Podcasts about because christmas

The strange and serious proclamation of Christmas is that though things change, we're always in the moment of Christmas. Even when we snuff out the candles, and get in our cars, and go to bed, we're still in Christmas. Because Christmas is the miracle of God making time for us...

Tarina denies having robbed anyone despite wearing robber masks. And Nic defends his freedom to have a cold without criticism.Because Christmas is a time for family and friends, Nic and Tarina talk about the five love languages. Together they go through the languages and the people in their lives who represent each.In this episode, you experience the love and appreciation Nic and Tarina have for each other and for those they cherish. Their admiration for the people and their love language is clear and wonderful to hear.Click the link to find your love language.If you enjoy Nic and Tarina's podcast and get something from listening to “all this Nic Bittle Crap,” please hit the like button, share it with a friend, or both. Your recommendation goes a long way in helping us reach more people.---

Because Christmas falls on a Wednesday, we are going to air this episode one day early. The HCWC's gift to you. Inspired by the TRUE story found in Luke 1 - 2. This is an unrehearsed, unscripted Christmas Pageant. Krissy Bakke, Hippie Christian and three of her grandkids decided the best way to celebrate Christmas is to tell the story. It's messy, but so was Jesus' entry into this world. Enjoy it and keep sharing Jesus with all. Merry Christmas Friends!

Because Christmas is on Wednesday this year, GPS is taking a brief pause from its regular release schedule. Our normal episode-release schedule will resume on New Years Day. Have a very merry and blessed Christmas, and we look forward to seeing you in the new year! Connect with us through email at gps@billygraham.org or on Facebook at Billy Graham Radio. If you'd like to know more about beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ, or deepening the faith you already have, visit FindPeacewithGod.net. If you'd like to pray with someone, call our 24-hour prayer line at 855-255-7729. People are available to answer 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Well, friends, here I am celebrating my first Christmas alone in 24 years. Let me assure you: I'm not sad, lonely, or spiraling into an eggnog-induced funk. I'm simply in a season of profound introspection. This season is ripe with potential epiphanies. It's a time to ask ourselves: If the Season of Light is about giving, then what do I give to me? How do I create my own magic when there's no one else to “Christmas-fy” for? That's where the gold is. Because Christmas isn't just what was. It's what we choose to make of it... and friends, that's magic waiting to happen. Join me for the most powerful and sparkly Season of Light message - ever! Get your FREE Guided Angel Meditation here https://school.radleighvalentine.com/mbs-meditation. Available until 2/28/25. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're kicking off the first of five podcast episodes from Paul's 10-day trip to Australia. First up, we have John Storms of Transit Systems Victoria and Mark Peters of Transit Systems Australia giving us an overview of transit in Australia and their plans for the future. Much like North America, Australia has cities surrounded by sprawling, low-density suburbs that are challenging for any public transit system to serve. In their separate interviews with Paul, John and Mark talk frankly about these challenges and what needs to be done to address them.Coming up next week we have the first of two holiday specials on Transit Unplugged. First, we're turning the tables on Paul with our own award-winning radio journalist, Julie Gates, interviewing him for a change. Paul talks about the highlights from 2024 and what's ahead for 2025. Because Christmas falls on a Wednesday this year, we're releasing the episode a day early on Tuesday (Christmas Eve). We'll do the same the following week, with an episode coming out on New Year's Eve instead of New Year's Day.00:00 Introduction and Overview of the Australian Trip00:20 Exploring Melbourne and Hobart00:38 Brisbane and Upcoming Podcasts02:50 Interview with John Storms02:58 Focus on People and Accessibility Initiatives06:58 Hydrogen and Electric Bus Innovations08:11 John Storms' Background and Melbourne's Growth11:05 Interview with Mark Peters: Transit Trends and Zero Emissions11:16 Interview with Mark Peters19:01 Technology and Innovation in Transit20:39 Coming up next week on Transit UnpluggedTransit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo https://www.modaxo.comHost: Paul ComfortProducer: Paul ComfortEditor and Writer: Tris HusseyExecutive Producer: Julie GatesSpecial thanks to:Brand design: Tina OlagundoyeSocial Media: Tatyana MechkarovaMarketing content, Transit Unplugged Newsletter, & transit puns: Tris HusseyIf you have a question or comment, email us at info@transitunplugged.com.Follow us on social media: LinkedIn - Twitter - Threads- Instagram - FacebookSign up for the Transit Unplugged NewsletterDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Modaxo Inc., its affiliates or subsidiaries, or any entities they represent (“Modaxo”). This production belongs to Modaxo, and may contain information that may be subject to trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property rights and restrictions. This production provides general information, and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. Modaxo specifically disclaims all warranties, express or implied, and will not be liable for any losses, claims, or damages arising from the use of this presentation, from any material contained in it, or from any action or decision taken in response to it.

This month we're back with a traditional Christmas ghost story.  Because Christmas and ghosts are a thing, right?  Well, according to A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens they are, and, as we discuss in this episode, whatever this books says is Christmas is DEFINITIVELY Christmas.   We visits topics such as the meteorological conditions of when this book was written as well as nighttime hallucinations and, especially, the lifetime of the extremely famous author of this returned to classic.  This is all for your benefit so trust us as we guide you through important things you need to know to survive your Christmas season.  And, maybe you'll be better for it in the end, who can say?  Merry Christmas!

In fact there are three surprises! Because Christmas is full of surprises, right? No surprise there. Anyway, Jam is surprised by some geese and has a very surprising story about a girl called Laura and another girl called Laura. And we're with Mary who is surprised by an angel with some amazing news. Plus a sketch about Mary's surprise baby shower - and music from Michael J Tinker. Christmas is well and truly on the way!Get Christmas Brick by Brick Resources from the FiK WebsiteSupport the show

In fact there are three surprises! Because Christmas is full of surprises, right? No surprise there. Anyway, Jam is surprised by some geese and has a very surprising story about a girl called Laura and another girl called Laura. And we're with Mary who is surprised by an angel with some amazing news. Plus a sketch about Mary's surprise baby shower - and music from Michael J Tinker. Christmas is well and truly on the way!Get Christmas Brick by Brick Resources from the FiK WebsiteSupport the show

HO! HO! HO!!!! IT'S THE RADIO RONIN CHRISTMAS SPECIAL!!!!We're just days away from the most magical holiday of the year!!! Chunga, Chandler, Gregg and Chris would like say MERRY CHRISTMAS and THANK YOU to each and every one of you for letting them be a part of your life!!!Because Christmas and New Year's falls on a Monday, this will be the last show of 2023!!!What better way to end the year, than to find out whats going on in Chandler's stream of consciousness! Do you think like Chandler does? Uh.... we hope not!!!Our old friend Crockett is here to talk about his return to Family Feud!!! When is his episode finally going to be on? He has the date!!!!We'll find out what your favorite Christmas memories are in the Chunga Poll shoutouts!! Speaking of shoutouts, Gregg has his final Christmas movie recommendation of 2023!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! Listen now!!!

HO! HO! HO!!!! IT'S THE RADIO RONIN CHRISTMAS SPECIAL!!!!We're just days away from the most magical holiday of the year!!! Chunga, Chandler, Gregg and Chris would like say MERRY CHRISTMAS and THANK YOU to each and every one of you for letting them be a part of your life!!!Because Christmas and New Year's falls on a Monday, this will be the last show of 2023!!!What better way to end the year, than to find out whats going on in Chandler's stream of consciousness! Do you think like Chandler does? Uh.... we hope not!!!Our old friend Crockett is here to talk about his return to Family Feud!!! When is his episode finally going to be on? He has the date!!!!We'll find out what your favorite Christmas memories are in the Chunga Poll shoutouts!! Speaking of shoutouts, Gregg has his final Christmas movie recommendation of 2023!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! Listen now!!!

