Podcasts about Christmas Eve

Their dad is in prison for his actions on Jan. 6. Their brother was the one who turned him in. Their mom moved to D.C. to support “political prisoners” in the D.C. jail. Sarah and Peyton Reffitt are caught in the middle. Can this family reconcile?Read more:On Christmas Eve 2020, Guy Reffitt sent a text to his family group chat. He was furious about the outcome of the 2020 election — which he believed was stolen from former President Donald Trump. “Too many lines have been crossed,” he wrote. “Too many years this happened. We are about to rise up the way the Constitution was written.” That's when his son, Jackson Reffitt, went to his room and filed a tip to the FBI. Roughly 15 percent of the more than 1,100 people charged for their actions on Jan. 6, 2021, were turned in by family members, friends or acquaintances. The Reffitts are one of those families, shattered by the insurrection and its aftermath. Now, they're trying to put the pieces back together.Today on “Post Reports,” listen to the Reffitts as they try to work through everything that's happened in their family — and in the country — over the past few years.

Last time we spoke about the battle of Beijing. General Gaselee and the 8 nation alliance began a grand march upon Beijing. They fought numerous battles at places like Beicang and Yangcun utterly routing the Qing and Boxer forces. The road to Beijing was laid bare open to them, lest it not be for the extreme summer heat which took the lives of many. The Russians attempted to outrace everyone else to Beijing, but quickly bit off more than they could chew. Ultimately the British were the first ones to enter the foreign legations. The besieged foreigners in the legations had been met with a last ditch effort by the Qing to overrun them, but they held on for dear life. Now Beijing was being occupied by the 8 nation alliance. What was to become of the Qing officials, of Empress Dowager Cixi? How would justice be served?   #67 The Boxer Rebellion part 7: The Boxer Protocol   Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. Usually you would assume the story was won and done. The 8 national alliance was flooding into Beijing, as they say “the cavalry had arrived”, but it was not over. The next day of August 15th saw more violence. The French deployed 4 artillery pieces onto the Tartar wall and began bombarding the pink walls of the Imperial City. Meanwhile General Chaffee was mounting an assault upon the Imperial city alongside the American forces who were battering their way through a series of courtyards trying to get to the Imperial Cities southern gate. Their ultimate objective was the Forbidden City. When it seemed they were within reach of the Forbidden City, suddenly General Chaffee commanded a withdrawal. The commanders had been arguing at a conference and they all agreed that the 8 nation alliance should take a more conciliatory approach towards the Qing government. Everyone was wondering whether the Emperor and Empress Dowager remained within the Forbidden city. If there was to be a conciliation at all, they would be needed. Rumors began to emerge stating if the Empress Dowager were still in the city, she would most likely commit suicide rather than be taken prisoner. Lenox Simpson was trying to investigate the situation, riding up to the Imperial City where he discovered a terrified Eunuch huddled in a Qing guardhouse in the outer wall. He asked the eunuch how many forces guarded the Forbidden city and the whereabouts of the Emperor and Empress Dowager. The Eunuch blurted out “The Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and indeed, the whole Court, had disappeared—had fled, was gone.” There are countless tales of how it occurred, the dramatic flight of the Qing court. It is most likely the decision to flee Beijing came about in the early hours of August 15th. One account given by magistrate Wu Yung claimed he helped the Empress Dowager flee. Cixi was disguised in dark blue clothes of a Chinese peasant woman, they even clipped her nails, go google a picture of Cixi, imagine clipping those things haha. Allegedly Cixi told Wu Yung as she was hastily grabbing some personal belongs “Who would have thought it would come to this?” Of the things she hastily grabbed, one was a precious bloodstone that she believed protect her through all dangers. She boarded one of three wooden carts, and Cixi forcefully grabbed the emperor not allowing him to be taken as a hostage, alongside her niece and the heir apparent. The Imperial concubines were forbidden to accompany them and made tearful farewell. It is said Emperor Guangxu's favorite concubine begged to take her with him, prompting Cixi who hated the girl to demand she be tossed down a well. Apparently the Eunuchs rolled the poor girl up in a carpet and literally tossed her down a well in front of Emperor Guangxu, which is hardcore? Another account has it that Cixi tricked the girl by telling her “We will all stay where we are, but we cannot allow ourselves to be taken alive by Western barbarians. There is only one way out for you and me—we must both die. It is easy. You go first—I promise to follow you.” Then the Eunuch tossed her in the well, one other account has the Eunuchs simply tossing the girl down the well after the imperial party departed because they didn't like her. Can't help but picture Varies from GOT leading eunuchs to get revenge on a royal family haha.  Empress Dowager Cixi had fled the Imperial city once before, in fact 40 years prior during the 2nd opium war. Was a symbolic moment. Back then she had apparently told the Emperor to stay in the city lest the British and French raze Beijing to the ground, this time she did the opposite. On August 10th, Cixi had made an imperial decree ordering General Jung Lu and some other Qing officials to remain in Beijing and maintain the government in exile. The royal party fled through roads filled with others fleeing the city. Their eunuch planners assumed they would buy provisions along the way, but when they entered the countryside they found it completely devastated. On August 17th the royal party made it to the small town of Huailai, north of Beijing. The Boxers and disaffected troops had devastated the town so much, there was only a bowl of millet and green bean porridge to serve the Empress Dowager. Apparently to this she said to her host “In time of distress this is enough. Can I at this time say what is good and what is not good?” From Huailai they traveled to Kalgan and Tatung, near the Mongolian plateau, before they turned towards Taiyuan. Now being so far from Beijing they felt safer and thus instead of conducting themselves under the guise as peasants they now openly showed themselves and told people they were performing an official tour of inspection. It is said by Wu Yung the empress dowager enjoyed talking to him and told him “talk as you please”, and she herself took a large interest in talking to locals and visiting temples and attractions. Wu Yung theorized she had been cooped up for so long in the imperial city, the outside world fascinated her. The mule litters were replaced with sedan chairs, Cixi began wearing luxurious Manchu garb and regrew her fingernails.  Soon the royal party were issuing edicts and receiving reports on the situation of the court in Beijing. Countless governors, viceroys and other Qing officials flocked to pay respects and tribute to the royal party. They stayed in Taiyuan for 3 weeks at the home of Yuxiang where he boasted to Cixi of how many foreigners he executed. However the Taiyuan massacre meant the foreigners might come to the city for revenge, so the royal party continued southwest towards Sian, the old capital of the Tang dynasty. This was territory held by General Dong Fuxiang whose troops were the primary ones escorting the royal party. It was under Dong Fuxiang's protection the royal party now hunkered down for winter. It is said Guangxu's nephew began drawing pictures of demons and would often sketch a large tortoise with the name Yuan Shikai on its back. You see the tortoise was a symbol of homosexuality, thus it was to insult Yuan Shikai who was seen as an enemy who betrayed Guangxu. It is also said Guangxu took the pictures, hung them up on walls and fired crossbows at them. Personally this story to me sounds like an author giving a bit of foreshadowing flavor, for Yuan Shikai would perform even greater betrayals later on. Indeed Yuan Shikai is kind of a meme on my personal channel, over there I have to the point of me writing this script, covered 1830-1932 thus far for Chinese-Japanese history. Yuan Shikai is a behemoth when it comes to the formation of modern day China and honestly his story is interesting to say the least. If you ever want to jump into the future, just check out my content at the Pacific War channel on the Xinhai revolution and China's warlord era episodes, or better yet the full China warlord documentary that encompasses pretty much all of it. Anyways. Back over in Beijing, news of the flight of the Qing court was not met with surprise by the foreigners. Now the foreigners were uncertain what to do next. For some it was a bit reminiscent of Napoleon's arrival to a deserted Moscow, without the highest ranking Qing officials, what could they do? Meanwhile, one place that was still under threat was Peitang. Over at the Peitang Cathedral the foreigners had been fighting for their lives the entire time. When news emerged that the foreign legations had been rescued, everyone in the Cathedral at Peitang rejoiced awaiting their own rescue. The Cathedral was the only Christian building within the Imperial city that was able to hold on and defend itself. It was a miracle they managed to do so. The commander of 30 French marines sent by Pichon on June 1st to help out at Peitang was Lt Paul Henry. At the age of just 23, Bishop Favier had to say of his conduct “he was as pious as he is brave— a true Breton.” Henry had been given an impossible task, to defend an area with around 1400 yards of wall 12-15 feet high with a tiny amount of troops. Henry had the men dig trenches, erect parapets, and used the Cathedral as a last stronghold if they were overrun. The first week of June saw fires erupt throughout the capital and gunfire could be heard everywhere. Bishop Favier looked out from the top of the cathedral to see on the 13th and 14th churches and cathedrals in Beijing being razed to the ground. Refugees poured into Peitang Cathedral more and more, and on the 15th a group of Catholic sisters and children were running from Boxers to the cathedral with Favier giving this account of the scene “Their leader, on horse, is a lama or bonze [priest]; he precedes an immense red flag, surrounded by young Boxers who have undergone the incantations and are likewise dressed in red. They burned perfumed sticks, prostrated themselves on entering our street to the south, and then advanced in compact bands”. The French marines allowed them to reach 200 yards from the barricades before unleashing a volley wounded 50 and sending them fleeing. By June 18th, Henry worried about enemy artillery and tried to fortify the defenses more so. On the 20th, news of von Kettelers death came, Pichon sent a message to Favier, there was no hope of fleeing Beijing. 3420 people, two thirds of which were women and children were trapped in Peitang. Their defenses were comically small, 30 French and a dozen Italian marines, whose commander was Lt Olivieri aged 25. The able bodied Chinese christians volunteered to bolster the forces, making spears, brandishing some knives and a few were given rifles by the marines. June 22nd saw Krupp guns firing upon Peitang shattering windows and sending bricks flying. The main gate to Peitang was being battered by shells. Lt Henry led a sortie of 4 marines and 30 Chinese christians to seize the artillery piece hitting the main gate. They managed to seize it, losing 2 Chinese in the process. The next day simply saw more artillery bombardment. By the 26th, all the buildings near Peitang were ablaze and Boxers were seen erecting ladders and scaffoldings against the walls. The defenders were being pot shotted at every day. On the 27th Henrys second in command Jouannic was shot in the shoulder and would die 3 days later. By July 1st the defenders of Peitang began to eat mule and horse as they ran out of vegetables. Smallpox broke out amongst the children, by July 3rd 15 were dying per day.  The french marines began making scarecrows to help against snipers. It turned out the watchmakers amongst their Chinese christians were capable of creating cartridges for Mausers and other guns. The defenders were able to manufacture powder for cannons with things they seized from the surrounding enemy during sorties. The men fired only 100 rounds per day, Henry noted on July 5th 13 rounds were only fired, on the 14th 74. Famine was more threatening than lack of ammunition. On July 6th Henry checked rations and estimated they could hold out for 20 days. The Boxers began manufacturing exploding missiles that they lobbed at the cathedral. These were a sort of fire pot, a container carrying around three pounds of gunpowder with long fuses. On a single day the Boxers tossed more than 250 of these, but the defenders ingeniously put buckets, casks and even bathtubs full of water everywhere to fight the emerging fires.  The Qing artillery smashed the cathedrals clock tower and walls without mercy. On July 18th, the defenders were countermining when a mine exploded killing 25 and injuring 28. One French marine described the carnage “where bits of waste meat were being dragged out, fragments of flesh and severed limbs were spattered about and part of someone's chest was smashed against a wall”. Qing troops atop the Imperial City walls fired down upon the defenders at all times. By July 28th rations were a meager 8 ounces of food per day. On July 30th the Qing assaulted the north wall, setting the cathedral roof on fire. Henry tried rallying the men and took a bullet in the neck and another into his side. Henry died in the arms of a priest 20 minutes later and was buried beneath a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes in the Cathedral garden. Olivieri took command after his death. The Qing and Boxers seemed emboldened and began firing arrows with messages to the Christian Chinese urging them to abandon the foreigners and return to the old ways. “You, Christians, shut up in the Pei-tang, reduced to the greatest misery, eating leaves of trees, why do you resist? We have leveled cannon and set mines against you, and you will be destroyed in a short time. You have been deceived by the devils of Europe; return to the ancient religion . . . deliver up Bishop Favier and the others, and you will have saved your lives, and we will give you to eat. If you do not do so, you, your wives and children, will all be cut into pieces.” It is said the Boxers believed Bishop Favier was a demon who was using an invulnerability spell by smearing menstrual blood over his faced and nailing naked women and dead fetuses to the Cathedral walls. They also believed the foreigners posed a weapon called “the ten thousand woman flag” woven from female pubic hair which stole power from the Boxer gods. Gotta hand it to their imagination. Despite the messages, the Chinese Christians stayed put. By August 2nd the besieged were starving and began trying to capture stray dogs to eat. On August 5th, Favier wrote this “we can resist balls, bullets, and bombs, but there is no defense against famine.” On August 10th, 400 pounds of rice and a mule were all that remained. Favier was forced to send Christian Chinese out in desperation to try and reach the foreign legation for help. Many were flayed, beheaded and put in spikes near Peitang. On August 12th a violent explosion shook Peitang a giant mine had gone off causing a crater 7 yards deep and 40 yards wide. It buried 5 Italian marines with Olivieri and 80 Chinese. Olivieri recounted being saved with the burial “They succeeded in uncovering one of my hands, and finding it still warm, redoubled their efforts until my whole body was free”. However his men were mutilated and dying. The mine had caused a large breach in the wall and the enemy could easily have stormed Peitang, but they didn't. Another mine went off the following day, but the enemy did not storm Peitang. Just when it seemed they were all going to die on August 14th the defender heard Boxers scream out “The devils from Europe are approaching!” The Boxers were also screaming at the defenders of Peitang that they would all be massacred before their rescuers got to them. But Oliveiri and the defenders watch as Qing banners were lowered from walls, Qing soldiers and Boxers were beginning to flee.  