell women “I want you to know Jesus, but I don’t want you to meet Him face-to-face just yet.” 🙏❤️

I pull material from my experiences as a wife, mother of five grown sons and middle-aged woman. I love performing for Girls Night Out Events, Women’s Conferences, Fundraisers, Breast Cancer Awareness Events, Cancer Survivor Events and more. I was trained for comedy at The Second City in Chicago. I'm happily married to my husband, Ron (a.k.a. Muffin) since 1989 and we are now empty nesters! 😁 We can't stop smiling. Our boys are spread out between Colorado, Illinois and Indiana.

I publish a weekly podcast called Life Happens Laugh Anyway with my bff Cathrine and it is so much fun. We started the podcast when the world shut down during Covid since all of my shows were canceled. It's a hoot. We tackle a new topic weekly that we think our audience will care about and discuss it in an entertaining way. We close each episode with some spiritual encouragement. 👍

For additional information, check out my website: https://tracydegraaf.com #tracydegraaf #lifehappenslaughanyway #comedyvideo #standupcomedy

Episode 147-When You Feel Like Quitting.....

Hey Humor Consumers...

Side Note: It is still October so it's still Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Check out Tracy live on Fox32 Chicago Orange Friday segment as she spoke on behalf of The Chicago Bears and the Crucial Catch campaign sponsored by the NFL and American Cancer Society. Schedule your screening today.

Now back to our episode on NOT QUITTING.

Have you ever felt like quitting? If you're human, we bet you have. Today we will be talking all about "when you feel like quitting."

1. When & why we wanted to quit and how we persevered
2. Ten reasons why you shouldn’t quit
3. Famous people who didn’t quit

Inspo Close:

Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that’s so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

Galations 6:9 "So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. It just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up." 

CTA- Duh 🙄 Don’t give up (at least, not today!)

Thank You to our amazing sponsors: We have a NEW sponsor. Thank you Jessica Kruger. Welcome to the other side. You've crossed over from Humor Consumer to Humor Contributor. And you've joined these fine folks right here...

Humor Contributors: Jessica, Katie, Colleen, Ursula, Nancy, Kenny, Karren, Jeannine, Muffin, Dar, Courtney, Joan, Gayle, Carla and Linda. Thank you for your generous support. We're saving up for new microphones (that will be awesome) and down the road maybe an editor and some advertising. We are also looking into attending a conference for podcasters in Florida in January. Fun. 

Click the link below to support us with a $5 per month contribution and you will become part of our growing community.

***PLEASE NOTE:*** If you are receiving these show notes via email, scroll down to the bottom and hit play to hear the audio of the Life Happens Laugh Anyway podcast episode.

Tracy and Cathrine

P.S. The goal of the Life Happens Laugh Anyway podcast is to present our audience with a relevant topic weekly in an entertaining way followed by some spiritual encouragement. #lifehappenslaughanyway #tracydegraaf

***MORE ABOUT TRACY DEGRAAF COMEDY***

Hi Friends, Tracy here. My husband and I survived raising 5 boys and there were so many funny stories along the way. Now is my time to "show and tell." 🥳 I put these stories in my book and on stage in my comedy act. It's so much fun.

Join my email community to add some fun to your inbox. https://tracydegraaf.com/email-community Follow me on social!

➡️Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TracyDeGraafComedy ➡️Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tracydegraaf/ ➡️Twitter:https://twitter.com/tracydegraaf

If you're new to my comedy, here's a little about me.

I'm from the Chicago area and I perform my one-woman clean comedy show “Life Happens Laugh Anyway” nationwide for both corporate and non-profit organizations.

My comedy combines two of my passions: Christianity and breast cancer awareness. (I was diagnosed in 2016 with stage 1 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma...a fancy name for breast cancer. Currently, I'm doing great and am cancer free!)

As a Christian and a breast cancer survivor, I use my platform to inspire women spiritually and motivate them to schedule their breast cancer screenings. I like to tell women “I want you to know Jesus, but I don’t want you to meet Him face-to-face just yet.” 🙏❤️

I pull material from my experiences as a wife, mother of five grown sons and middle-aged woman. I love performing for Girls Night Out Events, Women’s Conferences, Fundraisers, Breast Cancer Awareness Events, Cancer Survivor Events and more. I was trained for comedy at The Second City in Chicago. I'm happily married to my husband, Ron (a.k.a. Muffin) since 1989 and we are now empty nesters! 😁 We can't stop smiling. Our boys are spread out between Colorado, Illinois and Indiana.

