Podcasts about in mary

(Zeph.3:14-18  or  Rom.12:9-16;   Is.12:2-6;   Lk.1:39-56)   “Sing praise to the Lord for His glorious achievement; let this be known throughout all the earth.”   How can we capture the joy of this day?  For here is the sign of our promised salvation; here we find the first apostolic act in Mary's bringing the Word of God, so recently conceived in her womb, to Elizabeth, and to her son John the Baptist. “Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!  Sing joyfully, O Israel!” Zephaniah encourages the holy nation.  And for what does Zion, and indeed the whole world, rejoice but that which we celebrate this day?  Here in these simple, lowly women we find all of Israel rejoicing as she brings to birth her Savior.  Yes, even now “the Lord, [her] God, is in [her] midst,” even in her womb; and already He begins to bring salvation forth.  Already we find a kind of first Pentecost as first, “Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out in a loud voice: ‘Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb'…  and then Mary said: ‘My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit finds joy in God my savior?”  And already the Baptist in the womb of his aged mother has been inspired by the presence of the Son of God; already he has “stirred in [her] womb for joy,” just at the sound of Mary's voice touching the ears of his mother, even as Jesus is but days old in Mary's blessed womb. And how does all this joy come but through humility.  “For He has looked upon His servant in her lowliness; all ages to come shall call [her] blessed.”  Yes, Mary is raised “to high places,” is become the Mother of God, because of her great humility before Him.  It is this lowliness she proclaims in her canticle today; it is this lowliness Elizabeth exudes when she asks, “Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” – and it is this same lowliness which is required of all the children of Israel, of all Abraham's descendants, if we are to know that “the Lord has removed the judgment against [us],” if we are to “shout with exultation” for “the Holy One of Israel” in our midst. Let us heed Paul's instruction to the Romans to “put away ambitious thoughts and associate with those who are lowly” that we might “rejoice with those who rejoice.”  As our holy women today, these models of faith, let us “look on the needs of the saints as [our] own” and “be generous in offering hospitality.”  “Be fervent in spirit; He whom you serve is the Lord.”  For it is He who comes under your roof this day.  It is His holy name you should proclaim in all you do and say.  And the blessing of salvation shall be upon you.   Mother of God, bring to us this day our Savior, that we might rejoice with you in heaven.   Written, read & chanted by James Kurt; produced by Carie Fortney. Music by Carie Fortney; used by permission. ******* O LORD, you have looked upon us in our lowliness and sent your Son to dwell among us – may we praise you always for your glory! YHWH, let us praise your holy NAME this day, for you have come into our midst and raised us poor creatures from the dust to dwell with you in your Temple.  Praise you, LORD!  Visit us this day in your love, through the intercession of the Blessed Mother. O LORD, make us humble and lowly as she who carries your Son to us, humble and lowly as Israel your Chosen one – humble and lowly as Jesus Himself.  In Mary's womb with Him let us dwell and so hear your voice calling to our hearts through all she speaks unto our poor ears.  In darkness we remain, in the cave of this world; but you bring us light and life – for such grace let us praise you! Dispel all fear from our hearts, LORD, at the sound of your Mother's voice, and so with her let us proclaim your greatness, and the salvation you have wrought in your mercy.  We are nothing, nothing but simple souls waiting on your Word…  Speak to us this day and awaken us to your glory, that our hearts might exult in your presence all our days.  Mother of God, pray for your poor children.

(Zeph.3:14-18  or  Rom.12:9-16;   Is.12:2-6;   Lk.1:39-56)   “Sing praise to the Lord for His glorious achievement; let this be known throughout all the earth.”   How can we capture the joy of this day?  For here is the sign of our promised salvation; here we find the first apostolic act in Mary's bringing the Word of God, so recently conceived in her womb, to Elizabeth, and to her son John the Baptist. “Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!  Sing joyfully, O Israel!” Zephaniah encourages the holy nation.  And for what does Zion, and indeed the whole world, rejoice but that which we celebrate this day?  Here in these simple, lowly women we find all of Israel rejoicing as she brings to birth her Savior.  Yes, even now “the Lord, [her] God, is in [her] midst,” even in her womb; and already He begins to bring salvation forth.  Already we find a kind of first Pentecost as first, “Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out in a loud voice: ‘Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb'…  and then Mary said: ‘My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit finds joy in God my savior?”  And already the Baptist in the womb of his aged mother has been inspired by the presence of the Son of God; already he has “stirred in [her] womb for joy,” just at the sound of Mary's voice touching the ears of his mother, even as Jesus is but days old in Mary's blessed womb. And how does all this joy come but through humility.  “For He has looked upon His servant in her lowliness; all ages to come shall call [her] blessed.”  Yes, Mary is raised “to high places,” is become the Mother of God, because of her great humility before Him.  It is this lowliness she proclaims in her canticle today; it is this lowliness Elizabeth exudes when she asks, “Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” – and it is this same lowliness which is required of all the children of Israel, of all Abraham's descendants, if we are to know that “the Lord has removed the judgment against [us],” if we are to “shout with exultation” for “the Holy One of Israel” in our midst. Let us heed Paul's instruction to the Romans to “put away ambitious thoughts and associate with those who are lowly” that we might “rejoice with those who rejoice.”  As our holy women today, these models of faith, let us “look on the needs of the saints as [our] own” and “be generous in offering hospitality.”  “Be fervent in spirit; He whom you serve is the Lord.”  For it is He who comes under your roof this day.  It is His holy name you should proclaim in all you do and say.  And the blessing of salvation shall be upon you.   Mother of God, bring to us this day our Savior, that we might rejoice with you in heaven.   Written, read & chanted by James Kurt; produced by Carie Fortney. Music by Carie Fortney; used by permission. ******* O LORD, you have looked upon us in our lowliness and sent your Son to dwell among us – may we praise you always for your glory! YHWH, let us praise your holy NAME this day, for you have come into our midst and raised us poor creatures from the dust to dwell with you in your Temple.  Praise you, LORD!  Visit us this day in your love, through the intercession of the Blessed Mother. O LORD, make us humble and lowly as she who carries your Son to us, humble and lowly as Israel your Chosen one – humble and lowly as Jesus Himself.  In Mary's womb with Him let us dwell and so hear your voice calling to our hearts through all she speaks unto our poor ears.  In darkness we remain, in the cave of this world; but you bring us light and life – for such grace let us praise you! Dispel all fear from our hearts, LORD, at the sound of your Mother's voice, and so with her let us proclaim your greatness, and the salvation you have wrought in your mercy.  We are nothing, nothing but simple souls waiting on your Word…  Speak to us this day and awaken us to your glory, that our hearts might exult in your presence all our days.  Mother of God, pray for your poor children.

In Mary's story we get more than we could ever imagine to pray for.

20 December 2020 - When the angel Gabriel appeared with a shocking message, Miriam -- that is Mary in Hebrew -- humbly accepted the LORD's assignment. On the fourth Sunday of Advent, Canon Daryl Fenton says that a disciple's spiritual maturity is proportional to the disciple's capacity for obedience. In Mary the mother of Jesus, we have a model of faithfulness, obedience, and humility that all disciples of Jesus can learn from, so that our souls will magnify the Lord. Readings: 2 Sam 7:1-11; Psalm 89; Luke 1:26-38 Blessed by our teachings? Consider saying thank you with a small (or large) donation. www.christchurchjerusalem.org/donate/ This sermon is also available on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/christchurchjerusalem Christmas Medley Dubstep by Philip Rice Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/6929-christmas-medley-dubstep License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Many of us came into this year carrying promises, visions and dreams. Word’s we felt like God had spoken to us and things we hoped to accomplish and achieve. It’s certainly fair to say that 2020 has been a year that none of us expected! In Mary and Simeon we encounter two people who were also carrying a promise, something God had spoken to them. In this message Pastor Chris explores what it means to carry a promise, even when we feel like we’re losing hope in seeing it fulfilled.

In Mary we see an incredible example of someone who submits themselves to God's plans and purposes even at great personal cost. Mary knows that carrying, birthing, raising and witnessing the suffering of her son will not be easy, but she knows that in the waiting and the trusting there will also be great blessing. We must remain grateful that God might consider us worthy to be part of his glorious plan for all of humanity.

What's Your Stick?For many of you, the Bible sounds like a bunch or fairy tales. For me, confession, I struggle with certain stories in the Bible. The Immaculate Conception can be one of them. That is a trip; for lack of better words. A baby conceived between a woman and a Holy Spirit is mind boggling. At least for us humans that think too much. For some of you, you have the gift of a simple faith. For most of us, we think too much. We are critical thinkers and natural skeptics. The more we do that, the more likely we like to control others and try to play God. Here is your play of the day...You heard my earlier confession. Despite the fairy tale-type stories, why do I still choose to believe? First, I've read the whole book and certain parts over and over. When you do that, the whole book makes way more sense then if you isolate certain parts. Two, if you choose to believe in God than anything is possible. Three, the saying Truth is stranger than fiction exists for a reason.Four, so many prior to us and many after will attempt to prove this wrong. The deeper they dive in to tear it down, the stronger of a believer for God they become. See Lee Strobel, Dr. Francis Collins, C.S. Lewis and countless others. Back to Mary, let's just use some deductive logic...If we were to have a Messiah that would never sin. It is fair to say that it would be impossible for that human to come from two humans. We are all flawed. God would have to be in the mix.For Joseph to hang around, especially back then, God would have to be involved. Not just Joseph, think about Mary's family. Getting pregnant in 2020 out of wedlock is the norm. Over 2,000 years ago, it was severely taboo. In Mary's society, if you were caught getting pregnant before marriage, you were stoned to death. More important, this little baby grows up to change the world. Fulfills all the prophecies written in the Torah, Nevi'in, Tanakh, Old Testament. Jesus even works his way into the Koran and major Roman, Greek and other historical documents. He shaped your calendar. Most important, this baby grows up and fulfills the promise and key to you and life eternal in heaven. You still doubt me, go back to the episode of "What Happens When You Die?". From the heart, wishing you a very Merry Christmas! If your Christmas is dark this year, you are not alone. When in doubt bet on Hope. Bet on the greatest gift of your life - John 3:16. If you dug that play of the day, check out the 'Bryan Lorrits Podcast', episode the 'Virgin Birth' published on the 6th of December 2020. Ending on a song note, have to end on a Christmas song. You may not be joyful. Would you say we need some more joy? Absolutely we need some more joy, hope and Light. So let us strive for that. No matter how down you may be, give joy that this broken planet isn't it. Give joy that there is an eternal gift and promise of a life with no more tears. For now, I promise you will find more joy as you tune in more and serve others more. Now go, take Casey's cue a the end, check in with your neighborhood. You will get joy by bringing joy to others...

In Mary’s song of praise, known as The Magnificat, she teaches us much about God while providing an example for us to emulate. Join us as we celebrate the 1st week of Advent by reflecting on the words of the mother of Jesus!

पुराने विधान में प्रभु की मंजूषा प्रभु की उपस्थिति का प्रतीक था। नयी मंजूषा, मरियम, में ईश्वर व्यक्तिगत रूप से, पूर्ण रूप से विद्यमान हैं। क्या मरियम प्रभु की मंजूषा / नये विधान की पवित्र मंजूषा कहला सकती हैं? आईये हम मनन करें। In the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant was a sign of God's Presence. In Mary, the New Ark of the Covenant, God is present in PERSON. Can Mary be called the Ark of the Covenant? Come, let's ponder over it. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greatergloryofgod/message

पुराने विधान में प्रभु की मंजूषा प्रभु की उपस्थिति का प्रतीक था। नयी मंजूषा, मरियम, में ईश्वर व्यक्तिगत रूप से, पूर्ण रूप से विद्यमान हैं। क्या मरियम प्रभु की मंजूषा / नये विधान की पवित्र मंजूषा कहला सकती हैं? आईये हम मनन करें। In the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant was a sign of God's Presence. In Mary, the New Ark of the Covenant, God is present in PERSON. Can Mary be called the Ark of the Covenant? Come, let's ponder over it. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greatergloryofgod/message

[Comment: Mother of God and Humanity] Friends of the Rosary, Today is the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Nine months after the Immaculate Conception, on December 8th, we celebrate the birth of Mary as the child of Saints Joachim and Anne, on September 8th. Mary was conceived and born immaculate and full of grace. As St Augustine described, the birth was an event of cosmic and historic significance. Our Lady was born to be the mother of the Savior of the world, the spiritual mother of all men, and the holiest and most perfect of God's creatures. We rejoice that the Mother of God is Our Mother, too. In Mary all human nature is exalted. [Written by Mikel A | The Rosary Network, New York] [Video podcast]

(Rv.11:19a,12:1-6a,10ab;   Ps.45:10-12,16;   1Cor.15:20-26;   Lk.1:39-56)   “A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.”   The Queen of Heaven here appears to us in her glory.  She who has been taken up by her Son to His heavenly kingdom to stand at His side: “The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.”  Yes, Lord, the Mother you preserved from sin for all eternity you have preserved from the jaws of death; she who has suffered so intimately with you here on earth now shares your glory in heaven.  And as she has said, “All generations will call me blessed,” for you have “lifted up the lowly” and she your humblest and most holy of all creatures can be nowhere but with you in your eternal life.  May she bless us from her place with you this holy day. In Mary we find our hope, brothers and sisters; in her we find it fulfilled, made real by the hand of God.  We know that “in Christ shall all be brought to life,” and “in proper order” she so blessed in life is now so blessed in death, having been preserved from its clutches and preceding us into God's heavenly realm.  The devil would have devoured her and her child, but she and He, and we with them, have escaped his gaping mouth and the fire it breathes; this enemy and the death he wrought is destroyed by our Lord and His birth through the Virgin Mary, and so, “now have salvation and power come.”  “The kingdom of our God and the authority of His Anointed One” now reign supreme, and she who has been His special instrument in bringing such salvation now stands at His side in His paradise. “How does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” asks Elizabeth in wonder at the blessed presence of Mary in her midst.  She who carries the Lord shares in His divinity in a way beyond our comprehension, for if her own kinswoman could be filled with such awe, recognizing whence Mary comes, how much more should we be filled with veneration for the Virgin daughter of Israel?  Indeed, it is her voice which causes the Baptist to leap for joy in the womb; with such joy we should approach this sacred day. As intimately as she was with Jesus, and is with Jesus now, so intimately is she with His Church here on earth as well as in heaven.  From her place at His side she watches over us and cares for our needs as any mother for her son.  We are her sons and daughters, united to her through the One Lord, Jesus Christ.  She comes to us now at the end of the age, granting wisdom and direction to those who seek their place with her Son.  Call her blessed, brothers and sisters in Christ, and see her glory shining forth at the right hand of God.  In her you will find light greater than sun and moon and stars.  You will find the presence of our Lord and our God. Written, read & chanted by James Kurt; produced by Carie Fortney. Music by Carie Fortney; used by permission. ******* O LORD, look upon all your lowly servants with favor, that we might join Mary at your Son's side in the kingdom.  YHWH, your promise of mercy is fulfilled in our midst as she who is blessed comes to us bearing your Son.  And our hearts leap for joy at her approach, for indeed she brings salvation with her, and so the destruction of death.  In her Son is your kingdom, your power come, and to His glory we are all called. Dearest Mary, who are we that you should come to us, O Mother of our Lord?  O what blessing you are for those who rejoice with you in God our Savior!  For as He has looked upon you, His lowly servant, so He looks upon all poor creatures and fills our emptiness with His presence.  O that we might stand with you at His side this day! LORD, in Jesus death is conquered and all souls are brought to life again.  His Virgin Mother is the first to join Him in your glory, for you prepared a place for her.  May we all find the place prepared for us in your kingdom. 