By 5pm they saw europeans on the walls waving an american flag.  The defenders waited for their rescue on August 15th, but no one was coming. Olivieri worried the relief force had been repelled. Then suddenly Japanese troops climbed over the walls and stormed into Peitang. Olivieri rushed over shouting “we are saved!”. The other members of the 8 nation alliance were rather shocked by the actions of the Japanese, Peitang was a French responsibility. The French force that entered Beijing however was too small to fight their way to Peitang. As General Frey noted “What was our surprise to see ahead of us between 250 and 300 Japanese whose presence nobody could explain.” The Japanese without any fuss simply did the deed on their own merit.  Peitang saw 400 people including 166 children die during the siege, unlike the fight for the legations Peitang never had a single day of rest. There was no truce for Peitang, the defenders fought every single day. As Favier assessed the damage in Beijing he had this to say “In Pekin, three churches, seven large chapels, the colleges, hospitals—all are destroyed. . . . The Peitang . . . damaged by shells, is the only building undestroyed. . . . In short, the ruin is almost entire, the work of forty years is nearly annihilated; the courage of missionaries, nevertheless, is not on the wane; we shall begin over again.” As Bishop Favier wandered Beijing, he estimated perhaps 30,000 catholics had been killed. News emerged that 200 foreign nuns, priests, missionaries and their family members had been murdered. Half the population of Beijing fled in terror as the foreign armies flooded in. Many Qing officials committed suicide, many Chinese women with bound feet likewise did so. The special correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, Dr. E.J Dillon wrote “Chinese women honestly believed that no more terrible fate could overtake them than to fall alive into the hands of Europeans and Christians. It is to be feared that they were right.” Dillon personally saw the corpses of women who had been raped and bayoneted to death. Luella Miner within the foreign legation had this to say of the matter “The conduct of the Russian soldiers is atrocious, the French are not much better, and the Japanese are looting and burning without mercy.... Women and girls by hundreds have committed suicide to escape a worse fate at the hands of Russian and Japanese brutes. Our American soldiers saw them jumping into the river and into wells, in Tungchow. Twelve girls in one well, and one mother was drowning two of her little children in a large water jar.” Roger Keyes added his own account “Every Chinaman . . . was treated as a Boxer by the Russian and French troops, and the slaughter of men, women, and children in retaliation was revolting.” A British officer, Major Luke, told Keyes that “he had never seen anything more horrible, and some of his young Marines were literally sick”. Lenox Simpson stated he say British Indian forces molesting female Chinese christians until they were flogged by some foreign women. It is said the Japanese had planned ahead of time for the situation. According to Roger Keyes “their Government had wisely taken the precaution of sending their ‘regimental wives' [prostitutes] with them, and they were established in houses at Tientsin and Peking directly the troops settled down”. The first days of the occupation saw indiscriminate looting and rape by all nationalities. The allied commander in chief von Waldersee who only arrived in late september wrote “Every nationality accords the palm to some other in respect to the art of plundering, but it remains the fact that each and all of them went in hot and strong for plunder.” On August 18th all the diplomats and military commanders met at the Russian legation to discuss how to go about reprisals against the Qing. The Germans argued for severe punishment because of Von Kettelers murder, they wanted a punitive expedition and to raze the Imperial city. The Russians favored a more conciliatory line in northern China, but of course something I have not talked about was going on, the Russians had basically invaded Manchuria. One thing they all agreed upon was an enormous victory parade through the Imperial City, a grand humiliation. Each nation scrambled to be the first in the parade, the Russians argued they had the largest force, which was a lie, it was the Japanese. There are countless photographs of the foreign armies in the city and of the parade, but to give a brief description on August 28th George Morrison stated “the appearance of the French troops, complaining that there was every excuse for their uniforms to be dirty but that the faces of many of the men should be so too was quite inexcusable. The French looked singularly decadent in blue dungaree and that their commander, General Frey, was small and pot-bellied. He thought the Cossacks were “heavy” and “rough” but that the Germans looked “splendid” and the Japanese officers “very smart.” The British, by contrast, looked ather “rag tag and bobtail.” The dignity of the occasion was further undermined by the ineptitude of the Russian band, which could not keep pace with eight successive national anthems and found itself blasting out the “Marseillaise” as the Italians marched past the saluting base”. An army of eunuchs escorted by Qing officials brought the foreigners into the Forbidden city which saw looting. Indeed the looting of the capital of China by the 8 nation alliance is probably one of the largest looting accounts in human history, one of the sources I am using has an entire chapter dedicated to only story accounts of what was stolen and by whom, but its simply too much to delve into. Many museums today hold stolen items from this event. Within 24 hours of taking the city not a race of Boxers existed. There was a wild Boxer hunt that saw much horror. Daily executions occurred as described to us by George Morrison “The execution and the long drawn out neck. The butcher with his apron. The executioner tearing open his long coat—the grunt as he brought down the knife—the dogs lapping up the blood—the closeness of the head to the ground, the face nearly touching.” Apparently the Germans got their prisoners to dig their own trench before being shot in the back of the head. During september the allies were awaiting the arrival of von Waldersee, but a number of military operations were mounted against Boxer strongholds in the Beijing region.  Von Waldersee arrived to Beijing in October assuming command and established his HQ in Cixi's palace in the forbidden city. Von Waldersee decided punitive expeditions needed to be increased and Germany began taking the lead in several dozen. The countryside was butchered in a wild hunt for Boxers. Civilians, Qing soldiers, Qing officials, just about anyone faced numerous foreign troops who killed or abused them. Von Waldersee faced a more daunting task however, peace negotiations. There was a mutual distrust amongst the nations and conflicts broke out often. Li Hongzhang, poor old Li Hongzhang and Prince Qing were appointed the imperial plenipotentiary powers and only arrived in Beijing in October. The first meeting was held on Christmas Eve between them and the foreign ministers. Li Hongzhang was not present due to illness. The foreign ministers questioned whether the Qing plenipotentiaries were even real agents of the Emperor or Qing government in exile. Prince Qing managed to convince them he held authority. The allies pondered if the dynasty should change, but it was quickly apparent the Manchu would never allow for such a thing. All the ministers agreed the Manchu dynasty should remain on the throne. Then they pondered punishment of the guilty and a large indemnity on behalf of the Qing dynasty. The indemnity fee first brought up was 67,500,000 roughly 4.3 or so billion dollars by todays figures. The Americans argued it was far too high and would bankrupt China. American secretary of state John Hay sent a telegram to the great powers stating “America's policy was to bring permanent safety and peace to China and to preserve China's territorial integrity”. Von Waldersee would go on the record to say  “the United States it seems to desire that nobody shall get anything out of China.” However on May 26th an imperial edict announced that the indemnity payment would be 67,500,000$ to be paid in full over 39 years. The sum was to be distributed as follows: Russia 28.97%, Germany 20.02%, France 15.75%, Britain 11.25%, Japan 7.73%, United States 7.32%, Italy 7.32%, Belgium 1.89%, Austria-Hungary 0.89%, Netherlands 0.17%, Spain 0.03%, Portugal 0.021%, Sweden and Norway 0.014%. The payment by the way would only be amortized on December 31st of 1940.  Now the negotiations for punishments were a lot more complicated. The allies first wanted to see the executions of prominent pro-Boxer officials, which Empress Dowager Cixi wanted to avoid. Cixi made many counter proposals, but eventually was forced to hand over some officials. Yuxiang, the mastermind behind the Taiyuan massacre was reportedly executed, though notably there is a myth he simply went into exile. Qing official Ying Nien straggled himself, some other officials apparently were killed by having their mouths and nostrils stuffed with rice paper by eunuchs, which is a pretty weird one I must say, many were poisoned. Prince Duan and his brother escaped the death penalty and were exiled to Turkestan. Dong Fuxiang was too powerful to kill much to the dismay of the foreigners. Indeed his Muslim army in the northwest was the bulwark at the time, all he suffered was a demotion, but in reality he was now a major leading figure. Over 100 Qing officials were executed or exiled in the end.  A peace treaty containing 12 articles was signed in the Spanish legation on September 7th of 1901 known as the Boxer Protocol. The Qing were prohibited from importing arms and ammunition for 2 years; the Taku forts were ordered to be destroyed; the legation quarters would receive special status; Boxers and Qing officials who had supported them would face justice; the Zongli Yamen was replaced with a foreign office; the Qing government was to prohibit under the pain of death, any membership for anti-foreign societies; civil examinations were suspended for 5 years in any area that saw violence against foreigners; the Emperor Guangxu was to apologize to Kaiser Wilhelm for the murder of Baron von Ketteler; Emperor Guangxu was to appoint Na't'ung to be a special envoy to be sent to apologize the Emperor Meiji for the murder of Mr. Sugiyama; the Qing government was to erect a commemorative arch over the spot Baron von Ketteler was killed; and at last the great powers would be allowed to occupy numerous important cities so as to make sure their legations were protected. Empress Dowager Cixi was surprised by the terms of the treaty and that she was not punished personally. Hell China was not required to surrender any more territory. Some members of her court argued China should continue the war and that the 8 nation alliance could not hope to face the interior of China. Some argued if Dong Fuxiang were to be allowed to raise his force to 50,000 he could dislodge the foreign encroachment. Cixi however was as much a pragmatist as she was conservative in her ways. If the allied nations would allow Emperor Guangxu and her to return to Beijing retaining their honor, she believed she had little to lose. She also was not a moron and understood exactly why the Boxer Protocol was made in the way it was, the great powers wanted to received payments and in order to do so, needed the Manchu to sit on the throne. She ordered Li Hongzhang to do all he could to re-establish relations with the foreign governments. She also ordered any decrees she made praising the Boxers to be expunged from the official records and secretly ordered all blame to be placed on Guangxu. She gave posthumous honors to all the progressive Qing officials she had beheaded during the siege and disinherited the heir apparent son of Prince Duan, whom apparently she did not like much. An imperial decree in the name of Emperor Guangxu announced “Our Sacred Mother's advanced age renders it necessary that we should take the greatest care of her health, so that she may attain to peaceful longevity; a long journey in the heat being evidently undesirable, we have fixed on the 19th day of the 7th Moon [1 September] to commence our return journey and are now preparing to escort Her Majesty.” The return to Beijing should be held as one of the greatest feats of public relations exercises in history, second only to Robert Downey Jr. The 700 mile journey began in October of 1901 seeing the imperial family carried in yellow sedan chairs, sparing no expense. George Morrison details it quite well  “Along the frost-bound uneven tracks which serve for roads in northern China, an unending stream of laden wagons croaked and groaned through the short winter's day and on, guided by soldier torch-bearers through bitter nights to the appointed stopping places. But for the Empress Dowager and the Emperor there was easy journeying and a way literally made smooth. Throughout its entire distance the road over which the Imperial palanquins were carried had been converted into a smooth, even surface of shining clay, soft and noiseless under foot; not only had every stone been removed but as the procession approached gangs of men were employed in brushing the surface with feather brooms. At intervals of about ten miles, well-appointed rest-houses had been built.The cost of this King's highway, quite useless of course for the ordinary traffic of the country, was stated by a native contractor to amount to fifty Mexican dollars for every eight yards—say, £1,000 per mile—the clay having to be carried in some places from a great distance. As an example of the lavish expenditure of the Court and its officials in a land where squalor is a pervading feature, this is typical.” The Empress Dowager crossed the yellow river in a gilded, lacquered, dragon shaped barge after offering wine and incense to the river god. Believe it or not, the last part of the journey was done by train and Empress Dowager Cixi looked excited to be in what she called an “iron centipede”. Everyone in Beijing was given an imperial decree to graciously permit them to watch the royal family return to the Imperial Court. We are told “As Cixi got out of her chair, the Empress glanced up at the smoke-blackened walls and saw us: a row of foreigners . . . and, looking up at us, lifted her closed hands under her chin, and made a series of little bows.” Cixi was a lover of theatricals and made sure it was a hell of a show.  Within days foreign ministers were summoned to present themselves to the Emperor and for the first time officially enter the forbidden city. On February the 1st Cixi invited the ladies of diplomats to her. The foreign community nor Cixi could know it, but the Boxer rebellion was to be one of the last nails in a coffin made for the Qing dynasty.  I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. And so the Boxer rebellion excluding some events in Manchuria was ended. The Boxer protocol ushered in a brand new Qing dynasty that surely would survive the test of time and not succumb to an agonizing death as the people of China could take it no longer.   