Over the years, our family's had the chance to see Christmas from many different perspectives: Christmas in Manhattan, in Chicago's Loop, a mountain Christmas, a colonial Christmas. But it's a man named Nate Saint who, better than anyone else I know, may have captured Christmas from heaven's perspective. He was one of five American missionaries, called by God to the jungles of Ecuador to introduce the Gospel to one of the "lostest" people groups on earth, the primitive Auca (Waorani) Indians. Once they found the Aucas in the dense jungles, it was Nate who, as the seasoned pilot, managed to land them on a narrow beach by the Curaray River. Well, I've had the privilege of standing on that beach where Nate Saint, Jim Elliott, and three other men died at the hands of the people they had gone to reach. But years later the men who murdered them had become the leaders of the Waorani Church, and many, including me, were inspired by their example to give our lives to serve the Lord Jesus. There were countless people who went into God's work because of that example. On the eve of his last Christmas on earth, weeks before his death, Nate Saint wrote his perspective on Christmas, and I can't get it out of my mind. I hope you won't either. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Your Christmas Mission." As you listen to these words from one of heaven's heroes, listen knowing this is the heart of God about Christmas, maybe better than any card you'll read or sermon you'll hear. Here's what Nate Saint wrote in his journal on December 18: "As we have a high old time this Christmas, may we who know Christ hear the cry of the damned as they hurtle headlong into the Christ-less night without ever having a chance. May we be moved with compassion as our Lord was. May we shed tears of repentance for these we have failed to bring out of the darkness. Beyond the smiling scenes of Bethlehem, may we see the crushing agony of Golgotha. May God give us a new vision of His will concerning the lost and our responsibility." Twenty-one days later, Nate Saint died attempting to rescue some of those very people. You know, His words are hard to hear in the middle of all of our Christmas activity aren't they? But they're important to hear because they reflect on why there is a Christmas. It's all about a spiritual rescue mission that cost the Son of God His life. That mission was clearly spelled out to Joseph when the angel announced the coming of Jesus to him in Matthew 1:21, our word for today from the Word of God. "You are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins." The very name Jesus means "the Lord saves" - that's "save" as in rescuers saving people from the rubble at Ground Zero, a firefighter saving people from a burning building. Sin is the burning building we're in. We're trapped with no way out except for heaven's Rescuer, Jesus Christ. He came and gave His life to rescue ours, and He went through the "crushing agony of Golgotha." But every day, we are with people who don't know that. See, following Jesus means living to join Him in His rescue mission to save them. This season, when the celebration of Christ's coming seems to be filled with days that are honestly so much about ourselves, about stuff, things that couldn't be farther from why there is a Christmas, could you call a timeout long enough to get with Jesus and pray this prayer? "Go ahead, Lord, and break my heart for the people around me who don't know you. Let me see what you see when you look at them. Help me feel some of your heart to rescue them from an unspeakable eternity." And pledge to Him to do all you can to help people you know be in heaven with you. Tell them about why He came, why He died, and what He does when we open our life to Him. Because Christmas is all about a rescue mission; to intervene for someone who is, in Nate Saint's words, hurtling "headlong into a Christ-less night without ever having a chance." You know what? You could be that chance.

Bing Crosby's song “White Christmas” is a classic during the holiday season.  This week, Kayla presents research that suggests a relationship between this popular song and hallucinations. We also are dressed up again…. Because Christmas!

In the Garden of Eden, we saw rejection. In the Temple, we saw ritual. But, in “The Stable,” Pastor Dave Gustavsen shares good news: relationship is made possible – for all people! Because Christmas happened, we can have a real-time, interactive, surprising, fulfilling, comforting, empowering relationship with our Creator. We must respond by humbly receiving Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord. And then, as believers, intentionally live the way Jesus lived. Dave Gustavsen | December 17, 2023Visit our website or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Because Christmas only comes once a year, Chris and Christina give you some practical tips to help you engage your heart in this season. There are plenty of things to distract you from the central theme of Christmas. However, God is always with us, Acknowledging His presence during this season really takes some intentionality. They will help you take some time to really explore how this Christmas could be a time you experience the presence of God in a new way.To receive the Advent book Christina has written, contact us via email:christina@fahrenheitmentoring.org

Because Christmas is just around the corner, we'll quiz Ron Jolly on some common retirement questions to see what he “knows” as well as shed some light to our common (and not so common) questions. And while there's still time … we'll also discuss the topic of year-end tax breaks that we didn't get to cover on last week's show. Heidi will discuss Capital Group's guide to recessions and how to prepare for it. (With all this “happy talk,” we might just need an extra round of chocolate to keep the goodness and light shining!) And, as always, we welcome your questions of a financial nature either by text or by phone. Come and join us, where we really do attempt to cover the issues most related to your financial concerns on a weekly basis. Tune in and Take control!

Happiest of Holidays to you!  Just in time for Christmas Eve is the Hellbent for Horror Annual Christmas Ghost Story! Keeping the old British tradition going, I've been reading ghost stories for Christmas over the last few years. Because Christmas and horror go together like cookies and milk and Santa! This year's story is M.R. James' "Casting the Runes," which is the story that was adapted into the excellent 1957 film directed by Jacques Tournier, Night of the Demon, released as Curse of the Demon in the USA.  Enjoy the show, and stay safe and spooky into 2023! CASTING THE RUNES (1911)  by M.R. James NIGHT OF THE DEMON, aka, CURSE OF THE DEMON (1957)

It's Christmas Eve, and tonight we tell again the familiar story of God being born among us. Love in the flesh. Some of us need to hear it because we've faced a tough year, and our hearts need it. We also tell it to remind ourselves that this story is told in many ways every day, and so tonight we ask: where do you fit in the Christmas story? Because Christmas isn't just once a year. A sermon by the Rev. Dr. Sue Coller.

The annual Christmas and holiday episode of One Mans Opinion features a lot of nostalgia and a lot of football talk this year. Jeff Mans begins the show by recapping a wild week 15 in the NFL. After a narrow loss in the HOFL League semi-final round, Jeff discusses balancing multiple leagues while also playing favorites. This leads into a discussion on how draft strategy shapes so much of our success and failures throughout the season and Mans looks back on how a few of his drafts propelled him to a successful season. He also reveals some alarming numbers about the lack of production from running backs in fantasy football this season. Because Christmas is his favorite holiday, Mans shares some of his fondest holiday memories including how his parents always found a way to make the season special. There is a full preview of the “cut lines” of each position for a big week 16 where many are playing in the semi-final or championship games. As always, Jeff gives out his favorite single-game parlay of the week, his best bet, and the upset special.

In today's episode we'll be exploring our collection of Christmas records, looking for the most Seventiest of them all. Often from people who may -- or may NOT -- be singers. Or even people. Because Christmas in the 70s was something special; it had all the shiny tinsel and traditions from the olden days plus all the glamour and kitsch from whatever happened to be on TV that night. Some Christmas albums came from legit performers like The Jackson 5 or The Carpenters; and some of them -- not so much. Which TV family made a train wreck of an album and which one made a bestseller? And which one is playing on Carolyn's turntable RIGHT NOW after an exhaustive search on eBay?! You'll have to tune in to find out.Listen to “The Waltons' Christmas“album hereListen to “A Partridge Family Christmas Card” hereListen to “Christmas with the Brady Bunch” hereFollow the PCPS on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTokBecome a supporter of the PCPS on Patreon. Check out all the perks you get here.Subscribe to the PCPS newsletter “The Weekly Reader” here

The holiday season is a time of joy, right? For so many, the holiday season is full of stress, anxiety, sadness, and many other feelings. Sin has permeated all of existence. But the good news is that God is good, immeasurably good. The Christmas season is a time when we get to look forward to Christmas Day. Why? Because Christmas day is the day God sent his son into our broken, sinful world for US. Jesus took on OUR pain, OUR sorrow, OUR sin so that our relationship with God would be restored. He is the symbol of God's love, mercy, and endless forgiveness. In Christmas, we have a light that points to the day where there will be no more death, no more decay, no more pain. And it is all because of Jesus Christ. Sermon Text: Luke 2:10-11 Preaching Pastor: Pastor Bill Limmer

The holiday season is a time of joy, right? For so many, the holiday season is full of stress, anxiety, sadness, and many other feelings. Sin has permeated all of existence. But the good news is that God is good, immeasurably good. The Christmas season is a time when we get to look forward to Christmas Day. Why? Because Christmas day is the day God sent his son into our broken, sinful world for US. Jesus took on OUR pain, OUR sorrow, OUR sin so that our relationship with God would be restored. He is the symbol of God's love, mercy, and endless forgiveness. In Christmas, we have a light that points to the day where there will be no more death, no more decay, no more pain. And it is all because of Jesus Christ. Sermon Text: Luke 2:10-11 Preaching Pastor: Pastor Bill Limmer

The Christmas season keeps us busy. There are gatherings to be had and gifts to give. Join us today on this third Sunday of advent to pause and reflect: Why do we gather with friends and family? Why do we go on the hunt for that perfect present? Because Christmas is a time to rejoice. Read more: https://cmmb.org/rejoicing-in-the-season

