Podcasts about grumbling

Preached on Sunday the 14th of December, 2025.Numbers 14:1-11“Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel. And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?”Intro Music by Julius H. from Pixabay Outro Music by PianoAmor from Pixabay

Find a Christmas devotional or Advent calendar for yourself, and the whole family.   Episode 279 // Our relationships have a LOT to do with the attitude of our hearts. With healthy, intimate, connected relationships, we grumble less. It's easier to be thankful, to notice the positive, to feel better.    But… how do we get there?    Today, I want to dive into the topic of marriage (and friendship too) and help us see how leaning in and being vulnerable can have a big impact on our gratitude and grumbling.    We'll talk about WHY this is so valuable, 7 tips for strengthening this connection in your marriage, and some helpful encouragement for what to do if or when you feel uncomfortable or unable to be vulnerable in your marriage this way.   Marriage is wildly important to God, and wildly important to our own mental health, heart attitude, and emotional wellness. So let's figure out how to make it as strong and wonderful as possible. Let's dive in, friends.   Welcome to Part 6 of our series on Gratitude Over Grumbling.   hugs & blessings, Jess   RESOURCES FOR YOU   FREE: Grab the Conflict Resolution Cheat Sheet to boost communication today.   DEVOTIONAL: Find a Christmas devotional or Advent calendar for yourself, and the whole family.   RELATED ON THE PODCAST: Strengthening Your Christian Marriage In A Hard Season (EP 269)   RELATED ON THE BLOG: Let's Have More FUN In Marriage Intimacy, Christian Wives!   GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW   Support the show on Patreon for just a few dollars a month, and grab access to behind-the-scenes family life encouragement.   Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!   FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest   DISCLAIMERS    I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.   MISSION   Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.   Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com

12-08-25 - Odd End To Raiders Game Has Gamblers Grumbling - 22yo Proclaimed They're Trans Masculine Non Binary And Was Cheered Online Confusing UsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

