Podcasts about Christmas

Years ago, Maria Eckersley found herself needing the Savior more than ever. As her husband battled pancreatic cancer, Easter became more than a holiday—it became a lifeline of hope, hope in the promises of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead of creating a long list of activities or traditions, Maria created what she calls a "tradition of teaching." In this episode, Maria shares how intentionally focusing her family on the gift of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ transformed her home and her gratitude for Easter.    2:42- Origin of Testimony 6:13- Salt Lake Temple Open House Celebration 9:59- A Choice to Celebrating Easter 15:18- A Tradition of Teaching 20:13- What a Connection with the Lord Does 22:08- There's Always Water 25:08- The Promises If the Resurrection is True 29:15- The Duality in Easter 34:04- Easter Through the Lens of the Book of Mormon 37:33- What Does It Mean To Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ?    "I think there's a lot of that commercial side that we can set down when it comes to Easter. So for me, I guess I see Christmas as a season of giving and receiving in the Savior's way and when it comes to Easter, I see Easter focused on it's all about me receiving...it literally is just His divine gift that is given to all of us. It's a time for us to celebrate that gift, to appreciate it, maybe to emulate it but it's really all about receiving and I just think there's some tenderness in that."   Links: Teaching Easter by Maria Eckersley Elder Neal A. Maxwell- "The cavity which suffering carves into our souls will one day also be the receptacle of joy."

The search for missing Alabama toddler Genesis Nova Reid has taken a devastating turn — her mother has now been charged with capital murder, and investigators are racing to recover what they believe are the child's remains from a landfill.*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*Anyone with information is asked to contact the Enterprise Police Department at (334) 347-2222. Today's Story: https://weirddarkness.com/GenesisNovaReid-2Previous Story: https://weirddarkness.com/GenesisNovaReidFEATURED PHOTO: Authorities charged Adrienne Reid (left) with Capital Murder and Corpse Abuse in connection with the disappearance of her 2-year-old daughter, Genesis (right).(WTVY)WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.#WeirdDarkness, #WeirdDarkNEWS

In Episode 69, Amy Smith sits down with longtime foster and adoptive mom Crystal Dukes for a heartfelt conversation about the real purpose of foster care: reunification. Crystal shares her family's journey fostering more than 30 children, adopting through both private adoption and foster care, and developing deep, lasting relationships with biological families. This episode offers a candid, uplifting look at what it truly means to support reunification even when it’s challenging, emotional, and full of unknowns. What We Discuss • Why reunification is the primary goal of foster care • Crystal's early experiences as a new foster parent and the mindset shift she had to make • The story of two young brothers placed in her home and how their mother's gratitude changed everything • Navigating a Safe Haven baby placement and ultimately adopting her youngest son • Maintaining meaningful relationships with biological families long after reunification • The emotional complexity of children moving between homes • How foster families can cheerlead, support, and build trust with parents • A multi‑year case that transformed into a true village of caregivers • Advice for new or prospective foster parents • Why openness, compassion, and connection benefit everyone involved Key Takeaways • Foster care works best when caregivers approach it as a team effort with biological families. • Kids thrive when they can remain connected to parents, grandparents, and others who love them. • Reunification can be challenging but often leads to beautiful, long‑term relationships. • Supporting parents and honoring their role makes the experience healthier for children. • The more people loving a child, the better. Resources Mentioned Learn more about foster care in Utah at: https://www.utahfostercare.org About Our Guest Crystal Dukes is a former foster parent, adoptive mom, and advocate for reunification. Over seven years she and her husband cared for approximately 30 children, building ongoing relationships with many of the families they supported. Her compassionate, connection‑driven approach provides valuable insight for anyone exploring foster care. Listen & Subscribe New episodes of Fostering Conversations are released regularly. Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss a conversation that matters. Transcript: Speaker: On today’s episode, we’ll be talking to a former foster adoptive mom about reunification. The entire goal of foster care is to reunify the kids in our home join us. Amy: Welcome to Fostering Conversations. I’m your host, Amy Smith. Today we have Crystal Dukes, who is a foster and adoptive mom, and we are so glad to chat with her today. Thanks for being here, Crystal. Crystal: Thank you so much for having me. Amy: So we wanna just start off by letting our audience know who you are. So tell us a little bit about yourself. my name’s Crystal Jewkes like Amy said, and,My husband and I have been married for 27 years, and we have four kids of our own. We’ve had about 30 kids in and out of our homes, many of which we’re still, in contact with in one way or another. and it’s been a while. we were foster parents for seven years. our older kids actually are adopted and that’s what put got us, interested in foster care is to it, to go that route. Okay. Yeah. So you guys had adopted domestically or internationally? Privately, essentially. And then did foster care Crystal: an agency here. Yep. Amy: Okay. Okay, cool. So you’ve experienced both situations of adoption. That’s awesome. That’s really neat. So today’s podcast, we wanna focus on reunification. So we’ll start with that. The goal of foster care is to reunify these kids, right? We want them to go home, but what has your experience been while working towards reunification with the kids that have come through your home? Crystal: I actually absolutely love this topic because, we have to go into it that way, or it’s, makes it so much harder. And for everyone. And that is the number one most important thing, whether you’re open to adopting or just fostering, that is absolutely so important to understand. especially anyone who’s listening who is just interested in foster care, that’s the biggest thing. but to be honest, we got into it to adopt Amy: Yeah, which a lot of families do. Crystal: To be honest,we were newbies. We didn’t really know what we were. Doing, and we wanted more kids and wanted to adopt more kids. And we thought that, foster care would be a good way to do that. And so we were quickly told, that’s not what this is for. and Amy: Right. I said, okay. I said, okay, we’ll see. Yeah. Crystal: and we got a call fairly quickly about a week after, and, And asked if we would take two little boys, and they were ages three and four and barely three. He had just barely turned three. And so really it was, they were quite young. And they came and dropped him off at our house with a can of seven up in their hands with nothing else. And, but they were fine. They were. Came in and we went to a baseball game of my son’s that night, and I just getting to know ’em and feeding them and, it seemed like a play date for them, I think at Amy: Yeah. Crystal: and then we started really figuring things out and, That was a really, it was a tough time because they were adorable little boys, but they were really hard little boys. However, that first week, When we were gonna have a quick meeting with the, their mom and she was gonna have a visit. I took them to the store and I said, okay, pick your mom’s favorite drink and then pick your mom’s favorite candy bar. And so they picked something pink andI’m like, they told me it was your favorite. And Amy: Yeah, exactly. Crystal: But the moment, I was a little nervous. I didn’t know what I was gonna see on the other side of the door, and we walked in and she immediately got up and gave me a hug and said, thank you so much for taking care of my babies. and we, so we had brought her little gifts and I had brought her all the pictures I had taken and I had, had ’em, made them a little book for her so that she had some pictures of what we did that week, whether it was going to get an ice cream cone at McDonald’s or playing in the backyard or whatever. And just so she could see that they were being taken care of. Amy: And she, to this day, 13, 14 years later, she still tells that story and she te still tells me how grateful she was. and it really did break the ice for us. Crystal: made me instantly love her Amy: Yeah. Crystal: and it made me instantly Amy: And humanize her that these really are her kids. Crystal: they’re her, kids. Yes. And humanize her and be a cheerleader for her. So from then on we were. We actually grew quite close the whole time. with good boundaries, we were all safe. She did have a pretty good support system, with her family. But it had gotten to the point where we can’t save you anymore. You’ve gotta, hurt a little bit so your kids are going to foster care. Amy: Yeah. Crystal: and so we had them for nine months. And during that nine month or six, in six months into the nine months, we got another call. And this one was for, a Safe Haven baby that it was the first in 25 years Amy: Yeah. That’s very Crystal: in the county. And so everyone was standing around going, we don’t know what to do. Amy: Right? Crystal: And so they knew I was after that and our caseworker called and said, there’s a baby that’s been dropped off. And Amy: Wow. Crystal: so we, it was the day after Christmas actually, Amy: Oh wow. Crystal: and we went and we picked him up and he was totally healthy and. Great. and we adopted him. So he stayed with us and we don’t really know anything about his parentage or anything, but, we’ve done the DNA stuff and nothing yet, but we’ll Amy: yeah. Wow, that’s interesting. Crystal: So these cute little boys that we had, they, they still view him as their little brother because he Amy: I love that. Yes, Crystal: they were there. So it was cute. Amy: adorable. Crystal: It was really cute when they were there, but, I was so grateful for that experience because we were in it to foster, to adopt and be done. And after the fact, it was a wonderful reunion. the day they were, in fact, actually. I think this week is their anniversary of going home and after nine months they were, they went home in March and that court day was really special and she was so grateful. Amy: By the end she was having Sunday dinner with us I love that. Crystal: and and to this day we still have girls’ nights and her sisters and her and me, we go out and have dinner. Amy: That’s so awesome. Crystal: We see the boys every once in a while, but they’re, they, one of them just graduated. The other one is getting ready to graduate from high school. And so it’s, it was a really hard and great experience and I learned so much from her and what, my part really was in being a foster parent. And so after it was all over and we were like. we’re not ready to be done because we still love you and you still love us, so we’re gonna, Amy: Keep going. Crystal: have some, at least some communication and contact. But after my husband and I were talking and we were like, are we done? And after and after we adopted the baby, my youngest, we thought maybe we’d be done. And we’re like, it was such an amazing. Miraculous experience to be a part of putting another family, supporting and helping put another family back together that we decided to stay. we kept going and we did a lot of crisis and respite from then on. But,it’s so weird how this timing has happened because. Just the other night. we had a set of twins that were, a few months older than my youngest and they came to us when they were two. So I had like triplets, Amy: Yeah. That sounds intense. Crystal: killed me. I’m not gonna lie. Amy: Yeah. Crystal: But to be honest, and here’s a plug for those that, are looking into this, is they’re like, this birth mother really needed you. Or, this, I don’t even, it seems wrong to even call them a birth mother. Their mom really needed you, to believe in her. She needed someone to believe in because they were in a placement where. It wasn’t necessarily a great match. And so they came to us for a summer before their parents got them back, and now they’re 14 years old and she has a third child and divorced. So she’s bi, she’s single with three kids, but she had moved away,someplace in the Midwest. And so I lost track of her, but when she was still here. they, I knew where they lived and would go to the grocery store and just buy a bag of popsicles and drop ’em off on my way home just to still support just a little bit. ’cause it, it was a struggle there. There’s a reason why kids are taken, because it was a struggle. She still needed some support. But, just recently, I found her just before Christmas. I found her. She’s in Amy: Oh, wow. Crystal: Arkansas. And so I had sent them all a outfit, and her an outfit. She texted me a couple nights ago and thanked me. So all this, it’s weird that all this is happening at the same time and doing this five. Amy: it’s fun though to remember the stories of the things that have happened. I just, I think, so I don’t, you probably don’t know this, but I also am a foster adoptive mom and have reunified kids, and I was the opposite. I was like, I’ll do foster care as long as they all go home. I didn’t all go home, so love them, but they didn’t all go home. but I just love the aspect and the thought process like that You are their support system. I am constantly telling people the reason why we have foster care and why kids get dropped off at all hours of the day at strangers’ homes is because they, their parent doesn’t have anybody. There is nobody safe or secure that those kids can go to. So CPS brings them to a stranger, a foster home. That is just mind boggling to Crystal: it it really is. Amy: Yeah. and I can’t get over it even though I’ve had so many kids come through my home and I’ve met many parents and reunified and adopted and all the things, but it’s just like these people don’t have anybody. And so that foster family can become somebody that supports Crystal: Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. our, current situation is we are not, with work and other kids and growing up we just. We weren’t able to, continue to foster, but there was one that we kept renewing for. Amy: Yeah. Crystal: ’cause she came to our house when she was 18 months her first time, and then they went back to parents and then came back three months later and then went to a kinship home, and she just was failing to thrive. And she came back and,we were on track to act, to adopt her. So she’s a few months younger than our youngest. Amy: Okay. Crystal: And we went through, COVID the whole bit, and it just got to a point where parents weren’t, they’d be successful for a minute and then not. And Amy: which is very common. Crystal: yeah. And yet her parents love her. Her parents love her and she loves them, but she’s old enough now to just realize and , it got really difficult and, and, my kids saw the stress that was on me and the attention that was taken from them it was rough. And, the back and forth that foster kids go through when they’re visiting a parent for a weekend, then coming back. they can leave an angel and come back the devil, Amy: Yeah. Crystal: just, Amy: It’s a good way of putting it. Crystal: it’s because they’re just confused and it’s hard. and I just, it was one of those things that. We called on the higher power and was just like, we don’t really know what to do. And it was really quite miraculous how it turned out because in my mind I thought someone has to lose. Not everyone can win in this situation. either dad’s going to lose her forever, never see her again. Grandma, she’ll never see her grandma. She’ll lose her dad, or I’ll never see her again. And at this point, and in those formative years, she is quite bonded to me and our family. And she, to this day, it’s, she does Your home is home and there’s some other,another foster family involved as well. and she lives with grandma. But, But it was really miraculous how it turned out, and it did take some begging on my part to say, please let her live with her grandma. Amy: Wow, that’s unusual. Crystal: I promise you, I will. I promise you I will stay around. I just, I can’t sacrifice my own children at the moment. And that’s, that was the reality of it, as hard as that is for me to say. and so we all work together. it’s the team and her grandma and I are great friends and her dad and I are friends and with our family and Amy: it’s working, Crystal: it’s working pretty well and. There may be a time where she’s with us more, but right now it works. It works well. But at the time I was really, and even our caseworkers to this day are like, I cannot believe Amy: Yeah. That’s unusual. Crystal: when we were going, when we were going through it, they were like, this is the craziest case we’ve ever had. and even, and then I run into ’em now and they’re like, amazing. Amy: yeah. I love. Crystal: so grateful. Amy: Yes, absolutely. And I love that you said, like somebody had to lose, but ultimately they didn’t. Like everybody is getting to be a part of her life and you are getting to be with your family. The grandma’s getting to raise her, hopefully the dad is still being able to see her. that’s a win for everybody, which is incredible. I love that. Crystal: it really is. and sometimes that’s hard to accept because she’s gonna be. Most provided for, and in, in certain, in a certain situation. but that’s not all of it. There’s so much more to, there’s still some pretty hard days and, even though she’s older, there’s still hard days when she comes back Amy: Right. Crystal: from her dad’s and sometimes, we ha we have hard conversations and. Amy: Yeah. Crystal: she starts to understand stuff and it’s helpful, but, I’m forever grateful that we’re all friends now. It wasn’t always like that. I, I, used to be the devil to them, Amy: Crystal: but we all, they’re, they are, very thankful. That, that we’re still around, and so it’s working well. Amy: yeah. I think it’s really important to realize, if prospective foster parents are listening that like you say, sure, maybe I can provide a nicer house and maybe I can feed them whatever the heck they Crystal: Paper, Amy: of. Yes. Pay Crystal: all stuff. Amy: Yes. Yes, exactly. But that’s not everything. Part of a lot of it is that they deserve and they want to be with their mom and dad or with their grandma, whoever they can be with. But I’ve seen that with my adopted kids. We have a really good relationship with one of our bio moms and. My daughter’s five and she will sometimes say, why can’t I live with mama so-and-so?and I’m just like, yeah, I’m so sorry. And she’s doing great now, if the circumstances were different, they’d be different, but they weren’t back then. And kids want to be with those biological ties, want to be with those people that they grew up with and look like and love. And I think that’s really, can be really hard to understand as a foster family because we think, I have this, and this to offer them. Crystal: We can never offer them that biology or that instinctual innate bonding love. Amy: Yes, we can love the heck out of ’em, but it’s different. Crystal: Yeah, and I’m really grateful that I had. Adopted kids with very healthy, relationships with biological mothers and fathers and families, we’re actually quite close. And so it helped me understand that a little bit sooner, I think. As long as they’re healthy and the child is safe, they’re, I promise you, it’s worth it. It’s worth hanging onto that relationship. It’s never worth. Cutting it off because it will come back sometime. It might even be in adulthood, but it will come back and it will be a big issue. And this way she knows we’re all transparent. She knows, I’ll ask her about her dad and how her visit was, she could tell me, things like that. So yeah, it’s. Amy: better place for kids to have, in their families to be able to say, I miss Mama some, whoever, and I miss this person. And for us parents to say. It’s okay. Like I’m sorry, you do deserve to get to be with them, but because of life you don’t like, I would rather our kids be able to say those things than to, go into adulthood and find them selves in a not healthy situation, So I think we can provide that safety to our adoptive children. And I have an adopted child who we don’t have a relationship. The mom completely fell off and. I don’t know. Like I reach out every few months in hopes that I’ll get a response, but I don’t, And so that happens too. And it’s unfortunate, but that’s how it is. Crystal: And I think it’s also important to say that doesn’t mean the birth parent doesn’t love their kid. they’ve probably come to a reality that they’re not Amy: In a good place. Crystal: a good place and they don’t wanna mess things up or bother anything. and that’s how one of the, our birth mothers are, is they just don’t wanna, mess things up. And so they don’t, and it’s fine, but we still buy Christmas presents for. From her and, we still do her shopping and we, little things like that. and it’s also interesting because now that, now that, she’s older, our foster child is older, and, for all intents and purposes at this point, we’re just great family friends on the, on paper. But she views me as mom and I. That’s great and she also talks about her other mom, so Amy: Which is great. some kids do have multiple moms, multiple dads, and that’s okay. Crystal: And there was a point where, we really did need some help. And so we’ve, we had another foster family and that other foster family and us were best of friends. And it, this has really turned into a village and she knows, the other foster mom and I, we both go to parent teacher conference and we both, I don’t know how many of you have experienced this who are foster parents, but food always seems to be an issue. And they are hoarding food and always wanting food and always checking to make sure there is food. And so I first thing out of her mouth when I pick her up is, what are we having for dinner? What’s for dinner? First thing, and then first thing is she walks in the house, is opens the fridge or opens the pantry. And so it was actually starting to drive me crazy and that’s my problem. But so did, Amy: I feel that, Crystal: I did want her to understand something and I said, there were some times, that your dad didn’t have food. Or your mom didn’t have food and you suffered for it. And so psychologically you suffer from that a little bit. So I’m telling you this, not because I’m telling you not to open the fridge, but I’m telling you that they have some psychological stuff there. that happens. And so we do have those hard conversations and I always make sure I tell her, your parents, love you. They’ve always loved you, but at times they didn’t have food to feed themselves and couldn’t feed you. And so it’s affected you that way. And, making sure that they always know that their, parents love them is really important. Amy: Yeah, I agree with that. That’s awesome. these podcasts always go by really fast, but if there was anything that you could. Advise or recommend to anybody that’s considering foster care? What would be something that you would say that you’ve learned that you would’ve loved to know at the beginning or something like that? Crystal: With my experience, our experience, I wouldn’t trade any of it. we’ve learned so much. But number one is, as a foster parent, our job is to be the biggest cheerleader we can be for the parents to get their kids back if it’s possible. and if it’s not possible, you can still love them. You can still support him Amy: Yeah. And hopefully have a relationship if that Crystal: and have a relationship. Absolutely. the other thing, if you’re new into foster care or if you are, seeking something, it’s okay. We were to, and we were blessed with the miracle and,the crazy thing the week that. We were called about our son, being a safe haven baby. Those of you who aren’t quite sure, that means that he was dropped off at the hospital, no questions asked, walked in, left at the emergency, and walked out. There were two babies in Texas that were found in the trash can that same week, but thankfully they were, being, the dogs were being walked and found them before they died. Amy: Oh wow. Crystal: So they did live, Amy: Yeah. Crystal: but just thinking about that and thinking that could have been my son, just, I can’t even, I can’t even think about that. The other thing is about that particular situation. I remember I had taken him to the doctor just as a baby checkup and and. I loved our doctor. Great. Raised all my kids. And, he said, I remember him saying, how do they, how do people do that? How do I can’t believe birth mother or, mothers would do that? And I immediately said, thank goodness they did. Amy: Yes, I Crystal: Thank goodness they did. Amy: And I, he immediately realized what he had said. And, Yeah. Yeah. Crystal: so that kinda stuff goes through foster care as well. and to the, families out there who maybe have had kids go to foster care, this, it is a safe place. Hopefully, hopefully, you can trust it and,and not everybody’s perfect by any means, but, the goal should be getting him back. No matter how much you love them, and if you really love them, do that and keep a connection with them. The more people that love a kid, the better, and I learned that through adoption. There’s no reason to cut off birth. Mothers who place their babies for adoption is the more people that love somebody, the better that person is, Amy: Yeah. I totally agree. Yeah. thank you so much for sharing your experiences and your passion for reunification. I also have a passion for reunification. and I agree. It’s such an experience to get to. Stay connected with those kids that have been with you and to also see those parents succeed. I think that’s pretty incredible to get to see a parent in their lowest of lows and then do everything they can to get their kid back and get their kid back. Like what an awesome thing to get to be a part of as a foster family. so yes. So thank you so much for sharing your time and experience with us, and we Crystal: My pleasure. Amy: it. Crystal: My pleasure. Thank you so much for having me. Amy: Yes. Thanks for joining us for fostering Conversations. To learn more about foster care, go to www.utahfostercare.org.

Our God is a gift-giver, and He goes beyond thought or expectation when He bestows His gifts. His greatest gift was Jesus, whose blessing extends far beyond the manger to the cross. Let’s spend time in wonder and adoration of this perfect Christmas gift today.(00:00) A God Who Makes All Things New(05:30) The Light of the Messiah Fulfilled(09:30) Humanity’s Search for Sacrifice and Religion(13:00) The Danger of Routine and Empty Religion(15:00) The Meaningful Gift of a Perfect Savior(19:00) Power to Live as Children of GodCONNECT WITH PASTOR JACKGet Updates via Text:  https://text.whisp.io/jack-hibbs-podcastWebsite: https://jackhibbs.com/ Instagram: http://bit.ly/2FCyXpO Facebook: https://bit.ly/2WZBWV0 YouTube:  https://bit.ly/437xMHn DAZE OF DECEPTION BOOK:https://jackhibbs.com/daze-of-deception/ Did you know we have a Real Life Network? Sign up for free for more exclusive content:https://bit.ly/3CIP3M99

Episode 373 - Help Wanted: World Champs Looking for a Running Back   RUNDOWN   Mitch and Hotshot react to the growing likelihood that the Seahawks could lose star running back Kenneth Walker in free agency, debating whether John Schneider's reluctance to franchise tag him signals a different plan at running back. The conversation explores possible draft options, Seattle's roster strategy after a Super Bowl season, and the risks of relying on a rookie backfield solution. Jason Hamilton joins Mitch to discuss his decision to step away after 24 years as the radio analyst for Washington Huskies basketball, reflecting on his journey from UW player to assistant coach to broadcaster. Hamilton explains how the move from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten dramatically changed the travel demands of the job, making it increasingly difficult to balance with his career and family life. Brady Farkas and Joe Doyle join Mitch to analyze the biggest storylines emerging from Mariners spring training, including the development of top prospects Colt Emerson, Cole Young, and Cade Anderson. The discussion covers roster realities heading toward Opening Day—why Emerson likely starts in the minors, how Brendan Donovan stabilizes the top of the lineup, and whether Brennan Davis could force his way into the outfield mix later in the season. RJ Eskanos and Dylan Travers join Mitch to break down the Seattle Kraken's precarious playoff positioning with 20 games remaining, describing the Pacific Division race as a "turtle derby" where nearly every contender is struggling. The trio discuss the team's inconsistency, the addition of volume-shooting forward Bobby McMann, Jordan Eberle's contract extension, and the surprising resurgence of goaltender Philipp Grubauer.   GUESTS   Jason Hamilton | Former University of Washington point guard and longtime Huskies basketball radio analyst Brady Farkas | Host, Refuse to Lose podcast Joe Doyle | MLB analyst, Over Slot RJ Eskanos | Emerald City Hockey Dylan Travers | Emerald City Hockey   TABLE OF CONTENTS   0:00 | Seahawks Running Back Drama, Draft Speculation, and a Classic Mitch Birthday Quiz 23:25 | Jason Hamilton: Reflects on 24 Years on the Huskies Broadcast and Why the Big Ten Era Helped Prompt His Exit 52:28 | Mariners No-Table: Mariners Spring Training Check-In: Prospect Buzz, Opening Day Roster Battles, and Rotation Futures 1:19:16 | Kraken No-Table: Kraken Cling to Playoff Spot as Pacific Division "Turtle Derby" Keeps Seattle Alive 1:43:48 | Other Stuff Segment: Netflix dinosaur series recommendation with Steven Spielberg and Morgan Freeman, World Baseball Classic excitement and Shohei Ohtani's hot start, Julio Rodríguez and other Mariners contributing across WBC rosters, Trent McDuffie becomes highest-paid cornerback and joins Rams secondary, Maxx Crosby says goodbye to Raiders and heads to Ravens, March Madness bracket week and projected No. 1 seeds, Dak Prescott and Sarah Jane Ramos call off wedding, Jurickson Profar gets 162-game PED suspension, McDonald's CEO mocked for awkward Big Arch promo video, Britney Spears arrested for DUI, ancient pyramid vandalized by tour guide, Argentine youth viral animal-identifying trend, professional bowler Cameron Crow arrested on drug charges, missing woman found alive 24 years after disappearing during Christmas shopping RIPs: Robert Carradine, Neil Sedaka, Lou Holtz  