30 Days of Thankfulness4. An Invitation the Feast Dan Bidwell, Senior PastorIsaiah 25:6-8; Isaiah 55:1-3, 6-7 Sunday 20 November, 2022 Intro: Whats your favorite Thanksgiving dish? I tried a dish Id never tried before dressing. Its stuffing that was never stuffed inside the turkey. Pretty great! Thanksgiving is a time where we look forward to a feast with our family and friends. A time of wonderful warmth and enjoyment and love. And our Bible passage today is also about looking forward to a feast a feast that God is preparing for all those who are his family and friends. A feast that lasts not just for a day, but for all eternity. A feast we dont want to miss. So why dont we pray and ask God to teach us about this feast. Our heavenly Father, we give you thanks for the joy of feasting with our family and friends this past week. But we long to know more about the heavenly banquet, and your invitation to feast with you forever. Will you teach us now as we open Bible. In Jesus name we pray. Amen 1. Anticipating the Feast This is the last day of our 30 Days of Thankfulness. All month here at church we have been focusing on growing in gratitude, by practicing thankfulness daily. Many of us have been doing daily devotions with our 30 Days of Thankfulness prayer guide. Im still working through it, but I wanted to skip ahead to the last page because its about being thankful for how the story ends. Listen to what it says: Sometimes it may look like the enemy is winning. But we know the Truth. We have read the ending of the Book of Truth. The Truth is that when its all said and done, God will prevail. There will be a day when theres no more pain, sorrow, suffering, and all thats wrong will be made right. Our Bible passage today was written at a time when it seemed like the enemy was winning. Isaiah was written somewhere between 700 and 740BC, when the northern tribes of God's people had been taken into captivity by the Assyrians. They had been taken away from the promised land, and kind of taken away from God. God was punishing them for their sinfulness. And so in Isaiah, Gods people are hoping for restoration and they're anticipating a rescue from God. And so God gives the prophet Isaiah the words that we just read, a promise of restoration. Imagine that you you're taken away from your people, and you're taken away from your home. And God says I'm preparing something for you. Im preparing a banquet. I'm preparing a feast. I'm preparing a party or a celebration. It's a celebration of coming home (verse 6): On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples,a banquet of aged wine the best of meats and the finest of wines. (Isaiah 25:6) It sounds like a good party doesn't it? When he says the finest of wines I'm sure it will be a Napa cab, and who knows maybe a French champagne? And the finest of meats. Perhaps a Turkey. Or lamb Do you know when I was growing up in Australia lamb was so cheap that we used to eat it every night of the week. We were so bored of it. Oh, were having lamb chops again??? Can you imagine? This feast that God is preparing this feast, this celebration it marks the end of trouble for God's people. And his rescue. Its God bringing his people back, bringing his people home and bringing them back into his family. So I have a question do you think this is a literal feast or is it a metaphor? When we look at the Old Testament we see all kinds of different real feasts. God's people in the Old Testament had seven different feast that they enjoyed every year the feast of Tabernacles, the feast of weeks, Passover (there was four more that I can't remember). But seven times a year Gods people stopped to feast and to remember that God feeds them. God fed them in the desert and God feeds them every day. There's something about feasting and eating that reminds us of family and celebration. And so perhaps in heaven there will be a literal feast every day Back in Australia Jo's grandmother lived at a house by the beach. And in the house next door there was a Polynesian family (Tongan or Samoan?). Anyway every Christmas they would have a feast, and this feast basically lasted three or four or five days. All day and late into the night, there would be people sitting out in the yard (Christmas is in the middle of our summertime). Somebody would play guitar and other people would be singing. They would cook meat and fish in the ground like a luau. People would come and go there was singing and praying and laughing and it lasted days. It was a wonderful feast with the family gathered all together. And I think heaven might be like that. It was the same in Jesus story when the prodigal son returned home. Do you remember what the father did? They killed the prize calf and they had a feast. They celebrated the return of their son who was lost and was now home. Feasting literally is a wonderful metaphor for being invited home and being returned and welcomed. Our family was invited to a feast this week in St Helena. We were invited into somebodys family Thanksgiving meal. Its such a tangible expression of being included, and loved So come back to the Bible passage in Isaiah 25. Is this a literal feast or is there something more going on? Actually when you look at vv7-8 there is something metaphorical about this feast. In v7 God says:7 On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples,the sheet that covers all nations; (Isaiah 25:7) God is talking about death. He's going to destroy death on the mountain. Part of this celebration is not just a return from exile but it's the end of suffering. And it's the end of death and it's the end of sorrow. Verse 8 8 he will swallow up death forever.The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces;he will remove his peoples disgrace from all the earth.The Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 25:8) Isn't that wonderful? The Lord has spoken When God says something is going to happen, it does. Isaiah 25 is a word of prophecy a promise of God about something that is yet to come. And if youve read the end of the Bible, Revelation 21 paints a very similar picture of the end of all things. Where the new heavens and the new earth come down and God is with his people and he wipes away every tear. And there'll be no more death and no more mourning and no more crying and no more pain because the old order has passed away and the new has come. This is an eternal promise. And so the feast in Isaiah points forward to the celebration of the end of all that is bad in this world, and signals the beginning of an eternity of only goodness. Isn't that wonderful? 2. Responding to the Fast So how do you respond to Gods invitation to the feast? Do you remember being a kid and at school and somebody has a birthday party. And they hand out invitations. Do they still do that or do the moms just text? In the olden days you used to get a paper invitation. It was so exciting. Everybody in the class got an invitation (except sometimes they didn't - that causes trouble!) But in Gods kingdom everybody gets an invitation. God says, I want to invite everybody to the celebration. He doesn't go around the classroom and say, Not you. Actually he invites everybody to this big party - the party that lasts forever, the celebration for all eternity. Have a look at a verse 6. It says there: 6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, At the time that God wrote this, he had his special people, his chosen people, the Israelites. But actually this promise is not just for his chosen people, it's a promise for everybody. And anybody who answers this invitation can come to the party. Wouldn't you want to go to this party? You wouldn't want to miss it, would you? So come to the Isaiah 55 reading. How do we respond to God's invitation to come to the party? God says: 1 Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters;and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live.I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. God issues this invitation, and to come to the party you dont have to buy a ticket. It's not a party where you have to pay your way in. He actually offers it to people who are thirsty and hungry, people have no money, people who have nothing to bring, and nothing to offer. They're not friends with God because of anything good they've done. He just loves them as they are, and he says: I want you to come to my party When we come back to Matthews gospel next year, our very first chapter when we come back in Matthew 22 is this story of a wedding feast. The groom invites people but lots of them say, well I've been too busy I can't come. And so the groom sends his servants out onto the street and says we've got all this beautiful food I want everybody to come. And there's still room so he sends his servants out again and more and more people come into the feast. You see, God wants us to come and all he says is just come if you're thirsty. Come if you're hungry. You don't need to have money, I just want you at my party. You don't need to bring a present, you don't need to pay me back. Just come So how do we respond to Gods invitation? Look at all of the verbs in vv1-3:- V1 Come; buy; eat It's kind of strange to buy when you don't have money, isn't it. But it's almost like a free shop. God wants to give you everything. This is Gods grace in action! And then in v2:- listen We need to listen to God to respond to him. Then he says in v3 give ear and come to me Give ear means listen. And then he says it again listen that you may live When we come to God, when we listen to God, the result is that we find life. Eternal life. We get life that is true life. And I don't think it's just life into eternity, I think it's life right now. We don't have to wait until eternity to receive these blessings. We get them now. We get to live. And again have a look at v1. This is a promise for all people. Come all you who are thirsty. This is a message for all people everywhere, not just special people sitting in the church today. It's not just a message for people who identify as Christian. You know sometimes you look around and think, Oh well that person they wouldn't be interested in Jesus because they have a different cultural background, or a different religious background, or a different socioeconomic background. And so I don't need to share Jesus with them. That's not true at all! This invitation is for all people! This is a message for all people to come to God, to find life. And it's free and it's good and it's not just about food but it's about truly living and enjoying life the way that God made us to live. In the way that God intended it to be, to be with him around his table sharing at the feast. And do you know, for 2000 years people everywhere have been responding to this invitation. In Matthew 8, Jesus said: 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 8:11) Jesus promises this wonderful party with people coming from everywhere, from all over the earth and every culture and every religion when they find their hope in Him But I do need to mention a caveat at this point. Even though Gods invitation is an invitation to all people, there is something very exclusive about what God is offering. To find this life that God offers, you need to come to him. You need to choose him, rather than trying to find life and satisfaction elsewhere. Look at v2: 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. (Isaiah 55:2-3) This is a hard word in a pluralistic world. Id love to say all roads lead to Rome, and all religions end in the same place. But thats not what the God of the Bible says. Here in Isaiah 55, God says you have to come to him if you want to find life. Jesus made it even more explicit when he said: I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6) We need to know Jesus if we want to respond to the invitation. Thats why we spend so much of our energy learning about Jesus here at church every Sunday. Hes the key. Hes the way we find life. And forgiveness. And all of Gods gracious blessings We need to come to him. 3. Enjoying the Feast So how do we enjoy the feast every day? I think it's a shame that we wait until Thanksgiving to eat turkey. I imagine you can probably buy turkey all year round, but we just don't and maybe it wouldn't be special if we did. But we don't need to wait until Thanksgiving, or we don't need to wait until Christmas, to enjoy God. We don't need to wait until we die to enjoy God. And in fact we shouldn't. Do you remember that fantastic movie with Robin Williams The Dead Poets Society? If you need to cry today you should watch that film. Its this beautifully directed film about a group of boys at a private Academy in their senior year of school. Set in the 1960s. And they have this teacher who inspires them (Robin Williams) to make the most of every day. Carpe Diem. Seize the day. Dont put off till tomorrow what you can do today. And so with God, we don't want to put it off until tomorrow. We don't want to put it off until after we're busy or after the holidays or after I've got over this medical issue. We don't want to put off enjoying God. We want to do it everyday. Have a look what it says at the end of Isaiah 55 in verse 6. It's just like the Dead Poets Society. I think they might have copied from the Bible. 6 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts.Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Seek the Lord while he may be found Now is the time for people to find God. And actually this is the easiest time of year to help people find God. Because Christmas is the easiest time to talk about Jesus. We've got all these wonderful events at church that will gently put Jesus and the holidays together for our family and friends. And this is not just a plug for our events, this is how we help you invite people to the feast. You know when you get invited to dinner at somebody's house, it's very special. It indicates something about your relationship. It is an honor, in some ways, to be invited into someones home. I think when we invite people to church, we want it to feel the same as inviting them to a feast. You might need to actually invite them to a feast first. You might need to invite them to your home for a meal to show them that you love them and that you want them to be part of your family. But eventually that will also mean inviting them to share in your bigger family, this family here at church which is Jesus family. Because you dont want your friends to miss the party. When I was a kid, we missed a birthday party once. We received the invitation, and we RSVPd. We bought a present. But it got to Saturday afternoon and somehow with 4 kids at home we forgot to go to the party. We missed it. And I was so upset. When it comes to Gods party, you dont want to miss the invitation. You dont want to miss the RSVP date, you dont want to forget that this feast is coming. You want to seek the Lord while he may be found, and we want to help our friends seek the Lord while he may be found. We don't want to wait until they die before taking the chance to have that conversation with them. Don't wait until it's too late because there's a beautiful feast for everybody who responds. And God wants us to help invite people to his big feast. Let's pray. Heavenly father we thank you for the feast that we enjoyed on Thursday and we thank you for the feast that we'll enjoy in heaven forever and ever. Help us enjoy you today to have life to the full. And we pray that we might enjoy life with you forever. And father please, please will you help us to invite people to the feast of Jesus Christ, the feast where there is pardon where the disgrace that we had from our sin is washed away. Where people who have nothing to bring, nothing to offer, no money to buy salvation find forgiveness in your Son. We pray Father that you would help us to invite them to come with empty hands and to enjoy your gracious provision. We pray this in Jesus name, Amen