(Rv.11:19a,12:1-6a,10ab;   Ps.45:10-12,16;   1Cor.15:20-26;   Lk.1:39-56)   “A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.”   The Queen of Heaven here appears to us in her glory.  She who has been taken up by her Son to His heavenly kingdom to stand at His side: “The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.”  Yes, Lord, the Mother you preserved from sin for all eternity you have preserved from the jaws of death; she who has suffered so intimately with you here on earth now shares your glory in heaven.  And as she has said, “All generations will call me blessed,” for you have “lifted up the lowly” and she your humblest and most holy of all creatures can be nowhere but with you in your eternal life.  May she bless us from her place with you this holy day. In Mary we find our hope, brothers and sisters; in her we find it fulfilled, made real by the hand of God.  We know that “in Christ shall all be brought to life,” and “in proper order” she so blessed in life is now so blessed in death, having been preserved from its clutches and preceding us into God's heavenly realm.  The devil would have devoured her and her child, but she and He, and we with them, have escaped his gaping mouth and the fire it breathes; this enemy and the death he wrought is destroyed by our Lord and His birth through the Virgin Mary, and so, “now have salvation and power come.”  “The kingdom of our God and the authority of His Anointed One” now reign supreme, and she who has been His special instrument in bringing such salvation now stands at His side in His paradise. “How does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” asks Elizabeth in wonder at the blessed presence of Mary in her midst.  She who carries the Lord shares in His divinity in a way beyond our comprehension, for if her own kinswoman could be filled with such awe, recognizing whence Mary comes, how much more should we be filled with veneration for the Virgin daughter of Israel?  Indeed, it is her voice which causes the Baptist to leap for joy in the womb; with such joy we should approach this sacred day. As intimately as she was with Jesus, and is with Jesus now, so intimately is she with His Church here on earth as well as in heaven.  From her place at His side she watches over us and cares for our needs as any mother for her son.  We are her sons and daughters, united to her through the One Lord, Jesus Christ.  She comes to us now at the end of the age, granting wisdom and direction to those who seek their place with her Son.  Call her blessed, brothers and sisters in Christ, and see her glory shining forth at the right hand of God.  In her you will find light greater than sun and moon and stars.  You will find the presence of our Lord and our God. Written, read & chanted by James Kurt; produced by Carie Fortney. Music by Carie Fortney; used by permission. ******* O LORD, look upon all your lowly servants with favor, that we might join Mary at your Son's side in the kingdom.  YHWH, your promise of mercy is fulfilled in our midst as she who is blessed comes to us bearing your Son.  And our hearts leap for joy at her approach, for indeed she brings salvation with her, and so the destruction of death.  In her Son is your kingdom, your power come, and to His glory we are all called. Dearest Mary, who are we that you should come to us, O Mother of our Lord?  O what blessing you are for those who rejoice with you in God our Savior!  For as He has looked upon you, His lowly servant, so He looks upon all poor creatures and fills our emptiness with His presence.  O that we might stand with you at His side this day! LORD, in Jesus death is conquered and all souls are brought to life again.  His Virgin Mother is the first to join Him in your glory, for you prepared a place for her.  May we all find the place prepared for us in your kingdom. 

This week the hosts of Just Being Me! Podcast discuss thier Week-ends, sounds like they both had pretty interesting weekends. In the "Let's Talk About It" segment, the host discuss what going back to work looks like in this pandemic; mask, mask, no mask? Robert Kelly and friends intimidating witnesses; Lauryn Hill's daughter speaks out; Thanksgiving Candy Corn, WTF?!In "Mary's Soapbox", she discuss Biden annoucing his running Mate, Kamela Harris and the support we need to provide as women to Mrs. Harris as the guy in the white house, spews his negativity!Bull...& Beauty goes to Breona Taylor..Thank you for listening and supporting. Please share with your friends and family!

Today we celebrate what I'm calling Dependence Day for Gardeners. We'll also learn about the gutta-percha pioneer - it's a fascinating story. We celebrate the California botanist who is remembered with a plant name and the name of a Canyon - and she was a tremendous conservationist. We also celebrate a botanist who is a sentimental favorite of mine - she died while collecting samples in the Western Himalayas almost eighty years ago today. We honor National Meadows Day - an annual celebration of the wildflower meadows of England - with some poetry. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a fiction book that was the Winner of the Man Asian Literary Prize, and the main character finds "solace among the jungle-fringed tea plantations of [the] Cameron Highlands," and she also meets some incredible gardeners. And then we'll wrap things up with the flowers for the birthday of President Calvin Coolidge - in 1924 one newspaper headline said, "Cal's Cool and 52". But first, let's catch up on some Greetings from Gardeners around the world and today's curated news.   Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart   Gardener Greetings To participate in the Gardener Greetings segment, send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes and so forth to Jennifer@theDailyGardener.org And, to listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to play The Daily Gardener Podcast. It's that easy.   Curated News Just moved? Build a Temporary Garden at Your New Home by Shawna Coronado "It's a smart plan to set up a temporary garden at your new home when you have just moved because you don't really understand the "lay of the land" in your garden yet. Understanding your garden takes at least a year. A YEAR!?!?! Yes. A year. An example of this is that the sunshine changes throughout your garden. In the winter, you might have the direct sun in some places, creating micro-climates, while in the summer, you could have the opposite. Understanding your sun, water, and other conditions on your property take a while."   No Independence Day for Gardener   (Click here to read my original blogpost)   Alright, that's it for today's gardening news. Now, if you'd like to check out my curated news articles and blog posts for yourself, you're in luck, because I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. There's no need to take notes or search for links - the next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group.   Important Events 1804   Today is the birthday of the gutta-percha pioneer Henry Bewley who was born on this day in Dublin, Ireland. A trained chemist, Bewley began work manufacturing soda water. Bewley's work with soda got him in touch with Charles Hancock, who was eager to develop a stopper for bottles. Hancock's solution came to him in the form of gutta-percha - a tough, rubber-like substance that had been discovered in the sap of Malayasian trees and brought to England in the mid-1840s. After Hancock showed Bewley the gutta-percha, he set about inventing the machine that would extrude the gutta-percha into tubing, which would ultimately find a purpose in dentistry and as an insulator for electrical wiring. Although their partnership would not last, Bewley and Hancock formed the Gutta Percha Company in London on February 4, 1845. Twenty years later, Bewley's company was swept up in the merger that created The Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company. Until the mid-1900s, it was gutta-percha that protected the transatlantic cables used for communication. The resin from gutta-percha was used to make all kinds of items like buckets and mugs, soles for shoes, bands for heavy equipment, buoys, and so forth. Early on, the uses for gutta-percha seemed endless - but its original use as tubing (thanks to Bewley) was vital for scientists and engineers working with wiring, liquids, and gases. Gardeners owed a debt of gratitude to Bewley. His gutta-percha tubing was perfect for this in-demand item called a garden hose. I thought you might enjoy hearing a little excerpt from this 1854 advertisement for gutta-percha. It features a testimony from a Mr. J. Farrah, the gardener to a successful attorney who lived on the estate known as Holderness House near Hull. "I have 400 feet of your gutta-percha tubing in lengths of 100 feet each [and  I have used them] for the past 12 months for watering these gardens, and I find it... better than anything I have ever yet tried. The pressure of the water is very considerable, but this has not the slightest effect on the tubing. I consider this tubing to be a most valuable invention for gardeners, as much as it enables us to water our gardens in about half the time and with half the labor formerly required."   1976   On the 4th of July in 1976, a very hot day to go hiking, botanist Mary Dedecker made her way back to a spot in the desert of California where she had discovered a new plant earlier in June of that same year. When DeDecker reached the shrub, she was stunned. She remembers seeing the plants in full bloom - a gold profusion - and fondly recalled, "It was just golden. All over the dark cliffs, these golden bunches of this shrub." Mary and her husband, Paul, lived in Independence for over five decades. Paul's job brought them to the town. Mary remembered, "It was a different world up here. My husband would fish in the Alpine lakes of the High Sierra, and I would sketch and make notes on plants. There was virtually no literature on the flora of the eastern Sierra." Mary and Paul's DeDeckera shrub became the only species in the brand new Dedeckera genus, which was the first newly discovered genus in California in almost three decades. The DeDecker's shrub, the Dedeckera eurekensis, is a member of the buckwheat family and is commonly referred to as July gold. It's a rare plant and is only found in California's Inyo and White Mountains. These mountains are remote, but they were well-known by Paul and Mary, who loved to explore the desert and found it utterly enchanting. They lived to see the naming of Dedeckera Canyon, which was a unique honor.  Believe it or not, there is a rule that geographic locations cannot be named after living people. In this case, the canyon was officially named after the Dedeckera plant genus named for Mary and Paul - but it clearly honored the couple all the same. It was a sneaky way to get around the rules. As a little girl, Mary learned to garden from her dad, who encouraged her to grow things. Her training as a botanist and her love of nature gave her the drive to search the desert floor on countless hikes in order to collect and catalog over 6,000 plant species. It's no wonder then that Mary successfully fought to preserve the Eureka Dunes, which are adjacent to the northwest corner of Death Valley. In Mary's lifetime, she was able to stop off-road vehicles from destroying the dunes. Regarding her three-decades-long fight, she said, "It was terribly frustrating. I was sick as I went out and watched [off-road vehicle users] tear up the place, spinning out the plants and seedlings, destroying animal habitats. They would be all over the dunes having the time of their lives, so unaware of the damage to the delicate and unique ecosystems. . . ." Much of her work involved researching the flowers of the dunes. Thanks to Mary, the Dunes became part of the over 500 nationally recognized natural landmarks in the United States. Mary DeDecker witnessed many impressive desert blooms during her lifetime. The beauty of the desert and the miraculous desert plant life never failed to hold her attention. Among her many published works, Mary was perfectly suited to write two books on California's desert flora. Today young botanists may be surprised to learn that Mary never received any formal training. Yet, Mary credited the help of countless botanists and the desert itself as her teachers. Through her devotion and fieldwork, Mary came to be regarded as one of the nation's top experts on plants of the northern Mojave Desert and Owens Valley. There is an interesting side note to Mary's story. In 1945, while on one of her desert hikes, Mary discovered the remains of a Japanese-American named Matsumura who had left the internment camp at Manzanar to go fishing with friends. He had been missing for one month when Mary discovered him. Authorities buried him in that spot, and then slowly, the world forgot about his resting place. For decades, people attempted to relocate his burial spot without any luck. His grave remained lost to time until it was re-discovered in 2019.   1939  The English botanist Lady Joan Margaret Legge ("LAY-gee") died after she slipped and fell while collecting samples in the Western Himalayas at Valley of Flowers in India. When she died, Lady Joan was 54 years old and unmarried, and the youngest daughter of the sixth Earl of Dartmouth. In addition to enjoying botany, Lady Joan served the poor through her local church. In 1922, she was nominated for Sheriff of Staffordshire county, but her dad disqualified her on the grounds that she owned no property. Before traveling to the Valley of Flowers, Lady Joan had spent the previous three years tending to her sick father. Then, she had spent the winter before her trip battling pneumonia. Although some of her friends were against her going to India, Lady Joan was eager to go, and many remarked that it was her first real holiday in ten years.   The Valley of Flowers was an exciting destination. It had only just been discovered in 1931 - eight years before Lady Joan's visit.  Three English mountaineers had stumbled on the Valley after getting lost. The Valley enchanted them, and the flowers made it seem like they were in a fairyland. One of the climbers was a botanist named Frank Smythe. He wrote a book called Kamet Conquered, and in it, he named the area the Valley of Flowers. The Valley of Flowers is a seven-day trip from Delhi. It is now a protected national park. As the name implies, it is a lush area famous for the millions of alpine flowers that cover the hills and slopes and nestle along icy flowing streams. Throughout most of the year, the Valley of Flowers remains hidden, buried under several feet of snow throughout a seven-to-eight-month-long winter.  In March, the melting snow and monsoon activate a new growing season. There is a brief 3-4 month window when the Valley of Flowers is accessible – generally during the months of July, August, and September. The Valley of Flowers is home to over 500 varieties of wildflowers, and many are still considered rare. Along with daisies, poppies, and marigolds, there are primulas and orchids growing wild. The rare Blue Poppy, commonly known as the Himalayan Queen, is the most coveted plant in the Valley. Lady Joan ended up traveling to the Valley of Flowers as a direct result of Frank Smythe's book. Smythe's work inspired many, and it attracted the attention of Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden, and they sponsored Lady Joan's trip. After arriving in the Himilayas, Lady Joan was accompanied by guides and porters. As she made her way over the lower foothills, she collected alpine specimens.   On the day she died, Lady Joan was traversing the slopes of Khulia Garva, which still attracts tourists. After she fell, her porters recovered her body. They buried her in the Valley at the request of her older sister, Dorothy. All of Lady Joan's belongings were packed up and sent home to England. The following summer, in 1940, Dorothy visited her sister's grave and placed a marker over the spot where she had been buried.  Today, Lady Joan's marker is visited by tourists, and it includes poignant words from Psalm 121: I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills From whence cometh my help   Unearthed Words Today in the UK, it's National Meadows Day - an annual celebration of the wildflower meadows of England. Each year, the event takes place on or around the first Saturday of July. So, in tribute, here are little poems about meadows.   How does the Meadow flower its bloom unfold?  Because the lovely little flower is free down to its root,   and in that freedom bold.  — William Wordsworth, English Romantic poet   In the meadow - what in the meadow?  Bluebells, Buttercups, Meadow-sweet,  And fairy rings for the children's feet  In the meadow.  In the garden - what in the garden? Jacob's Ladder and Solomon's Seal, And Love-Lies-Bleeding beside  All-Heal In the garden.  — Christina Georgina Rossetti, English poet, In The Meadow - What In The Meadow?   Rose! We love thee for thy splendor,  Lily! For thy queenly grace! Violet !  For thy lowly merit, Peeping from thy shady place!  But mine airy, woodland fairy, Scattering odors at thy feet, No one knows thy modest beauty, No one loves thee, Meadow-Sweet! — Charles MacKay, Scottish poet, Meadow-Sweet   The Meadow-Sweet was uplifting  Its plumelets of delicate hue,  The clouds were all dreamily drifting Above the blue. On the day when I broke from my tether  And fled from the square and the street  Was the day we went walking together  In the meadow, sweet.  The Meadow-Sweet with its clover   And bright with Its buttercups lay;  The swallows kept eddying over,  All flashing and gay.   I remember a fairylike feather   Sailed down your coming to greet,   The day we went walking together   In the meadow, sweet.   Ahl the Meadow-Sweet! and the singing   Of birds in the boughs overhead l   And your soft little hand to mine clinging,   And the words that you said   When bold in the beautiful weather   I laid my love at your feet,   The day we went walking together   In the meadow, sweet.   — Francis Wynne, Irish poet, Longman's Magazine, Meadow-Sweet   In summer fields the Meadow-Sweet   Spreads its white bloom around the feet   Of those who pass In love or play   The golden hours of holiday;   And heart to answering heart can beat   Where grows the simple Meadow-Sweet   Embosomed in some cool retreat   The long seed grasses bend to meet   The stream that murmurs as it flows   Songs of forget-me-not and rose;   The filmy haze of noon-tide heat  Is faint with scents of Meadow-Sweet.   Ah, Love ! do you know Meadow-Sweet?   Does some pale ghost of passion fleet   Adown this dreary lapse of years,   So void of love, so full of fears? Some ancient far-off echo greet   The once loved name of Meadow-Sweet   — William Leonard Courtney, English author and poet, Meadow-Sweet   Grow That Garden Library The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng This book came out in 2012, and it won the Man Asian Literary Prize. Kirkus Reviews said, "The unexpected relationship between a war-scarred woman and an exiled gardener leads to a journey through remorse to a kind of peace. After a notable debut, Eng (The Gift of Rain, 2008) returns to the landscape of his origins with a poetic, compassionate, sorrowful novel set in the aftermath of World War II in Malaya…Grace and empathy infuse this melancholy landscape of complex loyalties enfolded by brutal history, creating a novel of peculiar, mysterious, tragic beauty." The book is a 4.5 star rated book on Amazon. It is 352 pages - and the perfect summer read for gardeners. You can get a copy of The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng and support the show, using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $3.   Today's Botanic Spark 1924  President Calvin Coolidge is the only American President to have been born on the 4th of July and celebrated his 52nd birthday at the Whitehouse. To mark the occasion, he received a nearly 6-foot-tall floral arrangement from the Florist Telegraphers Association. The president was born at Plymouth, Vermont. Newspapers pointed out that while he was turning 52, the country was turning 148. One newspaper headline said, "Cal's Cool and 52". The Wilkes-Barre Record reported: "The President made no unusual observance of his birthday but joined with the nation in the July Fourth celebration. He spoke [in the] morning before the National Education Association. Later in the day, he planned to board the Presidential yacht (Mayflower) for a cruise down the Potomac. There were no White House guests, although the two sons of the President and Mrs. Coolidge, John and Calvin, Jr, were at home. E. T. Clark, private secretary to the president, said more than 46,000 cards and letters of congratulation had been received." Today, if you google "Calvin Coolidge 1924 birthday", you can see him standing on the south lawn next to the very large floral arrangement that was delivered to the White House. Three days after his birthday, Coolidge and his family suffered a personal tragedy. His younger son and namesake, Calvin Jr., developed an infected blister. He died on July 7 from sepsis. Although Coolidge became depressed, the public voted him into office, and he won a three-way race and the popular vote by 2.5 million votes over his two opponents' combined totals.  

