Podcasts about Excuse

Three French Hens and Lingerie.Based on a post by SandyMarl, in 4 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at Steamy Stories. Three French HensRising the next morning after enjoying the contented sleep of a delicious bad girl; Dana mopped up the chocolate mess and had just put a new tablecloth on the table when she received a text. She saw that Patricia had sent her a message. She giggled aloud in her empty house, feeling that she knew what she was about to read. ‘Dana, I hope you will be home tonight. I’d like to drop off supper and a surprise Christmas package for you. Let me know if you’ll be available this evening - Patricia.’Dana replied, 'I Will be ready for your surprise package. What Will I do with your generosity? I Will be so looking forward to tonight!’ Dana didn’t intend to spoil Patricia’s 'surprise package’ delivery; but by now Patricia knew that Dana was wise to the Twelve Days of Christmas themes arriving at her house, courtesy of The Chix 'Hubby Exchange’. Almost more than the expected sex with Patricia’s husband Will, Dana was curiously excited to find out how Three French Hens were going to fit into her boudoir.When Dana’s doorbell rang, she arranged herself in the hallway mirror, resettled her boobs in her next-fanciest white lace bra that was almost concealed behind her low-cut, high-class dressy satin snow-white blouse.When she answered the door, the kid at the door smiled as Dana greeted him. After an awkward, cheeky stare at her tits, he handed her the bag of roasted chicken and all the fixin’s. Dana gave the kid an eyeful as his parting words were, “Don’t cook tonight - Call Chicken Delight! Thanks for your order, Ma'am.” The delivery boy took one last glance before leaving her porch.Dana thought about calling after him, 'Have a Merry Fucking Christmas,’ but thought that she’d save the teasing for the next fellow who rang her bell.Will pulled up to the curb as the delivery boy’s car pulled away. Will trotted to the open door where Dana was waiting for him. Will looked flustered. “Damn. I was supposed to surprise you with dinner. Looks like I’m the one who is surprised by dinner’s quick arrival.”“And you left me holding the bag,” said Dana in a provocative tone as she lifted the steaming bag in front of Will’s nose. Will looked doubly flustered.“Oh shit. Excuse me Dana, I forgot something in my truck.” Will trotted back to the curb and grabbed a gift box and came back to where Dana was waiting for him with a half-undone blouse.By the Third Day of Christmas, Dana had a good idea of how this exchange was supposed to play out. But she wasn’t above playing along, or at least playing Will. Dana looked out the door, “Where’s Patricia? She promised me an exciting holiday package.” Dana was enjoying the recurring theme and the surprise packages being delivered to her door.Will stepped inside, shut the door and bolted it behind him, handing a scroll tied with a festive green ribbon to the woman smiling at him, acting surprised. “What’s this?” Dana asked as she cocked her head, taking the scroll from Will. “This is all so mysterious,” acknowledged Dana with her eyes and smile flashing in obvious enjoyment of another installment of the unfolding mystery in her entry hall.Dana unfurled the scroll, knowing what was written inside, yet once again feeling a warm flush sweep across her face as she red Patricia’s words. Dana inhaled; a crinkle grew at the corner of her eyes; Patricia had sent her husband Will over to her as a gift to give her 'a night of holiday magic’.In Patricia’s written introduction she implied that perhaps Will’s stag arrival was not a surprise to her, but Will was not aware that he was visiting her as the bearer of gifts that tied him to The Third Day of Christmas, part of the husband exchange plotted right after The Chix cookie exchange.Patricia wrote that Will was 'prepared to fulfill her wish list’, and that rumors were circulating among The Chix that she had made it to the top of Santa’s naughty girl list. According to the instructions, all she had to do was 'Have a Merry Fucking Christmas.’ Patricia signed off with, 'And Good Will to all and to all a good night.’“Well, well, what do we have here?” she asked as she dropped her glance to the gift-wrapped box in Will’s hands.Will looked at Dana, “Did you read Patricia’s introductory remarks on the scroll Dana?” Will of course had seen her reading it but was expecting more of a reaction from her as the purpose for his evening visit was spelled out for the attractive widow lady who had long been inside their close circle of friends.“Oh yes. I’ve red and understood your introduction quite clearly.” Dana used a husky, seductive voice to emphasize her intimate understanding of what was ahead for the two of them. “But I must know, what’s in the box?”Dana’s unfazed manner, sexy outfit and flirty ease with him put Will in a randy mood, thinking that he’d lucked into some sexy games between Dana and his wife. If Dana didn’t seem to mind, he was certainly game. And he brought his own Christmas toys. “You get to open the box after supper. Not before then - and no peeking!”“It’s you that has been doing the early peeking Will,” Dana thrust her boobs forward, letting the half buttoned top fall further open to reveal her white lace cups filled with full tits as she shook them with the intention to set off a growing erection inside of Will’s pants.After the supper dishes were cleared, Dana made a play for the present. Will snatched it from her clutches, saying that “This gift was selected by Patricia, but she has entrusted it to me to give it to you. She seemed certain that you would find it appropriate for any kind of mischief that we might want to get into.” Will smiled a sheepish smile, not sure about presenting such a gift to a lady friend. Relying on his wife’s assurances that Dana would love it, he placed it in Dana’s hands.Dana tore into the gift wrapping and let out a gasp and then a giggle escape as she opened the box. “What’s this?” Dana was beaming as she lifted the pink oval object from its case and held it in the palm of her hand.“I’ve been told that you might be expecting something along the lines of a chicken or hen theme. What you hold in your hand is for your holiday evening pleasure - as am I. I am your rooster, er; may I correct that, I am your barnyard cock. I present you, my hen, a vibrating egg.” Will had gained his confidence over dinner and was enjoying toying with his hostess as she marveled at the gift sex toy.Dana didn’t want to pry and outright ask Will if he and Patricia had used a vibrating sex toy before, but she was sure that it wasn’t too difficult to guess how to use it.Will walked behind where Dana sat, he brushed his fingers through her hair. “Do you remember way back when, when you and Sander helped me out by giving me some tips on the best way to make my moves on Patricia?”“Umm yeah, I remember all of that pretty well. You weren’t the fumbling geek that you thought you were, you just needed a little direction and a lot of confidence. I guess that Sander and I turned you into a star lover.”“Well, you may not have turned me into the latest and greatest Casanova; but at least you did give me great advice and let me practice with a real woman. Dana, you got me off to a solid start. Patricia is ever grateful to you for knocking off my awkward edges, if only she knew all the schooling that you put into my romancing behavior. Once I took your advice and employed your patented instructions of hot techniques to win a girl, I was off to the races. Patricia was able to pick it up from there.” Will finished his remembrances with a small chuckle.“Let’s see, if I remember my early lessons; Lesson One: atmosphere is important. Come my fine teacher, join me on the couch and you can test me on what I learned from you.” Will took Dana by the hand, escorting her to the living room.“Lesson Two in winning a girl was what? Oh yes, I think I remember; take her slowly, don’t scare her, make her comfortable with you and she will come to you on her own. Did I get that right?” Will petted Dana in a slow and easy casual caress, seeking feedback from his former romance instructor.Dana nestled into Will, “That’s right, but that lesson mostly applies to a man’s first approach to a girl. We’ve both been through this together before. Given our mutual experiences, I think we can skip the slow part this time. I’m not scared, and a faster pace would be fine with me tonight, young man.”Will began to pick up the pace, undressing Dana as she enjoyed the confident attention from the man whom she once had to advise on how to undress a woman. Will had peeled Dana down to her set of snowy white lace bra and panties, he came in close to kiss her and told her she “looked like a pretty white snowflake, a unique beauty, yet the hottest of all the fallen snowflakes. If you catch my drift.”Dana smiled her appreciation at Will’s compliment, “Patricia told me that I should expect to find a surprise holiday package - may I?” She asked without waiting for an answer, reaching up to undo Will’s pants. Dana dropped his pants and underpants to his ankle and was not surprised to find his cock decorated with a green bow. “This must be the pretty package of which Patricia spoke,” feigning surprise. “Oh look, you come with a label,” Dana removed the bow from Will’s willy and red the label: 'On the Third Day of Christmas, My True Friend gave to me, Three French Hens. Dear Dana, I hope you enjoy the Christmas package I’ve selected for you. Unfortunately, the Three French Hens couldn’t get their travel visa in time to arrive with the business end of this package; so, I’ve taken the liberty to include one of their vibrating French hen eggs as a substitute. Ooh la la! Enjoy! And have a Merry Fucking Christmas! – Patricia.’Dana stroked Will’s cock, extended in greeting, “We never got this far in our lessons on what to do with a girl. I Trust you’ve figured out a thing or two on the proper use of your tool?” Dana leaned in to give Will’s cock a lick.Will let her consume him, holding her hair as she slurped with her tongue, preparing his tool for some deep drilling. “Ooh la la,” you make a pretty French hen when you have a pecker on your face,“ Will sighed as Dana sucked him and caressed his balls. With reluctance, Will pulled his cock out of Dana’s lips, "Lest we forget, now that you’ve unwrapped your gift, I believe it is time we play with your new Christmas toy.” Will returned to the table and picked up the vibrating egg sex toy and its remote control.“This will be fun,” said Will as he used the controls to turn it on and run the vibrating rheostat through its different levels. “You never got to this part of the lesson when you taught me about what turns girls on.”Dana pulled him close, “A girl shouldn’t reveal all of her secrets. But at the time, I never imagined that there was a remote-control device that could be used to turn a girl on with the literal press of a button.” Dana spread her legs, rubbing her labia with both hands, “Why don’t you find a warm nest to place that egg in, and let’s pick up this part of the lesson that we both somehow missed all of those years ago.”Will fit himself between her legs, wedged the vibrating egg between Dana’s wet cunt lips. Dana held it in place with her right hand as she plucked at her excited nipple with her left hand as Will pressed the start button on the remote. Dana let out a giggle. “Cluck, cluck, cluck, this darling little egg is going to make me want to get laid.”Dana bent her knees, trying different positions and sensations. As her toy egg hummed, she purred. “Does this egg have any other settings?” she asked as she worked her clit, letting the vibrations warm her libido.Will licked his lips as he watched Dana adjust to the new sensations between her legs, “Why yes, it does have several settings. How may I serve you my little chickadee?”“What options can you offer an excited girl?” Dana asked as her eyes involuntarily rolled back as she pressed the vibrating egg to her warming, wet labia.“I can serve you 'over easy’, which is the setting I have you at now. I can pick it up a notch and deliver a 'poached egg’ sensation, which should make you feel soft, gooey and warm. Or I can go right up to 'scrambled’ level.”“My, my, all of those sound fun. Will, I want you to surprise me, you pick the setting. You can change it up on me whenever you want, make it interesting with variety.” Will needed no prodding, he switched up the intensity of the egg Dana held to her clit; using a slow build, higher and higher and as she squirmed and squeezed her legs together on the couch. As Dana was heating up to her melting point, Will stopped the vibrations.“You barnyard bastard, Will!”“You wanted me to surprise you. Didn’t you tell me years ago to not rush a girl?” Will offered a smug snort, knowing he had the remote and he was in control. Also knowing that Dana had once coached him to make the girl want to come to him. “I think I’ve learned your lessons pretty well, by the look on your face Dana.”“I was starting to get in the groove. You coaxed me pretty far along, I’m wet and I’m getting pretty frothy – until you stopped. Will, I didn’t teach you to be a cruel bastard.” Dana was pouting as she reclined on the couch with her knees up, still holding her toy egg against her glistening labia.“No, you didn’t. I developed the joy of prolonged teasing on my own.” He held the remote in front of Dana, rolling his thumb over the control buttons like the twitchy trigger finger of a gunfighter in a showdown. “I could start you up anytime I want from where I stand. Just because I stopped doesn’t mean I can’t start again.”“Well then, what do I need to do to get you to fire me up again? I can’t let this egg that I’m nesting on get too cold. I’d be disappointed if I didn’t hatch an egg-cracking orgasm with you tonight.”Will beamed with confidence as he looked Dana in the eye as he twirled the remote in between his fingers. “I confess, after steaming me up all those years ago with your romantic lessons, I’ve always wanted to see you get turned on like you are tonight. I love watching your pretty titties bunch and jiggle as you enjoy my remote toying.”Dana enjoyed hearing Will’s confession and was secretly pleased that she could offer him a good, sexy show. “OK, here’s the deal; you control the vibrating egg, I give you the show you’ve always wanted but you have to come over here and lick and suck my nipple as my clit gets buzzed.”“Now that’s a deal I can’t resist. First, I get to watch you get frothy all over again and then I’ll come to your side and fulfill my other longtime fantasy by fondling your tits and sucking you until your nips are made hard and erect and by my stimulation. I’ll work you tit, you work your clit and together we will bring you to an egg-cracking orgasm.”Will performed a masterful job of licking, sucking and nibbling at Dana’s nipples while changing the sensations she was getting on her swollen clit with the remote. With a sudden convulsion and an eye-rolling, breathy squeal, Dana panted as she pulled the pink egg out from her inner thighs, dropping it on the carpet. “Oh damn. Damn that kind of snook up on me. Oh, damn that was exciting. That was a surprise.” She pried Will’s lips from her over-sensitized nipple as she let the reverberations subside inside her hen parts while she leaned back against the couch’s arm feeling warmed from toes to tits.Will looked her over, seeing a crimson sex-flush glowing on her upper chest, remarked, “You are some kind of red-breasted warbler hen.”Dana mover her arm down to grasp Will’s semi-rigid erection, giving it slow, sensuous strokes as she subtly tugged his cock to position him in front of her spread legs. “Cluck, cluck. You wanna fuck?” Dana inquired through heavy eyelids of a post-orgasmic woman.Will said nothing; he seized her ankles and threw them back toward her shoulders, exposing Dana’s puffy pink cunt. With a stiff and eager pecker, Will drove hard and deep into Dana’s upturned snatch, pinning her legs against her shoulders as he thrust his boner in and out of her with wet, succulent sounds. He swabbed her with hearty vigor, fulfilling years of pent-up fantasy desire to fuck Dana, the lady who had taken it upon herself years ago to give him the confidence to make it with a girl.Dana sensed that this pumping penetration which she was enjoying was the carnal expression of this man’s ultimate gratification after suppressing his desire to fuck her for years. She loved being able to fulfill Will’s desires. By letting him take her so savagely, it served to only heighten her pleasure. She could only express her pleasure with long, loud moans finished with little barks with every pounding stroke that Will planted deep inside of her spasming naughty bits. Dana’s involuntary moans built up again and again as Will plunged into her slippery depths, always ending with a little bark as his rod mashed into her cervix.Will’s grip on her folded-over legs tightened, his breath became fast and shallow as he pumped Dana with fucking fury. He released her legs, seized two generous handfuls of titty flesh, squeezed her tight as his cock flew over her nest of pubic hair, exploding in a glorious release of white, hot sperm. Will’s ejaculate went splattering across Dana’s bunched bosoms, up her throat and chin, coating her lips with thick, white ropes of jizz.Breathing heavily, with eyes closed tight, he massaged both of Dana’s melons as he rested, enjoying the flood of warm satisfaction coursing through his body.Dana waited for a few moments until Will opened his eyes; then she opened her lips and ran her tongue along them to slurp up the cum he had deposited on her mouth. “Yum. You’ve been wanting to do me like that for a long time haven’t you? I could tell.”“It was worth the wait Dana. You taught me well.” Will’s arms released their hold on Dana’s tits as he fell into her chest with his face, holding her torso tight as she wrapped her legs around his back.Awaking from an exhausted snooze, still entangled and stuck together by the sticky cum covering Dan’s chest and Will’s face; Dana stuck her finger in her mouth and then inserted it in Will’s ear. “Wet Willy!”Will flinched and then laughed, “Yeah, but