Just when you thought all the festivities were over... There's one more gift under the horror tree for you! Keeping the old British tradition going, I've been reading ghost stories for Christmas over the last few years. Because Christmas and horror go together like cookies and milk and Santa! So, here are two stories for 2021! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Blessed Yule to all of you! I hope you enjoy the show! Stories Performed: "The Kit Bag" by Algernon Blackwood First published 1908 in Pall Mall Magazine "Dark Christmas" by Jeanette Winterson Published December 24, 2013, in The Guardian as part of the “Guardian Weekend magazine's Christmas ghost stories” series. You can read the entire story on the Guardian website: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/dec/24/christmas-ghost-stories-dark-jeanette-winterson  

And as a species we don't tend to do very well with uncertainty - it makes us anxious. When world-views are shaken and things we thought were solid no longer appear to be, our brains will do everything they can to stop us from experiencing uncertainty. We can be tempted either to double down on certainty (despite all evidence to the contrary) or demolish the whole edifice of our beliefs entirely. Many people feel caught between these two extremes when it comes to their Christian faith. But the story of Christmas invites us on a different path. Jesus did not take flesh in order simply to be believed in - but to be met. He became one of us to be with us. Putting our faith in Jesus (as opposed to a belief system) is a lifelong journey of him forming and challenging all our beliefs and actions. And it means that we neither need to hold onto certainty dogmatically, nor throw everything away as soon as doubt creeps in. Rather we allow God's spirit to change us from glory to glory. And we can meet an uncertain world in confidence, not our own, but his. Because Christmas means that once and for all: God is with us - so we never need to be afraid again.

Wow, time is passing so quicky when you're just inside your home. It could totally affect your mental health by thinking that every single day is just the same. Catherine assures you that you're not the only person who's experiencing this, because she also thinks that time passes too fast. It's sad to feel that everyday is just the same, but don't worry! It is not. You can always find a new hobby-- playing a guitar, finally starting a journal, medidating, and so much more! For today's episode, Catherine dives in with some of the things that she overthought and how it is now. She also talks about some of the things that she learned from starting a podcast. Because Christmas is about to come, she's so generous for talking about how she thinks about life now. Happy Sunday! Please eat something healthy and treat yourself once in a while!

Because Christmas is right around the corner, I decided to dedicate this episode to giving you ideas for Iceland-themed gifts you can get for yourself or a loved one this year. Below are all of the places I recommend getting a gift that was either made or designed in Iceland. Iceland Themed Gift Ideas Talked About in the Podcast 1.) The Handknitting Association of Iceland is where I get my Icelandic lopapeysas (sweaters). They are handmade in Iceland from 100% Icelandic wool. https://bit.ly/handknitted_iceland https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjBepJiZm94&t=0s 2.) Shop at the All Things Iceland Merch shop for awesome Iceland themed goodies (https://shop.allthingsiceland.com/) Get a 10% discount on your first purchase when you use the code Iceland10 at checkout. 3) Anna Rósa Skincare - https://www.annarosaskincare.com/ In  the video below, I talk about how the Bliss Healing Balm from Anna Rósa skincare has been a game changer for my skin during the winter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh5Xp7w0QNc&t=197s 4.) Icelandic Food & Sweets  - On this site (https://bit.ly/nammi_christmas), you can find an assortment of foods that Icelanders eat during the Christmas season. I recommend ordering some and trying them out.  5.) Infused Salts from Saltverk are sustainably harvested in Iceland. They have a lovely selection of flavors that are so fun to try. (https://saltverk.com/) 6) Books By Icelandic Authors The Little Book of the Icelanders at Christmas by Alda Sigmundsdóttir - https://amzn.to/3dgzwGK Independent People by Halldór Laxness - https://amzn.to/3EiyaXz   Magma by Þóra Hjörleiðsdóttir - https://amzn.to/3luxh7g  Jar City by Arnaldur Indriðason - https://amzn.to/3pkUwBM  Crime Books by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir - https://amzn.to/3oeRfoc  Here is a link to more Iceland - https://www.icelandtravel.is/blog/icelandic-authors-books/ 7) Icelandic Alcohol Icelandic Christmas Beers, which are so fun to taste during this time of year. https://bit.ly/christmas_beers_iceland Reykjavík Distillery has some delicious liquers that I highly recommend trying, such as the Rhubarb and blueberry flavored ones. https://bit.ly/nammi_reyk_dist Here is the episode about Icelandic beer history that I did with Óli the Brewmaster  Share this post Share on facebook Facebook Share on pinterest Pinterest Share on twitter Twitter

In this episode I will talk about how you can navigate the season with joy and ease and at no point do I give you a list about what to cook and when. Why? Because Christmas shouldn't look the same for everyone. I look at how we can look at our intentions. How we can use last year as a benchmark for good. And explain why it is important to speak up and claim space for ourselves.I read an excerpt from this book by Nigel Slater The Christmas Chronicals I mention this book by Jeanette Winterson 12 Days of ChristmasIf you would like to say thank you for the podcast or any of the other ad/sponsor free content I produce you can do so via this link Buy Me A Ko FiFor recipes, craft tutorials and more musings read my blog Archie and The Rug And last but not least my newsletter sign up soon to get my winter colouring sheet Sign up for the newsletter

Why is Christmas good news? Because Christmas proclaims that the one who crushes the head of the snake has come!