Mary D. Nichols has been called “the most influential environmental regulator of all time.” As chair of the powerful California Air Resources Board, she has pioneered several landmark climate initiatives, including the state’s cap-and-trade program, and worked to set stronger automative emission standards, triggering a pitched battle with the Trump Administration as it seeks to roll back Obama-era fuel economy standards and take away California’s ability to set its own pollution rules. In this edition of Columbia Energy Exchange, host Jason Bordoff is joined by Chair Mary Nichols, the chair of CARB since 2007, a position she also held from 1979 to 1983. Over a career as an environmental lawyer spanning nearly a half century, Mary Nichols has played a key role in California and the nation’s environmental policymaking. In Mary’s extensive career as an environmental lawyer and policymaker, she founded the LA office of the Natural Resources Defense Council as a senior attorney, served as Executive Director for the Environment Now Foundation, served as the Assistant Administrator of Air and Radiation in the Clinton Environmental Protection Agency, worked in private practice, among many other distinguished roles. Mary is a graduate of Yale Law School and serves on the faculty at the UCLA School of Law.

We haven't had to do it in a while, but has the morning rush out the door ever failed to chill the blood of the responsible parent? Daddy Dropoff is no different - and the trauma is rushing back! But are endless games the only things holding us up? Or is it just the constant rushing that's the problem? (In Mary's case, the games/phone calls/kisses definitely aren't helping.)  And of course, Bluey's emotional highs leave us a mess - and Kate wondering how to pick the moments that will change the kids' lives forever. No pressure! (Lila and Bingo forever!)   ++ Gotta Be Done is ex-journos and Melbourne mums Kate McMahon and Mary Bolling, as we deep-dive every Bluey episode, with plenty of detours into mama life, childhood memories, and everything else we're bingeing, too! Follow us on Insta at @blueypod @marytbolling @katejmcmahon, Twitter at @blueypodcast, or Facebook at @blueypod.

In Mary's act of anointing Jesus with an expensive perfume, we find a challenging example of extravagant devotion to Christ.

Being faith-filled and prayerful during this time can be difficult. Do we blame God? Do we give up? Do we lash out to others? OR do we have gratitude and stay faithful along the way. I believe that we need to stay positive and move forward with our lives and love our earth and love each other. Taking care of yourself is MORE than food, exercise, rest and vitamins...you must have faith and belief that all will be ok, as it will!!!! Stay prayerful and be praiseworthy, just like my sweet, inspiration guests, Eddie and Mary. About Eddie and Mary:Edward Grampp is a professional CG (computer graphics) artist who has worked for companies such as Disney Feature Animation, Disney Interactive Studios and Nickelodeon Animation Studios. He is also an almost 8 year survivor of brain cancer, and continues his fight against it to this day.Mary Grampp is an Interior Designer as well as a Wedding & Event Planner. Mary trained for both areas of expertise at the New York Institute of Art & Design located in New York City.. She also received her Associate in Science Degree at Brigham Young University-Idaho. She is currently looking into pursuing her life-long passion for the medical field by continuing further education. In Mary’s free time she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and also enjoys singing and hopes to make an album soon! They have 4 children; Eddie-11, Jacob-9, and Molly-4. Their other daughter, McKaylee, sadly passed away four years ago in an accident. She was three and a half years old, and Mary was six months pregnant with Molly (the youngest child). Eddie and Mary believe that they will see their sweet McKaylee again, and they feel her sweet presence often. Eddie and Mary have started a podcast called, ‘Praiseworthy with Mary and Eddie’ where they hope to encourage others to be more vulnerable and share their story all in hopes to help someone who may be going through a hard time. They want to shine a light on the good in the world, and on those who have been praiseworthy in someone’s life . How to follow them and hear their inspirational stories, including mine! Instagram: @be.praiseworthy @marygrampp Websites: www.be-praiseworthy.comhttps://teespring.com/stores/bepraiseworthyLove you all, Janice xoxoSupport the show (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beauty-call-podcast/id1462542236)

Building character with picture books is not even possible, we here at One Page at a Time argue that it's fantastic. We hear about how one Bookstagrammer is using picture books to help their whole family learn 12 Character Traits in 2020. This week we are joined by Mary Costello, the amazing woman behind the website, Children’s Lit Love. Mary spent years gaining her education in Child development and Elementary education before teaching elementary school for ten years. When he oldest was born she began using that wealth of knowledge and experience in her own home and now shares it with us on her website and Instagram account.  In this episode we talk about: 1. How she went from being the book recommendation lady for all of her friends to her website now, which still has plenty of book recommendations, but also fantastic information on children’s literacy in general. 2. Their family’s journey this year to focus on developing different character traits with their children. They wanted to be very intentional about teaching their girls certain things, so they pick a new trait each month to talk about. Mary puts together the books and other things they have used so far and shares them all on her sites. 3. We talked a bit about the nitty-gritty of how exactly they have been putting this character trait plan into practice in their family and what roles she and her husband play in what they do. 4. Mary had some thoughts on how to do something similar if you do not have the same support from a spouse. She especially points out that by the end of the year she will have twelve character traits-worth of lists and information that anyone can use, thus cutting down on a ton of work and preparation for someone who wants to try it! 5. How has it been going so far for them? In Mary’s own words, “It is going so much better than we had imagined!” It has been fun and unifying for their family and they have been able to see the differences in their girls that their efforts have made. 6. Why books are such a good fit for what she and her husband are doing with the character traits in their family this year.  7. How Mary handles the gathering and organization of the books she collects and uses for her monthly topics.  8. And some great book recommendations to round us off! We are so grateful to Mary for taking the time to talk with us! More information about her, her sties, and their family’s character traits development journey can be found in the following places: In Building Character with Picture Books we mention: Instagram: @childrenslitlove Websites: https://childrenslitlove.com Books Molly and Mae by Danny Parker Mindset by Carol Dweck The Power of Showing Up by Daniel J Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson Clementine (series) by Sara Pennypacker Henry Huggins (series) by Beverly Cleary Ramona (series) by Beverly Cleary Sharing a Shell by Julia Donaldson Bear Feels Scared by Karma Wilson Valentine Cats by Jean Marzollo Excited for One Page at a Time's Summer 2020 books and activities? So are we! Get started with the first week here

Today's Bible Readings: Genesis 48; Luke 1:39-80; Job 14; 1 Corinthians 2Sometimes bad theology breeds reactionary bad theology. Because Roman Catholicism has gradually added more titles and myths to Mary, Protestants have sometimes reacted by remaining silent about her astonishing character. Neither approach fares very well when tested by this passage (Luke 1:39-80) and a few others we shall have occasion to think about.Catholics have added titles such as “Mother of God” and “Queen of Heaven” to Mary, neither of which is found in the Bible. The view that Mary was immaculately conceived (and was therefore born sinless), and that she, like Enoch, was transported to heaven bodily, thereby escaping death, are equally unsupported. The latter became a dogma for Roman Catholics as recently as 1950. According to news reports, the current Pope is weighing whether he should establish, as something that must be confessed, another title conservative Catholics apply to Mary, viz. “Co-Redemptrix.”But Luke’s witness points in another direction. In Mary’s song (1:46-55), traditionally called the Magnificat (from the Latin word for magnifies: “My soul magnifies {NIV – glorifies} the Lord”), Jesus’ mother says that her spirit rejoices in “God my Savior” – which certainly sounds as if she thought of herself as needing a Savior, which would be odd for one immaculately conceived. Indeed, a rapid scan of the Gospels discloses that during Jesus’ ministry, Mary had no special access to her famous son, sometimes failed to understand the nature of his mission (e.g., 2:48-50), and never helped someone obtain some favor from Jesus that he or she could not otherwise obtain. Indeed, the unanimous testimony of Scripture is that people should come to Jesus: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28), Jesus says – not, “Come to my mother.” He alone is the true mediator between God and human beings.Nevertheless, Mary is wholly admirable, a model of many virtues (as is also, e.g., Joseph in Gen. 37 – 50). She accepts her astonishing role with submissiveness and equanimity, considering what it must have initially done to her reputation (1:34-38). Elizabeth twice calls her “blessed” (1:42, 45), i.e., approved by God; the supernatural recognition of the superiority of Mary’s Son over Elizabeth’s son (1:41-45) was doubtless one of the things that Mary pondered in her heart (2:19). But none of this goes to Mary’s head: she herself recognizes that her “blessedness” is not based on intrinsic superiority, but on God’s (the “Mighty One’s”) mindfulness of her “humble state” and his choice to do “great things” for her (1:48-49). Her focus in the Magnificat, as ours must be, is on the faithfulness of God in bringing about the deliverance so long promised (1:50-55).This podcast is designed to be used alongside TGC's Read The Bible initiative (TGC.org/readthebible). The podcast features devotional commentaries from D.A. Carson’s book For the Love of God (vol. 1) that follow the M’Cheyne Bible reading plan.

Matthew 2: 1-12 - 'The visit of the Magi.' Note: Some countries may have a different gospel reading at Mass today, if they celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany on Sunday rather than today. This podcast follows the lectionary for the General Roman Calendar. CCC Passages: - 528 (in 'The Mysteries of Jesus' Infancy') - The Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of Israel, Son of God and Savior of the world. The great feast of Epiphany celebrates the adoration of Jesus by the wise men (magi) from the East, together with his baptism in the Jordan and the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee. In the magi, representatives of the neighboring pagan religions, the Gospel sees the first-fruits of the nations, who welcome the good news of salvation through the Incarnation. The magi’s coming to Jerusalem in order to pay homage to the king of the Jews shows that they seek in Israel, in the messianic light of the star of David, the one who will be king of the nations. Their coming means that pagans can discover Jesus and worship him as Son of God and Savior of the world only by turning toward the Jews and receiving from them the messianic promise as contained in the Old Testament. The Epiphany shows that “the full number of the nations” now takes its “place in the family of the patriarchs,” and acquires Israelitica dignitas (“the dignity of Israel’s birthright”). - 439 (in 'Christ') - Many Jews and even certain Gentiles who shared their hope recognized in Jesus the fundamental attributes of the messianic “Son of David,” promised by God to Israel (abbreviated) - 724 (in 'Rejoice, you who are full of grace') - In Mary, the Holy Spirit manifests the Son of the Father, now become the Son of the Virgin. She is the burning bush of the definitive theophany. Filled with the Holy Spirit she makes the Word visible in the humility of his flesh. It is to the poor and the first representatives of the gentiles that she makes him known. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/daily-gospel-exegesis/message

The point of Advent and all of life is to be drawn up into humble, joyful, worship of the God who came down to us for our salvation, and to be transformed by His personal presence in our lives. But it is so easy for us to be carried along by an avalanche of anxiety and distraction, losing focus on what God has done in the earth-shattering reality of the Incarnation of Jesus, and missing out on the joy he offers us. As we try to enchant the world with lights, decorations, and gifts, God enchants the world with His presence. So how do we not drown in this riptide of counterfeit Christmas? We need a humble perspective of ourselves and a posture of worship toward the living God. In the most crucial part of the story God chooses a teenaged virgin peasant woman to be the first key player in fulfilling his great plan of redemption through Christ. That’s a clue to his preferred ways or working. God uses people who see themselves as needy and weak, as they delight in God being their defender and rescuer. It is this dazzling use of frail people that shows off his glory and grace. In Mary's song we see what it looks like to live a life of joyful, obedient worship to the living God.