Three French Hens and Lingerie.Based on a post by SandyMarl, in 4 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at Steamy Stories. Three French HensRising the next morning after enjoying the contented sleep of a delicious bad girl; Dana mopped up the chocolate mess and had just put a new tablecloth on the table when she received a text. She saw that Patricia had sent her a message. She giggled aloud in her empty house, feeling that she knew what she was about to read. ‘Dana, I hope you will be home tonight. I’d like to drop off supper and a surprise Christmas package for you. Let me know if you’ll be available this evening - Patricia.’Dana replied, 'I Will be ready for your surprise package. What Will I do with your generosity? I Will be so looking forward to tonight!’ Dana didn’t intend to spoil Patricia’s 'surprise package’ delivery; but by now Patricia knew that Dana was wise to the Twelve Days of Christmas themes arriving at her house, courtesy of The Chix 'Hubby Exchange’. Almost more than the expected sex with Patricia’s husband Will, Dana was curiously excited to find out how Three French Hens were going to fit into her boudoir.When Dana’s doorbell rang, she arranged herself in the hallway mirror, resettled her boobs in her next-fanciest white lace bra that was almost concealed behind her low-cut, high-class dressy satin snow-white blouse.When she answered the door, the kid at the door smiled as Dana greeted him. After an awkward, cheeky stare at her tits, he handed her the bag of roasted chicken and all the fixin’s. Dana gave the kid an eyeful as his parting words were, “Don’t cook tonight - Call Chicken Delight! Thanks for your order, Ma'am.” The delivery boy took one last glance before leaving her porch.Dana thought about calling after him, 'Have a Merry Fucking Christmas,’ but thought that she’d save the teasing for the next fellow who rang her bell.Will pulled up to the curb as the delivery boy’s car pulled away. Will trotted to the open door where Dana was waiting for him. Will looked flustered. “Damn. I was supposed to surprise you with dinner. Looks like I’m the one who is surprised by dinner’s quick arrival.”“And you left me holding the bag,” said Dana in a provocative tone as she lifted the steaming bag in front of Will’s nose. Will looked doubly flustered.“Oh shit. Excuse me Dana, I forgot something in my truck.” Will trotted back to the curb and grabbed a gift box and came back to where Dana was waiting for him with a half-undone blouse.By the Third Day of Christmas, Dana had a good idea of how this exchange was supposed to play out. But she wasn’t above playing along, or at least playing Will. Dana looked out the door, “Where’s Patricia? She promised me an exciting holiday package.” Dana was enjoying the recurring theme and the surprise packages being delivered to her door.Will stepped inside, shut the door and bolted it behind him, handing a scroll tied with a festive green ribbon to the woman smiling at him, acting surprised. “What’s this?” Dana asked as she cocked her head, taking the scroll from Will. “This is all so mysterious,” acknowledged Dana with her eyes and smile flashing in obvious enjoyment of another installment of the unfolding mystery in her entry hall.Dana unfurled the scroll, knowing what was written inside, yet once again feeling a warm flush sweep across her face as she red Patricia’s words. Dana inhaled; a crinkle grew at the corner of her eyes; Patricia had sent her husband Will over to her as a gift to give her 'a night of holiday magic’.In Patricia’s written introduction she implied that perhaps Will’s stag arrival was not a surprise to her, but Will was not aware that he was visiting her as the bearer of gifts that tied him to The Third Day of Christmas, part of the husband exchange plotted right after The Chix cookie exchange.Patricia wrote that Will was 'prepared to fulfill her wish list’, and that rumors were circulating among The Chix that she had made it to the top of Santa’s naughty girl list. According to the instructions, all she had to do was 'Have a Merry Fucking Christmas.’ Patricia signed off with, 'And Good Will to all and to all a good night.’“Well, well, what do we have here?” she asked as she dropped her glance to the gift-wrapped box in Will’s hands.Will looked at Dana, “Did you read Patricia’s introductory remarks on the scroll Dana?” Will of course had seen her reading it but was expecting more of a reaction from her as the purpose for his evening visit was spelled out for the attractive widow lady who had long been inside their close circle of friends.“Oh yes. I’ve red and understood your introduction quite clearly.” Dana used a husky, seductive voice to emphasize her intimate understanding of what was ahead for the two of them. “But I must know, what’s in the box?”Dana’s unfazed manner, sexy outfit and flirty ease with him put Will in a randy mood, thinking that he’d lucked into some sexy games between Dana and his wife. If Dana didn’t seem to mind, he was certainly game. And he brought his own Christmas toys. “You get to open the box after supper. Not before then - and no peeking!”“It’s you that has been doing the early peeking Will,” Dana thrust her boobs forward, letting the half buttoned top fall further open to reveal her white lace cups filled with full tits as she shook them with the intention to set off a growing erection inside of Will’s pants.After the supper dishes were cleared, Dana made a play for the present. Will snatched it from her clutches, saying that “This gift was selected by Patricia, but she has entrusted it to me to give it to you. She seemed certain that you would find it appropriate for any kind of mischief that we might want to get into.” Will smiled a sheepish smile, not sure about presenting such a gift to a lady friend. Relying on his wife’s assurances that Dana would love it, he placed it in Dana’s hands.Dana tore into the gift wrapping and let out a gasp and then a giggle escape as she opened the box. “What’s this?” Dana was beaming as she lifted the pink oval object from its case and held it in the palm of her hand.“I’ve been told that you might be expecting something along the lines of a chicken or hen theme. What you hold in your hand is for your holiday evening pleasure - as am I. I am your rooster, er; may I correct that, I am your barnyard cock. I present you, my hen, a vibrating egg.” Will had gained his confidence over dinner and was enjoying toying with his hostess as she marveled at the gift sex toy.Dana didn’t want to pry and outright ask Will if he and Patricia had used a vibrating sex toy before, but she was sure that it wasn’t too difficult to guess how to use it.Will walked behind where Dana sat, he brushed his fingers through her hair. “Do you remember way back when, when you and Sander helped me out by giving me some tips on the best way to make my moves on Patricia?”“Umm yeah, I remember all of that pretty well. You weren’t the fumbling geek that you thought you were, you just needed a little direction and a lot of confidence. I guess that Sander and I turned you into a star lover.”“Well, you may not have turned me into the latest and greatest Casanova; but at least you did give me great advice and let me practice with a real woman. Dana, you got me off to a solid start. Patricia is ever grateful to you for knocking off my awkward edges, if only she knew all the schooling that you put into my romancing behavior. Once I took your advice and employed your patented instructions of hot techniques to win a girl, I was off to the races. Patricia was able to pick it up from there.” Will finished his remembrances with a small chuckle.“Let’s see, if I remember my early lessons; Lesson One: atmosphere is important. Come my fine teacher, join me on the couch and you can test me on what I learned from you.” Will took Dana by the hand, escorting her to the living room.“Lesson Two in winning a girl was what? Oh yes, I think I remember; take her slowly, don’t scare her, make her comfortable with you and she will come to you on her own. Did I get that right?” Will petted Dana in a slow and easy casual caress, seeking feedback from his former romance instructor.Dana nestled into Will, “That’s right, but that lesson mostly applies to a man’s first approach to a girl. We’ve both been through this together before. Given our mutual experiences, I think we can skip the slow part this time. I’m not scared, and a faster pace would be fine with me tonight, young man.”Will began to pick up the pace, undressing Dana as she enjoyed the confident attention from the man whom she once had to advise on how to undress a woman. Will had peeled Dana down to her set of snowy white lace bra and panties, he came in close to kiss her and told her she “looked like a pretty white snowflake, a unique beauty, yet the hottest of all the fallen snowflakes. If you catch my drift.”Dana smiled her appreciation at Will’s compliment, “Patricia told me that I should expect to find a surprise holiday package - may I?” She asked without waiting for an answer, reaching up to undo Will’s pants. Dana dropped his pants and underpants to his ankle and was not surprised to find his cock decorated with a green bow. “This must be the pretty package of which Patricia spoke,” feigning surprise. “Oh look, you come with a label,” Dana removed the bow from Will’s willy and red the label: 'On the Third Day of Christmas, My True Friend gave to me, Three French Hens. Dear Dana, I hope you enjoy the Christmas package I’ve selected for you. Unfortunately, the Three French Hens couldn’t get their travel visa in time to arrive with the business end of this package; so, I’ve taken the liberty to include one of their vibrating French hen eggs as a substitute. Ooh la la! Enjoy! And have a Merry Fucking Christmas! – Patricia.’Dana stroked Will’s cock, extended in greeting, “We never got this far in our lessons on what to do with a girl. I Trust you’ve figured out a thing or two on the proper use of your tool?” Dana leaned in to give Will’s cock a lick.Will let her consume him, holding her hair as she slurped with her tongue, preparing his tool for some deep drilling. “Ooh la la,” you make a pretty French hen when you have a pecker on your face,“ Will sighed as Dana sucked him and caressed his balls. With reluctance, Will pulled his cock out of Dana’s lips, "Lest we forget, now that you’ve unwrapped your gift, I believe it is time we play with your new Christmas toy.” Will returned to the table and picked up the vibrating egg sex toy and its remote control.“This will be fun,” said Will as he used the controls to turn it on and run the vibrating rheostat through its different levels. “You never got to this part of the lesson when you taught me about what turns girls on.”Dana pulled him close, “A girl shouldn’t reveal all of her secrets. But at the time, I never imagined that there was a remote-control device that could be used to turn a girl on with the literal press of a button.” Dana spread her legs, rubbing her labia with both hands, “Why don’t you find a warm nest to place that egg in, and let’s pick up this part of the lesson that we both somehow missed all of those years ago.”Will fit himself between her legs, wedged the vibrating egg between Dana’s wet cunt lips. Dana held it in place with her right hand as she plucked at her excited nipple with her left hand as Will pressed the start button on the remote. Dana let out a giggle. “Cluck, cluck, cluck, this darling little egg is going to make me want to get laid.”Dana bent her knees, trying different positions and sensations. As her toy egg hummed, she purred. “Does this egg have any other settings?” she asked as she worked her clit, letting the vibrations warm her libido.Will licked his lips as he watched Dana adjust to the new sensations between her legs, “Why yes, it does have several settings. How may I serve you my little chickadee?”“What options can you offer an excited girl?” Dana asked as her eyes involuntarily rolled back as she pressed the vibrating egg to her warming, wet labia.“I can serve you 'over easy’, which is the setting I have you at now. I can pick it up a notch and deliver a 'poached egg’ sensation, which should make you feel soft, gooey and warm. Or I can go right up to 'scrambled’ level.”“My, my, all of those sound fun. Will, I want you to surprise me, you pick the setting. You can change it up on me whenever you want, make it interesting with variety.” Will needed no prodding, he switched up the intensity of the egg Dana held to her clit; using a slow build, higher and higher and as she squirmed and squeezed her legs together on the couch. As Dana was heating up to her melting point, Will stopped the vibrations.“You barnyard bastard, Will!”“You wanted me to surprise you. Didn’t you tell me years ago to not rush a girl?” Will offered a smug snort, knowing he had the remote and he was in control. Also knowing that Dana had once coached him to make the girl want to come to him. “I think I’ve learned your lessons pretty well, by the look on your face Dana.”“I was starting to get in the groove. You coaxed me pretty far along, I’m wet and I’m getting pretty frothy – until you stopped. Will, I didn’t teach you to be a cruel bastard.” Dana was pouting as she reclined on the couch with her knees up, still holding her toy egg against her glistening labia.“No, you didn’t. I developed the joy of prolonged teasing on my own.” He held the remote in front of Dana, rolling his thumb over the control buttons like the twitchy trigger finger of a gunfighter in a showdown. “I could start you up anytime I want from where I stand. Just because I stopped doesn’t mean I can’t start again.”“Well then, what do I need to do to get you to fire me up again? I can’t let this egg that I’m nesting on get too cold. I’d be disappointed if I didn’t hatch an egg-cracking orgasm with you tonight.”Will beamed with confidence as he looked Dana in the eye as he twirled the remote in between his fingers. “I confess, after steaming me up all those years ago with your romantic lessons, I’ve always wanted to see you get turned on like you are tonight. I love watching your pretty titties bunch and jiggle as you enjoy my remote toying.”Dana enjoyed hearing Will’s confession and was secretly pleased that she could offer him a good, sexy show. “OK, here’s the deal; you control the vibrating egg, I give you the show you’ve always wanted but you have to come over here and lick and suck my nipple as my clit gets buzzed.”“Now that’s a deal I can’t resist. First, I get to watch you get frothy all over again and then I’ll come to your side and fulfill my other longtime fantasy by fondling your tits and sucking you until your nips are made hard and erect and by my stimulation. I’ll work you tit, you work your clit and together we will bring you to an egg-cracking orgasm.”Will performed a masterful job of licking, sucking and nibbling at Dana’s nipples while changing the sensations she was getting on her swollen clit with the remote. With a sudden convulsion and an eye-rolling, breathy squeal, Dana panted as she pulled the pink egg out from her inner thighs, dropping it on the carpet. “Oh damn. Damn that kind of snook up on me. Oh, damn that was exciting. That was a surprise.” She pried Will’s lips from her over-sensitized nipple as she let the reverberations subside inside her hen parts while she leaned back against the couch’s arm feeling warmed from toes to tits.Will looked her over, seeing a crimson sex-flush glowing on her upper chest, remarked, “You are some kind of red-breasted warbler hen.”Dana mover her arm down to grasp Will’s semi-rigid erection, giving it slow, sensuous strokes as she subtly tugged his cock to position him in front of her spread legs. “Cluck, cluck. You wanna fuck?” Dana inquired through heavy eyelids of a post-orgasmic woman.Will said nothing; he seized her ankles and threw them back toward her shoulders, exposing Dana’s puffy pink cunt. With a stiff and eager pecker, Will drove hard and deep into Dana’s upturned snatch, pinning her legs against her shoulders as he thrust his boner in and out of her with wet, succulent sounds. He swabbed her with hearty vigor, fulfilling years of pent-up fantasy desire to fuck Dana, the lady who had taken it upon herself years ago to give him the confidence to make it with a girl.Dana sensed that this pumping penetration which she was enjoying was the carnal expression of this man’s ultimate gratification after suppressing his desire to fuck her for years. She loved being able to fulfill Will’s desires. By letting him take her so savagely, it served to only heighten her pleasure. She could only express her pleasure with long, loud moans finished with little barks with every pounding stroke that Will planted deep inside of her spasming naughty bits. Dana’s involuntary moans built up again and again as Will plunged into her slippery depths, always ending with a little bark as his rod mashed into her cervix.Will’s grip on her folded-over legs tightened, his breath became fast and shallow as he pumped Dana with fucking fury. He released her legs, seized two generous handfuls of titty flesh, squeezed her tight as his cock flew over her nest of pubic hair, exploding in a glorious release of white, hot sperm. Will’s ejaculate went splattering across Dana’s bunched bosoms, up her throat and chin, coating her lips with thick, white ropes of jizz.Breathing heavily, with eyes closed tight, he massaged both of Dana’s melons as he rested, enjoying the flood of warm satisfaction coursing through his body.Dana waited for a few moments until Will opened his eyes; then she opened her lips and ran her tongue along them to slurp up the cum he had deposited on her mouth. “Yum. You’ve been wanting to do me like that for a long time haven’t you? I could tell.”“It was worth the wait Dana. You taught me well.” Will’s arms released their hold on Dana’s tits as he fell into her chest with his face, holding her torso tight as she wrapped her legs around his back.Awaking from an exhausted snooze, still entangled and stuck together by the sticky cum covering Dan’s chest and Will’s face; Dana stuck her finger in her mouth and then inserted it in Will’s ear. “Wet Willy!”Will flinched and then laughed, “Yeah, but

Three French Hens and Lingerie.Based on a post by SandyMarl, in 4 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at Steamy Stories. Three French HensRising the next morning after enjoying the contented sleep of a delicious bad girl; Dana mopped up the chocolate mess and had just put a new tablecloth on the table when she received a text. She saw that Patricia had sent her a message. She giggled aloud in her empty house, feeling that she knew what she was about to read. ‘Dana, I hope you will be home tonight. I’d like to drop off supper and a surprise Christmas package for you. Let me know if you’ll be available this evening - Patricia.’Dana replied, 'I Will be ready for your surprise package. What Will I do with your generosity? I Will be so looking forward to tonight!’ Dana didn’t intend to spoil Patricia’s 'surprise package’ delivery; but by now Patricia knew that Dana was wise to the Twelve Days of Christmas themes arriving at her house, courtesy of The Chix 'Hubby Exchange’. Almost more than the expected sex with Patricia’s husband Will, Dana was curiously excited to find out how Three French Hens were going to fit into her boudoir.When Dana’s doorbell rang, she arranged herself in the hallway mirror, resettled her boobs in her next-fanciest white lace bra that was almost concealed behind her low-cut, high-class dressy satin snow-white blouse.When she answered the door, the kid at the door smiled as Dana greeted him. After an awkward, cheeky stare at her tits, he handed her the bag of roasted chicken and all the fixin’s. Dana gave the kid an eyeful as his parting words were, “Don’t cook tonight - Call Chicken Delight! Thanks for your order, Ma'am.” The delivery boy took one last glance before leaving her porch.Dana thought about calling after him, 'Have a Merry Fucking Christmas,’ but thought that she’d save the teasing for the next fellow who rang her bell.Will pulled up to the curb as the delivery boy’s car pulled away. Will trotted to the open door where Dana was waiting for him. Will looked flustered. “Damn. I was supposed to surprise you with dinner. Looks like I’m the one who is surprised by dinner’s quick arrival.”“And you left me holding the bag,” said Dana in a provocative tone as she lifted the steaming bag in front of Will’s nose. Will looked doubly flustered.“Oh shit. Excuse me Dana, I forgot something in my truck.” Will trotted back to the curb and grabbed a gift box and came back to where Dana was waiting for him with a half-undone blouse.By the Third Day of Christmas, Dana had a good idea of how this exchange was supposed to play out. But she wasn’t above playing along, or at least playing Will. Dana looked out the door, “Where’s Patricia? She promised me an exciting holiday package.” Dana was enjoying the recurring theme and the surprise packages being delivered to her door.Will stepped inside, shut the door and bolted it behind him, handing a scroll tied with a festive green ribbon to the woman smiling at him, acting surprised. “What’s this?” Dana asked as she cocked her head, taking the scroll from Will. “This is all so mysterious,” acknowledged Dana with her eyes and smile flashing in obvious enjoyment of another installment of the unfolding mystery in her entry hall.Dana unfurled the scroll, knowing what was written inside, yet once again feeling a warm flush sweep across her face as she red Patricia’s words. Dana inhaled; a crinkle grew at the corner of her eyes; Patricia had sent her husband Will over to her as a gift to give her 'a night of holiday magic’.In Patricia’s written introduction she implied that perhaps Will’s stag arrival was not a surprise to her, but Will was not aware that he was visiting her as the bearer of gifts that tied him to The Third Day of Christmas, part of the husband exchange plotted right after The Chix cookie exchange.Patricia wrote that Will was 'prepared to fulfill her wish list’, and that rumors were circulating among The Chix that she had made it to the top of Santa’s naughty girl list. According to the instructions, all she had to do was 'Have a Merry Fucking Christmas.’ Patricia signed off with, 'And Good Will to all and to all a good night.’“Well, well, what do we have here?” she asked as she dropped her glance to the gift-wrapped box in Will’s hands.Will looked at Dana, “Did you read Patricia’s introductory remarks on the scroll Dana?” Will of course had seen her reading it but was expecting more of a reaction from her as the purpose for his evening visit was spelled out for the attractive widow lady who had long been inside their close circle of friends.“Oh yes. I’ve red and understood your introduction quite clearly.” Dana used a husky, seductive voice to emphasize her intimate understanding of what was ahead for the two of them. “But I must know, what’s in the box?”Dana’s unfazed manner, sexy outfit and flirty ease with him put Will in a randy mood, thinking that he’d lucked into some sexy games between Dana and his wife. If Dana didn’t seem to mind, he was certainly game. And he brought his own Christmas toys. “You get to open the box after supper. Not before then - and no peeking!”“It’s you that has been doing the early peeking Will,” Dana thrust her boobs forward, letting the half buttoned top fall further open to reveal her white lace cups filled with full tits as she shook them with the intention to set off a growing erection inside of Will’s pants.After the supper dishes were cleared, Dana made a play for the present. Will snatched it from her clutches, saying that “This gift was selected by Patricia, but she has entrusted it to me to give it to you. She seemed certain that you would find it appropriate for any kind of mischief that we might want to get into.” Will smiled a sheepish smile, not sure about presenting such a gift to a lady friend. Relying on his wife’s assurances that Dana would love it, he placed it in Dana’s hands.Dana tore into the gift wrapping and let out a gasp and then a giggle escape as she opened the box. “What’s this?” Dana was beaming as she lifted the pink oval object from its case and held it in the palm of her hand.“I’ve been told that you might be expecting something along the lines of a chicken or hen theme. What you hold in your hand is for your holiday evening pleasure - as am I. I am your rooster, er; may I correct that, I am your barnyard cock. I present you, my hen, a vibrating egg.” Will had gained his confidence over dinner and was enjoying toying with his hostess as she marveled at the gift sex toy.Dana didn’t want to pry and outright ask Will if he and Patricia had used a vibrating sex toy before, but she was sure that it wasn’t too difficult to guess how to use it.Will walked behind where Dana sat, he brushed his fingers through her hair. “Do you remember way back when, when you and Sander helped me out by giving me some tips on the best way to make my moves on Patricia?”“Umm yeah, I remember all of that pretty well. You weren’t the fumbling geek that you thought you were, you just needed a little direction and a lot of confidence. I guess that Sander and I turned you into a star lover.”“Well, you may not have turned me into the latest and greatest Casanova; but at least you did give me great advice and let me practice with a real woman. Dana, you got me off to a solid start. Patricia is ever grateful to you for knocking off my awkward edges, if only she knew all the schooling that you put into my romancing behavior. Once I took your advice and employed your patented instructions of hot techniques to win a girl, I was off to the races. Patricia was able to pick it up from there.” Will finished his remembrances with a small chuckle.“Let’s see, if I remember my early lessons; Lesson One: atmosphere is important. Come my fine teacher, join me on the couch and you can test me on what I learned from you.” Will took Dana by the hand, escorting her to the living room.“Lesson Two in winning a girl was what? Oh yes, I think I remember; take her slowly, don’t scare her, make her comfortable with you and she will come to you on her own. Did I get that right?” Will petted Dana in a slow and easy casual caress, seeking feedback from his former romance instructor.Dana nestled into Will, “That’s right, but that lesson mostly applies to a man’s first approach to a girl. We’ve both been through this together before. Given our mutual experiences, I think we can skip the slow part this time. I’m not scared, and a faster pace would be fine with me tonight, young man.”Will began to pick up the pace, undressing Dana as she enjoyed the confident attention from the man whom she once had to advise on how to undress a woman. Will had peeled Dana down to her set of snowy white lace bra and panties, he came in close to kiss her and told her she “looked like a pretty white snowflake, a unique beauty, yet the hottest of all the fallen snowflakes. If you catch my drift.”Dana smiled her appreciation at Will’s compliment, “Patricia told me that I should expect to find a surprise holiday package - may I?” She asked without waiting for an answer, reaching up to undo Will’s pants. Dana dropped his pants and underpants to his ankle and was not surprised to find his cock decorated with a green bow. “This must be the pretty package of which Patricia spoke,” feigning surprise. “Oh look, you come with a label,” Dana removed the bow from Will’s willy and red the label: 'On the Third Day of Christmas, My True Friend gave to me, Three French Hens. Dear Dana, I hope you enjoy the Christmas package I’ve selected for you. Unfortunately, the Three French Hens couldn’t get their travel visa in time to arrive with the business end of this package; so, I’ve taken the liberty to include one of their vibrating French hen eggs as a substitute. Ooh la la! Enjoy! And have a Merry Fucking Christmas! – Patricia.’Dana stroked Will’s cock, extended in greeting, “We never got this far in our lessons on what to do with a girl. I Trust you’ve figured out a thing or two on the proper use of your tool?” Dana leaned in to give Will’s cock a lick.Will let her consume him, holding her hair as she slurped with her tongue, preparing his tool for some deep drilling. “Ooh la la,” you make a pretty French hen when you have a pecker on your face,“ Will sighed as Dana sucked him and caressed his balls. With reluctance, Will pulled his cock out of Dana’s lips, "Lest we forget, now that you’ve unwrapped your gift, I believe it is time we play with your new Christmas toy.” Will returned to the table and picked up the vibrating egg sex toy and its remote control.“This will be fun,” said Will as he used the controls to turn it on and run the vibrating rheostat through its different levels. “You never got to this part of the lesson when you taught me about what turns girls on.”Dana pulled him close, “A girl shouldn’t reveal all of her secrets. But at the time, I never imagined that there was a remote-control device that could be used to turn a girl on with the literal press of a button.” Dana spread her legs, rubbing her labia with both hands, “Why don’t you find a warm nest to place that egg in, and let’s pick up this part of the lesson that we both somehow missed all of those years ago.”Will fit himself between her legs, wedged the vibrating egg between Dana’s wet cunt lips. Dana held it in place with her right hand as she plucked at her excited nipple with her left hand as Will pressed the start button on the remote. Dana let out a giggle. “Cluck, cluck, cluck, this darling little egg is going to make me want to get laid.”Dana bent her knees, trying different positions and sensations. As her toy egg hummed, she purred. “Does this egg have any other settings?” she asked as she worked her clit, letting the vibrations warm her libido.Will licked his lips as he watched Dana adjust to the new sensations between her legs, “Why yes, it does have several settings. How may I serve you my little chickadee?”“What options can you offer an excited girl?” Dana asked as her eyes involuntarily rolled back as she pressed the vibrating egg to her warming, wet labia.“I can serve you 'over easy’, which is the setting I have you at now. I can pick it up a notch and deliver a 'poached egg’ sensation, which should make you feel soft, gooey and warm. Or I can go right up to 'scrambled’ level.”“My, my, all of those sound fun. Will, I want you to surprise me, you pick the setting. You can change it up on me whenever you want, make it interesting with variety.” Will needed no prodding, he switched up the intensity of the egg Dana held to her clit; using a slow build, higher and higher and as she squirmed and squeezed her legs together on the couch. As Dana was heating up to her melting point, Will stopped the vibrations.“You barnyard bastard, Will!”“You wanted me to surprise you. Didn’t you tell me years ago to not rush a girl?” Will offered a smug snort, knowing he had the remote and he was in control. Also knowing that Dana had once coached him to make the girl want to come to him. “I think I’ve learned your lessons pretty well, by the look on your face Dana.”“I was starting to get in the groove. You coaxed me pretty far along, I’m wet and I’m getting pretty frothy – until you stopped. Will, I didn’t teach you to be a cruel bastard.” Dana was pouting as she reclined on the couch with her knees up, still holding her toy egg against her glistening labia.“No, you didn’t. I developed the joy of prolonged teasing on my own.” He held the remote in front of Dana, rolling his thumb over the control buttons like the twitchy trigger finger of a gunfighter in a showdown. “I could start you up anytime I want from where I stand. Just because I stopped doesn’t mean I can’t start again.”“Well then, what do I need to do to get you to fire me up again? I can’t let this egg that I’m nesting on get too cold. I’d be disappointed if I didn’t hatch an egg-cracking orgasm with you tonight.”Will beamed with confidence as he looked Dana in the eye as he twirled the remote in between his fingers. “I confess, after steaming me up all those years ago with your romantic lessons, I’ve always wanted to see you get turned on like you are tonight. I love watching your pretty titties bunch and jiggle as you enjoy my remote toying.”Dana enjoyed hearing Will’s confession and was secretly pleased that she could offer him a good, sexy show. “OK, here’s the deal; you control the vibrating egg, I give you the show you’ve always wanted but you have to come over here and lick and suck my nipple as my clit gets buzzed.”“Now that’s a deal I can’t resist. First, I get to watch you get frothy all over again and then I’ll come to your side and fulfill my other longtime fantasy by fondling your tits and sucking you until your nips are made hard and erect and by my stimulation. I’ll work you tit, you work your clit and together we will bring you to an egg-cracking orgasm.”Will performed a masterful job of licking, sucking and nibbling at Dana’s nipples while changing the sensations she was getting on her swollen clit with the remote. With a sudden convulsion and an eye-rolling, breathy squeal, Dana panted as she pulled the pink egg out from her inner thighs, dropping it on the carpet. “Oh damn. Damn that kind of snook up on me. Oh, damn that was exciting. That was a surprise.” She pried Will’s lips from her over-sensitized nipple as she let the reverberations subside inside her hen parts while she leaned back against the couch’s arm feeling warmed from toes to tits.Will looked her over, seeing a crimson sex-flush glowing on her upper chest, remarked, “You are some kind of red-breasted warbler hen.”Dana mover her arm down to grasp Will’s semi-rigid erection, giving it slow, sensuous strokes as she subtly tugged his cock to position him in front of her spread legs. “Cluck, cluck. You wanna fuck?” Dana inquired through heavy eyelids of a post-orgasmic woman.Will said nothing; he seized her ankles and threw them back toward her shoulders, exposing Dana’s puffy pink cunt. With a stiff and eager pecker, Will drove hard and deep into Dana’s upturned snatch, pinning her legs against her shoulders as he thrust his boner in and out of her with wet, succulent sounds. He swabbed her with hearty vigor, fulfilling years of pent-up fantasy desire to fuck Dana, the lady who had taken it upon herself years ago to give him the confidence to make it with a girl.Dana sensed that this pumping penetration which she was enjoying was the carnal expression of this man’s ultimate gratification after suppressing his desire to fuck her for years. She loved being able to fulfill Will’s desires. By letting him take her so savagely, it served to only heighten her pleasure. She could only express her pleasure with long, loud moans finished with little barks with every pounding stroke that Will planted deep inside of her spasming naughty bits. Dana’s involuntary moans built up again and again as Will plunged into her slippery depths, always ending with a little bark as his rod mashed into her cervix.Will’s grip on her folded-over legs tightened, his breath became fast and shallow as he pumped Dana with fucking fury. He released her legs, seized two generous handfuls of titty flesh, squeezed her tight as his cock flew over her nest of pubic hair, exploding in a glorious release of white, hot sperm. Will’s ejaculate went splattering across Dana’s bunched bosoms, up her throat and chin, coating her lips with thick, white ropes of jizz.Breathing heavily, with eyes closed tight, he massaged both of Dana’s melons as he rested, enjoying the flood of warm satisfaction coursing through his body.Dana waited for a few moments until Will opened his eyes; then she opened her lips and ran her tongue along them to slurp up the cum he had deposited on her mouth. “Yum. You’ve been wanting to do me like that for a long time haven’t you? I could tell.”“It was worth the wait Dana. You taught me well.” Will’s arms released their hold on Dana’s tits as he fell into her chest with his face, holding her torso tight as she wrapped her legs around his back.Awaking from an exhausted snooze, still entangled and stuck together by the sticky cum covering Dan’s chest and Will’s face; Dana stuck her finger in her mouth and then inserted it in Will’s ear. “Wet Willy!”Will flinched and then laughed, “Yeah, but