It's Christmas Eve for college football fans across the country. The Week 4 slate is arguably the best weekend of games all season long, which will be capped off by the marquee matchup in South Bend that pins Ohio State against Notre Dame. What is it going to take for the Buckeyes to come away with a top-10 road win? How will Kyle McCord handle the biggest test of his career? Can the Buckeye defense slow down Sam Hartman, who is making his 50th collegiate appearance this weekend? Join Brendan Gulick and Anthony Moeglin live every week day morning at 7 AM to talk Ohio State football. The Buckeye Breakdown podcast streams LIVE on YouTube and is available ON-DEMAND wherever you like to find your favorite podcasts all season long. ----- Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more coverage of the Buckeyes! Follow our comprehensive Ohio State coverage on BuckeyesNow here: Website: https://www.buckeyesnow.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BuckeyesNow_FN Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BuckeyesNowonFN Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buckeyesnow_fn/ #OhioStateBuckeyes #OhioStateFootball #BigTen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a special episode of the North Pole Podcast elves Frank Myrrh and Crash Murphy discuss the work of a professional Santa Tracker, Elf Petey LaCroix. Elf Petey is part of a team of special elves charged with tracking Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. But they aren't tracking Santa like everyone else does. They are tracking Santa to see the sleigh in action. Using special equipment they try to record the sleigh in flight to learn about how it performs. Elf Petey, you see, is part of the sleigh design team. It is their job to work to continually improve Santa's sleigh. That means he not only has to know how to see Santa in high-speed flight but he has to be a sleigh pilot himself. In fact, every member of the professional Santa tracker elf team is a pilot, a sleigh designer, an expert is aeronautics with years and years of highly technical education. Elf Crash talks with Elf Petey about his experience tracking Santa in this capacity. He talks about why these trackers head out to dark, remote locations only to wait for the split-second moment of time that they can catch Santa in flight. Petey has a number of experiences along the way to share. We hope you enjoy this episode. Feel free to post any comments or questions you might have below.