12-08-25 - Odd End To Raiders Game Has Gamblers Grumbling - 22yo Proclaimed They're Trans Masculine Non Binary And Was Cheered Online Confusing UsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JoAnne’s Christmas Curse: Part 2 A Bike Messenger Received. Based on a post by Todd 1 72, in 2 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. In the morning, JoAnne only found one skirt and jacket; with a remarkable short skirt. And the only shoes had six inch spike heels. Fortunately the long wool overcoat was back, so at least she could probably make it to the office without being ravished, although as horny as she was waking up, any ravishing was more likely to be her doing anyway. JoAnne shrugged off her coat as she walked past Lillian's desk, the super-short skirt eliciting an appreciative "ooh" from Lillian. Then, Lillian said, "Um, shit. JoAnne, the secretary offsite training is today, so I have to leave in like five minutes; we're supposed to head out to some lame team building exercise thing." JoAnne flinched. Lillian, cute as ever, stood up and stepped into the inner office with her. Lillian continued. "I, um, was really hoping to finish all that, um, dictation we started yesterday, but I just got a call saying there are no excused absences. Human Resources is adamant." JoAnne forced a smile on her face. "Not your fault. I was really hoping we could; um, go over that last part again today. Maybe you could read it back to me tomorrow though." She felt Lillian's warm hand slide up the back of her skirt and gently grab her bare ass, a fingertip just pressed against her asshole. Lillian smiled sweetly as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. "I hate to wait that long, but I'll go over my notes so I can read it back exactly right." JoAnne shivered, glanced out the door to make sure nobody was in the outer office, then whispered into Lillian's ear, "God, I was so looking forward to dragging you in here this morning. You'd better run while you still have some clothes on!" Lillian gave her a chaste peck on the cheek, then slipped out the door. Shit. Alone. Horny as hell. JoAnne settled in to get some work done. The morning dragged by, Joanne having to find every file, and never quite sure where to look. She was surprised at how much she actually had undervalued her secretaries; the Byzantine filing system used by the company for hard copy files, was certainly not designed for amateurs. By late afternoon, she found herself frustrated; sorting through file cabinets, looking for a 10-year old file. She was looking in the second lowest cabinet when she heard someone behind her, clearing his throat. JoAnne whirled. The same bike messenger as usual, stood with a package; and gilt edged green envelope in hand. From where he had been standing, he must have had a clear view of her full ass, as she bent over the files. With the super-short skirt and no panties, it didn't take a genius to figure out what he'd seen. She glanced down at his thin spandex cycling shorts surreptitiously. Yep. Hard-on. Giant hard-on. She could see each vein in the trellis texture wrapping around the wide girth of his cock. "How long have you been standing there." "About 90 seconds, I just came; in. I mean came in." "I'll bet." She snatched the big bubble-wrap envelope from his hand. Ripped it open and read the gilt and ivory card. All it said was, "He's all yours." She felt the now-familiar tingling, surge through her. The package had a very nice Christmas bath towel with ivory and gold trim. She stared at the muscular bike messenger, stepped around him; then closed, and locked the office door. "Three questions. No bullshit." He raised an eyebrow, "Yes?" "You married?" "No." "Steady girlfriend?" "No." "Straight?" "Yes." "Fine. I can see you're horny." She gestured at his monstrous hard-on. "You've eyed me every time you've come in here; and if I don't get laid in the next few minutes, I'll go insane." Her skirt and blouse hit the floor, and before he could even respond, she was on her knees and pulling the spandex shorts to his ankles. Her mouth was on his massive cock before he could even finish stepping out of his shoes and pull his shirt off. The taste was amazing, she felt like she couldn't get away; every lick made her crave him even more. She could barely get her hand around the shaft, so she began stroking his massive pole with both hands; spreading as much of her saliva on his cock as she could manage, then she began pumping his cock in and out of her mouth, getting a little deeper with each stroke. She felt his hands grip her hair, and he slowly began to take over the rhythm, and driving in a little deeper each time. She felt a flash of anger as she realized he was just fucking her mouth, just using her! The feeling of anger flashed into heat that seemed to center on her pussy. She groaned around the thrusting pole. His cock went in deeper and she sucked harder, slurping as he pulled back. Fuck, it felt great, just to act like a total slut! She moved her hands back around, to grab his muscular ass, and began pulling him in harder. She should have been gagging and choking on his cock; it was going halfway down her damn throat! But apparently Holly had also turned off her gag mechanism or something. He must think she was a total whore to be able to deep throat him like that. The more she thought about it, the more it turned her on. She grabbed his ass hard and pulled him right up to her, feeling his cock slide down her throat until her lips were all the way down. She held him that way, listening to him groan, then she very slowly slid him out of her burning mouth, looking up at him and making hard eye contact. Just as he was almost out of her mouth, she let her teeth touch the head; then sucked him all the way in again. After four times, his eyes were starting to lose focus, so she finally let him slide all the way out, his cock glistening with her saliva. "You're not getting off that easy; I said I need to get laid. I need to get fucking pounded!" JoAnne led him over to the desk then she laid down on. With ass right at the edge, she pulled her knees up until they were right at her tits. The bike courier guy didn't hesitate at all, plunging his steel rod in all the way to the hilt. Even as wet as she was, the huge pole filling her; induced a gasp. "Oh yeah! Now just fucking hammer that pussy!" He complied without a word, his balls slapping against her ass with each drive. Moaning loudly, she stretched her legs up, then rested her heels over his shoulders, and began tweaking her hard nipples. With all her frustration earlier, her orgasms didn't take long to arrive; gushing hot juice as her inner muscles contracted on the giant cock. Feeling the force of her orgasm, he started to slow. She snarled through gritted teeth, "Keep fucking, god dammit! Don't stop or I'll slap the shit out of you!" He grinned and continued ramming into her steaming hole; it took two more hard climaxes, before she could feel herself relax. He began to pick up speed, and she could see from his face; he was nearly there. Suddenly the desk slid; and his cock popped out, pointed right at her; just as a fountain of sticky white cum erupted. JoAnne felt the first rope, splattering upward from her stomach, to her tits, and finally her face. Then a second rope came even harder and longer. Since her mouth was open, she got a good taste of the hot jizz. Her mouth filled up, just as the second rope a jizz abated. She stared directly into his eyes as she swallowed it all. A third rope commenced, hitting her right between the eyes. It spread evenly in both lateral directions. Covering her eye shadow and cascading down over her eyelids, and flowing over her high cheekbones. It ran along her jaw, and dribbled into the ravine of her deep cleavage. That bitch! JoAnne was sure she could hear Holly’s haunting giggle. He staggered back. "Shit, I'm sorry, the damn desk slid; I, uh;” She waved him off, licking the cum off her lips. "Don't worry about it; furniture has a mind of its own sometimes." He dressed hurriedly while she toweled herself off. After he was gone, she checked her hair one last time for cum droplets and headed home. That night, her vibrator was buzzing pretty late. Three on a match The next morning, one of the red outfits was hanging in the closet; see through white blouse, red skirt, red jacket; and the now-normal high heel red shoes. Not a stitch of underwear, of any type, of course. The skirt seemed longer than they had been, the last few days, and the neckline was a little less obvious. With the jacket closed and fully buttoned, she could probably be seen in public without getting arrested. Another Christmas card lay on her counter, all it said was, "Be Helpful! Helping Others Can be Fulfilling." Lillian wasn't in the outer office. Just as JoAnne settled into her chair, Lillian, wearing a cute little gray skirt outfit, came in, leading a small young woman with light brown hair and huge glasses, into the room. "JoAnne, this is Mouse, from the IT office. She is going to replace the Video conference set-up this morning; a lot more than the cable, was bad." "Mouse"; gave a weak smile, which clearly showed where she had picked up her nickname. The resemblance to a friendly, cute, cartoon mouse was uncanny. She had two prominent front teeth and her ears even stuck out enough to make the image perfect. Well, as long as she was here, there was no way JoAnne was going to get Lillian alone. JoAnne moved to Lillian's desk while Lillian and Mouse struggled with the connections. Mouse, working in the secure comms closet, while Lillian kept reconnecting cables under the desk. JoAnne watched Lillian's cute round ass, wiggling around as she swapped out yet another piece of the system, while Mouse adjusted settings on the master board in the closet; occasionally closing the door to see the whole panel. Going down a couple floors, to Security; to sign for a new badge and computer token that would work with the new conference system, was a relief for JoAnne. As she walked back into her office, closing the outer door behind her, the first thing she saw was Lillian's yummy ass, still wiggling from under the desk. Looking around, she noted that everyone seemed to be still at work, just as she’d left them. So that means Mouse was still in the comms closet, with the door almost shut. Grinning evilly, JoAnne slid up behind the desk and the lovely ass of her assistant was exposed. She rolled up her desk chair and seated herself, then slid one hand up her inner thigh; slowly; whispering, "As soon as we're alone, I'm eating that sweet pussy, until you scream! Then I'm fucking your brains out with Carlos!” That was the nickname she gave her new strap-on dildo harness setup. Lillian didn't say anything, but spread her legs further. JoAnne then saw the jeweled stem of a lovely ass-plug, deeply set in Lillian’s lovely asshole. Where did Lillian get this lovely accessory from? She let her fingers cruise up the soft inner thigh. Much to her excitement, Lillian wasn't wearing any panties; and she was very, very wet. JoAnne began to finger her in earnest, massaging the rapidly swollen clit and dripping pussy rapidly. Lillian was thrusting back against her hand, so she quickly slipped two fingers into her, pumping in and out until she heard a soft moan and felt Lillian's pussy muscles contacting rhythmically on her fingers. Hearing the rattling at the comms closet door, she rapidly stood up and acted as if she was in the middle of a conversation with Lillian: "So we may have to stay later tonight until we get this sorted out." Lillian stepped out of the comms closet. Stunned Joanne looked down at the desk as Mouse slipped out from underneath it, with a huge mousey grin, flushed face and a great deal of hair out of place. Belatedly, Joanne realized Mouse was also wearing a gray skirt, just like Lillian's. "I'll stay as late as you want, Ma'am! Gosh Lily, you said she was great to work for, but I didn't know she was this great!" Lillian looked confused. Mouse's grin got even wider. "Lil, she didn't know we switched places; she thought I was you.” Turning back to the director, Mouse continued; “Miss Steadman, It was great! Mouse was euphoric and giddy. “LiI, haven't gotten laid since the last time we did the amateur-night strip club thing, you know? The time you and I had too much tequila, ended up in the oil-wrestling pit, and went home together? And Miss Steadmann was really good! Normally I'd scream if someone just slid their hand up my skirt, but it was so obvious she thought it was you! And I thought it would be funny; she promised to fuck my brains out as soon as we were alone. So I was going to say something, but her fingers felt so good; going up my thigh, and I kept putting off saying anything. And I've been so horny all week. I mean; I can masturbate, but it just isn't the same as having someone else do it to you. And she knows just how to use her fingers; I came so hard, I thought I would pass out. Gosh Lily, you need to learn to share!" Mouse said the entire thing in one breath, which made Lillian begin to giggle, then Mouse joined in and finally JoAnne broke down and began to laugh. Breathlessly, JoAnne gasped out, "I'm so sorry, I've just been so crazy horny for the last week." Mouse giggled, "You should jump the bike courier guy; makes me wet every time he walks through the office. I end up fingering myself under the desk!" "I jumped him yesterday, and screwed his brains out." "Oh my gosh! Is he as good as he looks? I'll bet he's hung like a horse!" "Huge; he's just hung like a stallion!. But I'm still horny as hell!" After they finally managed to stop laughing, Mouse looked thoughtfully at the outer office door. Her wicked mouse-grin got wider. She pulled a doorknob sign out of her bag. It said; "Tech Support. Sensitive Hardware Installation; Keep Out." She walked to the outer office door, pulled it open, hung the sign on the outer knob, then closed and locked it with an evil mousey leer. "Looks like later to me!" JoAnne felt Lily reach around her and begin unbuttoning her blouse, pausing for a moment to gently tease JoAnne's hard nipples. Mouse dropped her skirt to the floor and walked towards the cleared off desk. "So Miss Jo, you said something about; making me scream?" Jo shivered as Lily pulled her blouse down off her shoulders while tracing up the nape of her neck with the hot tip of her tongue. Lily whispered in her ear. "I'm holding you to that, too. You may have said it to her, but you thought you were promising it to me. Looks like double duty for you." It was over two hours later when JoAnne finally walked out on wobbly legs. She was even a little sore; Mouse, it turned out, had a fondness for wearing the strap-on and her compact little body had more strength than anyone would expect. JoAnne was also very glad she'd been using the vibrator on her ass so regularly; her earlier attack on Lily's ass had brought a rather delightful but slightly over the top retribution from Lily. Mouse and Lily seemed very comfortable with each other, and it was pretty clear they were a lot fonder of each other than either of them really realized. To be honest JoAnne wondered why she'd noticed. Dropping off to sleep was easier than ever. After a few minutes with her vibrator of course. The Third Package When JoAnne woke the next morning, naked as usual, she glanced in the mirror; her little holly leaf was very much edged in gold now; and the hair seemed to be turning a dark green. At least her closet was looking a little more benign this morning; the ever present red jacket, a regular white silk blouse; hardly transparent at all; her now-perpetually-excited nipples poked through, but she was getting used to that. And the skirt was actually just a little shorter than her usual choice. The heels were almost an inch higher than before, but that was a pretty easy trade-off. The shoes, at least, were comfortable. As she strolled into her kitchen, she found Holly, and another incredibly busty elf perched on the counter, looking over a couple of scrolls. Both were drinking coffee from her coffeemaker. "A black elf?" Holly and the new elf looked up at her. The black elf threw her a sharp look. "What, is she racist, too?" Holly shook her head, and held up her scroll. "Nope. Just ignorant." Holly looked over at JoAnne. "Elves aren't born, we're recruited." "From