Three French Hens and Lingerie.Based on a post by SandyMarl, in 4 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at Steamy Stories. Three French HensRising the next morning after enjoying the contented sleep of a delicious bad girl; Dana mopped up the chocolate mess and had just put a new tablecloth on the table when she received a text. She saw that Patricia had sent her a message. She giggled aloud in her empty house, feeling that she knew what she was about to read. ‘Dana, I hope you will be home tonight. I’d like to drop off supper and a surprise Christmas package for you. Let me know if you’ll be available this evening - Patricia.’Dana replied, 'I Will be ready for your surprise package. What Will I do with your generosity? I Will be so looking forward to tonight!’ Dana didn’t intend to spoil Patricia’s 'surprise package’ delivery; but by now Patricia knew that Dana was wise to the Twelve Days of Christmas themes arriving at her house, courtesy of The Chix 'Hubby Exchange’. Almost more than the expected sex with Patricia’s husband Will, Dana was curiously excited to find out how Three French Hens were going to fit into her boudoir.When Dana’s doorbell rang, she arranged herself in the hallway mirror, resettled her boobs in her next-fanciest white lace bra that was almost concealed behind her low-cut, high-class dressy satin snow-white blouse.When she answered the door, the kid at the door smiled as Dana greeted him. After an awkward, cheeky stare at her tits, he handed her the bag of roasted chicken and all the fixin’s. Dana gave the kid an eyeful as his parting words were, “Don’t cook tonight - Call Chicken Delight! Thanks for your order, Ma'am.” The delivery boy took one last glance before leaving her porch.Dana thought about calling after him, 'Have a Merry Fucking Christmas,’ but thought that she’d save the teasing for the next fellow who rang her bell.Will pulled up to the curb as the delivery boy’s car pulled away. Will trotted to the open door where Dana was waiting for him. Will looked flustered. “Damn. I was supposed to surprise you with dinner. Looks like I’m the one who is surprised by dinner’s quick arrival.”“And you left me holding the bag,” said Dana in a provocative tone as she lifted the steaming bag in front of Will’s nose. Will looked doubly flustered.“Oh shit. Excuse me Dana, I forgot something in my truck.” Will trotted back to the curb and grabbed a gift box and came back to where Dana was waiting for him with a half-undone blouse.By the Third Day of Christmas, Dana had a good idea of how this exchange was supposed to play out. But she wasn’t above playing along, or at least playing Will. Dana looked out the door, “Where’s Patricia? She promised me an exciting holiday package.” Dana was enjoying the recurring theme and the surprise packages being delivered to her door.Will stepped inside, shut the door and bolted it behind him, handing a scroll tied with a festive green ribbon to the woman smiling at him, acting surprised. “What’s this?” Dana asked as she cocked her head, taking the scroll from Will. “This is all so mysterious,” acknowledged Dana with her eyes and smile flashing in obvious enjoyment of another installment of the unfolding mystery in her entry hall.Dana unfurled the scroll, knowing what was written inside, yet once again feeling a warm flush sweep across her face as she red Patricia’s words. Dana inhaled; a crinkle grew at the corner of her eyes; Patricia had sent her husband Will over to her as a gift to give her 'a night of holiday magic’.In Patricia’s written introduction she implied that perhaps Will’s stag arrival was not a surprise to her, but Will was not aware that he was visiting her as the bearer of gifts that tied him to The Third Day of Christmas, part of the husband exchange plotted right after The Chix cookie exchange.Patricia wrote that Will was 'prepared to fulfill her wish list’, and that rumors were circulating among The Chix that she had made it to the top of Santa’s naughty girl list. According to the instructions, all she had to do was 'Have a Merry Fucking Christmas.’ Patricia signed off with, 'And Good Will to all and to all a good night.’“Well, well, what do we have here?” she asked as she dropped her glance to the gift-wrapped box in Will’s hands.Will looked at Dana, “Did you read Patricia’s introductory remarks on the scroll Dana?” Will of course had seen her reading it but was expecting more of a reaction from her as the purpose for his evening visit was spelled out for the attractive widow lady who had long been inside their close circle of friends.“Oh yes. I’ve red and understood your introduction quite clearly.” Dana used a husky, seductive voice to emphasize her intimate understanding of what was ahead for the two of them. “But I must know, what’s in the box?”Dana’s unfazed manner, sexy outfit and flirty ease with him put Will in a randy mood, thinking that he’d lucked into some sexy games between Dana and his wife. If Dana didn’t seem to mind, he was certainly game. And he brought his own Christmas toys. “You get to open the box after supper. Not before then - and no peeking!”“It’s you that has been doing the early peeking Will,” Dana thrust her boobs forward, letting the half buttoned top fall further open to reveal her white lace cups filled with full tits as she shook them with the intention to set off a growing erection inside of Will’s pants.After the supper dishes were cleared, Dana made a play for the present. Will snatched it from her clutches, saying that “This gift was selected by Patricia, but she has entrusted it to me to give it to you. She seemed certain that you would find it appropriate for any kind of mischief that we might want to get into.” Will smiled a sheepish smile, not sure about presenting such a gift to a lady friend. Relying on his wife’s assurances that Dana would love it, he placed it in Dana’s hands.Dana tore into the gift wrapping and let out a gasp and then a giggle escape as she opened the box. “What’s this?” Dana was beaming as she lifted the pink oval object from its case and held it in the palm of her hand.“I’ve been told that you might be expecting something along the lines of a chicken or hen theme. What you hold in your hand is for your holiday evening pleasure - as am I. I am your rooster, er; may I correct that, I am your barnyard cock. I present you, my hen, a vibrating egg.” Will had gained his confidence over dinner and was enjoying toying with his hostess as she marveled at the gift sex toy.Dana didn’t want to pry and outright ask Will if he and Patricia had used a vibrating sex toy before, but she was sure that it wasn’t too difficult to guess how to use it.Will walked behind where Dana sat, he brushed his fingers through her hair. “Do you remember way back when, when you and Sander helped me out by giving me some tips on the best way to make my moves on Patricia?”“Umm yeah, I remember all of that pretty well. You weren’t the fumbling geek that you thought you were, you just needed a little direction and a lot of confidence. I guess that Sander and I turned you into a star lover.”“Well, you may not have turned me into the latest and greatest Casanova; but at least you did give me great advice and let me practice with a real woman. Dana, you got me off to a solid start. Patricia is ever grateful to you for knocking off my awkward edges, if only she knew all the schooling that you put into my romancing behavior. Once I took your advice and employed your patented instructions of hot techniques to win a girl, I was off to the races. Patricia was able to pick it up from there.” Will finished his remembrances with a small chuckle.“Let’s see, if I remember my early lessons; Lesson One: atmosphere is important. Come my fine teacher, join me on the couch and you can test me on what I learned from you.” Will took Dana by the hand, escorting her to the living room.“Lesson Two in winning a girl was what? Oh yes, I think I remember; take her slowly, don’t scare her, make her comfortable with you and she will come to you on her own. Did I get that right?” Will petted Dana in a slow and easy casual caress, seeking feedback from his former romance instructor.Dana nestled into Will, “That’s right, but that lesson mostly applies to a man’s first approach to a girl. We’ve both been through this together before. Given our mutual experiences, I think we can skip the slow part this time. I’m not scared, and a faster pace would be fine with me tonight, young man.”Will began to pick up the pace, undressing Dana as she enjoyed the confident attention from the man whom she once had to advise on how to undress a woman. Will had peeled Dana down to her set of snowy white lace bra and panties, he came in close to kiss her and told her she “looked like a pretty white snowflake, a unique beauty, yet the hottest of all the fallen snowflakes. If you catch my drift.”Dana smiled her appreciation at Will’s compliment, “Patricia told me that I should expect to find a surprise holiday package - may I?” She asked without waiting for an answer, reaching up to undo Will’s pants. Dana dropped his pants and underpants to his ankle and was not surprised to find his cock decorated with a green bow. “This must be the pretty package of which Patricia spoke,” feigning surprise. “Oh look, you come with a label,” Dana removed the bow from Will’s willy and red the label: 'On the Third Day of Christmas, My True Friend gave to me, Three French Hens. Dear Dana, I hope you enjoy the Christmas package I’ve selected for you. Unfortunately, the Three French Hens couldn’t get their travel visa in time to arrive with the business end of this package; so, I’ve taken the liberty to include one of their vibrating French hen eggs as a substitute. Ooh la la! Enjoy! And have a Merry Fucking Christmas! – Patricia.’Dana stroked Will’s cock, extended in greeting, “We never got this far in our lessons on what to do with a girl. I Trust you’ve figured out a thing or two on the proper use of your tool?” Dana leaned in to give Will’s cock a lick.Will let her consume him, holding her hair as she slurped with her tongue, preparing his tool for some deep drilling. “Ooh la la,” you make a pretty French hen when you have a pecker on your face,“ Will sighed as Dana sucked him and caressed his balls. With reluctance, Will pulled his cock out of Dana’s lips, "Lest we forget, now that you’ve unwrapped your gift, I believe it is time we play with your new Christmas toy.” Will returned to the table and picked up the vibrating egg sex toy and its remote control.“This will be fun,” said Will as he used the controls to turn it on and run the vibrating rheostat through its different levels. “You never got to this part of the lesson when you taught me about what turns girls on.”Dana pulled him close, “A girl shouldn’t reveal all of her secrets. But at the time, I never imagined that there was a remote-control device that could be used to turn a girl on with the literal press of a button.” Dana spread her legs, rubbing her labia with both hands, “Why don’t you find a warm nest to place that egg in, and let’s pick up this part of the lesson that we both somehow missed all of those years ago.”Will fit himself between her legs, wedged the vibrating egg between Dana’s wet cunt lips. Dana held it in place with her right hand as she plucked at her excited nipple with her left hand as Will pressed the start button on the remote. Dana let out a giggle. “Cluck, cluck, cluck, this darling little egg is going to make me want to get laid.”Dana bent her knees, trying different positions and sensations. As her toy egg hummed, she purred. “Does this egg have any other settings?” she asked as she worked her clit, letting the vibrations warm her libido.Will licked his lips as he watched Dana adjust to the new sensations between her legs, “Why yes, it does have several settings. How may I serve you my little chickadee?”“What options can you offer an excited girl?” Dana asked as her eyes involuntarily rolled back as she pressed the vibrating egg to her warming, wet labia.“I can serve you 'over easy’, which is the setting I have you at now. I can pick it up a notch and deliver a 'poached egg’ sensation, which should make you feel soft, gooey and warm. Or I can go right up to 'scrambled’ level.”“My, my, all of those sound fun. Will, I want you to surprise me, you pick the setting. You can change it up on me whenever you want, make it interesting with variety.” Will needed no prodding, he switched up the intensity of the egg Dana held to her clit; using a slow build, higher and higher and as she squirmed and squeezed her legs together on the couch. As Dana was heating up to her melting point, Will stopped the vibrations.“You barnyard bastard, Will!”“You wanted me to surprise you. Didn’t you tell me years ago to not rush a girl?” Will offered a smug snort, knowing he had the remote and he was in control. Also knowing that Dana had once coached him to make the girl want to come to him. “I think I’ve learned your lessons pretty well, by the look on your face Dana.”“I was starting to get in the groove. You coaxed me pretty far along, I’m wet and I’m getting pretty frothy – until you stopped. Will, I didn’t teach you to be a cruel bastard.” Dana was pouting as she reclined on the couch with her knees up, still holding her toy egg against her glistening labia.“No, you didn’t. I developed the joy of prolonged teasing on my own.” He held the remote in front of Dana, rolling his thumb over the control buttons like the twitchy trigger finger of a gunfighter in a showdown. “I could start you up anytime I want from where I stand. Just because I stopped doesn’t mean I can’t start again.”“Well then, what do I need to do to get you to fire me up again? I can’t let this egg that I’m nesting on get too cold. I’d be disappointed if I didn’t hatch an egg-cracking orgasm with you tonight.”Will beamed with confidence as he looked Dana in the eye as he twirled the remote in between his fingers. “I confess, after steaming me up all those years ago with your romantic lessons, I’ve always wanted to see you get turned on like you are tonight. I love watching your pretty titties bunch and jiggle as you enjoy my remote toying.”Dana enjoyed hearing Will’s confession and was secretly pleased that she could offer him a good, sexy show. “OK, here’s the deal; you control the vibrating egg, I give you the show you’ve always wanted but you have to come over here and lick and suck my nipple as my clit gets buzzed.”“Now that’s a deal I can’t resist. First, I get to watch you get frothy all over again and then I’ll come to your side and fulfill my other longtime fantasy by fondling your tits and sucking you until your nips are made hard and erect and by my stimulation. I’ll work you tit, you work your clit and together we will bring you to an egg-cracking orgasm.”Will performed a masterful job of licking, sucking and nibbling at Dana’s nipples while changing the sensations she was getting on her swollen clit with the remote. With a sudden convulsion and an eye-rolling, breathy squeal, Dana panted as she pulled the pink egg out from her inner thighs, dropping it on the carpet. “Oh damn. Damn that kind of snook up on me. Oh, damn that was exciting. That was a surprise.” She pried Will’s lips from her over-sensitized nipple as she let the reverberations subside inside her hen parts while she leaned back against the couch’s arm feeling warmed from toes to tits.Will looked her over, seeing a crimson sex-flush glowing on her upper chest, remarked, “You are some kind of red-breasted warbler hen.”Dana mover her arm down to grasp Will’s semi-rigid erection, giving it slow, sensuous strokes as she subtly tugged his cock to position him in front of her spread legs. “Cluck, cluck. You wanna fuck?” Dana inquired through heavy eyelids of a post-orgasmic woman.Will said nothing; he seized her ankles and threw them back toward her shoulders, exposing Dana’s puffy pink cunt. With a stiff and eager pecker, Will drove hard and deep into Dana’s upturned snatch, pinning her legs against her shoulders as he thrust his boner in and out of her with wet, succulent sounds. He swabbed her with hearty vigor, fulfilling years of pent-up fantasy desire to fuck Dana, the lady who had taken it upon herself years ago to give him the confidence to make it with a girl.Dana sensed that this pumping penetration which she was enjoying was the carnal expression of this man’s ultimate gratification after suppressing his desire to fuck her for years. She loved being able to fulfill Will’s desires. By letting him take her so savagely, it served to only heighten her pleasure. She could only express her pleasure with long, loud moans finished with little barks with every pounding stroke that Will planted deep inside of her spasming naughty bits. Dana’s involuntary moans built up again and again as Will plunged into her slippery depths, always ending with a little bark as his rod mashed into her cervix.Will’s grip on her folded-over legs tightened, his breath became fast and shallow as he pumped Dana with fucking fury. He released her legs, seized two generous handfuls of titty flesh, squeezed her tight as his cock flew over her nest of pubic hair, exploding in a glorious release of white, hot sperm. Will’s ejaculate went splattering across Dana’s bunched bosoms, up her throat and chin, coating her lips with thick, white ropes of jizz.Breathing heavily, with eyes closed tight, he massaged both of Dana’s melons as he rested, enjoying the flood of warm satisfaction coursing through his body.Dana waited for a few moments until Will opened his eyes; then she opened her lips and ran her tongue along them to slurp up the cum he had deposited on her mouth. “Yum. You’ve been wanting to do me like that for a long time haven’t you? I could tell.”“It was worth the wait Dana. You taught me well.” Will’s arms released their hold on Dana’s tits as he fell into her chest with his face, holding her torso tight as she wrapped her legs around his back.Awaking from an exhausted snooze, still entangled and stuck together by the sticky cum covering Dan’s chest and Will’s face; Dana stuck her finger in her mouth and then inserted it in Will’s ear. “Wet Willy!”Will flinched and then laughed, “Yeah, but

When a teenager went a week without talking as part of a school project, he noticed a surprising side effect: Instead of rehearsing a response to what other people were saying to him, he was focused on listening---and feeling smarter as a result. Plus, a flight attendant is irritated by a certain term she has to use frequently with passengers. Might there be a better word than de-plane? And how do you pronounce the name of the Show-Me State? The answers you'll hear are as variable as Midwest weather. Also, cryptic crossword puzzle clues, jabroni, Chatham House rule, railroad slang, dress the bed, nuces relinquere, and You can give them books and give them books, but they just chew the covers right off. Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org. Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443. Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443. Email words@waywordradio.org. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A — About: This passage is about Saul's disobedience to God's clear command and how partial obedience, excuses, and pride led to his rejection as king. B — Best Verse: 1 Samuel 15:22–23 — "To obey is better than sacrifice… For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft… Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king." C — Called to Do: We are called to fully obey God's Word without excuse, without pride, and without shifting blame, trusting in Christ as our perfect King.

www.run4prs.comLet's start with why runners are drawn to downhill courses:PR potential – Gravity can help you run faster, which is why people chase downhill half-marathons and marathons.Psychological boost – It can feel exhilarating to fly down a hill, and mentally that can make miles feel easier.Excuse to try a faster pace – Downhill courses give you a reason to push yourself without guilt.