Need a little help with your Advent devotions? Well, I've got good news! Today we're talking about a countdown to Christmas advent journey through the Gospel of Luke. My guest today is author, speaker, and joy seeker, Christine Trimpe. You may recognize her name because she's been on the show before, but this time we're talking all things Christmas. We're also talking about Christine's brand new book that will help you discover deeper meaning and the awe-inspiring connection from Bethlehem to Calvary. Because Christmas means more than celebrating the birth of our Savior, it means we have a King who put on flesh, dwelt among us, went to the cross in our place, rose again, and He is coming back for His church. That's us, friend! Experiencing Advent and Joy Overflowing Christine wants to share how the world can experience overflowing joy. Her heart is to share her love of Jesus and her love of Christmas through helping others ditch the stress of commercialism and receive the peace that this season truly brings. I know what Christine has to share will encourage, inspire, and challenge you, so listen in while I have another chat with Christine Trimpe... Favorite Quotes from the show... "One of my biggest passions out of this whole project is to get women in the word every day. ""You can do anything for 24 days." --Christine Trimpe The journey begins on December 1st in Luke chapter 1 and continues daily through the Gospel for 24 days plus a final Christmas devotion. Grab your devotional before the countdown! Connect with Christine! You can connect with Christine at christinetrimpe.com/joy and grab her amazing book Seeking Joy Through the Gospel of Luke: A Christmas to Calvary Advent Countdown for you and as gifts. Plus find her here: Contact email: Christine@christinetrimpe.comWebsite: www.christinetrimpe.comSocial media links:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristineTrimpeLLCInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachchristinetrimpe/Twitter: https://twitter.com/KetoChristineMIYouTube: @ChristineTrimpe https://youtube.com/christinetrimpePinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/joyfulketolife/ Listen to my previous episode with Christine On a previous Fierce Calling episode with Christine (mentioned in the show), we talked about her weight loss journey and more. Listen in... Satisfying Our Hunger with the Bread of Life. More about Christine... Christine Trimpe is an author, speaker, joy seeker, and weight-loss warrior. After losing over a hundred pounds in her joy-filled journey of healing, God instilled a passion within her to inspire, motivate, and encourage women to pursue healthy, holy living— body, mind, and spirit. Christine speaks and writes for women all over the world, sharing the freedom Christ offers when we choose the path of surrender and sacrifice. Connect with me and if you love Fierce Calling, please leave a review on Podchaser. Thanks, friend! If you like listening to Fierce Calling, I would so appreciate it if you would take a moment to follow, rate, and leave a review over at Podchaser! It helps others discover the show too! I'd also love to connect with you so reach out to me here on my Contact Page! Check out my speaking page, grab my flyer, and let's talk about me speaking at your next women's event... Free Gifts for You... Grab one of my free downloads by scrolling down to the bottom of the page! Love & God's Perfect Peace to You! Doris

In this short episode, I ask what we're waiting for - what those of us who should be on the mailing list for Overthinkers Anonymous are actually waiting for and I propose a simple solution to move past the chronic overthinking that slows us down. With a nod to my mom who in her usual ever so slightly sarcastic way of making her point, left this golden gem in my head: Christmas is coming... This translates into: what the heck are you waiting for?Also mentioned in this podcast:This is the podcast I probably listen to the most; it's fun, it's interesting, and there's always a fresh take on things I've thought about - and some I've never considered! This is the episode where one of them mentions marketing as a human experiment. https://play.acast.com/s/the-david-mcwilliams-podcast/142-valueiscreatedinthemindwithrorysutherlandHave you left a rating & review yet? Please take a moment and do so as it helps bring this podcast to other small business owners (and I'd be forever grateful!) If you're listening on Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes) please rate and review there. If you're not an Apple supporter, you can go to Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/connections-coffee-confidence-1788572 Thank you so much for your support! **Hey, are you wondering how to use social media so it helps you reach your goals instead of kill time? Let me show you the exact steps I use to make sure my client's social media is strategic and cohesive so that you can use the socials to support your business without wasting time and getting frustrated. Go to https://www.janicefogarty.com/create-your-social-media-content-strategy to learn more. My Products:Don't Waste Your Breath guide on creating your own strategic messaging, based on your business goals. Get this download and learn how to speak clearly and with purpose about your business. (https://janicefogarty.podia.com/dont-waste-your-breath-get-your-best-message-across)Thinking about taking advantage of all the podcasts as opportunities to get your message out? You need my one page download on How to be an Amazing Podcast Guest checklist (https://www.janicefogarty.com/how-to-be-an-amazing-podcast-guest)Wondering how to get incredible PR to grow awareness of your business but can't afford a PR agency? You need 10 Places to get Publicity, Even with Zero Budget (https://www.janicefogarty.com/discover-10-places-to-get-free-publicity-even-though-you-have-zero-budget) Let's Connect!✔Join me on Pinterest

Josh Gibbs, a favorite of ours, just put out a new book containing essays on Christmas. We discuss them here. Because Christmas is awesome, and you should awesome too.

Because Christmas is so  magical and special to us all there has to be a part 2. There truly is tons of rock christmas  music out there and we cant fit it in one show or even two for that matter.  We are truly blessed to have fans like you listening or if your a new listener welcome and thanks for pressing play. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from all of us @ ROCK PHOENIX LIVE!!! We will see you all  New Year's Eve, we are going to take Christmas off as all of you should , to relax and  remember what really matters and check out all the weird gifts or cool ones . Thanks for the socks  merry christmas. Write to us and tell us your great or funny or even WTF christmas moments (rockphxlive@gmail.com) or just say hey.  We'll talk about them next show. Trans Siberian Orchestra- Ornament*Trans Siberian Orchestra- An Angel Came Down*Trans Siberian Orchestra- Christmas In The Air*Trans Siberian Orchestra- Midnight Christmas Eve*Twisted Sister- Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow *August Burns Red- Carol Of The Bells*August Burns Red- Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy*August Burns Red- Joy To The World*August Burns Red- O Come O Come Emmanuel*Cheap Trick- Father Christmas*Cheap Trick- I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday*MxPx- Christmas Day*Billy Squier- Chistmas Is The Time To Say I Love You*Andy Williams- Its The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year*Perry Como, The Fontane Sisters- Its Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas*Spinal Tap- Christmas With The Devil*Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers- CHristmas All Over Again*Warrant- Father Christmas*Halford- Christmas For Everyone*

What gifts does Jesus want for Christmas? What gifts have you been planning on giving him? We don’t often think about giving Jesus gifts for Christmas do we? Because Christmas is the celebration of his birth, though, it only makes sense to give him birthday gifts! So if Jesus made a list of what he would want for his birthday, what do you think he would put on the list? What do you get the God of the Universe who already has all things? I’ll give you a clue: Jesus wants gifts that he himself already gave us. That might sound like he is being selfish, taking back what he first gave us! Instead, when Jesus gives us a gift, and then he asks us to give that gift back to him, rather than removing it from us so that we no longer possess it, the gifts multiply and expand so we both have the gifts! For example, last week we learned how to give Jesus the gift of our faithful vulnerability. We saw how Jesus gave us his vulnerability first, by becoming human, born as a baby, into poverty, then as a refugee, then eventually living most of his life in obscurity as a peasant, and then years later giving his life on the cross. Talk about vulnerability! He embodies vulnerability, and then calls us to do the same with him, to enter into a real, faithful, vulnerable relationship with him. Nothing is taken from either person in the relationship. Instead both experience the benefits of vulnerability, enhancing the relationship together. The same goes for the other gifts Jesus wants! This Advent season, we are following the themes of the book Honest Advent by Scott Erickson, which is guiding us in thinking about what gifts we could give Jesus. What other gifts do you think Jesus might want, gifts that he first gave to us? Listen as we learn about the next gift we could give him. Hint: the gift we’ll be talking about is related to God’s core identity.