This week on the show, we bring you the next Judge Judy, retired circuit Judge Mary Ann Chrzanowski.  I met her through Dr Judy Ho, who did the show earlier this year, Judge Mary and Dr Judy worked together on the tv shows The Doctors and Face the Truth.   Scary Mary, as she called herself to me, is a retired circuit judge from Michigan.  I found her moment to be inspiring and unique. [1:10] Our guest for today is Judge Mary Chrzanowski. She works together with Doctor Judy Hoe in a television show. Doctor Judy Hoe recommended Marry to guest at our show. Judge Mary is a retired circuit judge from Macomb County, Michigan. She presided over a variety of cases like major felony cases, divorce cases and civil cases. [3:22] Judge Mary’s year of experience was seen so much in divorces. She saw good people at their very worst in criminal cases. She saw bad people at their very best. Mary cried when she remembered the cases and the victims; it was very traumatic. Mary loved being a job but she felt burned out. She applied for a job as a Federal Administrator Law Judge working for the Social Security Department for only nine months because she can’t tolerate sitting in a room revealing medical records 8 hours a day. [6:30] Mary’s moment is when her cousin, who is also a judge told her to become a lawyer and become a judge. So she went to a courtroom and watched them. After that, she told herself that she wants to be a judge. At the age of 18, there no stopping her. She finished college in 3 years and went to law school. Mary failed the bar 3 times and when she passed the bar, she ran for the judge at 28 years old. She lost but nothing can stop her dreams. After two years, she ran again and won. [9:00] At the age of 30, Mary was elected and took her office at 31. She enjoys being a judge for 24 years. Nothing gets easy for her. When she was studying, she studied hard to get what she wants. When she gets confused, she always thinks of her career in the future. [11:20] The judge that she watches at that time was her cousin Robert Chrzanowski. In that courtroom, was planted some seed almost like a switch for Mary that set her track to become a judge. But unfortunately, you have to be an attorney first before becoming a judge. The law in Michigan says you have to be an attorney for five years before becoming a judge. There was no law like that when Mary initially run. [14:20] Mary thought at that time was the ability of the judge to help people change their lives. Until now, Mary still gets e-mails and Facebook requests wanting to be her friends because she saves them by giving them direction in life. Mary loves the criminal aspect of her job because she can give them direction and hopefully save their life. Mary said that most criminals need structure. They need direction. They need somebody to motivate them. [16:48] In her courthouse, one of their judges said everybody needs a high school education. Everybody needs that structure. Everybody needs to be proud of an accomplishment. Mary did not forget that and integrated it herself. [17:40] Mary can save people, especially on drug addiction cases because she was an alcoholic before. She can relate to people and understand the issues in addiction. It enables Mary to do a great job. They have drug courts where Mary enjoys which is a specialized court where they get people in and give them attention to help them with their issues. [20:30] Mary said that our judicial system and our criminal justice system is one of two things. It should be both rehabilitation and punishment. If we don’t rehabilitate them and purely punish them, we are going to come back in through the revolving door. That is happening right now because there was no money to rehabilitate, the way people should be rehabilitated. Mary said that employers should give a convict a chance to get a job. [24:00] The hardest part of Mary’s job was to put people in jail, but we don’t have alternative ways for that. That is why Mary said we need to start treating addiction because the majority of the cases are because of addiction issues. Most of their addiction came from their environment and trauma. One day, Mary encountered a young man in court because of drug selling. She found out that there was no record of abuse in his family. His parents asked Mary what they do wrong because they raised him well and gave him the best education. Mary doesn’t know to answer. [27:00] Judge Mary is not favored on drug legalization. She believes that we need some control because things will get out of hand. Mary believes that marijuana can help certain people, but is also concern about smoking marijuana while driving; it can affect your reaction time. [29:40] Judge Mary experience DUI arrest and almost killed her mother in a vehicular accident on Christmas eve two months after she became an attorney. At the age of 18, Mary was an alcoholic and she stopped drinking at the age of 40. She stopped drinking when her mom died and realized that the person who really loves her isn’t there anymore. [33:11] Mary stopped drinking and got obsessed with bicycling. That’s when she knows that she was done with alcohol. Mary replaced alcohol with bicycling. When she can’t bike in the winter because she lives in Michigan, she goes to the gym to bike. Now she also walks at the beach in Florida. [35:00] Mary was close to her mom. Her father died when she was 4.  She has four brothers who were older than her. Another reason that Mary drinks are because of her responsibility in the family. She had a great guy but her mother hated him because her mother was afraid to lose her. She decided that she does not want to live her life according to her mother’s life. She felt sorry for that. [37:00] Mary said that they are not perfect people. When they go to the bench, they bring a lot of stuff. All of the emotions that she can integrate into deciding cases and in people’s lives. Mary internalizes the case in front of her and relates it to what she experienced in her life. At the age of 16, she saw two dead men lying in front of their house. These experiences made Mary a better person and a judge. [39:00] Mary talks about a man and woman who broke in her home. She could call the judge but she did not do anything. She went into the hearing like everyone else. She said to the judge that she doesn’t want to put them in prison. She just wanted her stuff back. Mary did not get any of her stuff back but she hoped they appreciated that she did not put them in prison. [40:45] Mary retired as a circuit judge in 2016 and 2017 on her federal job. Mary stopped drinking in the same year her mother passed away. It is also the year when her brother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. After 15 months, her brother died. In the past year, she lost her other two brothers. Fortunately, Mary has a strong will and did not go back to drinking. [42:13] For people who have an addiction, Mary said the first thing you have to recognize is that you have a problem and wanted to get help. You do it for yourself and not for your children or spouse. People should know that they can’t go back and if they had a relapse, it’s not the end of the world. They should pick up themselves and do it all over again until they get rid of it. [45:00] Judge Mary learned to deal with the difficult things she saw when she was a judge. She said that she has to put it on a shelf and leave it right there because there are more cases she has to deal with. Mary did not know how she does it but she was able to do it. It took her years before she developed the habit. Mary said that we need to look at judges who are suffering from PTSD. She did not think that it will happen to her. [47:07] Mary had a case of a young woman who got abducted and got killed on a trail. When someone asked her to join a fundraiser that she needs to walk to earn money, she joined. While walking alone, the case of the young woman come back at her and all of a sudden she got scared and never thought that it would happen to her. [49:00] Mary retired because she felt burned out. She was doing 25 to 30 cases a day, taking guilty pleas all day long. She had probation violators coming in and got tired. She wanted to change and thought that being an Administrative Law judge will help her and it did.  Mary felt she was fortunate to be interviewed by Lester Holt. She has a featured story in Dateline. Dateline NBC did a documentary. They followed Judge Mary for three months. They followed 3 or 4  of Mary’s drug court candidates and how the drug court changes their life. It was called Scary Mary Presiding. Mary was very flattered because Lester Hoft will only interview 3 or 4 people a year. The next thing she knew,  she was contacted by Stage 29 which is Dr. Phil. They asked her to come out and be on The Doctors and eventually get her own show. [51:34] Mary loves being on the show because she can say what she really wants to say, not like on the court. If Mary would have a show, it will be “Face The Truth,” where they will bring people with addiction issues, and in the end, they will give them rehab and put them on the right road. That’s what Mary wants to do in her life. [55:15] Mary wants to keep helping people recognize that there is a life out there. She wants to give them a chance. But these people should realize too that they are the only ones who can make the changes. Mary's message to the people who’s dream is to be judge, is never to let anybody tell you that you can’t do it. Because many people told Mary that she would not be elected and that she will not going to make it. [57:05] Mary was independent, and our judges don’t belong to any political party. In Mary’s mind, it is very special. She represents all the people, not just the democrats or just the republicans. Mary votes for the person, not the party lines. She votes for the person who is best for her. It puts Mary to quandary because she was thinking of running for prosecuting attorney at Macomb County Michigan.

In Mary's "song" in Luke 1 we find a humble woman who has found unexpected hope in God. Jesus was born from Mary into humble flesh. And through his humility, we find hope when we humble ourselves to receive him this Christmas.

Uninhibited Podcast ShownotesEpisode 6: Human Trafficking & Sexual Abuse AdvocacyWelcome to Uninhibited, a podcast with the mission to discuss taboo, multicultural, multi-generational, and multi-layered topics that matter to women. Our host, Dr. Makunda Abdul Mbacke, is an Ivy-League trained OBGYN, practicing medicine in rural America. She is a mother, career professional, part of Generation X, and so much more.---1:00 - Today, Dr. Makunda is joined by Ms. Mary Jones, a sexual abuse counselor that Dr. Makunda met through her own work with patients that need special counseling. 1:57 - Mary is a Sexual Assault Victim Advocate at Southside Survivor Response Center in Martinsville, VA. Her main role is to help and assist sexual assault victims by accompanying them to forensic exams, police interviews, attorney’s visits, and anything else that they need. She emphasizes that she is also there for her clients emotional wellbeing.2:47 - Dr. Makunda asks how did Mary found interest in this field. Is this something she knew she wanted to do since college, or did she discover this profession later on?Mary did not stumble into this work. She had her own sexual assault experience at a young age and felt she couldn’t tell any of the adults in her life. As a young adult, a friend of Mary’s was raped and had no family near her - so she turned to Mary for help. 4:15 - Witnessing the suffering of her friend and seeing the lack of support for victims of assault motivated Mary to move into the medical field to help people, where she continued to see a growing need for sexual assault advocates. Later, she went back to school, earned her MBA, then earned another Masters degree in Human Services. Mary knew that this was the path that she needed to follow. 5:15 - Right before she graduated with her Masters in Human Services, Mary found a part time sexual assault victims advocate position in Virginia, which she applied to and got! Through that work, she helped open up an office in Danville in 2012, a community which previously didn’t have those kinds of services. 6:21 - Opening the office was widely supported in the Danville community, getting news coverage and positive support from residents of the town. In Mary’s first support group, she had over 16 people in attendance, and within the first year of the Danville office opening, Mary assisted 76 victims, demonstrating that they were providing a much needed service. Despite the huge need, the grant for the office ran out two years later, leading Mary to a position in Martinsville, where she has been for the last five years. 7:40 - Dr. Makunda explains to listeners that she and Mary live and work in a very small, rural part of Virginia, where services are needed but not always provided or funded as they should be. Dr. Makunda asks Mary to give some insight on the issue of human trafficking in their somewhat sleepy, Southern town. Mary explains that, unfortunately, human trafficking looks the same in a small town as it does in a big city. Human trafficking is a criminal activity in which people profit from the control and exportation of others. There are two kinds of human trafficking: sex trafficking and labor trafficking. This abuse can happen anywhere, to children and adults, citizens and non-citizens, and all genders. It is a unique crime because it is hard to identify, investigate, and prosecute. Mary did some research on current trafficking statistics, which found that the US is the world’s largest consumer of human trafficking. 12:23 - Dr. Makunda asks Mary what human trafficking looks like in their home of Henry County; Who are the traffickers and who is being trafficked?Mary tells us that traffickers can operate individually or in an organized group, like a gang, although she has dealt with cases where family members have acted as traffickers. Traffickers seem to pray on young people, foreigners, runaways, homeless people, victims of sexual or domestic violence, those that live in poverty, those desperately looking to improve their lives somehow, people suffering from substance abuse, those with mental illness - they target vulnerable people. 14:50 - Dr. Makunda asks if traffickers typically keep their victims in the same location, or if it’s normal for them to relocate. Mary explains that rarely, traffickers will move their victims around - typically to other southern states on the east coast. But normally, victims usually end up working within the same place where they were trafficked.16:07 - Dr. Makunda inquires about how traffickers get to know and build trust with their victims.Mary explains that traffickers have a rather easy time targeting their victims in places that you might not expect, like the mall or a state fair, where a lot of teenagers are present. Occasionally, traffickers have people working with them, like a female friend or even a child who can more easily earn the trust of the victim. 18:06 - What keeps victims of human trafficking trapped, even if they want to escape?Fear, mostly. It’s difficult for victims to escape because traffickers don’t want them to inform authorities or lose business, so traffickers make threats against the individual or their loved ones.19:22 - Dr. Makunda asks Mary to tell us about some success stories of those who escaped human trafficking situations.Mary tells of an air stewardess who noticed a nicely dressed older man accompanying a young girl who appeared disheveled. The stewardess attempted to make conversation with them, but the man was very aggressive and did not want to talk. When the girl got up to go to the bathroom, the stewardess left the girl a note in the bathroom and the girl responded to the note, indicating she was in trouble and needed help. The stewardess informed the pilot and they were able to rescue the girl when the plane landed. 21:40 - Dr. Makunda asks Mary what signs parents can look out for to help someone who may be targeted by traffickers. Mary says to look for people who look like they don’t exactly go together, like the old man and girl on the plane. Another sign is to look for children coming home with expensive gifts like a new phone, something out of the ordinary that they might not be able to afford. 23:50 - If we start to notice these signs, what are the things that parents can do to protect their kids?Mary emphasizes the importance of parents talking to their children about sex trafficking and discuss ways that children may be targeted by a trafficker, that promises of making their dreams come true can be enticing but also a lie. Parents should also be involved with their child’s social media, know who they’re talking to online, because that is another way traffickers can contact victims. 26:08 - If you suspect something with your own child or someone else in the community, what are the next steps someone should take to help?Mary says it is best to talk to law enforcement, or call a sexual assault center like Mary’s office for help. It’s better to get the situation checked out and investigated than to ignore it, even if it ends up not being a trafficking case. 28:00 - Dr. Makunda asks why trafficking is such a difficult crime to prosecute?Mary explains that it is much easier to prosecute if the victim talks to law enforcement. But, it can be so hard for victims to speak out against their trafficker and retell their painful experiences; sometimes parents don’t want their children to go through that either. In some cases where the abuse happens between family members, a family may choose to let the problem go unaddressed rather than destroy relationships. 29:32 - What has been the process of working with victims when they seek help, especially in situations where the trafficker may not be prosecuted and see justice done?Mary says the most important thing is to build up the victim and revive their self-esteem. When working with younger children, she uses games to help them express and understand their emotions, and to help her understand how to assist the child.31:33 - “Human trafficking, sexual trafficking, labor trafficking knows no borders, it doesn’t discriminate on race or class or age, even. It’s so important to understand that yes, it can happen in my little neighborhood, yes, it can happen on my little street. I challenge each of us to be that stewardess, to be vigilant and notice the people around us.” - Dr. Makunda If you or someone that you know has experienced abuse or are in a trafficking situation, there are resources that are available to help you. Southside Survivor Response CenterYou can also contact Mary Jones at 276-403-4085.If you are outside of the Virginia area, you can contact the Office for Victims of Crime, a component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. YOu can also seek out your local agencies for help. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Marc David, Founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating interviews author, counselor and awakening mentor, Mary O’Malley. In this heartfelt interview, you’ll hear how Mary learned to transform her life by dropping into her heart and embracing her traumatic childhood, eating disorder and eventually several suicide attempts. In Mary’s words “As you heal the war inside of you, the war of struggle that brings so much suffering, you become a part of the healing of our planet.”   Watch the interview video and read the full transcript here