Introduction: Matters of Marriage: A Word for Each of You. (1 Corinthians 7:8-16) Singles: Enjoy the GIFT of SINGLENESS or GET MARRIED. (1 Cor 7:8-9) Single & Want to Get Married? 3 Don'ts: Don't SETTLE. Don't Look for the RIGHT PERSON. Don't Seek MARRIAGE – Seek LOVE. Married Christians: STAY MARRIED. (1 Cor 7:10-11) Married to a NonChristian (Who Wants to Stay Married): STAY MARRIED. (1 Cor 7:12-14) Married to a NonChristian (Who Wants to Leave): LET THEM GO. (1 Cor 7:15-16) Romans 7:2 – For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. Matthew 19:8 – He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce...” Matthew 19:9 - “And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! AUDIO TRANSCRIPT 00:36-00:39Open up those Bibles, 1 Corinthians chapter 7.00:41-00:42Chapter 7.00:44-00:47We're in the third section of 1 Corinthians.00:48-00:51Chapters 1 through 4 is about unity.00:52-00:54Like church, get it together.00:56-00:58Chapters 5 and 6 are about purity.01:01-01:08And then when we get to chapter 7 verse 1, you see that Paul is addressing some questions that they had.01:10-01:17And the first subject of this Q&A session is marriage.01:20-01:22So that's where we are.01:22-01:24We go where the text takes us.01:24-01:33I'm going to ask that you would please just quiet your heart before the Lord for a moment and pray for me to be faithful to communicate God's Word.01:33-01:44This is a passage that is going to get a reaction, and it's not about really my opinion or your opinion, it's what did God actually say?01:45-01:46That's what we're going after, right?01:48-01:52So pray for me to be faithful to clearly communicate what God said.01:52-01:57I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive what it is that God said.01:57-01:59All right, let's just take a moment and pray.02:02-02:16Our Father in heaven, I know that many times in my life I've had strong opinions about things that have had to change because of what your Word says.02:22-02:26Because at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what any of us think, Father, It only matters what you think.02:27-02:42So I just pray that you would give us wisdom, that you would eliminate any distractions in our hearts and minds so we can just lock into what your Word has to say here.02:44-02:45It's for the glory of your name.02:46-03:00We pray in Jesus' name, and all of God's people said, "Amen." If you've been with us at all through our series in 1 Corinthians, we've seen that everything was a mess, right?03:00-03:06So now Paul's talking about marriage and no surprise, marriage was a mess.03:07-03:09We talked about this last week.03:09-03:16There were people strong on the single side and there were people strong on the marriage side.03:16-03:17Which one is good?03:17-03:21And the answer is both of them are good.03:23-03:28Marriage was a mess in Corinth, and if we're going to be honest, we're not doing so hot here today either.03:31-03:38As I was preparing this, I get an email that has just short news articles in it and updates and things like that.03:39-03:42And I just read this on Friday, I wanted to share part of this article with you.03:43-03:50This is the newest craze, I haven't heard of this one, maybe you have, but the newest craze is divorce rings.03:51-03:52Have you heard of divorce rings?03:53-03:54Raise your hand if you've heard of divorce rings.03:55-03:57Okay, a couple of you have, all right.03:58-04:04This is new as far as this article told us, but I just want to read part of it.04:04-04:18It says, "The diamond ring Alex Weinstein," that's a female, "wears every day is a reminder that once upon a time she said, "I do," these days she happily says she does not.04:20-04:45Weinstein got divorced last March and tossed her engagement ring in a drawer for a few months. Then the Tampa, Florida-based content creator decided to make herself a divorce ring. She reset a radiant three-carat stone from her ex- husband into gold, turning it east to west in a bezel." I should have looked up what that meant.04:45-04:46Anybody know what a bezel is?04:47-04:48Okay, nobody?04:49-04:50All right, I shouldn't have said anything, huh?04:51-04:53I was safe until I just said that.04:53-04:55All right, noted.04:55-04:56That helps me for the second service.04:58-05:07The shame and stigma, the article goes on, "The shame and stigma of divorce has been replaced for some women with empowerment and celebration.05:10-05:17While diamond rings have long been a cultural signifier of marriage, some women are also choosing to mark the end of their matrimonies with a little bling.05:21-05:26Weinstein says, "I'm not proud of getting divorced, but I am proud of putting myself first.05:28-05:34Why shouldn't I celebrate this chapter of my life?" Why am I sharing this article with you?05:36-05:49Because I think if anything sort of personifies how far we have drifted as a culture from God's ideal, I think this kind of nails it.05:50-05:53We are celebrating divorce.05:55-05:56We are celebrating it!06:00-06:04You know, we look at Corinth and we're like, "Man, those people were messed up." Us people are messed up.06:08-06:20Back to Corinth, though, some would say...some in Corinth had said, "Excuse me." Some said, "You know, being single is actually being more devoted to God." And they actually had married people get a divorce.06:21-06:36Like, "Hey, you'll be more devoted to God if you get the divorce." And then there were some that said, "Look, if you want to be devoted to God, you can't have intimate relations with a woman.06:36-06:48So if you want to stay married, just don't have any intimacy." Those were some of the thoughts they had in Corinth, and both of those are wrong.06:50-06:54In the previous passage, again, Paul said, "Staying single is good.06:54-06:56Marriage is good.06:56-06:59And intimacy in marriage should be a regular thing.07:03-07:05But what if I'm not in a biblical marriage?07:09-07:12What I mean is, what if I'm not married to a Christian?07:13-07:29I mean, you could go through the last couple of messages and say, "Oh, that's well and good for two people who love Jesus Christ, have the Word of God as their authority, and Oh yeah, like easy for them.07:31-07:33But what about me, Paul?07:34-07:38My spouse isn't a believer, so what am I supposed to do?07:40-07:41Should I just get a divorce?07:44-07:44What should I do?07:46-09:17Well, in this section we're looking at today, Paul clarifies matters of marriage addressing everyone in the church. Literally everyone in the church and everyone in this church. So this is kind of a good news/bad news thing. We're not having one sermon today. You're like, "All right, we are having four sermons today. All right, four sermons." Because each of these are very specifically addressed to a different group. So first up, matters of marriage, a word for each of you. You can take notes on the other ones if you like, but pay attention into the category you fall. Number one, singles. Singles, a word for you, here it is. Enjoy the gift of singleness or get married. Enjoy the gift of singleness or get married. All right, so if you're here and you're single, if you're streaming and you're single, if for you. All right? If you're single, enjoy that if it's a gift or get married. Look at verse 8. Paul says, "To the unmarried and the widows, I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am." Unmarried for any reason, right? Paul, once again, this is a We're going to go through this quickly.09:18-09:19We talked all about this last week.09:19-09:21Paul said being single is good.09:23-09:23Right?09:23-09:24Being single is good.09:24-09:26Why is he circling back to that?09:26-09:34Because there were Jews in Corinth that said, "You couldn't be holy unless you were married." That was a common Jewish mindset in that day.09:35-09:36You couldn't be holy unless you were married.09:36-09:41Paul's like, "That's not true." All right?09:41-09:43It's a gift for some people.09:45-09:47And Paul listed himself as one of those people.09:48-09:50Paul here very clearly says that he was single.09:51-09:52Like what happened to Paul?09:52-09:52Did he get a divorce?09:53-09:54Did his wife leave him?09:54-09:55Is he a widower?09:56-09:57We have no idea.09:59-10:03We don't know the details, but we know from this verse that he was single.10:06-10:07Okay, so single people, listen.10:10-10:27not denying that there are pressures to being single that married couples do not have. Things like loneliness, things like trying to manage a household yourself.10:28-10:34There are pressures that single people experience that married people don't.10:35-10:39But Paul is reminding the single people again, it is not wrong.10:40-10:44You don't have to feel like you're a second-rate Christian because you're not married.10:44-10:46It is not wrong.10:46-10:51And we're going to see later in this chapter, there are actually some advantages to being single.10:52-10:54All right, but look at verse 9.10:56-11:05He says, "But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry.11:06-11:16For it is better to marry than to burn with passion." So Paul's like, "Okay, you're single, but you have those urges.11:19-11:20You can't control yourself.11:20-11:23You like want to be with a person so badly.11:24-11:27Like you found that being single really isn't for you.11:27-11:28What should I do?11:28-11:29Paul's like, get married.11:30-11:31Get married.11:32-11:35He says it's better to marry than to burn.11:36-11:37Again, we talked about this last week.11:37-11:40If you have the gift of singleness, you aren't burning.11:42-11:47But if you have those desires, God gave the right context to use them.11:48-11:49That's why he says get married.11:50-11:50Get married.11:50-11:54You have the passion, you have the desire, get married.11:57-12:07I've got to say a couple of things about that, unless somebody runs out of here today, runs right across the street to Pantera Bread, and is like, "Look, Pastor Jeff said to get married.12:07-12:10Are you single?" No, okay, "Are you single?" "No, I'm going to find somebody.12:10-12:11Pastor Jeff said to get married.12:12-12:12It's right in the Bible.12:13-12:15I've got to find somebody today." Let's pump the brakes for a second.12:17-12:17All right?12:17-12:21If you're single and you want to get married, I'm going to give you three don'ts here, all right?12:23-12:27He says to get married, yes, but I want to caution you on a couple of things here.12:27-12:28Three don'ts.12:29-12:30Letter A, don't settle.12:32-12:33Don't settle.12:36-12:38I know being single can be hard.12:39-12:40Do you know what's harder than being single?12:42-12:44Being married to the wrong person.12:46-12:54Rushing into a marriage, not really knowing somebody, not understanding they don't really love you, they don't really love the Lord as they should.12:58-13:02It is absolutely heartbreaking how many times I've seen that.13:02-13:14Somebody wanting marriage so badly that the first single person that comes along that looks eligible and there's some kind of interest, we're rushing right into it, and oh, the regret that comes from that.13:15-13:16I've made a huge mistake.13:17-13:18What do I do now?13:20-13:30settle. Letter B, don't look for the right person. Don't look for the right person.13:34-14:46Like, wait a minute, you just said it was bad to be married to the wrong person, now you're telling me not to look for the right person? Yeah, don't look for the right person. You need to focus on trying to be the right person, all right? Try to to be the right person. In the early days of this church when we were really teeny tiny we had a single guy that came to me. He came up to me, he goes, "Pastor Jeff, I think I'm going to go to another church." I'm like, "Oh, why? What's the matter?" He goes, "I love this church so much, but I really want to meet somebody and I just really want to get married." Not a lot of single people in that tiny church. And I said, "That's a terrible way to pick a church. You know, who's got the best single scene? I said, "That's a terrible way to pick a church." I said, "You need to find a church where God is feeding you and where God is using you. You find a church where that's happening, you trust God to do the rest." He's like, "You're right." He goes, "You're right." And it wasn't long after that he did find a single lady, even in her teeny tiny church, and they're married. They since moved away and they have like, I I don't know, 20 or 25 kids, I don't know.14:47-15:03But the point was he was willing to trust God and seeking God first and seeking to be the person worth marrying, not just trying to find the right person for him.15:04-15:06So try to be the right person for somebody else.15:08-15:12Letter C, I read this great advice from a pastor this past week.15:12-15:19He said, "Don't seek marriage, seek love." Don't seek marriage, seek love.15:20-15:24Because ultimately, you're going to marry the person that you fall in love with.15:26-15:27All right?15:27-15:33So when Paul here says, "Look, if you have the desire," he goes, "Don't burn with passion." He goes, "Go get married.15:33-15:41Go get married." But again, let's temper that with, let's not rush into anything.15:43-15:44It's going to bring regret.15:45-15:52God has called you, God has called all of us to be content and thankful in every chapter of life we find ourselves.15:54-15:56So singles, this sermon's for you.15:56-15:58Enjoy the gift of singleness or get married.15:59-15:59All right?16:02-16:04All right, next sermon.16:04-16:06This is for married Christians.16:07-16:09Are you and your spouse both Christians?16:10-16:38a word for you. Stay married. Very simple. Very simple. Look at verse 10. Paul says, "To the married I give this charge, not I, but the Lord. The wife should not separate from her husband." Not separate, obviously, he's talking about divorce. So he's talking here specifically to Christian couples.16:40-16:46We know this because he talks about mixed couples in verse 12.16:46-16:49And by the way, let's get this out of the way.16:50-16:56When we talk about mixed couples, or we talk about intermarrying, that has nothing to do with race.16:58-17:00There's only one race, there's the human race.17:01-17:10So as long as you're marrying another human of the opposite sex, oh, the things I didn't think I'd have to say.17:14-17:15Race doesn't matter.17:15-17:16Okay?17:16-17:21So when we talk about mixed marriages, biblically there is no such thing except for mixed faith.17:22-17:26That's what the Bible forbids, mixed faith marriages.17:26-17:28He talks about them in a second, all right?17:28-17:29I felt like I had to say that.17:35-17:50So Christian couples, Paul says, "I get a word for you," he goes, "not I, but the Lord." Meaning Paul's like, "Look, what I'm about to tell you came straight from the mouth of Jesus Christ Himself." This is the Lord's charge, all right?17:52-17:57The Lord's charge is, Christian couples, no divorce.17:59-18:00Divorce isn't an option.18:00-18:02Divorce isn't a word that's said in your home.18:04-18:10Jesus talked about this so many times, Matthew 5, Matthew 19, Mark 10, Luke 16.18:11-18:15Jesus taught over and over that marriage is meant to be lifelong.18:16-18:16All right?18:18-18:45So we're going to try you out for a year or two, if it's not going to work, we have our exit strategy. That's not how marriage is designed according to our Lord. Marriage is meant to be lifelong. And remember, there were some Corinthians that thought, "Yeah, but if you really want to be devoted to God, you've got to get a divorce." And Paul here is just saying, "You know, God's not on board with that." I mean, just imagine for a second.18:48-19:08for a second if that sentiment was legitimate. Let's just pretend for a second that you could be more devoted to God, you could be more devoted to Jesus if you got a divorce. Do you see what would happen? Everyone that's looking for an out would just use that excuse.19:11-19:13They'd be like, "You know what, sweetheart?19:14-19:27I think we should get a divorce because I just want to love Jesus more." Right?19:27-19:28It'd start a new phrase.19:28-19:36It would be, "It's not you, it's Him." Right?19:36-19:37But that was the mindset they had.19:37-19:38And Paul's like, "No, no, no, no.19:40-19:42The words of our Lord are quite clear.19:43-19:52Don't get a divorce." But then you have the person that's like, "Oh, Paul, I wish you would have wrote this letter two weeks ago, because I did buy it.19:52-19:53You know what?19:53-20:00Yeah, we are both believers, but I bought into the idea that getting a divorce would benefit my walk.20:00-20:05So what do you do if you are both Christians and you did get a divorce?20:05-20:09What do you do about that?" Well, look at verse 11.20:09-20:18He says, "But if she does get a divorce, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband.20:21-20:28And the husband should not divorce his wife." Okay, so if you're like, "You know what?20:28-20:33I did get the divorce, and now looking back, we are both believers.20:33-20:37I shouldn't have done that." Paul goes, "Okay, well now you have two choices.20:37-20:58You're either unmarried the rest of your life, or go back to your husband and get back on track." Like, "I'm not sure that's possible." Well, if you're both Christians, forgiveness and healing and reconciliation should not be foreign concepts to you.21:01-21:04So if you and your spouse are both Christians, stay married.21:06-21:07All right?21:07-21:11And as we saw last week, verse 3, married Christian couples, pay your debt.21:13-21:13All right?21:14-21:16I know that's the sermon that always gets applied.21:16-21:20I know the nursery is going to be restocked in about nine months.21:21-21:21I know.21:24-21:25So married Christians.21:26-21:26All right.21:27-21:33This is where things get even more difficult.21:35-21:39This is addressed to those of you who are married to a non-Christian.21:39-21:44And I know there are some people in this church that are married to a non-Christian.21:46-21:49But this non-Christian wants to stay married.21:49-22:02Okay, you're like, "Yeah, my husband's not a believer, or my wife's not a believer, and Like, she's okay with me being a believer, and she's okay with me going to church, and she wants to stay married, so what do I do?22:02-22:03What do I do here?22:06-22:11God says, "Stay married." Stay married.22:14-22:21You know, back in, look at the, back in chapter 6 verse 15, we talked about this a couple of weeks ago.22:21-22:32Paul says, talking about those who were being sexually immoral with the cult prostitutes, he says, "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?22:33-22:37Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute?22:38-23:01Never." You see, there would have been some that heard this principle like, "Okay, so me physically being with a prostitute is like defiling for me, so what about me physically being with a non-Christian spouse?23:02-23:13Well, me being intimate, I mean, isn't it the same principle that I am defiling my body because I'm in this mixed marriage?23:14-23:16We have different faiths?23:18-23:20That's the question on the table.23:23-23:32Regarding mixed marriages, meaning one's a believer and one's not, you're like, "What do you do?" Well, first of all, it's forbidden, single people.23:34-23:42Second Corinthians 6.14, if you're single, listen, if you're single, you are not to get married to a non-Christian.23:45-23:46Corinthians 6.14.23:48-23:50You are not to get married to a non-Christian if you're single.23:52-23:54If you can prevent this, you should prevent this.23:55-24:03That people think, "Well, I'm going to get married to the person and I'll save them, and I'm going to be such a good influence on them," and it usually works the other way.24:07-24:12So if you're single, you are not to marry a non-Christian.24:13-24:23So all right, now with that out of the way, the question is, "Well, what if we were married as non-Christians and I got saved and he didn't get saved?" Or vice versa, man.24:23-24:26You're like, "Well, I got saved and my wife didn't get saved.24:26-24:29What do we do?" Well, look at verse 12.24:29-24:54He says, "To the rest I say, 'I, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her." By the way, when he says here, "I, not the Lord," you know what some people do with that, right?24:55-25:11They're like, "Oh, well, this is just Paul's opinion." So we can sort of disregard this section because Paul here, I mean, he's saying that this is just his opinion, and that's not what he's saying at all.25:13-25:29Back in verse 10, he was saying, "I'm quoting Jesus here." Now in verse 12, he's saying, "This is also from the Lord, but this isn't a direct quote from Jesus, do you see?" He's not saying this is uninspired.25:30-26:06He's just saying, "Before I was directly quoting from the ministry of Jesus, and now this is new revelation from God. That's all he's saying. So what if I'm married to a non-Christian and he wants to stay married? Paul says, "You don't get a divorce, you stay married. That's what you do." Like, really? Verse 13, "If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him." Oh yeah, that question, being with this non-Christian make me unholy?26:06-26:10Like isn't it the same principle as being with the prostitutes?26:11-26:13No, not at all.26:14-26:15Because look at verse 14.26:17-26:26For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband.26:29-26:47You see, when one of you is saved and your spouse is not, it's not that the Christian is made unholy in the eyes of God, it's the unsaved person is made holy.26:52-26:53I want to be clear here.26:54-27:01That does not mean that the unbelieving spouse is saved because they're spouses.27:01-27:03That is not what that means.27:03-27:06The Bible is crystal clear on salvation.27:06-27:09Salvation is an individual transaction.27:10-27:14You can't get saved because of somebody else.27:14-27:18Biblically, you have to make the choice to turn from your sin.27:19-27:20You have to make the choice to repent.27:21-27:27You have to make the choice that you are going to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.27:28-27:35It doesn't matter how good of a Christian your grandmama was, or your mama, or your spouse.27:35-27:36It doesn't matter.27:37-27:38You're not saved.27:38-27:40It's not like group raid here, all right?27:42-27:46You're saved by you making the choice.27:47-27:49You're like, all right, so what's he talking about here?27:50-27:57Well, it's a big fancy theological term that's known as matrimonial sanctification.27:58-28:01Impress your friends, drop that in conversation this week.28:02-28:03Do you have a water cooler at your workplace?28:03-28:04Drop that.28:05-28:08Yes, we were talking about matrimonial sanctification at church.28:10-28:12And they're like, "Oh, what is that?" And you'll tell them.28:13-28:18Well, in God's eyes, if one spouse is saved, there's blessing for everyone in the house.28:20-28:22I mean, think about it this way.28:25-28:26Think about it this way.28:26-28:36Imagine this married couple, you have this married couple, and the wife's parents die, and they leave her an inheritance.28:39-28:40They leave her a speedboat.28:42-28:44Now husbands, are you going to benefit from this inheritance?28:48-28:48No?28:49-28:50All right, let me try something else.28:52-28:55Her parents left her a Harley Davidson.28:56-28:58Husbands, are you going to benefit from this inheritance?29:00-29:02Yeah, some of you.29:02-29:03All right, let me try this again.29:06-29:08Her parents left her a monster truck.29:08-29:11Husbands, are you going to benefit from this inheritance?29:12-29:15Okay, this is really going to help for the second service.29:15-29:17Do you see the point?29:17-29:18You got the inheritance.29:19-29:26You know, you're driving grave digger down the road, but you had nothing to do with that, right?29:27-29:31You were blessed just because your wife received an inheritance.29:31-29:33It's the same principle at play here.29:34-29:35You're blessed by association.29:37-29:43In the same way, in marriage, two become one, and when God blesses one, the other gets blessed.29:43-29:48I mean, it's not salvation, but it's better than two pagans being married to each other.29:49-29:49Right?29:49-30:05Think of the blessing that comes to the non-Christian spouse when the Christian spouse is exhibiting the fruit of the Holy Spirit, when the Christian spouse is showing humility and love and service and selflessness.30:05-30:09And how could you not be blessed being in a house like that?30:13-30:14That's what he's talking about.30:16-30:23Oh, and regarding the salvation piece, look, nobody can deny the influence the believing spouse has.30:23-30:32I've heard the story so many times of people getting saved because of the witness that their Christian spouse has had.30:34-30:39So if you're in this situation, if your spouse is unsaved, God wants to reach them through you.30:41-30:43So let him see Christ in you.30:45-30:48And you're like, "Well, that's well and good, but what if we have kids, right?30:48-30:53I mean, I'm saved, he's not.30:53-30:59Does that make our kids like half pagan?" No, no, it really doesn't.30:59-31:01Look at the rest of verse 14.31:02-31:16Paul says, "Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy." See, even if you have kids with a non-Christian, your kids are also made holy through that.31:16-31:16Same principle.31:17-31:23Your kids are also blessed through that because God sees your marriage as holy, so He's going to see your kids as holy.31:24-31:30So if you're married to a non-Christian who wants to stay married, God's going to bless the family.31:31-31:34Stay married if they want to stay.31:36-31:38All right, one more.31:39-31:42One more group we didn't cover, and that's the last one here.31:43-31:48Let's say someone is married to a non-Christian, and that non-Christian is like, "I want out.31:49-31:55Like look, I didn't sign up for all this Jesus stuff, all this Bible study stuff.31:55-31:57I didn't sign up for all this church stuff.31:58-31:58I'm not interested.31:59-32:00I'm not a religious person.32:01-32:05I want out." So what do you do when you're married to a non-Christian who wants to leave?32:05-32:07The answer is, let them go.32:09-32:10Let them go.32:14-32:15Look at verse 15.32:15-32:33He says, "But if the unbelieving partner separates," that's divorce, look what he says, "let it be so." If the non-Christian spouse initiates a divorce, Paul says they can go.32:37-32:38And I know the reaction.32:38-32:39You're like, "Wait, wait.32:39-32:40Well, that means I'm stuck.32:41-32:49You know, I wanted to save this marriage, and they divorced me, and now I can never get remarried again because they left me.32:49-32:53So I'm stuck, right?" Paul doesn't say that.32:56-32:57Paul doesn't say that.32:57-33:04Paul was clear on situations where you had to be remaining unmarried.33:04-33:05We saw that in verse 11.33:06-33:11He was clear in those situations, and he could have said that here, but he didn't.33:13-33:14You can remarry.33:14-33:22If you are married to a non-Christian that abandons you, initiates a divorce, and leaves you, you can remarry.33:23-33:24Look at the rest of verse 15.33:25-33:30He says, "In such cases, the brother or sister is not enslaved." God has called you to peace.33:31-33:32Not enslaved.33:33-33:34Like, not enslaved to what?33:35-33:37He's talking about free from being bound to the marriage.33:38-33:39That's what he's talking about.33:41-33:53See Romans 7, 2 says, "For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives." That's what he's talking about here in 1 Corinthians 7.33:53-33:55That's the bound to the marriage.33:55-33:57He goes, "You're not enslaved.33:57-33:58You're not bound anymore.34:01-34:19You're no longer bound to the marriage." Now look, I know some sermons are easier to preach than others, and divorce is a very touchy subjects.34:26-34:27It's always painful.34:28-34:29It always brings regret and hurt.34:30-34:30I know that.34:33-34:40So I want to take a moment and I want to be clear on my best understanding on the subject biblically.34:42-34:43All right?34:44-34:46I don't want there to be any ambiguity.34:47-34:48I want to be clear.34:48-35:00I believe that there is only one cause for divorce biblically, and that is hardness of heart.35:04-35:05Like, why do I think that?35:05-35:08Well, Jesus was asked about divorce in Matthew 19, eight.35:09-35:09This is what he said.35:10-35:24He said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart, Moses allowed you to divorce." Jesus said divorce was allowed through Moses, through the law, because of hardness of heart.35:25-35:27Again divorce is allowed, not commanded.35:30-35:30Right?35:31-35:32Allowed not commanded.35:34-35:38But the question is, how do you know when someone is hard hearted?35:40-35:43Towards their spouse or towards their marriage, right?35:45-35:46Kind of a hard thing to gauge, isn't it?35:47-35:52Well Jesus said, "I can divorce you if you're hard-hearted." Well you seem hard-hearted to me, I'm getting divorced.35:52-35:53How do you know?35:54-36:07Well biblically there are two ways that hard-heartedness manifests, and both begin with the letter A. It's affair and abandonment.36:11-36:12Jesus spoke on a fair.36:13-36:30Matthew 19, 9, Jesus says, "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife except for sexual immorality and marries another commits adultery." Now again, divorce is allowed, but not commanded.36:30-36:39Understand this, when this happens in a marriage, that doesn't mean you are required to get a divorce.36:39-36:43I can tell you so many stories of marriages where this did happen.36:43-36:51And there was much repentance and seeking the Lord, and marriages are on track better than they were on their honeymoon.36:55-37:05But when someone is committed to having relations with people outside the marriage, Jesus says that's evidence of hard-heartedness.37:06-37:08Moses allowed for divorce for that.37:08-37:17Here, Paul is addressing the other manifestation of hard-heartedness, and that's abandonment.37:18-37:22That if your non-Christian spouse divorces you, abandons you, you are free.37:24-37:27That's how you know your spouse is hard-hearted.37:29-37:35When they are willing to engage in relations with someone else, they're hard-hearted towards you.37:35-37:41Or when they're like, "I'm fine to just walk away from this marriage.37:41-37:43I'm fine to walk away from our vows.37:43-37:50I'm fine to walk away from that." Those are evidences of hard-heartedness.37:54-37:57And Jesus says abandonment is like adultery.37:57-37:59I'm sorry, Paul says abandonment here is like adultery.38:00-38:01You are called to peace.38:05-38:10You are not called to fighting a non-Christian to stay in a marriage that they are committed to getting out of.38:12-38:13One more verse.38:15-38:20Paul says, "For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband?38:21-38:31Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?" You know, people are really divided on what this verse means.38:35-38:41Some people think this verse means, "Well, you don't know if you're going to save your spouse, so let them go.38:41-38:43I mean, you have no guarantees, just let them go.38:44-38:56There's no promises are going to come to Christ, if they say let them go." That's what some people think, but other people think this means, "No, no, no, you might be the one that God uses to save them, so you should try to save your marriage at any cost.38:59-39:00I lean towards the latter.39:04-39:05There's no guarantees either way.39:05-39:06You don't know.39:08-39:10You don't know what God's doing.39:13-39:18So you better be sure that you did all you could to save the marriage.39:20-39:23I personally believe that this verse pumps the brakes.39:26-39:38This verse, as one person I read this past week said, this verse tempers any tendency that just easily give up on the marriage.39:41-39:45Because some people are just so quick to run to divorce as like option one.39:47-39:56Again, if things are hard now, how do you know that God isn't using you to reach your spouse?39:58-40:00Our worship team would make their way back up front.40:07-40:16Paul continues, and I think he's doubling down on some of these things because some of it's hard to accept and some of it's hard to hear.40:17-40:20But again, Paul reminds us that singleness is God's gift for some.40:23-40:25Marriage is God's gift for the rest.40:28-40:30One of these four sermons applies to you.40:32-40:37So whichever it is, go after it with the reverence and with the sacredness that God has called you to.40:38-40:39Let's pray.40:41-40:52Father in heaven, we're asking today, Father, that your Holy Spirit be at work in our hearts.40:54-41:03When we talk about singleness and divorce and all these things, it's such an emotional subject because there are people here that have been deeply wounded by these things.41:06-41:12And we by no means, Father, wanna kick someone when they're down or rub salt on the wound.41:12-41:15We just, we wanna take an honest look at what your word has to say.41:17-41:19Father, we thank you for your grace.41:19-41:21We thank you that you are the God of miracles.41:21-41:35We thank you, God, that no matter how badly things might have gotten in marriage, whether it was able to be saved or not, God, there's always hope with you.41:35-41:37There's always healing with you.41:39-41:40That's why we come to you.41:40-41:51Father, I pray for all of us that we would take a hard look at the place you have us right now, because there's something in here for each one of us.41:55-41:59And that we would go after it, trusting you to always do what you promised.42:00-42:02We pray in Jesus' name, amen. Small Group DiscussionRead 1 Corinthians 7:8-16What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Explain 1 Cor 7:14. How is the nonChristian spouse made holy because of a Christian spouse? What does that mean?If you are married to a nonChristian who wants out of the marriage (1 Cor 7:15), how do you know when to grant their divorce (when to stop trying to save the marriage, asking for counseling, etc)?Why should you allow a nonChristian to divorce and leave a Christian (v15)? Is the believing spouse free to remarry? Why or why not? BreakoutPray for one another.