Numbers are boring, right? I mean, who gets excited about counting things? Well, did you ever count your Christmas presents as a kid? Have you ever memorized the stats of your favorite athletes, or checked the number of likes on a post, or rejoiced over the number of people confessing Christ through the work a missionary? The numbers presented in these first few chapters may seem boring to us, but they represent the faithfulness of God to Israel. And don't worry, the title of this book is a little misleading; while it opens with counting heads, it gets more exciting in coming chapters. Numbers 1 - 1:13 .  Numbers 2 - 8:56 .  Numbers 3 - 13:25 .  Numbers 4 - 21:20 .  Psalm 30 - 29:07 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

One is a missing persons investigation that has consumed the country for over a month with no arrest and one suspect still unidentified. The other is a murder trial built entirely on circumstantial evidence, currently anchored by two immunity witnesses who cannot agree on what drug was sold. Jennifer Coffindaffer — who spent years as an FBI Special Agent working the kinds of cases most people only follow in the news — has important things to say about both.This episode covers all three segments of our interview. On Nancy Guthrie, she decodes the investigative language coming out of the Pima County Sheriff's Department and the FBI — what "definitely closer" means, what the command center move to Phoenix signals, what the task force scale-down and Annie Guthrie's vehicle return tell us about trajectory. Then she goes deeper: the perpetrator's behavioral patterns at the 30-day mark, the pre-operational digital surveillance trail going back to June 2025, the million-dollar reward dynamic, and the human fracture points that investigators are counting on right now.On Kouri Richins, she delivers a full prosecution analysis through nine days of trial. The contradicting immunity witnesses, the weight of the digital evidence, Grossman's emotional testimony, the insurance beneficiary attempt, the delayed recall Christmas party statement — and her honest identification of the single most exposed point in the prosecution's architecture.Two cases. One FBI lens. The clearest analysis of both in one place.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#NancyGuthrie #KouriRichins #JenniferCoffindaffer #FBIAnalysis #TrueCrime #MissingPersons #MurderTrial #HiddenKillers #TrueCrimePodcast #FentanylMurder

Hope for Right Now Podcast–Desert Bloom, A Lenten Journey: Love Hurts While Walking with Purpose Founder Lisa takes time to write our next women's Bible study, Laura Phelps welcomes guest Caitlin Bean to the Hope for Right Now podcast for a seven-week series: Desert Bloom, A Lenten Journey. Lent is a time of sacrifice, preparation, and spiritual waiting—a time to prepare our hearts for Easter through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. For many of us, it has become about exterior performance, a “holy checklist” we begin on Ash Wednesday and struggle to sustain for 40 days. And preparation? Who has time for that? We are exhausted—after all, it was just Christmas! If this is how your heart feels at the start of Lent, this series is for you—offering practical encouragement, Scripture reflections, and simple ways to experience a more meaningful, peace-filled Lent. In today's episode, Laura and Caitlin talk about waiting in dormancy and why God's timing is perfect, despite circumstances screaming the opposite. Open your Heart to our key Scripture. John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. Open your Bible to other Scriptures referenced in this episode. Romans 5:8: But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Mark 9:43–48: If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where “their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.” 1 Corinthians 10:31: So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. Isaiah 60:22: I am the Lord; in its time I will hasten it. Deuteronomy 32:4: The Rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are justice. Galatians 6:9: Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart. Romans 4:20–21: No distrust made him waver concerning the promises of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Genesis 37:29: When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes. Job 1:20: Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell upon the ground and worshiped. Invite Him in with this episode's questions for reflection. Where does dormancy find you today? Are you fighting against the darkness, trying to busy yourself to keep the frustration of slow progress at bay? Or are you learning to lean into it, yielding to the season of the soul? Show mentions. For a limited time, get 15% off our Easter gift collection by using the code EASTER15. Hop on over to our shop. Sale ends March 19, 2026. Nazareth, “Love Hurts” Caitlin Bean and Laura Phelps, Desert Bloom: Discovering Unexpected Joy in the Wilderness Laura Douglass, @lauramdoug Matthew R. Please, The Definitive Guide to Fasting and Abstinence Dan and Stephanie Burke, Avila Institute Alli Koscal, Substack, “Finding Havens” Bible Hub, Topical Encyclopedia Let's stay connected. Don't miss an episode. Subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform.  Want to keep the conversation going? Join our private Facebook community. Stay in the know. Connect with us today.  We are committed to creating content that is free and easily accessible to every woman—especially the one looking for answers but unsure of where to go. If you've enjoyed this podcast, prayerfully consider making a donation to support it and other WWP outreach programs that bring women closer to Christ. Learn more about WWP on our website. Our shop. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Parenting 0-18 With an Eternal Perspective: An Interview with Jessica Smartt (Episode 286)   Hebrews 12:11 NIV “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it"   *Transcription Below*   Jessica Smartt is the author of Come On Home, Memory-Making Mom and Let Them Be Kids. She graduated college with an English degree, a religion minor and a hankering to pour into kids. After teaching middle school literature for five years, she was promoted to her current position and dream job: wife, homeschooling mom, author, and Professional Encourager of Intentional Moms. She lives in sunny North Carolina on a family farm with horses, chickens, and an ever-increasing number of beloved cats. She and her husband, Todd, have three beautiful children. She loves to energize everyday moms to save childhood and build close-knit families. Jessica's favorites include: bike rides, spinach quiche, a clean kitchen, being warm, national parks, and food that anyone else made. Connect with Jessica through Instagram or her website.   Thank you to Our Sponsor: WinShape Marriage   Questions and Topics We Cover: What questions can we ask ourselves as mothers to take inventory and get real about our capacity, health, and gifts? How can we purposefully make our home a place our family loves to be and we do too? Will you share a handful of your other favorite practical tips for building a strong family that we haven't covered yet?   Other Episode Mentioned from The Savvy Sauce: Making Family Memories with Jessica Smartt   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook or Instagram or Our Website   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”    Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”    Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”    Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”    John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”    Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcription*   Music: (0:00 – 0:14)   Laura Dugger: (0:15 - 1:23) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.   I'm thrilled to introduce you to our sponsor, WinShape Marriage. Their weekend marriage retreats will strengthen your marriage while you enjoy the gorgeous setting, delicious food, and quality time with your spouse. To find out more, visit them online at winshapemarriage.org.   My returning guest for today is Jessica Smartt. She has authored another brilliant book entitled, Come On Home: A Grace-Filled Guide to Raising a Family Who Loves (and Likes) Each Othe. You're not going to want to miss a minute of this episode because she answers every question with kindness and eternal wisdom, yet she still manages to share plenty of fun ideas and applicable tips.   Here's our chat. Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Jessica.   Jessica Smartt: (1:25 - 1:28)  Thanks so, much for having me. I'm excited about our conversation.   Laura Dugger: (1:29 - 1:44) Well, I've been looking so, forward to this, and it's been a few years since you were a guest on The Savvy Sauce, so, as you're looking back, can you just walk us through how your motherhood experience has changed from the early days to now currently?   Jessica Smartt: (1:46 - 3:36) Yeah, it has changed so, much, and I actually was thinking about this just on my own. God is so, good, and I don't know if everyone's experience is kind of like this. I look around and see very high-functioning young mothers, so, I'm thinking maybe not, but I just feel like those first couple years were such a struggle with a lot of mental illness and just anxiety, and probably that led into depression, too, and just feeling really overwhelmed. I do feel like a lot of it was sleep deprivation, which is a literal torture technique that armies use, so, I think just caring for my body better has actually been a huge thing, but also just God is just so, kind, and I think I mentioned in the book of just really early on having this moment where I thought I'm not any good to anybody, and I didn't fast-forward to see any of this, right?  I didn't know how it was going to end. I just knew I felt terrible, and I couldn't function and overcome with anxiety, and everything was blurry and overwhelming, and so, to then fast-forward and see personally in my own life the rewards of my kids are doing well, and I like being a mom a lot, and professionally that I'm even writing about it is stunning, so, it's a real redemption story to me, and just proof that also God uses those pits because it was out of that that I was able to actually gain traction even on my blog sharing about my personal experience and loss and weakness. God used that, so, I'm really grateful.   Laura Dugger: (3:36 - 3:45) That's incredible to get just a little picture of that journey, and can you update us with your kids' ages now as of today?   Jessica Smartt: (3:45 - 3:59) Yes, so, I have a 16-year-old boy. Last week we were visiting college, and that is very weird, and then a 14-year-old boy and an 11-year-old daughter.   Laura Dugger: (4:00 - 4:19) Okay, wonderful. So, regardless of what phase we're in as parents, do you have any recommendations for questions that we can begin to ask ourselves so that we can take inventory and get real about our capacity and our health and our gifts?   Jessica Smartt: (4:20 - 7:00) Right, yes, so, in Come on Home, that's kind of how I kick it off because I say, you know, you can't have the family that if in order to have the family you want or the home you want, you have to be honest about what you actually have and what you're starting with, and so, part of that is taking inventory of yourself and your life, and that's not something we often stop to do in the chaos and busyness, so, I asked what your capacity is and really just trying to help mom just think through preaching to myself here, like all the things that are on our plate, and is there something on our plate that the Lord maybe is not calling us to or that doesn't correlate and match to what our really core values are in life, and those are hard questions to ask, but they actually bring a lot of relief to just be honest with yourself about what's happening in your life and coming before the Lord and saying, you know, I'd literally say, like, make a list of all the things that you're doing and look at it and see if you should take any off, and the list is, you know, stunningly long for a lot of us, but yeah, so, that's just capacity, just kind of thinking through where we are and what we actually have the bandwidth to do, and then I talk about health and actually asking, like, your husband, if you're married, you know, how would you like me to care for myself better? What's one thing that you like when I do? And a lot of times I think we're really surprised when we hear the things they appreciate or what they'd like us to do, and they might just be giving us a really wonderful gift to go invest in an area in our life that we've been overlooking. So, and then gifts, that's a really fun one, too, because I'm not you and you're not me, and we're not the listeners, but God has uniquely equipped all of us to be the mom and the homemaker, you know, in our particular callings.   So, saying, like, are you a good organizer? Are you, you know, the fun mom, right, that I wish I was and I'm not? Are you, you know, the adventurer mom? Are you the crafty mom? You know, God has given, do you cook well and, you know, enjoy that? And everybody has a gift, that you're, whether you're, you know, a soft place to land for your kids and a good listener, or you're, you know, more drill sergeant-y, like those firstborns tend to be, and that is me, so, that's why I can say that. But just thinking about, like, what skills and gifts did God give me to lead my family well? And so, that was just kind of the ground-tilling up work before you think through, like, how can we build the family that we really want with the life that we actually have and the person we really are?   Laura Dugger: (7:01 - 8:14) And I love, that was one of the aspects of the book that I just appreciated. You sprinkle all these insightful questions throughout, and it is really great to reflect on those with the Lord or with the journal or in conversation, but you're encouraging us repeatedly to get a long-term vision of this parenting journey. And so, it makes me think, my husband works with Chick-fil-A, and oftentimes he's encouraged to be careful not to just get caught up working in the business, but to pull back and work on the business, and it's actually better for everybody. And I just think as parents, we need that same reminder to kind of lift up our eyes, get a different view, and get above these urgent, incessant needs of today and look at where we're going. And I think the Bible speaks a lot to that with being prudent. And you challenge us with that long-term view to actually take an eternal view in parenting, which is inevitably going to impact how we steward our time and our decision making. So, can you speak to both of those?   Jessica Smartt: (8:16 - 10:23) Yeah, I mean, the eternal, the perspective, I think I said, you know, there's the Bible verse about you reap what you sow, and we think of it as like a cautionary warning. And it is, but it's also just a true statement of how life works, meaning what you invest in, and what you spend your time in, what you care about, what the things you're actually doing is where you're going to see growth. And so, if I am investing in my home, I'm going to see fruit in there. Now, of course, it's not a one-to-one, it's not a slot machine. So, you know, we don't know exactly what it's going to look like. And God is so, good to cover up even over the areas that we've done a bad job in. But in general, you can't expect to grow cucumbers if you've been planting tomatoes. Like what you've been planting in the ground is what's going to grow up. And so, that's just like, even though it's kind of like fancy wordy language, it's always just a good reminder to me to think like, what am I actually spending my time doing?   I want a family that, like I was a recipient of, that's warm and inviting and you want to be around. And in order to get that, like you have to plant it. And so, that's a lot of being present as a mom and which is so, hard, very hard. But I just wanted to not lay a burden on moms, but really just encourage them like, do those things that are going to reap the life you actually want in the long term.  And of course, you mentioned the word eternity, that's planning, building disciples. And so, that is a very long road. You know, you're not going to always see the fruit of that, you know, immediately. But keeping our eye on, you know, I want to raise kids that are living out the calling that God has placed on their lives and are going out into this world to be truth and light. Like, oh my goodness, so, many hard, boring conversations that you have to have, but you have to, like that's, that's part of the equation.   Laura Dugger: (10:26 - 11:35) I think that even that piece is with discipline too, which is one of my least favorite parts of parenting. I don't know if others relate to that, but a verse that I find so, encouraging is Hebrews 12:11, that "no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful later on. However, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." And so, I love that encouragement you're giving to a parent for the long view, and you bring up your family of origin. You write so much about this gratitude you have for your parents and something you wrote really stuck with me where you say someone was always home, both physically and metaphorically, someone was paying attention. So, Jessica, what caution do you want to share with any parents today who may be tempted to let go a little too early, a little too soon and too young, whether that's with technology or even just being physically present?   Jessica Smartt: (11:36 - 14:25) I think it's just so, important for moms and dads to receive their instructions, not from the world, but from the Lord, because the culture right now is okaying and even encouraging parenting that is not godly parenting. We have so many distractions and we are pulled towards our phones, towards our own personal growth and flourishing, which is okay. You know, of course we want us to be healthy as we just mentioned, but at the expense of the kids that God has put in our lives, that is what, that is the messaging you're going to receive from the world. If you're hanging out with people who do not have a biblical worldview, that is going to be how they're spending their time.  And it's not a judgment statement. It's just, it is an observation that they, that is not, the focus is not, I'm going to sit and, you know, maybe at one point culturally years and years ago, it really was more family oriented, but it is not anymore.  It just simply is not. And, you know, it masquerades under that as, you know, oh, we're all going to the soccer game together and we're going to go watch the gymnastics performance or whatever it is. But that, that is not always true discipling of your children.   That's kind of being present in a cursory way and not truly and really, to really pay attention and really be present with your kids is going to look vastly different than what the rest of the world is doing.  And if it doesn't, you got to check. And I, I'm saying this as absolutely of myself, you know, there are moms that are just on their phone, and I can do that as well. I've had to put in, we can talk about specifics, but I've had to put in like specific things in my, in my actual phone, you know, and in my life parameters and guidelines so that I'm not doing that. But no one in the world is going to tell you not to, that's normal to just be stuck on your phone as a mom, as a kid, whatever. And so, a like, where are you getting your voice? That's saying how to parent, who are the voices that are speaking into your life?  Are you listening to older and wiser mentors? Are you reading really good books? Are you putting yourself in the word first thing in the morning or are you just floating around with whatever culture says to do? And I don't mean to sound judgy here because I am deeply convicted even as I'm speaking this of like, am I living this? I'm not always, it's very, very hard. But I just think we first, first step is, you know, to orient yourself to the Lord and how would he have you parent?  Not what is everyone else okay with doing? Cause it's going to look very different.   Laura Dugger: (14:26 - 16:54)  Okay. I love that with kind of the emphasis on; it does require a sacrifice from us with that quality and quantity time. And it makes me think on page 38 of your book, you encourage us to take the time to know each child, helping them find their passion, abilities, gifts, and interests.  And that really does bless both the child and the parent. And now a brief message from our sponsor.   Friends, I'm excited to share with you today's sponsor, WinShape Marriage. Do you feel like you need a weekend away with your spouse and a chance to grow in your relationship together at the same time? WinShape Marriage is a fantastic ministry that provides weekend marriage retreats to help couples grow closer together in every season and stage of life. From premarital to parenting to the emptiness phase, there is an opportunity for you. WinShape Marriage is grounded on the belief that the strongest marriages are the ones that are nurtured, even when it seems things are going smoothly, so that they're stronger if they do hit a bump along their marital journey. These weekend retreats are hosted within the beautiful refuge of WinShape Retreat, perched in the mountains of Rome, Georgia, which is a short drive from Atlanta, Birmingham, and Chattanooga. While you're there, you will be well fed, well nurtured, and well cared for.   During your time away in this beautiful place, you and your spouse will learn from expert speakers and explore topics related to intimacy, overcoming challenges, improving communication, and more. I've stayed on site at WinShape before, and I can attest to their generosity, food, and content. You will be so grateful you went. To find an experience that's right for you and your spouse, head to their website, winshapemarriage.org/savvy.  That's W-I-N-S-H-A-P-E marriage.org/savvy. S-A-V-V-Y.  Thanks for your sponsorship.   So, Jessica, what has this looked like in your home? And can you give us some ideas?   Jessica Smartt: (16:56 - 19:19) Yeah, I just think it is so, easy for us to have our own expectations of what our kids are, and even to speak that over them from the minute they come out of the womb, whether it's, oh, we've just pinned them as to be this, or it's something that we are, or something that we want them to be. But instead to look and see like, who is this actual child that's been created? And I thought of, you know, years and years ago, my son was like, itching to do something, you know, they get to be like nine, 10. And they start feeling like, you know, they need something other than mom in the house. And we were kind of praying about it and thinking it through. And he said, “I think I really would like to play soccer.”   And at the time, we were pretty, pretty committed into the baseball world. And I was like, no, you know, I had friendships with the parents, and we liked the coach, and we were already there. And soccer was this whole thing I didn't even know, you know, I was like, no.  And honestly, I waited for a year or two. But now my both my boys are in a semi travel league. It's not like all out driving all across the country, but they've been able to play at a higher level.  And they're doing amazing. It's clearly what they were meant to do. And I couldn't miss out on that just by being like, no, you know, that's not what you do.   Like, you know, so, just being open as a parent to really like, what are they good at? And it may not be what you thought it may not be what you are good at. My daughter loves to make a giant mess in the kitchen, giant and cook. And oh, my goodness, it is very hard for me because I'm like a keep it clean.  Don't use all the ingredients. But I've been convicted to really, you know, let her explore these gifts. I have a friend whose daughter is making these elaborate birthday cakes. I mean, like the most crazy food network kind of thing. And I saw it and thought, I know what that kitchen must have looked like when you let her do that. That was a lot of days and afternoons of you letting her waste the flour and make a big mess.  But the fruit is, it's incredible. And, so, yeah, sacrificing what we want to let them grow into, you know, and God is so, good.   Like if we don't know what it is, pray with your kid, like you, what did you, what is your thing?  What do you think God's made you to do? We, you know, need an activity. What, what, let's ask God, like what he wants you to do. I've never prayed a prayer like that that hasn't been answered and never.   Laura Dugger: (19:20 - 19:47)  Oh, that's so, good. I mean, we think of for friendship for ourselves or with our children or activities that they want to do, just hopefully that's what we keep being reminded of is bring it to the Lord rather than seeking out those voices and culture and see what his perfect plan is. But you also write an entire chapter on the power of time. So, will you share some of your applicable wisdom here?   Jessica Smartt: (19:49 - 22:15)  Yes. And you know, don't mind me while I actually get out the book, because even though you wrote it, sometimes you're like, what exactly did I say? Um, but thinking through like activities that our family has signed up for, as I mentioned, you know, I was kind of like connected in that baseball mindset.  And so, was it actually the right thing for my kids? Maybe or maybe not. And so, I talked through like at questions to ask, you know, as a husband and wife about where our family's going and what activities our kids are doing, which is a giant question today.   I don't think parents are thoughtful enough about what they're signing up for and what they're doing. And you get, you know, mid-November and your schedule is completely packed and your kids having meltdowns and you're never eating dinner together. And you're like, how did we get to this life? But it was a little bit of like, not quite following the path ahead mentally to see what it would look like. And I would just encourage anybody right now that it's not too late to rearrange, even if you have to quit something, even if it costs a deposit, even if you have to back out, like we are not as trapped as we think we are. And if you're doing something in your family that's not healthy, or, you know, it's not benefiting you stop, like no one's gonna, you know, anyway.   So, as you're thinking through activities, I talked about the interest question, which means like, is your kid actually there? Or is it like you that's kind of getting more out of this? And then I talked about the mealtime question.  And maybe we'll get to this, but family meals are so important. They really are. Even if it is, you know, not hours of sitting there with candlelight, whatever, just to have that checkpoint together. So, is your activity schedule, allowing you to uphold whatever your values are with meals? I'm not gonna tell you what they are, but is that what you want, really? And then the whole family question.   You know, I've seen a lot, and we've lived it too, of like the younger kid being getting drug around to the older talented kid's activities.  That's really a hard one, right? And so, I'm not saying don't do that. Sometimes families are gonna just look like that for seasons. But I do think it's worth stopping to say, what is it like right now to be that youngest child? What are they going through?  And am I being kind to them? You know, are there switches we can kind of make in the family? Because it's, you know, the family is not about one person and their talents. It's a holistic, healthy, functioning unit.   Laura Dugger: (22:18 - 23:21)  Absolutely. So, even, I hear you saying, evaluating, again, kind of taking inventory. What is on the family plate? How is that affecting every human in the unit of the family?  Is that taking us where we want to go? Just being, I love how you use the word thoughtful. Just being full of thoughts of this and taking it to the Lord of what's the wise thing to do. And for all of us, I think with that time question, it does lead us to the question of, who are we spending the most time with? Because that will significantly impact our lives.  It'll impact our children as well. So, do you have any other, I love those questions. Any other lessons that you've learned? I'm thinking especially related to activities and youth sports come to mind because our culture really has gone to the side of idolizing it and catering everything else around that. So, do you have any other wisdom to share on that topic?   Jessica Smartt: (23:23 - 25:48)  Yeah, I mean, I'll just share. Personally, we have decided to have our kids play at a level that is probably sub what their talent could be. And I don't know.  I guess time will tell. If they look back and they were like, mom, I really, you know, could have, but I have a hunch that they won't. I more often am seeing in my friends and stuff that it's like, they get into high school, and the kids are kind of starting to feel burnt out. Or they're like, you know, it's so, hard right now to be, I mean, not even a professional, let's say soccer player, but at college, it's like unheard of.  It's the elite, elite. And so, it's like, why are you doing this anyway?   And we've had several opportunities to compete at higher levels and try out for things that we have said no to, you know, because it would require being gone more nights, it would require tons of time in the car, it would be families away on the weekends.  So, we have some of that. I think it's important when you have boys, especially to let them have an outlet to compete as we, if you know, I homeschool as you do. And so, if you have a homeschooled teenage boy, they should probably be doing something right. So, I am not saying sit at home and, you know, play Monopoly every night as a family. But, we have chosen to prioritize other things.   And so, so far, I am super grateful for that. We had a season where we were way too busy with baseball. And it was the boys were like 10 and 12. And Monday through Thursday, one of them had a different we were never eating together Monday through Thursday, Saturdays, we were taking off different directions. I could never understand why we had to drive two hours to play a team. I'm like, there's so, many baseball players right in this neighborhood.  Can we not find a team? And God use that it's fine. But, but I don't I don't envy that season.   And I'm really grateful for some of the breathing room that we've had. And also, I would say my son, my oldest son is a gifted guitar player and singer. And he would not be able to do that. If we were 110% in one of those other sports, he would not have any time to even pursue those other interests.  You just never know. You know, I think white space and mental white space and time, I talk about this and let them be kids is so important for just developing as a person. No one flourishes well with a completely jam-packed schedule. And so, how would we expect our children to, you know, that is good.   Laura Dugger: (25:48 - 26:02)  That is so, wise. And how can we strategically connect with our kids so that they do feel seen, and known and loved and liked?   Jessica Smartt: (26:03 - 27:54)  Yes. I mean, that feels overwhelming, doesn't it? But and I talked through in the book kind of each one of those categories. But I know this is going to sound cliche, but I would just say a like recognizing that if a kid doesn't feel like you like them, they're going to notice that. And so, it doesn't matter all the extra things what you're getting them for Christmas, and where you're they're taking them if they really genuinely feel like you're kind of annoyed with them. They know that.   And that's, that's not great. So, I would say first step before you get into any practicals and pancake breakfast and all that is just like, if you are feeling that way to your kid, a don't feel guilty. It's natural.  We all have that at times. And be come before God and just say, these are the feelings I'm dealing with. Can you please help me here? And again, to quote myself, I've never prayed that prayer and it not been answered.  God has always shown up in some way. And so, often what it looks like I talk about in being liked is just like genuinely working on something that you have in common.   I think my parents did that so, well with us. And it wasn't the same thing because my siblings and I are all different. But they really worked to always find common ground and always have that relationship bucket full, right? My mom is like big on, you know, don't make too many withdrawals unless you have made a lot of deposits. And they lived that for years and years and years of pouring into us and genuinely connecting with us. So, way harder to do than to say, but that's our goal. And I do actually have a lot of specific ideas in the book of random ways you can love your kids, love languages and all of that. But yeah, asking God for help.   Laura Dugger: (27:55 - 28:09) And sometimes it's just helpful to hear what somebody else does, even if that's not exactly how it'll apply to our situation. But can you just give one example of a way that you use your child's love language, maybe both for one of your sons and your daughter?   Jessica Smartt: (28:11 - 29:33) Well, I've learned a lot about my middle child, and he loves the comfort things in life. So, if I see him struggling with school or something, I can bring him, you know, yogurt parfait or he likes coffee. So, we give our kids coffee.  Don't sue us anyway. But if I make him a cup of coffee, oh, you can just see it in his face. It's like, oh, mom loves me, you know?  He's one that even like if I go make his bed, he'll appreciate that. Not every kid is like that. But just kind of seeing and noticing the things that he likes.   That's been kind of something that we do. And then my daughter loves to tell stories, long, long stories. And I'm working so hard to not only like, I want to listen, but also, you know, teach her how to condense. Because Jordan Peterson says, don't let your kid become someone that is, you know, not pleasant to be around.  If you're struggling with something, someone else will, too. And she's an absolute delight.  I mean, truly. But so, just listening to her stories and kind of working on the art of conversation. My mom always said, play tennis, conversation tennis. So, you hit the ball, and then I hit the ball back to you. So, we're working on that, you know?   Laura Dugger: (29:35 - 30:05)  Absolutely. That reciprocity is huge. If you take turns asking questions, it reminds me, a previous guest, Jodi Berndt, had also said, in addition to that, let's also teach our children how to serve the ball. So, to initiate that, I just thought that that's so good. I'll work that in. Jessica, how can we purposefully make our home a place our family loves to be? And we do, too.   Jessica Smartt: (30:07 - 31:52) I have been learning so, much about this in this stage of life, you know, in my 40s.  And again, it's hard when you have little kids. So, I think you can probably say across the board, it's going to look different when you're raising little kids to have a warm and wonderful inviting home than it is in your later years when your kids are older, and you have more time.  But I would just challenge moms. Well, I look back and I think, if I hadn't been so, stretched thin and put unrealistic expectations on myself in other areas of life, I maybe could have invested in my home a little bit more. And the thing I have learned is that having a home that's peacefully run just reaps so, many benefits for a woman and her family.   And I am behind the curve, I feel like, on this. But as I have learned to organize my space and really pour myself into my home, not feeling like it's a waste of time to organize a pantry. It is amazing how it blesses my family.  People notice it. And it's hard to even articulate it because you wouldn't even think that if you clean out a closet, it's going to bless your family. But it really actually does.  And my husband benefits from it. He's not even like a strict, everything has to be clean. But when I've worked on something in the home, he sees it and notices it and appreciates it. So, God has just been teaching me so, much about what it looks like to really be like a homemaker, a godly homemaker and pour myself into my home. And I have reaped so much joy and peace from living out that role and calling in my life.   Laura Dugger: (31:53 - 32:23) That was one of the quotes I wrote down that observation that you made on page 142. And I'll just quote you, "when I do something to invest in our home, every single member of our family brightens." And I exactly great and you gave practical ways of how we can do that. And I also like it because it gives a little freedom because we're one of the family members too. And I think we brighten when we get that space in order.   Jessica Smartt: (32:24 - 33:06)  Absolutely. Yes, absolutely. Again, back to our earlier like cultural, cultural narrative versus biblical. There's like a, there's a lot of messaging about that it doesn't matter to really invest in your home and your family. And that's just not how God made the world to operate. So, I would challenge moms that even if they are doing what the rest of everyone is doing, and it's like, ah, it looks like a bomb went off in here. Like, um, you know, that may not be how God is calling us to live with a giant disclaimer that there are seasons of life that it truly does look like a bomb went off.  And that is okay. We are doing good gospel work, raising children.   Laura Dugger: (33:07 - 33:46)  Absolutely. But then also I think Proverbs 31 sometimes gets a bad rap, but really there's a lot of freedom in it for women because it is how the Lord created us, but she does look well to the ways of her household. And I think that just summed up, she's one of the members of the household, but so is everybody else. And that's one thing that can bless everyone, but you are just full and abundant with ideas, and you have an appendix in the book full of resources to help us maintain and take care of all our responsibilities. So, will you share a few of those ideas with us?   Jessica Smartt: (33:47 - 34:46) Um, yes, I, and maybe this is my homeschool mom speaking, but I have just learned so, much from other good books. I have, it's truly changed my life just in whether it's talking about personal health or discipline or marriage or prayer or my home. So, the thing I'm really actually most proud about in the appendix is my list of recommended resources. And it's just all the books that have impacted me as a mom and also impacted my writing too.  Um, I'll, I'll mention one. I think, uh, I don't know if everyone has read A Praying Life, but that has completely transformed not only my walk with the Lord, but my prayer life.  And I've implemented, um, it's Paul Miller, I believe his idea for prayer cards. And I do that every morning. Um, it has been the sweetest thing, and I've really reaped a lot of blessing out of kind of modeling what he sets up in that book.  So, that's just one example. If you haven't read A Praying Life, you should definitely go read it.   Laura Dugger: (34:47 - 35:20)  That's awesome. And I don't know if this ties in, but I'm just remembering back one of the podcasts that I heard you speak on. You share your definition of godly self-care, and you say that it's whatever helps you do your job well and not at the sacrifice of others. So, can you elaborate with some encouragement for how we can make sure that we don't go to either side, that we don't neglect ourselves, but we also continue with this merrymaking for our family.   Jessica Smartt: (35:21 - 38:22)  Right. Yes. And, um, that definition, I always want to be like, you know, the end part about not to the sacrifice of someone else. When I had a young, I think I had two kids and my baby was six weeks old.  I had a very qualified, loving teenage girl. Watch my two kids while my husband and I left for literally an hour to go to five guys and get burgers.  And my youngest was not thrilled. He did not prefer the bottle. So, in some ways his life was unsettled for a brief moment, but that was okay. So, I think everyone knows when I say, um, you know, not to the sacrifice of everyone else.   What I'm saying is like looking at the family and certainly we shouldn't be like living this plush and well-watered life and someone else's withering away. So, it's a general statement of, you know, that it would be too far, as you said, on the extreme of, and I do think that happens honestly, because we're all self-centered.  It's not that we don't love our kids. We're just trained to care about ourselves. But many women struggle on the other side of, um, maybe neglecting some areas in their life that could truly help them to be better wives and better moms. And, um, it's a really fun activity to think like, what, how could I change my life a little bit in a way that I would be a better wife and mom.   And I'm not meaning that to justify any sort of behavior that, you know, you want to do, because you certainly could use that for almost anything. Um, but really to think like, how can I be the best mom and wife that I could possibly be? And it might mean making some, giving yourself some breathing room. And I would also encourage women to, um, one of the best uses for that time is to work on your marriage because there's direct overflow into the family. And so, best case, I gave some ideas of like family adventures that can kind of fill your cup along with everyone else. And I would say maybe next best or equal would-be husband, wife stuff where you can check out, connect, and you're overflowing and ready to enter back into family life.   And then finally things that it's certainly fine to just step out and find those things that are life giving to you, but just trying to keep an eye on, you know, how is everyone in the family doing? And there might be seasons.  I think of my mom caring for her mom who had dementia. She wasn't really well watered in that season. She was, she was quite depleted, but that's what the Lord had been calling her to do at that period of time. Um, and we often were like, mom, you've got to like, we thought she did too much, you know?  Um, but looking back, I think she really is so grateful that she laid down her life. There's not regret.  And so, I'm like, well, maybe she was right all along. I don't know.   Laura Dugger: (38:23 - 38:58)  Good though. The both and to have seasons of that, where we can refresh so, that when we go into a season where it's a little bit prior, we can be serving hopefully still from the overflow. But you also just blew me away in the book with your knowledge on roots. And the subtitle of that chapter is "recipes, relics, relatives, and other things that keep kids grounded." So, will you just teach us a little bit more about roots and share how it applies to building a strong family?   Jessica Smartt: (39:00 - 40:51)  Yes, I would like to shout out to my husband who is in the landscaping business. So, he helped me. I was like, hey, can you please give me some fun facts about roots?  And he was thrilled. But um, one thing I mentioned is that most plant problems are caused by root issues. And gosh, have I seen that in real life, like even as an adult, you notice somebody that is carrying still issues that they're working through from their childhood. And so, what a gift we're giving our kids by giving them those strong, good roots and a healthy, you know, childhood to enter into adulthood, not crippled by things, but that they can give out of strength.   And my husband and I feel like, you know, although our families of origin were not perfect, we lived that story, we were able to go out in strength, and not, you know, carrying all this emotional baggage. That's what I would like to give my kids. So, um, but then yeah, at the end, I share that the most integral roots to the plant's wellbeing are the ones right near the surface. And I thought, what a kind of cool parallel that even if we, you know, I've shared about my experience, but someone listening may not have good roots, and they really might struggle with having support and partnership. But they can give a new story to their kids. They can give them the roots that they did not have through the Lord's strength.  And I have found friends that I'm literally seeing them do it. But they are they are crippled. And you know, in therapy and dealing with all this trauma, but they're passing a different story on to their kids.  And how cool is that? I have so much admiration for that. It seems like it's something that really only can be done through the Lord's strength, but he does it. He writes those stories.   Laura Dugger: (40:51 - 41:11)  And he seems to delight in redemption stories. So, I appreciate you sharing that. And I'd love to continue kind of this idea time. Will you just share another handful of your favorite practical tips for building a strong family that are topics we haven't covered yet?   Jessica Smartt: (41:13 - 43:16) Well, I would start with one thing I have seen huge rewards is if we do sort of like a secret Santa idea, and we actually do it also before Valentine's Day and do you know, your cupids arrow, whatever, because it just changes your whole mindset when you're suddenly thinking, how can I, you know, love this person in my family, you're in a better mood.  And so, we divide up names. And then we also do like acts of service. And that is just such a fun, like low keyway to kind of get your kids to think about loving their siblings instead of being annoyed by them. We have loved doing game nights, and we're not like big game people. But finding ones that I think my encouragement would be that it doesn't have to be like this long three-hour thing.   If your family's not into that, we've done like minute to win at games that I just pulled up online.  We have a lot of games that are like, no mental stress. They're very easy, like Slopsy. If anybody has not played Slopsy, they need to pick it up. It's you could play it if you were extremely tired, which I often am at the end of the day. So, to find some like quip, there's also what do you mean family edition.  And that is a fun one. And I have some other games listed in the book too, for readers who are interested. So, those would be two. We also do like one-on-one activities with the kids. And I always thought you had to do it like really, really regularly. But I would just give the encouragement that some is better than none. And so, even if it's only a couple times a year, kids just soak that up. And it doesn't need to be, you know, this whole long thing, it could be like, hey, you need some new winter pants. Let's get a Chick-fil-A milkshake beforehand. You know, just to kind of keep your eyes open for those activities and opportunities.   Laura Dugger: (43:17 - 43:47)  Guess what? We are no longer an audio only podcast. We now have video included as well. If you want to view the conversation each week, make sure you watch our videos. We're on YouTube and you can access videos or find answers to any of your other questions about the podcast when you visit thesavvysauce.com. Can you also share this genius idea about something that you put on the notes app of your phone?   Jessica Smartt: (43:48 - 44:50)  Yeah, so, I talked about the power of stories. Kids love hearing stories from our, you know, youth or young adulthood or even, you know, married years, whatever. So, I got in the habit of sharing a story with my daughter before bed. And of course, at night, you aren't always on your A game. So, I just have a note app on my phone to track different things that I might want to tell her. And my encouragement was that it doesn't need to be, we think it needs to be like this long, significant story, but even just little tidbits of things she has been delighted to hear over and over. You know, just like a passing, you know, anecdote that didn't seem to me to be too pregnant with meaning, but she just ate it up and loved hearing about all of the different things. So, yeah, that was just again, it didn't cost a lot. It's not hard, but just a little thing that kind of connected us and also connected her to a deeper sense of like, here's your roots of the people that raised you.   Laura Dugger: (44:53 - 45:36) I loved that idea because my daughters or our daughters will just catch us off guard and say, hey, share a story about us share a story about when you were little or when I was little. And so, I love your system that you have in place that when that idea comes to me, I can jot it down. And then when they ask unexpectedly, I'm prepared.  So, thought that was wonderful. And you've written an entire book on memories. So, I'll link to our previous episode where we talk about that.  And we dove into that topic. But you've updated your ideas in this book and come up with the most epic list of memory making ideas ever. So, could you just share a couple of those to give us a taste of what you include?   Jessica Smartt: (45:37 - 46:43) Yes, so, I think my favorite was at the end the chapter talking about surprises because I love the idea of surprising your kid. And when I talked about when I was little, my grandparents showed up at our school in their RV to take us camping. So, just thinking through like just different, a lot of those are like the big, you know, birthday or vacation or Christmas gifts. But even if you did it just one time, that's like a that can be like a core memory in you know, your kid's life.   When I was researching this, for the appendix, I reached out to a lot of my readers, and they had the most fun ideas of just creative family memory making things. And one that I remembered that I thought, I don't know if I have the guts to do this, but I think that this family came up with it during COVID. So, they were a little bit bored, and they packed a picnic and went to a stop sign. And when they got to one, they would roll a dice to see which direction they would turn until they ended up at a good picnic spot. She said it was harder than you would think.   Laura Dugger: (46:45 - 47:02)  That's hilarious. I love the creativity and that element of surprise. That is so, good. Well, I hope that everybody goes out to get a copy of your amazing book. But where else would you want to direct us to connect online after this chat?   Jessica Smartt: (47:03 - 47:15)  Yeah, definitely come say hi on Instagram. I'm Jessica Smartt with two Ts. And you can tell me what you enjoyed about our conversation. And I'm usually every so, often we'll check the messages, but I do get back to you.   Laura Dugger: (47:16 - 47:34)  Love it. We'll add links to that in the show notes for today's episode. And Jessica, you're already familiar that we're called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical. And so, my final question for you today, what is your savvy sauce?   Jessica Smartt: (47:36 - 48:09)So, what has changed my life, I really think is, and this isn't like the most exciting thing, but walking every single day, and I walk with my weighted vest. So, I look like every other 40-year-old woman that is out there. We have a little trail around our farm. So, I, it's, I honestly have like seen so, much change in my mental health and physical health. And I know they say that on all of these, you know, resources and stuff. And I never thought it was true. But it really has changed my life just to walk every day.   Laura Dugger: (48:11 - 52:21)  Amen, sister, I totally agree with that. That is so, well said. You are just a brilliant and faithful and godly and humble woman. You're gifted with your communication with your words in this conversation and in the books that you've shared with the world.  And I am just so grateful for you, Jessica. Thank you so much for being my guest today.  Well, thank you for those kind words.   One more thing before you go, have you heard the term gospel before? It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you, but it starts with the bad news.   Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves. This means there's absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved.   We need a savior, but God loved us so much. He made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him.   That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life. We could never live and died in our place for our sin.   This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus. We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished. If we choose to receive what he has done for us, Romans 10:9 says, “that if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”   So, you pray with me now. Heavenly father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place. I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you.   Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life? We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus name we pray.   Amen. If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me. So, me for him, you get the opportunity to live your life for him.   And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason. We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So, you're ready to get started.   First, tell someone, say it out loud, get a Bible. The first day I made this decision, my parents took me to Barnes and Noble and let me choose my own Bible. I selected the Quest NIV Bible and I love it.   You can start by reading the book of John. Also get connected locally, which just means tell someone who's a part of a church in your community that you made a decision to follow Christ. I'm assuming they will be thrilled to talk with you about further steps such as going to church and getting connected to other believers to encourage you.   We want to celebrate with you too. So, feel free to leave a comment for us here. If you did make a decision to follow Christ, we also have show notes included where you can read scripture that describes this process.   And finally, be encouraged. Luke 15:10 says, “in the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” The heavens are praising with you for your decision today.   And if you've already received this good news, I pray you have someone to share it with. You are loved and I look forward to meeting you here next time.