Merriam-Webster gives the following synonyms for the word perennial:   abiding, enduring, perpetual, undying   Those terms can give gardeners unrealistic expectations for their perennials.   They're not eternal.   They will eventually part ways with your garden.   But, for as long as they can, your perennials will make a go of it.   Returning to the garden after their season of die back and rest.   Ready to grow.   Ready for you to see them, and love them, all over again.   Brevities   #OTD It's the birthday of botanist who was a petite, fearless, and indefatigable person: Agnes Chase, bornon this day in 1869. Chase was anagrostologist—a studier of grass. A self-taught botanist, her first position was as an illustrator at the USDA’s Bureau of Plant Industry in Washington, D.C. In this position, Chase worked as an assistant to the botanist Albert Spear Hitchcock. When Hitchcock applied for funding to go on expeditions, authorities approved the assignment for Hitchcock, but would not support Chase - saying the job should belong to "real research men." Undeterred, Chase raised her own funding to go on the expeditions. She  cleverly partnered with missionaries in Latin America to arrange for accommodations with host families. She shrewdly observed, “The missionaries travel everywhere, and like botanists do it on as little money as possible. They gave me information that saved me much time and trouble.” During a climb of one of the highest Mountains in Brazil, Chase returned to camp with a "skirt filled with plant specimens." One of her major works, the "First Book of Grasses," was translated into Spanish and Portuguese. It taught generations of Latin American botanists who recognized Chase's contributions long before their American counterparts. When Hitchcock retired, Chase was his backfill. When Chase reached retirement age, she ignored the rite of passage altogether and refused to be put out to pasture. She kept going to work - six days a week - overseeing the largest collection of grasses in the world in her office under the red towers at her beloved Smithsonian Institution. When Chase was 89, she became the eighth person to become an honorary fellow of the Smithsonian. A reporter covering the event said, Dr. Chase looked impatient, as if she were muttering to her self, "This may be well and good, but it isn't getting any grass classified, sonny."   #OTD On this day in 1924 it was Cornelia Vanderbilt's wedding day.    When the Vanderbilt heiress married British nobility, the diplomat John Cecil, the wedding flowers had been ordered from a florist in New York. However, the train to Asheville, North Carolina had been delayed and would not arrive in time.    Biltmore's Floral Displays Manager Lizzie Borchers said that,  "Biltmore’s gardeners came to the rescue, clipping forsythia, tulips, dogwood, quince, and other flowers and wiring them together. They were quite large compositions, twiggy, open, and very beautiful.”   If you look up this lavish, classic roaring 20's wedding on social media, the pictures show that the bouquets held by the wedding party were indeed very large - they look to be about two feet in diameter! I'll share the images in our Facebook Group The Daily Gardener Community.   In 2001, the Biltmore commemorated the 75th anniversary of the wedding with a month long celebration among 2,500 blooming roses during the month of June.      #OTD On this day in 1980 Alfred Hitchcock died.  On social media, you can see images of a very young Alfred Hitchcock in Italy, on the set of what many believed to be his first feature-length silent film, The Pleasure Garden (1925). He filmed an extravagant “Garden Party" scene in his 1950 film Stage Frightstaring Jane Wyman and Alastair Sim. Then in 1989, the first three reels of Alfred Hitchcock's 1923 silent film "The White Shadow" was discovered in Jack Murtagh's garden shed in Hastings, New Zealand. The film was long thought to be lost. It was Alfred Hitchcock who said, "Places' are the real stars of my films: the Psycho house, the house in Rebecca, the Covent Garden market in Frenzy"   #OTD On this day in 2017 The New YorkTimes tweeted that the Brooklyn Botanic Garden cherry blossom festival was set for today and tomorrow, regardless of when nature [decided] to push play.   #OTD On this day in 2017, Ron MacBain owner of The Plantsman floral shop in Tucson died - just a few days short of his 90th birthday. MacBain was a floral force majeure. One article I read about MacBain began simply, "Ron McBain did the flowers. It's a refrain heard more and more frequently in Tucson. Whether the event is an elegant party or a posh charity ball; whether the bouquet cost $25 and was sent to grandma on Mother's Day or cost $100..." After selling his shop of 25 years in 1999, MacBain turned his to Winterhaven - a home he shared with his longtime partner Gustavo Carrasco, who died in 2011. The garden at Winterhaven was a destination spot for photographers, painters and garden lovers.  In a charming twist, when he could no longer garden, MacBain picked up painting. He said, “I [imagine] I’m in the flower shop... and arrange on canvas the way I would in a vase... The joy [I get] fills me so much, I wouldn’t want to do anything else.”   Finally, tonight at 7pm CT the world is reborn on PBS with their presentation of “Nature: American Spring LIVE," the Emmy- and Peabody-award winning series and it will air three nights starting tonight (April 29) through May 1. Spring is one of nature’s greatest performances – a time of rebirth, renewed energy and dramatic transformations. I'm so looking forward to this. In the three-night event, you can join scientists as they make real-time observations in the field from iconic locations from across America - in ecosystems ranging from the Rockies to the Everglades, from inner-city parks to remote wilderness preserves. The series will include a mix of live and pre-taped footage highlighting some of the most pivotal events in nature’s calendar. Nature executive producer Fred Kaufman says, “Nature throws a party every year, and it’s called spring. It is the most active time in the natural world for plants and animals, from birth and rebirth to migrations to pollination... In addition to witnessing incredible wonders, the goal... is to inspire people to go outside and get involved with science. Everyone can play a part in our natural world.” #AmericanSpringLivePBS Unearthed Words   Here's a beloved poem about Botany Bay from Australian Mary Gilmore (1865 – 1962).   #OTD On this day in 1770, Captain James Cook sailed into a large harbor on the coast of what would become known as Sydney, Australia; he named it Botany Bay. In Mary's poem, you'll hear the words ‘knotted hands’ – meaning the imprisoned hands of convicts who were made to work for Australia. Old Botany Bay “I’m old Botany Bay; stiff in the joints, little to say. I am he who paved the way, that you might walk at your ease to-day; I was the conscript sent to hell to make in the desert the living well; I bore the heat, I blazed the track- furrowed and bloody upon my back. I split the rock; I felled the tree: The nation was- Because of me! Old Botany Bay Taking the sun from day to day… shame on the mouth that would deny the knotted hands that set us high! And, here's another poem from Gilmore about the founders of Australia: Even the old, long roads will remember and say, “Hither came they!” And the rain shall run in the ruts like tears; And the sun shine on them all the years, Saying, “These are the roads they trod” — They who are away with God. Last year, the Australian government announced they were budgeting $50 million to redevelop Cook’s 1770 landing place. The plans include turning the area into a major tourist attraction and include the addition of a $3 million statue of Cook himself. Australia Treasurer Scott Morrison said it would be "a place of commemoration, recognition and understanding of two cultures and the incredible Captain Cook". The redevelopment is slated to be built by 2020, in time to mark the 250th anniversary of the landing.   Today's book recommendation Here's a lovely conversational style gardener's dictionary - Garden-pedia: An A-to-Z Guide to Gardening Terms by Pamela Bennett and Maria Zampini. With more than 200 garden and landscape terms, Garden-pedia is meant to teach, to provide perspectives on terms, and to answer commonly-asked questions. The idea for the book started with Maria Zampini needing to explain basic terms and practices to new hires in the nursery industry and was expanded by Master Gardener Pam Bennett’s experiences with teaching home gardeners.   Today's Garden Chore I'll never forget talking to Peggy Anne Montgomery (The Still Growing Podcast Episode 553). One of her personal garden sayings that she shared with me later is, "Nothing green or brown leaves the property". I've since adopted the same mantra - using all green or brown matter for compost. You don't need to export your nutrient rich leaves and brush to the curb for pickup. Start simply with a chop and drop approach to winter cleanup.    Something Sweet  Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart   While I was researching Agnes Chase, I came across this little article in The St. Louis Star and Times. Chase gave one of her books on grass a biblical title, The Meek That Inherit the Earth. The article pointed out that, "Mrs. Chase began her study of grass by reading about it in the Bible. In the very first chapter of Genesis, ...the first living thing the Creator made was grass.  ...In order to understand grass one needs an outlook as broad as all creation, for grass is fundamental to life, from Abraham, the herdsman, to the Western cattleman; from drought in Egypt to the dust bowl of Colorado; from corn, a grass given to Hiawatha because in time of famine he prayed not for renown but for the good of his people, to the tall corn of Iowa. And to [Chase], as she said, "Grass is what holds the, earth together. Grass made it possible for the human race to abandon his cave life and follow herds. Civilization was based on grass, everywhere in the world." This significance, says this rare scientist... still holds."   Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."

To learn more about my Inner Voice Coach In Your Pocket program, click here!! Flexible, affordable, and powerful coaching right in your pocket! Here are some of the big topics we talked about... Words, thoughts, feelings, actions: aspects of manifesting Do you see the world through rose colored glasses, smudged glasses, or clearly? Mary cautions us against trauma bonding. It’s disempowering, reinforces the negative Stories of excitement make you like a magnet to other people Mary shares her expertise on creating rocking affirmations! Doing affirmations consistently builds a pathway in the subconscious One out-loud declaration to make someone happier by the end of the call informed her bestselling book and all parts of her life - words are powerful! In Mary’s Voice “Your words influence your internal drive and reveal your internal thoughts and emotions.” “True knowledge is when you see life as it really is. That’s your most powerful decision-making state of being.” “Trauma bonding is when we are telling traumatic stories to our past in order to create a resonance, bond, or connection with another person.” “The way you talk about yourself, is a reflection of your identity.” “Those [trauma] stories are best kept until you have a strong relationship with someone.” “When you’re meeting someone or wanting to share parts of your life, all it takes is focusing on the triumphant.” “The most beautiful part of your story is definitely in how you have learned to move forward.” “I’m living a life that is more beautiful than it was before. I have the wisdom, awareness, and experience to consciously make choices I’m in control of. My moments in life are more delicious. Everything works more effortlessly. Not all the time. Life is a journey and many times it’s uncomfortable. Being authentic isn’t going around saying you have a perfect life!” “The point of affirmations are to support your emotional state in the world. When you feel better, you’re going to do better!” “Everyday in every way, I’m building the connections that are creating my future life right here and now.” Connect with Mary Website Instagram Facebook Daily Desires Diary Mary’s In Her Voice Ep. 106, “The Science of Personal Development”  

While Kaytee vacations this week, Meredith holds down the podcast fort with a special guest co-host. Mary Heim is an online bookish friend of both of us (and I can freely admit that I am SO jealous she got to record with Mary and I didn’t). You’ll hear a “bookish moment of the week” from each of the hosts: a sweet pregnancy reading moment, and bonding over husbands who read. Next, the ladies discuss what they are currently reading, and this week includes a thousand books that you’ll want to reach for ASAP. I had a hard time restraining myself. In Mary’s deep dive, we get to learn about her reading life. Childhood reads to the way her adult reading life developed. It’s a walk down memory lane for your childhood reading memories. I can almost guarantee you’ll love it. As always, we finish up with A Book (yep, capitalized) that we’d like to press into every reader’s hands: As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you’d like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don’t scroll down!  .  .  .  .  .  2:53 - Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White 2:49 - The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien 5:01 - Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 6:55 - Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell 7:51 - The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin 10:08 - Side Hustle by Chris Gillebeau 10:20 - The $100 Start Up by Chris Gillebeau 12:26 - Side Hustle School podcast 12:54 - Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson 17:14 - The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin 17:16 - Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia 18:58 - The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson 19:45 - A Spanish Lover by Joanna Trollope 23:16 - A Village Affair by Joanne Trollope 23:33 - Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid 24:16 - One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid 24:21 - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid 28:58 - The Family Gene by Joselin Linder 34:34 - Harry Potter by JK Rowling 36:23 - Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery 36:26 - The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien 36:31 - The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Hayes 36:34 - American Girl Samantha Books by Maxine Rose Schur 36:38 - The Magic Treehouse series by Mary Pope Osborne 37:11 - Babysitter’s Club series by Ann M. Martin 37:34 - The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis 37:37 - Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney 38:09 - Sweet Dreams Romance books by Jocelyn Saal 38:58 - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer 45:03 - 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff 48:49 - Boy’s Life by Robert McKammon 50:51 - The Body by Stephen King 51:59 - It by Stephen King 52:01 - Needful Things by Stephen King 53:05 - Mary’s Goodreads 53:10 - @maryreadsandsips on Instagram *Please note that all book titles linked above are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!* 