The DOJ "Epstein Files" release was billed as transparency, but the hearing footage tells a different story. We break down Thomas Massie's clash with AG Pam Bondi, the alleged mishandling of victim names, and the bigger question: why does government always default to redactions, deflection, and "look over here" politics? Then we zoom out to the incentive problem: when power is centralized, the rich and connected get shields you will never have. We also cover the viral moments from the hearing, including the "reclaiming my time" chaos, the blame-shifting across administrations, and the absolute hall-of-fame distraction tactic: "The Dow is over 50,000 right now." If your friends are furious about Epstein, COVID, wars, or corruption, we give you the clean libertarian through-line: reduce the power, reduce the coverups. Get the full episode and join the community: joingml.com and gml.bio.link. Follow/subscribe, and please leave a 5-star rating and review.   0:00 Welcome Back + AI Claude Co-Host Banter 01:07 How "Dumb Bleep of the Week" Works 02:16 Epstein Files Context: Forced Transparency & DOJ Stonewalling 06:01 Massie vs. Bondi Clip: Victim Names Leaked & Wexner Redaction 08:59 Gaslighting, Accountability, and '40 Minutes' Excuse 13:26 Hearing Chaos: Reclaiming Time, 'TDS' Accusations, and Deflection 21:32 Why 'You Didn't Ask Garland' Is a Cop-Out (and Why This Admin Promised More) 26:37 What's Next: More Hearing 'Gems' and the Pattern of Deflection 28:25 Back to the Stand: Epstein Files & AG Accountability 29:34 Calling Out the Spin: 'No Evidence' and Partisan Lying 31:19 Under Oath Clash: Tip-Line Witness, Hearsay, and What DOJ Should Investigate 33:47 Toddler Tactics: How Not to Handle a Hearing 36:49 Deflection Olympics: Antisemitism Segue and Identity 'Get-Out-of-Jail' Cards 41:44 'The Dow Is Over 50,000': The Most Absurd Pivot Yet 45:18 Personal Parallel: Divorce Trial, Redefining 'Lying,' and Pulling It Back 47:32 The Liberty Takeaway: Shrink Government Power to Stop Elite Cover-Ups 52:41 Closing Bits: DMV/Dow Joke, Weekend Suspension, and Sign-Off  

The DOJ "Epstein Files" release was billed as transparency, but the hearing footage tells a different story. We break down Thomas Massie's clash with AG Pam Bondi, the alleged mishandling of victim names, and the bigger question: why does government always default to redactions, deflection, and "look over here" politics? Then we zoom out to the incentive problem: when power is centralized, the rich and connected get shields you will never have. We also cover the viral moments from the hearing, including the "reclaiming my time" chaos, the blame-shifting across administrations, and the absolute hall-of-fame distraction tactic: "The Dow is over 50,000 right now." If your friends are furious about Epstein, COVID, wars, or corruption, we give you the clean libertarian through-line: reduce the power, reduce the coverups. Get the full episode and join the community: joingml.com and gml.bio.link. Follow/subscribe, and please leave a 5-star rating and review.   0:00 Welcome Back + AI Claude Co-Host Banter 01:07 How "Dumb Bleep of the Week" Works 02:16 Epstein Files Context: Forced Transparency & DOJ Stonewalling 06:01 Massie vs. Bondi Clip: Victim Names Leaked & Wexner Redaction 08:59 Gaslighting, Accountability, and '40 Minutes' Excuse 13:26 Hearing Chaos: Reclaiming Time, 'TDS' Accusations, and Deflection 21:32 Why 'You Didn't Ask Garland' Is a Cop-Out (and Why This Admin Promised More) 26:37 What's Next: More Hearing 'Gems' and the Pattern of Deflection 28:25 Back to the Stand: Epstein Files & AG Accountability 29:34 Calling Out the Spin: 'No Evidence' and Partisan Lying 31:19 Under Oath Clash: Tip-Line Witness, Hearsay, and What DOJ Should Investigate 33:47 Toddler Tactics: How Not to Handle a Hearing 36:49 Deflection Olympics: Antisemitism Segue and Identity 'Get-Out-of-Jail' Cards 41:44 'The Dow Is Over 50,000': The Most Absurd Pivot Yet 45:18 Personal Parallel: Divorce Trial, Redefining 'Lying,' and Pulling It Back 47:32 The Liberty Takeaway: Shrink Government Power to Stop Elite Cover-Ups 52:41 Closing Bits: DMV/Dow Joke, Weekend Suspension, and Sign-Off  

こんにちは、ありがとう、すみません、どこですか？ありますか？Vous connaissez ces phrases ? Bien sûr !Bonjour こんにちは　KonnichiwaMerci ありがとう　ArigatoPardon, Excuse-moi すみません　SumimasenC'est où どこですか？　Dokodesuka ?Est-ce qu'il y a ありますか？　Arimasuka ?

An eighty-two-year-old woman in Miami-Dade County, Florida is charged in a hit-and-run that left a seven-year-old boy critically injured while riding an electric scooter. A college football criminal case is now unfolding in Utah as a BYU football player is charged with first-degree felony rape and taken into custody. Drew Nelson reports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is something that you need to use as an excuse to get out of something? A couple of weeks ago Jed said yes to playing paintball with one of his gym patrons... and now he is regretting saying yes See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is something that you need to use as an excuse to get out of something? A couple of weeks ago Jed said yes to playing paintball with one of his gym patrons... and now he is regretting saying yes

Quake discusses Takeoff's murder suspect finally getting a trial date, J. Cole finally responding to Cam'ron's lawsuit, Lil Wayne complaining of no Grammy nominations, Tony Yayo debating that 50 Cent's career was better than Jay-Z's, 50 Cent saying he recorded a mixtape but didn't want to release it, T.I. claiming 50 Cent is avoiding a Verzuz Battle, Kendrick Lamar still holding the most viewed Superbowl Halftime Show and much more.(00:00) - Intro(19:09) - Takeoff's Murder Suspect Finally Gets A Trial Date(21:25) - J. Cole Responds To Cam'ron's Lawsuit(26:33) - Tony Yayo Debates That 50 Cent's Career Was Better Than Jay-Z's(47:02) - Tony Yayo And Uncle Murda Run Into Ja Rule In The Airplane(52:30) - 50 Cent Says He Recorded A Mixtape But Didn't Want To Release It(01:10:41) - T.I. Claims 50 Cent Is Avoiding A Verzuz Battle(01:20:30) - Kendrick Lamar Still Holds The Most Viewed Superbowl Halftime Show(01:22:59) - Billboard Hot 100

In today’s episode of the Peskies Pest Control Podcast, Michael and Travis discuss mosquito treatment and prevention for your Birmingham, Alabama property! Podcast Transcript: Michael Wienecke Hey. So here today on the Peskies Pest Control Podcast, we are talking about mosquitoes, I feel like spring is in the air. I woke up for the last couple of days with my nose a little snotty and sniffly, and it’s just getting hot. Travis? Travis McGowin Don’t even I’m not ready. No, I’m not I refuse to give up winter. You know, no matter how brutal it actually was at times over the last couple of weeks, I’m still holding on to hope that there’s some kind of residual that’s going to come back and, you know, actually show itself again. Because I, spring and summer are not my most favorite times of the year. Michael Wienecke I am feeling that right now. I was taking my kids to school this morning, and I just, it just feels a little humid out, a little too humid for what it what it should be. Travis McGowin For February. Yes. Michael Wienecke Yes, yes. So you said we were, I know we were talking earlier. You said you saw some mosquitoes yesterday already. Travis McGowin Right, right. I had a customer whose house I went to shortly after four o’clock yesterday afternoon. And as I was getting my products ready and my sprayers to go treat their house, yes, I had mosquitoes buzzing around my head already. And like I said, it’s only February. Michael Wienecke Well, as we’ve seen them, we’ve seen them in December. You know, I’ve been deer hunting before and seen them in a climber so, you know, right there in December, so perfect. I mean, even even in February. Let’s talk about some ways to just help customers, not get rid of them, but just stop them from from being so so bad at their property, far as you know, getting the water, you know, diverted away from their house, like all that kind of stuff. Travis McGowin Right, so, you know, for those that may or may not know, mosquitoes breed in standing, stagnant water. So they, you know, they land on top of the surface of the water surface. Tension holds them so they don’t sink, and they basically deposit their eggs onto the stagnant water. And it can be, you know, as much water as inside of a tire that’s been left there and filled up with water from rain for a while, or it can be as little water as a cap full from, you know, a soda bottle. It doesn’t take a whole lot of water for them to actually be able to reproduce and so it really takes a lot of diligence on part of the customer, a lot of effort on part of the customer to make sure that they do not have standing water sources in their yard, and you and I have both seen it before, these things can range anywhere from, like I said, tires to just trash that’s holding water. Got a lot of customers that live around the lake that cover their boats or their jet skis with tarps. Yeah, the tarps just completely hold the water, and they don’t go drain the water off after a rain, and it just collects and then leaf litter, and that leaf debris that gets in there just makes it even more attractive for them. For a stagnant source, just five gallon buckets full of rain water, rain barrels. People that have rain barrels that collect water from their gutters. Clogged gutters. That’s another big one. Leaf litter and gutters clogs it and it holds water. You know. Just think about it, if you had a gutter on the edge of your porch where you like to go and enjoy yourself and sit out in the evenings or what have you, and you’ve got standing water because it’s not draining Well, the mosquitoes are just breeding right there and then coming down and eating you alive. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Like you mentioned earlier, incomplete drainage in yards. Maybe it’s also an area that not only does it not drain, but it doesn’t get a lot of sunlight, so it never dries out. French drains in yards where you’ve got the drain in the ground, some of those don’t empty all the way, and you just, I mean, you just be creating the next breed of mosquitoes coming through your property. Michael Wienecke Well, that’s what I was going to talk about, hidden, hidden places that people wouldn’t think about. I mean, we’ve seen problem accounts, or, you know, what we’d consider a problem account, where they have a bunch of basins in their yard, all that water is going in there, and it’s hidden. You don’t see all the water that’s just caught in that basin, where it’s, you know, a slow drain and all that kind of stuff. I’ve never understood why they did that. I don’t know why it wouldn’t just be a faster drain, to keep it from getting clogged, I guess. Travis McGowin Yeah, there’s, there’s just so many places that water can be, water can stay and be held in people’s property, and a lot of them can be just overlooked. You know, we’ve got some storage buildings in my yard. I don’t go behind them very often. And and so if I were to stick a bucket back there, even a bucket flipped over that will hold water on the bottom of the bucket that’s sitting up in the air. I mean, that’s enough water to breed hundreds and hundreds of mosquitoes and to really cause a problem, and to really make control efforts a little more challenging, Michael Wienecke 100%. @ell, and I’m glad you said the control. So let’s talk about one way that we, you know, help with controlling the water that we can’t control. So we’re flipping over buckets. We’re moving over. You know, I always bird bass need to be changed out. I would say, you know, weekly, every two weeks, something like that, so it doesn’t build up a stagnant pool. But the control with that IGR is really key on the drains in the yard, such such as that matter of getting rid of that problem, because you can’t control that. Travis McGowin Right, And for those watching listening, IGR stands for “insect growth regulator”, so we use a mixture that has a couple of different active ingredient products in there. And what that IGR does is it is a long term game in terms of mosquito control. So picture, you have a technician come to your house. They treat your lawn and landscape areas with a liquid mosquito treatment that’s got that IGR in it. And so let’s say, after that treatment is dry, the technicians gone, the mosquito lands on the underside of leaves that has this IGR on it. Well, not only is that mosquito now contaminated with that IGR, which is going to take an effect on that mosquito and slowly mess with it to where it can’t breed anymore, but then it’s going to go land on a water source, and it’s going to contaminate that water source too, so that other mosquitoes that touch it could be contacting the IGR, and then those mosquito larva that are already in the water, it should mess with their development, so that they don’t even develop all the way into a biting mosquito as they go and continue to develop. So it’s a great product, and it’s a great addition to a mosquito control program. Michael Wienecke Oh yeah, I’d say its a must have, because if you’re not controlling that, that life cycle, if you’re just killing the adult mosquitoes as they buzz around and get under this shaded area, these trees and, you know, decks and all that, then you’re only taking care of one half of it, or not even less than one half. Travis McGowin Right, and we’re, you know, not only were we applying the IGR in our mixture that we’re using along with an adult aside that’s going to kill mosquitoes on contact as well, but we’re also going back to those stagnant water sources our technicians actively are looking for those stagnant water sources. And yes, you know, you know how it is that there’s some times where those sources can’t be drained or dumped, or, you know, the water be removed so that they’re no longer a breeding site, especially when you talk about areas of a yard that hold a lot of water, that don’t drain properly, or don’t dry. So we also use another product called a larvicide. So Michael, elaborate for the listeners, about a larvicide. Michael Wienecke Yeah, so a larvicide. So you’re going to go around the property, and you’re looking for any areas that you cannot control the water flow, you know, like we said, if you see a bucket, we’re going to can flip that over a bird bath, we can change that out, but something that we can’t, such as a drain in your backyard, front yard, we’re going to put that larvicide in there. It’s good for 30 days. So any breeding mosquitoes that breed in that water, those eggs will never develop into a lot of mosquitoes. Travis McGowin Right, and so all these things are things that can be done on your property. But Michael, as I’m sure you’ve seen before, I and I can give an example, I had a customer who we were trying to do mosquito control at, and it was okay, but it wasn’t as great as it could be. And what we discovered is that the neighbor directly behind that customer’s property, who we weren’t treating, we didn’t have any mosquito service at that customer’s property behind them, they had an old above ground swimming pool. Michael Wienecke It’s always a swimming pool. Travis McGowin It is with about maybe, I would say, a foot or so, maybe a little more of water in it. And the water was a beautiful shade of green, with all types of leaf litter and trash and debris in it. And so, I mean, it was just a haven for these mosquitoes to breed in. And, you know, unfortunately, we can’t control what it is the neighbors doing. Michael Wienecke That’s true. So in terms of control, you know, we like to say an 85 I like to say an 85% to 95% reduction of mosquitoes is a win, because you can still have some mosquitoes, but you’re going to get rid of the majority of the mosquitoes and be. Able to enjoy that backyard. I mean, Travis, you treat your house. I treat my house. We’ve we’ve got some pretty good standing water issues. I know I do. I know in some areas where it rains in your house, you get some little bowl issues in the yard. So I would not, not treat my yard in the summertime. Travis McGowin Right, my kids get torn up by mosquitoes, if I don’t. But you know, that is the good thing about our mosquito control program, especially when you really factor in the use of that insect growth regulator. Like you said, 85% to 95% reduction is great. That’s huge, especially when you deal with some of the amount of mosquitoes that I’ve seen before. I mean, when you walk outside, you’re there for less than a minute, and you’ve got, you know, six, eight, ten, mosquitoes buzzing around your ankles and your feet before you even, you know, can take in the outside that you just walked out to, but that IGR is really great, because obviously mosquitoes fly. They can kind of go wherever they want to, but if they contact that IGR and then, let’s just say that the neighbor across the street has one tire sitting against a storage shed in their yard that’s collecting water that’s become this breeding site that they haven’t addressed, well now There’s that potential that that mosquito could spread that IGR to that breeding site and hopefully render it less effective, or completely ineffective for mosquito breeding, and in that way, kind of extend that treatment over somewhere where obviously we can’t go physically apply something. So it really is kind of a nice additive to put, to have in there, to try to help control because, I mean, you know, no matter how much mosquito control you can do there at the end of the day, like we said, they fly, so they’re not very heavy, so the wind can blow them to, I mean, they can be pushed around and all that too. So I don’t think anybody can really ever promise a 100% reduction in mosquitoes just because of the way that they are. However, I think it’s definitely reasonable to think 85 to 95% reduction for most of the properties we deal with. Michael Wienecke I think that, yeah, I think that’s great. And something that a lot of people miss, too, is gutters. I mean, over in Birmingham, Montgomery, we’ve got a lot of trees, a lot of trees, and over the winter, you know, some people do. Some people don’t get all the gutters cleaned out, or don’t even know that they’re they’re clogged and all that stagnant water. There’s really not a product in the world that’s going to take care of that. Travis McGowin Well, you know, not to, not even going to try to be hypocritical here, because I have two areas with with gutters. Oh, me too, down spouts on my my own awnings on my house, three areas, actually, and it is one of my least favorite chores in the world to get up there and clean them. So much so that, I mean, we even, we even had a rainstorm come in one day, and the gutters were so clogged and the downspouts were so slow at draining that the water ended up actually gushing over the side of the gutter and like bowing it. And just because of the weight of the water, it was starting to bow one of the little beams that holds my top of my porch, or owning up. Excuse me, my owning up. And so, yeah, I hate it that much, and I’ve tried to become a little bit more diligent about it, but it is. It’s really something that you need to stay on top of to make sure that there’s no breeding site up there, because it’s just not immediately in your thought process, because it’s not immediately in your view Michael Wienecke Well, and you can go off and that leads to termite damage on a pest control, it can lead to carpenter ant damage. It can lead to a lot of other issues besides just mosquitoes. Travis McGowin Yeah, absolutely. So it’s like that old saying, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. You know, you can, you can get a lot done by just being diligent and eliminating those water sources from around your property, you can get a lot done, and your family will thank you. Your neighbors will thank you. Don’t, don’t be that bad neighbor that’s got 25 tires with all water in them, you know, stacked up, and you’re breeding mosquitoes like, you know, be that good neighbor that’s helping the problem, because everybody wins, everybody benefits. I mean, mosquitoes are known to carry many different viruses that cause many different health hazards for you, for your pets. I mean, Zika virus, all those things you know, your pets can get heart worms. They get them from mosquito bites. So there’s just a lot of benefits from keeping these insects away from your property. Michael Wienecke Well, and didn’t we see some some? Was it encephalitis last year? Travis McGowin Yeah, I think it was going around. I mean, you know, some of the lesser known things that people you know might not be necessarily aware of, like I said, Zika virus, yellow fever, dengue, malaria, is a big one, especially in some of your overseas countries, West Nile virus, all of these things, like you said, encephalitis, and they all come from just a mosquito bite, and it’s a strong possibility that you know they could make you your family or your animals sick. Watch this video on YouTube! Click Here! Learn more about our mosquito control! Click Here! The post Mosquitoes Are Already Back in Birmingham Alabama! appeared first on Peskies Pest Control.

“I really want to… but I can't.” That sentence sounds harmless. But it's quietly shaping your entire life. In this episode, Genea Barnes tells the truth about why so many high-functioning people struggle to say what they actually want … and how fear, childhood conditioning, and survival patterns turn honesty into excuses.  This isn't about time management or boundaries. It's about authenticity… and the cost of losing it. This episode moves through moments you'll recognize in your body:

Send a textWhat separates a real apology from a polished excuse? In this episode of Life After I Do Podcast, we unpack why intent doesn't erase impact, how common phrases quietly inflame conflict, and what true accountability sounds like. With practical scripts and honest conversation, we show how to turn hollow apologies into real repair.Through listener stories involving intimacy challenges, family disrespect, and a hidden marriage, we explore emotional regulation, firm boundaries, and calm exits that protect dignity and trust. If you're ready to retire empty phrases and build healthier conflict habits, this episode offers the language and tools to do it. Thanks for rocking with us! Don't forget to follow Life After I Do so you never miss an episode. Got a relationship situation you want us to weigh in on? Hit us at https://linktr.ee/lifeafteridopodcast — we just might talk about it in a future episode.