What would you do if Santa entered your home with weapons and attacked your family? Join us (with special guest Katie!) as we talk about the horrific attack on the Ortega family on Christmas Eve 2008. *Content Warning: Gun violence, murder*Leticia's Hope Website“A Christmas Massacre.” Homicide for the Holidays, Directed by Andrea De Brito, season 1, episode 3, Emerge Pictures and Jarrett Creative Group, 2016. Peacock.Bloomekatz, Ari B. and Becerra, Hector. “Bidding Farewell to a Family.” Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2009, p. B6. Newspapers.com.Find A Grave for Cheri Ortega with article from San Gabriel Valley TribuneSecond car rented by Pardo foundSanta suit killer armed with flamethrower massacred wife and family on Christmas EveThe disturbing case of 'Santa Claus' killer who massacred 9 people at Christmas Eve party before burning down homeMore grim details of Christmas Eve shooting rampage in Covina emergeSupport the show

The family of a man found dead after he failed to return to the mental health ward at Palmerston North Hospital say they're still in the dark about what happened almost nine months on. 69 year old Philip Lucas took leave from the ward, which was found unfit for purpose after the deaths of patients nine years ago, on Christmas Eve. His body was found a month later. Reporter Jimmy Ellingham is across the story and he speaks to Lisa Owen. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6337471856112

¿Què Pasa, New York? Mornings, on WXTV, Univision 41, Nueva York! But also, that's a refrain from arguably the most commercially viable song from John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band's “Some Time In New York City”. So why wasn't the semi-title track a single? Why didn't it lead off the album; not enough racial epithets in the title? And who in the love of Danza decided “Angela” - a heart-wrenching tribute to Judith Light - belongs on ANY Lennon comp? So many preguntas! Què Pasa, indeed! Fortunately/Maybe (#Oasisish) it's time for part two of the highly anticipated CHICAGO STYLE deep-dish of one of the most derided solo Beatles albums this side of “The Family Way” soundtrack! And as if this 2LP set isn't long enough - the Giles Martin deluxe remix is slated to include the full 117 minute version of “Au” - the UBP's very own Cap'n Jamrag and Lt. Scumbag (#PossibleForestGumpReference), to answer these, and more!

  Wretched Radio | Air Date: September 12, 2023 Segment 1 Today we look at the news as the world turns insane… -The Supreme Court in Mexico has stated that criminalizing abortion is an act of violence. -Emory Health Systems has decided to change the holiday calendar. Christmas Eve is no longer a paid holiday, […] The post AI SERMONS appeared first on Wretched.

Top headlines for Tuesday, September 12, 2023In today's episode, we explore the heartbreaking aftermath of a brutal earthquake in Morocco and how international aid organizations like the Convoy of Hope and Operation Rescue are responding. Next, we go in-depth into the latest advancements in U.S. military technology that might soon enable simultaneous attacks using thousands of drones, and we ponder over its potential geopolitical and prophetic consequences. Switching gears to politics, we'll hear how an Iowa evangelical activist views the upcoming state caucuses, and why he sees potential for a surprise outcome in the currently wide-open Republican field, dominated by Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis. Finally, we sit down with former reality TV star Jill Duggar Dillard, as she shares the emotional toll of her television career on her marriage, coinciding with the impending publication of her memoir.Subscribe to this Podcast Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts Overcast Follow Us on Social Media @ChristianPost on Twitter Christian Post on Facebook @ChristianPostIntl on Instagram Subscribe on YouTube Get the Edifi App Download for iPhone Download for Android Subscribe to Our Newsletter Subscribe to the Freedom Post, delivered every Monday and Thursday Click here to get the top headlines delivered to your inbox every morning! Links to the News Morocco earthquake kills over 2,400, Christian group sends aid | World News Pentagon reportedly eyeing 'massive' drone program | U.S. News DeSantis' Iowa ground game could produce an upset, insider says | Politics News Catholic colleges among worst campuses for free speech: report | U.S. News Emory Healthcare cuts Christmas Eve to observe Juneteenth | U.S. News Attendees at school board meeting recite Lord's Prayer | U.S. News Christian school teacher arrested for sex with students | U.S. News CofE substantiates abuse allegations against prominent leader | Church & Ministries News Boy Scouts blocked child protection measure, whistleblower claims | U.S. News Duggar daughter says reality show nearly ruined her marriage | Entertainment News