“I will not keep silent.  I will not stop talking, proclaiming or preaching…. I will not pause.  I will not rest, for the sake of the precious city God loved and left, and I will keep this up until every nation and king can see that Jerusalem has been declared innocent and lifted up to a place of glory and honor.”  (Working Preacher, Anathea Portier-Young)   These are the words of the prophet Isaiah as he boldly acts as intercessor for Jerusalem.  Following the exile, the Babylonians may have been defeated, but when the Jewish people returned to their land, they found it decimated.  It looked rather like a desert.  The restoration and rebuilding of Jerusalem met countless obstacles and delays.  The people had been full of hope, but now they are battling deteriorating morale caused by broken dreams and crumbling faith.  Their very identity had been battered by loss and they could no longer understand that God delighted in them.  They felt God had turned away in indifference.           So, the prophet Isaiah laments and boldly protests, interceding on their behalf.  Seeking justice for his people, Isaiah will not remain silent as he holds God accountable.  Now, the notion of “holding God accountable” probably tends to make many of us squeamish.  But, the prophets did this.  Elie Wiesel, in “The Trial of God,” accuses God of being absent from the horrific genocide of the Holocaust.  And, the biblical writings we have been given suggest that what the Jewish people had experienced was something like the Holocaust.  In the depth of their despair, a place where they deeply feel the absence of God, the prophet speaks.  He names their despair and holds God accountable.  Then, the prophet promises newness, transformation and even new names signaling joyful union for Jerusalem and all the land around her.  He proclaims the dream of God for his people and promises there will be change and transformation.  The prophet proclaims the abundant life God desires for the people and says God will rejoice over you! In today’s gospel reading, John gives us a story that presents significant need and emptiness in the midst of what is to be a grand party.  Jesus and the disciples are attending a wedding.  And, on the third day of the festivities, over in the corner of the room a nervous silence sets in.  There is the alarming discovery that the wine has run out.  Wine was a vital component of any wedding in that day, the sign of the harvest and the sign of God’s abundance for God’s people.  But, the wine has run out and the party is far from over!!  There are still four days of partying left to go!!  We can imagine the tension in the air.  For the groom’s family, this is not just an embarrassing situation, this is a major social faux pas.            Well, Jesus’ mother sizes up the situation and swings into action.  And, like the prophet Isaiah, she will not remain silent.  She tells her son about it.  The implicit command is: “Fix it!”  Mary is a prophet who will not take no for an answer.  In fact, she says to the servants, “Do whatever my son tells you.”  Mary speaks and acts as intercessor for the wedding party and all the guests.  In Mary’s persistence, she provides the leadership for the miraculous sign that takes place in this story by observing the problem, naming it, and taking action to help.   Then, when his mother tells the servants to do whatever Jesus says, Jesus performs one of the most understated, yet mighty acts in John’s gospel.   There were six large jars for water to be used for washing according to various Jewish purification rites, each jar holding 20-30 gallons of water.  Jesus tells the servants to fill them to the brim and then he tells them to draw some out and take it to the man in charge of the feast.  When the steward tastes the wine, it turns out to be the best wine at the party.  Not only is it the best, but there is an abundance of wine, an amount equal to an additional thousand bottles of wine!  People, in Jesus, Immanuel – God with us, God made flesh, there is abundance.  On the third day, a reference by the way to the resurrection, Jesus provides abundance.  And, in this first miracle in the gospel of John, Jesus provides more wine, joy, and blessings than the people could possibly have imagined or deserved.  As we gather today for worship, I am very aware of the reality of deep need and despair in our world, even within our own country.  Many in the world go hungry.  Many in our own community go hungry.  And, as we gather together on this day, we cannot ignore what is happening in our present culture, the growing need people are experiencing from this government shutdown, and the growing need and pain of refugees seeking asylum.  We need a tangible miracle of God’s abundance.  In light of today’s gospel reading, we cannot help but come face to face with the creative word of a living God and we do not take no as an answer.  Today’s reading invites us to trust so much in God’s generosity and abundance that we, like the prophets of old and like Jesus’ mother, nudge God with our observation and our protest:  they have no wine!  Like Mary, and in the face of insurmountable need by so many people around this world, we too cry out and lift our voices in intercession for the hurting and powerless as we say to God, “Fix it; heal this land and bring comfort to the people!”   In the words of scripture, we find words that address the timelessness of human need and human tragedy.  And, we also discover that we, like Mary, can become God’s servants as God uses us to help fill the needs of the hurting.  Quite frankly, when we pray such a prayer, we are also called to action, which is something we are doing as we take noisy offerings to help those who are furloughed, to help any who are now without necessary government assistance, and to help our refugee project. On this weekend, we celebrate the life of another prophet who would not remain silent, Martin Luther King, Jr.  He would not remain silent in the depth of people’s despair.  And, his speaking out brought about change.  Speaking out and seeking justice is a form of prayer.  As we honor Martin Luther King, Jr. and remember the many prophets who have gone before him, we too, as people of faith, are called to cry out to God as we seek justice and change and renewal in our lives and this land.  That form of prayer also causes us to respond and act in ways that help bring about the newness of God’s promises and dream for all people.  Like Isaiah, like Mary and like Martin Luther King, Jr., we cannot remain silent in the face of injustice.  As we remember and celebrate King’s life and work, one of the best ways we can honor him is by remembering what he proclaimed as he called the church to work for justice.   In fact, he said, “A Church that has lost its voice for justice is a Church that has lost its relevance in the world.”            On the third day, when the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother, like Isaiah and like Martin Luther King, Jr., would not keep quiet.  Jesus addresses the problem and he turns scarcity into abundance.  In Jesus, the one who provides enough for all people, we see a God who is deeply responsive to human need.   In Jesus, we experience a God who is so responsive to human suffering that he entered the very depth of our need to suffer with us, even to the point of being nailed to a cross.  And then, on the third day, hope was born, and the new wine flowed freely!   Hope is deeply embedded in the Resurrection.  May we, like the prophets, continue to cry out and work for justice, and live into the hope of God’s dream for all people!

Luke 1:39-55, Advent 4, Year C: Homily Today is the beginning of our salvation; today the mystery hidden from all eternity is revealed. This happens when Gabriel proclaims the Good News to Mary, and when she, in turn, says, “Let it be!” When this happens, the eternal Son of God, the Word, becomes the Son of Man, the Word made flesh. The Prologue of John’s Gospel makes plain what Gabriel is doing in Luke. John takes us back to the first creation and tells us that the Son, the second person of the Trinity, the divine Word, is the agent of creation. Through him, all things were made. This is the One coming into the world. This is the One spoke the world into existence; and now, Gabriel is carrying out the same means. Gabriel speaks a divine Word and Mary responds with the same phrase, “Let it be, … according to your word.” Who is this woman? In this divine moment, Mary becomes the spouse of the Holy Spirit by her open posture, using the same words in the creation account in Genesis, let it be. As God the Word spoke all things into existence, now New Creation begins in the virginal conception of Jesus Christ, the True Savior and King of the Cosmos, in his risen body is New Creation. In this moment, God becomes a Zygote, an embryo … In Mary’s womb, behold, God, the fetus. Who is this woman? St. Augustine says, “Him whom the heavens cannot contain the womb of one woman bore. She ruled our Ruler, she carried him in we are, she gave milk to our Bread.” Mary’s “let it be to me according to your word” reverses Eve’s “let it be to me according to my will, my desires, my way.” In this way, in the economy of our salvation, Mary becomes the New Eve, bringing forth the New Adam, who would restore his fallen creation, from death to life, eternal. She offers a doxological proclamation so important to the early Christians that it is sung every day at Vespers in the West and at Matins in the East. And, it remains so. Our Daily Morning and Evening Prayer contains the Song of Mary, honoring both the Eastern and the Western tradition. The canticle, or song is a lesson in the art of worship. The crafting of this liturgical song is based on quotes, illusions and echoes of Scripture, interpreted through a Christological lens, pointing to Christ. Mary is riffing on multiple OT echoes and illusions, the song of Hannah, etc. "My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior."

In Mary, God chose a humble, unknown woman to change the world. If we yield ourselves to God, He can use each of us as well.

In Mary's last segment with Jesse, she asked listeners to send in questions. The best five questions are answered in this segment.

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38. In Mary's story we can see our story.

In Mary's new book, Rich Enough? A laid-back guide for every Kiwi, she writes about eight steps to get your finances sorted. She talks with Jesse about why it's best to do it in steps.

Mary Buckham is the author of the USA Today bestselling Invisible Recruits urban fantasy series, praised for its unique voice, intense action and rich emotion. Mary co-authors the young adult sci-fi/fantasy Red Moon series with New York Times bestselling author Dianna Love, using the combined pseudonym of Micah Caida. Mary also collaborated with Love on the nonfiction Break Into Fiction and has published several writers' guides, including A Writer's Guide to Active Setting and Writing Active Hooks. She has spoken at the Writer's Digest Novel Writing Conference and other author conferences. Mary, who lives in Washington State with her husband, says her years of international travel and curiosity about different cultures resulted in creating her high-concept urban fantasy and romantic suspense stories.   Host Patricia McLinn talks with Mary about technique, mechanics, character depth and the excitement of storytelling. In Mary's words, “Writers take that what-if question and play it out. ‘What can give this character the most conflict, the biggest challenge.’ ...I am always playing with what-if.” [18:40]  You can find Mary on: Her website, Facebook or Twitter Thank you so much for listening. We hope you enjoyed the podcast enough to want to support us for future episodes. You can do that with as little as $1 a month — that’s only 25 cents per episode! What a deal! — by pledging at Patreon. It’s vital to Authors Love Readers to have your support. Thank you! Please also consider rating/reviewing the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks to DialogMusik for the instrumentals that accompany this podcast. 

Mary Burton is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nearly 40 mystery, romantic suspense and historical romance novels, including the recent Her Last Word, Senseless, Dying Scream and Dead Ringer. Host Patricia McLinn talks with Mary about making the transition from small suspense to big suspense and how she plans out her drafts. In Mary's words: "You almost feel like you have to give yourself permission to do things. ... Trying something new seems so scary ... just try it, life is short." (19:06) You can find Mary on:   *Her website, *Facebook and *Twitter Thanks to DialogMusik for the instrumentals that accompany this podcast.    

This episode of In Her Voice is sponsored by Beautycounter. Choose safer skincare AND support In Her Voice with any purchases through this link. (I highly recommend the Overnight Peel!!) Here are a few of the big topics we talked about: Kelly introduces Mary and asks her to describe how she came to know she was worthy, as she is right now. Mary shares the story of where she was 6 or 7 years ago, and how she got to where she is now. Mary helps women find the 2.0 version of themselves. Many of us shut our emotions off when we don’t like ourselves, Mary shares how she began to feel again. Tara Brach One of the reasons we avoid our feelings so much is because we believe they are going to overtake us. Book: Intuitive Eating - And, how it changed how Mary fed her body. Getting curious about her feelings, is how Mary began to change her mind and body. Acknowledge how you feel and then use it as data. Feelings as vibrations of the body, they’re not who you are. Dave Asprey and Peter Sage Mary hated her body so much that in order to start loving herself, she had to show gratitude for her body. This all started in a yoga class, Mary shares the full story in this episode! Babe, Redefined is the name of Mary’s course - she shares why she chose the word “babe” which can be a triggering word. The state of freedom women experience when they release the fear they’ve been living with. What “babe” means to Mary. Mary shares what her Inner Voice is asking of her. In Mary’s Voice: “I think most women start playing this role that we have been handed by society, our family, our spouses, our friends. And it’s this role of playing the good girl where we are quiet, respectful. We believe we need to be small, be little because we don’t have the sense of self-worth.” “I gave myself permission to feel my emotions - it felt very risky. It felt like this may turn out to where I can’t bring myself to go back. And what I needed to do is little by little give myself permission to identify those feelings.” “I think sometimes we are afraid to feel our emotions because we believe that if we feel certain emotions, that becomes who we are.” “When you touch the parts of your body that you’ve totally abused and berated and you ask for forgiveness, all of a sudden you can come to peace with something that you thought was your enemy and enter into a state of acceptance and love.” “You will have a smile on your face. You will feel like you are glowing. And you will feel a sense of confidence, bravery, courage, resiliency, and just that true, fierce femininity, when you begin feeling your emotions.” Connect with Mary: Mary’s Website Babe, Redefined Instagram Facebook

My summer Mastermind group for women is open for application! If you have an idea that is of service that you are ready to bring into the world, this group is for YOU! Imagine what it will feel like come September when you have finally birthed your idea into reality! Click here for more information and to apply. Here are a few of the big topics we talked about: Kelly introduces Mary Shores. Mary shares where her connection with personal development began. How our we can self-sabotage ourselves. Infinite Possibilities How to connect our subconscious with the desirable outcome. Positive thoughts plant positive seeds, and negative thoughts plant the negative seeds. Unraveling your entire life is unnecessary in order to move forward. Kelly and Mary discuss how having son’s on the spectrum have taught them so much as women and moms. Belief systems and how you can overcome them. Mary reads an excerpt from her book, Conscious Communications. How to uncover your path of purpose. Cleans or Clogs Mary does not believe in perfectionism, she believes in an 80/20 life. Mary is an extremely powerful manifester. Kelly and Mary discuss how the science part comes into personal development and manifesting. Mary shares how she was able to overcome all of the trauma in her life. If you choose a different “door” your life can head in a million different directions. Mary shares what her Inner Voice is asking of her.   In Mary’s Voice:   “Science and spirituality are really one and the same but they are using two different languages to explain the happenings.”   “I always say that if you take a step to a new direction, then the universe, God, or whatever you believe will come in and meet you halfway.”   “You don’t have to unravel every moment of your life in order to move forward. But what you can do as the workaround, is to start the new neural pathway.”   “What I’ve discovered is that your purpose is whatever your natural skills and gifts, talents and abilities are. It’s really the rest of the world that’s tried to convince you they’re something different.”   “Everything you say, every thing you do, every word that comes out of your mouth, every choice you make, every action you take; in the thinnest sliced moment of life is either creating that deeper connection to what you want or it’s driving a disconnection.”   “True transformation happens in small pivots over time.”   “Every time that we make that choice that takes us closer to where we want to be, that’s reinforcing that neural pathway.”   Connect with Mary: Mary’s Website Mary’s Book Instagram Facebook Twitter A1