where? "Everywhere. I was recruited in Germany over 900 years ago. Koko here was recruited from Johannesburg about 80 years ago." JoAnne really wanted to know what the hell they were doing in her kitchen, but pushing Holly had proven to be a really bad idea, so she tried to be conversational. "So what's the recruitment profile? I mean you'd have to have some kind of criteria." She looked at the two of them critically for a second. "Cause If I was going to guess, I'd assume it had something to do with having tits like honeydew melons." Koko gave a lopsided grin. "That's part of the 'elf upgrade package.' The Big Guy has a thing for giant knockers, so you lose a little height and gain half dozen cups sizes. They firm up and stick out, too. Gwyneth, our head supervisor, is over 800 years old, and she still has very little sag." She reached up with her hands and jiggled her boobs. "They're really sensitive, too. Definitely worth the trade." "Doesn't that make your back hurt?" Holly laughed. "Christmas Magic, Baby." "The Big Guy is?" "Santa Claus, Pere Noel, Father Christmas. Yep, he's real." "And he likes big knockers. Do you guys, uh?" Koko shook her head, eyes wide. "Nope, He's a one-woman guy, and Lady Winter isn't somebody you'd want to piss off. She doesn't mind skin and jiggle all around him, doesn't mind looking at it, herself. But I'd hate to think what would happen if anyone was stupid enough to go after and seduce him." Holly nodded. "She actually does the upgrades, I think the giant ta-tas are her idea, anyway." She suddenly looked a little serious. "So, anyway; Koko here is from the Legal Oversight office. She's responsible for making sure all the legal criteria are met for this kind of stuff. Christmas Lesson Curses, you know." "She's a lawyer?" Koko stiffened. "Oh? So I can't be a lawyer now?" JoAnne flinched. "No, I mean, I guess, I just never thought of Elves as needing lawyers." Koko relaxed a bit. "We have divisions to do everything: management, logistics, manufacturing, recruiting, and, of course; the elves who go out and spread Christmas cheer, the 'Jingle Girls,' that's by far our biggest division." Holly caught Jo's eye. "She has to make sure that I'm not misusing power, make sure you deserved the curse. All that kind of stuff." There was an almost pleading look in her eye. Koko nodded, sipping her coffee and picking up a scroll from the counter. "Somebody, who I won't name, but who's initials are 'Holly Mistletoe' is kind of sloppy with paperwork and has gotten her ass in trouble before; for overreacting. In fact, she's on probation. One more misuse and she's back in the toy factory, putting eyes in those creepy little dolls." Holly shuddered. Jo shrugged. "So what do you need to know?" "Okay. Let's see. Were you knowingly and deliberately rude to her, contrary to the Spirit of Christmas?" "Yeah, I kinda was. More than 'kinda.' I knocked her on her ass." "On purpose?" "I don't know. More, not giving a shit." Koko's eyes slid sideways accusingly towards Holly, who looked a little stricken. Jo suddenly felt a little sorry for Holly, even though she'd started this whole thing. "Oh yeah, I did tell her to 'Fuck off.' Twice. And definitely I meant that. I tried to get her thrown out of the restaurant." She saw relief cross Holly's face. Koko looked placated. "Okay. So let's see if the response was appropriate;” Koko scanned the scroll. "Maybe a little over the top, but not too much. No permanent damage or anything. Not like that sheep incident in Scotland." Holly suppressed a snicker and Koko glared at her. "It wasn't funny, you know. A whole country gets a bad reputation because some drunk highlander pinched your ass without your permission." She looked over at JoAnne. "Have you learned your lesson?" "Yes. I think I have. I'll sure as hell remember this, for the rest of my life." "Okay then, we can go ahead and turn it off." JoAnne thought fleetingly of Mouse and Lillian. "Wait, doesn't it end at midnight tonight anyway? Until Midnight of Christmas Eve and all that?" Koko looked a little confused. "Well, yes, but it isn't necessary to continue; you're clearly contrite;” "No, it's okay, I don't want to put you guys through any trouble or anything. I've made it so far, I'll make it through the day." Koko shrugged, but JoAnne thought Holly looked a bit smug as the two of them disappeared with that bizarre reverse popping sound. Alone. Unfortunately for JoAnne, Lily had called to say she would be out; her car had broken down. Just as bad, when JoAnne made up an excuse to call down to Tech Support to "ask Mouse a question about this video upgrade," she'd been told that Mouse had called out to go help someone whose car had broken down. Obviously Lily. JoAnne reflected that the two of them seemed to be a little more than just a couple friends who slept together once in a while. In a way, she wished Lily had called her for help instead of Mouse. She lasted only half the day in the nearly deserted office. Everyone had taken Christmas Eve off, and she could have sprinted through the building, naked; and not run into anyone. By noon, only she and the old man at the security desk, were left. Grumbling, she walked out of the building, and started home. Nobody to care for, nobody to visit. As she walked past a still-open jewelry store, she noticed charm necklaces proudly displayed. Not very expensive things; just little gold charms. But one design was a little cartoon mouse; and one of the others was a lily. After a flash of inspiration, she walked down the street to a metro delivery service, filled out the forms, and paid a ridiculous fee to have the necklaces delivered by tonight. With a self-satisfied smile, she sent the mouse necklace to Lily and the lily necklace to Mouse, along with a note that she hoped they had a wonderful Christmas. At 6pm, tired of waiting for the ‘shoe to drop’, and more than a little disappointed, JoAnne took a relaxing shower. Afterward she dried and wore her very expensive white plush bathrobe. She pulled a bottle of chilled white wine out of her walk-in wine cellar, and put it on the counter. Her earlier joy at finding the right gifts for Lily and Mouse, was fast-fading, and in the back of her mind, she was seriously considering drinking enough wine to pass out, for the first time since college. That is, until she heard a knock on her Penthouse apartment door. That in itself should have been impossible; nobody entered the building without being rung up in the first place. She walked over and looked out the peephole. The bike messenger. She smiled to herself, feeling a surge of lust. "Holly, you clever, sneaky little bitch." She untied and tossed her robe over on the easy chair, and threw the door open with a smile. "Just what I was waiting for! Come on in." Three faces stared at her in shock. Well, two were in shock; the third was starting a knowing grin. She looked from face to face to face, stunned. The Bike Messenger. An identical Bike Messenger. And yet another twin Bike Messenger. "Triplets? Identical Triplets." The grinning one stepped in, pulling the other two with him. "I'm Derrick, this is Devlin and that is Darwin. We operate Triple D Messenger Service." The one he'd called Devlin, stared at her for a second, then blinked and shook his head. "You dropped off a couple packages to be delivered and the addresses got smeared." He held up the packages for Lily and Mouse. "Since we had deliveries in this building we figured we'd drop by and get;” his voice trailed off as Joann reached over and grabbed his shirtfront and Darwin's arm, and began dragging them towards the living room. "I really hope you three don't have anywhere to be for the next couple of hours." She felt Derrick's hands slide up her bare body, to cup her tits, and Darwin started kissing her deeply. An hour later, moaning her way through yet another shivering orgasm, she noticed movement in the doorway. Lily and Mouse, both in long winter coats watched; open-mouthed from the doorway. Each one was clutching a wine box with a bow on it. She pulled her mouth off the head of the cock she'd been happily sucking on. Darwin, or was it Derrick; looked over at them, then back down at JoAnne. "You need to get that lock looked at." "Come in and close the door." Mouse looked at her wide-eyed, then at the men stroking in and out of JoAnne. "Miss Jo, you look a little; busy, maybe we should go." "Well; I think maybe 'Miss I-Get-Wet-and-Finger-Myself-Whenever-the-Bike-Messenger-Comes-Through'; and 'Miss I-Want-to-Take-a-Bite-of-His-Ass'; should lose their clothes and give me a hand before I suffocate. This whole 'airtight' thing is fun at first, but a girl needs to be able to breathe." Lily and Mouse exchanged looks and giggled as they dropped their coats. The only thing either one was wearing was their shoes. As the men slowly let her loose, JoAnne said. "Mouse, Lily, this is Derrick, Devlin and Darwin of Triple D Messenger Service." Lily reached out and grabbed the nearest cock. "Dibs on Devlin." "Um, actually, I'm Darwin;” "Yeah, whatever. Just get that rock hard ass and phallus over here." The one nearest Mouse smiled at her. "I'm;” Mouse solemnly cut him off, grabbing his hard shaft and leading him over towards an easy chair. "Don't care. You name wasn't the important part of my recurring fantasy." JoAnne looked at the remaining brother. Whatever his name was. "Thank God! Now I can move how I want to." It was another hour before they paused. While the guys recovered, JoAnne gave the charm necklaces to Mouse and Lily and watched their smiles light up. Especially when they realized who got which necklace. Mouse reached over and pulled Jo and Lily into a hug. "You guys are the best!" Lily grabbed the wine boxes, handing one to Mouse. "We got you gifts too." Mouse opened the box with a crazy mousey leer, pulling out an enormous strap-on, while Lily did the same. Her grin wasn't as mousey, but the leer was just as crazy. They began strapping them on, and over their shoulders, JoAnne could see the guys' hard-ons returning already. "Holly Mistletoe. Holly Mistletoe. Holly Mistletoe!" Everything froze with a snap. Holly, her elf cap askew, was standing in the middle of the room. She looked around at the three buff bike messengers, who'd just been starting to get up, then at Lily and Mouse, frozen with their giant strap-ons at the ready and lust-filled eyes. "Wow. I'm impressed. Helluva party." "It's getting a little wild." "Okay, you definitely need help. Do you want me to make them go to sleep, send some home, send all of them home?" "Oh, no. Don't do that." Holly looked around. "Then what?" "I wasn't really calling for help. I just figured, that if you weren't busy you might want to; you know." "Join in?" Holly looked at her disbelievingly. JoAnne shrugged. "Sorry, I just thought you might want a little fun. But I guess being an Elf on Christmas Eve, you're probably busy." Holly looked over at the three guys and grinned. "Fuck it, the team up north can get by without me." "How are you going to get them to not freak out when you just show up, I doubt all of them believe in Christmas Magic?" "The magic of Pizza. Everybody believes in pizza." A sudden snap with that strange reverse-popping sound and everyone was in motion again. Just as they had her encircled, there was a loud knock and the door popped open. Holly, in a ridiculously tight, red and white, cleavage-baring parody of a pizza delivery costume was standing at the door, holding a two huge pizza boxes. "Pizza delivery! For Miss Jo Steadmann. Looks like a 'Crowd Pleaser Combo', One 'Double Sweet and Spicy' and one extra-large, extra-hot Triple Sausage. Lily shook her head. "You really need to get that lock looked at." Holly looked around, as if seeing everything for the first time, and her eyes widened. "Oh, triplets!" Trio Times. Jo relaxed dreamily, eyes closed, laying on her side on her bed as Mouse and Lily thrust slowly, gently, in and out of her in perfect rhythm. Their legs were tangled together. Lily, behind her, and Mouse, in front, used their hands to hold JoAnne’s upper leg up at the knee, while they both kissed and nibbled her neck. She listened to far more intense noises from the next room. Somewhere around midnight, Holly had finally dragged the three bike messengers off with a lascivious grin. JoAnne didn't have to make any effort, just enjoyed the sensations, the slow build until a last, slow wave of orgasm slid through her. As she opened her eyes, she realized that Lily and Mouse were gently kissing each other, the golden charms on their necklaces tapping together, making tiny bell-like sounds, while the two of them looked into each other's eyes as if they were in a world all their own. Walking Funny. The next morning, JoAnne slipped quietly off the bed; Lillian and Mouse were nestled together on the other side. Mouse was snoring quietly, little, squeaky contented sounds. It was clear, just from the way they were holding each other; that they had crossed from occasional Friends with Benefits, to something much more serious, and that made JoAnne smile a little. Holly was sitting lazily, in one of the easy chairs, dressed in one of JoAnne's robes. She raised a mug up. "The boys had to leave, remembered they had a Christmas family thing. That's good, 'cause I'm gonna walk funny for a few days. Damn, they had some serious stamina. Must be all that bike riding. Hey, I've got some hot chocolate for you on the counter." JoAnne raised the steaming mug off the counter. "I thought you'd be busy today." "No, Christmas Day is a pretty quiet day for me, just a couple things to do." She waved at the penthouse apartment. "Is this worth it? Your job, I mean, it obviously makes a shit-ton of money, but it seems pretty stressful." "I thought so, but honestly, over the last few days, I've had more fun than I can remember." She paused. "I could work my ass off for the rest of my life and it would never get me what Lily and Mouse have." "I saw that too, they just didn't realize it until last night. They just figured out that they're a forever couple, I could see it in their eyes last night. You saw it before they did, didn't you?" They both love men, a lot. But they’ll have to be men who don’t mind the Sapphic dimensions in the two women’s lives. JoAnne nodded. "I even kind of gave a hint to them." She told Holly about the necklaces, realizing that the whole thought that she wasn't going to get something; she'd never even thought of wanting, was depressing. JoAnne decided to change the subject. "So, do you like your job?" "It's amazing. I get to travel all over the world, all the time. And I really am the best at it." "I can tell, last night was insane, you outdid yourself." “But I want more from life than career affirmation. I want a meaningful and fun relationship with someone who appreciates who I am. This corporation will never be able to give me those things.” “Did you know that Triple D is conducting a search for a logistics administrator? Derrick is conduction interviews, starting tomorrow. They’ve been offered metro area contracts from a global overnight delivery leader, and they’ll need a very competent administrator. It sounds custom-made for one JoAnne Steadmann?” “Derrick and I had fantastic chemistry, a couple days ago, and again last night. But will Derrick and I be compatible, I mean, after the curse wears off?” Holly shook her head. "The curse ended at Midnight. Since we operate all over the world, all our stuff is set to work on Greenwich mean time, so that'd be about 6PM yesterday, here." "So what was last night?" "That was all you; and, let me tell you, you are one crazy, horny, bitch. You just needed to be unleashed." "Oh. My. God. I thought that was part of your 'spreading Christmas cheer' job." Holly leaned back grinning. "That's a blast, one of the best jobs out there; but I'm not a Jingle Girl, that's not what I do. I just did a courtesy check, on my own time. Gawd, woman! You sure know how to host a shagging party!" "Well, what do you do?" Holly put the mug down on the small table next to her and pulled a scroll out of the thin air and unrolled it, then held a quill pen out to JoAnne, arching an eyebrow. "I'm in Recruiting. If you weren’t interested in settling down with a local guy, I’d be earnestly pitching a career option with lots of travel and opportunities unbounded.” Based on a post by Todd 1 72, in 2 parts.