Chaque soir dans un podcast inédit, un ou une membre de l'équipe vous dévoile l'un des cas les plus attendus de l'émission du lendemain ! Tous les jours, retrouvez en podcast les meilleurs moments de l'émission "Ça peut vous arriver", sur RTL.fr et sur toutes vos plateformes préférées.Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

441. What's your excuse? by StriveNinspire

We talk about mental toughness. We talk about people who seek out excuses (excuse Finders). We talk about people who don't see excuses (excuse ignorers). We talk about getting better every day (no excuses).

Aujourd'hui, Abel Boyi, éducateur, Barbara Lefebvre, professeur d'histoire-géographie, et Didier Giraud, agriculteur de Saône-et-Loire, débattent de l'actualité autour d'Alain Marschall et Olivier Truchot.

Pour débuter l'émission de ce mardi 10 février 2026, les GG : Abel Boyi, éducateur, Barbara Lefebvre, professeur d'histoire-géographie, et Didier Giraud, agriculteur de Saône-et-Loire, débattent du sujet du jour : VTC tué par un ado, faut-il lever l'excuse de minorité ?

Pat Boyle rants on last night's big game, questioning both the play of Drake Maye and the coaching of Josh McDaniels, as the Patriots offense fell flat in a major way. Plus, does the young New England signal caller deserve the benefit of the doubt, due to his injury leading into the contest? Then, we react to the breaking news of superstar Kansas Freshman Darryn Peterson getting ruled out just minutes before tip against #1 ranked Arizona, and if his inability to stay on the floor could cost him being the number one pick in the NBA Draft. Plus, a brawl in the NBA between the Pistons and Hornets, and Producer Brandon chimes in for Hot or Cold. The hour wraps with the conclusion of Hot or Cold, answering the question of will the Patriots definitely be a playoff team next season?

Pat Boyle rants on last night's big game, questioning both the play of Drake Maye and the coaching of Josh McDaniels, as the Patriots offense fell flat in a major way. Plus, does the young New England signal caller deserve the benefit of the doubt, due to his injury leading into the contest?

The Homeland calls for Gunnar, And So Does Love.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.‘You are the Tin Man. This tour; is the Oil Can. Figure it out.'A recently widowed Norwegian American plans his escape from a Minnesota nursing home to travel abroad and join a ‘Christmas in Norway Tour’. While battling his fears, he meets a beautiful young tour guide and her divorced mother, who years later, still bears scars from her unfaithful husband’s affair. This story is about overcoming those fears to let healing begin. This story picks up after that, and shows the lingering effects of a husband’s extra-marital affair on his family. This is also a Christmas story, so expect to travel to locations in Norway, encounter Norwegian Christmas traditions, and maybe even get sprinkled with pixie-dust!“A man has only one escape from his old self: to see a different self - in the mirror of some woman’s eyes” - Clare Booth LucePrequel: The Ruined ChristmasOslo, Norway - Three Years AgoMy name is Jorunn. As a Norwegian landsby girl, Mamma and I spent Christmas week in Bergen, visiting her family and celebrating my 22nd birthday. We decided to leave Bergen two days early so that Pappa would not have to celebrate New Year’s Eve alone. During the week, while we were away, Pappa told us how he missed us.We arrived back home in mid-afternoon, just as the sun was setting, and saw our Christmas Star lit up in the window. After entering the house, we heard Pappa moaning upstairs and went up to see if he was all right. Opening the bedroom door, we saw him humping a strange woman!“What are you doing?” shouted Mamma.Pappa replied, “Leah, you’re home early.”“Who is this woman?”“She’s just a slut. She means nothing to me.”The woman yelped, “I am not a slut! I am a happily married woman.”Mamma yelled, “I can see what keeps you happy.”Pappa yelled back, “I still love you, Leah. Let me get rid of this slut. She’s only here because I was lonely. We can talk.”Mamma replied, “You can talk to my advokater. We’re through! How can I ever trust you again, you bastard? Do you realize what you have done to our family!”Mamma began sobbing and ran down the stairs.Pappa looked at me and said, “Jorunn, none of this would have happened if your mother hadn’t come home early and seen us.”I looked at Pappa and saw his slime-covered beard slick with the woman’s juices. “You’re wrong Pappa. It did happen. Mamma and I just wouldn’t have known. You said you didn’t want to be seen by us. That works both ways! I don’t ever want to talk to you or see you ever again!”I ran downstairs to Mamma, and with our suitcases still in the boot, we drove to a friend’s house.Gunnar and Nurse RatchedDecember 13 - MorningMinneapolis, Minnesota - Present DayI pressed the button on my cell phone and hung up after talking with Roger Mans, my long-time friend and attorney. My two adult children texted a few days ago they wanted to visit me here in the nursing home. I had not seen them since the funeral of my wife, Solveig, and that was two months ago. Their plan was for me to sign their power of attorney forms, giving them full control over me and my affairs. But my plan was different, and now was time to put it into place.Two years ago, at just 54 years old, I had a stroke. A devastating paralysis left me needing a lot of care, and therapy to regain my mobility, speech, and other functions.I realized Solveig was unable to care for me at our home. She tried with all her heart, but she was also fighting her own battle with cancer, and undergoing her own rigorous treatments.So I decided to enter a nursing home, while I continued to get rehab. I wanted a facility with a stroke recovery unit. This limited my nursing home choices. The only thing making life bearable here, was Solveig faithfully visiting me, and sneaking an occasional home-cooked meal past the head nurse and her staff. Sadly, Solveig succumbed to the cancer while I was still a resident at the ‘Bethel Retirement Center'. At Solveig’s funeral, my children promised to visit often, but as usual, I could never count on them for anything.Without my wife here to check on things, my decent clothes never came back from the laundry, and instead, the staff returned excuses. I put on old sweatpants and an old sweatshirt. It would do for now. I prepared myself for this day by walking the halls of the nursing home, attending physical therapy sessions, and taking care of myself without help from the staff. Still not fully recovered, but like my clothing, it would do for now.I said goodbye to Alfred, my shared roommate. He nodded, wished me luck, and said he would love to go with me. I felt sorry for him. He was a great storyteller but needed to use his walker, and physically, he required the kind of care they provided here.I walked down the hall to the nurse’s station and found Molly Turner, the rather brusque chief nurse, and her two assistants sitting behind it. “Good morning, Nurse Ratched,” I said.“Good day to you, Gunnar,” she replied.“I’m checking out,” I said.“Be serious, Gunnar. No one ever checks out of a nursing home, unless they are flat on their back with a toe tag.”I looked at her and smiled, “I only hope that will be your Fate, Molly.”“That’s not a nice thing to say, Gunnar. Now, return to your room or I will have dietary take away your rice pudding for a week.”The rice pudding here was a pale imitation of the riskrem, which Solvieg would make every Christmas. I would miss it this year. I gave Nurse Ratched a one-fingered salute, then walked toward the exit. There was a scramble of squeaky chairs and shouts behind me, and I heard their footsteps closing in on me. As I pushed the two doors open to the main lobby, there was Roger, standing next to the nursing home administrator. I walked up to my lawyer, and shook his hand, “Thank you, old friend.”I turned to see a stunned Nurse Ratched. “Allow me to escort Mr. Larsen back to his room,” she meekly pronounced.The nursing home administrator said, “That won’t be necessary, Molly. Mr. Larsen is leaving us. He isn’t taking anything with him. You may clear out his room and get it ready for the next resident.”I looked Nurse Ratched in the eye and saw the fires of hell blazing within. Then, it was my turn to smile back.All my therapists had agreed that my rehab was successful. My speech skills were quite restored. My left arm and leg took longer to restore. But it was good enough to ditch the wheelchair, then the walker, then the cane. What really set me back was the grief of losing my wife, and the guilt of not being there when she needed me most.Gunnar’s HouseRoger drove me to my house. I hadn't been there in two years. It looked pathetic. No one bothered shoveling the snow on the walkway, and I feared what my children may have done to the inside. I found the hidden key I placed under a rock years ago and used it to enter through the front door. The living room and dining room furniture were mostly gone, or should I say, stolen. They had rifled through the small office nook next to the kitchen, with papers scattered over the kitchen countertops and floor.I turned and said, “You’re going to have your work cut out for you, Roger.”“This is exactly what you said would happen, Gunnar. Our firm will take care of it for you.”I opened a small drawer in the office nook and thankfully found my passport intact. It was useless to my children. I went to the master bedroom and saw the dresser drawers partially opened, with clothes scattered all about the floor. On top of the dresser was Solvieg’s jewelry box. I opened it, and few things remained. I was glad to see the gold charm bracelet I gave her 35 years ago for Christmas. She wore it a couple of times, then stopped, complaining it turned her wrist green as the fake gold coating wore away. But she kept it all these years. A worn-out trinket to my children, as precious as the Sauron’s Ring of Power to me. I picked it up and put it in the pocket of my sweatpants.I went into the walk-in closet and picked out some clothes, tossed them into an old gym bag, and said, “I’m done. We can go.”Roger said, “The locksmith and security company will meet me here this afternoon. Once they are done, your children will no longer have access.”“I’d rather not have an auction of whatever is left in the house. I don’t think Solveig would have liked that. Once you go through the papers, just throw everything left in a dumpster and haul it away. Whatever the two pirates plundered will be the only inheritance they will ever see from me.”Miller And Mans Law OfficeRoger and I next went to his office. I said hello to Jane, the long-time receptionist. I have always suspected that Jane knows everything that goes on here, and secretly runs the whole place, not unlike the way Nurse Ratched does in her domain. However, Jane does so with more efficiency, happiness, and joy for both clients and staff.Jane asked, “Can I get you anything, Gunnar?”“I’d love a cup of decent coffee, and an Apple Fritter if you have one.”“I’ll bring them to Roger’s office. Two creams and no sugar, if I remember right.”“Perfect, as always, Jane.”We went into Roger’s plush office, and I sat down in a chair more comfortable than any I sat in for the last two years.“Are you actually going to go through with this?” Roger asked.“Every bit of it,” I replied.I signed multiple papers, removing my two children as beneficiaries from my life insurance and investment accounts. I also gave Roger limited power of attorney to sell my house and dispose of its possessions.Jane arrived with the coffee and Apple Fritter. “Norway? Why would anyone want to go to Norway in December?”“Did Roger spill the beans?” I asked.Jane replied, “Every piece of paper that comes into this office passes through my hands. I opened your travel visa when it came in.”“Jane, I can’t spend Christmas here in Minnesota. The bitter wintry weather pales in comparison to the cold hearts of my own two children. The further away from them I am, the better. I’ve never been to Norway and have always wanted to see the 'home country’ of my ancestors.”Like I said, Jane knows all. The coffee tasted great, and the deep-fried Apple Fritter, one of Nursed Ratched’s 'prohibited foods’, was outstanding. Roger slid me a packet labeled 'Gunnar - Norway’. As Jane left, I opened it and looked at the contents. As planned, there was an international cell phone with a different number, a stack of krone, and three new credit cards bearing the name of a fictitious business. I handed Roger my old cell phone.“We’ll dispose of this for you. Your children will have no idea where you are unless they hire a private detective with exceptionally good connections. Legally, they have no rights to any of your assets, so even if somehow they track you to our law office, they will not get past Jane.”I believed Roger on that.“The tour company you asked us to sign you up with seems pretty sketchy. Their contract looks like something generated off a free online legal site. We reviewed it, it is crude, but legal and binding. If you back out, they still get paid. Why did you pick this tour company? There are many larger and more reputable companies we might have booked you with.”“It’s silly, Roger. I know it’s only a one-person company, run by a young vlogger in Norway. It was terribly boring in the nursing home, so I would spend evenings watching her videos as she traveled around Norway visiting various places, and leading small groups of tourists. It looked like the people were having fun and she made me laugh. Watching her videos was one of the few things that brought me any happiness.”“Why did you reserve for four persons?” asked Roger.“I wanted to make sure her Christmas in Norway tour wouldn’t be canceled. She has a four-person minimum.”“You won’t get those other bookings back, even if more people are going.”“I don’t need the money, Roger, but I do need this tour.”“How about clothing? You don’t have many clothes in that gym bag, Gunnar. Do you want to stop somewhere before we get to the airport?”“No. I’ll travel light. It’ll be easier when going through airport security. I’ll buy more clothes when I get to Norway.”“How about after you come back?”“I’m going to someplace warm and sunny. Maybe visit a mouse in Florida. I’ll be in touch if I need anything while I’m in Norway, and call you when I get back in three weeks.”Jorunn, The Tour GuideDecember 15 – Morning, Two Days LaterI spent yesterday shopping for the new clothes I would need. The tour is a mix of city and outdoor activities, so I bought a basic wardrobe, along with good walking shoes, snow pants, a warm jacket, and gloves. I ate lunch and dinner at two smaller restaurants. The food was good, but I felt lonely eating by myself, in a city I didn’t know, in a strange country. I missed Solveig very much and wished she were here with me.The next morning, I walked to the nearby hotel where the tour group would be meeting and followed the “Christmas in Norway Tour” sign to a small room off the lobby. There she was! Jorunn. My vlogger! She was about as tall as I am, at least when I can stand straight, with long blonde hair parted in the middle, clear blue eyes, and her signature radiant smile. She wore a Norwegian Dale sweater and brown pants.Jorunn spoke to me in Norwegian. “Excuse me, sir, this room is reserved for a tour group.”I hobbled closer. “Yes, and I’m one of the people taking the tour.”“We have a pretty active schedule for the next seven days, from December 15th through the 22nd. Do you think you are well enough to take this tour?”I wasn’t sure if I was, but I didn’t want to tell her that. “I won’t slow you down,” I replied.“What is your name?” she asked.“Gunnar Larsen.”She opened a small notebook and flipped through the pages. “It says here you are in a group of four. I see three other names. When are they coming?”“There won’t be any others from my group. One of the names is my recently deceased wife, the other two are my estranged adult children. I’m all there is.”Jorunn looked puzzled. “Only four people in total signed up, including you, all from your group. If the others aren’t coming, then you will be the only one. I don’t… I can’t… I mean, I have reservations I cannot cancel. You’re going to cost me a fortune whether I go through with the tour or not.”I replied, “The contract states that you have a four-person minimum. I am paying you in full for all four people. You won’t lose any money.”Jorunn smirked and looked like she was thinking. “I don’t know if you’re some kind of dirty old man, but if I agree to continue this tour, you should know that we will have separate rooms every night and there will be no sex of any kind. Judging by the way you look; I hope you can at least wipe your own butt!”“Your terms are acceptable. I had a stroke two years ago, but I have mostly recovered. I can walk, talk, and listen. I have trouble with my balance at times and sometimes slur my words. If you think something is too strenuous for me, I am willing to skip that part of the tour.”“Well, Mr. Larsen of Minnesota, you need to sign some release forms. As stated in the contract, I get to film the tour group for my vlogs, so I expect smiles when I am filming you. For now, go help yourself to breakfast. There is coffee, brunost, bread, and milk. Enough to feed four. Don’t expect me to serve you, and if you don’t know how to use a cheese sliver, learn fast.”She looked puzzled earlier but was now the confident Jorunn with whom I spent virtual evenings. I was delighted we worked this out. Smiles would not be a problem.OsloDecember 15 - MorningJorunn left the room and returned shortly with a small basket of food. “We have a lot of brunost left over, so I am going to make us a food packet for lunch called matpakke. I have a place in mind where we can sit and picnic.”“We will use the Vy app and Oslo Pass and travel by train and Metro. But today, we will mainly walk around Oslo. You will need to check into this hotel under the tour name if you have not done so. We will be in Oslo for two nights. The prepaid room is part of your tour package. I will try to cancel or change some reservations. Meet me back here in one hour.”I went back to my hotel to retrieve my belongings, then checked into the one Jorunn requested. It was not as nice as the one I left, but it was clean, and I did not want to make a fuss on the first day. I purchased a surprising amount of clothing yesterday and needed to make two trips to bring everything over. Then I returned to the meeting room and found Jorunn waiting.Jorunn and I walked from the hotel to Oslo Central Station and took a tram to the Vigeland Sculpture Park. Jorunn told me it is the world’s largest sculpture park made by a single artist, Gustav Vigeland, with over two hundred sculptures combining the human form with an element of fantasy. Most figures were naked, with a mix of vagueness and rather notably open precision. The most prominent sculpture was a 17-meter-high monolith consisting of 121 intertwined human figures clambering to the top, carved from a single stone block. We spent over an hour walking the grounds, and while it was interesting, I told Jorunn that I didn’t see much in the way of Christmas here.A combination of walking and a short bus ride brought us to the grounds of the Akershus Fortress. Constructed in the 13th century, it protects the waterfront and Oslo harbor. Also on the site was the restored Akershus Castle, which was formerly a residence of prior kings of Norway. Jorunn said it serves today as an entertainment and event center for the Norwegian government, and this close to Christmas was not open to the public.I found it challenging to walk the grounds of the Fortress, as there were steep inclines mixed with stone steps and cobblestone paths. Remnants of a prior snowstorm still lingered in shady areas and under arches, making the footing treacherous. We did stop at places offering magnificent views of the city of Oslo, the bay, and the fjord, and several ramparts still bore cannons. Jorunn was rather businesslike and did not seem to be enjoyin