Mary Shores is the author of Conscious Communications, a step-by-step guide to harnessing the power of your words to change your mind, your choices, and your life. She joins the show today to talk about how neurophysiology, our words, and other people’s behavior affect our ability to create the life we want to live. Today’s conversation is about how and where to make small changes that get us closer to our ideal lives and selves. Mary has been involved in many things in her professional career – she’s been a CEO, runs a debt collection service, and has been a student in personal development and self-improvement. Key Takeaways: [5:05] – Many people have learned to expect instant transformation – we read a book and suddenly everything is going to change. In most cases, the things we need to change are going to play out over a period of time. Mary’s personal journey put her in a position to expect this instant change. [6:53] – Mary was a weekend workshop warrior, but what she began to notice about these events and the people at them, is that they are often riding on the emotions of the event. These events are productive and encouraged, but it’s important to remember that the real transformation will occur in small changes that happen over time after the event. [8:00] – Charlie and Mary discuss some of the ways neurophysiology can affect these feelings of transformation. Mirror neurons can cause us to feel what the people around us are feeling (whether positive or negative). Mary talks about a phenomenon that whenever we’re in proximity to other people, our brain waves begin to wire in a pattern together. [12:15] – In philosophy, there’s a topic called The Great Indignities of Science. Charlie briefly discusses these, and how these can help shape the way we think about our place in the world. Science can be very humbling, and there are still many things we are learning about science that will continue to shape and define the way we think and feel. [13:30] – Mary talks about the monkey experiment that was how they discovered mirror neurons. When the monkey saw a person eat a peanut, their responses measured the same as if the monkey itself was eating the peanut. The 100th Monkey Effect describes a scenario where one group of monkeys started washing potatoes because they enjoyed the taste, and once that number reached a certain critical mass, then monkeys on another island started to wash their potatoes without any instruction. This happens with the human mind too – once a certain collective of humans start to think a certain way, another group of humans will simultaneously start to have these thoughts. [17:15] – There are phenomena that we know happen, even if we don’t know how or why they happen. But along with what we don’t know, there are things we do know about the brain. We can take the things that we do know are true and apply them to our lives, and have results based on the knowledge we do have. Mary talks about how she changed her philosophy in her debt collection services based on what she knew would trigger people. She came up with a “do not say” list for her office: no, not, can’t, won’t, however, and unfortunately. In the office they replace that list with words that inspire confidence and trust with the client, and triggers the opposite system in the client (parasympathetic nervous system). [20:25] – When Mary decided she wanted to write a personal development book, she started to research the effect in communications with other people, as well as the effect it has on ourselves when we replace these words for more positivity. We are primed for certain types of experiences, but making changes in our words can cause these experiences to shift. [22:30] – Our responses are more than just a brain response, even more than a nervous system response. We’re triggered all day every day by things that keep us in a low level fight-or-flight, which means there is less of our body’s energy going to the brain for thinking of solutions. We become over-reactive people. In Mary’s debt collection service, their goal is to get clients to a place where they are neutral or ready to be receptive to a solution. Once they feel okay, then they can start talking about the solution. [25:10] – What are the ways we can apply the principles Mary uses in her business to our own lives? Words is one of the ways we can become more satisfied people and live meaningful, and happy lives. Shut off the valve of negative words to yourself; become aware of the words you say to yourself and how they’ve shaped your “barrier beliefs.” The way out of this is to invest in yourself, and give yourself the evidence to disprove your barrier beliefs. Mary shares her example of how she came to write her first book by overcoming her thought that she was not a writer. [30:15] – Growing up, we’re programmed with cultural and family of origin beliefs, and our education takes some of our natural human instincts away from us. The reality is, we understand neurological pathways and are in control of the programming we set for ourselves. We have the power to change any of the beliefs in our mind, we just have to start from somewhere. Start by creating daily practices where you are deciding on a new thought or belief in your subconscious. Creating new pathways will be easier than trying to get rid of the old ones. [34:20] - While we are capable of overriding our neuro processes, it’s not what we automatically do. It takes work to decide on a new thought process, especially when it comes to how we deal with and react to the people around us. We can change some of our initial reactions by being aware of those moments and ask what’s really going on and how we can make the situation better for the people around us. [40:00] - We can take these ideas about our initial reactions or what we’re “supposed to do,” and apply it to something relevant in our life. We don’t necessarily have to follow the trajectory that society has sort of set out for us. In fact, not following the status quo can help us find our true purpose. Dial back into what you love and what you’re good at, and feed your strengths. [45:15] - Mary is an example that we don’t have to follow rote behavior and the path that society laid out for us. She talks about growing up and taking care of her daughter that passed away, and how she was able to recover from that and start her own business at 24. [48:30] - There are different ways to show up and be in practices of transformation. Sometimes it’s external from a personal development teacher, or it can be internal and self-driven. It’s important to develop the internal engine, because when you’re doing it from a place of empowerment, what you create will be so much more. [51:10] - There are many different ways that we can be working on ourselves. Everything is a piece that goes to installing better programming in your subconscious. As you continue working on habits, you have to keep practicing things over and over as you become more accomplished and a more powerful self in the world. [53:35] - Mary has a Core 4 Goals. If you try to take on everything you want to change, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. The focus of the Core 4 are the four things you need to do to accomplish a larger goal (for Mary, writing her book). They help guide and prioritize your actions and your energies. As an example, the Core 4 for Mary’s Business are: sales, industry involvement, custom trainings, and using their branding. They say ‘yes’ to things that support those four, and they say ‘no’ to the things that are outside of those four. [57:30] - Mary’s invitation for listeners is to think about the concept that everything you say and do, is either creating a deeper connection or it’s driving a disconnection. How will you let the words you use create the life you want to live? Mentioned in This Episode: Productive Flourishing Mary Shores Conscious Communications, by Mary Shores Results Resourcing (use code PFPOD) SaneBox Scientists found a 'new organ', but it might not be what you're expecting, by Claire Maldarelli for Popular Science Akimbo Podcast by Seth Godin Episode 6: Don’t Fear Placebos

*Hymns may not match audio.  All material is used for Spiritual/Educational Purposes.   FRIDAY Morning Prayer God, come to my assistance.- Lord, make haste to help meGlory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spiritas it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.  Amen. HYMN The God whom earth and sea and skyAdore and praise and magnify,Whose might they own, whose praise they tell,In Mary's body deigned to dwell. O Mother blest! the chosen shrineWhere in the Architect divine,Whose hand contains the earth and sky,Vouchsafed in hidden guise to lie. Blest in the message Gabriel brought;Blest in the work the Spirit wrought;More blest, to bring to human birthThe long desired of all the earth. O Lord, the Virgin born, to theeEternal praise and glory be,Whom with the Father we adoreAnd Holy Ghost for evermore. Melody: Eisenach L.M.Music: Johan H. Schein, 1586-1630Text: Venantius Fortunatus 530-609Translator: J.M. Neale, 1818-1866   Or: Virgin of virgins,I choose you todayas my sovereign, my queen, my empress,and I declare myself, as I am in fact,your servant and your slave. I invoke your royal name of Mary,that is, sovereign Lady,and beg of you with all my heartto admit me into the privileged circleof your familyas one of your servants,to do your willas a humble slave and a loving child. As a sign of your acceptanceengrave on my heartwith the fire of your love,not the brand of an unwilling slave,but those two gracious words of the angel:Ave Maria. As long as I draw breathmay your burning love ensurethat I bear these wordsin my heart and in my memory,and that until my dying breathmy will may be always on firewith my great desire to serve you,my sovereign and my queen,glorious in your majesty. Though I am in every way unworthyof so honorable a title,I resolve sincerely to be your slave,to serve you wholeheartedly,to protect your name,and that of your Son,against every insult,as far as it may rest with me,and never to allow anyone in my chargeto offend your Son in any way. By your tender love for your Son,by the glories you have receivedfrom the Most Holy Trinity,do not reject me from your servicebut as my sovereign and my queenpreside over all my actions,command whatever you will,direct all my work,remedy all its defects. During my whole liferule over meas your servant and slave.At the hour of my death,as I hope forat the end of my loving servitudeamong the privileged members of your family,receive my soul and escort itinto the presence of God. St Bartolome de Los Rios(1580-1652)   PSALMODYAnt.1 My soul clings to you, Lord Jesus Christ. or: Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Christ. Psalm 51O God, have mercy on meYour inmost being must be renewed, and you must put on the new man. (Eph 4:23-24) Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.In your compassion blot out my offense.O wash me more and more from my guiltand cleanse me from my sin. My offenses truly I know them;my sin is always before meAgainst you, you alone, have I sinned;what is evil in your sight I have done. That you may be justified when you give sentenceand be without reproach when you judge,O see, in guilt I was born,a sinner was I conceived. Indeed you love truth in the heart;then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.O purify me, then I shall be clean;O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear rejoicing and gladness,that the bones you have crushed may thrill.From my sins turn away your faceand blot out all my guilt. A pure heart create for me, O God,put a steadfast spirit within me.Do not cast me away from your presence,nor deprive me of your holy spirit. Give me again the joy of your help;with a spirit of fervor sustain me,that I may teach transgressors your waysand sinners may return to you. O rescue me, God, my helper,and my tongue shall ring out your goodness.O Lord, open my lipsand my mouth shall declare your praise. For in sacrifice you take no delight,burnt offering from me you would refuse,my sacrifice, a contrite spirit,a humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn. In your goodness, show favor to Zion:rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.Then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice,(burnt offerings wholly consumed),then you will be offered young bulls on your altar. Ant. 2 Let us rejoice that we have been made sharers in Christ's passion. Or: Holy Mother, on the cross Christ entrusted us to you as your children. Today we join with you in praising him.   Canticle                                                      Tobit 13:8-11,13-15Thanksgiving for the people's deliveranceHe showed me the holy city Jerusalem which shone with the glory of God (Revelation 21:10-11)   Let all men speak of the Lord’s majestyand sing his praises in Jerusalem O Jerusalem, holy city,he scourged you for the works of your hands,but will again pity the children of the righteous. Praise the Lord for his goodness,and bless the King of the ages,so that his tent may be rebuilt in you with joy. May he gladden within you all who were captives;all who were ravaged may he cherish within youfor all generations to come. A bright light will shine to all parts of the earth;many nations shall come to you from afar,and the inhabitants of all the limits of the earthdrawn to you by the name of the Lord God,bearing in their hands their gifts for the King ofheaven. Every generation shall give joyful praise in you,and shall call you the chosen one,through all ages forever. Go, then, rejoice over the children of the righteous,who shall be gathered togetherand shall bless the Lord of the ages. Happy are those who love you,and happy those who rejoice in your prosperity. Happy all the men who shall grieve over you,over all your chastisements. for they shall rejoice in youas they behold all your joy forever. My spirit blesses the Lord, the great King. Ant. 3: It pleased the Father to reconcile all creation in himself through the blood of Christ. Or: The Virgin Mary, crowned with a diadem of twelve stars, is exalted above the choirs of angels. Psalm 147:12-20The restoration of JerusalemCome, I will show you the bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9)   O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!Zion praise your God! He has strengthened the bars of your gateshe has blessed the children within you.He established peace on your borders,he feeds you with finest wheat. He sends out his word to the earthand swiftly runs his command.He showers down snow white as wool,he scatters hoar-frost like ashes. He hurls down hailstones like crumbs.The waters are frozen at his touch;he sends forth his word and it melts them:at the breath of his mouth the waters flow. He makes his word known to Jacob,to Israel his laws and decrees.He has not dealt thus with other nations;he has not taught them his decrees. FIRST READING                                                      Colossians 1:24-25 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church, of which I am a minister in accordance with God's stewardship given to me to bring to completion for you the word of God. Or                                                       Proverbs 8:32-36;9:1-6,10-12 "So now, O children, listen to me;  instruction and wisdom do not reject!Happy the man who obeys me,  and happy those who keep my ways,Happy the man watching daily at my gates,  waiting at my doorposts;For he who finds me finds life,  and wins favor from the Lord;But he who misses me harms himself;  all who hate me love death." Wisdom has built her house,  she has set up her seven columns;She has dressed her meat, mixed her wine,  yes, she has spread her table.She has sent out her maidens; she calls  from the heights out over the city: "Let whoever is simple turn in here;  to him who lacks understanding, I say,Come, eat of my food,  and drink of the wine I have mixed!Forsake foolishness that you may live;  advance in the way of understanding.For by me your days will be multiplied  and the years of your life increased." The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord,  and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.If you are wise, it is to your own advantage;  and if you are arrogant, you alone shall bear it. SECOND READING From a sermon by St. Laurence Justinian, bishop(Sermo 8, in festo Purificationis B.M.V.: Opera, 2, Venetiis 1751, 38-39) Mary stored up all these things in her heart.   While Mary contemplated all she had come to know through reading, listening and observing, she grew in faith, increased in merits, and was more illuminated by wisdom and more consumed by the fire of charity. The heavenly mysteries were opened to her, and she was filled with joy; she became fruitful by the Spirit, was being directed toward God, and watched over protectively while on earth. So remarkable are the divine graces that they elevate one from the lowest depths to the highest summit, and transform one to a greater holiness. How entirely blessed was the mind of the Virgin which, through the indwelling and guidance of the Spirit, was always and in every way open to the power of the Word of God. She was not led by her own senses, nor by her own will; thus she accomplished outwardly through her body what wisdom from within gave to her faith. It was fitting for divine Wisdom, which created itself a home in the Church, to use the intervention of the most blessed Mary in guarding the law, purifying the mind, giving an example of humility and providing a spiritual sacrifice. Imitate her, O faithful soul. Enter into the deep recesses of your heart so that you may be purified spiritually and cleansed from your sins. God places more value on good will in all we do than on the works themselves. Therefore, whether we give ourselves to God in the work of contemplation or whether we serve the needs of our neighbor by good works, we accomplish these things because the love of Christ urges us on. The acceptable offering of the spiritual purification is accomplished not in a man-made temple but in the recesses of the heart where the Lord Jesus freely enters. RESPONSORYThrough you we drink from the wellsprings of salvation, O Blessed Virgin Mary - Through you we drink from the wellsprings of salvation, O Blessed Virgin MaryFrom the sacred wounds of Christ, - O Blessed Virgin Mary.Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, - Through you we drink from the wellsprings of salvation, O Blessed Virgin Mary. Or: O Virgin Mary, no other daughter of Jerusalem is your equal,for you are the mother of the King of kings,you are the Queen of heaven and of angels. - Blessed are you among women,and blessed is the fruit of you womb.Hail, full of grace; the Lord is with you. - Blessed are you among women,and blessed is the fruit of you womb. CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH                                                       Luke 1:68-79Ant. Rejoice, O sorrowful Mother; after your great sufferings, you shine forth as Queen, enthroned beside your son.   The Messiah and his forerunner   Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty savior,born of the house of his servant David. Through his holy prophets he promised of old,  that he would save us from our enemies,  from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathersand to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,to set us free from the hands of our enemies,free to worship him without fear,holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvationby the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our Godthe dawn from on high shall break upon us,to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,and to guide our feet into the way of peace. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever.  Amen. INTERCESSIONS Let us glorify our Savior, who chose the Virgin Mary for his mother. Let us ask him: May your mother intercede for us, Lord. Sun of Justice, the immaculate Virgin was the white dawn announcing your rising,- grant that we may always live in the light of your coming.Eternal Word, you chose Mary as the uncorrupted ark of your dwelling place,- free us from the corruption of sin.Savior of mankind, your mother stood at the foot of your cross,- grant, through her intercession, that we may rejoice to share in your passion.With ultimate generosity and love, you gave Mary as a mother to your beloved disciple,-help us to live as worthy sons of so noble a mother.   Our Father… CONCLUDING PRAYER Father,as your Son was raised on the cross,his mother Mary stood by him, sharing his sufferings.May your Church be united with Christin his suffering and deathand so come to share in his rising to new life,where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever. May the Lord bless us,protect us from eviland bring us to everlasting life. -  Amen.