GUEST: Al Pitrelli, guitarist for Trans-Siberian Orchestra joins Ari to talk about their highly anticipated 2023 winter tour, titled "The Ghosts of Christmas Eve - The Best of TSO & More" - promising a new and larger presentation of the beloved holiday tradition which has captured the hearts of multiple generations. The tour launches on November 15th and will feature brand-new production, staging and effects. A product of the imagination of TSO

Frank starts the show by talking about Emory healthcare in Georgia will add Juneteenth as a holiday but take away Christmas Eve and then speaks with Bill O'Reilly, veteran journalist, nationally syndicated radio talk show host, host of “The No Spin News” and a New York Times best-selling author, whose forthcoming book is “Killing the Witches” about how best to remember 9/11 and the news of the day. Then, Frank talks about remembering the people who lost their lives on 9/11 by talking about their life and what they were like instead of how they died. After, Frank does his Commendations. Later, Frank talks about expiration dates on food being unnecessary, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Malek Hanna is a Lebanese American award-winning indie pop singer/songwriter from Brooklyn, New York who has performed on and off many stages in NYC and Los Angeles and had the distinct privilege of performing for the Pope at the Vatican as the youngest lead soloist. His talent led him to be featured in Unique & Rare magazine as an “upcoming artist to look out for.” He also sang the national anthem for the LA Lakers at the Staples Center. He has been interviewed and has made appearances on MTV - Middle East, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and the LA Times. On Christmas Eve, 2020, Malek released his single, Beautiful Stranger and is now back on the music scene with his upcoming single "Which Way to Go." He will also be dropping a few more singles leading up to his album, "On the Right Track" scheduled to be released in December of 2023. Save his single here! https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/malekhanna/which-way-to-go

THC126 - Unexpected Gut PunchToday I share something that completely gutted me. It came from nowhere.I can't be sure if I came across it because some divine presence wanted me to learn something. But it affected me.There is no call to action, no advice, nothing that you need to do, no judgment regarding what you should want to do…All I offer is an invitation to consider life: Brian's life and your own.That's all. Simple and difficult.Brian ELDRIDGE Obituary“May 1947 - July 2023 Brian was a quiet shy boy and man. He was bullied as a child and teenager because of his shyness and vulnerability. As an adult he didn't fit in. He never learned to use a computer or a cell phone, which kept him from applying for most jobs. He worked and supported himself through paper routes, aluminum can recycling and janitorial work. He was exploited by employers. His last job, was cleaning a bingo hall at midnight for $10 per hour 7 nights a week 364 days a year with just less than the minimum weekly hours to have any rights or benefits. His employer fired him on Christmas Eve with no notice. He had worked there for over 15 years. He had no friends or family who kept up with him. He was quiet, smart, generous and lonely. When found in his apartment he had been dead at least 4 days. I'll miss him”.“The only invitation I offer is to consider life”— Karen Goldfinger BakerThanks for tuning into this week's episode of Trauma Hiders Club ‘The Podcast' with Karen Goldfinger Baker. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | TuneIn | GooglePlay | Stitcher | Spotify | Amazon Music Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help me reach more high achievers, like you. Join me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and visit my website to discover the rules of Trauma Club and grab your free download:Discover 5 Ways Your Fuckery Is Getting In The Way of The Next Level of Your Success.VISIT TRAUMA HIDERS CLUB WEBSITE

Rob and Mario get you ready for kickoff! They go through all the latest news from around the NFL, a quick game of NFL trivia, give you their DFS lineups for week 1 and answer some start/sit questions!

This week, in Hilo, Hawaii, a young woman, who has dreamed of Hawaii her entire life, moves to the big island, with tragic results. A simple Christmas Eve bike ride, along a scenic ocean road, ends in finding one shoe, a twisted hunk of metal, and a a clump of blond hair. This all leads to a horrific discovery, followed by several years of police ineptitude. Finally, three people are convicted. But did they actually do it, or is there a monster, still wandering the streets?Along the way, we find out that you can pull some aloha out of your pocket, that you never want to need an ambulance in Hawaii, and that three convictions don't actually mean that anyone is guilty!!Hosted by James Pietragallo and Jimmie WhismanNew episodes every Thursday!Donate at: patreon.com/crimeinsports or go to paypal.com and use our email: crimeinsports@gmail.comGo to shutupandgivememurder.com for all things Small Town Murder & Crime In Sports!Follow us on...twitter.com/@murdersmallfacebook.com/smalltownpodinstagram.com/smalltownmurderAlso, check out James & Jimmie's other show, Crime In Sports! On Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Wondery, Wondery+, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hour 1 - Bonta and Shasky breakdown why the NFL will always be the king of American sports. 

Bobby Diggs (aka the RZA) grew up on a steady diet of kung fu movies and hip-hop music. As a kid he hung around junkies and prostitutes in Times Square. As a teenager he hustled dime bags of weed to day traders on Wall Street. But on Christmas Eve 1991, in Ohio, he was caught up in a shooting that landed him in a fight for his life. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Kody vents to friends about his anger over his divorce; Janelle's sons are still not talking to Kody, and the family may celebrate another holiday separately; a discussion about Christmas blows up into the worst fight Janelle and Kody have ever had." Janelle says Kody is gaslighting her, Kody says Janelle is gaslighting him, but according to Nathan whose got an eye out on all of it... even he agrees Kody is culpable of burning this family down. Meri is excited that Kody comes over... but of course, he won't come inside, Robyn calls off inviting the family over for Christmas Eve and Christine just didn't need to be here this week. Join our Facebook Group: ⁠⁠⁠Shit Talk: Sister Wives and other Reality TV!⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for Patreon as we go back and recap older seasons and other bullshit: ⁠⁠⁠Shit Talk on Patreon!⁠⁠⁠ If you are excited about following along with us this season– subscribe! If you love what we have to say, leave us a 5 star review! If you hate us... we wish you all the success of My Sister Wife's Closet!

Grab a beer and join us tonight as we cover the disappearance of the Sodder children! We'll get into the details of the Christmas Eve fire that allegedly killed five of the ten Sodder children, and the investigation. We'll cover all the weird details found as the years went by, and give our thoughts.  https://www.necronomipod.com https://www.patreon.com/necronomipod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arnold Lobel's delightful friends adventures continue with “the Surprise “, “Christmas Eve”, “Tomorrow “ and “The Kite”.

The calendar offers churches a great opportunity to reach more people on Christmas Eve in 2023. Thom discusses how the church can make a few great decisions to make it evangelistically effective this year. The post Christmas Eve is on a Sunday in 2023. What Should My Church Do? appeared first on Church Answers.