JoAnne’s Christmas Curse: Part 2 A Bike Messenger Received. Based on a post by Todd 1 72, in 2 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. In the morning, JoAnne only found one skirt and jacket; with a remarkable short skirt. And the only shoes had six inch spike heels. Fortunately the long wool overcoat was back, so at least she could probably make it to the office without being ravished, although as horny as she was waking up, any ravishing was more likely to be her doing anyway. JoAnne shrugged off her coat as she walked past Lillian's desk, the super-short skirt eliciting an appreciative "ooh" from Lillian. Then, Lillian said, "Um, shit. JoAnne, the secretary offsite training is today, so I have to leave in like five minutes; we're supposed to head out to some lame team building exercise thing." JoAnne flinched. Lillian, cute as ever, stood up and stepped into the inner office with her. Lillian continued. "I, um, was really hoping to finish all that, um, dictation we started yesterday, but I just got a call saying there are no excused absences. Human Resources is adamant." JoAnne forced a smile on her face. "Not your fault. I was really hoping we could; um, go over that last part again today. Maybe you could read it back to me tomorrow though." She felt Lillian's warm hand slide up the back of her skirt and gently grab her bare ass, a fingertip just pressed against her asshole. Lillian smiled sweetly as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. "I hate to wait that long, but I'll go over my notes so I can read it back exactly right." JoAnne shivered, glanced out the door to make sure nobody was in the outer office, then whispered into Lillian's ear, "God, I was so looking forward to dragging you in here this morning. You'd better run while you still have some clothes on!" Lillian gave her a chaste peck on the cheek, then slipped out the door. Shit. Alone. Horny as hell. JoAnne settled in to get some work done. The morning dragged by, Joanne having to find every file, and never quite sure where to look. She was surprised at how much she actually had undervalued her secretaries; the Byzantine filing system used by the company for hard copy files, was certainly not designed for amateurs. By late afternoon, she found herself frustrated; sorting through file cabinets, looking for a 10-year old file. She was looking in the second lowest cabinet when she heard someone behind her, clearing his throat. JoAnne whirled. The same bike messenger as usual, stood with a package; and gilt edged green envelope in hand. From where he had been standing, he must have had a clear view of her full ass, as she bent over the files. With the super-short skirt and no panties, it didn't take a genius to figure out what he'd seen. She glanced down at his thin spandex cycling shorts surreptitiously. Yep. Hard-on. Giant hard-on. She could see each vein in the trellis texture wrapping around the wide girth of his cock. "How long have you been standing there." "About 90 seconds, I just came; in. I mean came in." "I'll bet." She snatched the big bubble-wrap envelope from his hand. Ripped it open and read the gilt and ivory card. All it said was, "He's all yours." She felt the now-familiar tingling, surge through her. The package had a very nice Christmas bath towel with ivory and gold trim. She stared at the muscular bike messenger, stepped around him; then closed, and locked the office door. "Three questions. No bullshit." He raised an eyebrow, "Yes?" "You married?" "No." "Steady girlfriend?" "No." "Straight?" "Yes." "Fine. I can see you're horny." She gestured at his monstrous hard-on. "You've eyed me every time you've come in here; and if I don't get laid in the next few minutes, I'll go insane." Her skirt and blouse hit the floor, and before he could even respond, she was on her knees and pulling the spandex shorts to his ankles. Her mouth was on his massive cock before he could even finish stepping out of his shoes and pull his shirt off. The taste was amazing, she felt like she couldn't get away; every lick made her crave him even more. She could barely get her hand around the shaft, so she began stroking his massive pole with both hands; spreading as much of her saliva on his cock as she could manage, then she began pumping his cock in and out of her mouth, getting a little deeper with each stroke. She felt his hands grip her hair, and he slowly began to take over the rhythm, and driving in a little deeper each time. She felt a flash of anger as she realized he was just fucking her mouth, just using her! The feeling of anger flashed into heat that seemed to center on her pussy. She groaned around the thrusting pole. His cock went in deeper and she sucked harder, slurping as he pulled back. Fuck, it felt great, just to act like a total slut! She moved her hands back around, to grab his muscular ass, and began pulling him in harder. She should have been gagging and choking on his cock; it was going halfway down her damn throat! But apparently Holly had also turned off her gag mechanism or something. He must think she was a total whore to be able to deep throat him like that. The more she thought about it, the more it turned her on. She grabbed his ass hard and pulled him right up to her, feeling his cock slide down her throat until her lips were all the way down. She held him that way, listening to him groan, then she very slowly slid him out of her burning mouth, looking up at him and making hard eye contact. Just as he was almost out of her mouth, she let her teeth touch the head; then sucked him all the way in again. After four times, his eyes were starting to lose focus, so she finally let him slide all the way out, his cock glistening with her saliva. "You're not getting off that easy; I said I need to get laid. I need to get fucking pounded!" JoAnne led him over to the desk then she laid down on. With ass right at the edge, she pulled her knees up until they were right at her tits. The bike courier guy didn't hesitate at all, plunging his steel rod in all the way to the hilt. Even as wet as she was, the huge pole filling her; induced a gasp. "Oh yeah! Now just fucking hammer that pussy!" He complied without a word, his balls slapping against her ass with each drive. Moaning loudly, she stretched her legs up, then rested her heels over his shoulders, and began tweaking her hard nipples. With all her frustration earlier, her orgasms didn't take long to arrive; gushing hot juice as her inner muscles contracted on the giant cock. Feeling the force of her orgasm, he started to slow. She snarled through gritted teeth, "Keep fucking, god dammit! Don't stop or I'll slap the shit out of you!" He grinned and continued ramming into her steaming hole; it took two more hard climaxes, before she could feel herself relax. He began to pick up speed, and she could see from his face; he was nearly there. Suddenly the desk slid; and his cock popped out, pointed right at her; just as a fountain of sticky white cum erupted. JoAnne felt the first rope, splattering upward from her stomach, to her tits, and finally her face. Then a second rope came even harder and longer. Since her mouth was open, she got a good taste of the hot jizz. Her mouth filled up, just as the second rope a jizz abated. She stared directly into his eyes as she swallowed it all. A third rope commenced, hitting her right between the eyes. It spread evenly in both lateral directions. Covering her eye shadow and cascading down over her eyelids, and flowing over her high cheekbones. It ran along her jaw, and dribbled into the ravine of her deep cleavage. That bitch! JoAnne was sure she could hear Holly’s haunting giggle. He staggered back. "Shit, I'm sorry, the damn desk slid; I, uh;” She waved him off, licking the cum off her lips. "Don't worry about it; furniture has a mind of its own sometimes." He dressed hurriedly while she toweled herself off. After he was gone, she checked her hair one last time for cum droplets and headed home. That night, her vibrator was buzzing pretty late. Three on a match The next morning, one of the red outfits was hanging in the closet; see through white blouse, red skirt, red jacket; and the now-normal high heel red shoes. Not a stitch of underwear, of any type, of course. The skirt seemed longer than they had been, the last few days, and the neckline was a little less obvious. With the jacket closed and fully buttoned, she could probably be seen in public without getting arrested. Another Christmas card lay on her counter, all it said was, "Be Helpful! Helping Others Can be Fulfilling." Lillian wasn't in the outer office. Just as JoAnne settled into her chair, Lillian, wearing a cute little gray skirt outfit, came in, leading a small young woman with light brown hair and huge glasses, into the room. "JoAnne, this is Mouse, from the IT office. She is going to replace the Video conference set-up this morning; a lot more than the cable, was bad." "Mouse"; gave a weak smile, which clearly showed where she had picked up her nickname. The resemblance to a friendly, cute, cartoon mouse was uncanny. She had two prominent front teeth and her ears even stuck out enough to make the image perfect. Well, as long as she was here, there was no way JoAnne was going to get Lillian alone. JoAnne moved to Lillian's desk while Lillian and Mouse struggled with the connections. Mouse, working in the secure comms closet, while Lillian kept reconnecting cables under the desk. JoAnne watched Lillian's cute round ass, wiggling around as she swapped out yet another piece of the system, while Mouse adjusted settings on the master board in the closet; occasionally closing the door to see the whole panel. Going down a couple floors, to Security; to sign for a new badge and computer token that would work with the new conference system, was a relief for JoAnne. As she walked back into her office, closing the outer door behind her, the first thing she saw was Lillian's yummy ass, still wiggling from under the desk. Looking around, she noted that everyone seemed to be still at work, just as she’d left them. So that means Mouse was still in the comms closet, with the door almost shut. Grinning evilly, JoAnne slid up behind the desk and the lovely ass of her assistant was exposed. She rolled up her desk chair and seated herself, then slid one hand up her inner thigh; slowly; whispering, "As soon as we're alone, I'm eating that sweet pussy, until you scream! Then I'm fucking your brains out with Carlos!” That was the nickname she gave her new strap-on dildo harness setup. Lillian didn't say anything, but spread her legs further. JoAnne then saw the jeweled stem of a lovely ass-plug, deeply set in Lillian’s lovely asshole. Where did Lillian get this lovely accessory from? She let her fingers cruise up the soft inner thigh. Much to her excitement, Lillian wasn't wearing any panties; and she was very, very wet. JoAnne began to finger her in earnest, massaging the rapidly swollen clit and dripping pussy rapidly. Lillian was thrusting back against her hand, so she quickly slipped two fingers into her, pumping in and out until she heard a soft moan and felt Lillian's pussy muscles contacting rhythmically on her fingers. Hearing the rattling at the comms closet door, she rapidly stood up and acted as if she was in the middle of a conversation with Lillian: "So we may have to stay later tonight until we get this sorted out." Lillian stepped out of the comms closet. Stunned Joanne looked down at the desk as Mouse slipped out from underneath it, with a huge mousey grin, flushed face and a great deal of hair out of place. Belatedly, Joanne realized Mouse was also wearing a gray skirt, just like Lillian's. "I'll stay as late as you want, Ma'am! Gosh Lily, you said she was great to work for, but I didn't know she was this great!" Lillian looked confused. Mouse's grin got even wider. "Lil, she didn't know we switched places; she thought I was you.” Turning back to the director, Mouse continued; “Miss Steadman, It was great! Mouse was euphoric and giddy. “LiI, haven't gotten laid since the last time we did the amateur-night strip club thing, you know? The time you and I had too much tequila, ended up in the oil-wrestling pit, and went home together? And Miss Steadmann was really good! Normally I'd scream if someone just slid their hand up my skirt, but it was so obvious she thought it was you! And I thought it would be funny; she promised to fuck my brains out as soon as we were alone. So I was going to say something, but her fingers felt so good; going up my thigh, and I kept putting off saying anything. And I've been so horny all week. I mean; I can masturbate, but it just isn't the same as having someone else do it to you. And she knows just how to use her fingers; I came so hard, I thought I would pass out. Gosh Lily, you need to learn to share!" Mouse said the entire thing in one breath, which made Lillian begin to giggle, then Mouse joined in and finally JoAnne broke down and began to laugh. Breathlessly, JoAnne gasped out, "I'm so sorry, I've just been so crazy horny for the last week." Mouse giggled, "You should jump the bike courier guy; makes me wet every time he walks through the office. I end up fingering myself under the desk!" "I jumped him yesterday, and screwed his brains out." "Oh my gosh! Is he as good as he looks? I'll bet he's hung like a horse!" "Huge; he's just hung like a stallion!. But I'm still horny as hell!" After they finally managed to stop laughing, Mouse looked thoughtfully at the outer office door. Her wicked mouse-grin got wider. She pulled a doorknob sign out of her bag. It said; "Tech Support. Sensitive Hardware Installation; Keep Out." She walked to the outer office door, pulled it open, hung the sign on the outer knob, then closed and locked it with an evil mousey leer. "Looks like later to me!" JoAnne felt Lily reach around her and begin unbuttoning her blouse, pausing for a moment to gently tease JoAnne's hard nipples. Mouse dropped her skirt to the floor and walked towards the cleared off desk. "So Miss Jo, you said something about; making me scream?" Jo shivered as Lily pulled her blouse down off her shoulders while tracing up the nape of her neck with the hot tip of her tongue. Lily whispered in her ear. "I'm holding you to that, too. You may have said it to her, but you thought you were promising it to me. Looks like double duty for you." It was over two hours later when JoAnne finally walked out on wobbly legs. She was even a little sore; Mouse, it turned out, had a fondness for wearing the strap-on and her compact little body had more strength than anyone would expect. JoAnne was also very glad she'd been using the vibrator on her ass so regularly; her earlier attack on Lily's ass had brought a rather delightful but slightly over the top retribution from Lily. Mouse and Lily seemed very comfortable with each other, and it was pretty clear they were a lot fonder of each other than either of them really realized. To be honest JoAnne wondered why she'd noticed. Dropping off to sleep was easier than ever. After a few minutes with her vibrator of course. The Third Package When JoAnne woke the next morning, naked as usual, she glanced in the mirror; her little holly leaf was very much edged in gold now; and the hair seemed to be turning a dark green. At least her closet was looking a little more benign this morning; the ever present red jacket, a regular white silk blouse; hardly transparent at all; her now-perpetually-excited nipples poked through, but she was getting used to that. And the skirt was actually just a little shorter than her usual choice. The heels were almost an inch higher than before, but that was a pretty easy trade-off. The shoes, at least, were comfortable. As she strolled into her kitchen, she found Holly, and another incredibly busty elf perched on the counter, looking over a couple of scrolls. Both were drinking coffee from her coffeemaker. "A black elf?" Holly and the new elf looked up at her. The black elf threw her a sharp look. "What, is she racist, too?" Holly shook her head, and held up her scroll. "Nope. Just ignorant." Holly looked over at JoAnne. "Elves aren't born, we're recruited." "From where? "Everywhere. I was recruited in Germany over 900 years ago. Koko here was recruited from Johannesburg about 80 years ago." JoAnne really wanted to know what the hell they were doing in her kitchen, but pushing Holly had proven to be a really bad idea, so she tried to be conversational. "So what's the recruitment profile? I mean you'd have to have some kind of criteria." She looked at the two of them critically for a second. "Cause If I was going to guess, I'd assume it had something to do with having tits like honeydew melons." Koko gave a lopsided grin. "That's part of the 'elf upgrade package.' The Big Guy has a thing for giant knockers, so you lose a little height and gain half dozen cups sizes. They firm up and stick out, too. Gwyneth, our head supervisor, is over 800 years old, and she still has very little sag." She reached up with her hands and jiggled her boobs. "They're really sensitive, too. Definitely worth the trade." "Doesn't that make your back hurt?" Holly laughed. "Christmas Magic, Baby." "The Big Guy is?" "Santa Claus, Pere Noel, Father Christmas. Yep, he's real." "And he likes big knockers. Do you guys, uh?" Koko shook her head, eyes wide. "Nope, He's a one-woman guy, and Lady Winter isn't somebody you'd want to piss off. She doesn't mind skin and jiggle all around him, doesn't mind looking at it, herself. But I'd hate to think what would happen if anyone was stupid enough to go after and seduce him." Holly nodded. "She actually does the upgrades, I think the giant ta-tas are her idea, anyway." She suddenly looked a little serious. "So, anyway; Koko here is from the Legal Oversight office. She's responsible for making sure all the legal criteria are met for this kind of stuff. Christmas Lesson Curses, you know." "She's a lawyer?" Koko stiffened. "Oh? So I can't be a lawyer now?" JoAnne flinched. "No, I mean, I guess, I just never thought of Elves as needing lawyers." Koko relaxed a bit. "We have divisions to do everything: management, logistics, manufacturing, recruiting, and, of course; the elves who go out and spread Christmas cheer, the 'Jingle Girls,' that's by far our biggest division." Holly caught Jo's eye. "She has to make sure that I'm not misusing power, make sure you deserved the curse. All that kind of stuff." There was an almost pleading look in her eye. Koko nodded, sipping her coffee and picking up a scroll from the counter. "Somebody, who I won't name, but who's initials are 'Holly Mistletoe' is kind of sloppy with paperwork and has gotten her ass in trouble before; for overreacting. In fact, she's on probation. One more misuse and she's back in the toy factory, putting eyes in those creepy little dolls." Holly shuddered. Jo shrugged. "So what do you need to know?" "Okay. Let's see. Were you knowingly and deliberately rude to her, contrary to the Spirit of Christmas?" "Yeah, I kinda was. More than 'kinda.' I knocked her on her ass." "On purpose?" "I don't know. More, not giving a shit." Koko's eyes slid sideways accusingly towards Holly, who looked a little stricken. Jo suddenly felt a little sorry for Holly, even though she'd started this whole thing. "Oh yeah, I did tell her to 'Fuck off.' Twice. And definitely I meant that. I tried to get her thrown out of the restaurant." She saw relief cross Holly's face. Koko looked placated. "Okay. So let's see if the response was appropriate;” Koko scanned the scroll. "Maybe a little over the top, but not too much. No permanent damage or anything. Not like that sheep incident in Scotland." Holly suppressed a snicker and Koko glared at her. "It wasn't funny, you know. A whole country gets a bad reputation because some drunk highlander pinched your ass without your permission." She looked over at JoAnne. "Have you learned your lesson?" "Yes. I think I have. I'll sure as hell remember this, for the rest of my life." "Okay then, we can go ahead and turn it off." JoAnne thought fleetingly of Mouse and Lillian. "Wait, doesn't it end at midnight tonight anyway? Until Midnight of Christmas Eve and all that?" Koko looked a little confused. "Well, yes, but it isn't necessary to continue; you're clearly contrite;” "No, it's okay, I don't want to put you guys through any trouble or anything. I've made it so far, I'll make it through the day." Koko shrugged, but JoAnne thought Holly looked a bit smug as the two of them disappeared with that bizarre reverse popping sound. Alone. Unfortunately for JoAnne, Lily had called to say she would be out; her car had broken down. Just as bad, when JoAnne made up an excuse to call down to Tech Support to "ask Mouse a question about this video upgrade," she'd been told that Mouse had called out to go help someone whose car had broken down. Obviously Lily. JoAnne reflected that the two of them seemed to be a little more than just a couple friends who slept together once in a while. In a way, she wished Lily had called her for help instead of Mouse. She lasted only half the day in the nearly deserted office. Everyone had taken Christmas Eve off, and she could have sprinted through the building, naked; and not run into anyone. By noon, only she and the old man at the security desk, were left. Grumbling, she walked out of the building, and started home. Nobody to care for, nobody to visit. As she walked past a still-open jewelry store, she noticed charm necklaces proudly displayed. Not very expensive things; just little gold charms. But one design was a little cartoon mouse; and one of the others was a lily. After a flash of inspiration, she walked down the street to a metro delivery service, filled out the forms, and paid a ridiculous fee to have the necklaces delivered by tonight. With a self-satisfied smile, she sent the mouse necklace to Lily and the lily necklace to Mouse, along with a note that she hoped they had a wonderful Christmas. At 6pm, tired of waiting for the ‘shoe to drop’, and more than a little disappointed, JoAnne took a relaxing shower. Afterward she dried and wore her very expensive white plush bathrobe. She pulled a bottle of chilled white wine out of her walk-in wine cellar, and put it on the counter. Her earlier joy at finding the right gifts for Lily and Mouse, was fast-fading, and in the back of her mind, she was seriously considering drinking enough wine to pass out, for the first time since college. That is, until she heard a knock on her Penthouse apartment door. That in itself should have been impossible; nobody entered the building without being rung up in the first place. She walked over and looked out the peephole. The bike messenger. She smiled to herself, feeling a surge of lust. "Holly, you clever, sneaky little bitch." She untied and tossed her robe over on the easy chair, and threw the door open with a smile. "Just what I was waiting for! Come on in." Three faces stared at her in shock. Well, two were in shock; the third was starting a knowing grin. She looked from face to face to face, stunned. The Bike Messenger. An identical Bike Messenger. And yet another twin Bike Messenger. "Triplets? Identical Triplets." The grinning one stepped in, pulling the other two with him. "I'm Derrick, this is Devlin and that is Darwin. We operate Triple D Messenger Service." The one he'd called Devlin, stared at her for a second, then blinked and shook his head. "You dropped off a couple packages to be delivered and the addresses got smeared." He held up the packages for Lily and Mouse. "Since we had deliveries in this building we figured we'd drop by and get;” his voice trailed off as Joann reached over and grabbed his shirtfront and Darwin's arm, and began dragging them towards the living room. "I really hope you three don't have anywhere to be for the next couple of hours." She felt Derrick's hands slide up her bare body, to cup her tits, and Darwin started kissing her deeply. An hour later, moaning her way through yet another shivering orgasm, she noticed movement in the doorway. Lily and Mouse, both in long winter coats watched; open-mouthed from the doorway. Each one was clutching a wine box with a bow on it. She pulled her mouth off the head of the cock she'd been happily sucking on. Darwin, or was it Derrick; looked over at them, then back down at JoAnne. "You need to get that lock looked at." "Come in and close the door." Mouse looked at her wide-eyed, then at the men stroking in and out of JoAnne. "Miss Jo, you look a little; busy, maybe we should go." "Well; I think maybe 'Miss I-Get-Wet-and-Finger-Myself-Whenever-the-Bike-Messenger-Comes-Through'; and 'Miss I-Want-to-Take-a-Bite-of-His-Ass'; should lose their clothes and give me a hand before I suffocate. This whole 'airtight' thing is fun at first, but a girl needs to be able to breathe." Lily and Mouse exchanged looks and giggled as they dropped their coats. The only thing either one was wearing was their shoes. As the men slowly let her loose, JoAnne said. "Mouse, Lily, this is Derrick, Devlin and Darwin of Triple D Messenger Service." Lily reached out and grabbed the nearest cock. "Dibs on Devlin." "Um, actually, I'm Darwin;” "Yeah, whatever. Just get that rock hard ass and phallus over here." The one nearest Mouse smiled at her. "I'm;” Mouse solemnly cut him off, grabbing his hard shaft and leading him over towards an easy chair. "Don't care. You name wasn't the important part of my recurring fantasy." JoAnne looked at the remaining brother. Whatever his name was. "Thank God! Now I can move how I want to." It was another hour before they paused. While the guys recovered, JoAnne gave the charm necklaces to Mouse and Lily and watched their smiles light up. Especially when they realized who got which necklace. Mouse reached over and pulled Jo and Lily into a hug. "You guys are the best!" Lily grabbed the wine boxes, handing one to Mouse. "We got you gifts too." Mouse opened the box with a crazy mousey leer, pulling out an enormous strap-on, while Lily did the same. Her grin wasn't as mousey, but the leer was just as crazy. They began strapping them on, and over their shoulders, JoAnne could see the guys' hard-ons returning already. "Holly Mistletoe. Holly Mistletoe. Holly Mistletoe!" Everything froze with a snap. Holly, her elf cap askew, was standing in the middle of the room. She looked around at the three buff bike messengers, who'd just been starting to get up, then at Lily and Mouse, frozen with their giant strap-ons at the ready and lust-filled eyes. "Wow. I'm impressed. Helluva party." "It's getting a little wild." "Okay, you definitely need help. Do you want me to make them go to sleep, send some home, send all of them home?" "Oh, no. Don't do that." Holly looked around. "Then what?" "I wasn't really calling for help. I just figured, that if you weren't busy you might want to; you know." "Join in?" Holly looked at her disbelievingly. JoAnne shrugged. "Sorry, I just thought you might want a little fun. But I guess being an Elf on Christmas Eve, you're probably busy." Holly looked over at the three guys and grinned. "Fuck it, the team up north can get by without me." "How are you going to get them to not freak out when you just show up, I doubt all of them believe in Christmas Magic?" "The magic of Pizza. Everybody believes in pizza." A sudden snap with that strange reverse-popping sound and everyone was in motion again. Just as they had her encircled, there was a loud knock and the door popped open. Holly, in a ridiculously tight, red and white, cleavage-baring parody of a pizza delivery costume was standing at the door, holding a two huge pizza boxes. "Pizza delivery! For Miss Jo Steadmann. Looks like a 'Crowd Pleaser Combo', One 'Double Sweet and Spicy' and one extra-large, extra-hot Triple Sausage. Lily shook her head. "You really need to get that lock looked at." Holly looked around, as if seeing everything for the first time, and her eyes widened. "Oh, triplets!" Trio Times. Jo relaxed dreamily, eyes closed, laying on her side on her bed as Mouse and Lily thrust slowly, gently, in and out of her in perfect rhythm. Their legs were tangled together. Lily, behind her, and Mouse, in front, used their hands to hold JoAnne’s upper leg up at the knee, while they both kissed and nibbled her neck. She listened to far more intense noises from the next room. Somewhere around midnight, Holly had finally dragged the three bike messengers off with a lascivious grin. JoAnne didn't have to make any effort, just enjoyed the sensations, the slow build until a last, slow wave of orgasm slid through her. As she opened her eyes, she realized that Lily and Mouse were gently kissing each other, the golden charms on their necklaces tapping together, making tiny bell-like sounds, while the two of them looked into each other's eyes as if they were in a world all their own. Walking Funny. The next morning, JoAnne slipped quietly off the bed; Lillian and Mouse were nestled together on the other side. Mouse was snoring quietly, little, squeaky contented sounds. It was clear, just from the way they were holding each other; that they had crossed from occasional Friends with Benefits, to something much more serious, and that made JoAnne smile a little. Holly was sitting lazily, in one of the easy chairs, dressed in one of JoAnne's robes. She raised a mug up. "The boys had to leave, remembered they had a Christmas family thing. That's good, 'cause I'm gonna walk funny for a few days. Damn, they had some serious stamina. Must be all that bike riding. Hey, I've got some hot chocolate for you on the counter." JoAnne raised the steaming mug off the counter. "I thought you'd be busy today." "No, Christmas Day is a pretty quiet day for me, just a couple things to do." She waved at the penthouse apartment. "Is this worth it? Your job, I mean, it obviously makes a shit-ton of money, but it seems pretty stressful." "I thought so, but honestly, over the last few days, I've had more fun than I can remember." She paused. "I could work my ass off for the rest of my life and it would never get me what Lily and Mouse have." "I saw that too, they just didn't realize it until last night. They just figured out that they're a forever couple, I could see it in their eyes last night. You saw it before they did, didn't you?" They both love men, a lot. But they’ll have to be men who don’t mind the Sapphic dimensions in the two women’s lives. JoAnne nodded. "I even kind of gave a hint to them." She told Holly about the necklaces, realizing that the whole thought that she wasn't going to get something; she'd never even thought of wanting, was depressing. JoAnne decided to change the subject. "So, do you like your job?" "It's amazing. I get to travel all over the world, all the time. And I really am the best at it." "I can tell, last night was insane, you outdid yourself." “But I want more from life than career affirmation. I want a meaningful and fun relationship with someone who appreciates who I am. This corporation will never be able to give me those things.” “Did you know that Triple D is conducting a search for a logistics administrator? Derrick is conduction interviews, starting tomorrow. They’ve been offered metro area contracts from a global overnight delivery leader, and they’ll need a very competent administrator. It sounds custom-made for one JoAnne Steadmann?” “Derrick and I had fantastic chemistry, a couple days ago, and again last night. But will Derrick and I be compatible, I mean, after the curse wears off?” Holly shook her head. "The curse ended at Midnight. Since we operate all over the world, all our stuff is set to work on Greenwich mean time, so that'd be about 6PM yesterday, here." "So what was last night?" "That was all you; and, let me tell you, you are one crazy, horny, bitch. You just needed to be unleashed." "Oh. My. God. I thought that was part of your 'spreading Christmas cheer' job." Holly leaned back grinning. "That's a blast, one of the best jobs out there; but I'm not a Jingle Girl, that's not what I do. I just did a courtesy check, on my own time. Gawd, woman! You sure know how to host a shagging party!" "Well, what do you do?" Holly put the mug down on the small table next to her and pulled a scroll out of the thin air and unrolled it, then held a quill pen out to JoAnne, arching an eyebrow. "I'm in Recruiting. If you weren’t interested in settling down with a local guy, I’d be earnestly pitching a career option with lots of travel and opportunities unbounded.” Based on a post by Todd 1 72, in 2 parts.