Happy Monday, Christmas Fanatics!   This week, Julia, Thom, and Anthony sit down to discuss the only Christmas episode of "St. Denis Medical" to date — Season 1, Episode 6: “Ho-Ho-Hollo!"   What do they think of this new comedy that feels reminiscent of "The Office"? You'll have to tune in to find out! But spoiler alert: there are plenty of laughs and some truly quotable lines in this one. Trust us when we say this is an episode you don't want to miss — it's the festive start to your Monday that you need!   So settle back, relax, and enjoy! And as always, thank you for your love and support, y'all!

For part 12 of 12 on “What is the Nicene Creed?” we unpack these lines:"We look for the resurrection of the dead,and the life of the world to come.Amen."**cues up "The Final Countdown" by Europe**So... what is the world to come? What does it have to do with the resurrection of the dead? +++Like what you hear? We are an entirely crowd-sourced, you-funded project. SUPPORT US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/AndAlsoWithYouPodcastThere's all kinds of perks including un-aired live episodes, Zoom retreats, and mailbag episodes for our Patreons!+++Our Website: https://andalsowithyoupod.comOur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andalsowithyoupodcast/++++MERCH: https://www.bonfire.com/store/and-also-with-you-the-podcast/++++More about Father Lizzie:BOOK: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/762683/god-didnt-make-us-to-hate-us-by-rev-lizzie-mcmanus-dail/RevLizzie.comhttps://www.instagram.com/rev.lizzie/https://www.tiktok.com/@rev.lizzieJubilee Episcopal Church in Austin, TX - JubileeATX.org ++++More about Mother Laura:https://www.instagram.com/laura.peaches/https://www.tiktok.com/@mother_peachesSt. Paul's Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, PA++++Theme music:"On Our Own Again" by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue).New episodes drop Mondays at 7am EST/6am CST! 

— IN THE TRANSITS: —March 9 (Mon) Mercury Rx trine Jupiter: Speculative*Sandy's Favorite Day*March 10  (Tue) Venus sextile Pluto: Intense InteractionMarch 10  (Tue) Jupiter stations direct: What Can I Say?March 15  (Sun) Mercury Rx conjunct Mars: Meaningful Explanations(Central Time for all dates & times) Follow along with these transits personally! Download the Astrology Guide:https://intentionbeads.com/products/free-astrology-guideDownload your Natal Chart:https://intentionbeads.com/chartBook Your Reading with $20 Off (code: PODCAST):https://intentionbeads.com/book— TALISMAN TIMES: — (PRESALE) #1894 - Wednesday, March 25th, 2026: To link brilliance with legacy. ALL PRE-SALE TALISMANS: https://intentionbeads.com/collections/pre-sale-talismans— ON THE HORIZON: —September 13 - 26, 2026 Egypt RetreatSign Up Today: https://intention.wetravel.com/trips/egypt-2026-sandy-rueve-intention-beads-58293624Schedule your free retreat call here: https://intentionbeads.as.me/retreat— OUR HOUSE: —What precious resource seems very rare, but in fact is very common? What country has a cobweb Christmas tree tradition? Ukraine

What's up, dudes? Ed Daly, author of The Christmas Book: The Ultimate Guide to Your Favorite Holiday, and I talk all things Charles Dickens as we dive into ‘80s versions of A Christmas Carol! There were some real heavyweights! George C Scott, Michael J Fox, others without a middle initial in their stage name… Mickey Mouse? Check. Alice, Bankrupt Scrooge, and AC? Yep. Three Dog Night? Oh yeah! So put on your nightshirt, start up your smoke machine, and travel to the past with this episode! Oh, and go check out Ed's book! It's rad!!Get “The Christmas Book” at AmazonEd's WebsiteGive us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

What if booking sessions didn't require posting every day, chasing trends, or living on Instagram? In today's case study, I'm sharing the real story of a busy mom family photographer who used email marketing — not hustle — to stay consistent and book sessions in a full season of life.She has two young kids.A husband with an unpredictable schedule.And limited work hours each week.And yet… she filled sessions.The difference?She stopped trying to piece together marketing advice from everywhere online and started following a simple, structured weekly plan inside The Family Photographers Marketing Society.Instead of guessing what to post…Instead of scrolling to see what everyone else was doing…Instead of letting email marketing sit on the back burner…She used the membership's weekly marketing prompts, batching checklist, and email guidance to stay visible in a way that actually fit her life.Let's break down exactly what she is utilizing inside The Family Photographer's Marketing Society Today!What you'll hear in this episodeWhy marketing can feel hard… even when you have a marketing backgroundHow Alayna builds a photography experience that feels easy for moms (without being glued to her phone)A simple “coffee shop” rhythm for marketing when your weekly schedule isn't predictableHow she started sending emails without feeling salesyThe win that mattered most: less doom-scrolling, less comparison, and more peaceResources & Links Mentioned In This Episode▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/marketing-photography-business-busy-mom/▸ The Family Photographer's Marketing Society: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/the-family-photographers-marketing-society▸ Grab the FREE 2026 Family Photographers Marketing Trends Report: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/family-photography-marketing-trends▸Connect with Alayna Here: https://www.instagram.com/alaynagracephotography/Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education)

Kyle is back on Trip Tales! You may remember him from a previous episode where he shared about his family's all-inclusive ski trip to Club Med Charlevoix outside Quebec City. This time, Kyle, his wife, and their two boys (ages 9 and 14) from Charlottesville, Virginia traveled in December 2025 to Germany and Austria.Their adventure included exploring Munich, visiting charming small Bavarian towns, wandering Christmas markets, and skiing in the Austrian Alps. Kyle shares why skiing in Europe can actually be easier and more affordable than a typical U.S. ski trip, plus tons of practical tips for families who want to make a trip like this happen.This episode is available to watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kelseygravesIf you'd like to share about your trip on the podcast, email me at: kelsey@triptalespodcast.comBuy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/kelseygravesFollow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelsey_gravesFollow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mskelseygravesJoin us in the Trip Tales Podcast Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1323687329158879Mentioned in this episode:- Flying Dulles to Munich- Erding Therme indoor pool and spa in Erding, Germany- Bad Tolz: Christmas Market, glühwein, kinderpunsch, Lake Tegernsee Christmas Markets- Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenschwangau Castle, Schlossbrauhaus in Schwangau- Garmish-Partenkirchen: Dorint Sporthotel, Christmas Market, Zugspitze- Innsbruck, Austria- Niederau, Austria: Hotel Staffler, Skiing in Hopfgarten, Westendorf, Kitzbuhel- Munich: Dachau, Novotel Munchen City, Hofbräuhaus MünchenTrip Tales is a travel podcast sharing real vacation stories and trip itineraries for family travel, couples getaways, cruises, and all-inclusive resorts. Popular episodes feature destinations like Marco Island Florida, Costa Rica with kids, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Aulani in Hawaii, Beaches Turks & Caicos, Park City ski trips, Aruba, Italy, Ireland, Portugal's Azores, New York City, Alaska cruises, and U.S. National Parks. Listeners get real travel tips, itinerary recommendations, hotel reviews, restaurant recommendations, and inspiration for planning their next vacation, especially when traveling with kids.