In the newest episode of Star Trek Discovery, the crew finally locate Starfleet headquarters, in what is a fanboy extravaganza. We see Voyager J and the USS Nog. I love the back and forth between Admiral Vance and Saru and Burnham. Can they convince him to trust them, and is coming back to Starfleet, after so many centuries all they hoped it would be? Another great episode of Star Trek. ----more---- Transcript Welcome to Nerd Heaven I’m Adam David Collings, the author of Jewel of The Stars And I am a nerd.   This is episode 42 of the podcast. Yes. 42. A very significant nerd number. Let’s just take a moment to appreciate life, the universe, and everything.   Ok. on with it. Today, we’re talking about Star Trek Discovery season 3 episode 5. Die Trying.   The description on Memory Alpha reads After reuniting with what remains of Starfleet and the Federation, the USS Discovery and its crew must prove that a 930 year old crew and starship are exactly what this new future needs.   The teleplay was written by Sean Cochran based on a story by James Duff & Sean Cochrane. It was directed by Maja Vrvilo And it first aired on the 12th of November 2020.   Make it so.   The episode opens with Saru giving a captain’s log. And that’s awesome. I believe it’s the first time we’ve heard him utter those iconic words. The interesting thing is, it’s a supplemental log. Last week started the same way, with Doctor Culbert giving a supplemental log. A supplemental log is just that … it’s a supplement. The original series used supplemental logs as a little catch-up for those viewers coming in part-way through the broadcast who might have missed the beginning of the episode. In-universe, it’s like an addition to the day’s log. Now it’s conceivable that we would open a story with them supplementing their log, but the things they say just don’t feel very supplemental. They feel like the main content of a log. The first two seasons of this show often used supplemental logs to good effect, because it meant they didn’t have to quote a stardate, and they had no good system for stardates in the pre-TOS era. But we’re now in the 32nd century, and we have a good Stardate system. In fact, a stardate is mentioned later in the episode. So why are doing all these supplemental logs at the start of episodes? Feel a little weird.   But anyway, Saru is giving a captain’s log. And I love that.   Discovery is about to arrive at the coordinates where they’ll find the headquarters for both Starfleet and The Federation. And it’s nice to see that the writers are finally understanding the distinction and relationship between those two entities.   There’s a hint of misgiving in Saru’s voice. They don’t know what the Federation or Starfleet look like in this century. Will they be eager to see a 930 year old ship? Will the Discovery crew have a hope of fitting in with this version of Starfleet? Will the common ideals remain enough to bind them together? As they were in the fantastic crossover novel Star Trek Federation by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens. Great book. Check it out if you haven’t read it.   Michael doesn’t just want to know what’s become of Starfleet in this universe. She wants to find out what happened to her mother. Maybe there will be some answers here.   So, headquarters is contained in a distortion field meant to hide it. I’m not sure it’s very effective. It’s this big glow blob thing that must raise a few eyebrows, both visually, and on sensors. But anyway,   Discovery flies in.  Have you noticed that the shuttle bay doors always seem to be open these days. I know they have a forcefield to hold in the atmosphere, but that’s just meant to be up while the doors are open for ships to come in and out. It’s kind of weird that they just fly around with it open all the time. Very odd. I mean, it looks cool on screen, but it’s not very practical.   This opening sequence is just a massive Star Trek geek-out. We get to see a bunch of 32nd century Starfleet ships, but we don’t get a really good look at them. The lighting in this shot seems designed to obscure them, more than show them off, which I think is a terrible shame. I want to get a sense of these ships. One of them seems to have really long nacelles, like Discovery. Another seems to be shaped like a donut.   The looks on everyone’s faces is priceless, and kind of matches how we’d all feel if we were suddenly in the heart of Starfleet territory, surrounded by ships.   The crew notice ships with neutronium alloy fibres, organic hulls, ships that are entirely holographic, a new USS Constitution that can sleep a crew of two thousand, detached nacelles, and a flying rainforest.   And then we see the USS Voyager. NCC 74658-J Which is really cool. Not all Starfleet ships that re-use the name of a previous vessel get the letters in the registry. Often, they just get a brand new number. It’s only special ships that retain that registry number and add a letter on the end. Enter Enterprise was one example. It seems Voyager is another. And that makes sense. Voyager’s journey home from the Delta Quadrant would be the stuff of legend in this day and age. We don’t get a great look at the new Voyager, but its primary hull seems to follow a similar shape to the original. It’s the eleventh ship to bear the name. Memory Alpha has said that Voyager J is a 32nd century intrepid class vessel. But that doesn’t make sense. The intrepids were a class of ships used in the 24th century. Starfleet doesn’t re-use the class name like that. If it were intrepid class, it should look exactly like the original voyager. Anyway, this isn’t on-screen canon.   And then the big moment, we fly past the USS Nog. NCC-325070 This is a blink and you’ll miss it moment, and honestly, you’ll probably miss it even if you don’t blink. You can barely read the name with all the lense flare going on. This particular moment was spoiled for me by the internet, because I don’t get Discovery until Friday night, here in Australia. So I spent the whole episode waiting for the USS Nog to show up. I expected it to be a significant part of the story. It wasn’t. It was just a quick visual easter egg. But, it’s an awesome one. I love that they did this. Alex Kurtzman has confirmed this ship is named after the character Nog on Deep Space Nine, who was the first Ferengi to join Starfleet. And he’s said this is an Eisenberg class ship. This, of course, honours the late Aron Eisenberg who played Nog, and who tragically died just over a year ago. In my opinion, Nog was one of the greatest characters in all of Star Trek. He had the greatest character arc the show has ever done, and by all accounts, Mr. Eisenberg was a wonderful human being. So I’m thrilled that Discovery honoured him in this way.   After Discovery hails headquarters, letting them know the USS Discovery is reporting for duty, they ask for the Captain, First office and Tal to beam aboard. Their sensors can detect the presence of the symbiont.   As they are snatched away by a transporter beam, the musical score goes full-on fanboy, which honestly was appropriate for this moment.   We get a decent look at the new Starfleet uniforms. They’re similar, but not quite identical to what we saw in Tal’s memories last episode.   They look like a decent continuation of the style we’ve seen on the USS Relativity, and from the temporal agents in the temporal cold war.   There’s a bunch of different uniforms. The admiral uniform is different, obviously, as it always is. Then there are light grayish blue uniforms with a stripe going up them in traditional TNG-era department colours. But there is another uniform, light dray on the bottom with dark blue shoulders, in a shape I’m not sure how to describe in words. This is worn by the chief of security and at least one other officer. This particular uniform looks the least Starfleet and seems to be out of place among the others.   Oh, and the com badges are not identical to the one worn by Admiral Sena Tal. I actually prefer Tal’s com badge, because the Starfleet delta is a bit more visible. But anyway.   And we meet Admiral Vence, commander-in-chief of Starfleet.   Saru is delighted to learn that Kaminar joined the federation.   We learn about The Omega Chain, a coalition of Andorian and Orions. And we learn of someone called Osyraa, who is becoming more brazen every day. I imagine we’ll learn more of him and his organisation in future episodes. The omega chain gets name-dropped again later.   The admiral knew Sela Tal, but makes it clear that he and Adira are strangers to one another. And then Adira is taken off for a medical diagnostic. And that’s the last we see of her in this episode. I wonder what all of that is about. Maybe they just want to make sure that the symbiant and the human host are healthy with one another. But the Trill themselves would have been better equipped to determine that.  I’m really curious what that’s all about.   I noticed, on my first watch, there was a little visual easter egg, a mention of the Kazon on a computer monitor. I imagine that before the burn, the Federation’s influence extended into the Delta Quadrant. Maybe even the Gamma Quadrant as well. Distances that were insurmountable for Voyager were probably considered “just next door” before the burn.   This season, and this episode in particular, are making me feel the same way that I first felt when I started watching TNG. This is Star Trek, but it’s a whole new Star Trek. It’s a great feeling. I enjoyed the first two seasons of this show, but I’m loving this season way more than I was expecting to.   But then we learn about the Kili. Some refugees of a cool-looking new alien race are sick with some kind of disease which is plaguing their world. Burnham is immediately keen to help with that problem, but Vance wants to hear their story first.   And I’m pleased to see they are finally telling someone the truth about their situation. The whole truth. Control, the sphere data, the spore drive. The red angel. All of it. And I’m glad about that. The whole hiding who they were thing was starting to get a bit old, and well...strange.   The rather annoying EMH notes that Saru may be the last Kelpien who still retains biochemical traces of Vahar’ai. Which is odd, because Vahar’ai is basically a stage of development, like puberty. So we are to say that the offspring of Kelpiens who have gone through Vahar’ai and shed their ganglia, are born without ganglia of their own, they are are born as “evolved Kelpiens” as the second season episode rather incorrectly called them. That’s weird. Remember, long ago, there were “evolved Kelpiens,” but the Ba’ul forced them back into their pre-vahar’ai state. None of this has been explained very well.   There are currently 38 member worlds of the Federation that Vance is aware of. There may be other worlds out there that still consider themselves members, but have lost all contact. There were 350 member worlds at the Federation’s peak. I wonder when exactly that peak happened.   And I do still love the floating tables and chairs. They’re cool.   The EMH, Eli has confirmed that Saru and Michael are not lying. But Starfleet records hold no references to Control, a red angel or a spire drive. Thanks, Spock.   So he’s understandably skeptical. He can’t corroborate their story. And the Federation spent most of the 30th century fighting a war to uphold the temporal accords. We, of course, know this as the temporal cold war. Time travel is outlawed. Which means, the Discovery crew’s presence here is by definition, a crime.   This all makes perfect sense. Given their past, the present-day Starfleet would be very uncomfortable with time-travellers, even if they claim to have come from a time far predating the temporal war.   Are the discovery crew here as an attempt by somebody to change the future? He can’t rule that out. And he shouldn’t.   He can’t afford to trust them without evidence.   You’ll notice that Starfleet, and Vance in particular, is the antagonist of this episode, because he opposes Saru and Michael’s goal. He stands in the way as an obstacle to what they want.   Note, that doesn’t make him a villain. This isn’t evil Starfleet. I think a lot of fans have had enough of evil Starfleet lately. No. This is Starfleet being cautious, as they should.   Vane plans to requisition Discovery for analysis and retrofit, and split up the crew. This immediately gets our heckles up. That sounds terrible. The crew of Discovery are a family. (and yes in this season, they have earned that descriptor). The reason they all left their lives behind to come into the future was so that Michael wouldn’t have to be alone here. If they are split up now, it defeats that whole purpose. They might as well have remained in the 23rd century and let Michael fly Discovery on auto-pilot as she originally planned.   