Find a Christ-centered Christmas devotional or Advent calendar here.   Episode 278 // Gratitude is more than just a feeling in our heart or something that happens naturally as we smile more often. If we are truly going to be thankful people even on the hard, stressful, chaotic days… well, this is when we really see that gratitude is a spiritual discipline.    So today, I want to share 7 steps that walk us closer and closer toward the ultimate goal living everyday life with our hearts centered in Christ-centered gratitude.    These are spiritual “action steps” - which means, we cannot do it in our own strength. We need the Lord's help. As Christians, the Holy Spirit lives in us. He delights to help us honor Jesus more by crushing our grumbling spirit and growing in gratitude!   This is not a checklist, friends. This is a spiritual journey, like every other worthwhile journey in life. Join me to look at these 7 steps of spiritual discipline, so we can grow in gratitude together.    Welcome to Part 5 of our series on Gratitude Over Grumbling. Let's dive in.   hugs & blessings, Jess   RESOURCES FOR YOU   FREE: Build a habit of Bible time and prayer with my free Holy Habits 45-day Bible and Prayer Challenge.   DEVOTIONAL: Find a Christmas devotional or Advent calendar for yourself, and the whole family.   RELATED ON THE PODCAST: Spiritual Action Steps To Help You Stand Firm, Feel Better, And Manage Emotions Well (EP 241)   RELATED ON THE BLOG: 7 Christmas Scriptures To Teach Your Kids   GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW   Support the show on Patreon for just a few dollars a month, and grab access to behind-the-scenes family life encouragement.   Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!   FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest   DISCLAIMERS    I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.   MISSION   Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.   Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com