In the book of Luke we find 4 songs surrounding the birth of Jesus. These first Christmas songs were meant to clear a space in the lives of the people singing them as they prepared for the birth of Jesus. For us these songs do the same. They clear out the clutter, and give room to reflect on our Kings arrival 2000 years ago, and anticipate his arrival to come once again. In Mary's song we see how her own social status points to a greater upheaval to come. Through her son God will bring down rulers from their throne and exalt the poor and the humble. He is going to turn the whole world order upside down.

Scripture Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/081517-vigil.cfm Summary: As in all the Church's teaching on Mary, it is never only about Mary herself, but reflects the salvific work of Christ. The Assumption of Mary, body and soul into heaven reflects the reality of Christ's resurrection power applied to Mary. In Mary, God preemptively does the work in her that he will eventually do for all of us.

Today, Mary Showalter tells a story about a lady who lived next door when she was a child growing up in eastern Kentucky. In Mary's story, we see compassionate relationships that go beyond boundaries of race and culture. We'll also hear a song from Raleigh Kincaid.As we look at this story alongside John's account of the woman at the well, we see how Jesus continues to venture out beyond the walls and boundaries that society and politics place between us. We find grace and blessing, wisdom and sustenance in the company of the other. Jesus greets us with welcome, casts off our shame, and calls us to move out into the world--to go to places where we are not in control--to be in spaces where we are the other and to stand beside those who have been marginalized and oppressed.Don't forget to call in your beatitudes for our podcast. We still need several for Monday's episode. Just leave a message at (859) 813-0150.

Beyond the Basics Health Academy is excited to welcome Dr. Mary Wingo, phD on the show to talk about stress and the effects that it has on a person and society.  She brings a deep understanding of human physiology and the human stress response.  Mary has spent the last 20 years studying and really trying to understand stress and how it has an effect on our communities, our health, and our biology.  The study of stress and adaptation is probably the most complicated and fascinating field in science. After more than a hundred years of study. most scientists are still mystified by the mechanisms of human adaptation.  She really breaks it down in a fascinating manner. She also talks about her book that addresses all these issues The Impact of the Human Stress Response: The biological origins and solutions to human stress. The Impact of the Human Stress Response is a humanitarian work intended to educate the public world wide about the true causes and costs of preventable human stress.   WE DISCUSS IN THIS PODCAST MANY OF THE CONCEPTS THAT MARY WINGO TALKS ABOUT IN HER BOOK: The definition of stress The root causes of stress and learn how to manage it effectively Why the stress response is essential for helping one adapt to one's environment The fascinating biology of human stress The 5 major causes of stress in modernized society How to protect your health – learn how to avoid over-loading one body’s stress response One thing that seems to escape many analysts and political leaders is the staggering costs of stress in modern society within the psychological, social, political, and economic sectors. In Mary's analysis, preventable human stress leads to (many, many) millions of unnecessary death every year. Furthermore, the economic costs of chemical, physical, and psychological human stress world-wide are well into the multiple trillions of dollars of losses every year.  These losses are due to five major causes of modernized stress: Loss of working memory Loss of social capital Loss of social equality Depletion of the human biome Chemical stress, both voluntary and involuntary sources FURTHER RESOURCES marywingo.com A really great read on the devastating economics of stress The Impact of the Human Stress Response

In Lady of the Moon (Headmistress Press, 2015), the reader is graced not only with the poetry of Amy Lowell, but with sonnets in response and a scholarly essay on the poet’s life, love, and work. Amy Lowell lived and wrote in a time when she could not be entirely herself, could not fully claim her rightful space among the great writers of love poetry and celebrations of the beloved. She had to reveal her truths by hiding them. As much as she cloaked her work, shifted genders of speaker and beloved, the truth of the poems resonate now as unabashed declarations of love and desire for her partner, Ada Russel. This collection places the relationship with Russel at the forefront in such a way that it honors what could not be honored before. But this is true of most of the work published by Headmistress Press: necessary voices are given the mic before it is too late, a safe space is offered for rumination on gender, sexuality, and all spectrums of identification, and the work of poets like Amy Lowell is given the truthful and critical analysis it deserved while the poet was living. We know that Amy Lowell wanted to be understood better as a poet. She did not want to hide her love, her body, or her desires but knew that it would only be safe to be fully realized after her death. She left the door open for us, as readers. You will sit here, some quiet Summer night, Listening to the puffing trains, But you will not be lonely, For these things are a part of me. And my love will go on speaking to you Through the chairs, and the tables, and the pictures, As it does now through my voice, And the quick, necessary touch of my hand. (From “Penumbra” by Amy Lowell) As scholars and poets, Mary and Lillian came together to create this homage not only to Amy Lowell but to her long-time relationship with Ada Russel. So much care was paid to this union that it is Ada’s photo that graces the cover. In Mary’s 27 response sonnets, the reader is offered an opportunity to have the veil lifted somewhat– maybe even to afford Lowell the transparency she craved. Who among us does not want to celebrate our love for another person? Who does not want to jump up, yell it from the rooftops? Maybe Lowell trusted that her poetry memorialized their relationship and that her declarations of love would truly be understood long after she and Russel were gone from the physical world. And even in the daylight sky, your streams Of light show through the ruling blue, and give, Making the world more hopeful than it seems. Inside my lines, your love and beauty live, Etched in my books, with nothing to forgive Or be forgiven for, an ancient light That lasts forever. You should know, I give My fortune, house, and heart, to keep you bright When I am gone. (From “Sonnet 27” by Mary Meriam) For any who wished to understand more about Amy Lowell and her work, who felt the gaping holes in the teaching of her writing and life, should pick up this collection. The poet is honored by showing plainly her reverence and desire for Ada Russel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Lady of the Moon (Headmistress Press, 2015), the reader is graced not only with the poetry of Amy Lowell, but with sonnets in response and a scholarly essay on the poet’s life, love, and work. Amy Lowell lived and wrote in a time when she could not be entirely herself, could not fully claim her rightful space among the great writers of love poetry and celebrations of the beloved. She had to reveal her truths by hiding them. As much as she cloaked her work, shifted genders of speaker and beloved, the truth of the poems resonate now as unabashed declarations of love and desire for her partner, Ada Russel. This collection places the relationship with Russel at the forefront in such a way that it honors what could not be honored before. But this is true of most of the work published by Headmistress Press: necessary voices are given the mic before it is too late, a safe space is offered for rumination on gender, sexuality, and all spectrums of identification, and the work of poets like Amy Lowell is given the truthful and critical analysis it deserved while the poet was living. We know that Amy Lowell wanted to be understood better as a poet. She did not want to hide her love, her body, or her desires but knew that it would only be safe to be fully realized after her death. She left the door open for us, as readers. You will sit here, some quiet Summer night, Listening to the puffing trains, But you will not be lonely, For these things are a part of me. And my love will go on speaking to you Through the chairs, and the tables, and the pictures, As it does now through my voice, And the quick, necessary touch of my hand. (From “Penumbra” by Amy Lowell) As scholars and poets, Mary and Lillian came together to create this homage not only to Amy Lowell but to her long-time relationship with Ada Russel. So much care was paid to this union that it is Ada’s photo that graces the cover. In Mary’s 27 response sonnets, the reader is offered an opportunity to have the veil lifted somewhat– maybe even to afford Lowell the transparency she craved. Who among us does not want to celebrate our love for another person? Who does not want to jump up, yell it from the rooftops? Maybe Lowell trusted that her poetry memorialized their relationship and that her declarations of love would truly be understood long after she and Russel were gone from the physical world. And even in the daylight sky, your streams Of light show through the ruling blue, and give, Making the world more hopeful than it seems. Inside my lines, your love and beauty live, Etched in my books, with nothing to forgive Or be forgiven for, an ancient light That lasts forever. You should know, I give My fortune, house, and heart, to keep you bright When I am gone. (From “Sonnet 27” by Mary Meriam) For any who wished to understand more about Amy Lowell and her work, who felt the gaping holes in the teaching of her writing and life, should pick up this collection. The poet is honored by showing plainly her reverence and desire for Ada Russel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Lady of the Moon (Headmistress Press, 2015), the reader is graced not only with the poetry of Amy Lowell, but with sonnets in response and a scholarly essay on the poet’s life, love, and work. Amy Lowell lived and wrote in a time when she could not be entirely herself, could not fully claim her rightful space among the great writers of love poetry and celebrations of the beloved. She had to reveal her truths by hiding them. As much as she cloaked her work, shifted genders of speaker and beloved, the truth of the poems resonate now as unabashed declarations of love and desire for her partner, Ada Russel. This collection places the relationship with Russel at the forefront in such a way that it honors what could not be honored before. But this is true of most of the work published by Headmistress Press: necessary voices are given the mic before it is too late, a safe space is offered for rumination on gender, sexuality, and all spectrums of identification, and the work of poets like Amy Lowell is given the truthful and critical analysis it deserved while the poet was living. We know that Amy Lowell wanted to be understood better as a poet. She did not want to hide her love, her body, or her desires but knew that it would only be safe to be fully realized after her death. She left the door open for us, as readers. You will sit here, some quiet Summer night, Listening to the puffing trains, But you will not be lonely, For these things are a part of me. And my love will go on speaking to you Through the chairs, and the tables, and the pictures, As it does now through my voice, And the quick, necessary touch of my hand. (From “Penumbra” by Amy Lowell) As scholars and poets, Mary and Lillian came together to create this homage not only to Amy Lowell but to her long-time relationship with Ada Russel. So much care was paid to this union that it is Ada’s photo that graces the cover. In Mary’s 27 response sonnets, the reader is offered an opportunity to have the veil lifted somewhat– maybe even to afford Lowell the transparency she craved. Who among us does not want to celebrate our love for another person? Who does not want to jump up, yell it from the rooftops? Maybe Lowell trusted that her poetry memorialized their relationship and that her declarations of love would truly be understood long after she and Russel were gone from the physical world. And even in the daylight sky, your streams Of light show through the ruling blue, and give, Making the world more hopeful than it seems. Inside my lines, your love and beauty live, Etched in my books, with nothing to forgive Or be forgiven for, an ancient light That lasts forever. You should know, I give My fortune, house, and heart, to keep you bright When I am gone. (From “Sonnet 27” by Mary Meriam) For any who wished to understand more about Amy Lowell and her work, who felt the gaping holes in the teaching of her writing and life, should pick up this collection. The poet is honored by showing plainly her reverence and desire for Ada Russel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A blessing often does not come in the form that we expect. In our text, Mary was engaged to be wed. She was expecting the wedding celebration that was the custom of the time. IN this time, Mary was visited by an Angel who tells her that she is highly favored. This blessing would not look like she would expect. When we think of God's blessing, we are hoping that God will give us things that will make life easier. However, often the blessing puts into a situation of conflict or turmoil. In Mary's case, she was not married and she would now have to live with the stigma of a single woman who was pregnant. Mary was not doubt spritual and devout. However her blessing took the form that would be a burden and a challenge to her life. The story of Joseph is another example of this. From the time that God gave Joseph the vision of the other sheves bowing down to his, Joseph's life took a path that cannot be described as a blessing. He was sold into slavery. He was lied on and cast into prison. The bible tell us that Joseph was tried, but not by humans. He was tried by God's word. During these long years, Joseph must have had doubts, but He remained true to the promise that God had given him. The pathway that leads to promise is evident in the stories of Mary and Joseph. Both of these people submitted to God's will. The burden we carry may in fact be God's blessing to our life because that unwanted burden will bring about the blessing that we desire. The only way that some will reach the throne is through the prison. We all want the blessing. Blessings will come with a struggle. Knowing that; Can you stand to be blessed?

On the feast of the Annunciation to the Mother of God, we celebrate the good news that Jesus takes on human flesh from the womb of the Virgin Mary. In Mary's faithfulness, she becomes the icon of all believers who strive to live life in total obedience to God.

In Mary's story we see similarities and differences to Elizabeth's story. One builds upon the other. Mary - a young girl in a very frightening and difficult position - shows us what an authentic human response to Christmas can be. If we are looking for a different kind of Christmas this year, we need only look to this young girl for advice.

In Mary's story we see similarities and differences to Elizabeth's story. One builds upon the other. Mary - a young girl in a very frightening and difficult position - shows us what an authentic human response to Christmas can be. If we are looking for a different kind of Christmas this year, we need only look to this young girl for advice.

In Mary's song, she proclaims that God has touched the poor but has rejected the rich. That he has chosen to humble people of power while lifting up the humble. In other words, those who look like they deserve the blessings of God miss out on them. The Kingdom of God is one that is upside down. It is the great reversal that does not make sense to our power-hungry and money-crazed world. God's view of success evaluates life much differently. The world sees money and power as the sign of success. In the Kingdom, success is defined by what you do with them.

In Mary's song, she proclaims that God has touched the poor but has rejected the rich. That he has chosen to humble people of power while lifting up the humble. In other words, those who look like they deserve the blessings of God miss out on them. The Kingdom of God is one that is upside down. It is the great reversal that does not make sense to our power-hungry and money-crazed world. God's view of success evaluates life much differently. The world sees money and power as the sign of success. In the Kingdom, success is defined by what you do with them.