This is really upsetting to all of them, and not something any of them are going to want to take sitting down. And I’m totally on their side in this.   However. What Vance is saying makes sense from his point of view. If the Discovery crew are here for some nefarious reason, it decreases the probability of them being able to carry out whatever it is they intend by breaking them up, separating them randomly. It seems harsh, but I understand why he’s doing it.   Vance asks Saru to put the needs to Starfleet ahead of the needs of his crew. That’s hard.   There’s a fantastic scene between Saru and Michael, back in Discovery’s ready room. Michael is all worked up about this, and understandably. She makes some good practical points why Vance is wrong. Why the crew should be kept together. They know this ship. They know the spore drive, and if this family is broken up now, some may never recover. All true.   But Saru rightly points out that it’s Vance’s call. He’s the admiral. He’s the commander in chief. They chose to rejoin Starfleet. They could have just stayed out there as a rogue element, like so many others in the galaxy. They chose to come back and submit themselves to Starfleet’s chain of command.   The balanced, two-sided conflict here is delicious.   Michael is all set to steal information about the Kili, so they can help cure the disease and prove their worth. Saru has to remind her that Starfleet officers don’t operate that way. A lesson he thought she’s learned by now, after her ill-fated mutiny on the Shenzhou. And I think she had, but she’s been living as a free spirit in this century for a year. She admitted she’d let go of a lot of things. She needs to be reigned in by Saru, and she knows it. Her humble realisation of that is nicely portrayed.   While the crew are interrogated, with various levels of cooperation, Saru and Burnham attempt to request the roster of planets the Kili visited through official channels.   They’re starting to get through to Lieutenant Willa.   Burnham’s unique knowledge of the past helps her to solve the mystery of the Kili Illness. The only way to cure it is to get a hold of some pre-mutated plants from Urna. The only place to find this is a Federation seed vault ship, which still exists today.  The USS Tikhov. It holds samples of every plant in the galaxy. It’s like a vast seed library.   The problem is, the Tikhov is four months away. The spore drive is the obvious solution. But the only crew-member Vance needs is Stammets.   He’s gonna put a new crew of trusted officers on Discovery. Burnham makes some valid points in argument, but as usual, her tone is insubordinate. It takes Saru to find the diplomatic middle-road. He’ll remain on the station, kind of like collateral. Burnham will command the Discovery, but Willa and two security officers will accompany them. You see, Vance is not completely unreasonable. But he does need to be convinced.   So they jump to the Tikhov’s coordinates, but the ship is stuck in an ion storm. They have to reach in and tractor them out. And this is where we get another great Detmer scene. As things get tense, she starts to blank out. She’s going all distant again. Because once again, the pressure is all riding on her shoulders. But Owo notices she's freezing and gives her some reassuring words. “You have time. You can do this.” And it’s enough to pull Detmer back, now that she’s being honest. I really liked this. I can see a real friendship growing between those two characters. Kind of like a Geordi / Data thing, or a Tom and Harry thing.   The most interesting part of the interrogations is definitely the Georgiou stuff. The bit where she shuts down holograms by blinking at them is kinda weird. The guy who questions her is kind of interesting. He wears glasses because he thinks they make him look smarter. (Remember even in the 23rd century glasses were mostly a thing of the past, unless you’re allergic to Retinax V like Kirk) He reminds me a little of Bill Nighy.   He’s fascinated by Georgiou and the Terrans in particular. They build an empire based on the maxim, because we feel like it. So why did she join a Starfleet crew? He figures out she has a personal stake. She cares, personally, for Michael. He also figures out that the only way he’ll glean information from her is by the questions she asks him. Nice. She wants to know who is really calling the shots in the galaxy today. Who caused the burn? Are they the same? You can see that she’s already planning her next move. Is she wanting to take over the whole thing for herself? Maybe set herself up as an emperor again? It’s in her nature. But she learns that the terran empire fell centuries ago, which we know from Deep Space Nine. It’s all thanks for mirror Spock’s preaching of peace, as motivated by Kirk. but as Kirk pointed out, the empire could not stand forever. It would fall eventually. This really seems to have rattled her. WE also learn that the distance between our universe and the mirror universe started expanding after she crossed over. I wonder what caused that. Kirk’s encounter there? Something else? There hasn’t been a crossing in over 500 years. That puts the last crossing at no later than the 27th century. He said over 500, so I wonder exactly how much earlier it was. And I wonder what the mirror universe looks like now, in 3189. Different Federation worlds take turns looking after the seed vault. At present, it’s a Barzan family. Nahn is excited to learn that her people joined the federation in the 25th century.   The Tikhov is overgrown with plants, which is a little weird. It’ll be explained later, of course. They find a holo recording of the Barzan family. Someone is humming a tune. The same lullaby that Adira was playing on the cello. This appears to be quite the mystery, and we’ll come back to it at the end of the episode. Don’t let me forget.   While looking through the logs, Nhan learns that something terrible happened here. A light hurt the wife and kids. The husband hoped a cure could be found in the vault. He’s been growing the plants from the seed vault, searching for answers.   Culbert finds the wife and kids dead in stasis. The husband, Attis is in a weird state. He appears and disappears. He’s out of phase.   Nahn says that Barzans don’t have the same concept of death as humans. But she doesn’t really explain what that means. Attis clearly believes he can find a way to bring his dead family back to life. I wish they’d explored this concept a little more. Because at face value it doesn’t make sense. What exactly do Barzan’s believe about death?   They can’t get into the seed vault without Attis’s password. So they have to find a way to reason with him.   Stamets, Reno and Tilly figure out that the ship was hit by a coronal mass ejection. Attis was beaming at the time, which is why he survived, but also why he’s out of phase, kinda mid-transport.   But they cure him of this with the transporter.   And Michael manages to get through to him. He gets her the seeds she needs to save the Kili.   But Attis won’t leave the Tikhov. He won’t leave his family. I don’t understand. Can’t they beam his family on board with him, while he gets medical treatment. Is this just a suicidal thing because he can’t bear to live without his family?   Michael wants to force him to come, because if he stays, the seeds will be lost? A valuable part of Federation history. I guess, she assumes if he stays, he’ll keep taking the seeds and growing them, depleting the supplies from the vault. So Nahn decides to stay behind and watch the seeds, fulfilling the Barzan watch. She’s suddenly feeling very connected to her people.   Somehow, Nahn again connects this, emotionally, to Arium’s death. I still don’t quite understand the connection. I was shocked that Nahn was leaving the ship here, because they’ve only just promoted her character to the opening credits of the show. So, I’m convinced we haven’t seen the last of her. Anyway, it was nice to see her so happy. So it seems that Michael has proven herself and the Discovery crew to Vance. He is willing to put them back on the active duty roster. But Starfleet doesn’t have 5-year missions anymore. Exploration is a luxury they can no longer afford.   Saru argues, via a historical anecdote, that their unique position, from a revered time, might help the Federation to look up, to regain some parts of itself that it has lost. Vance agrees that Starfleet has been in triage for a long time. He’s willing to let the crew stay together, but they’ll go where he says, when he says. There’s still a way to go to making the Federation what it once was. As for exploration, well, everything in this century is a new frontier for the discovery crew, so in that sense, they are exploring.   It’s nice to see them all come to an agreement.   Burnham really wants to know more about the burn. There are a lot of theories about what caused it. They’ve never found sufficient evidence to support one over the other. He feels there are no further conclusions to draw unless someone can find additional evidence, but there are more important concerns right now.   I like how Burnham takes this as a personal challenge to find new evidence, but at the same time, acknowledges that right now, it’s not the highest priority. She’ll keep her eyes open, but she’ll follow orders.   This feels like a big turning point in the season. They’re now accepted into Starfleet. No longer are they doing their own thing. They’ll be receiving missions. It’s a nice little status -quo shift.   Now, back to that music. Lieutenant Willa says half the people here know some version of that music, including he. Barzans, a Trill living on Earth. They all know this mysterious piece of music, but don’t know why, and yet, they’re separated by vast distances due to the shortage of dilithium. Willa can’t explain it, but isn’t going to lose any sleep over it. But it’s got Michael intrigued. And it’s got me intrigued too. I really hope they can pull off a satisfying conclusion to the mysteries they’re raising this season. The resolution of the red angel thing last season was not all I had hoped for. But I’m feeling optimistic.   Gorgeous is acting really weird. She doesn’t even notice Michael for a moment. I think she’s in grief that the Terran empire fell, and that she’s so far from her home, probably never to see it again. But I also think she’s plotting. And that worries me quite a bit. But at the same time, I’m pleased that they’re being honest with her character. As she said, she’s wicked, even for a Terran. In season 2, I think the writers forgot that.   Saru needs to remind Michael to choose her words more carefully with the Admiral in future. If he’d been a less reasonable man, things might not have ended up so well. I’m excited to see where this new status quo is going to take us. What mission will Vance send the Discovery on next week? It’ll be exciting to find out. Most Star Trek shows find themselves in their third season. It was true of TNG, DS9, Voyager, and Enterprise. It seems to be true of Discovery as well. They’ve found a good balance that I think will appeal to a wide variety of Star Trek fans. The tone feels way more Star Trek than previous seasons, but there’s still enough character focus to satisfy me. And while I enjoyed the darker tone in season 1, I don’t think they’ve over-compensates. They found a tone that I’m still good with. After all, I already liked Star Trek before it got dark with DS9, Discovery, and Picard.   Personally, I think there’s room for lots of different types of Star Trek, but what they’ve hit this season is the type that will have the broadest appeal, I think. I’m hoping it wins back some fans who had previously been anti-discovery.   Next week’s episode is called Scavengers. That’s all we know about it so far.   Last year, I wrote a Christmas sci-fi short story, set in my Jewel of the Stars universe. I put it up on Wattpad, where you can still read it for free, but I’ve just published it on all the major eBook retailers, where you can find it for 99 cents. So whichever way you prefer to read it, I’d encourage you to check it out. It’s a nice little story to get you in the festive mood. Because Christmas does seem to be coming a bit early this year. After a very strange year, I don’t blame people for wanting to hold onto something happy and fun.   Anyway, my story is called The Christmas Star Disaster. You can find it at Books2read.com/christmasstar and that’s the number 2.   See you next week. Live long and prosper. Make it so.  