Скрытая опасность ропота / The Hidden Danger of Grumbling1Коринфянам 10:1-13 I. Ропот безоснователен / Grumbling Is UnfoundedII. Ропот крайне опасен / Grumbling Is Extremely DangerousIII. С ропотом нужно бороться / Grumbling Must Be Fought A. Помните историю прошлого / Remember the Lessons of the Past B. Осознайте собственную уязвимость / Recognize Your Own Vulnerability C. Уповайте на обетование Бога / Trust in God's Promise

Find a Christ-centered resource for your family's holidays.   Episode 277 // No matter how hard we try, sometimes life disappoints us. And at the holidays, that can be especially hard! There can be tension, conflict, unmet expectations - and we want to figure out how to still be a thankful, joyful person even in that disappointment.    I hope that your Thanksgiving holiday and Christmas season are beautiful times of family and feasting. But just in case you run into a roadblock on this road of gratitude, in case you find yourself grumbling a bit in a moment of disappointment, I've got you. This episode is for you!   Join me for 8 QUICK TIPS today - 4 tips to avoid the grumbling, and 4 tips to enhance the gratitude. Let's get practical and let's be thankful, friend!   Welcome to Part 4 of our series on Gratitude Over Grumbling. Let's dive in.   hugs & blessings, Jess   RESOURCES FOR YOU   FREE: Grab my quick one-page Conflict Resolution Cheat Sheet.   DEVOTIONAL: Find a Christmas devotional or Advent calendar for yourself or the whole family.   RELATED ON THE PODCAST: Handling Your Hot Moment: 9 Tips To Start Calming Down In The First 90 Seconds (EP 244)   RELATED ON THE BLOG: Why A Happy Christian Home Requires Lots Of Forgiveness   GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW   Support the show on Patreon for just a few dollars a month, and grab access to behind-the-scenes family life encouragement.   Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!   FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest   DISCLAIMERS    I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.   MISSION   Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.   Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com  