Welcome to Get Up in the Cool: Old Time Music with Cameron DeWhitt and Friends! This week's friend is Erica Weiss with special guest friend and fiddler Mitch Depew. We recorded this at Clifftop! Tune in this episode: * Bucking Mule (0:37) * Old Time Sally Ann (15:06) * Marion Reece's Cumberland Gap (25:45) * Jim Bowles' Christmas Eve (42:12) * Jaybird in a High Oak Tree (56:20) * Bonus Track: Jim Bowles' Calico Visit Erica Weiss' website (http://www.ericaweiss.com/) Buy Galax, NYC from Square Peg Rounders (https://squarepegrounders.bandcamp.com/album/galax-nyc) Buy So Nice from Erica Weiss and the Louisiana Shindig (https://music.apple.com/us/album/so-fine-ep/1280510227) Support Get Up in the Cool on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/getupinthecool) Sign up at Pitchfork Banjo for my clawhammer instructional series! (https://www.pitchforkbanjo.com/) Schedule a banjo lesson with Cameron (https://www.camerondewhitt.com/banjolessons) Check out Cameron's old time trio Tall Poppy String Band (https://www.tallpoppystringband.com/)

On Christmas Eve 1991 23 year old Dana Ireland went out for a ride using her sister's bike while her family was in Hawaii for an extended vacation. But the picturesque life that the family had been enjoying would be ripped from under them when the bike Dana was riding was discovered mangled. The only trace of Dana left behind was her sneaker and a clump of her long blonde hair. Join me as I tell John about the murder of Dana Ireland, the convoluted search for the person who committed this heinous crime. Trigger warnings: Sexual assault Patreon.com/truecrimecouple Join for two bonus episodes per week! Sponsors: Hello Fresh Hellofresh.com/50tcc and use code 50tcc for 50% off plus free shipping! Who Killed Mia? Relatable.com/whokilledmia  and use promo code TCC for 20% off! Sources: https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2023-01-25/man-imprisoned-for-dana-ireland-murder-rape-released https://archives.starbulletin.com/specials/ireland/index https://bigislandgazette.com/police-chief-issues-statement-on-dana-ireland-murder-investigation/ https://archives.starbulletin.com/1999/07/23/news/story4.html https://law.justia.com/cases/hawaii/court-of-appeals/2021/caap-20-0000374.html https://www.hawaiiinnocenceproject.org/albert-ian-schweitzer https://innocenceproject.org/about/ Newspaper.com (archives from Honolulu Star Bulletin from 1991-2023)

Back at it again with the small town and the interim school superintendent who's gonna put on the best damn talent show this town has ever seen! Make sure to leave a review on iTunes if you're enjoying the show! Special thanks to Colin Robertson for providing our theme music. You can find more of Colin's great music at: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/colinrobertson/love-songs-from-far-away

This case gets more mind boggling, the more we discuss the details. The letter had to be written before the girls disappeared. One part was written in ink, the other in pencil. The letter revolves around Rachel. She is the "author" and the letter was sent to the home of her then husband, Tommy. We discuss witness statements, Rachel sightings, rumors of a love triangle, and family suspicions they took to their graves. Who had the motive and opportunity to take three girls from a mall the day before Christmas Eve. Support the show

Andy Conduit-Turner is joined by Airell Anthony Hayles, the director of Werewolf Santa, which has its world premiere at FrightFest on Friday 25th August!Airell Anthony Hayles FRSA, graduated from Goldsmiths College (University of London) with an honours degree in Theatre and Film studies, before working as a story analyst for The Fyzz Faculty, and as a freelance producer for a handful of film production/ distribution companies.A lover of horror and fantasy cinema from a slightly too early age, Airell is passionate about evolving the genre that he believes to be the most rich, challenging, honest and powerful in its expression.Lucy has a social media channel where she hunts evidence of actual monsters, but it's not doing great, with just a few viewers following her disappointing posts. Everything changes on Christmas Eve when her camera witnesses Santa getting bitten by a werewolf before he turns lycanthrope himself! As Werewolf Santa starts wreaking bloody havoc in their seaside town, Lucy and her bickering family set off on a madcap adventure to save Christmas.FrightFest - https://www.frightfest.co.uk/https://www.frightfest.co.uk/2023FrightFestLondon/werewolf-santa.htmlhttps://www.instagram.com/blackrabbitcinema/Podcast - https://podlink.to/horrorhangout​​​Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/horrorhangoutFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/horrorhangoutpodcastTwitter - https://twitter.com/horror_hangout_TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@horrorhangoutpodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/horrorhangoutpodcast/Website - http://www.hawkandcleaver.com​​​Andy - https://twitter.com/AndyCTWritesAudio credit - Taj Eastonhttp://tajeaston.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thehorrorhangout. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back in 2015, First Pres held an art show of every member's most important picture. On Sunday, we revisit the Christmas Eve sermon created from those photos.

Yes, It's Ok To Be Weak!2 Corinthians 12:9 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.”I love this verse.  When I hear this verse I remember that we don't always have to be strong.  We don't always have to be perfect.  We don't always have to get it right.  When I hear this verse I am reminded that God's power is made perfect in our weakness, not in our strength. I don't know about you, but I find that awfully comforting.  We tend to feel like we have to be strong for everyone else around us.  Whether we are a parent, a spouse, a friend, we want to be the strong ones for those around us.    Do you ever feel like that?  Do you ever get tired of feeling like you have to be strong?  This verse gives you permission to not be the strong one all the time.  I have kiddos that struggle with their mental health at times.  When they are struggling it feels like we have to be strong as they need us to be there for them. They need us to be the safe place that they can land.  They need us not to fall apart because they are already falling apart and they need us to hold them together.  This isn't just kids either.  Maybe you have a spouse or a friend who struggles with mental illness.  When they are falling apart, you feel you need to be strong to help hold them together.  Is this you?  Do you feel like if you fall apart everything will fall apart? I get it, I understand how that feels.  This is why I love this verse.  We may have to be strong with others and for others, and yet we don't have to be strong for God or when we are with God.When we are with God we can let it all go.  We can be weak. We can cry, we can yell, we can fall apart.  The beauty of it all is that when we are weak with God, He actually makes us stronger.  I just thought of an analogy and I don't know if it's an exact fit but it came to my mind so I am trusting the Holy Spirit wants me to share it with you. The analogy I just thought of was something my son was talking about the other day.  He was talking about how when we work out, our muscles are broken down, and then when they heal they are stronger.  This is what came to mind when thinking of being stronger when we are weak with the Lord.  God said His power is made perfect in our weakness.  When we are weak with God we are strong, why is this?One reason for this is that when we allow ourselves to be weak, we make more room for the Lord.  We finally admit that we can't do it all ourselves and that we need help.  We turn to Him and we ask him to help us.  Actually, at this point, we usually beg Him to help us.  When we finally decide to be weak it's because we have done all that we could do and it didn't work.  When we are finally ready to admit we need God we are so desperate and we would do anything for our prayers to be answered.  This is when God can help us the most.  This is when we are the most ready for His help.God is just waiting for us to realize that we need His help. He is such a good Father that He waits for us to ask for help.  He does not try to force Himself on us.  He is patient too!  He will sit by patiently watching us make the same mistakes over and over again until we finally realize that we don't have to do it by ourselves. I imagine it must be frustrating for Him to sit there and watch us make the same mistakes time and time again.  I heard this story at Christmas Eve mass once and I never forgot it.  It just popped into my head when I thought about how frustrated God must be watching us. It was a Christmas poem/story called The Man and The Birds as told by Paul Harvey. I guess the author is unknown. Let me read it in case you have not heard it.  The Man and the Birds (Click Here for website)Author Unknown (As told by Paul Harvey)The man I'm going to tell you about was not a Scrooge, he was a kind decent, mostly good man. Generous to his family and upright in his dealings with other men. But he just didn't believe in all of that incarnation stuff that the churches proclaim at Christmas time. It just didn't make sense and he was too honest to pretend otherwise. He just couldn't swallow the Jesus story, about God coming to Earth as a man.He told his wife I'm truly sorry to distress you, but I'm not going with you to church this Christmas Eve. He said he would feel like a hypocrite and that he would much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them. So he stayed and they went to the midnight service.Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then he went back to his fireside chair and began to read his newspaper.Minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound. Then another ... and then another. At first, he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against the living room window. But when he went to the front door to investigate he found a flock of birds huddled outside miserably in the snow. They'd been caught in the storm and in a desperate search for shelter they had tried to fly through his large landscape window. That is what had been making the sound.Well, he couldn't let the poor creatures just lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shelter. All he would have to do is to direct the birds into the shelter.Quickly, he put on a coat and galoshes and he tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light so the birds would know the way in. But the birds did not come in.So, he figured that food would entice them. He hurried back to the house and fetched some bread crumbs. He sprinkled them on the snow, making a trail of bread crumbs to the yellow-lighted wide open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs.The birds continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them but could not. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around and waving his arms. Instead, they scattered in every direction ... every direction except into the warm lighted barn.And that's when he realized they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me. That I am not trying to hurt them but to help them. But how? Any move he made tended to frighten them and confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feared him.He thought to himself if only I could be a bird and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to the safe warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see ... and hear ... and understand.At that moment the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind.He stood there listening to the bells, Adeste Fidelis, listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas.And he sank to his knees in the snow …I just love that story.  In the story, the man finally understood why God sent His only Son to save us. To me, it also shows how frustrating it must be for God to watch us live our lives.  This man wasn't angry at the birds, he was full of compassion and just wanted to help them.  I believe this is how God looks at us too.  I think he watches us live our lives and He knows things would be easier if we listened to Him.  He knows we wouldn't be suffering as much if we lived in this world but were not of this world.  He is not up there judging us and thinking we are stupid and wondering why we just don't get it.  I think he looks at us with compassion and is just waiting for us to stop trying to do it ourselves and finally turn to Him.  When we do he is ready to jump in and help us.  I think when we are weak, when we finally give in and ask for help God smiles and says, “Finally my child, how can I help you!”You may feel you have to be strong with others, but you do not have to be strong with God.  Let him shoulder your problems.  Hand Him your worry, your cares, and your deepest desires, and let him carry them for you.  In your weakness, His power is made perfect. Wouldn't it be great to have more of God's power in your life?  I know I could definitely use more.Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, we want to be weak with you, show us how.  We want your power to be made perfect in us.  We love you Lord and we know your grace is sufficient for us.  We know this and we also forget it when times get tough, please remind us, Lord.  Remind us that we don't have to always be strong.  Remind us that your power is made perfect in weakness.  Remind us that we can be ourselves with you.  We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen.Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus.  This has been a rough week for my family.  I won't go into details as it is not my story to share.  However, I will say that being a parent is hard, and raising kids who struggle with mental illness, and let's be honest there aren't many that don't struggle with something these days, is even harder.  If you have a child struggling please know you are not alone.  You are doing a great job.  You are a good parent, even when it feels like you are failing.  The unkind things they say when they are struggling are not true.  They love you, even if they can't show it at the moment.  I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow.  Have a blessed day! 