I publish a weekly podcast called Life Happens Laugh Anyway with my bff Cathrine and it is so much fun. We started the podcast when the world shut down during Covid since all of my shows were canceled. It's a hoot. We tackle a new topic weekly that we think our audience will care about and discuss it in an entertaining way. We close each episode with some spiritual encouragement. 👍

For additional information, check out my website: https://tracydegraaf.com #tracydegraaf #lifehappenslaughanyway #comedyvideo #standupcomedy

Episode 146-The Problem w/ Recycling

Hey Humor Consumers...

And you thought you had big problems. This week we will take a look at the huge problems in the area of recycling. We discuss:

1. What’s the Problem?

2. Why don’t we stop using Plastic?

3. How does this new information CHANGE our perspective and our behavior?

As always, we will point you to some words of wisdom in our inspirational close: Genesis 2:15

The CTA on this one is basically....The problem is so huge we ain’t gonna fix it. Do your best.

 

Thank You to our amazing sponsors: We have a NEW sponsor. Thank you Jessica Kruger. Welcome to the other side. You've crossed over from Humor Consumer to Humor Contributor. And you've joined these fine folks right here...

Humor Contributors: Jessica, Katie, Colleen, Ursula, Nancy, Kenny, Karren, Jeannine, Muffin, Dar, Courtney, Joan, Gayle, Carla and Linda. Thank you for your generous support. We're saving up for new microphones (that will be awesome) and down the road maybe an editor and some advertising. We are also looking into attending a conference for podcasters in Florida in January. Fun. 

Click the link below to support us with a $5 per month contribution and you will become part of our growing community.

***PLEASE NOTE:*** If you are receiving these show notes via email, scroll down to the bottom and hit play to hear the audio of the Life Happens Laugh Anyway podcast episode.

Tracy and Cathrine

P.S. The goal of the Life Happens Laugh Anyway podcast is to present our audience with a relevant topic weekly in an entertaining way followed by some spiritual encouragement. #lifehappenslaughanyway #tracydegraaf

***MORE ABOUT TRACY DEGRAAF COMEDY***

Hi Friends, Tracy here. My husband and I survived raising 5 boys and there were so many funny stories along the way. Now is my time to "show and tell." 🥳 I put these stories in my book and on stage in my comedy act. It's so much fun.

Join my email community to add some fun to your inbox. https://tracydegraaf.com/email-community Follow me on social!

➡️Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TracyDeGraafComedy ➡️Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tracydegraaf/ ➡️Twitter:https://twitter.com/tracydegraaf

If you're new to my comedy, here's a little about me.

I'm from the Chicago area and I perform my one-woman clean comedy show “Life Happens Laugh Anyway” nationwide for both corporate and non-profit organizations.

My comedy combines two of my passions: Christianity and breast cancer awareness. (I was diagnosed in 2016 with stage 1 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma...a fancy name for breast cancer. Currently, I'm doing great and am cancer free!)

As a Christian and a breast cancer survivor, I use my platform to inspire women spiritually and motivate them to schedule their breast cancer screenings. I like to tell women “I want you to know Jesus, but I don’t want you to meet Him face-to-face just yet.” 🙏❤️

I pull material from my experiences as a wife, mother of five grown sons and middle-aged woman. I love performing for Girls Night Out Events, Women’s Conferences, Fundraisers, Breast Cancer Awareness Events, Cancer Survivor Events and more. I was trained for comedy at The Second City in Chicago. I'm happily married to my husband, Ron (a.k.a. Muffin) since 1989 and we are now empty nesters! 😁 We can't stop smiling. Our boys are spread out between Colorado, Illinois and Indiana.

I publish a weekly podcast called Life Happens Laugh Anyway with my bff Cathrine and it is so much fun. We started the podcast when the world shut down during Covid since all of my shows were canceled. It's a hoot. We tackle a new topic weekly that we think our audience will care about and discuss it in an entertaining way. We close each episode with some spiritual encouragement. 👍

For additional information, check out my website: https://tracydegraaf.com #tracydegraaf #lifehappenslaughanyway #comedyvideo #standupcomedy

Episode 145-Stupid Criminals & Weird Crimes

Hey Humor Consumers,

we live in a world full of weird! Today we are sharing weird, unusual and downright strange crimes committed by the ultimate weirdos! 