Send a textKen from the Sounds of Christmas talks about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Nominees' List and which one (or ones) have released Christmas music!Vote for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame NomineesShow links:Listen to the Sounds of Christmas stationFind the Sounds of Christmas podcastCheck out the new Sounds of Christmas ShopConnect with the Sounds of Christmas on social mediaCheck out all the artists that are making the 2025 season of the Sounds of Christmas station possibleSupport the show

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260309dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” John 4:10 If You Knew Knowledge is power. When you know a problem, you can address it. When you have the background of a situation, you are better equipped to assess it and react appropriately. Proper education and training are essential for achieving objectives and goals within a given field. One day, Jesus was talking to a woman in a village he was passing through. She had not met him before. Both his ethnicity and his gender as a Jewish man would have made a public conversation between the two of them culturally inappropriate at that time. But Jesus was willing to work past those cultural norms. He began the conversation by asking her for a drink of water. When she responded with surprise and suspicion, what he said got her attention even more: “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” “If you knew…” But she didn’t. To her, Jesus was just a bold Jewish rabbi. But he was so much more. He was the Son of God who gave physical water its qualities that are so important for life. He was the Messiah, who came from God to quench the needs of thirsty souls with his grace, mercy, and forgiving love. He was the only one who could solve her deepest need and ours. Jesus wants us to know him, too. When we know who he is, we eagerly come to him with every need of our thirsty souls, knowing that he will meet each one. He already has. By taking our sins on himself, he set us free from guilt. By giving his life for us, he rescued us from death. By rising from the dead, he gave us eternal life with him. No need is too great for him. In the Bible, Jesus invites you to get to know him better. Then, knowing how he loves to bless you, turn to him in every time of need. Prayer: Dear Jesus, lead me to your Word to know you better and, knowing you, to come to you for every blessing. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Award-winning, bestselling author Laura Frantz is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying. Proud of her heritage, she is also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Special Guest Co-Host Heather Tabers Today we have someone special joining us. Since Darcy was unable to join for this recording, our friend Heather Tabers stepped in to cohost with KyLee. Heather writes Historical Romance and Children's Fiction, and she also hosts The Hope-Filled Romantic—a podcast where faith and fiction meet real-life love stories. And now for the interview with Laura Frantz, discussing her latest novel, The Belle of Chatham. (pronounced “chat-um”) Is there a word or goal that's inspiring you in this chapter of life? Laura: You hit it on the head when you opened and said, “How do we pursue God through our writing?” I’m eighteen novels in now, and my pursuit for the Lord is stronger than it was even with my debut novel back in 2009. I just want to honor him with a gift. He gave the writing gift–it wasn’t one I asked for or really wanted, but it was a sign to me. We’re here to bless and minister to others, and I think the written word does that. So my desire is just to press on. Life is often a spiritual fight, and I just want to finish well.   We don’t know how much time we have. I’m old enough to remember the nation's bicentennial, which was 1976 and now we’re at 2026. So this is a huge milestone, historically for us as a nation, and personally. Whatever time I have left, hopefully it’s many more years and many more books, I want to pursue God with everything that is in me and try to honor him with every story I write. Read more: Episode 122: The American Revolution and Family Bonds with Laura Frantz KyLee: Wow, I admire that. Just to press on, to move forward–whatever’s in front of you, whatever comes your way–just to keep moving towards God. And you’re speaking specifically towards the books you're writing, but really that’s applicable to every area of our life, as parents, and spouses, and at work, and everywhere we go. And when I think about pressing on with God, I picture that light in front of us, guiding us. What is one book that you read last year that really stuck with you and why? Laura: You know, I read a lot of historical fiction, mostly for research, but one thing I’ve gotten invested in is a 24-book series in the general market – Anne Perry’s William Monk Victorian Mysteries. And there’s a reason I invested in that. My book that releases next January is set in London. I wanted to see how another author, even in a different time period, handled that same setting along the River Thames, and with the police force at that time. So I thought, “Oh, I’ll just read one book.” But there’s a reason Anne Perry is so wildly popular and prolific. She has some of the smartest writing I’ve ever read. So the William Monk series is clean, although a little bit bloody or gruesome at times, but so eye-opening into Victorian England. Do you have a favorite historical figure who inspires you? Laura: George Washington and also Daniel Boone. Men who were both totally intrepid and stalwart. George Washington didn’t know that he’d be on our currency now, or we’d name our capital after him. He had no idea he was the great “George Washington.” And Daniel Boone plays a big part in my heritage. I'm from Kentucky, and recently, I read a document that listed my ancestor as coming into Kentucky with Boone in the latter 18th century. And also George Humes, my ancestor, is credited with teaching surveying to the very young Washington from 1748 to 1750 in Virginia. So to see how the Lord has allowed me to write so close to my ancestry is such a beautiful thing to me. I don’t understand it, but just seeing my people come alive in history, and with such an amazing godly historical figure like Boone, is truly amazing. This crazy woman in the 21st century is writing about these amazing historical figures, and there’s actually a link. Only God could have done that. Heather: My family is the McFeeders family, and we came from the Hume Clan, so I have to believe that we’re cousins somehow. Laura: Long-lost cousins! I love it! KyLee: You never know what you’ll find when you start digging into your genealogy. I have chills just hearing you found out that one of your ancestors came over with Daniel Boone. Digging back and finding out where your people come from is very exciting. And is there anything especially interesting that you haven’t covered in other interviews that you could share with us? Laura: Years ago I decided that in 2026 my hope was to write a book honoring our country and our founders. Because I’m very proud to be American. The Lord said He sets us in the times, the seasons, and the places where we’re supposed to be. And to be an American is certainly a privilege, and He’s blessed this country so much in the past, since our founding. So, like I said earlier, I want to press on in the spirit of 1776 and continue carrying that forward and honoring Him. Our nation is great because it was based on godly principles. That’s why I’m proud to be an American, and hopefully that shines through The Belle of Chatham‘s pages. In 1777, caught in the crossroads of the American Revolution, sisters Maebel and Coralie Bohannon's quaint New Jersey village becomes a battleground as they house American officers in their home. Rebellion ripples through their family as members take opposing sides–Patriots and Loyalists–causing a deep chasm that fractures their once-unbreakable bond. As Mae's friendship grows with the American general Rhys Harlow, Coralie continues her liaison with her childhood sweetheart, a British officer stationed in New York. Torn between her growing love for the general and suspicion that her sister is a British spy, Mae leaves the only home she's ever known for the New York frontier. When betrayal strikes in the heart of the wilderness, she's forced to take a perilous journey that tests her very survival and those she loves, all in the name of liberty. Can you tell us a little more about Maebel and Coralie (and their love interests)? Laura: I don't have a sister; I have a younger brother. So it's fun to create these fictional sisters. In The Indigo Heiress, the bond between my heroine and her sister was extremely tight. That's not the case in The Belle of Chatham. You have two very different women, almost the same age, who are nothing alike—different in looks, personality, loyalties. And their love interests are very different. Mae is in love with a rifleman, who's from a very different world than herself, and her sister Coralie is infatuated with a British soldier. Which is indicative of where their loyalties lie, Mae with the Patriots, Coralie with the British. I tried to make it as true to history as possible. Not everyone is close to their sisters, so I wanted to bring that out. How wartime issues can fracture and fray that already-strained relationship. KyLee: That’s so like real life. As we traverse those long-term relationships, it's not always easy. I think sibling relationships are special because you start out so young and go through so many seasons together. I hope that, in the end, Mae and Coralie can find something in common. I have three sisters, and I'm very close with one. With a couple of my little sisters, we've had moments where our differences created distance. Now, when I look back over the seasons, I see things she does very differently from me, and I value them. I've learned from her and her very different approach to things. Laura: A beautiful, open-hearted concept. And that bears pondering: “How would Jesus love this person that’s different than me, or that I really want to condemn or distance myself from?” Jesus says we’re to love them anyway, leaning heavily on Jesus to do it. I don't know that Mae, in this novel, does that well. She tries. It takes practice, right? And Coralie makes it very interesting. And it’s relatable to today. We might not be in a war, but we definitely have different political opinions in our nation right now, stronger than they have been in a while. It’s not uncommon to see siblings falling on either side of the aisle. One thing that grieves me very much, that is even mirrored in this novel, is how people cease to talk to each other. There’s just no relationship anymore. And that’s heartbreaking. That’s a wound that too easily festers. If we have to be the one that breaks down that wall, in Jesus’ name, to ask for His help and an opportunity to do that, I believe He’ll give it. Just because you're distant from loved ones, that doesn’t mean it’s forever. Ask the Lord to help you mend that relationship, even if you have to make the first move. KyLee: Absolutely. Something I keep seeing, that really hurts my heart, is when people are so upset by things that are disturbing, and there’s a sense of powerlessness. And I've found myself saying to other adults what I've said to my children for years: Look at your circle. You start small, and it gets bigger. Siblings, spouse, children, friends, church, community, work, and it moves out from there. Pray for the big things, that's important, and if you are one of those people who has an opportunity to go to a far-away place and make an impact in that circle, do it. But don't let what's so far away from you distract in the circle where God has placed you. Be present where you're at, and you can make a difference. You can be loving, you can be understanding, you can have respectful conversations, and trust God and encourage other people to trust God. Heather: That’s such a good word, KyLee. So many times, my heart is so burdened by everything I see on the news. And my husband is faithful to remind me, “Heather, you’re not supposed to know every person that died in North Carolina and California.” People have suffered atrocities all around the world forever. But it wasn’t until recently that we’ve had the technology to know every single one of them, sometimes in real time. And he’s like, “You’re just not supposed to know all these things.” So I love that you tell people to focus on their circles. I can’t go help everyone, but I can help the people next to me. KyLee: And every generation has its own burden to bear. God knew that you would be born in this generation with this technology, and He’s equipped you like He’s equipped me. Laura: I recently heard an author say, “We're not meant to be omniscient. That's God's job.” Social media and the internet have us almost omniscient, so to speak, in a human perspective. We have access to everything around the world. And I kept hearing him say, “God doesn't mean for us to be omniscient because it's very burdensome.” I thought that was a really interesting point. What's next for your writing? Laura: Right now is a busy, busy season! I just handed in a 400-page novel set in 1798 London, releasing January of next year. I'm also halfway through a Christmas novella that will be releasing September of 2027, but it's due this fall. And then I'm beginning another novel set in Colonial America 1733, a totally new setting. So that has me quite busy. I will also be traveling to England next January. And then in 2027, I'm leading a tour of some historic sites in the United States. I've done England and Scotland, and had a wonderful time with readers. So I'm excited to do a stateside trip this time, and I hope readers can join me. If you head to my website, LauraFrantz.net, and sign up for my newsletter, about halfway down the home page, you'll get the tour news and details, as well as book updates. I work hard on my newsletters and try to keep them fun and fresh and interesting. And where else can readers connect with you? I’m very active on my Facebook author page, and on Instagram. I post every couple days or so on X, but I'm not very active. But most of my followers, interestingly enough, are on Pinterest. And, I just love my readers. How ever they want to come–through my newsletter or my website or socials–is always welcome to me, a delight. BOOKWORM REVIEW The Mistress of the Macabre has penned another five-star stunner!  “Night Falls on Predicament Avenue” features Jaime Jo Wright's signature blend of atmospheric prose, eerie suspense, and spiritual depth. Black as a mourning veil, this literary cuppa is enriched by the aromatic earthiness of a forgotten graveyard and contrasted with a honeyed note of hope—warm and bright as a candle's flame, flickering amid shadows.  The authentic characters of Effie and Norah will make readers feel seen and heard, especially those who suffer with anxiety, and the absorbing plot will keep readers turning pages into the wee hours, eager to navigate the mystery's winding paths of intrigue. The final plot twist ripped a gasp straight from my chest. A literal, audible, GASP! Good gracious, was I well and properly gobsmacked! Wright has truly outdone herself with this haunting tale's jaw-dropping, mind-reeling, gut-punching conclusion. If you're a fan of true crime podcasts and gothic fiction, be sure to visit Predicament Avenue . . . preferably, before night falls! Read more about Jaime at her website. (www.jaimewrightbooks.com)~ Angela Bell, author of A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure If you enjoyed this episode, we hope you'll subscribe for more on your favorite listening platform, and join our newsletter (see the sidebar). Don't forget to share it with a fellow historical fiction reader! And if you really enjoyed this episode and would like to support, you can always buy us a coffee. Thanks again for joining us for this episode of the Historical Bookworm Show! Join the conversation in the comments, and be sure to connect with Laura Frantz, and our special guest Heather Tabers. If you really enjoyed the show, you can always Buy Us a Coffee. Until next time, KyLee and Darcy

Have you ever looked at a piece of toast, a cloud or a nearby house and had the impression there's a face in it, looking right back at you? If you're like most people, it happens to you on a regular basis, and once you've seen the face, you just can't un-see it! It's down to a human tendency known as pareidolia. The psychological phenomenon comes from the Greek words para, meaning “beside” or “beyond” and “idolia”, meaning form or image. It's basically our brains playing tricks on us, but for a very good reason. And it's nothing new either; Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci wrote about it in his notebooks. Pareidolia is an example of apophenia, which is the tendency to make sense of, or connect things that are actually unconnected. Our brains are always looking for patterns in information from the outside world, to use as a basis for the decisions we make.  Do you have any examples? Why does the brain do that then? Are some people more affected than others? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the latest episodes, click here: ⁠⁠What is bae-realing, the new dating trend?⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Why are Christmas adverts so moving?⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Could Mastodon replace Twitter?⁠⁠ A Bababam Originals podcast, written and produced by Joseph Chance. First Broadcast: 3/12/2022 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

He agrees to be her focus group for demoing toys in the adult toy store.By Norweger. Listen to the ►Podcast at Steamy Stories.Can I help you?I glanced aside from the colourful products on display right in front of me, blushing mildly. The shopkeeper had done the rounds, and I, being lost in thought in front of the Toys; male, solo shelf hadn t noticed her approaching. Well, I could hardly deny I was thinking of buying a Fleshlight, as I held one; well, a securely wrapped one, luckily; in my hands as I met her friendly gaze.I, ah Fuck. Going to an adult toy shop shouldn t be embarrassing, should it? My cheeks and earlobes grew pretty pink. Well, I m just browsing, to be honest, IShe nodded. ‘Those are real good, by the way. She giggled. Well, good quality. Easy to keep clean. Rugged. For obvious reasons, I haven t taken one for a test drive myself.I chuckled, feeling my awkwardness recede a bit. That s one way of putting it. For obvious reasons I thought before answering Well, I could hardly expect you to have, could I? That being said, shops like this are quite particular, no? Normally, asking the shopkeeper for recommendations and whether she d used the product herself would be reasonable, but here, I guess it would get me me-too d right away? How do you actually reply if someone holds up something and asks, well, is this one any good?I smiled weakly while feeling my cheeks getting rosier again, hoping I hadn t overstepped any bounds. I got a chuckle for my trouble. Well, please try to keep the exciting images out of your mind, but to tell you the truth, we do test quite a lot of the stuff we sell.She blushed a little, herself. Well, we must buy them, of course, though at a steep discount. She turned her gaze down as the sentence trailed off, giving me a chance to look her over without being too obvious about it as the images she d been warning me about started to manifest themselves to my inner eye. I guessed she could be in her early thirties, a few years younger than me. Quite cute, slender, narrow hips, a loose-fitting, turquoise sweater doing its best to hide her ample bosom I d already undressed her in my mind, trying to imagine her testing the huge dildos in the glass display cabinet right behind her.Oh no, I hadn t been blushing earlier. Now; NOW I was blushing.She lifted her gaze again and giggled. Let me guess. Exciting images?I could hardly deny it, and she could hardly take affront, either. I turned my own gaze down, intensely studying my rather rumpled leather boots. There was no way in hell I d be able to meet her stare while saying it. Oh, guilty as charged. I made a helpless gesture with my arm towards the toys on display I imagined both this and that, I ll admit.Well, there s a reason we don t have fitting rooms, you know! Her giggle turned to a quick laugh which she stifled as quickly. I felt my mood rise just by hearing it; it had a chirping quality, sounded almost like a bird s cry. In improving spirits; and, frankly, quite turned on; this young, cute woman had more or less told me that she test ran a lot of the toys in the store. Now my eyes wandered around the room, desperate not to meet her stare, while every time I saw something titillating I imagined her using it on herself. Not that there was anything extraordinary about a woman in her thirties enjoying herself, but the mere thought, as she was standing two feet away from me Fuck. I was rock hard. I hoped it wasn t too obvious.Here goes nothing. Had I first said A, I might as well say B, too. I felt a bit braver, thinking we could spin a bit on this, while still keeping it innocent. She looked amused, too. That s kind of unfair, though, isn t it? Any woman walking into this store can get, ah, expert advice, whereas I, as a man, will have to take your word for it Oh, this one is good; I haven t tried it, but it is good, believe me!She laughed. Loud. I swear to all that s holy, had we ever had a male shop assistant here, he d be loaded down with all the male solo toys we could muster and be told to test the hell out of them; and take notes while he was at it! She turned serious. Wouldn t do you much good, though; I d be most surprised if there s even a single man in town who d casually ask another if that sex toy of his was any good or not.I d have to give her that. Chitchatting about sex did come a lot easier when I did it with a woman.Just that. There s a reason we re all women working here, she smiled. Women sell better to both men and women than, say, a fifty-something, balding, pudgy male in a soiled T-shirt and sweat pants. She chuckled. Beg your pardon for letting my prejudices shine through, by the way.I laughed out loud again, realizing I was getting close to asking her what she did once she d closed shop; she had, in a few minutes since I d become aware she even existed, shown herself to be one of those all too rare people who could get me in a good mood simply by being there; and that she could quip about sex and seemingly be at ease was an added bonus. Plus, of course, she was incredibly cute. I caught the warm, brown eyes peering out under her unruly mop of reddish hair, trying to come up with a suitable response before the silence became awkward or she trotted on through the shop, ending our moment.She glanced down at her watch, and my heart sank like a stone; opportunity wasted, I thought; until I heard what she had to say.Look Now I want you to be real careful; not getting the wrong idea as to what I am suggesting, okay? You are not going to have sex with me, capisce? Well, she had my full and undivided attention, even if I wouldn t get to sleep with her. I nodded, firmly. No fucking her. OK.I m about to close shop, now. If you, ahem, would like to test the fleshlight before you buy it, you can do so, okay? But, you re going to have to buy it afterwards, obviously. The lube is on the house.I gawked at her. Wow. I nodded, numbly. This couldn t be, could it? But I wouldn t want to miss this for the world. I nodded again, vigorously. She smiled a quick smile, then went to the entrance to lock the doors, glancing over her shoulder at me as she did so, throwing me another smile.Returning, she grabbed a bottle of lube from a shelf, and motioned for me to follow her as she walked past. As if I needed any prodding. It d probably be best to use our office, rather than have you go at it here under the bright lights, she suggested softly. I just shrugged. I d follow her anywhere. My cock was rather a simpleton.As we exited a door with a 'staff only sign at the back of the shop, we entered the kind of storeroom you ll find somewhere in any shop in the world; shelves stocked with all kinds of goods, except Well, these goods were very much adult toys. Darting past a crate packed to the gunwales with inflatable dolls; inflated!, she giggled Meet last year s Christmas decorations; we couldn t sell them, but neither could we bring ourselves to throw them away I shook my head, dumbfounded.She nodded towards a green door near the corner of the storeroom That s where you ll get to find out if the fleshlight is any goodShe opened the door, hinges groaning. I ve been meaning to grease those for ages, wonder if I can use this lube? she mused as we entered a small-ish, run-down office. Lots of papers were covering just about any horizontal surface; a desk with a computer and a phone on it and a small coffee table in front of a battered old sofa tucked into a corner; piles of merchandise along the far wall.Nodding towards the sofa, she suggested I take a seat before seating herself on the office chair by the desk. I hope you don t mind me watching. After all, I have a certain, um, professional interest in seeing how you get along with it, you know. , throwing me another smile; a warm, seemingly genuine one. She didn t appear to be wholly untouched, herself.I fumbled with the packaging. What sadist had invented welded plastic? Probably a good thing when it came to protecting sex toys on display, but when you were about to unwrap it to try it out? Not so much. My audience reached for a pair of scissors and motioned for me to lob her the fleshlight. You get out of your jeans, I ll get this out, OK? she suggested. I nodded, still not trusting my voice to bear.I hardly needed any more encouragement. I tugged at my belt, seconds later dropping my jeans to the floor, stepping out of them. My briefs were unceremoniously shoved down my thighs, and as I rose again, my almost painfully erect cock pointed arrogantly at the ceiling, the shopkeeper raising her eyebrows a little and giggling softly as she took the sight in while cutting open the packaging separating me from instant bliss.With a satisfied Hah! Finally! she pulled the fleshlight from its by now shredded plastic cover and reached over to hand it to me. I shamelessly ogled her cleavage before reverting to holding her gaze. As I said, this is good shit. You won t be able to destroy this one during normal use She proceeded to explain how important it was to clean it after use, stressing that they had both suitable toy cleaner and disinfectant in the store. Most gentle for the silicone, that stuff; unlike the dish soap most people tend to useHer sentence trailed off, apparently she got struck by the same thing I had; that this was an absurd time to discuss maintenance. My apologies, I got a bit carried away. Here.Accepting the toy, I glanced over at the bottle of lube perched on the edge of her desk. Turning around, she reached the bottle and spun back to present it to me. There you go, put lots in the fleshlight, some around the entrance and a little on your johnson, and you re good to go.Nodding, I did as she had suggested; an ample spurt of lube into the pale, pink thingy, then a little around the sculpted pussy lips. Bah, in a way it would have been better if they hadn t tried so hard to make it look like the real thing. Seeing as you wanted my observations, I think it would have been better if it was just an opening, not modeled to look like a real pussy; you know, no matter how good this may turn out to be, it can t possibly compare to the real thingDoh, she exclaimed as she rolled her eyes. I should have mentioned that, there s a neutral version, too; and, believe it or not, a few which are supposedly modeled after famous porn stars pussies, whether you believe it or not. Anyway, they probably all feel the same; just look at something, anything else while you re using it.I d be lying if I claimed I thought it would matter much what it looked like once it was wrapped around me. Squirting a wee bit of lube in the palm of my hand, I stroked myself a couple of times, ensuring I got some on the purplish, swollen head, too; unless I slipped in unhindered, I d be sore afterwards, of that I was certain.Positioning the fleshlight against the glans, I looked over at the shopkeeper. She stared back, eagerly anticipating my next move; not that she d have to be a rocket scientist to figure out what that would be. Gently pressing the fleshlight towards me, I slid into my first silicone pussy. It was just tight enough to feel natural-ish, I d hand the designers that; but it felt rather cold and, well, dead.What s it like? she asked, voice quivering slightly. Oh, not too bad, I replied Though it does feel a bit cold and. ah, dead, if I may say so at the moment, but that should improve shortly Giving it a couple of strokes, I could already feel it begin to warm up.She raised her stare from my fleshlight-wrapped member to meet mine. Fuck me, I really am not doing my job properly, now; I just remembered that the manufacturer recommend that you put it in warm water for a few minutes before use, precisely to avoid that corpse bride-feeling. My apologies.I nodded. That d probably do the trick, I m sure. However ; I let it slide back and forth a few times, feeling the soft silicone caress my oh-so-erect cock; it does feel really good, don t get me wrong; and it keeps getting warmer by the second!Having said that, I stroked myself in silence for a few moments, slowly, deliberately; pulling it off me until my cock emerged from it, exposing the swollen, lube-glistening head for my very attentive audience, then shoving myself into it again. Oh yes, it felt better and better. While no one would ever mistake it for the real thing; well, no one who had ever had the good fortune to have the real thing wrapped around oneself, anyway; it definitely felt good, much better than a simple handjob.It keeps getting better, I grunted. Would work better still if one could take it out of the casing, though; you know, to adjust the pressure, using it as a sleeve over my cock; would feel more alive, then.She nodded. I ll keep that in mind, in case someone asks. I believe you can take it out for cleaning, by the way; so you could probably, um, go au-naturel on it, if that s your preference. ; before again staring at my cock sliding in and out of the toy, mesmerised.I felt like I was being on display; quite naturally, seeing as that was just what I was; but caught myself enjoying it. My audience was really cute and sexy as hell; well, truth be told, I d probably find even Margaret Thatcher hot as fuck if she had stared at my masturbating with that sultry look my watcher now sent me; but I digress. I was turned on, way beyond what I would have been had I been doing the deed at home, alone.I coughed softly, then slowing the pace a bit as I caught her stare again. Uh, I know there won t be any actual sex, that s not what I m fishing for now, but Would you mind, ah, could I Well, have a little glimpse of your charms? Some bare skin? Just to help me over the edge? I must have looked like a pleading puppy, as she burst into laughter, luckily a good-natured one.After first shaking her head, she apparently had second thoughts and nodded. I swallowed. This intensely erotic moment was about to become even hotter. Grabbing the hem of her sweater, she pulled it over her head and revealed a black, low-cut bra and ample cleavage. Lovely, pillowy, full breasts. My pace picked up.Don t you think about touching me, don t even reach for me, OK? she said, sternly. I nodded, hoping I looked like I d be true to my word. God knows how reliable one looks when masturbating to the sight of the girl asking you to keep your hands off her.She apparently found my promise good enough, and, after reaching behind her back for a second, the bra fell into her lap and her breasts swung free. I swallowed again, almost in disbelief. They were really beautiful; round, full and pillowy, large, but not so large as to be saggy; they proudly stood form her chest, slightly pear-shaped, milky white and crowned by the largest, weakly drawn areolas I d ever seen, pale pink, crested with nipples looking as if you d be able to cut glass with them, so hard were they.She was amazing, and I wasted no time telling her so as my cock hardened further still inside the silicone wrapper I was now doing my best to fuck the daylights out of while keeping my eyes locked on the shopkeeper, occasionally falling to her wonderful breasts, but mostly maintaining eye contact.She leant back in her chair, her breasts gently parting. My turn to be mesmerised. I could already feel the familiar tingling telling me my strokes were numbered and my orgasm forthcoming; I d be done for shortly.The fleshlight was now at body temperature, and felt much, much more lifelike, albeit still no match for a woman, I grunted through clenched teeth no muscles milking me, no body thrust against mine, no hands feverishly stroking over my back, hugging me close as orgasm approaches; but it does feel pretty pretty damned good!Nodding absentmindedly, she stroked a hand over her right breast, cupping it, then pinching her nipple between her thumb and index finger, moaning softly.I m about to cum, I grunted, snapping her back to reality. Oh, please do it in that one, huh? , she nodded to an empty mug on the table between us. I want to see you cum. I nodded, feverishly working my cock with the latest addition to my meagre sex toy collection. Lean forward, please , I snapped I want to see those lovely tits swaying under youLaughingly, she obliged, leaning forward, then rocking side to side. Like this, huh? she teased, smiling warmly at me as the heavy globes swayed back and forth under her.Yes. Just like that. There was no use trying to hold back. Two more strokes, and I could feel my orgasm erupting, a tad before I d expected it to. And here I was, figuring I had it under controlI jerked the fleshlight off my cock, throwing it on the floor, sending spurt after spurt of cum over the table, grasping for the mug, missing, shooting another spurt halfway across the room towards her; at least it felt like it; before finally grabbing the mug and shooting the last, feeble spurt into it. I felt my earlobes glow with embarrassment as I came in for landing after the massive orgasm, only to see the mess I d made; cum streaks over invoices, a pack of cigarettes, the table itself, a lighterMy companion laughed, totally losing it in a fit of laughter, her breasts jiggling as she shook You should ve seen yourself!!! , she eventually gasped, regaining some control over herself. It was the most absurd sight I ve ever seen, so incredibly hot, you in the midst of such an orgasm, frantically trying to grab my old mugI joined her, a bit hesitantly at first. It had indeed been comedy hour. I hoped there wasn t a surveillance camera here, for if it did, I d be bound to find myself on some amateur blooper reel shortly.Never mind, though, she giggled. I ll get that cleaned up in no time. Without getting her sweater back on, she left the room. Seconds later I heard the tell-tale sound of water pouring from a faucet and paper being torn from a roll. She returned, hand full of tissue paper, and handed me some. Here, clean yourself up; then I ll show you how to clean your latest conquest afterwards.She leaned in over the table and cleaned up any trace of my little indiscretion. I really had to fight the urge to reach out and touch the lovely form right in front of my eyes; but managed. I d promised, after all; and I d had a wonderful experience, I wouldn t want to ruin it by doing anything which might scare or offend her in any way. I leaned back in the sofa while cleaning most of the lube off my semi-erect cock, softly caressing it as I stared hungrily at her, finishing up the table.I followed her to the cupboard next to the office; standing close to her; still dressed like Venus of Milo, only with arms; in the tiny room, I could feel the warmth of her body against mine as she fumbled the fleshlight open, taking out the silicone innards. Just hold it under lukewarm water, first, to get rid of your cum and the lube, then wipe it clean with a little bit of the toy cleaner I ll give you when we re back in the shop and it ll be ready for its next outing.She glanced up at me, noting my attention was on her, rather than on the most useful instructions she were supplying. Better leave it outside its sheath overnight to allow it to dry properly, she said. Well, unless you find you prefer to use just the inner sleeve, of course. Quick smile.With that, she handed the toy back to me. Just head back out in the shop, you. I ll be with you in a minute, just need to get dressed. I was treated to a smile too cute to be believed, and I was bright enough not to overstay my welcome by asking for just a few more glimpses of her.I threw a last, longing glance at her beautiful, curvy shape, met her gaze; a rather lustful one at that!; and smiled at her. I ll do some window shopping, then, see if I find more playthings catching my fancy. I then turned and briskly headed back into the shop, again passing the surreal pile of inflatable dolls, one still sporting a santa s cap.She sure took her time getting dressed; I imagined she d figured she needed