On Christmas Eve of 2017, a family moved into an apartment and their downstairs neighbor asked if he could borrow a drain snake because he was having trouble with his plumbing. Little did anyone know, those plumbing issues would lead to resolution in the cases of two missing young women.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode provides added proof that two times is the charm. Joseph Gaskill first acquired his classic Mustang fastback in December of 1981, held onto it for 5 years. He will share what happened and why he acquired it again in December 2022 41 years after the original acquisition date. Joseph, let's tell your story, welcome to Ford Mustang, The Early Years podcast.Let's start here and this post on Facebook: Dec 26th, 2022 Best Christmas ever but the highlight was getting my Mustang back that I sold in 1986! I was able to locate the car just one week before Christmas and ( not only) did I see it for the first time in all these years but was able to buy the car back. The fastback was delivered to me on Christmas Eve. Amazingly the car is exactly as I sold it with few exceptions. The paint is cracked but it runs beautifully. I can't wait until Spring to get started with the resurrection.Guest Interview ApplicationDo you own an early year Mustang?: yes If you own a Mustang, how long have you owned your ride?: Have owned it twice. 1st, from 12/81 to 9/86 then from 12/24/22 - Upload a favorite pic of your Mustang https://secure.acuityscheduling.com/admin/intake-form-values?key=xobIGSw9dEJe%2FkaaKY%2B7mgeyuaanUC8%2FBIM5LmL0LNz3HPahagvgrenjMO4fLf%2B%2BvBE%3D What work have you done?: It's a work in progress. My Dad and I completely restored it back in the 80's but time has taken its toll. I have completely rebuilt the clutch mechanism at this point and replaced the coil, windshield washer pump, bag and lines. What plans do you have for improvements/restoration/modification of your classic car?: I plan on replacing the wiring throughout the car, installing the correct disc brakes on the front, repainting it and adding original style A/C. Also, I plan on replacing the rear springs and refreshing the interior. Lost Muscle Carshttps://www.facebook.com/lostmusclecars/The Facebook GroupTheMustangPodcast.com/facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/185146876036328Instagram@mustangpodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/mustangpodcast/@fordpickuppodcast https://www.instagram.com/fordpickuppodcast/An Expert's Guide to Maintaining Your Classic Mustangwww.TheMustangPodcast.com/repairSponsored by: National Parts Depotwww.npdlink.comWith 4 warehouses nationwide, you'll get your parts fast!Cover art Photo Credit: Keep it safe, keep it rollin' and keep it on the road. Until next time! ~Doug Sandler

Bible Study: (2:10) Lv 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37 Why should we read Leviticus?  Mt 13:54-58 Father discusses the importance of hearing the Lord Letters (23:47) - The word for cousin in Aramaic vs. in Greek  (25:43) - Is pornography sinful within marriage? (29:43) - I heard we can be young and innocent but our souls don't age Word of the Day: Kingdom (32:06) Callers (35:38) - How to explain the role of Our Lady to my Jewish friends? (37:16) - I'm struggling with my marriage; what should I do?  (41:54) - I'm doing a watercolor of the Three Kings, and would like to know whether there is anything in scripture that says there was a full moon or half moon on Christmas Eve? (44:23) - Who to talk about a cause of canonization, as I might have had a miracle from a blessed?  You influenced me Fr. Simon on this particular blessed! (46:58) - I have difficulty w/the use of sacramentals in the Church.  I'm having bad reaction to incense, and gone to ER. What to do?

Louie calls into BT and Sal and instantly throws us into a 1990's setting.

Welcome to In Search of Excellence and the second part of our conversation with Dr. Mike Roizen.Dr. Mike is a world-renowned physician and author whose work has helped tens of millions of people improve their health and wellness through lifestyle changes, and whose purpose in life is to spread the message that we get to control our genes to a large degree. Dr. Mike formerly served as the Chairman of the Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, and Dean of the Division of Biological Sciences at the University of Chicago, and in 1997, he left to co-founded a company called Real Age, a consumer health media company that inspires people to adopt healthier lifestyles. Shortly after selling the company, Dr. Roizen was named Chief Wellness Officer at the Cleveland Clinic, the first such position at a major healthcare institution in the United States. Dr. Mike has published more than 185 peer-reviewed scientific papers, has written 18 books, including 4 New York Times bestsellers, and has received 13 and many foreign patents. 00:55 Stress management- Most stressful events are financial- The Christmas Eve story- Stress management technique- 10 breaths in the morning and evening 04:25 Vaccines in general and COVID-19 booster- The initial COVID vaccination and the first booster were beneficial- Long COVID and Spanish flu- Dr. Mike is scared of the inflammation- Flu vaccine 10 years in a row decreases the risk of dementia by 40% 11:15 Food recommendations- Eat things that are healthy, that you love and that will love you back- Eating bad food in moderation- Fruit is a sugar and fruit is bound to fiber and is not easily absorbed- 20g a day is fine 18:30 Obesity and fat reduction- Obesity, especially obesity around your waist, causes inflammation- White vs. brown fat- Side effects of drugs for reducing fat- We don't know the long-term risk 22:40 Are hot sauna and cold plunge useful?- We have more data on the sauna- Sauna decreases heart disease and stroke risk- Increases longevity 24:05 Effectiveness of vitamins and supplements- The longevity playbook analyzed 53 supplements- 15 have enough data on humans- Creatine was a surprise  26:25 Can we live 120 years and do we really want to?- As a society, we need to- We are not producing enough kids- The working age will go from 40 to 60 years- The whole body will have a chance to get younger- Old people can be functional as young people 30:45 Is there just a simple checklist that we should be looking at every day?- Do what you love doing- There are many choices but do what you love and add things onSponsors:Sandee | Bliss: BeachesWant to Connect? Reach out to us online!Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