The Homeland calls for Gunnar, And So Does Love.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.‘You are the Tin Man. This tour; is the Oil Can. Figure it out.'A recently widowed Norwegian American plans his escape from a Minnesota nursing home to travel abroad and join a ‘Christmas in Norway Tour’. While battling his fears, he meets a beautiful young tour guide and her divorced mother, who years later, still bears scars from her unfaithful husband’s affair. This story is about overcoming those fears to let healing begin. This story picks up after that, and shows the lingering effects of a husband’s extra-marital affair on his family. This is also a Christmas story, so expect to travel to locations in Norway, encounter Norwegian Christmas traditions, and maybe even get sprinkled with pixie-dust!“A man has only one escape from his old self: to see a different self - in the mirror of some woman’s eyes” - Clare Booth LucePrequel: The Ruined ChristmasOslo, Norway - Three Years AgoMy name is Jorunn. As a Norwegian landsby girl, Mamma and I spent Christmas week in Bergen, visiting her family and celebrating my 22nd birthday. We decided to leave Bergen two days early so that Pappa would not have to celebrate New Year’s Eve alone. During the week, while we were away, Pappa told us how he missed us.We arrived back home in mid-afternoon, just as the sun was setting, and saw our Christmas Star lit up in the window. After entering the house, we heard Pappa moaning upstairs and went up to see if he was all right. Opening the bedroom door, we saw him humping a strange woman!“What are you doing?” shouted Mamma.Pappa replied, “Leah, you’re home early.”“Who is this woman?”“She’s just a slut. She means nothing to me.”The woman yelped, “I am not a slut! I am a happily married woman.”Mamma yelled, “I can see what keeps you happy.”Pappa yelled back, “I still love you, Leah. Let me get rid of this slut. She’s only here because I was lonely. We can talk.”Mamma replied, “You can talk to my advokater. We’re through! How can I ever trust you again, you bastard? Do you realize what you have done to our family!”Mamma began sobbing and ran down the stairs.Pappa looked at me and said, “Jorunn, none of this would have happened if your mother hadn’t come home early and seen us.”I looked at Pappa and saw his slime-covered beard slick with the woman’s juices. “You’re wrong Pappa. It did happen. Mamma and I just wouldn’t have known. You said you didn’t want to be seen by us. That works both ways! I don’t ever want to talk to you or see you ever again!”I ran downstairs to Mamma, and with our suitcases still in the boot, we drove to a friend’s house.Gunnar and Nurse RatchedDecember 13 - MorningMinneapolis, Minnesota - Present DayI pressed the button on my cell phone and hung up after talking with Roger Mans, my long-time friend and attorney. My two adult children texted a few days ago they wanted to visit me here in the nursing home. I had not seen them since the funeral of my wife, Solveig, and that was two months ago. Their plan was for me to sign their power of attorney forms, giving them full control over me and my affairs. But my plan was different, and now was time to put it into place.Two years ago, at just 54 years old, I had a stroke. A devastating paralysis left me needing a lot of care, and therapy to regain my mobility, speech, and other functions.I realized Solveig was unable to care for me at our home. She tried with all her heart, but she was also fighting her own battle with cancer, and undergoing her own rigorous treatments.So I decided to enter a nursing home, while I continued to get rehab. I wanted a facility with a stroke recovery unit. This limited my nursing home choices. The only thing making life bearable here, was Solveig faithfully visiting me, and sneaking an occasional home-cooked meal past the head nurse and her staff. Sadly, Solveig succumbed to the cancer while I was still a resident at the ‘Bethel Retirement Center'. At Solveig’s funeral, my children promised to visit often, but as usual, I could never count on them for anything.Without my wife here to check on things, my decent clothes never came back from the laundry, and instead, the staff returned excuses. I put on old sweatpants and an old sweatshirt. It would do for now. I prepared myself for this day by walking the halls of the nursing home, attending physical therapy sessions, and taking care of myself without help from the staff. Still not fully recovered, but like my clothing, it would do for now.I said goodbye to Alfred, my shared roommate. He nodded, wished me luck, and said he would love to go with me. I felt sorry for him. He was a great storyteller but needed to use his walker, and physically, he required the kind of care they provided here.I walked down the hall to the nurse’s station and found Molly Turner, the rather brusque chief nurse, and her two assistants sitting behind it. “Good morning, Nurse Ratched,” I said.“Good day to you, Gunnar,” she replied.“I’m checking out,” I said.“Be serious, Gunnar. No one ever checks out of a nursing home, unless they are flat on their back with a toe tag.”I looked at her and smiled, “I only hope that will be your Fate, Molly.”“That’s not a nice thing to say, Gunnar. Now, return to your room or I will have dietary take away your rice pudding for a week.”The rice pudding here was a pale imitation of the riskrem, which Solvieg would make every Christmas. I would miss it this year. I gave Nurse Ratched a one-fingered salute, then walked toward the exit. There was a scramble of squeaky chairs and shouts behind me, and I heard their footsteps closing in on me. As I pushed the two doors open to the main lobby, there was Roger, standing next to the nursing home administrator. I walked up to my lawyer, and shook his hand, “Thank you, old friend.”I turned to see a stunned Nurse Ratched. “Allow me to escort Mr. Larsen back to his room,” she meekly pronounced.The nursing home administrator said, “That won’t be necessary, Molly. Mr. Larsen is leaving us. He isn’t taking anything with him. You may clear out his room and get it ready for the next resident.”I looked Nurse Ratched in the eye and saw the fires of hell blazing within. Then, it was my turn to smile back.All my therapists had agreed that my rehab was successful. My speech skills were quite restored. My left arm and leg took longer to restore. But it was good enough to ditch the wheelchair, then the walker, then the cane. What really set me back was the grief of losing my wife, and the guilt of not being there when she needed me most.Gunnar’s HouseRoger drove me to my house. I hadn't been there in two years. It looked pathetic. No one bothered shoveling the snow on the walkway, and I feared what my children may have done to the inside. I found the hidden key I placed under a rock years ago and used it to enter through the front door. The living room and dining room furniture were mostly gone, or should I say, stolen. They had rifled through the small office nook next to the kitchen, with papers scattered over the kitchen countertops and floor.I turned and said, “You’re going to have your work cut out for you, Roger.”“This is exactly what you said would happen, Gunnar. Our firm will take care of it for you.”I opened a small drawer in the office nook and thankfully found my passport intact. It was useless to my children. I went to the master bedroom and saw the dresser drawers partially opened, with clothes scattered all about the floor. On top of the dresser was Solvieg’s jewelry box. I opened it, and few things remained. I was glad to see the gold charm bracelet I gave her 35 years ago for Christmas. She wore it a couple of times, then stopped, complaining it turned her wrist green as the fake gold coating wore away. But she kept it all these years. A worn-out trinket to my children, as precious as the Sauron’s Ring of Power to me. I picked it up and put it in the pocket of my sweatpants.I went into the walk-in closet and picked out some clothes, tossed them into an old gym bag, and said, “I’m done. We can go.”Roger said, “The locksmith and security company will meet me here this afternoon. Once they are done, your children will no longer have access.”“I’d rather not have an auction of whatever is left in the house. I don’t think Solveig would have liked that. Once you go through the papers, just throw everything left in a dumpster and haul it away. Whatever the two pirates plundered will be the only inheritance they will ever see from me.”Miller And Mans Law OfficeRoger and I next went to his office. I said hello to Jane, the long-time receptionist. I have always suspected that Jane knows everything that goes on here, and secretly runs the whole place, not unlike the way Nurse Ratched does in her domain. However, Jane does so with more efficiency, happiness, and joy for both clients and staff.Jane asked, “Can I get you anything, Gunnar?”“I’d love a cup of decent coffee, and an Apple Fritter if you have one.”“I’ll bring them to Roger’s office. Two creams and no sugar, if I remember right.”“Perfect, as always, Jane.”We went into Roger’s plush office, and I sat down in a chair more comfortable than any I sat in for the last two years.“Are you actually going to go through with this?” Roger asked.“Every bit of it,” I replied.I signed multiple papers, removing my two children as beneficiaries from my life insurance and investment accounts. I also gave Roger limited power of attorney to sell my house and dispose of its possessions.Jane arrived with the coffee and Apple Fritter. “Norway? Why would anyone want to go to Norway in December?”“Did Roger spill the beans?” I asked.Jane replied, “Every piece of paper that comes into this office passes through my hands. I opened your travel visa when it came in.”“Jane, I can’t spend Christmas here in Minnesota. The bitter wintry weather pales in comparison to the cold hearts of my own two children. The further away from them I am, the better. I’ve never been to Norway and have always wanted to see the 'home country’ of my ancestors.”Like I said, Jane knows all. The coffee tasted great, and the deep-fried Apple Fritter, one of Nursed Ratched’s 'prohibited foods’, was outstanding. Roger slid me a packet labeled 'Gunnar - Norway’. As Jane left, I opened it and looked at the contents. As planned, there was an international cell phone with a different number, a stack of krone, and three new credit cards bearing the name of a fictitious business. I handed Roger my old cell phone.“We’ll dispose of this for you. Your children will have no idea where you are unless they hire a private detective with exceptionally good connections. Legally, they have no rights to any of your assets, so even if somehow they track you to our law office, they will not get past Jane.”I believed Roger on that.“The tour company you asked us to sign you up with seems pretty sketchy. Their contract looks like something generated off a free online legal site. We reviewed it, it is crude, but legal and binding. If you back out, they still get paid. Why did you pick this tour company? There are many larger and more reputable companies we might have booked you with.”“It’s silly, Roger. I know it’s only a one-person company, run by a young vlogger in Norway. It was terribly boring in the nursing home, so I would spend evenings watching her videos as she traveled around Norway visiting various places, and leading small groups of tourists. It looked like the people were having fun and she made me laugh. Watching her videos was one of the few things that brought me any happiness.”“Why did you reserve for four persons?” asked Roger.“I wanted to make sure her Christmas in Norway tour wouldn’t be canceled. She has a four-person minimum.”“You won’t get those other bookings back, even if more people are going.”“I don’t need the money, Roger, but I do need this tour.”“How about clothing? You don’t have many clothes in that gym bag, Gunnar. Do you want to stop somewhere before we get to the airport?”“No. I’ll travel light. It’ll be easier when going through airport security. I’ll buy more clothes when I get to Norway.”“How about after you come back?”“I’m going to someplace warm and sunny. Maybe visit a mouse in Florida. I’ll be in touch if I need anything while I’m in Norway, and call you when I get back in three weeks.”Jorunn, The Tour GuideDecember 15 – Morning, Two Days LaterI spent yesterday shopping for the new clothes I would need. The tour is a mix of city and outdoor activities, so I bought a basic wardrobe, along with good walking shoes, snow pants, a warm jacket, and gloves. I ate lunch and dinner at two smaller restaurants. The food was good, but I felt lonely eating by myself, in a city I didn’t know, in a strange country. I missed Solveig very much and wished she were here with me.The next morning, I walked to the nearby hotel where the tour group would be meeting and followed the “Christmas in Norway Tour” sign to a small room off the lobby. There she was! Jorunn. My vlogger! She was about as tall as I am, at least when I can stand straight, with long blonde hair parted in the middle, clear blue eyes, and her signature radiant smile. She wore a Norwegian Dale sweater and brown pants.Jorunn spoke to me in Norwegian. “Excuse me, sir, this room is reserved for a tour group.”I hobbled closer. “Yes, and I’m one of the people taking the tour.”“We have a pretty active schedule for the next seven days, from December 15th through the 22nd. Do you think you are well enough to take this tour?”I wasn’t sure if I was, but I didn’t want to tell her that. “I won’t slow you down,” I replied.“What is your name?” she asked.“Gunnar Larsen.”She opened a small notebook and flipped through the pages. “It says here you are in a group of four. I see three other names. When are they coming?”“There won’t be any others from my group. One of the names is my recently deceased wife, the other two are my estranged adult children. I’m all there is.”Jorunn looked puzzled. “Only four people in total signed up, including you, all from your group. If the others aren’t coming, then you will be the only one. I don’t… I can’t… I mean, I have reservations I cannot cancel. You’re going to cost me a fortune whether I go through with the tour or not.”I replied, “The contract states that you have a four-person minimum. I am paying you in full for all four people. You won’t lose any money.”Jorunn smirked and looked like she was thinking. “I don’t know if you’re some kind of dirty old man, but if I agree to continue this tour, you should know that we will have separate rooms every night and there will be no sex of any kind. Judging by the way you look; I hope you can at least wipe your own butt!”“Your terms are acceptable. I had a stroke two years ago, but I have mostly recovered. I can walk, talk, and listen. I have trouble with my balance at times and sometimes slur my words. If you think something is too strenuous for me, I am willing to skip that part of the tour.”“Well, Mr. Larsen of Minnesota, you need to sign some release forms. As stated in the contract, I get to film the tour group for my vlogs, so I expect smiles when I am filming you. For now, go help yourself to breakfast. There is coffee, brunost, bread, and milk. Enough to feed four. Don’t expect me to serve you, and if you don’t know how to use a cheese sliver, learn fast.”She looked puzzled earlier but was now the confident Jorunn with whom I spent virtual evenings. I was delighted we worked this out. Smiles would not be a problem.OsloDecember 15 - MorningJorunn left the room and returned shortly with a small basket of food. “We have a lot of brunost left over, so I am going to make us a food packet for lunch called matpakke. I have a place in mind where we can sit and picnic.”“We will use the Vy app and Oslo Pass and travel by train and Metro. But today, we will mainly walk around Oslo. You will need to check into this hotel under the tour name if you have not done so. We will be in Oslo for two nights. The prepaid room is part of your tour package. I will try to cancel or change some reservations. Meet me back here in one hour.”I went back to my hotel to retrieve my belongings, then checked into the one Jorunn requested. It was not as nice as the one I left, but it was clean, and I did not want to make a fuss on the first day. I purchased a surprising amount of clothing yesterday and needed to make two trips to bring everything over. Then I returned to the meeting room and found Jorunn waiting.Jorunn and I walked from the hotel to Oslo Central Station and took a tram to the Vigeland Sculpture Park. Jorunn told me it is the world’s largest sculpture park made by a single artist, Gustav Vigeland, with over two hundred sculptures combining the human form with an element of fantasy. Most figures were naked, with a mix of vagueness and rather notably open precision. The most prominent sculpture was a 17-meter-high monolith consisting of 121 intertwined human figures clambering to the top, carved from a single stone block. We spent over an hour walking the grounds, and while it was interesting, I told Jorunn that I didn’t see much in the way of Christmas here.A combination of walking and a short bus ride brought us to the grounds of the Akershus Fortress. Constructed in the 13th century, it protects the waterfront and Oslo harbor. Also on the site was the restored Akershus Castle, which was formerly a residence of prior kings of Norway. Jorunn said it serves today as an entertainment and event center for the Norwegian government, and this close to Christmas was not open to the public.I found it challenging to walk the grounds of the Fortress, as there were steep inclines mixed with stone steps and cobblestone paths. Remnants of a prior snowstorm still lingered in shady areas and under arches, making the footing treacherous. We did stop at places offering magnificent views of the city of Oslo, the bay, and the fjord, and several ramparts still bore cannons. Jorunn was rather businesslike and did not seem to be enjoyin

Le débat s'est enflammé sur les propos de Gérald Darmanin, garde des Sceaux, ministre de la Justice, qui plaide pour la "suppression" de l'excuse de minorité. Selon Ruth Elkrief, cela doit être un débat, car c'est une réponse minimale de la société à la douleur infinie des familles des victimes. Emmanuel Macron relance le débat sur la dette commune européenne pour relancer la défense, la souveraineté et l'industrie européenne. Selon François Lenglet, c'est encore une idée saugrenue. Selon une enquête du "The Times" britannique, le pouvoir d'achat des ménages russes ne cesse de diminuer, en mettant l'accent sur le concombre. Son prix a bondi de 42,85 % en un mois. Abnousse Shalmani se demande jusqu'à quand cette économie de guerre peut tenir. Du lundi au vendredi, à partir de 18h, David Pujadas apporte toute son expertise pour analyser l'actualité du jour avec pédagogie.Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Dr. Jody Sowell is the President & CEO of the Missouri Historical Society, and he joins The Chris & Amy Show to discuss this weekend's kick-off of the new annual celebration of St Louis' birthday, February 14th. Visit: https://mohistory.org/events/stl-birthday-02-14-2026

The Homeland calls for Gunnar, And So Does Love.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.‘You are the Tin Man. This tour; is the Oil Can. Figure it out.'A recently widowed Norwegian American plans his escape from a Minnesota nursing home to travel abroad and join a ‘Christmas in Norway Tour’. While battling his fears, he meets a beautiful young tour guide and her divorced mother, who years later, still bears scars from her unfaithful husband’s affair. This story is about overcoming those fears to let healing begin. This story picks up after that, and shows the lingering effects of a husband’s extra-marital affair on his family. This is also a Christmas story, so expect to travel to locations in Norway, encounter Norwegian Christmas traditions, and maybe even get sprinkled with pixie-dust!“A man has only one escape from his old self: to see a different self - in the mirror of some woman’s eyes” - Clare Booth LucePrequel: The Ruined ChristmasOslo, Norway - Three Years AgoMy name is Jorunn. As a Norwegian landsby girl, Mamma and I spent Christmas week in Bergen, visiting her family and celebrating my 22nd birthday. We decided to leave Bergen two days early so that Pappa would not have to celebrate New Year’s Eve alone. During the week, while we were away, Pappa told us how he missed us.We arrived back home in mid-afternoon, just as the sun was setting, and saw our Christmas Star lit up in the window. After entering the house, we heard Pappa moaning upstairs and went up to see if he was all right. Opening the bedroom door, we saw him humping a strange woman!“What are you doing?” shouted Mamma.Pappa replied, “Leah, you’re home early.”“Who is this woman?”“She’s just a slut. She means nothing to me.”The woman yelped, “I am not a slut! I am a happily married woman.”Mamma yelled, “I can see what keeps you happy.”Pappa yelled back, “I still love you, Leah. Let me get rid of this slut. She’s only here because I was lonely. We can talk.”Mamma replied, “You can talk to my advokater. We’re through! How can I ever trust you again, you bastard? Do you realize what you have done to our family!”Mamma began sobbing and ran down the stairs.Pappa looked at me and said, “Jorunn, none of this would have happened if your mother hadn’t come home early and seen us.”I looked at Pappa and saw his slime-covered beard slick with the woman’s juices. “You’re wrong Pappa. It did happen. Mamma and I just wouldn’t have known. You said you didn’t want to be seen by us. That works both ways! I don’t ever want to talk to you or see you ever again!”I ran downstairs to Mamma, and with our suitcases still in the boot, we drove to a friend’s house.Gunnar and Nurse RatchedDecember 13 - MorningMinneapolis, Minnesota - Present DayI pressed the button on my cell phone and hung up after talking with Roger Mans, my long-time friend and attorney. My two adult children texted a few days ago they wanted to visit me here in the nursing home. I had not seen them since the funeral of my wife, Solveig, and that was two months ago. Their plan was for me to sign their power of attorney forms, giving them full control over me and my affairs. But my plan was different, and now was time to put it into place.Two years ago, at just 54 years old, I had a stroke. A devastating paralysis left me needing a lot of care, and therapy to regain my mobility, speech, and other functions.I realized Solveig was unable to care for me at our home. She tried with all her heart, but she was also fighting her own battle with cancer, and undergoing her own rigorous treatments.So I decided to enter a nursing home, while I continued to get rehab. I wanted a facility with a stroke recovery unit. This limited my nursing home choices. The only thing making life bearable here, was Solveig faithfully visiting me, and sneaking an occasional home-cooked meal past the head nurse and her staff. Sadly, Solveig succumbed to the cancer while I was still a resident at the ‘Bethel Retirement Center'. At Solveig’s funeral, my children promised to visit often, but as usual, I could never count on them for anything.Without my wife here to check on things, my decent clothes never came back from the laundry, and instead, the staff returned excuses. I put on old sweatpants and an old sweatshirt. It would do for now. I prepared myself for this day by walking the halls of the nursing home, attending physical therapy sessions, and taking care of myself without help from the staff. Still not fully recovered, but like my clothing, it would do for now.I said goodbye to Alfred, my shared roommate. He nodded, wished me luck, and said he would love to go with me. I felt sorry for him. He was a great storyteller but needed to use his walker, and physically, he required the kind of care they provided here.I walked down the hall to the nurse’s station and found Molly Turner, the rather brusque chief nurse, and her two assistants sitting behind it. “Good morning, Nurse Ratched,” I said.“Good day to you, Gunnar,” she replied.“I’m checking out,” I said.“Be serious, Gunnar. No one ever checks out of a nursing home, unless they are flat on their back with a toe tag.”I looked at her and smiled, “I only hope that will be your Fate, Molly.”“That’s not a nice thing to say, Gunnar. Now, return to your room or I will have dietary take away your rice pudding for a week.”The rice pudding here was a pale imitation of the riskrem, which Solvieg would make every Christmas. I would miss it this year. I gave Nurse Ratched a one-fingered salute, then walked toward the exit. There was a scramble of squeaky chairs and shouts behind me, and I heard their footsteps closing in on me. As I pushed the two doors open to the main lobby, there was Roger, standing next to the nursing home administrator. I walked up to my lawyer, and shook his hand, “Thank you, old friend.”I turned to see a stunned Nurse Ratched. “Allow me to escort Mr. Larsen back to his room,” she meekly pronounced.The nursing home administrator said, “That won’t be necessary, Molly. Mr. Larsen is leaving us. He isn’t taking anything with him. You may clear out his room and get it ready for the next resident.”I looked Nurse Ratched in the eye and saw the fires of hell blazing within. Then, it was my turn to smile back.All my therapists had agreed that my rehab was successful. My speech skills were quite restored. My left arm and leg took longer to restore. But it was good enough to ditch the wheelchair, then the walker, then the cane. What really set me back was the grief of losing my wife, and the guilt of not being there when she needed me most.Gunnar’s HouseRoger drove me to my house. I hadn't been there in two years. It looked pathetic. No one bothered shoveling the snow on the walkway, and I feared what my children may have done to the inside. I found the hidden key I placed under a rock years ago and used it to enter through the front door. The living room and dining room furniture were mostly gone, or should I say, stolen. They had rifled through the small office nook next to the kitchen, with papers scattered over the kitchen countertops and floor.I turned and said, “You’re going to have your work cut out for you, Roger.”“This is exactly what you said would happen, Gunnar. Our firm will take care of it for you.”I opened a small drawer in the office nook and thankfully found my passport intact. It was useless to my children. I went to the master bedroom and saw the dresser drawers partially opened, with clothes scattered all about the floor. On top of the dresser was Solvieg’s jewelry box. I opened it, and few things remained. I was glad to see the gold charm bracelet I gave her 35 years ago for Christmas. She wore it a couple of times, then stopped, complaining it turned her wrist green as the fake gold coating wore away. But she kept it all these years. A worn-out trinket to my children, as precious as the Sauron’s Ring of Power to me. I picked it up and put it in the pocket of my sweatpants.I went into the walk-in closet and picked out some clothes, tossed them into an old gym bag, and said, “I’m done. We can go.”Roger said, “The locksmith and security company will meet me here this afternoon. Once they are done, your children will no longer have access.”“I’d rather not have an auction of whatever is left in the house. I don’t think Solveig would have liked that. Once you go through the papers, just throw everything left in a dumpster and haul it away. Whatever the two pirates plundered will be the only inheritance they will ever see from me.”Miller And Mans Law OfficeRoger and I next went to his office. I said hello to Jane, the long-time receptionist. I have always suspected that Jane knows everything that goes on here, and secretly runs the whole place, not unlike the way Nurse Ratched does in her domain. However, Jane does so with more efficiency, happiness, and joy for both clients and staff.Jane asked, “Can I get you anything, Gunnar?”“I’d love a cup of decent coffee, and an Apple Fritter if you have one.”“I’ll bring them to Roger’s office. Two creams and no sugar, if I remember right.”“Perfect, as always, Jane.”We went into Roger’s plush office, and I sat down in a chair more comfortable than any I sat in for the last two years.“Are you actually going to go through with this?” Roger asked.“Every bit of it,” I replied.I signed multiple papers, removing my two children as beneficiaries from my life insurance and investment accounts. I also gave Roger limited power of attorney to sell my house and dispose of its possessions.Jane arrived with the coffee and Apple Fritter. “Norway? Why would anyone want to go to Norway in December?”“Did Roger spill the beans?” I asked.Jane replied, “Every piece of paper that comes into this office passes through my hands. I opened your travel visa when it came in.”“Jane, I can’t spend Christmas here in Minnesota. The bitter wintry weather pales in comparison to the cold hearts of my own two children. The further away from them I am, the better. I’ve never been to Norway and have always wanted to see the 'home country’ of my ancestors.”Like I said, Jane knows all. The coffee tasted great, and the deep-fried Apple Fritter, one of Nursed Ratched’s 'prohibited foods’, was outstanding. Roger slid me a packet labeled 'Gunnar - Norway’. As Jane left, I opened it and looked at the contents. As planned, there was an international cell phone with a different number, a stack of krone, and three new credit cards bearing the name of a fictitious business. I handed Roger my old cell phone.“We’ll dispose of this for you. Your children will have no idea where you are unless they hire a private detective with exceptionally good connections. Legally, they have no rights to any of your assets, so even if somehow they track you to our law office, they will not get past Jane.”I believed Roger on that.“The tour company you asked us to sign you up with seems pretty sketchy. Their contract looks like something generated off a free online legal site. We reviewed it, it is crude, but legal and binding. If you back out, they still get paid. Why did you pick this tour company? There are many larger and more reputable companies we might have booked you with.”“It’s silly, Roger. I know it’s only a one-person company, run by a young vlogger in Norway. It was terribly boring in the nursing home, so I would spend evenings watching her videos as she traveled around Norway visiting various places, and leading small groups of tourists. It looked like the people were having fun and she made me laugh. Watching her videos was one of the few things that brought me any happiness.”“Why did you reserve for four persons?” asked Roger.“I wanted to make sure her Christmas in Norway tour wouldn’t be canceled. She has a four-person minimum.”“You won’t get those other bookings back, even if more people are going.”“I don’t need the money, Roger, but I do need this tour.”“How about clothing? You don’t have many clothes in that gym bag, Gunnar. Do you want to stop somewhere before we get to the airport?”“No. I’ll travel light. It’ll be easier when going through airport security. I’ll buy more clothes when I get to Norway.”“How about after you come back?”“I’m going to someplace warm and sunny. Maybe visit a mouse in Florida. I’ll be in touch if I need anything while I’m in Norway, and call you when I get back in three weeks.”Jorunn, The Tour GuideDecember 15 – Morning, Two Days LaterI spent yesterday shopping for the new clothes I would need. The tour is a mix of city and outdoor activities, so I bought a basic wardrobe, along with good walking shoes, snow pants, a warm jacket, and gloves. I ate lunch and dinner at two smaller restaurants. The food was good, but I felt lonely eating by myself, in a city I didn’t know, in a strange country. I missed Solveig very much and wished she were here with me.The next morning, I walked to the nearby hotel where the tour group would be meeting and followed the “Christmas in Norway Tour” sign to a small room off the lobby. There she was! Jorunn. My vlogger! She was about as tall as I am, at least when I can stand straight, with long blonde hair parted in the middle, clear blue eyes, and her signature radiant smile. She wore a Norwegian Dale sweater and brown pants.Jorunn spoke to me in Norwegian. “Excuse me, sir, this room is reserved for a tour group.”I hobbled closer. “Yes, and I’m one of the people taking the tour.”“We have a pretty active schedule for the next seven days, from December 15th through the 22nd. Do you think you are well enough to take this tour?”I wasn’t sure if I was, but I didn’t want to tell her that. “I won’t slow you down,” I replied.“What is your name?” she asked.“Gunnar Larsen.”She opened a small notebook and flipped through the pages. “It says here you are in a group of four. I see three other names. When are they coming?”“There won’t be any others from my group. One of the names is my recently deceased wife, the other two are my estranged adult children. I’m all there is.”Jorunn looked puzzled. “Only four people in total signed up, including you, all from your group. If the others aren’t coming, then you will be the only one. I don’t… I can’t… I mean, I have reservations I cannot cancel. You’re going to cost me a fortune whether I go through with the tour or not.”I replied, “The contract states that you have a four-person minimum. I am paying you in full for all four people. You won’t lose any money.”Jorunn smirked and looked like she was thinking. “I don’t know if you’re some kind of dirty old man, but if I agree to continue this tour, you should know that we will have separate rooms every night and there will be no sex of any kind. Judging by the way you look; I hope you can at least wipe your own butt!”“Your terms are acceptable. I had a stroke two years ago, but I have mostly recovered. I can walk, talk, and listen. I have trouble with my balance at times and sometimes slur my words. If you think something is too strenuous for me, I am willing to skip that part of the tour.”“Well, Mr. Larsen of Minnesota, you need to sign some release forms. As stated in the contract, I get to film the tour group for my vlogs, so I expect smiles when I am filming you. For now, go help yourself to breakfast. There is coffee, brunost, bread, and milk. Enough to feed four. Don’t expect me to serve you, and if you don’t know how to use a cheese sliver, learn fast.”She looked puzzled earlier but was now the confident Jorunn with whom I spent virtual evenings. I was delighted we worked this out. Smiles would not be a problem.OsloDecember 15 - MorningJorunn left the room and returned shortly with a small basket of food. “We have a lot of brunost left over, so I am going to make us a food packet for lunch called matpakke. I have a place in mind where we can sit and picnic.”“We will use the Vy app and Oslo Pass and travel by train and Metro. But today, we will mainly walk around Oslo. You will need to check into this hotel under the tour name if you have not done so. We will be in Oslo for two nights. The prepaid room is part of your tour package. I will try to cancel or change some reservations. Meet me back here in one hour.”I went back to my hotel to retrieve my belongings, then checked into the one Jorunn requested. It was not as nice as the one I left, but it was clean, and I did not want to make a fuss on the first day. I purchased a surprising amount of clothing yesterday and needed to make two trips to bring everything over. Then I returned to the meeting room and found Jorunn waiting.Jorunn and I walked from the hotel to Oslo Central Station and took a tram to the Vigeland Sculpture Park. Jorunn told me it is the world’s largest sculpture park made by a single artist, Gustav Vigeland, with over two hundred sculptures combining the human form with an element of fantasy. Most figures were naked, with a mix of vagueness and rather notably open precision. The most prominent sculpture was a 17-meter-high monolith consisting of 121 intertwined human figures clambering to the top, carved from a single stone block. We spent over an hour walking the grounds, and while it was interesting, I told Jorunn that I didn’t see much in the way of Christmas here.A combination of walking and a short bus ride brought us to the grounds of the Akershus Fortress. Constructed in the 13th century, it protects the waterfront and Oslo harbor. Also on the site was the restored Akershus Castle, which was formerly a residence of prior kings of Norway. Jorunn said it serves today as an entertainment and event center for the Norwegian government, and this close to Christmas was not open to the public.I found it challenging to walk the grounds of the Fortress, as there were steep inclines mixed with stone steps and cobblestone paths. Remnants of a prior snowstorm still lingered in shady areas and under arches, making the footing treacherous. We did stop at places offering magnificent views of the city of Oslo, the bay, and the fjord, and several ramparts still bore cannons. Jorunn was rather businesslike and did not seem to be enjoyin