He agrees to be her focus group for demoing toys in the adult toy store.By Norweger. Listen to the ►Podcast at Steamy Stories.Can I help you?I glanced aside from the colourful products on display right in front of me, blushing mildly. The shopkeeper had done the rounds, and I, being lost in thought in front of the Toys; male, solo shelf hadn t noticed her approaching. Well, I could hardly deny I was thinking of buying a Fleshlight, as I held one; well, a securely wrapped one, luckily; in my hands as I met her friendly gaze.I, ah Fuck. Going to an adult toy shop shouldn t be embarrassing, should it? My cheeks and earlobes grew pretty pink. Well, I m just browsing, to be honest, IShe nodded. ‘Those are real good, by the way. She giggled. Well, good quality. Easy to keep clean. Rugged. For obvious reasons, I haven t taken one for a test drive myself.I chuckled, feeling my awkwardness recede a bit. That s one way of putting it. For obvious reasons I thought before answering Well, I could hardly expect you to have, could I? That being said, shops like this are quite particular, no? Normally, asking the shopkeeper for recommendations and whether she d used the product herself would be reasonable, but here, I guess it would get me me-too d right away? How do you actually reply if someone holds up something and asks, well, is this one any good?I smiled weakly while feeling my cheeks getting rosier again, hoping I hadn t overstepped any bounds. I got a chuckle for my trouble. Well, please try to keep the exciting images out of your mind, but to tell you the truth, we do test quite a lot of the stuff we sell.She blushed a little, herself. Well, we must buy them, of course, though at a steep discount. She turned her gaze down as the sentence trailed off, giving me a chance to look her over without being too obvious about it as the images she d been warning me about started to manifest themselves to my inner eye. I guessed she could be in her early thirties, a few years younger than me. Quite cute, slender, narrow hips, a loose-fitting, turquoise sweater doing its best to hide her ample bosom I d already undressed her in my mind, trying to imagine her testing the huge dildos in the glass display cabinet right behind her.Oh no, I hadn t been blushing earlier. Now; NOW I was blushing.She lifted her gaze again and giggled. Let me guess. Exciting images?I could hardly deny it, and she could hardly take affront, either. I turned my own gaze down, intensely studying my rather rumpled leather boots. There was no way in hell I d be able to meet her stare while saying it. Oh, guilty as charged. I made a helpless gesture with my arm towards the toys on display I imagined both this and that, I ll admit.Well, there s a reason we don t have fitting rooms, you know! Her giggle turned to a quick laugh which she stifled as quickly. I felt my mood rise just by hearing it; it had a chirping quality, sounded almost like a bird s cry. In improving spirits; and, frankly, quite turned on; this young, cute woman had more or less told me that she test ran a lot of the toys in the store. Now my eyes wandered around the room, desperate not to meet her stare, while every time I saw something titillating I imagined her using it on herself. Not that there was anything extraordinary about a woman in her thirties enjoying herself, but the mere thought, as she was standing two feet away from me Fuck. I was rock hard. I hoped it wasn t too obvious.Here goes nothing. Had I first said A, I might as well say B, too. I felt a bit braver, thinking we could spin a bit on this, while still keeping it innocent. She looked amused, too. That s kind of unfair, though, isn t it? Any woman walking into this store can get, ah, expert advice, whereas I, as a man, will have to take your word for it Oh, this one is good; I haven t tried it, but it is good, believe me!She laughed. Loud. I swear to all that s holy, had we ever had a male shop assistant here, he d be loaded down with all the male solo toys we could muster and be told to test the hell out of them; and take notes while he was at it! She turned serious. Wouldn t do you much good, though; I d be most surprised if there s even a single man in town who d casually ask another if that sex toy of his was any good or not.I d have to give her that. Chitchatting about sex did come a lot easier when I did it with a woman.Just that. There s a reason we re all women working here, she smiled. Women sell better to both men and women than, say, a fifty-something, balding, pudgy male in a soiled T-shirt and sweat pants. She chuckled. Beg your pardon for letting my prejudices shine through, by the way.I laughed out loud again, realizing I was getting close to asking her what she did once she d closed shop; she had, in a few minutes since I d become aware she even existed, shown herself to be one of those all too rare people who could get me in a good mood simply by being there; and that she could quip about sex and seemingly be at ease was an added bonus. Plus, of course, she was incredibly cute. I caught the warm, brown eyes peering out under her unruly mop of reddish hair, trying to come up with a suitable response before the silence became awkward or she trotted on through the shop, ending our moment.She glanced down at her watch, and my heart sank like a stone; opportunity wasted, I thought; until I heard what she had to say.Look Now I want you to be real careful; not getting the wrong idea as to what I am suggesting, okay? You are not going to have sex with me, capisce? Well, she had my full and undivided attention, even if I wouldn t get to sleep with her. I nodded, firmly. No fucking her. OK.I m about to close shop, now. If you, ahem, would like to test the fleshlight before you buy it, you can do so, okay? But, you re going to have to buy it afterwards, obviously. The lube is on the house.I gawked at her. Wow. I nodded, numbly. This couldn t be, could it? But I wouldn t want to miss this for the world. I nodded again, vigorously. She smiled a quick smile, then went to the entrance to lock the doors, glancing over her shoulder at me as she did so, throwing me another smile.Returning, she grabbed a bottle of lube from a shelf, and motioned for me to follow her as she walked past. As if I needed any prodding. It d probably be best to use our office, rather than have you go at it here under the bright lights, she suggested softly. I just shrugged. I d follow her anywhere. My cock was rather a simpleton.As we exited a door with a 'staff only sign at the back of the shop, we entered the kind of storeroom you ll find somewhere in any shop in the world; shelves stocked with all kinds of goods, except Well, these goods were very much adult toys. Darting past a crate packed to the gunwales with inflatable dolls; inflated!, she giggled Meet last year s Christmas decorations; we couldn t sell them, but neither could we bring ourselves to throw them away I shook my head, dumbfounded.She nodded towards a green door near the corner of the storeroom That s where you ll get to find out if the fleshlight is any goodShe opened the door, hinges groaning. I ve been meaning to grease those for ages, wonder if I can use this lube? she mused as we entered a small-ish, run-down office. Lots of papers were covering just about any horizontal surface; a desk with a computer and a phone on it and a small coffee table in front of a battered old sofa tucked into a corner; piles of merchandise along the far wall.Nodding towards the sofa, she suggested I take a seat before seating herself on the office chair by the desk. I hope you don t mind me watching. After all, I have a certain, um, professional interest in seeing how you get along with it, you know. , throwing me another smile; a warm, seemingly genuine one. She didn t appear to be wholly untouched, herself.I fumbled with the packaging. What sadist had invented welded plastic? Probably a good thing when it came to protecting sex toys on display, but when you were about to unwrap it to try it out? Not so much. My audience reached for a pair of scissors and motioned for me to lob her the fleshlight. You get out of your jeans, I ll get this out, OK? she suggested. I nodded, still not trusting my voice to bear.I hardly needed any more encouragement. I tugged at my belt, seconds later dropping my jeans to the floor, stepping out of them. My briefs were unceremoniously shoved down my thighs, and as I rose again, my almost painfully erect cock pointed arrogantly at the ceiling, the shopkeeper raising her eyebrows a little and giggling softly as she took the sight in while cutting open the packaging separating me from instant bliss.With a satisfied Hah! Finally! she pulled the fleshlight from its by now shredded plastic cover and reached over to hand it to me. I shamelessly ogled her cleavage before reverting to holding her gaze. As I said, this is good shit. You won t be able to destroy this one during normal use She proceeded to explain how important it was to clean it after use, stressing that they had both suitable toy cleaner and disinfectant in the store. Most gentle for the silicone, that stuff; unlike the dish soap most people tend to useHer sentence trailed off, apparently she got struck by the same thing I had; that this was an absurd time to discuss maintenance. My apologies, I got a bit carried away. Here.Accepting the toy, I glanced over at the bottle of lube perched on the edge of her desk. Turning around, she reached the bottle and spun back to present it to me. There you go, put lots in the fleshlight, some around the entrance and a little on your johnson, and you re good to go.Nodding, I did as she had suggested; an ample spurt of lube into the pale, pink thingy, then a little around the sculpted pussy lips. Bah, in a way it would have been better if they hadn t tried so hard to make it look like the real thing. Seeing as you wanted my observations, I think it would have been better if it was just an opening, not modeled to look like a real pussy; you know, no matter how good this may turn out to be, it can t possibly compare to the real thingDoh, she exclaimed as she rolled her eyes. I should have mentioned that, there s a neutral version, too; and, believe it or not, a few which are supposedly modeled after famous porn stars pussies, whether you believe it or not. Anyway, they probably all feel the same; just look at something, anything else while you re using it.I d be lying if I claimed I thought it would matter much what it looked like once it was wrapped around me. Squirting a wee bit of lube in the palm of my hand, I stroked myself a couple of times, ensuring I got some on the purplish, swollen head, too; unless I slipped in unhindered, I d be sore afterwards, of that I was certain.Positioning the fleshlight against the glans, I looked over at the shopkeeper. She stared back, eagerly anticipating my next move; not that she d have to be a rocket scientist to figure out what that would be. Gently pressing the fleshlight towards me, I slid into my first silicone pussy. It was just tight enough to feel natural-ish, I d hand the designers that; but it felt rather cold and, well, dead.What s it like? she asked, voice quivering slightly. Oh, not too bad, I replied Though it does feel a bit cold and. ah, dead, if I may say so at the moment, but that should improve shortly Giving it a couple of strokes, I could already feel it begin to warm up.She raised her stare from my fleshlight-wrapped member to meet mine. Fuck me, I really am not doing my job properly, now; I just remembered that the manufacturer recommend that you put it in warm water for a few minutes before use, precisely to avoid that corpse bride-feeling. My apologies.I nodded. That d probably do the trick, I m sure. However ; I let it slide back and forth a few times, feeling the soft silicone caress my oh-so-erect cock; it does feel really good, don t get me wrong; and it keeps getting warmer by the second!Having said that, I stroked myself in silence for a few moments, slowly, deliberately; pulling it off me until my cock emerged from it, exposing the swollen, lube-glistening head for my very attentive audience, then shoving myself into it again. Oh yes, it felt better and better. While no one would ever mistake it for the real thing; well, no one who had ever had the good fortune to have the real thing wrapped around oneself, anyway; it definitely felt good, much better than a simple handjob.It keeps getting better, I grunted. Would work better still if one could take it out of the casing, though; you know, to adjust the pressure, using it as a sleeve over my cock; would feel more alive, then.She nodded. I ll keep that in mind, in case someone asks. I believe you can take it out for cleaning, by the way; so you could probably, um, go au-naturel on it, if that s your preference. ; before again staring at my cock sliding in and out of the toy, mesmerised.I felt like I was being on display; quite naturally, seeing as that was just what I was; but caught myself enjoying it. My audience was really cute and sexy as hell; well, truth be told, I d probably find even Margaret Thatcher hot as fuck if she had stared at my masturbating with that sultry look my watcher now sent me; but I digress. I was turned on, way beyond what I would have been had I been doing the deed at home, alone.I coughed softly, then slowing the pace a bit as I caught her stare again. Uh, I know there won t be any actual sex, that s not what I m fishing for now, but Would you mind, ah, could I Well, have a little glimpse of your charms? Some bare skin? Just to help me over the edge? I must have looked like a pleading puppy, as she burst into laughter, luckily a good-natured one.After first shaking her head, she apparently had second thoughts and nodded. I swallowed. This intensely erotic moment was about to become even hotter. Grabbing the hem of her sweater, she pulled it over her head and revealed a black, low-cut bra and ample cleavage. Lovely, pillowy, full breasts. My pace picked up.Don t you think about touching me, don t even reach for me, OK? she said, sternly. I nodded, hoping I looked like I d be true to my word. God knows how reliable one looks when masturbating to the sight of the girl asking you to keep your hands off her.She apparently found my promise good enough, and, after reaching behind her back for a second, the bra fell into her lap and her breasts swung free. I swallowed again, almost in disbelief. They were really beautiful; round, full and pillowy, large, but not so large as to be saggy; they proudly stood form her chest, slightly pear-shaped, milky white and crowned by the largest, weakly drawn areolas I d ever seen, pale pink, crested with nipples looking as if you d be able to cut glass with them, so hard were they.She was amazing, and I wasted no time telling her so as my cock hardened further still inside the silicone wrapper I was now doing my best to fuck the daylights out of while keeping my eyes locked on the shopkeeper, occasionally falling to her wonderful breasts, but mostly maintaining eye contact.She leant back in her chair, her breasts gently parting. My turn to be mesmerised. I could already feel the familiar tingling telling me my strokes were numbered and my orgasm forthcoming; I d be done for shortly.The fleshlight was now at body temperature, and felt much, much more lifelike, albeit still no match for a woman, I grunted through clenched teeth no muscles milking me, no body thrust against mine, no hands feverishly stroking over my back, hugging me close as orgasm approaches; but it does feel pretty pretty damned good!Nodding absentmindedly, she stroked a hand over her right breast, cupping it, then pinching her nipple between her thumb and index finger, moaning softly.I m about to cum, I grunted, snapping her back to reality. Oh, please do it in that one, huh? , she nodded to an empty mug on the table between us. I want to see you cum. I nodded, feverishly working my cock with the latest addition to my meagre sex toy collection. Lean forward, please , I snapped I want to see those lovely tits swaying under youLaughingly, she obliged, leaning forward, then rocking side to side. Like this, huh? she teased, smiling warmly at me as the heavy globes swayed back and forth under her.Yes. Just like that. There was no use trying to hold back. Two more strokes, and I could feel my orgasm erupting, a tad before I d expected it to. And here I was, figuring I had it under controlI jerked the fleshlight off my cock, throwing it on the floor, sending spurt after spurt of cum over the table, grasping for the mug, missing, shooting another spurt halfway across the room towards her; at least it felt like it; before finally grabbing the mug and shooting the last, feeble spurt into it. I felt my earlobes glow with embarrassment as I came in for landing after the massive orgasm, only to see the mess I d made; cum streaks over invoices, a pack of cigarettes, the table itself, a lighterMy companion laughed, totally losing it in a fit of laughter, her breasts jiggling as she shook You should ve seen yourself!!! , she eventually gasped, regaining some control over herself. It was the most absurd sight I ve ever seen, so incredibly hot, you in the midst of such an orgasm, frantically trying to grab my old mugI joined her, a bit hesitantly at first. It had indeed been comedy hour. I hoped there wasn t a surveillance camera here, for if it did, I d be bound to find myself on some amateur blooper reel shortly.Never mind, though, she giggled. I ll get that cleaned up in no time. Without getting her sweater back on, she left the room. Seconds later I heard the tell-tale sound of water pouring from a faucet and paper being torn from a roll. She returned, hand full of tissue paper, and handed me some. Here, clean yourself up; then I ll show you how to clean your latest conquest afterwards.She leaned in over the table and cleaned up any trace of my little indiscretion. I really had to fight the urge to reach out and touch the lovely form right in front of my eyes; but managed. I d promised, after all; and I d had a wonderful experience, I wouldn t want to ruin it by doing anything which might scare or offend her in any way. I leaned back in the sofa while cleaning most of the lube off my semi-erect cock, softly caressing it as I stared hungrily at her, finishing up the table.I followed her to the cupboard next to the office; standing close to her; still dressed like Venus of Milo, only with arms; in the tiny room, I could feel the warmth of her body against mine as she fumbled the fleshlight open, taking out the silicone innards. Just hold it under lukewarm water, first, to get rid of your cum and the lube, then wipe it clean with a little bit of the toy cleaner I ll give you when we re back in the shop and it ll be ready for its next outing.She glanced up at me, noting my attention was on her, rather than on the most useful instructions she were supplying. Better leave it outside its sheath overnight to allow it to dry properly, she said. Well, unless you find you prefer to use just the inner sleeve, of course. Quick smile.With that, she handed the toy back to me. Just head back out in the shop, you. I ll be with you in a minute, just need to get dressed. I was treated to a smile too cute to be believed, and I was bright enough not to overstay my welcome by asking for just a few more glimpses of her.I threw a last, longing glance at her beautiful, curvy shape, met her gaze; a rather lustful one at that!; and smiled at her. I ll do some window shopping, then, see if I find more playthings catching my fancy. I then turned and briskly headed back into the shop, again passing the surreal pile of inflatable dolls, one still sporting a santa s cap.She sure took her time getting dressed; I imagined she d figured she needed

Breaking verdict in the Colin Gray trial. Guilty on all 29 counts. Second-degree murder. The jury deliberated less than two hours before convicting the first parent in Georgia history for a school shooting committed by his child.Colin Gray gave his fourteen-year-old son an AR-15 for Christmas—seven months after the FBI warned him about online threats Colt made to shoot up a school. No safe. No lock. The rifle stayed in Colt Gray's bedroom next to a shrine of Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz. Colin Gray claimed under oath he thought the images were "the guy from Green Day."The prosecution built its case on Colin Gray's own family. His daughter testified he asked her to lie to investigators. His estranged wife said she begged him repeatedly to lock up the guns. Weeks before the Apalachee High School shooting that killed two teachers and two students, Colt texted his father: "Whenever something happens just know the blood is on your hands."The morning of the shooting, Colt sent goodbye messages. Colin Gray read them. He didn't call the school. Didn't race to stop anything. Stopped at QuikTrip for a drink on his way home while four people lay dead.Colin Gray took the stand as his only defense witness. He cried. Said he never saw the evil coming. The jury rejected every word—guilty on all counts in under two hours.Criminal defense attorney Bob Motta joins us to break down the failed defense strategy, the testimony that sealed this conviction, and what the Colin Gray verdict means for parental accountability nationwide. The Crumbleys were convicted of manslaughter in Michigan. Georgia just raised the stakes to murder.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#ColinGrayGuilty #ColinGrayVerdictLive #ApalacheeHighSchool #ColinGrayConvicted #SchoolShootingTrial #ColtGray #GeorgiaVerdict #ParentalAccountability #LiveTrueCrime #HiddenKillersLive

The jury needed less than two hours. Colin Gray is guilty of second-degree murder on all 29 counts—the first parent in Georgia history convicted for a school shooting committed by his child.The evidence was overwhelming. The FBI warned Colin Gray in 2023 after his son threatened to shoot up a school online. His response? Buy the fourteen-year-old an AR-15 for Christmas seven months later. No safe. No lock. The rifle stayed in Colt Gray's bedroom next to a shrine of Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz—which Colin Gray claimed he thought was "the guy from Green Day."His own family sealed the conviction. His daughter testified he asked her to lie to investigators. His estranged wife said she begged him to lock up the guns. Weeks before the Apalachee High School shooting, Colt texted his father: "Whenever something happens just know the blood is on your hands." Colin Gray convinced himself it meant something else.The morning of the shooting, Colt sent goodbye texts. Colin Gray read them. He didn't call the school. Didn't leave work. Stopped at QuikTrip for a drink on the way home while two teachers and two students lay dead.Colin Gray took the stand as his only defense witness. He cried. He swore he never saw the evil coming. The jury rejected that entirely—guilty on every count in under two hours.Criminal defense attorney Bob Motta breaks down the defense strategy that failed, the testimony that sealed Colin Gray's fate, and whether this verdict creates a new legal standard for parental accountability or remains an outlier for extreme facts. The Crumbleys got manslaughter in Michigan. Georgia got murder. The rules just changed.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#ColinGrayGuilty #ColinGrayVerdict #ApalacheeHighSchool #SchoolShootingParent #ColinGrayConvicted #ColtGray #GeorgiaSchoolShooting #ParentalAccountability #BobMotta #HiddenKillers

Happy Magna Carta Day, everyone! One of them, anyway. Now that that's out of the way, there's heated debate on The Billie Piper Matter in both The Sun and The Telegraph, and the Three Who Rule add their shopworn takes to this interminable discussion that will be an absolute delight until Xmas 2026. Plus we have a set report from 2004, the iPlayer possibly re-re-re-inventing cable and hosting rival broadcasters, the Ianto Shrine nearing its end and the feelings around that, and most importantly, Part the Second of our "The Mysterious Planet" Classic Series Commentary! Links: Support Radio Free Skaro on Patreon Happy March 4 The Sun: 2026 Doctor Who Christmas Special will not feature Billie Piper as the Doctor Why No One Wants to be the Next Doctor Who Season 3 scripts were being prepared before cancellation The Whoniverse Show: Russell T Davies' Ultimate Guide to Being the Perfect Companion BBC Says iPlayer Could Host Rival Broadcasters As Corporation Sets Out Charter Renewal Funding Vision Set report from 2004 first Doctor Who location shoot Doctor Who Magazine 627 released Ianto shrine in Cardiff to be taken down at the end of April Gareth David-Lloyd talks about the Ianto shrine removal Change.org petition to save the Ianto shrine Big Finish The Fourth Doctor Adventures: The Ministry of Death released Big Finish The Death and Life of River Song: War Widow due Sep 2026 Retro TV drops Doctor Who Commentary: The Mysterious Planet Part Two