Cat will share a bit about a weird crime that happened to her involving a camper and Tracy will share one too! 

We will give some insight on how to live in a world of weirdos.

Inspirational Close: Proverbs 19:3

much love to you all. See ya next week. 

Tracy & Cat

 

 

Episode 144-Prepping For Dooms Day

Hey Humor Consumers,

Are you ready for Dooms Day? 

Today we are talking about prepping. Fun right?

1. Prepping: What is it and why do it?
2. Ways to prep.
3. Our perspective on prepping. 

Inspiration: Romans 14:23, Exodus 16:16

FEMA emergency item list. 

1. Light: head lamp and regular flashlight 
2. Whistle
3. Dust mask
4. Physical map of local area
5. Manual can opener
6. Games to keep your mind busy. Cards. Uno etc. 
7. medical emergency kit 
8. Supplies for pets
9. Wrench or pliers
10. Communication. Emergency radio solar or crank power. 

Thank You to our amazing sponsors:

Humor Contributors: Jessica, Katie, Colleen, Ursula, Nancy, Kenny, Karren, Jeannine, Muffin, Dar, Courtney, Joan, Gayle, Carla and Linda. Thank you for your generous support. We're saving up for new microphones (that will be awesome) and down the road maybe an editor and some advertising. We are also looking into attending a conference for podcasters in Florida in January. Fun. 

Click the link below to support us with a $5 per month contribution and you will become part of our growing community.

***PLEASE NOTE:*** If you are receiving these show notes via email, scroll down to the bottom and hit play to hear the audio of the Life Happens Laugh Anyway podcast episode.

Tracy and Cathrine

P.S. The goal of the Life Happens Laugh Anyway podcast is to present our audience with a relevant topic weekly in an entertaining way followed by some spiritual encouragement. #lifehappenslaughanyway #tracydegraaf

***MORE ABOUT TRACY DEGRAAF COMEDY***

Hi Friends, Tracy here. My husband and I survived raising 5 boys and there were so many funny stories along the way. Now is my time to "show and tell." 🥳 I put these stories in my book and on stage in my comedy act. It's so much fun.

Join my email community to add some fun to your inbox. https://tracydegraaf.com/email-community Follow me on social!

➡️Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TracyDeGraafComedy ➡️Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tracydegraaf/ ➡️Twitter:https://twitter.com/tracydegraaf

If you're new to my comedy, here's a little about me.

I'm from the Chicago area and I perform my one-woman clean comedy show “Life Happens Laugh Anyway” nationwide for both corporate and non-profit organizations.

My comedy combines two of my passions: Christianity and breast cancer awareness. (I was diagnosed in 2016 with stage 1 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma...a fancy name for breast cancer. Currently, I'm doing great and am cancer free!)

As a Christian and a breast cancer survivor, I use my platform to inspire women spiritually and motivate them to schedule their breast cancer screenings. I like to tell women “I want you to know Jesus, but I don’t want you to meet Him face-to-face just yet.” 🙏❤️

I pull material from my experiences as a wife, mother of five grown sons and middle-aged woman. I love performing for Girls Night Out Events, Women’s Conferences, Fundraisers, Breast Cancer Awareness Events, Cancer Survivor Events and more. I was trained for comedy at The Second City in Chicago. I'm happily married to my husband, Ron (a.k.a. Muffin) since 1989 and we are now empty nesters! 😁 We can't stop smiling. Our boys are spread out between Colorado, Illinois and Indiana.

I publish a weekly podcast called Life Happens Laugh Anyway with my bff Cathrine and it is so much fun. We started the podcast when the world shut down during Covid since all of my shows were canceled. It's a hoot. We tackle a new topic weekly that we think our audience will care about and discuss it in an entertaining way. We close each episode with some spiritual encouragement. 👍

For additional information, check out my website: https://tracydegraaf.com #tracydegraaf #lifehappenslaughanyway #comedyvideo #standupcomedy

Episode 143-Cults

Hey Humor Consumers...