Learn about the power of gratitude and what grumbling and complaining actually does to your brain, your body, and your marriage. | "Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity." - Melody Beattie Is it really possible to rekindle the spark and restore the “like-new” connection in your marriage? Yes it is! In the 6 Pillars of Intimacy, you will discover secrets that have transformed countless marriages. Its ideas are simple, practical, and powerful. You'll be inspired to look at your marriage through a new lens and be encouraged by its commonsense approach. Alisa and Tony DiLorenzo's proven approach to building intimacy in marriage will help you experience deeper and richer levels of intimacy with your spouse – starting today. Click HERE to get your copy today! Links from today's episode: Free Gratitude Planner Join Intimacy Mastery Today Apply for Coaching With Alisa Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is a bit of a stereotype that the Brits love to moan, with the weather and Brexit being among the most common causes of grumbling around the country. It might not always be pleasant around someone who's complaining, but there is something deeply authentic about it. What's more, moaning can provide a form of relief and allow people to express their dissatisfaction, frustration or bad mood. That's right; venting allows you to release pent-up emotions, which may relate to something that's been bothering you for a while. Sometimes it just feels good to vent, doesn't it? What other kinds of moaning are there? Are there any tips that can help us? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: ⁠Do superfoods actually work?⁠ ⁠Will Charles Bronson finally be freed?⁠ ⁠What is Bregret?⁠ A Bababam Originals podcast, written and produced by Joseph Chance. First Broadcast: 18/3/2023 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11/23/25, James Park, Thanksgiving, Exodus 16:1-21

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“Hell begins with a grumbling mood, always complaining, always blaming others.”~C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) in his book The Great Divorce “Grumbling is the death of love.”~Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992), German-American actress “Bless you, prison! Bless you for being in my life. For there I came to realize that the object of life is not prosperity, as we are used to thinking, but the soul's work.”~Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1918-2007), Russian writer of his time in a Soviet gulag “Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses.”~Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr (1808-1890), French critic and novelist “Let us be ashamed of our slowness in thanking God when He gives, and of our quickness in grumbling at Him when He takes away.”~Nikolaj Velimirovic (1880-1956), Servian Orthodox prelate, imprisoned by the Nazis “Let me clear up something...God is not against you having things. He's against things having you.”~Voddie Baucham (1969-2025), pastor and writer “Gratitude is a vaccine, an antitoxin, and an antiseptic.”~John Henry Jowett (1863-1923), British minister and preacher “What the Lord wants is that you shall go about the business to which He sets you, not asking for an easy post, nor grumbling at a hard one.”~Catherine Booth (1829-1890), co-founder of The Salvation Army “Thankfulness is a flower which will never bloom well except upon a root of deep humility.”~J.C. Ryle (1816-1900), Anglican bishop of Liverpool “Praise is the rehearsal of our eternal song. By grace we learn to sing, and in glory we continue to sing. What will some of you do when you get to heaven, if you go on grumbling all the way? Do not hope to get to heaven in that style. But now begin to bless the name of the Lord.”~Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), famed London preacherSERMON PASSAGEPhilippians 2:12-18 (ESV)Philippians 2 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me. Philippians 1 12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. 27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

This week is Thanksgiving, when we remember to live in gratitude. How can we let go of grumbling?

Tony and Bre look back on their Top 10 blessings of 2025. From restored relationships, to meaningful moments with their kids, to the unexpected ways God carried them through both joy and hardship this year. Some of their highlights were light and fun, others were stretching, but each one reminded them of God's steady faithfulness. This episode is meant to help you slow down, breathe a little, and remember what God has done in your own life this year. Maybe it'll even spark a conversation or a gratitude list of your own.

November 16, 2025 (Pastor Casey Shutt) - A sermon based on Exodus 17:8-16.

Philippians 2:12-16

Find a Christ-centered resource for your family's holidays.   Episode 275 // Sometimes, we find our greatest motivation in a reality check about life. And that is my goal in today's episode: not to discourage, but to encourage all of us to work intentionally on our grumbling hearts.    And we'll find that encouragement with a reality check about how our grumbling - and our gratitude! - impacts the people we love the most.   Last week, we looked at a biblical basis for working on this issue in our lives. But today, we're going to look around us. At our families. Our homes. Our kids. Our marriages.    Because the reality is, our grumbling is impacting our families. We don't need to beat ourselves up about it, but we can find motivation to address this issue in our hearts when we realize the impact it can have (that we might not even realize).    Join me in Part 2 of our series on Gratitude Over Grumbling. Let's dive in.   hugs & blessings, Jess   RESOURCES FOR YOU   FREE: Build a daily Bible and prayer habit with this free 45-day guide.   DEVOTIONAL: Find a Christmas devotional or Advent calendar for yourself or the whole family!   RELATED ON THE PODCAST: Yes, Your Emotional Struggles Are Impacting Your Family: How, Why, And What To Do (EP 243)   RELATED ON THE BLOG: 12 Easy Ways To Give More Positive Attention To Your Family   GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW   Support the show on Patreon for just a few dollars a month, and grab access to our 2025 perk of daily(ish) devotionals!    Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!   FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest   DISCLAIMERS    I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.   MISSION   Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.   Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com

By Caleb Kinsella - Philippians 2:14-15, urges Christians to live without complaining or disputing to shine as lights in a self-centered world. Drawing from biblical examples to our own lives. We walk through some scenarios of work stress, traffic woes, home chores, and family demands that tempt grumbling, and

Episode Summary: In this episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective, my co-host Rev. Jessica Van Roekel joins me to explore the heart issue behind grumbling and complaining and how it reflects a lack of trust in God’s provision and plan. Grumbling is self-focused and rooted in unmet expectations, comparison, stress, and a scarcity mindset, leading to drained joy, strained relationships, and a disconnection from God’s presence. In contrast, lament allows us to honestly share our pain with God while trusting His sovereignty. Together, we discuss practical ways to combat a grumbling spirit, such as focusing on blessings, practicing gratitude, and seeking accountability. By shifting our perspective from what we lack to what we have in Christ, we can experience renewed joy, peace, and a deeper dependence on God, even in life’s challenges. Join us for How God Views Grumbling and Complaining & How to Cultivate a Grateful Heart. Quotables from the episode: God has the standards but I sometimes like to superimpose my standards on it and so then I struggle with perfectionism which is really driven out of insecurity and fear of rejection and I find myself getting into this grumbling cycle. Sometimes when I'm in that cycle and then I choose gratitude, it feels a little fake. I don't know if I'm really truly genuine. And so I'm trying to understand that when God has called me to a new thing, it's going to feel a little not real at the moment or it's not going to feel as authentic because I'm starting a new habit. It's just like any time we try to establish a new habit. It takes time. It takes practice. It feels awkward at first and there are some personality types that lend themselves more quickly to grumbling and complaining and I think there are some personality types that lend themselves to always seeing the good in every situation and I want to be more like the latter than the former. God's heart for you is good he wants you to trust him he wants you to let the love for him flow from a heart of gratitude for what he's done. It is not just that grumbling reflects a lack of trust in God, but it really disdains him. And that's what really convicted me, is the fact that when I complain, I'm really disdaining God's work in my life because our circumstances flux from good to, they could be better, to I don't want to be here. Why am I here? And so when we then start complaining and grumbling against God, it really disdains the work that he's doing. There's a passage in Psalms that says that everything that touches our lives has to pass through his hands first. And when I, when I cut my hand, like a bowl like this, you know, there's, I think of God's hand being cupped. And I'm thinking, what is he actually also preventing from hitting my life? Because when we, when we cup our hands and water runs through them, there is a pool of water that stays in our hands. When we grumble and complain, it reminds me of when we give a gift to someone and they don't receive it with a heart of gratitude. How hurtful that can be when our heart is for them. Yet when we grumble and complain, it's like saying, "Yeah, that wasn't good enough, God. That's what I wanted." And who am I to tell God what to do? In fact, but we also have to give space for our heartaches too. Psalm 62:8 says to pour out your heart to God. To look at Lament at first glance, it could look like grumbling and complaining. It's a fine distinction. Grumbling and complaining come from a heart of, I deserve this. So, grumbling and complaining is very self -focused, but lament is approaching God honestly, sharing our pain but recognizing that he is sovereign and his will be done and it gives the essence of I don't like where I'm at but I trust that your way is best. Grumbling and complaining is self-driven with a heart that is not trusting God's sovereignty. Whereas lamenting is sharing our heartache. It's telling our heartache to God with a surrender to his sovereignty. It's almost as if grumbling and complaining is talking bad about God and lamenting is just talking to God, inviting him in to soothe our heart too. And then David has written so many wonderful songs where really it teaches us how to lament. He starts out with like, "Oh, my life is awful God. Why did you allow this to happen? You said you were faithful." And then in the next verse he's like, "But you are faithful God. I'm going to praise your name. I'm going to trust you. You're steadfast and merciful." God desires us to grow in trust and dependence on Him, even during challenging times. There are common reasons we fall into grumbling, like unmet expectations, comparison, stress, and focusing on what we lack rather than what we have. Grumbling and complaining is speaking against God and is forming idols out of what it is we want and/or think we deserve. A grumbling spirit can drain our joy, disconnect us from God’s presence, and even negatively impact our relationships with others. Focusing on blessings, even small ones, can reshape our perspective, making it easier to find peace and joy in God’s presence. Keep a journal or ask a friend to hold yourself accountable in a loving way. Maybe even wear a rubber band on your wrist and flick it every time you notice yourself complaining in order to increase our awareness of how habitual this really is. Practice replacing each complaint with something to be thankful for. This helps to shift from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance in God. Ask God for help in changing your hearts and to help you see His blessings more clearly each day. Scripture References: Philippians 2:14–15 "Do everything without grumbling or arguing…" 1 Corinthians 10:10 “And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Psalm 100:4 “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Recommended Resources: Reframing Rejection: How Looking Through a Different Lens Changes Everything By Jessica Van Roekel 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 YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms 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 YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 1 YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 2 Revive & Thrive Women’s Online Conference Revive & Thrive Summit 2 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 1 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 2 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.) YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip 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 Jessica Van Roekel: Website / Instagram / Facebook 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 Co-Host: Jessica Van Roekel is a worship leader, speaker, and writer who believes that through Jesus, personal histories don’t need to define the present or determine the future. She inspires, encourages, and equips others to look at life through the lenses of hope, trust, and God’s transforming grace. Jessica lives in rural Iowa surrounded by wide open spaces which remind her of God’s expansive love. She loves fun earrings, good coffee, and connecting with others. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Find a Christ-centered resource for your family's holidays.   Episode 274 // Happy November, friend! This is the time of year when we have gratitude on the brain. But is it really in our hearts all year long? As Christians, it should be. As moms, we long for it to be.    So we're kicking off a mini-series today, diving deep into our calling and desire. How can we become more thankful people? What will it take to stop the grumbling in our hearts and our negative thinking?    Well, it starts by grounding ourselves in Scripture.God repeatedly tells his people to be thankful and joyful instead of grumbling and anxious. That's where everything good and wise in life starts - with the Bible itself!   Dive in with me today, friend, as we look deeply at Scripture to set the biblical stage for our dive into Gratitude Over Grumbling.   hugs & blessings, Jess   RESOURCES FOR YOU   FREE: Build a daily Bible and prayer habit with this free 45-day guide.   DEVOTIONAL: Find a Christmas devotional or Advent calendar for yourself or the whole family!   RELATED ON THE PODCAST: How To Stop Negative Thinking And Change Direction (EP 271)   RELATED ON THE BLOG: 12 Quick Tips For A Low-Stress Holiday Season   GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW   Support the show on Patreon for just a few dollars a month, and grab access to our 2025 perk of daily(ish) devotionals!    Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!   FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest   DISCLAIMERS    I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.   MISSION   Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.   Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com