Episode 280-Top 7 NJ Carry Guns Also Available OnSearchable Podcast Transcript Gun Lawyer — Episode Transcript Page – 1 – of 11 Gun Lawyer — Episode 280 Transcript SPEAKERS Speaker 3, Teddy Nappen, Evan Nappen Evan Nappen 00:17 I’m Evan Nappen. Teddy Nappen 00:19 and I’m Teddy Nappen. Evan Nappen 00:21 And welcome to Gun Lawyer. Hey, Teddy, guess who finally quit smoking? Teddy Nappen 00:28 You quit smoking? Evan Nappen 00:30 No. The Ayatollah Khomeini. Teddy Nappen 00:32 Oh! Evan Nappen 00:35 There you go. Actually, the thing is, we’re now in a situation where you may have seen the warnings going out about an increased, seriously increased, threat of danger in the homeland. For the, who knows, how many that the Biden administration let in, actual terrorists on the terrorist watch list, and how many unknowns and got aways, and just all those folks that have infiltrated the country that they’re warning about sleeper cells and already starting to see some incidents occurring. And I think it’s fair to say that we all need to be very vigilant, and since most of us are folks that are armed, that carry, we become an important element in the defense of our country. Evan Nappen 01:39 So, I want to talk today about practical considerations regarding firearm carry guns in New Jersey. We want to talk about the guns that are appropriate and are really some of the top most popular carry guns in New Jersey. Now, none of this means these are guns we’re going to talk about that make it that. You know, if you choose to carry any gun that you like, that’s fine. None of this is critical of any firearm that you may be carrying. I just want to talk about ones. It was inspired to talk about this from an article I found in Breitbart. Now Breitbart’s article is the “Five Concealed Carry Guns First-Time Buyers Should Consider”. (https://www.breitbart.com/2nd-amendment/2026/03/03/five-concealed-carry-guns-first-time-buyers-should-consider/) Page – 2 – of 11 Evan Nappen 02:30 and I want to. Teddy Nappen 02:32 Number one, Gyrojet pistol. Evan Nappen 02:34 Right. Definitely grab that old Gyrojet. Oh, my God. In case you don’t know what a Gyrojet is, it was, literally, a rocket firing pistol. It launched cartridges or bullets or projectiles, if you will, in a similar way that you fire rockets, not a bullet. So, it’s actually, a gyro jet gun is closer to an Iranian missile launcher, frankly, than a gun. But they were not a commercial success. They’re very collectible and fascinating. You can read more about Gyrojets online. I happen to own a Gyrojet as an example of a rocket pistol. But no, that’s not a gun I would suggest carrying in New Jersey. Evan Nappen 03:27 First of all, it’s too valuable just to carry, and the ammo is like incredibly hard to find. Each cartridge is very valuable as a collectible in and of itself. But here it is from Breitbart. Now this article is by AWR Hawkins, who’s an excellent gun writer, and as he begins the article, he says, with military action in Iran raging and concerns about staying safe stateside, we thought it would be helpful to put together a list of five concealed carry guns that first time buyers should consider. So, I’m going to, and that’s a good thought right now, what we’re dealing with. I’m going to modify from what he’s talking about, is just to carry guns in New Jersey, whether you’re first time or not a first time. There are advantages and disadvantages to a number of the firearms that they’re putting out, and we have to put in the concerns that we have in New Jersey. One of the primary concerns at the moment in New Jersey is, of course, that you can’t have a magazine that holds over 10 rounds. So, the handguns that we’re going to carry in New Jersey have to have a limitation in the magazine of 10 rounds. Now, that does not include one round in the chamber. So, in theory, you can have 10 rounds in a magazine and one round in the chamber, and you are legal in New Jersey for that carry gun. Evan Nappen 04:56 So, what happens is there are a number of handguns out there that, of course, are wonderful, wonderful guns. They are larger frame and normally hold standard magazine capacity definitely over 10 rounds. And you can start, you know, with just a Glock 19 that would have the standard magazine of 15 rounds. An excellent carry gun and super popular. But in New Jersey, putting aside, let’s just say the Glock 19 happens to fit your hand really well, and I understand that. But in reality, you’re carrying a gun that is larger than you necessarily need. Again, if it works for you, that’s fine, but it’s larger than you necessarily need, which makes it arguably somewhat less concealable. And yet you’re being limited in one of the nice features about it is that you could have the increased firepower of 15 rounds, but New Jersey stops you from that. So, you have to have a 10-round mag in your Glock 19, that’s a nine millimeter. Evan Nappen 06:04 So since New Jersey is forcing us to have 10 round mags, why not conform, at least to the degree of having a much more concealable, but just as deadly, more concealable handgun that would carry up to Page – 3 – of 11 the 10 rounds. And in our modern world today, there are a lot of excellent choices of, you know, nine millimeter and other calibers. But nine is primarily one of the most popular self-defense calibers out there at the moment that hold 10 rounds, but are very compact, very concealable. And the article lists these, and let’s talk about some. Some others that I’ll add in. Evan Nappen 06:57 They put as the number one, the Sig Sauer P365. So, the P365 is an excellent carry gun for sure, and it’s very compact. And as you know, Sig re-designed or created into the design. They designed a gun around the magazine so they could have a 10-round magazine and have a gun that is extremely compact. The P365 is striker fired, and it’s about, you know, 4.3 inches tall, about 5.8 inches long. It weighs in at about 17.8 ounces, and it comes with two 10-round mags. So, it’s New Jersey legal. There’s all kinds of you can get go MOS. It’s set up for that so you can have your sites if you get an MOS model. There are many different variations on the P365 that will have features that may fit you better. It’s a proven gun. So, it’s definitely one of the most popular and definitely a good choice for New Jersey. Evan Nappen 08:10 The next gun in the article is the Glock 43X and that’s also one of the most popular pistols in America. It’s single stack. So, what that means is the magazine loads one round on top of the other, as opposed to the SIG 365 which is kind of that double stack, where the rounds are kind of side by side in the magazine, filling it up as a box. Whereas the Glock is single, straight down in the line, and they do, and it does have a 10-round mag. The Glock is somewhat slightly larger. It’s about 6.5 inches long, and it’s about 1.1 inches in width, and about 5.04 inches in its height, tall. It weighs in at about 18.7 ounces. So, it’s a slightly heavier, slightly larger than the P365. But it’s very popular, very concealable, and it has a 10-round magazine. Evan Nappen 09:29 Now keep in mind that it’s possible for any of these guns, the Sig, or any of these two, of course, to have magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. But they’re essentially made from their creation as a 10-round gun, and that’s important in New Jersey. Because, at the moment, and hopefully this will go away, but at the moment, we’re restricted to that. So, having the concealable ability of being very, very stealthy and not being made, let’s say, as being a carrier. Because you’re concealing a firearm so well, you’re less likely to have printing and other issues where it can be kind of signaled to folks that you might be carrying, which is a good way to think when dealing with New Jersey. Because even though we have a carry permit, even though we’re legal to carry, discretion is still the word of the day. So, you want to remain discrete. Evan Nappen 10:27 Your best bet is for no one to know that you’re carrying in New Jersey, and that is both the cops and the criminals. We need to be discrete because we’ve experienced many times through the office that individuals, where their gun is somehow ID on the person, and even though they’re legal, maybe their shirt showed for a brief second, which the law actually understands can happen. It’s not a crime when that happens. But the next thing you know, police are called about somebody carrying a gun, or they believe someone has a gun, and it can escalate into all kinds of problems. So, the idea in New Jersey Page – 4 – of 11 is to be able to be armed and be armed to the max that the law allows us to be. But to keep the concealability factor and the discretion and discreteness very tight. We are NOT an open carry state. We want to make it so that that firearm gives you a tactical edge in the fact that should you need it, the use of it is, to a certain degree, giving you the advantage of surprise. So, keep that in mind. And so these guns are fitting that bill very nicely. Evan Nappen 11:42 Now the article also talks about the CZ P-10 C, which is a ported pistol. This is also a compact gun and also has the 10-round magazine. The CZ is interesting because the German army actually adopted this pistol model, you know, and so it has certain definite reliability. And a lot of folks like the ergonomics, but it, too, is polymer, and in the same kind of class as the 365 and the 43X. Again, it’s a good choice for New Jersey, should you like that gun. Now, the article talks about the Palmetto Dagger. Palmetto is a decent gun for the money. And let me tell you, they’re a bargain, that’s for sure. They are budget oriented, but they are, you know, they shoot. They’re reliable, they work and such. But the Palmetto Dagger is more along the lines of a Glock 19 and there, yeah, you can get a 10 round mag for it, and maybe you want the slightly, you know, somewhat larger frame, what we might call a medium frame. But in terms of its, you know, you can get more concealable with the other guns we’ve been talking about. It’s still a good gun out there. It’s a nice package, especially for the money. Palmetto puts out a gun that really is a bit of a bargain, honestly, for what they’re offering. But you don’t have the same compactness as the other firearms offer. Evan Nappen 13:36 And the fifth gun talked about in the article is a Ruger LCR polymer revolver. So, that is a revolver similar to, it’s essentially a snub nose .38. But in Polymer, it still can handle the plus P 38. Some folks might prefer a revolver to a semi-auto pistol. Of course, the rounds get less. You’re probably talking here about a five shot and such. But it is an excellent firearm for what it is. If you’re, if you want a wheel gun for its simplicity, it doesn’t leave cartridge cases lying around, or whatever. A revolver may be your way to go. Now, in terms of that type of revolver, the Ruger is good gun. But I happen to have a personal love of the J frame Smith, of the Smith & Wesson. You know, the J frame class, which includes the model, the original, of course, is the 36 or the Chief Special, and you get into all the variations of the J frame, on that J frame. There’s a lot of other snub .38 out there that Smith makes that would also fill the bill. These revolvers are affectionately known as pocket rockets, and they’re good guns. So, if you’re a revolver person, if you’re looking for something concealable, there are plenty of great revolvers. But if we’re talking concealability, then this is a classic. The Ruger and the Smith would fit that bill in snub nose .38. It would give you features that a revolver offers. Teddy Nappen 15:29 If the whole, I would say, for the whole article is supposed to be the idea of people like this is your first gun to buy. Like that was kind of the main focus. I lean off of for Ruger, like the very first revolver I ever got, the GP 100. That was very like, yeah, learn to work with right yourself. Evan Nappen 15:47 And revolvers are good for that. But here, the article in Breitbart is about, like, your first gun. And getting into that. I get it. But what I’m looking at here is taking this article and talking about, not Page – 5 – of 11 necessarily that it’s your first gun, but looking at guns that meet the criteria under New Jersey law, that are effective for carry, that can get you the concealability. And yeah, you know, they’re bigger revolvers that can fire even more powerful, so that you can bump up easier to a .357. You get a four inch barrel or a six inch barrel revolver and have a full size frame. Really be able to put some powerful loads, get some great target shooting and great experience. There’s something to be said for that. But when it comes to carry, we’re looking for the concealability and the stopping power. We’re looking for the ability to conform to New Jersey law and remain discrete. Evan Nappen 16:44 One of the other guns that I would like to talk about that is not mentioned in the article, but one that I happen to particularly like, is the Shadow Systems CR920 Elite. (https://shadowsystemscorp.com/cr920/) So, if you haven’t seen a Shadow System CR920, that gun is pricier, for sure. But it is really a great gun, and it is nine millimeters well as a 10-round mag. So, it fits the bill for New Jersey. They have a lot of features on it that kind of make it a highly upgraded Glock 43X to be honest. It’s very similar in the size. In fact, the holsters that would take a Glock 43X will actually work perfectly with a with the Shadow System CR920. So, it’s something to consider. If you ever had a chance to shoot shadow systems, you’ll know what I’m talking about. It is definitely a bit of an upgrade and a gun that I personally like, but all these guns will be able to serve you well and be able to protect you and your loved ones. Evan Nappen 18:03 And you can know that you can carry them lawfully under New Jersey law with your permit to carry. You stay concealed and discreet in your carry and that’s the way we as New Jersey gun carriers need to be. So, this is something to consider when talking about guns that you carry. And again, there are so many other great handguns, great calibers. None of this is saying that any of these are any better than anybody else’s. You have to look at your needs and what you want, what your budget and what you can afford. But stick to the key principles. That is that you practice, that you shoot it well, that you exercise safety, that you know the laws, that you stick to being discrete, discretion is key in New Jersey. So that you don’t end up having to call me, even though you are 100% innocent, but now we have to deal with the legal situation. You’re best bet is to do what I’m saying. Be discreet and protect yourself in that manner. Hey, let me. Teddy Nappen 18:05 Or have them all put in for the CMP, and you can carry a piece of history with yourself. Evan Nappen 18:49 Yeah, right. Well, if you want to get a nice 1911. We’re definitely upping the game here. And nothing wrong with carrying the 1911, but it is definitely a much larger firearm and very powerful, very reliable. I love my 1911. Who doesn’t? But, you know, this is a different way of thinking when it’s coming to protecting yourself. And of course, you still can max out to the 10 rounds easily with this in a compact package. So, that’s what makes these nice. Page – 6 – of 11 Evan Nappen 19:13 If you want to check out any of these guns and you want to get your practice and your training and even your certifications, well, we know no place better than WeShoot. WeShoot is a gun range in Lakewood. That’s where Teddy and I shoot, and we got our certification. They have guns there that you can try. They’ll be able to set you up with your perfect concealed carry gun and get you the training. Help you get your license as well by getting the qualifications that you need. And this is also part of the package. So, when you want to become a defender and stay a defender, you need to have the training. You need to have a place to practice, a place to shoot. And WeShoot does that very thing. They’re an indoor range in Lakewood, conveniently off the Parkway. A great place right there in Central New Jersey. So you want to check out WeShoot at weshootusa.com. Go to their website. They will absolutely be able to set you up perfectly with a firearm that meets your needs, especially in this environment where we are at war with the number one sponsor of terror. Evan Nappen 20:50 And, folks, I would find it hard to believe that they have not preempted our ability to defend ourselves by having sleeper cells and other agents that are in our country that we should expect will be looking to wreak havoc and chaos. And, you know, this was done under the, with the eyes closed of the Biden administration, primarily. President Trump for trying to clean up that, that mess that allowed that to happen, and he’s currently engaged in changing the world, changing the world where we can make such a huge difference. And it’s finally President. You know, I’ve been, as many of you have lived through 47 years of Iranian Islamic fundamentalism, terror, and all the things that it brought upon us. And it may finally, finally, be coming to an end. But it isn’t over yet, and it may very well come down to your ability and my ability, our ability, to defend ourselves right here at home. And luckily, the expansion of our ability to carry because of Bruen and forcing the issuance of carry permits, gives us this opportunity to be able to do something that, you know, half a dozen years ago, we would not have even been able to do in New Jersey. And that’s carry to protect ourselves in the face of a national security threat to our homeland. So, take advantage of that and check out weshootusa.com for your firearm needs. Evan Nappen 21:12 Let me also mention our good friends at the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs. They are the state affiliate of the NRA. They are the folks fighting for our rights in Trenton and in the courts. Hopefully they’ll get that magazine ban finally overturned. We’re looking cautiously optimistic at that. So we’ll be able to actually have guns to carry more than 10 rounds. When that happens, we’ll be able to buy larger capacity magazines for our highly concealable nines that we’re currently carrying, and that will give us even more ability to defend ourselves and our loved ones and our in our country, for that matter. So the Association is hard at work. Go to anjrpc.org so you can join and be part of the solution. You’ll get email alerts. You’ll be told what shenanigans are going on down in Trenton and what case law changes are taking place. So, check out anjrpc.org, the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs. Evan Nappen 24:28 And while you’re at it, make sure you pick up a copy of my book, New Jersey Gun Law. It’s the bible of New Jersey gun law. It’s over 500 pages, 120 topics, all question and answer. Make sure you have a Page – 7 – of 11 copy of that book so you can keep your gun rights and not end up in jail and turned into what I call a law-abiding criminals because of New Jersey’s insanity of gun laws. I tried to create this very user-friendly manual. Go to EvanNappen.com, EvanNappen.com, and pick up your copy today. Teddy, what do you have to share with us today in Press Checks? Teddy Nappen 25:09 Well, as you know, Press Checks are always free and well, we can all see right now that Trump’s Operation Epic Fury is going well. It’s already met multiple of the objectives and frankly, the level of damage that we have just taken out the entire Iranian Navy and the multiple sites they have hit and taking out not only the Ayatollah, the Ayatollah’s successor, who was there for seven minutes. You know, just here’s your hat, and he’s gone. And then the successor’s successor. It’s just, their leadership has been toppled. And this really sets the tone and level and power that the U.S. has. And all it took was having someone actually with the will to act. So, just going off of that, I was scrolling through AmmoLand, and I saw a very interesting article that made a good point. And this is by they just said the AmmoLand Staff. “Iran’s Power Vacuum Highlights the Importance of an Armed Citizenry”. (https://www.ammoland.com/2026/03/irans-power-vacuum-highlights-the-importance-of-an-armed-citizenry/) Teddy Nappen 26:28 So, they were referencing from the Citizens Committee for Right to Keep and Bear Arms, where they put out a press release talking about how the Iranian people’s lack of the most important safeguard of liberty that the Americans possess, the right to keep and bear arms. The Chairman of the group, Alan Gottlieb, says that Iran does not have the equivalent of our sacred Second Amendment. The Iranian people need it bad. And highlighting to what the Founding Fathers believed were the Second Amendment is the safeguard to a tyrannical rule. Everyone can agree that Iran was a tyrannical rule. It was a theocracy ran by radical, crazy clerics. You know that, and I just love every time the Left. You know the hands off Iran, Free Maduro like that. It just shows you the level of disingenuousness from the part from that party. Teddy Nappen 27:30 But just to highlight the fact, for those of you who may be living under a rock, the Iran regime has ruled for more than four decades with authoritarianism. Suppressing dissidents, jailing critics, killing them also, and slaughtering protesters. They actually were importing in Iraqi militia groups to just start gunning down protesters after Trump had taken out the, and as the protests were breaking out in Iran, prior to Epic Fury. So, as was also stated, the symbol and freedom in our nation, the symbol and freedom in a nation of slaves is the gun. Because it enshrines the ability for the people to keep the Government in check. Again, I always hear the stupid Leftist argument like, oh yeah, you really think your Second Amendment is going to help you against the F15s or the United States military? Give me a break. Every single one of us who are able to carry, it would be one of the largest standing armies in our country. Teddy Nappen 28:38 And also, I love how they make that argument. And also say, you know, an unarmed group of protesters about to overthrow the Government. So, you know. But, you know, they keep referencing Page – 8 – of 11 January 6, like it’s Chris, like it’s a Christmas holiday. But the point being is that the Second Amendment keeps these things in check. Because right now, that was the whole push, was to have the people rise up against their oppressors. Imagine what would have happened if all the Iranian people actually had access to firearms? I actually pulled the laws. So, I went and see like, okay, what was it? What was it like? What were the ways of getting people to, if you wanted to buy a gun and you were an Iranian citizen in Iran, what would you do? And it seems they’ve modeled themselves off of New Jersey. You have to obtain a gun license in Iran, and it involves several steps, including a background check, psychological examination, and firearm safety course. You have to apply for your gun permit at your local police station. They have to do criminal record, military service status, complete a psychological evaluation to ensure mental stability, taking a firearm safety course and passing a written practical exam, pay your fees, of course, and wait to be approved. So, if you do everything else, you have to be approved by higher authorities, which could take several months. Evan Nappen 30:03 It isn’t that far from what New Jersey actually requires. Jersey is virtually the Iranian totalitarian state of gun laws. Teddy Nappen 30:17 Yeah, and also, it is illegal to possess a firearm without the proper licensing, which is punishable by imprisonment and fines. Carrying a firearm without a license is punishable up to three years in prison. Evan Nappen 30:31 Wait. Only three years? In New Jersey, you can go for 10 years. So, they’re actually a little more reasonable in Iran than in New Jersey. Teddy Nappen 30:42 Yeah. And also, this is something that people need to remember. We are a nation of firearms. Firearms are enshrined in our culture. They cannot take that away, as much as the Left tries to propagandize us out of it. To give you a perspective. In Iran, this is cited from gunpolicy.org. In 2017 it was about 3.5 firearms per 100 residents, as opposed to in 2017 there are 120 firearms per 100 residents in the United States. And that was in 2017. So, imagine actually having the accessibility for firearms, actually having the ability to rise up if you ever needed to. That’s why you have all the Leftists right now flocking the gun shops, trying to buy firearms. Evan Nappen 31:30 Well, the latest, the latest numbers, we have over 500 million privately owned firearms in America. Yep, over 500 million. Teddy Nappen 31:42 We have to get those numbers up. Evan Nappen 31:43 I agree. Page – 9 – of 11 Teddy Nappen 31:44 Yes. Evan Nappen 31:44 Let’s hit that 1 billion mark. Let’s work on it, folks. Teddy Nappen 31:47 This isn’t and also this isn’t a vacuum. When you look at other dictatorships, this is the first step. This is what they do. You have to disarm the populace because they do not want any rising up, any resistance groups or militias, when you’re being an authoritarian regime. And cut to another one of Trump’s highlights of Venezuela. What did you, under the Venezuelan Government, another authoritarian regime, where they also made it nearly impossible to get firearms. Where you could apply for a license to the Venezuelan armed forces. Of course, you need a background check, training requirements, inspections. But here’s the kicker. In 2012 the Venezuelan Government suspends all legal firearm sales to private citizens. Evan Nappen 32:39 Hmm. Why would they do that? Teddy Nappen 32:41 Yeah, I wonder why? Oh, in their words, combating criminal organizations and preventing weapons from falling into the wrong hands. Evan Nappen 32:53 It wouldn’t happen to do with who was in power politically at that time? Teddy Nappen 32:58 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Former leader Maduro, no, guar, no, guar. Yeah. And also, they try to make like, there’s no explicit law banning firearm ownership, just a suspension on firearms of private citizens. I know they’re so reasonable. Oh, and they are required to register all their firearms with the Government. Oh, hmmm. I wonder why? It’s the, it’s the disingenuousness on the Left for why the Second Amendment is so important. Evan Nappen 33:37 Well, let’s answer that question for folks. And that’s because the Registration leads to the Confiscation, and that’s what registration is all about. Why do we fight registration? Because it is a step toward confiscation. Then after confiscation comes the political reality of a extermination. We’ve seen every major Holocaust preceded by these very steps when it comes to private ownership of firearms. Teddy Nappen 34:09 Yeah, and cut to any of the European countries that have just disarmed themselves. Cut to the United Kingdom, with their rapes going from 12,000 a year to 70,000 a year. Page – 10 – of 11 Evan Nappen 34:20 I mean, there’s a reason we did lend lease, and reason why they put ads in the American riflemen to please send guns to England. They even disarm themselves in the face of having to face a Nazi terror. And here, they don’t learn. They don’t learn from their prior mistakes. They continuously repeat them. Evan Nappen 34:40 Well, when they were good and ready, they were done with Winston Churchill, and they said, oh, we don’t need you anymore. That’s how it always goes. And then when things come around, they’re going to need a Churchill. And maybe, just maybe, they might learn their lesson this time. But for now, the Left, gun control will forever be the losing argument on the Left. That is a fact. They will occasionally jump out whenever there’s a mass shooting, but in this point in time, that issue is effectively won on our side. We have to be vigilant, though. Because they always try to sneak things in and go off the, unfortunately, the emotional side of our country, who just do not think logically and actually apply and try to think, oh, what would happen if we take away all these firearms? Is this actually going to solve the problem? Evan Nappen 35:37 Well, in Iran, it’s a shame that people aren’t armed, because they’d be able to take action now, especially with the efforts that the U.S. has already done to their infrastructure, militarily and politically. Right? Teddy Nappen 35:58 I want the CIA to do the, you know, the black book, and just start dropping them, like the leaflets. The ways how to like, to make the gun out of the soup can. Evan Nappen 36:10 Right. Yeah. Teddy Nappen 36:12 Or the traps you could make where it was literally, like, what is it like us use like you make a bomb out of like piss and aspirin. Evan Nappen 36:23 Hmmm. True. Well, Teddy, I want to talk about our very important segment of GOFU. GOFU is the Gun Owner Fuck Up. And the reason we talk about this is it’s expensive lessons that others have endured, that you get to learn very reasonably. You get to learn it for free from Gun Lawyer radio. So, this week, I want to talk about, and these are actual cases that come through our office that we see all the time. This has to do with lost or stolen firearm in New Jersey. You need to know that New Jersey has a law that if your firearm is lost or stolen, okay? Lost or stolen. You must report it to local law enforcement within 36 hours. So, you have a 36 hour window to report a lost or stolen firearm. You must report it to the chief law enforcement officer of the municipality where the theft occurred. Or if there’s no local police, to the State Police. Page – 11 – of 11 Evan Nappen 37:40 Now, once you report a gun as stolen or lost, there can be further ramifications on you. And I want to talk about the ramifications if you fail to report it. Let’s keep this in mind. If you fail to report a stolen gun, it is a civil penalty of $500 for the first offense. So, it is technically not a crime. It’s not necessarily. It’s quasi criminal for failing to report the stolen firearm. It’s a civil penalty of $500 for the first offense and $1000 for subsequent offenses. So, your failure to report puts you in that category. It’s not as if there is a potential jail sentence if you fail to report. Now, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t report, necessarily, but I’m telling you what the actual penalty is. So, what happens when you report? When you report, you need to provide the make and model and serial number. Evan Nappen 38:42 But then we see ramifications from the reporting where then they may try to move, they being the Government, to take your gun licenses. Revoke your carry permit, revoke your firearms ID card, because they try to then claim that you fall under the category of Public Health, Safety, and Welfare as a danger or problem under that category. And that is it because you didn’t exercise proper care and had your gun stolen, which is, of course, how can, you know, the actions of a third party, being the thief, end up taking not just your gun but your gun rights? But New Jersey never misses an opportunity to do that. So, you need to keep in mind that even though the law requires a reporting, you may end up, from the reporting, having to have a battle over keeping your firearm license. Evan Nappen 39:38 If this happens to you, where you believe a gun is lost or stolen, the best thing to do is call an attorney right away and work through the very specific issues that may be present in your case. How it got stolen, how it gets reported as stolen, if you choose to report it as stolen. These are all issues that you want to have attorney / client confidentiality and discuss, because there can be escalation, and there can be ramifications. Then if there’s a failure to report, of course, and the gun comes up used in a crime, what are the implications from that? There’s a whole array of issues that need to be considered if you are dealing with a lost or stolen firearm. Evan Nappen 40:28 This is Evan Nappen and Teddy Nappen reminding you that gun laws don’t protect honest citizens from criminals. They protect criminals from honest citizens. Speaker 3 40:38 Gun Lawyer is a CounterThink Media production. The music used in this broadcast was managed by Cosmo Music, New York, New York. Reach us by emailing Evan@gun.lawyer. The information and opinions in this broadcast do not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your state. Downloadable PDF TranscriptGun Lawyer S5 E280_Transcript About The HostEvan Nappen, Esq.Known as “America's Gun Lawyer,” Evan Nappen is above all a tireless defender of justice. Author of eight bestselling books and countless articles on firearms, knives, and weapons history and the law, a certified Firearms Instructor, and avid weapons collector and historian with a vast collection that spans almost five decades — it's no wonder he's become the trusted, go-to expert for local, industry and national media outlets. Regularly called on by radio, television and online news media for his commentary and expertise on breaking news Evan has appeared countless shows including Fox News – Judge Jeanine, CNN – Lou Dobbs, Court TV, Real Talk on WOR, It's Your Call with Lyn Doyle, Tom Gresham's Gun Talk, and Cam & Company/NRA News. As a creative arts consultant, he also lends his weapons law and historical expertise to an elite, discerning cadre of movie and television producers and directors, and novelists. He also provides expert testimony and consultations for defense attorneys across America. Email Evan Your Comments and Questions  talkback@gun.lawyer Join Evan's InnerCircleHere's your chance to join an elite group of the Savviest gun and knife owners in America.  Membership is totally FREE and Strictly CONFIDENTIAL.  Just enter your email to start receiving insider news, tips, and other valuable membership benefits.   Email (required) *First Name *Select list(s) to subscribe toInnerCircle Membership Yes, I would like to receive emails from Gun Lawyer Podcast. (You can unsubscribe anytime)Constant Contact Use. Please leave this field blank.var ajaxurl = "https://gun.lawyer/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php";