***HELP WANTED!*** Nope, it's not a job, it's a mission. Please read. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

We need your help to upgrade our podcasting equipment. In the beginning we purchased "good enough" microphones that have gotten us through to this point, but it's time to take the quality of our sound to the next level.

Our goal is to raise $1,000 by the end of 2023. Will you help us? Typically, around 600 people open our weekly emails. If everyone reading these words right now just donates $2 to our equipment campaign, we will be successful. We say that to emphasize that no gift is too small.

If you have been wanting to become a sponsor of our podcast and just haven't pulled the trigger yet, now is a great time to jump on board. You can donate $5 per month by clicking here. That will take you to our Patreon page where you can join us as a monthly Humor Contributor. 

If you would like to make a one time gift (remember, no gift is too small), go here. Or, you can mail a paper check payable to Tracy DeGraaf to P.O. Box 80, Peotone, IL 60468.

Thank you to all of our Humor Consumers and Humor Contributors for your support. We LOVE creating this podcast for you and hope to keep doing it for quite a while. ;0)

Now, back to episode 143 Cults

1. What defines a cult?
2. What is the draw (feeling unfulfilled and desiring self improvement)
3. What keeps them? 
4. What is the psyche behind cult leaders?

Scripture: 2 Peter 2:1

CTA: CYA beware of nut jobs out there.  

Love you all!

Humor Contributors: Jessica, Katie, Colleen, Ursula, Nancy, Kenny, Karren, Jeannine, Muffin, Dar, Courtney, Joan, Gayle, Carla and Linda. Thank you for your generous support. We're saving up for new microphones (that will be awesome) and down the road maybe an editor and some advertising. We are also looking into attending a conference for podcasters in Florida in January. Fun. 

Click the link below to support us with a $5 per month contribution and you will become part of our growing community.

***PLEASE NOTE:*** If you are receiving these show notes via email, scroll down to the bottom and hit play to hear the audio of the Life Happens Laugh Anyway podcast episode.

Tracy and Cathrine

P.S. The goal of the Life Happens Laugh Anyway podcast is to present our audience with a relevant topic weekly in an entertaining way followed by some spiritual encouragement. #lifehappenslaughanyway #tracydegraaf

***MORE ABOUT TRACY DEGRAAF COMEDY***

Hi Friends, Tracy here. My husband and I survived raising 5 boys and there were so many funny stories along the way. Now is my time to "show and tell." 🥳 I put these stories in my book and on stage in my comedy act. It's so much fun.

Join my email community to add some fun to your inbox. https://tracydegraaf.com/email-community Follow me on social!

➡️Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/TracyDeGraafComedy ➡️Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tracydegraaf/ ➡️Twitter:https://twitter.com/tracydegraaf

If you're new to my comedy, here's a little about me.

I'm from the Chicago area and I perform my one-woman clean comedy show “Life Happens Laugh Anyway” nationwide for both corporate and non-profit organizations.

My comedy combines two of my passions: Christianity and breast cancer awareness. (I was diagnosed in 2016 with stage 1 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma...a fancy name for breast cancer. Currently, I'm doing great and am cancer free!)

As a Christian and a breast cancer survivor, I use my platform to inspire women spiritually and motivate them to schedule their breast cancer screenings. I like to tell women “I want you to know Jesus, but I don’t want you to meet Him face-to-face just yet.” 🙏❤️

I pull material from my experiences as a wife, mother of five grown sons and middle-aged woman. I love performing for Girls Night Out Events, Women’s Conferences, Fundraisers, Breast Cancer Awareness Events, Cancer Survivor Events and more. I was trained for comedy at The Second City in Chicago. I'm happily married to my husband, Ron (a.k.a. Muffin) since 1989 and we are now empty nesters! 😁 We can't stop smiling. Our boys are spread out between Colorado, Illinois and Indiana.

I publish a weekly podcast called Life Happens Laugh Anyway with my bff Cathrine and it is so much fun. We started the podcast when the world shut down during Covid since all of my shows were canceled. It's a hoot. We tackle a new topic weekly that we think our audience will care about and discuss it in an entertaining way. We close each episode with some spiritual encouragement. 👍

For additional information, check out my website: https://tracydegraaf.com #tracydegraaf #lifehappenslaughanyway #comedyvideo #standupcomedy