When life gets hard, what comes out of our mouth? Grumbling or gratitude?

Bible Direction for Life is the sermon podcast of Westside Baptist Church in Bremerton, Washington. This sermon is entitled “Grumbling at Grace” and was preached by Pastor Peter Montoro on October 12th, 2025. If you would like to learn more about Westside Baptist Church, please visit our Website: www.BibleDirectionForLife.com. Subscribe to the Podcast if you would like to hear new sermons and lessons each week.  

October 12, 2025 Ezek. 43:5-27; Ps. 118:27-29; Prov. 25:9-10; James 5:9-20

Here we are for episode 793! In which Paul and the gang attempt to help Hubert with his anxiety - but things don't quite go to plan! We also have some grumbling with Martin Holmes and you may even experience a moment or two of de ja vu... but it's been happening a lot on The Shy Life Podcast recently... How odd!! Our next episode, #794 the gang heading to watch Bettina and Charlotte at their two woman show but - as usual - there are troubles behind-the-scenes! Do join us! Email us at shyyeti@yahoo.co.uk if you have comments - you can even send a sound-file and I'll include it. The music is by Shy Yeti, Muffleyontour, Luca and Udio. Sound effects by Paul C and Soundbible. Logo by Owen O and Shy Yeti. All other content is Copyright Paul Chandler, 2025. Episode 793 was recorded on the 15th March 2025 and the extra material was recorded on the 12th March 2025. 

Curtis Bronzan

Curtis Bronzan 

The Wilderness E4 — After God delivers the Israelites out of Egypt, he tells Moses to lead them to the promised land—through the wilderness. This is perplexing because a much shorter, safer route existed along the coast. So why does God lead his people along the longer, harder way? In this episode, Jon and Tim explore Israel's wilderness tests, reflecting on God's plan to create a new people through a relationship of radical trust and dependence.CHAPTERSRecap and Setup for the Israelites in the Wilderness (0:00-10:05)God's Intentional Path Into the Wilderness (10:05-27:11)Three Wilderness Tests in Exodus (27:11-47:28)Seven Wilderness Tests in Numbers (47:28-1:02:23)OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPTView this episode's official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESYou can view annotations for this episode—plus our entire library of videos, podcasts, articles, and classes—in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.Check out Tim's extensive collection of recommended books here.SHOW MUSIC“Blue Sky ft. TBabz” by Lofi Sunday“Mist Of Blessing ft. Marc Vanparla” by Lofi Sunday“Chilling In London” by Lofi Sunday, Just DerrickBibleProject theme song by TENTSSHOW CREDITSProduction of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey is our supervising engineer, who also edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Send Us Your Prayer Requests --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Pastor Kurt takes a deep dive into Philippians 2:12-18, highlighting how Paul shows that God is working in you to shape your heart and actions, and through you to shine His light in a dark world.

In Luke 15:1–10, Jesus speaks to two very different audiences—tax collectors and sinners who listen with open hearts, and Pharisees and scribes who grumble in judgment. In this message, Pastor Jason Storbakken explore how Jesus disrupts polarized categories, centering the marginalized and revealing God's heart through stories of a shepherd and a woman searching for what was lost. These parables remind us that our worth is never diminished, no matter how hidden or burdened we may feel, and that joy erupts in heaven when we are restored. What does it mean to seek mercy over sacrifice, to remove anything that stands in the way of love, and to see the eternal value in every person?

Keith Green-grumbling and complaining part1 by RealCUF

Keith Green -Grumbling and Complaining - Pa by RealCUF

It seems like in the Bible, miracles are happening all the time. Did they stop happening when they invented the Polaroid or something? What's up with that?Some of us feel like if we saw a miracle happen before our own eyes, we'd be the best believers of all time. Yet the Israelites saw the Red Sea part and were grumbling and complaining again three days later. Jump in to hear Brian Tome break down why growth, faith, and gratitude often starts with having a good memory.  Recorded live at Crossroads Church in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Join Profs. Matt Skinner, Karoline Lewis, and Rolf Jacobson for another insightful episode of Sermon Brainwave as they dive deep into the lectionary texts for the 14th Sunday after Pentecost (September 14, 2025). In this episode, the hosts explore the powerful contrast between grumbling and joy found in Luke 15:1-10, where Jesus tells the parables of the lost sheep and lost coin. They discuss how these stories reveal God's character as one who celebrates finding the lost, and examine why the Pharisees and scribes struggled with Jesus's radical inclusivity at the table. The conversation also covers Exodus 32:7-14, exploring the golden calf incident as a paradigmatic story of idolatry and God's faithfulness to the covenant despite human unfaithfulness. They touch on the challenging passage from Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28, examining themes of judgment and restoration. The hosts provide practical preaching insights on Psalm 51:1-10 as a confession text and discuss 1 Timothy 1:12-17, highlighting how Paul's story serves as a tableau of God's mercy and transformation. Commentaries for the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost can be found on the Working Preacher website at https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-24-3/commentary-on-luke-151-10-6. ⏰Timecodes⏰ 00:00 Introduction to the 14th Sunday after Pentecost 00:58 Grumbling vs. Joy: A Theological Contrast 03:19 The Parables of the Lost: Context and Meaning 09:35 Idolatry and Divine Fidelity in Exodus 12:49 Jeremiah: The Weeping Prophet and National Consequences 17:19 Psalm 51: A Call to Repentance 20:15 Paul's Legacy: Mercy and Transformation *  *  * Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share to stay connected with more insightful lectionary discussions! Reminder: We have commentaries for the Revised Common Lectionary, the Narrative Lectionary, and Evangelio (Spanish-language Gospel). We're here for you, working preachers! ABOUT SERMON BRAINWAVE: Sermon Brainwave is a production of Luther Seminary's Working Preacher, which has been providing trusted biblical interpretation and preaching inspiration since 2007. Subscribe for weekly episodes and visit workingpreacher.org for additional preaching resources. Find more episodes and resources by visiting https://www.workingpreacher.org/. Watch this episode on YouTube at https://youtu.be/EH9NlVl2CvY.

Here we are for episode 785! In which Mister Yeti returns to the Little Island - TWICE - but for one of the two visits he's on the hunt for garlic! We also have some grumpy extra material with Martin Holmes too in which we discuss dodgy haircuts, the evils of manscaping and our complete lack of interest in personal fashion! Our next episode, #786 sees us catching up with DJ Starsage and his new co-host to discuss the films that they watched during the 7th season of Matinee Minutiae! Do join us! Email us at shyyeti@yahoo.co.uk if you have comments - you can even send a sound-file and I'll include it. The music is by Shy Yeti, Muffleyontour, Luca and Udio. Sound effects by Paul C and Soundbible. Logo by Owen O and Shy Yeti. All other content is Copyright Paul Chandler, 2025. Episode 785 was recorded between the 25th July and the 19th August 2025, with extra material recorded on the 4th June 2025.

Sermon from 08-24-2025

Sermon from Exodus 15:22-17:7 in St. Charles, IL

Let's Talk about Grumbling and Complaining  It's common to tell kids "to do all things without grumbling or complaining." But who reminds us adults of that?  Let's talk about it together.  Bible Passages for this Episode:  Do all things without complaining or arguments; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world -Philippians 2:14-15   Numbers 11:1-6 1Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the ears of the Lord; and the Lord heard them and His anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some at the outskirts of the camp. 2 The people then cried out to Moses; and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died out. 3 So that place was named Taberah, because the fire of the Lord burned among them. 4 Now the rabble who were among them had greedy cravings; and the sons of Israel also wept again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? 5 We remember the fish which we used to eat for free in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6 but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna!”   Numbers 14:1-4 Then all the congregation raised their voices and cried out, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the entire congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or even if we had died in this wilderness! 3 So why is the Lord bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder! Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “Let's appoint a leader and return to Egypt!”     Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below. http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/   The Listener's Commentary - In-depth teaching through books of the Bible to help you learn the Bible for yourself:  https://www.listenerscommentary.com   Connect with John: Social Media- connect on facebook and instagram Email - john@johnwhittaker.net If you've been helped by this teaching leave a review and share freely - on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, via email.

Grumbling and our sovereign provider & healer.

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Topics:  Psalm 44, Grumbling, Narnia, God Knows You, Character Change, Be A Disciple, Gifts From God, What Your Snacks Say About You, A Big Question, Cool People, Breaking Animal News BONUS CONTENT: Breaking Animal News Follow-up   Quotes: “I'm going to follow the things Jesus said. I'm going to be His disciple.” “I'm a perfectionist. That's why I'm spilling salsa on my shirt and also on my pants.” “Talent does equal maturity.” “God likes our participation in growing up.” . . . Holy Ghost Mama Pre-Order! Want more of the Oddcast? Check out our website! Watch our YouTube videos here. Connect with us on Facebook! For Christian banking you can trust, click here!