Colin Gray guilty. All counts. Second-degree murder. Less than two hours of deliberation.The Colin Gray conviction makes him the first parent in Georgia history found guilty of murder for a school shooting committed by his child. Four people died at Apalachee High School—two teachers and two students—and the jury determined Colin Gray "gave him the detonator."The FBI warned Colin Gray in 2023 after his son made online threats to shoot up a school. Seven months later, Colin Gray bought the fourteen-year-old an AR-15 for Christmas. No gun safe. No trigger lock. The rifle stayed in Colt's bedroom next to images of Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz. Colin Gray testified he thought it was "the guy from Green Day."His own family destroyed his defense. His daughter said he asked her to lie for investigators. His estranged wife testified she begged him to lock up the weapons. Text messages showed Colt warning his father weeks before the shooting: "Whenever something happens just know the blood is on your hands."The morning Colt Gray walked into Apalachee High School, he sent goodbye texts. Colin Gray read them. He didn't call the school. Didn't leave work immediately. Stopped at QuikTrip on the way home while four people lay dead.Colin Gray took the stand alone—his only defense witness. He cried. He claimed he never saw the evil coming. The jury found him guilty on all 29 counts in under two hours.Criminal defense attorney Bob Motta examines whether this verdict sets a new legal standard for parental accountability or remains an outlier driven by extreme facts. The Crumbleys got manslaughter. Colin Gray got murder. Something shifted.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#ColinGrayGuiltyVerdict #ColinGrayMurder #ApalacheeShooting #ColinGrayTrial #ColtGrayFather #SchoolShootingAccountability #GeorgiaMurderConviction #ParentConvicted #BobMottaAnalysis #HiddenKillersPod

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260308dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 True, Lasting Peace Amidst the struggles and hassles of our lives, there is a longing for true, lasting peace. If only there could be the peace that existed in the Garden of Eden. Our first parents lived in perfect harmony with God. They were his friends. And out of that peaceful relationship flowed a warm relationship with one another. The tragedy of sin was that it shattered both the peace between God and people and the peace among people. Quickly after the fall into sin, we see the rise of doubts and fears and hostility, which people directed both toward God and toward one another. True, lasting peace was lost. It's not hard to point to examples in our lives that demonstrate the truth of this: the envy in our hearts, the lust of our eyes, and the hurt that we cause by wayward words and selfish actions. For all these sins and the many more we do, we truly deserve God's eternal wrath and the pronouncement of his condemnation. Yet the remarkable thing is that God loves us, and he demonstrated his one-of-a-kind love by reestablishing peace between himself and his sinful, rebellious world of people. Listen to the words again: “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Every teaching of Scripture rests upon this truth. Though all people are undeserving sinners, Christ sacrificed himself in their place to win peace between God and us. Peace was reestablished through the death of Jesus Christ for “the punishment that brought us peace was upon him” (Isaiah 53:5). God’s righteous wrath against sin was directed at Jesus, and he paid the deadly price for sin with his own precious blood and his innocent sufferings and death. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). Prayer: O Jesus, by humbling yourself and dying for me, you rescued sinners from the condemnation I deserved. Comfort me with the true, lasting peace which comes from knowing and believing that you are my precious Savior. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Fluent Fiction - Danish: Farmyard Frenzy: Lessons in Collaboration Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/da/episode/2026-03-08-07-38-19-da Story Transcript:Da: Under den klare forårssol stod Mikkel på stien, der førte til gården.En: Under the clear spring sun, Mikkel stood on the path leading to the farm.Da: Han åndede dybt ind og kunne lugte friske blomster og nypløjet jord.En: He took a deep breath and could smell fresh flowers and freshly plowed earth.Da: Det var i dag, han ville vise alle, hvor meget han vidste om landbrug.En: Today was the day he would show everyone how much he knew about farming.Da: Hans bedste ven, Freja, gik ved siden af ham, mens klassen traskede hen mod Kaspergården.En: His best friend, Freja, walked beside him as the class trudged towards Kaspergården.Da: De nåede indgangen, hvor Kasper, den garvede landmand, ventede på dem.En: They reached the entrance, where Kasper, the seasoned farmer, awaited them.Da: "Velkommen til min gård," sagde han med en stemme, der var lige så robust som hans håndtryk.En: "Welcome to my farm," he said with a voice as robust as his handshake.Da: Mikkel kiggede rundt med julelys i øjnene.En: Mikkel looked around with eyes like Christmas lights.Da: Han havde læst om kvæg, maskiner og afgrøder, og nu ville han bevise det.En: He had read about livestock, machinery, and crops, and now he wanted to prove it.Da: "Ved du, hvad det er?"En: "Do you know what that is?"Da: spurgte han højt og pegede på en stor, rød traktor, da de gik forbi markerne.En: he asked loudly, pointing at a large, red tractor as they passed by the fields.Da: "Måske kan du forklare det for mig?"En: "Maybe you can explain it to me?"Da: svarede Kasper med et listigt smil, hvilket fik Mikkel til at blive lidt rød i kinderne.En: replied Kasper with a sly smile, making Mikkel blush a little.Da: Freja stoppede ved dyreindhegningen fyldt med får og geder.En: Freja stopped by the animal pen filled with sheep and goats.Da: "Se, de er søde," sagde hun, mens hun vinkede til en lille, uldet ged, der nysgerrigt kiggede tilbage.En: "Look, they're cute," she said, waving to a small, woolly goat that curiously glanced back.Da: Mikkel, der ønskede at forstå det hele, fulgte sine venner og begyndte at hjælpe Kasper med at fodre dyrene.En: Mikkel, wanting to understand everything, followed his friends and began to help Kasper feed the animals.Da: Men snart stod han overfor sin udfordring - den høfeber, han altid havde nægtet at anerkende, snurrede i næsen.En: But soon he faced his challenge – the hay fever he had always refused to acknowledge, tickled his nose.Da: Han nøs højlydt og skræmte en flok høns, som pludselig flaksede rundt, deres fjer flagrende i luften.En: He sneezed loudly and startled a flock of hens, which suddenly fluttered around, their feathers floating in the air.Da: "For pokker, Mikkel!"En: "For heaven's sake, Mikkel!"Da: råbte Kasper, da hønsene vrimlede ud af deres hegn.En: shouted Kasper as the hens swarmed out of their pen.Da: Panikken bredte sig i gårdspladsen.En: Panic spread in the farmyard.Da: Mikkel stod paralyseret, indtil Frejas hånd trak i hans arm.En: Mikkel stood paralyzed until Freja's hand pulled at his arm.Da: "Kom nu!En: "Come on!Da: Vi skal hjælpe!"En: We have to help!"Da: sagde hun ivrigt.En: she said eagerly.Da: Sammen begyndte de at samle hønsene igen.En: Together, they began to gather the hens again.Da: Mikkel, nu ydmyg og beslutsom, arbejdede hånd i hånd med Freja og Kasper.En: Mikkel, now humble and determined, worked hand in hand with Freja and Kasper.Da: De sakkede frem og tilbage, rakte ud efter de forskrækkede fugle og ledte dem tilbage i sikkerhed, frustration og latter i et underligt fællesskab.En: They rushed back and forth, reaching out for the frightened birds and guiding them back to safety, frustration and laughter in an odd fellowship.Da: Da den sidste høne blev sat tilbage i sit bur, klappede Kasper Mikkel på skulderen.En: When the last hen was placed back in its coop, Kasper patted Mikkel on the shoulder.Da: "Godt arbejde, dreng," sagde han med et respektfuldt suk.En: "Good job, boy," he said with a respectful sigh.Da: Mikkel kiggede op på Kasper.En: Mikkel looked up at Kasper.Da: "Jeg troede, jeg vidste alt," indrømmede han.En: "I thought I knew everything," he admitted.Da: "Nogle gange lærer vi mere ved at lytte og arbejde sammen," svarede Kasper med et skævt smil.En: "Sometimes we learn more by listening and working together," replied Kasper with a crooked smile.Da: Deres klassekammerater så til, og nogle af dem klappede.En: Their classmates watched, and some of them clapped.Da: Mikkel følte sig varm indeni.En: Mikkel felt warm inside.Da: Det, han havde opnået i dag, var ikke kun anerkendelse, men en vigtig lærdom i samarbejdets kraft.En: What he had achieved today was not only recognition but an essential lesson in the power of collaboration.Da: Sammen gik de alle tilbage mod bussen, med solen strålende ned over de blomstrende marker, og en ny forståelse for, hvad ægte viden og respekt indebærer.En: Together, they all walked back towards the bus, with the sun shining down on the blooming fields, and a new understanding of what true knowledge and respect entail. Vocabulary Words:path: stiplowed: nypløjettrudged: traskedeseasoned: garvedelivestock: kvægcrops: afgrødersly: listigtpen: dyreindhegninghay fever: høfebersneezed: nøsflutter: flakseparalyzed: paralyseretswarmed: vrimledecoop: burhumble: ydmygdetermined: beslutsomfrustration: frustrationfluttered: flagrendeessence: væsentligblooming: blomstrendeentrance: indgangacknowledge: anerkendeflock: flokstartled: forskrækkedehandshake: håndtrykrubust: robustcuriously: nysgerrigteagerly: ivrighedrespectful: respektfuldlaughter: latter

If the NFL Draft is like Christmas for teams around the league getting shiny new toys, then NFL Free Agency is like a high end garage sale. When you have a garage sell, sometimes you have to let go of things. It's Friday night tap-in with the “Homies” as we talk about AFC North players relocating in 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trolls in Scandinavian folklore can be a little different from what’s imagined in the rest of the world.  We begin our show with a montage of clips from recent movies, Trollhunter (2010), Troll (2022), and Troll 2 (2025) — the latter two being Netflix productions that have rekindled interest in the subject while reimagining trollsin a way that does not always conform to the folklore. While all Scandinavian countries have their share of troll lore, this episode focuses specifically on Norway, the country with the most compelling collection of troll folklore. The first portion of our show looks at the Norwegian writer Henrik Ibsen’s play along with  incidental music composed for the play by his associate Edvard Grieg. Introducing this topic is a clip from the 1970 musical Song of Norway, a fanciful Edvard Grieg biopic that garnered particularly bad reviews.  We learn a bit about why Grieg hated his well-known “Hall of the Mountain King,” a composition which accompanies Peer Gynt’s encounter with trolls inside a mountain in the Dovre mountain chain. We also learn what Ibsen hoped to achieve in telling the story of his antihero Peer Gynt, and how he wrestled with the movement known in Norway as Romantic Nationalism. Next we look at two figures integral to this movement, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe, a pair of folktale collectors often described as the “Brothers Grimm of Norway.”  Their 1841 publication, Norwegian Folk-Tales, along with updated volumes published in 1844, 1845, and  1871, provide most all the troll tales with examine in this episode. An exception to this is a book authored by Asbjørnsen alone, High Mountain Scenes, volume 2, Reindeer Hunt at Rondane. Published sometime before 1846, it’s the only volume referencing tales told about Peer Gynt, those being very loosely represented in Ibsen’s play. Asbjørnsen & Moe’s “Norwegian Folk Tales” The first of these we retell concerns a creature known as “the Bøyg,” something referred to as a type of troll in the story is described more  as a giant serpent of sorts. We follow this with more Peer Gynt episodes involving male trolls flirting with human females and a troll poking his enormous nose through a cabin window and suffering the consequences inflicted by Gynt.  The final story, “The Cat on the Dovre-Mountain,” takes place at Christmas, a time when troll encounters are particularly prevalent, and involves Gynt outsmarting a group of bothersome trolls via a peculiar stratagem. Next, we run through some lesser-known details of the best-known troll tale “The Three Billygoats Gruff.”  We follow this with another well-known (in Norway) story, “The Boy Who Had an Eating Match with a Troll.” It involves a youth outwitting a troll with a particularly gruesome ruse It was familiar enough to Norwegian audiences to be referenced in Trollhunter. Next we look at a character Askeladden, who is pitted against trolls in several of Asbjørnsen & Moe's stories.  He’s usually describing the good-for-nothing youngest brother of a trio, an underdog who surprisingly achieves great things. His name (literally “ash lad”) referenes his stay-at home habits, in particular, sitting by the hearth playing in the ashes. We learn of several characters with related names and habits in Scandinavian literature and a more insultingly rude nickname for such characters, one which Asbjørnsen & Moe chose to censor from their stories. Theodor Kittlesen, “Troll Pondering How Old iIt Is” (1911) Our next troll tale, “The Lads who Met the Trolls in the Hedale Woods,” gives us particularly monstrous trio of trolls sharing a single eyeball.  While this is atypical, we also encounter here the common trope of trolls sniffing the air for “Christian blood,” a suggestion that their kind of an older pre-Christian order.  A reference to trolls using magic is also contained in this story, something we’ll run into in other tales. We then hear some clips from a couple of Asbjørnsen & Moe-inspired films, the 2017 Norwegian film Ash Lad: In the Hall of the Mountain King and its 2019 follow-up, The Ash Lad: In Search of the Golden Castle.  The “Golden Castle” in Norwegian film title and  the title  of the relevant Asbjørnsen & Moe story is “Soria Moria Castle.” This one also features trolls, but in a peripheral role.  It’s a longer legend quest rather than a short folk tale in which we encounter three multi-headed trolls holding human women captive in three different castles. Our last story, “The Hen is Trips in the Mountain,” takes its  weird title from a strange phrase uttered to open a door into a mountain, like “Open Sesame.” When a young woman enters theis particular mountain looking for a lost hen, she meets an unpleasant end, as does her younger sister, but when the youngest of the three enters, she manages not to repeat the mistakes of her two siblings and later discovers that trolls can explode when touched by the first rays of dawn (as well as turning to stone, another common folklore trope). We wrap up the show with some interesting stats regarding the fascination trolls exert over the heavy metal subculture. Theodor Kittlesen, “Mountain Troll” (1887)    

A Match.com message. A Facebook Live wedding during COVID. A zero sperm count diagnosis. And then — twin boys. Gregory and Jennifer File's path to parenthood was anything but conventional, but they'll tell you every detour was part of God's plan. In this episode of the Embryo Adoption Podcast, hear how embryo adoption gave them the family they'd always prayed for. 

Every day's a school day on The Kickabout. Today we learned that the badminton net is the Christmas tree lights of sports equipment, and that you can take the darts out of the pub but you can't take the pub out of the darts.There's also an all important Tyre Talk from "Graeme Tash" and "Jez Markem". Plus, we speak to Mr Six Nations himself, John Inverdale, mainly about transport links ahead of this weekend's big games.You can hear The Kickabout live on Radio X from 11am every Saturday. Get in touch on kickabout@radiox.co.uk

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260307dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” Genesis 12:1-2 Making a Name for Yourself More than one has dreamed of it. Some have been lured by its promise. Others have cursed its lack of fulfillment. We call it many different things: “making it,” “success,” “winning.” Striving for it is as American as Mom and apple pie. It all comes down to making a name for yourself. People have gone about it in different ways, from getting an advanced degree to destroying personal relationships. “How much do you want it?” seems to be the strategy of success. Abram was already a success in the eyes of the world. He was married and wealthy. Then God changed everything. God promised Abram even more. God promised Abram a name so great that generations would remember it. Abram believed God’s promise, left his home, and went to a land he had never been to before. God makes a promise to you, too. His promise is that your name will be great—maybe not here on this earth, but certainly in the roles of heaven. God will make your name great, too. How much do you want it? Believe in Jesus. Abram did. That’s the way God marks success. Prayer: Savior, may your promises fill my heart with eager anticipation to see your glory forever in heaven. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Brendan talks about the movies he watched in the last six months that weren't horror movies or Christmas movies. Join us, won't you?Mickey 17 (2025)Mickey 7 discussionParanoiaThe Woman in Cabin 10 (2025)Rear Window (2022)John Candy: I Like Me (2025)Margin Call (2011)Ponzi Scheme (2015)Spotlight (2015)Watergate (2019)The Life of Chuck (2024)Holding On: The Troubled Life of Billy Kerr (2018)Labyrinth (1986)Jim Henson's Labyrinth: The Board Game (2016)Notting Hill (1999), Sleepless in Seattle (1993)Fog of Love (2017)Rental Family (2025)Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall (2020)The Hobby: Tales from the Tabletop (2024)An Honest Liar (2014)What films did you watch in the last six months? Share your views over on boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

••• Overcoming Stress, Ep 419b . ••• Bible Study Verses: 1 Kings 19.1-18, Mark 6.31, Luke 2.52, Luke 15.18 . ••• Part-A Bible Verses: Psalm 23, John 6.35, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Psalms 118:5-6 . ••• “To be a true minister to men is always to accept new happiness and new distress. The man who gives himself to other men can never be a wholly sad man; but no more can he be a man of unclouded gladness. To him shall come with every deeper consecration a before untasted joy, but in the same cup shall be mixed a sorrow that it was beyond his power to feel before”, Phillips Brooks, 1835-1893, The Influence of Jesus, H.R. Allenson, 1875, pg191 † ••• "Difficulties and obstacles are God's challenges to faith. When hindrances confront us in the path of duty, we are to recognize them as vessels for faith to fill with the fullness and all-sufficiency of Jesus" A.B. Simpson †† ••• “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” Philippians 4.6-7, NKJV . ••• How does a 15-minute power nap affect one's stress levels? ••• What were 5-things that helped pull Elijah out of despair? ••• What is the “activation energy”? ••• How does receiving a touch from Our Creator affect stress in our lives? ••• What are 4-components of the healing process to regain full strength and vitality after experiencing extreme stress? ••• Are you going to ask your small group to pray that you will be more intentional about reducing unnecessary stress in your life through Godly wisdom & the power of Holy Spirit? Part-A Bible Study Questions: ••• What are 5-reasons why Elijah got so stress out that he wanted God to take his life? ••• How did Elijah get from being the bold and confident prophet to being a stressed out prophet on the run? ••• What are 7-negative consequences of being stressed out? ••• What were 5-life actions in Elijah's life that pulled him out of despair? ••• What is a reason for people to eat the wrong things? ••• What is the ‘Bread of Life'? ••• Pastor Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounter Radio Podcast originally aired on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcast to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible.••• This Discipleship Teaching Podcast is a listener supported production by all the beloved of God who believe in its mission through prayer and support. Thank you . ••• Broadcaster's Website - https://www.lifelonganointing.com/ .••• Exceeding Thanks to Universe Creator Christ Jesus AND photo by Etty Fidele Photography, Paris France, https://www.fideletty.com/, https://www.instagram.com/fideletty/, https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/FideleEtty, Art Direction by gil on his mac with free mac layout software . ••• † https://gracequotes.org/author-quote/phillips-brooks/ , Phillips Brooks was an American clergyman and author, in 1877 he published a course of lectures about preaching, which he had delivered at the theological school of Yale University, & which are an expression of his own experience. He is best known for authoring the Christmas carol "O Little Town of Bethlehem" . ••• †† http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/A.B.-Simpson-Quotes/ .••• SHARING LINK: https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/ep419b-winning-the-battle-of-for-the-mind-pt3b . ••• Study Guides at - https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/episodes . ••• RESOURCE: FREE Max Maclean Chronological Audio Bible! https://tinyurl.com/godspeaks777 . ••• RESOURCE - PRAYER@SWRC.COM . ••• RESOURCE - https://www.soundcloud.com/thewaytogod/ . ••• FERP250307 Episode#419b GOT250307 Ep419b . ••• Winning The Battle Of the Mind, Part-3b of 10: Overcoming Stress, Ep 419b . ††† Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fluent Fiction - Danish: Transform Your Space with the Urban Jungle's Green Oasis Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/da/episode/2026-03-07-08-38-19-da Story Transcript:Da: I hjertet af København, hvor byen summer af aktiv liv og travle mennesker, står en oase.En: In the heart of København, where the city buzzes with active life and busy people, there stands an oasis.Da: The Urban Jungle er mere end bare en butik.En: The Urban Jungle is more than just a store.Da: Det er et sted, hvor grønne planter og duften af nybrygget kaffe mødes i en harmonisk symfoni.En: It is a place where green plants and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee meet in a harmonious symphony.Da: Her, på en tidlig forårsdag i marts, søger Lars efter en ny begyndelse.En: Here, on an early spring day in March, Lars seeks a new beginning.Da: Lars er arkitekt med en forkærlighed for naturen.En: Lars is an architect with a fondness for nature.Da: Alligevel føles hans lejlighed tom og livløs.En: Yet, his apartment feels empty and lifeless.Da: Han vil have en plante, som kan bringe foråret ind i hans hjem.En: He wants a plant that can bring spring into his home.Da: Luften i The Urban Jungle er mild og fugtig, fyldt med lyset fra de store vinduer.En: The air in The Urban Jungle is mild and humid, filled with light from the large windows.Da: Indgangen byder på et væld af planter, der står som et grønt tæppe.En: The entrance offers a plethora of plants standing like a green carpet.Da: Sofie, butikens hjælpsomme assistent, hilser på Lars med et varmt smil.En: Sofie, the store's helpful assistant, greets Lars with a warm smile.Da: Hun kan se hans tøven, mens han går rundt blandt de mange planter.En: She can see his hesitation as he walks among the many plants.Da: "Hej, kan jeg hjælpe?"En: "Hi, can I help you?"Da: spørger hun venligt.En: she asks kindly.Da: "Ja," svarer Lars lidt usikker.En: "Yes," Lars replies a bit uncertainly.Da: "Jeg leder efter en plante, der kan lyse min stue op, men jeg er lidt i tvivl om, hvilken jeg skal vælge."En: "I'm looking for a plant that can brighten up my living room, but I'm a little unsure which one to choose."Da: "Måske kan en fiddle leaf fig være noget for dig?"En: "Maybe a fiddle leaf fig could be something for you?"Da: foreslår Sofie.En: Sofie suggests.Da: Hun peger på den smukke plante med store, grønne blade.En: She points to the beautiful plant with large, green leaves.Da: "Den kræver lidt opmærksomhed, men den kan virkelig forvandle et rum."En: "It requires a bit of attention, but it can really transform a room."Da: Lars tøver.En: Lars hesitates.Da: Han kigger på den stærke, oprejste plante og føler et stik af tvivl.En: He looks at the strong, upright plant and feels a pang of doubt.Da: Hvad nu hvis han ikke kan passe den ordentligt?En: What if he can't take care of it properly?Da: Mikkel, en anden kunde, står i nærheden og lytter med et glimt i øjet.En: Mikkel, another customer, stands nearby and listens with a twinkle in his eye.Da: "Bare rolig, ven," siger han.En: "Don't worry, friend," he says.Da: "Jeg startede med en fiddle leaf fig før jul, og hvis jeg kan klare det, kan du også."En: "I started with a fiddle leaf fig before Christmas, and if I can manage it, you can too."Da: Lars griner.En: Lars laughs.Da: Han føler en varme sprede sig i brystet.En: He feels a warmth spreading in his chest.Da: Med opmuntring fra både Sofie og Mikkel beslutter han sig.En: With encouragement from both Sofie and Mikkel, he makes his decision.Da: "Jeg tager den," siger han beslutsomt.En: "I'll take it," he says decisively.Da: Med planten pakket omhyggeligt går Lars mod kassen.En: With the plant carefully packed, Lars heads to the cash register.Da: Sofie ønsker ham god påske og god fornøjelse med hans nye ven.En: Sofie wishes him a happy Easter and enjoyment with his new friend.Da: Da Lars forlader The Urban Jungle, føler han sig lettere.En: As Lars leaves The Urban Jungle, he feels lighter.Da: Med fiddle leaf fig bringer han ikke kun naturen ind i sit hjem; han bringer også et lille stykke forår og fornyet håb.En: With the fiddle leaf fig, he brings not only nature into his home; he also brings a small piece of spring and renewed hope.Da: Han er klar til at påtage sig ansvaret og se sin lille oase vokse og blomstre lige så stille, akkurat som han selv.En: He is ready to take on the responsibility and see his little oasis grow and bloom quietly, just like himself. Vocabulary Words:oasis: oasearoma: duftenharmonious: harmonisksymphony: symfoniarchitect: arkitektfondness: forkærlighedlifeless: livløsmild: mildhumid: fugtigplethora: vældhesitation: tøvenuncertainly: usikkertransform: forvandleupright: oprejstpang: stikdoubt: tvivltwinkle: glimtencouragement: opmuntringdecisively: beslutsomtregister: kassenEaster: påskeready: klarresponsibility: ansvarbloom: blomstrequietly: lige så stillespring: forårrenewed: fornyettake on: påtage sigcarefully: omhyggeligtleaves: blade