Corporate AI Rivalry, Musk's Mega Merger, and the Future of WorkThe script explores the current shift in AI competition from consumer tech to enterprise adoption, highlighting Anthropic's growing influence in the corporate market against OpenAI. It discusses the implications of regulatory requirements and the trust deficit affecting OpenAI, alongside the importance of enterprise AI for long-term industry dominance. The discussion shifts to the questionable narrative of AI-driven layoffs, with companies potentially using AI as an excuse for downsizing. It also covers Google's disruptive new AI model impacting the gaming industry. The script concludes with a deep dive into Elon Musk's rumored mega merger involving SpaceX, XAI, and possibly Tesla, potentially creating a vertically integrated tech giant poised to dominate various sectors.00:00 The Battle for AI Dominance in Corporate Boardrooms00:49 Enterprise AI: The Real Game Changer01:32 Anthropic's Strategic Advantage02:44 The Trust Deficit and OpenAI's Challenges04:08 The Future of AI: A Marathon, Not a Sprint07:20 AI Layoffs: Reality or Excuse?09:57 The Complex Reality of AI's Impact on Jobs14:32 Elon Musk's Controversial Casting Critique15:41 The Mythology of Helen of Troy23:12 Elon Musk's Legal Battles and Accountability32:05 The Largest Corporate Merger in History?

Today, we move from a hidden season into a holy interruption. At the end of Exodus chapter 2 we read of 4 actions of God: God heard, God remembered, God saw, and God knew what was going on with his people. Today, in Exodus chapters 3 ad 4, we'll discuss how God speaks. God called Moses to a specific task, but Moses was reluctant to step into his calling. Thankfully, God even works through reluctant leaders when they reach the place of obedience. Today, we'll learn that excuses delay what obedience delivers.

Full Audio including detailed analysis at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ai-unraveled-latest-ai-news-trends-chatgpt-gemini-deepseek/id1684415169

Send us a textPride often disguises itself as certainty — but it quietly keeps us stuck.In this message, Senior Pastor Reid Robinette teaches from John 8, showing how refusing to admit we're wrong prevents us from experiencing truth and freedom. Jesus invites us out of self-justification and into humility — because freedom begins when pride ends.This message will challenge you to examine where pride may be shaping your excuses — and to respond to Jesus with honesty and trust.

Episode Summary: We all need to work a little harder at resting in contentment… realizing that sometimes marriage is a spectator sport. In a culture that encourages us to find our own happiness, fulfill self, give in to what brings us pleasure, lasting relationships must take a different approach. True selflessness is a reflection of God’s character. Although recent polls seem to indicate an equal divorce rate between Christians and non-believers, this is not exactly true. People who identify as Christians but rarely attend church have a 60% divorce rate while those who attend church regularly, just 38% have been divorced. It is easy to get caught up in the tyranny of the urgent and forget the very ingredients that build a healthy marriage. Join me with Nina Roesner as we discuss the role of unconditional respect in a healthy marriage. Quotables from the episode: Most people have heard the idea that women need love and men need respect, but in reality, don't we all need a combination of both? Yes. I think the Bible uses that language to communicate very specifically to husbands and wives about some very specific stuff. All relationships have challenges but the best ones surmount the hard times, allow these times to build the relationship instead of destroy it, and learn from one another. Do you respect yourself and others in your relationship through your communication? And I think we need to respect everybody and I think that's a loving thing to do. That's the key. It affects our communication and we can develop resentment, bitterness and unforgiveness over those little things that then stack up and they morph into a life of their own until one day the straw breaks and our spouses left going, "That was not a big deal. You could have just said put your cup in the dishwasher. But the truth is it's built up resentment over time because we don't communicate over the little things until they become a big thing. We do take things personally and it seems maybe I'm wrong but it just seems like over the past decade we're more quick to take offense over things that really don't need to be offended over all you have to do is turn to social media and see how quickly people are offended. If anyone had a right to be offended, it was Jesus. And yet he modeled for us good communication, forgiveness, love, and respect. The idea that men need respect is not just part of some formula but an aspect of the gender differences. Men are wired to protect and provide, and knowing they are appreciated is one of the primary ingredients in lasting marriages. When we get our identity from the Lord, then we're able to appreciate the strengths that God gave us and then bring forth those strengths in the relationship in a way that we weren't before. We are actually useful in that relationship in a way that deeply impacts everything. But so often we buy the lives of the culture and we go down these paths of thinking we're worthless or we're not valued and you know people treat us this way so it reinforces it or we're looking for that because if you have a belief like that you're gonna find it everywhere. But when we really have a solid identity in Christ and I don't pretend I'd be fully there, but I'm so much more there than I used to be. It doesn't matter what people say or do. On a biological level, God designed this so well, because your brain chemistry changes when you forgive. The other thing is, is it's a humbling activity that puts us in the proper alignment with the Lord because we don't have the right to harbor unforgiveness. We're not judge and jury over this other person, and by the way Christ already paid for that. So who do we think we are? Excuse me, the seat on the throne has been taken. get off, right? So, when we forgive, it's like the brain chemistry changes and we're able to then have a clean slate here. God uses pain in our lives to mold and shape us. Pain is the biblical path to growth. It’s not just the church itself that’s the key to a successful marriage; it’s all aspects of faith—prayer, Bible study, gratitude, God-awareness. It is easy to get caught up in the tyranny of the urgent and forget the very ingredients that build a healthy marriage. According to recent studies, being a committed, faithful believer makes a measurable difference in marriage. Recommended Resources: The Respect Dare: 40 Days to a Deeper Connection with God and Your Husband by Nina Roesner Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner AWSA 2024 Golden Scroll Christian Living Book of the Year and the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Christian Living and Non-Fiction categories Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, AWSA Member of the Year, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Devotional category, the 2023 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2020 Best Christian Living Book First Place, the first place winner for the Best Christian Living Book, the 2020 Carolina Christian Writer’s Conference Contest winner for nonfiction, and winner of the 2021 Christian Literary Award’s Reader’s Choice Award in all four categories for which it was nominated (Non-Fiction Victorious Living, Christian Living Day By Day, Inspirational Breaking Free and Testimonial Justified by Grace categories.) Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free PDF Resource: How to Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Henri and Reader’s Choice Award Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Free Webinar: Help for When You’re Feeling Blue Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Nina Roesner: Website / Facebook / Instagram For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson) / LinkedIn / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple Guest: Nina Roesner is the author of The Respect Dare and With All Due Respect. She serves as the executive director of Greater Impact Ministries. She has more than 20 years in the communications and training industry and has coached church staffs, pastors, executives, and managers. She and her husband, and their three children, live near Cincinnati. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Ashton Bengtson Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, Jake and Bob reflect on a few topics that were discussed during a recent "Holy Desire" Priest's retreat with the JPII Healing Center. They discuss the connection between communion with God and the removal of pain, how woundedness redirects good desires, and why coping strategies are not usually virtuous. Jake and Bob also answer a few questions received from priests at the retreat, such as—Am I using wounds as an excuse for sin? What is the difference between soul ties and enmeshment? And should I share my wounds with my parents?   Key Points: Healing is best understood as an ongoing encounter with God's love that restores communion and is not simply the removal of pain. Pain relief can be a fruit of healing, but it should never become the primary goal over intimacy with God. Broken communion is the reason we experience pain. Wounds often lead us to develop maladaptive responses that we mistakenly elevate into "virtues." Holy desires naturally draw us toward love and communion with God and others. When wounds and vows press down on holy desires, those desires often emerge sideways as disordered desires. Disordered desires are not evil at their core but are distorted expressions of something originally good. Enmeshment reflects a lack of healthy differentiation and often develops within family systems. Soul ties are distorted bonds that form through sin, wounds, or misplaced dependency. Learning to recognize the good desire beneath another's behavior transforms how we relate to them. Love grows when we respond to a person's holy desire rather than reacting to their maladaptive behavior. Discernment, timing, and freedom of heart are essential when considering sharing one's wounds with parents.   Resources: Principles of Catholic Theology by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger Holy Desire Workbook (In the dropdown menu select the "Workbook" as the type) Rick and Dick Hoyt Video Deadly Wounds and Holy Desires Chart   Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 06:34 What does "I Experienced Healing" Mean? 13:40 Can the Way I Cope with a Wound Actually be a Virtue? 18:42 How are Disordered Desires Formed? 29:36 How Do I Find the Holy Desire Behind My Sin? 35:55 Am I Treating Woundedness as an Excuse for Sin? 42:54 What is the Difference Between a Soul Tie and Enmeshment? 51:07 Should I Share My Wounds with My Parents?   Connect with Restore the Glory:  Instagram: @restoretheglorypodcast  Twitter: @RestoreGloryPod Facebook: Restore the Glory Podcast   Never miss out on an episode by hitting the subscribe button right now! Help other people find the show and grow in holiness by sharing this podcast with them individually or on your social media. Thanks!

HOUR 3- Klein's Bad Homework Excuse, Jake's Crocheting and MORE full 1815 Wed, 04 Feb 2026 16:40:00 +0000 iEeaSZt9nORYjmA6XbYSU9mO1vFHmDqD society & culture Klein/Ally Show: The Podcast society & culture HOUR 3- Klein's Bad Homework Excuse, Jake's Crocheting and MORE Klein.Ally.Show on KROQ is more than just a "dynamic, irreverent morning radio show that mixes humor, pop culture, and unpredictable conversation with a heavy dose of realness." (but thanks for that quote anyway). Hosted by Klein, Ally, and a cast of weirdos (both on the team and from their audience), the show is known for its raw, offbeat style, offering a mix of sarcastic banter, candid interviews, and an unfiltered take on everything from culture to the chaos of everyday life. With a loyal, engaged fanbase and an addiction for pushing boundaries, the show delivers the perfect blend of humor and insight, all while keeping things fun, fresh, and sometimes a little bit illegal. 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. Society & Culture False https://player.amperwavepodca

In a forum on federal agents' use of force in Trump's immigration crackdown, Democratic lawmakers heard from Americans who have been directly affected. No officials from the Department of Homeland Security appeared at Tuesday's forum on Capitol Hill. Amna Nawaz speaks with Janet Napolitano, who served as DHS secretary in the Obama administration, for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

On this episode of Obsessed, Kevin Fallon breaks down the biggest, buzziest moments from the Grammy Awards with producer Rachel—covering everything from Bad Bunny's powerful speeches and iconic performances to Cher chaos and pop-star discourse worth arguing about. Then, Kevin sits down with Summer House star Carl Radke for a raw, funny, and deeply human conversation about life on reality TV, sobriety, grief, mental health, and what it means to live your hardest moments in front of the cameras. From Bravo fame and shower shots to recovery, vulnerability, and finding purpose through connection, it's an episode that balances pop culture absurdity with genuine emotional weight—and proves why Summer House (and Carl Radke) hit deeper than anyone expects.Follow Kevin Fallon on Instagram @kpfallonFollow Matt Wilstein on Instagram @mattjwilsteinNew episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday; early drops on YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are salivating over a hot bug teacher while we discuss “Teacher's Pet”! We're talking whether Bruce Seth Green is just Seth Green in a mustache, Angel pulling the age-old “lending a girl your leather jacket” move, Ella's delight over the name Blaine Mall, panflutes being used for not racism for once, and what in the hell is going on with this fork vampire guy. We discuss whether Giles and Mulder knew each other at Oxford, that Angel can't stick around for more than 45 seconds lest Buffy find out he's a dork, and how troubling it is that the U.N. is trying to force us to eat crickets. Excuse us, we need to go carbo-load for Ms. French.Send us an email at sunnydalenationpod@gmail.com or follow us on Instagram!

Let's cut through the noise, if you've been following this podcast, doing the research, listening to the stories, and you still haven't taken action, this episode is your wake-up call. I break down the real reasons you haven't bought your first self-storage facility yet, and none of them are what you think. More importantly, I share the biggest announcement in the history of this show: Season 2 of Storage Wins is going to be a live coaching experiment. I'm taking someone who's never done a deal before and documenting their entire journey, from zero to (hopefully) owning a facility in six months. No scripts. No guarantees. Just raw, real progress in real time. If you've ever needed proof that this is possible, you're about to get a front row seat. You'll Learn How To: Identify what's really holding you back, and how to get unstuck Break through fear, knowledge gaps, and the myth that you need money Understand what imperfect action actually looks like in real time Gain the belief, tools, and roadmap to buy your first facility Get a front row seat to someone else's journey so you can learn and act faster What You'll Learn in This Episode: [2:55] The real reasons you haven't taken action (and the truth about your excuses) [5:22] Your two futures: staying stuck vs. taking massive imperfect action [7:48] The announcement: Season 2 will be a live coaching journey [9:30] What we're documenting: deals, financing, negotiations, and real mindset work [10:50] The risk, the challenge, and why I'm putting my reputation on the line [12:34] How to follow the journey or take the leap and become part of it Who This Episode Is For: Listeners who've been learning for months (or years) but haven't taken action Aspiring storage investors stuck in fear, doubt, or information overload Anyone who needs real-time proof that storage success is possible People ready to stop watching and start doing Why You Should Listen: Twelve months from now, you'll either own your first facility, or still be thinking about it. This episode gives you a clear look at those two paths and introduces the live coaching experiment that will eliminate every excuse holding you back. Whether we succeed or stumble, you'll learn everything along the way. It's the most raw, unscripted, and real season we've ever done, and it could be the breakthrough you've been waiting for. Follow Alex Pardo here: Alex Pardo Website: https://alexpardo.com/ Alex Pardo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexpardo15 Alex Pardo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexpardo25 Alex Pardo YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlexPardo Storage Wins Website: https://storagewins.com/ Have conversations with at least three to give storage owners, brokers, private lenders, and equity partners through the Storage Wins Facebook group. Join for free by visiting this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/322064908446514/

Fresh from the March for Life, John and Jonathan unpack JD Vance's speech, the political tension over Mifepristone, and the challenge of balancing prudence with action in the pro-life movement. They also debate the "abolitionist" position on prosecuting women who have abortions and preview the upcoming California March for Life.

Send us a textGod loves you exactly as you are — but He loves you too much to leave you there.In Week 2 of What's Your Excuse?, Pastor Kevin Syes explores how grace is not permission to stay stuck, but an invitation to grow, move, and step forward in faith.Through Luke 9:59–62 and Matthew 25:15–30, we're reminded that following Jesus requires more than good intentions. Grace calls us to responsibility, obedience, and action — not someday, but today.If you've ever felt hesitant, delayed, or unsure about taking your next step, this message will challenge and encourage you to respond to God's grace with movement.

On tonight's Nightcap: Feds arrest journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort over Minnesota church protests, the DOJ drops 3 million more pages of Epstein files and says no more will be released, and Trump nominates Kevin Warsh for Federal Reserve Chair. Glenn Thrush, Charles Coleman Jr., Joyce Vance, Antonia Hylton, Jon Ralston, and Anthony Fisher join The 11th Hour this Friday night. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Confidence isn't about hype, looks, or lines. It's built by stacking small wins, developing discipline, and choosing the right environment. This clip breaks down how young men can build real confidence that translates into career success and stronger relationships.

Nick and Jonathan react to Chris Antonetti's new excuse for the quiet offseason from the Guardians.

In Episode 385, the crew is back with a packed show! We kick things off by celebrating the Patriots heading to the Super Bowl and joking about the "MAGA influencers" on the panel. Then, things get heated as we dive into a raw debate about Kobe Bryant's legacy—asking if he's truly Top 2 or if the "fake love" after his passing has inflated his ranking. We also break down the hit Netflix series His & Hers, discussing the insane plot twists, Jon Bernthal's performance, and that shocking ending. Plus, we analyze CJ Stroud's playoff struggles, reminisce on the "Booty Talk" Hall of Fame (Jada Fire vs. Pinky), and roast the city of Houston for shutting down over a fake snowstorm. ( Excuse our audio issue!) Follow the crew: @ThePourHorsemen @ShyThugg | @HardbodyKiotti | @Phi1TheDon | @LebronaldPalmer I @yo.dj.silk I @armourie.official Production Crew @TheJohnSims | @1Kharyy Shot at @TheHiveHouston Hurt At Work? Contact our partners at https://crockett.law for all of your legal needs. @bankonbriantx is ready to help. Join our Patreon for more exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/thepourhorsemen. By supporting us, you're not just a listener but a valued part of our community. Use our Code POUR at Bluechew.com for your discount. Follow The Pour Horsemen on Instagram @thepourhorsemen and email at thepourhorsemen@gmail.com. Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 01:28 - Patriots Heading to the Super Bowl and MAGA 03:36 - Seahawks & That Super Bowl Loss Discussion 07:13 - Rams vs. Seahawks game 11:23 - CJ Stroud & The Psychology of Pressure 16:05 - The "Racist" Boston Sports Debate 26:40 - Kobe Bryant: The "Fake Love" 36:20 - Netflix's His & Hers: The Review (SPOILERS) 41:55 - His & Hers, the "angry" letter, 47:25 - TV Recommendations 50:04 - The Hall of Fame 52:54 - The Houston Snow Storm That Wasn't 55:00 - Outro

Excuse me, why do you have teeth? How did they get in your mouth and where did they come from? Let's ask researcher, tooth enthusiast, and Paleohistologist Dr. Yara Haridy.  She opened up the archives at Chicago's Field Museum to chat about ancient skulls, drawers of bones, and the evidence that changed how we think about chompers. Drop your jaws as we discuss the origins of teeth, why yours hurt, the long-debated rumors of extinct species, how particle accelerators and paleontology worlds collide, what tools fossil pickers rely on, teeny tiny mysteries, why you should hug a tree before it kills you, and why a catfish might become your overlord. Visit Dr. Yara Haridy's website and follow her on InstagramA donation went to the Sameer ProjectMore episode sources and linksOther episodes you may enjoy: Osteology (SKELETONS/BODY FARMS), Selachimorphology (SHARKS), Elasmobranchology (MORE SHARK STORIES), Paleontology (DINOSAURS), Evolutionary Biology (DARWINISM), Functional Morphology (ANATOMY), Genicular Traumatology (BAD KNEES), Castorology (BEAVERS), Urban Rodentology (SEWER RATS), Biomineralogy (SHELLS), Scorpiology (SCORPIONS), Garology (LONG CUTE ANCIENT PATIENT BOOPABLE NIGHTMARE FISH)400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topicSmologies (short, classroom-safe) episodesSponsors of OlogiesTranscripts and bleeped episodesBecome a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a monthOlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!Follow Ologies on Instagram and BlueskyFollow Alie Ward on Instagram and TikTokEditing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake ChaffeeManaging Director: Susan HaleScheduling Producer: Noel DilworthTranscripts by Aveline Malek Website by Kelly R. DwyerTheme song by Nick Thorburn Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.