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. That holiday of good cheer and sweet kisses under mistletoe, when we should all be gloriously happy. So why aren’t we? Because Christmas is a lot darker than you think. *** Episode page Facebook group Twitter Instagram  

You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout, I’m telling you why. Why?Why? Why can't we just have a nice Christmas? Because Christmas can be scary, just look at some of our favorite Christmas movies- they will chill you to the bone. Today the very funny Brian Sweeney is back with a vengeance to look at Christmas Horror movies we all love.

It's week four of the holiday movie bracket matchup and Hallmark sequel "Cherished Memories: A Gift to Remember 2" is up against Lifetime's "Christmas 9 to 5", where an investigative reporter goes undercover as a department store retail clerk and why is any of this happening? Because Christmas, is why! Did Darcy & Aiden's love survive post-brain injury? Does Mrs. Henley still love a statement necklace? Will the evil Books! Books! Books! win the day? All will be discussed, and more!

We're back for another year of commercial digital pinball coverage! Because 2019 is going to be a very exciting year for Zen Pinball FX3 fans, we wanted to get ahead of the curve and talk about the holy grail titles we'd love to see appear in the new kid on the block's pinball universe.Because Christmas is all about tradition, Chris insisted we go into details about his Movies in Review for 2018.Because he had MoviePass this year, it's a long segment. I shoved it at the end. Join us for an extra long podcast, that you can choose to listen to in parts or in one sitting.You're going to want to visit https://blahcadepinball.com/160-new-year-same-bs to get the show notes for this one.

In the first two chapters of his gospel, Matthew presents Jesus as the King of promise from the Old Testament. Because Christmas is about the fulfillment of God’s promises for a king, we can have true hope and joy. Why does the promise of a king offer such hope? The first two chapters offer important ways the promises of a king encourage us during the Christmas season. Christmas promises a King who...

In the first two chapters of his gospel, Matthew presents Jesus as the King of promise from the Old Testament. Because Christmas is about the fulfillment of God’s promises for a king, we can have true hope and joy. Why does the promise of a king offer such hope? The first two chapters offer important ways the promises of a king encourage us during the Christmas season. Christmas promises a King who...

In the first two chapters of his gospel, Matthew presents Jesus as the King of promise from the Old Testament. Because Christmas is about the fulfillment of God’s promises for a king, we can have true hope and joy. Why does the promise of a king offer such hope? The first two chapters offer important ways the promises of a king encourage us during the Christmas season. Christmas promises a King who...

MONDAY 12/17/18 LIVE AT 7pm ET/6pm CT/4pm PT - MICHELLE COSTA (BIG BROTHER 10) HOSTS THE MANIC MONDAY SHOW with Special Guest: RACHEL AKO (Survivor Millenials vs. Gen X)!! MICHELLE is excited to have RACHEL join her on #ManicMondays for our final show of the year! RACHEL & MICHELLE will discuss the upcoming #SurvivorFinale that will take place in just two days! #SurvivorDavidvsGoliath has been one of the best #Survivor seasons, with a great #Theme, great #Twists, a really great #Cast, and #AwesomeGameplay! So, who is your pick to win the #ThirtySeventhSeason of #Survivor?  Call in and talk to MICHELLE and RACHEL to tell them who your pick is and why! We'll also be saying Happy Holidays & Happy New Year to all of our dedicated listeners and... #HappyBirthday to our Host, Michelle Costa too! Because Christmas and New Years both land on Mondays this year, and we fully expect everyone to be with your family and friends on those days, #ManicMondays will not return until Jan. 7th., so please join us tonight for a festive, end of the year show! As always, we want to hear from the #SurvivorFans and our Dedicated Listeners too! Call in and be part of the show! There are two ways to join us! Click our link and join us in our Live Chat Room where you can post your questions and comments (which will get asked on the show) and/or Call In to chat with MICHELLE and RACHEL on air by calling 1-347-237-5506 - Please press the #1 key on your phone once you're on our switchboard. That lets us know you're ready to join us on air. It's going to be a FUN Show! Hope You can make it! ***WE CONNECT YOU TO THE REALITY STARS YOU LOVE!!!***

Matthew 1-2. In the first two chapters of his gospel, Matthew presents Jesus as the King of promise from the Old Testament. Because Christmas is about the fulfillment of God’s promises for a king, we can have true hope and joy. Why does the promise of a king offer such hope? The first two chapters offer important ways the promises of a king encourage us during the Christmas season.

Christmas promotions. Welcome to the Author Remake podcast where we interview authors who want to improve their book marketing. Today I’m excited because we’re talking to Maureen Whitehouse who has 90 days to sell 1657 books because the warehouse where they are stored is closing down! Because Christmas is in two weeks we discuss creative […] The post AR33: Maureen Whitehouse appeared first on Author Remake.

“Light”Why do we put lights on our homes and trees and light candles to celebrate Christmas? Because Christmas is about light coming into this world through the birth of Jesus Christ. Seven times in our text the word “Light” is used.

Matthew 1-2. In the first two chapters of his gospel, Matthew presents Jesus as the King of promise from the Old Testament. Because Christmas is about the fulfillment of God’s promises for a king, we can have true hope and joy. Why does the promise of a king offer such hope? The first two chapters offer important ways the promises of a king encourage us during the Christmas season.

Read this episode description in a deep voice-over voice. Now imagine a quaint New England town nestled below a small mountain because it’s New England and not Colorado. There’s a church steeple with the bell tolling. Don’t forget the deep voice: This Christmas season. Cut to Mary Katharine Ham. She’s stepping across the road. She’s probably wearing, like, earmuffs or something because it’s snowing. Probably should have mentioned that at the beginning. Back to the epic voice over: One woman will dare to watch all the Christmas movies. Cut to Mary Katharine entering a movie theater. Joined by her friends. Each week, she’ll talk about her favorite movies in the best damn Christmas movie podcast ever made: A Christmas Ham with Mary Katharine Ham. It’s a play on words. Because Christmas ham is something you eat on Christmas, and Mary Katharine’s last name is Ham. Never mind; just subscribe!

It's out 25th episode so why not celebrate with another Christmas movie. Get it? Because Christmas is on the 25th of December. It must have been fate. Why else would we have to watch this movie? Why else would we ever have to sit down and watch this (some of us multiple times) to study every detail and intricacy in the film for your entertainment? Is this what makes you happy? It'd better because we consider our work a noble service, especially for those of you who have young lil' whippersnappers of your own because there'll be one holiday season in which you all sit down with your mildly-burned Tollhouse cookies and grocery store egg nog and your spawn will get excited at seeing a big muscly man dressed as Santa Claus saving an orphanage but you'll know better because you'll have hopefully heard our warning, first. You remember our warning and so you'll change the channel and spare you and your child thousands of dollars in therapy bills and rehab. You're welcome. Merry Christmas, asshole.

Here's the truth: Despite all the happy hoopla and sentimental songs, Christmas can be one of the most stressful and tangled times of the year. Why? Because Christmas is often a time spent with family. Have you ever had a specific moment when you realized that your family was complicated? In Matthew 1:18-25, we see that God's family had drama—a lot of drama. Obviously, our all-powerful God chose it to be this way, since Jesus could have easily come from a long line of calm, peaceable saints. Why do you think God chose to do it that way?

Because Christmas is a current celebration this groups deals with christmas in germany and other countries. At first they tell you that christmas is becoming a commercial event and that the traditional origins of it become less important. To have a look on other countries they have an interview with someone from Australia and a person living in America to learn how christmas is celebrated in these countries. At the end of their podcast they make their own result of these two interviews. Enjoy this really interesting podcast and have nice christmas days! (Picture source: http://www.gwdg.de/forschung/publikationen/gwdg-nr/GN0512/images/weihnachtsbaum.gif)