Hello friends, welcome back to the WIIRE podcast! This week we are beyond excited to welcome Natalie Palmer to the podcast. Natalie is a real estate investor, property manager, AirBnb Co-Host, host of No Vacancy The Podcast, and co-founder of the Level Up Your Listing Summit.Natalie has been investing in short-term rentals for about five and a half years and currently manages 10 properties in Big Bear, California, focusing most of her energy on co-hosting and the management side of the business. Natalie also co-founded the all-women STR Summit, Level Up Your Listing Summit, an all-women short-term rental summit held in Scottsdale, AZ (grab your tickets now for the March 2024 summit here).Natalie got her start in the short-term rental industry when her family vacation house in Big Bear started to get less frequently used as they grew up and she convinced her parents to test the waters and list it for rent for the week between Christmas and New Year's. The 800 square foot, 2 bed/2 bath condo was listed and within 45 minutes of the listing going live on December 22, they received a booking for $2,500 for a check-in only 2 days later on Christmas Eve! They received another booking directly behind that one and decided to go all in and try one full winter season. They took all of the earnings her parents made on the rentals and bought a 2nd property in the area, which Natalie also manages as well. During the renovation of the 2nd property, the neighbors approached her about managing their rentals and Natalie eventually went full-time managing multiple short-term rental properties in the Big Bear area. Natalie co-hosted for 3 years before finally diving in and buying a property of her own with her husband.This episode is packed with information for getting started in short-term rentals, growing your short-term rental portfolio, AND tips on self-managing your properties without the overwhelm, so make sure you listen to the full episode!You can learn more about what Natalie is up to by following her on Instagram.Until next week, take care friends!   Resources:Follow Natalie on InstagramListen to Grace & Amelia's episode on No Vacancy The PodcastCheck out Steadily in your REI bizEnroll in our Property Management AcademyLeave us a review on Apple PodcastsLeave us a review on SpotifyJoin our private Facebook CommunityConnect with us on Instagram

A series of mishaps threaten a recently divorced mom's attempts to make her two kids' first Christmas "without dad" perfect.Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHBalsamhill.com - promo code PODCASTThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4438180/advertisement

Merle Haggard was what authorities liked to call a “repeat offender.” He was arrested for riding trains, for skipping school, for stealing cars, for robbing gas stations, and for attempting to knock over a restaurant – during the Christmas Eve rush. He was committed to juvenile halls, correctional facilities, and reform schools 17 times, and 17 times he escaped. When he was arrested for the final time, he was sent to do hard time at San Quentin. He turned 21 in prison. And it was in prison that he found the freedom he'd been running towards his whole life – freedom that was delivered from an unlikely source. For the full list of contributors, visit disgracelandpod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pastor Nate continues the Nones podcast series with an exceptional guest: his older sister, Rachel! The two discuss their upbringings as people who were at church every Sunday (and 3-4 times on Christmas Eve) and then the questions and quest for answers that Rachel encountered through high school and college. Rachel talks about why she isn't involved in church today and how she finds spiritual connection through gardening. This is a great episode filled with many valuable insights.

What's up, dudes? Remember "Today's Special?" The mannequin comes to life and is friends with a rhyming mouse? Well, Ashley Dunbar from the Magic of the Season and CJ Bélanger from Christmas Sessions join me to talk all about this mashup of "Mannequin" and Sesame Street! We get into all of the craziness of the 2 part Christmas special!In Christmas: Part 1, Jodie, Sam, and Muffy are leaving Jeff alone on Christmas Eve to spend the holiday with their families. Meanwhile, Santa gives a couple of elves leave to make mischief. As Jeff prepares to decorate the tree, his friends appear to spend Christmas with him. Aw, you guys! They don't want him to be alone! Oh, and Sam gets thrown into a drunk tank until the elves bail him out. Christmas: Part 2, sees the mischievous elves steal and hide all the gang's presents! They search and search, until Jodie finds the book her friends bought her. It's a cocaine-fueled story about Jack Frost, though we didn't know at the time. They all find their presents, including Jeff, whose gift was a real tree on the roof of the building. Then they all see Santa fly by! Singing while trimming the tree? Check. Santa sighting? Yup. A mouse sculpture carved out of cheese? Of course! So grab your magic hat, open your present, and look through your brand new telescope at this episode all about "Today's Special!"The Magic of the SeasonIG: @themagicoftheseasonpodcastChristmas SessionsFB: @ChristmasSessionsPodcastTwitter: @xmassessionspodIG: @christmassessionspodCheck us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

Hello and Happy Christmas in July! In today's episode I read you a charming Christmas story called "Mr. Kris Kringle". In this classic story, it's Christmas Eve, and two children and their single mother are facing having to leave their home soon and move to the city. They are also poor so Kris Kringle - aka Santa Claus - won't be able to visit them this year. After the kids go to bed for the night, they hear a noise outside. What - or who? - could it be? Kris Kringle? A Robber? What happens next is a beautiful story of miracles and redemption.  Buy me a coffee? www.ko-fi.com/cozychristmas  Ornaments, Mugs, and Notebooks: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CozyChristmasPodcast  Logo shirt designs: http://tee.pub/lic/edygC_h4D1c    Contact Me: facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cozychristmaspodcast  instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cozychristmaspodcast/  twitter: https://twitter.com/CozyXmasPod  youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCikiozEbu0h9pKeI1Ei5TQ email: cozychristmaspodcast@gmail.com     #Christmas #Christmaspod #Christmasstory

Full Text of ReadingsMonday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 395The Saint of the day is Saint Sharbel MakhloufSaint Sharbel Makhlouf’s Story Although this saint never traveled far from the Lebanese village of Beka-Kafra where he was born, his influence has spread widely. Joseph Zaroun Maklouf was raised by an uncle because his father, a mule driver, died when Joseph was only three. At the age of 23, Joseph joined the Monastery of St. Maron at Annaya, Lebanon, and took the name Sharbel in honor of a second-century martyr. He professed his final vows in 1853, and was ordained six years later. Following the example of the fifth-century Saint Maron, Sharbel lived as a hermit from 1875, until his death. His reputation for holiness prompted people to seek him to receive a blessing and to be remembered in his prayers. He followed a strict fast and was very devoted to the Blessed Sacrament. When his superiors occasionally asked him to administer the sacraments to nearby villages, Sharbel did so gladly. He died in the late afternoon on Christmas Eve. Christians and non-Christians soon made his tomb a place of pilgrimage and of cures. Pope Paul VI beatified Sharbel in 1965, and canonized him 12 years later. Reflection John Paul II often said that the Church has two lungs—East and West—and it must learn to breathe using both of them. Remembering saints like Sharbel helps the Church to appreciate both the diversity and unity present in the Catholic Church. Like all the saints, Sharbel points us to God and invites us to cooperate generously with God's grace, no matter what our situation in life may be. As our prayer life becomes deeper and more honest, we become more ready to make that generous response. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

In this heartfelt and inspiring episode on the Canadian Podcast, Zak had the opportunity to speak with an incredible soul, a Calgary Firefighter whose name is Lorne Miller. Lorne battled liposarcoma, a rare form of cancer. Diagnosed in May 2021, Lorne faced months of treatments and a triumphant celebration of one year cancer-free in June 2022, only to be met with the devastating news of a recurrence just a few months later. Witness Lorne's unwavering determination and resilience as he confronts the fear of recurrence head-on. With the unwavering support of his loving wife, Lindsay, and his caring medical team at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Lorne takes us through the ups and downs of his second round of treatments, culminating in a critical surgery on December 12th. Amidst the challenges, Lorne sets a powerful goal—to be home for his daughter Esmae's 7th birthday on Christmas Eve. Experience the emotions as Lorne's surgery is successful, and he receives HIPEC treatment to eliminate any remaining cancer cells. Thanks to the tremendous support of his community, Lorne is reunited with his family just in time for the special day. Through his personal journey, Lorne acknowledges the profound impact of his support system, both at home and at work. His fellow firefighters, who became his second family, stood by his side, offering unwavering care and encouragement throughout the cancer journey. Now, Lorne aims to give back and create more cherished moments for cancer patients like himself by supporting the Alberta Cancer Foundation. Every donation can make a difference, providing more invaluable moments for patients to spend with their loved ones. Join us in this heartwarming tale of hope, love, and community strength. Subscribe to our channel to follow more stories like Lorne's journey and learn, share and grow from each other.