A man from a charity fund, sponsored by the Daily Sentinel, talks with Miss Casey about a list of poor families to help for Christmas. Certain ones who have been…

Episode Title: "Bang Bang A-Boom!" - Season 12 Retrospective & Big Finish Review - Patreon Exclusive #85 SPECIAL MAIN FEED RELEASE - PATREON SHOWCASE DOCTOR WHO THEME MONTAGE: The Tardis Elliot Video: John sent Jim a montage from Tardis Elliot (a fan who makes trailers of Doctor Who episodes) featuring title opening sequences. John's Reasoning: "This is the last, with Tom Baker, the last hurrah for the original version of the Doctor Who theme. After this, we're going to start seeing the variations. I thought, give me a little sneak peek at what's in store for you if you continue on into the new series and all." NO COMIC THIS WEEK: Jim: "What a relief that was. It's terrible for me to say that, but what a relief. It was nice having a break. It really was." SEASON 12 RETROSPECTIVE: SEASON AVERAGES: Jim: 10.2/15 John: 11/15 Overall Average: 10.6/15 Jim: "Some of that is nostalgia for you." John: "Absolutely." SEASON 13 SPOILER CARDS: The Three Cards: Ncuti Gatwa Fembots Classic Movies JIM'S CHOICE PROCESS: "How in the world could I possibly pick? I can pretty quickly eliminate Classic Movies, even though I like classic movies. I'm really intrigued by the other two." Fembots: "I'm not as big of a Bionic Woman fan as you are. I didn't watch it regularly like I did $6 Million Man. I know who the Fembots are and I liked that she had a recurring adversary, that was sort of her Daleks." THE PICK: NCUTI GATWA THE REVEAL: PYRAMIDS OF MARS BIG FINISH: BANG BANG A-BOOM! Release: December 19th, 2002 (their second Christmas episode) Writers: Gareth Roberts & Clayton Hickman Director: Nicholas Pegg Doctor: Sylvester McCoy Companion: Mel THE BASIC PLOT: "Star Trek meets Space 1999 meets Eurovision." The Setup: "The TARDIS lands on Dark Space 8 and finds themselves dealing with a whole bunch of aliens who are on the station because the Doctor is mistaken for the replacement commander for the station." The Backstory: "The TARDIS winds up on a shuttle that's transporting the new commander, but it explodes before it reaches the station. They are beamed onto the station - he and Mel - as the only survivors of it." Beamed vs. Transmitted: "They actually say 'beamed' in this case. They don't use the term transporter though. But I think that term was already being used in science fiction before. It's like blasters. I was naive enough to think that blasters came from Star Wars, but in Foundation by Isaac Asimov, the guns are called blasters." THE ELEMENTS: Space 1999: "The Space 1999 bit is the medical doctor who sounds an awful lot like Barbara Bain. She's going out of her way. She's the one doing medical logs like Bain did in Season 2 of Space 1999. Barbara Bain had a very distinctive voice. This woman seems to be placing that same emphasis on it there." Star Trek: "There's a lot of references to Star Trek. You look and you go 'Oh, now they're referencing this episode. Now they're referencing that episode.'" Eurovision: "They got someone who did a dead-on impression of the guy. For years Eurovision was hosted by a BBC presenter Wogan from Northern Ireland. So they have their version being Logan and he sounds just like him. It was cute." THE INTERGALACTIC SONG CONTEST: "On the station, while he's trying to figure out who tried to kill or not try to but successfully killed the new commander, the Doctor's also got to deal with an intergalactic song contest." JOHN'S VERDICT: Worth It? "It's worth a listen, especially if you are a Star Trek fan. And in my case, I had to laugh at the Eurovision spoofing they did." NEXT TIME: Friday (Patreon): Big Finish's "The Ark" - Jon Lucarotti's original story before it became Ark in Space Saturday (Main Feed): Reissue/release of a Patreon episode - Jon Pertwee Retrospective Monday (Patreon #86): "Primarily we're going to be focusing on the comic strips that were on during the break." The Reality: "It's going to be a mix of stuff from the strip and also a comic from the TV Comic Annual for 1976." "And that is our Big Finish for this show!" Support at patreon.com/thedoctorsbeardpodcast for $3/month - early access, exclusive episodes, and bonus content! Subscribe on all platforms. Email thedoctorsbeardpodcast@gmail.com or join our Facebook community. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #PatreonExclusive #Episode85 #BangBangABoom #Season12Retrospective #TomBaker #FourthDoctor #Robot #ArkInSpace #TheWirrn #GenesisOfTheDaleks #Davros #Nyder #RevengeOfTheCybermen #TheSontaranExperiment #K1 #GiantRobot #SarahJaneSmith #HarrySullivan #HarryIsAnImbecile #BestCompanion #SarahIsntThereYet #ItHappening #Vira #Bettan #MissWinters #PeterMiles #Kettlewell #OutOutBriefCandle #HaveITheRight #JumpRopeScene #PyramidsOfMars #Sutekh #Spoilers #NcutiGatwa #Fembots #ClassicMovies #DoctorWhoTheme #TardisElliot #PeterHowell #NeonLogo #TheBrigadier #BigFinish #SylvesterMcCoy #Mel #SeventhDoctor #GarethRoberts #ClaytonHickman #NicholasPegg #StarTrek #Space1999 #Eurovision #Wogan #BarbaraBain #TheChimesOfMidnight #PaulMcGann #EighthDoctor #Jameson #ListenerMail #UNIT #Assembled #TheChurchAndTheCrown #Erimem #FifthDoctor #Pathfinder #RPG #ExternalHardDrive #TheArc #JonLucarotti #JonPertweeRetrospective #TVComicAnnual #1976 #ClassicWho #Retrospective #BestOf #FunniestMoment #BestMoment #GuestStarDebate #10Point6Average #DoctorWhoPodcast #TheDoctorsBeardPodcast #Whovian #PodcastCommunity #PatreonShowcase

It's Festive Friday and we've got a wild holiday rom-com to discuss today! ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS DECOY A socially awkward man is bribed by his narcissistic best friend to run interference with a woman who won't leave him alone during the holidays. The Christmas Decoy is a rom-com full of mischief, mismatched intentions, and holiday heart. AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR THE CHRISTMAS DECOY August 24, 2025 | Streaming/Rental CAST & CREW OF THE CHRISTMAS DECOY Stephen Fisher as Jeff Wilkins Marguerite Haines as Sophia Wilkins Hope Harvard as Mia Barrett John Allen as Allen Bontrager BRAN'S MOVIE SYNOPSIS We meet Jeff as he jumps out of bed and starts singing Joy to the World. I guess he like owns a hotel and also lives there. He gets a call from someone named Jordan who tells him that she's not coming to help at the hotel this holiday season. Instead, she's sending a girl named Mia...someone who has a massive crush on Jeff since they were kids. The problem is Jeff can't stand Mia. So he's really mad about it so he drives to his buddy Allen's house. He has a request for him - will you work at my hotel for 2 weeks and work alongside her - run interference so I don't have to be around her? He pushes back because he doesn't want to take 2 weeks off of work but ultimately gives in. He starts to like her and they end up going on a date. One date leads to another date which leads to a kiss. Jeff starts getting jealous - he wants her to keep liking him even though he's not interested because he's a psycho. So he texts her to go to a movie and she says sure and then asks if Allen is coming. So he says yes. But at the movie, he tries to hold her hand. She's not interested. She holds Allen's hand instead. The next day, Allen tells Mia the truth about how he was only hired to run interference which makes her mad. He goes after her and tells her he loves her and they kiss. Jeff is forced to move on and says hi to the next girl who walks into the hotel. Who knows what'll happen next. Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtubeInterested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For more than six decades, LARC has quietly served one of the most important missions in Acadiana—supporting individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities and helping them live meaningful, independent lives. On this episode of Discover Lafayette, we sit down with Nicole Harrison, Chief Operating Officer and Interim CEO of LARC, along with Karon Davis, Marketing Director, to learn how this remarkable nonprofit touches hundreds of lives every day. Founded over 60 years ago by parents who wanted better opportunities for their children with disabilities, LARC has grown into a multifaceted organization providing day programs, residential services, community support, and employment opportunities. Today, more than 150 individuals participate in LARC's day program on any given day, building life skills, forming friendships, and engaging in activities that bring meaning and joy to their lives. Nicole Harrison's own journey with LARC began 13 years ago when she started as a Direct Support Worker, working directly with individuals in their homes. A Lafayette native and graduate of Comeaux High School, Nicole says the organization's mission is deeply personal. “LARC is dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to live a meaningful, independent and fulfilling life.” Participants attend weekday programs where they choose activities that match their interests and abilities. The campus features ten different classrooms and activity spaces, including a movie room, music room, recreation room, computer lab, and two bingo rooms—because as Nicole notes, “Everyone loves bingo. So we actually had to convert one of our other rooms into a bingo room. So now we have two bingo rooms.” The day begins with transportation provided by LARC, bringing participants to campus where they check into their “homeroom” before exploring the activities they enjoy most. A hot meal is available through the St. Ann's cafeteria, where individuals can choose among several lunch options before continuing with afternoon activities or relaxing outdoors under the gazebo, often dancing to music and enjoying time with friends. LARC serves individuals across the full spectrum of intellectual disability, from mild to profound, and staff members work with each participant to promote independence through personalized goals. Even small achievements can represent powerful milestones. “Once they complete it at 100%, that’s like a huge milestone for them… it’s a satisfaction for them.” Beyond the day program, LARC also provides community support services, helping individuals who live independently or with family members by assisting with transportation, appointments, and daily living needs. The organization operates ten group homes, including four in Lafayette and six in the Zachary area, where staff provide 24-hour care and support. “We have individuals with mild intellectual disabilities that may hold a job in the community… and others who may need assistance with activities of daily living,” Nicole explained. One of the most visible parts of LARC's mission is its employment programs. The organization partners with local businesses to provide supported jobs for participants. In addition, LARC operates Mardi Gras Beads-N-More, where donated parade beads are sorted and resold. providing both employment and income for the program. “When the parade goers donate their beads back, it provides our individuals with the opportunity for employment. It gives them employment and empowerment and independence because they can earn their own paycheck.” Visitors often encounter LARC's work at Acadian Village, the historic cultural site owned and operated by the organization. The village serves as a major fundraising arm for LARC and hosts weddings, events, tours, and the beloved Noel Acadien au Village Christmas celebration, which draws more than 50,000 visitors each year. Karon Davis explains that Acadian Village exists thanks to community generosity. The land was donated by a local couple raising a niece with special needs, while historic homes were moved to the site to preserve Acadiana's heritage. “At the core of this are parents that back over 60 years ago; the only option they had was to institutionalize their child. They got together, formed a group.” The village now serves as both a cultural destination and a critical source of support for LARC's programs. LARC's Acadian Village offers New Hope Chapel as a wedding venue to help create a magical moment. The New Hope Chapel is a non-denominational facility and a stunning replica of an 1850s Acadian-style church, with seating for up to 95 guests. The Bridal Suite at Acadian Village offers the perfect private space for the bride and her bridal party to relax, laugh, sip champagne, and get dolled up before walking down the aisle. Contact kim@acadianvillage.org or 337-981-2364 opt. 8 to learn more. Pictured: the LeBlanc House One of the popular homes to visit onsite at Acadian Village is the LeBlanc House, built between 1821 and 1856 near Youngsville. The LeBlanc house is the birthplace of Sen. Dudley J. LeBlanc. Cajun politician and entrepreneur. “Couzan Dud” LeBlanc was born on August 16, 1894. In 1924, LeBlanc was elected a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, Public Service Commissioner, and served as State Senator from 1940 to 1944, 1948 to 1952, and in 1964. In 1945 he established the Happy Day Company, which manufactured the popular Hadacol brand health tonic; with 12 percent alcohol, it guaranteed to cure all ills. LeBlanc promoted Hadacol extensively, sometimes using major entertainers as spokespersons. An active Cajun culture preservationist, LeBlanc served as president of the Association of Louisiana Acadians, and in the late 1960s helped to establish CODOFIL (Council for the Development of French in Louisiana). He authored three books: The True Story of the Acadians (1927); The Improved Version (1932); and The Acadian Miracle (1966, a revised and expanded version of his first book). LeBlanc appealed to political supporters via radio in Cajun French, at a time when Cajun French was rarely heard on radio. He died on October 22, 1971, and was buried in Abbeville. The LeBlanc exhibit contains memorabilia from the life and times of “Couzan Dud.” Throughout the conversation, Nicole and Karon emphasize that the organization is sustained not only by staff but also by volunteers, donors, and the broader community. LARC welcomes donations of art supplies, office materials, clothing, and even cardboard for creative classroom projects. Volunteers also help with gardening, events, and special activities for participants. Nicole says the most rewarding part of her work is advocating for the people LARC serves. “The most fulfilling part of what I do is being an advocate for them, because when they can't speak or defend themselves, I can.” Karon Davis echoes the deep sense of purpose that motivates everyone involved with the organization: “As a parent, I think I would I would like to know that my children would be taken care of. And I think that’s the most important part of our mission, caring for people that can’t take care of themselves, but also giving those parents peace of mind that they’re going to be okay. And we love them. I mean, they would they give us is much more than we give them. But they’re well taken care of and they’re well loved.” And perhaps the most powerful lesson LARC teaches is about love, community, and human connection. “Everything is beautiful to them. It's truly unconditional love. They just don't care what you look like.” From employment programs to residential care, from the bead shop to Acadian Village's Christmas lights, LARC continues to demonstrate what happens when a community comes together to support its most vulnerable members. As Karon puts it simply: “There's no other place like it.” Learn more about LARC:Noel Acadien au Village is family-friendly and wheelchair-accessible. LARC's Acadian Village is located at 200 Greenleaf Drive in Lafayette. Visit www.lafayettelarc.org for ticket information and more details.Facebook: LARC Lafayette | Acadian Village | Noel Acadien au Village LARC welcomes volunteers, donations, and community engagement. Businesses and organizations interested in tours, partnerships, or service projects are encouraged to reach out.

In 1892 the world's largest telescope, the Lick Observatory's 36 inch refracting telescope made the news when E.E. Barnard discovered, Amalthea, the 5th moon of Jupiter. In 2025 this historic telescope made the news again when on Christmas morning winds of 114 mph blew off a 3 ton piece of the shutter on its dome.The adaptive optics research pioneered at Lick Observatory helped in the creation of the twin giant 10 meter telescopes that sit atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii.

We finally reminded Bryan enough that he remembered to get the follow-up video to our last Mountain Monsters episode! It's a Christmas miracle! Donate to St. Jude, The National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund, the ASPCA and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence Leather diapers Our old Dr. Phil advertisement Bhad Babie (catch me outside) We're back again with Mountain Monsters in their hunt for the Cherokee Devil War music An elite group Buck is having a mental breakdown The must find Huck Mr. Tumnus Huck is buck ass naked, covered in mud, and humping a totem pole Head of Security Aliens or drones Text us or leave us a voicemail: +1 (212) 433-3TCB Follow Us: IG: @thecommercialbreak TikTok: @tcbpodcast YT: youtube.com/thecommercialbreak www.tcbpodcast.com Executive Producer: Bryan Green Hosts: Bryan Green & Krissy Hoadley Producer: Astrid B. Green Producer & Audio Editor: Christina Archer Christina's Podcast: Apple Podcasts & Spotify Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Skip straight to the case: (11:37)Welcome back to another episode of the True Crime Society Podcast.In this episode, we discuss two separate cases where missing people have been found ALIVE years after their disappearance, in crazy circumstances. In December 2001, North Carolina woman Michele Hundley Smith told her three children that she was going Christmas shopping.  She never returned.  Over the next two decades, Michele's husband faced scrutiny and many wondered if he may have been involved in her disappearance.  In February 2026, Michele was found to be alive and living in a trailer park, two hours from the home of her family.  She asked that her location not be disclosed to them. Colorado attorney Royal ‘Scoop' Daniel III went to the office of his law practice one morning in April 2007.  When other staff arrived, Scoop's dog was left in the office alone and there was no sign of his owner.  An investigation into Scoop's disappearance revealed that he was hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.  Scoop was found alive in 2011 when he attempted to cross from Mexico back into the US, using his own passport.  He was arrested and sentenced to 12 years in prison. Read our blog for these cases - https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2026/03/01/missing-people-found-alive-michele-hundley-smith-and-royal-scoop-daniel-iii/Be sure to join us on Patreon for weekly exclusive episodes and all episodes are ad-free - Patreon.com/truecrimesocietyJoin us on Instagram for the latest crime news - Instagram.com/truecrimesocietyThis episode is sponsored by:IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners twenty percent off all IQBAR products—including the Ultimate sampler pack—plus FREE shipping. To get your twenty percent off, text CRIME to sixty-four thousand. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details.

Colin Gray guilty. All counts. Second-degree murder. Involuntary manslaughter. Cruelty to children. The jury needed less than two hours.Colin Gray guilty of murder makes Georgia history—the first parent in the state convicted for a school shooting committed by his child. The Colin Gray guilty verdict came after two weeks of testimony that destroyed every excuse he offered.The evidence that made Colin Gray guilty was damning. FBI agents warned Colin Gray in 2023 after his son Colt threatened a school shooting online. Colin Gray bought Colt an AR-15 seven months later as a Christmas gift. No gun safe. No trigger lock. The rifle sat in a fourteen-year-old's bedroom beside photos of Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz—which Colin Gray claimed he mistook for "the guy from Green Day."Weeks before the shooting, Colt texted Colin Gray: "Whenever something happens just know the blood is on your hands." Colin Gray convinced himself it was about something else. The morning of September 4th, Colt sent goodbye texts. Colin Gray read them, asked what was wrong, and stayed at work. Nineteen minutes later, four people were dead.Colin Gray guilty was confirmed by his own family. His daughter testified Colin Gray asked her to lie to investigators. His wife said she begged Colin Gray to lock up the guns. Colin Gray took the stand alone, cried, and swore he never saw it coming. The jury rejected every word—Colin Gray guilty on all charges in under two hours.Colin Gray guilty sends a clear message. Crumbleys got manslaughter. Colin Gray guilty of murder raises the stakes. Parental accountability just became very real.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#ColinGrayGuilty #ColinGrayVerdict #ColinGrayGuiltyVerdict #ColinGrayConvicted #TrueCrimeToday #ColinGrayMurder #ApalacheeShooting #ColinGrayTrial #ParentalAccountability #ColinGraySentencing

Colin Gray guilty. Every count. Murder. Less than two hours of deliberation.Colin Gray guilty on all charges makes him the first parent in Georgia history convicted for a mass school shooting committed by his child. The Colin Gray guilty verdict exposed a father who had every warning imaginable and chose to do nothing.Colin Gray guilty was inevitable when you see what he ignored. The FBI warned Colin Gray in 2023 after Colt threatened a school shooting online. Seven months later, Colin Gray bought his son an AR-15 for Christmas. No gun safe. Rifle in the kid's bedroom. Shrine to Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz on the wall—Colin Gray claimed he thought it was "the guy from Green Day."Weeks before the massacre, Colt texted: "Whenever something happens just know the blood is on your hands." Colin Gray told himself it was about custody drama. The morning of September 4th, Colt sent goodbye texts. Colin Gray read them. Stayed at work. Didn't call the school. Four people died nineteen minutes later.Colin Gray guilty came down to his own family's testimony. His daughter Jenni testified he asked her to "cover for him." His wife Marcee said she begged him to lock up the guns. Colin Gray took the stand, cried, and claimed he never saw it coming.The jury saw through it. Colin Gray guilty—all counts—in under two hours.Colin Gray guilty of murder changes the game. Crumbleys got manslaughter. Colin Gray guilty raised it to murder. The message to parents everywhere: accountability is real.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#ColinGrayGuilty #ColinGrayVerdict #ColinGrayGuiltyVerdict #ColinGrayConvicted #HiddenKillers #ColinGrayMurder #ApalacheeShooting #ColinGrayTrial #ParentalAccountability #ColinGraySentencing

Rod and Karen banter, seeing Liz Miele and Brian McGuinness do standup, and Rod saw an accident. Then they discuss the primary results, Graham Platner making more Nazi gaffes, Trump Kennedy Center Honors, gas prices rise, Father who gave gun to Georgia school shooting suspect for Christmas is guilty of 2nd-degree murder, Brian McKnight Sues Radio Station For Claiming He's An Abusive, Awful Dad, league pass commercials, Teddy Riley Apologizes to Survivors, Cancels R. Kelly Project, Man, 29, Jailed For Felony Frappé Attack, Mom and kids ready to enjoy Burger King meal are carjacked and attacked, Pastor 'violently pushed' elderly woman down cement steps and sword ratchetness. Podjam 3 Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/podjam3 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theblackguywhotips Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@rodimusprime⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@SayDatAgain⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TBGWT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheBlackGuyWhoTips⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠theblackguywhotips@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Blog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.theblackguywhotips.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Teepublic Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- https://the-black-guy-who-tips-podcast.dashery.com/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon Wishlist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1PDD9JUQUNVY5?ref_=wl_share ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Crowdcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – https://www.crowdcast.io/theblackguywhotips Voicemail: ‪(980) 500-9034Go Premium: https://www.theblackguywhotips.com/premium/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mens Room Question: What's in or on your body that you weren't born with?

It's time for a very important H-word to be introduced to Harry. No, Fat Lady, it's not the one you experienced over your holiday break! Join the MuggleCasters as we discuss Chapter 17 of Half-Blood Prince, in which Dumbledore introduces Harry to 'A Sluggish Memory'. The Fat Lady seems to be telling herself to practice abstinence after the holidays. Sounds like it was a party in the portraits over Christmas! How do students end up missing the new Common Room passwords? Is it the school's fault, or is it the students? It's time for the students to learn how to apparate! ... For a price. We look at why Hogwarts and the Ministry might be charging for these additional lessons. Dismissive Dumby: Albus' ego is on full display as he plays off Harry's questions about Snape and Draco. As expected, Andrew comes in with a #DumbleDefense.  Back in the memories, Dumbledore shows Harry more about Tom Riddle's time at Hogwarts. Why didn't Dumbledore do more when Tom Riddle was at school and clearing causing trouble? We learn the real reason Dumbledore asked Slughorn back to teach, and we hear that certain H-word a first time (No, it's not 'Hufflepuff' or 'Horace') Connecting the Threads: There are some big parallels between Chapter 17 of Chamber of Secrets, and this Chapter of Half-Blood Prince! MVP: Which memory truly is THE most important memory Dumbledore has collected? Lynx Line: You've just learned to Apparate. Where are you going first? Quizzitch: While Lord Voldemort commits patricide by killing Tom Riddle Sr., what is the broader term used when someone kills a near-relative of theirs such as a grandparent? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode originally aired on October 28, 2018. It has been remastered and now includes new information at the end regarding significant developments in this case.At 8:30 PM on December 9, 2001, 38-year-old mother of three, Michele Lyn Hundley Smith, told her family she was going Christmas shopping. She left her home in Stoneville, North Carolina, driving her green 1995 Pontiac Trans Sport van with North Carolina license plate “ROK-N-ON.” She was headed to Martinsville, Virginia, less than 20 miles away.Shopping at night wasn't unusual for Michele. It wasn't long before Christmas and shortly before her oldest daughter's birthday. No one thought twice about it. But by midnight, Michele still hadn't returned. Her husband woke their 14-year-old daughter, Amanda, concerned that something was wrong. Michele never came home.For more than 24 years, Michele's disappearance remained unsolved. Then, in February 2026, the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Michele had been located alive. This re-release contains the original episode as it aired in 2018, followed by an update segment at the end discussing these recent developments.If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form.Follow The Vanished on social media at:FacebookInstagramPatreonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.