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Do you ever wonder why you can't seem to stick to your exercise plan? Do you feel like you just don't really have the time or energy to get enough exercise each day?    You probably know how important getting exercise is for you physically and you may even understand the mental benefits of it too…but that hasn't made it any easier to get moving has it?    I want to talk today about 3 ways you can add more movement to your day-to-day even if you have always struggled to consistently follow an exercise routine or workout plan.    BUT before I share those, I want to talk for a minute about WHY you might be struggling to follow an exercise plan…    Because the hard truth is that you're likely believing something about exercise that isn't totally true or doesn't have to be true for you in the season you're in.   So tune in today as I unpack these simple strategies to help you find exercise you enjoy, a routine you enjoy, and how you can stay motivated by keeping God at the center of it!    I pray this blesses you as you continue living healthy and empowered!    In Joy, Lauren      Ways to Connect with Me: Have you grabbed your FREE guide yet? It's called 5 Ways Christian Moms Can Live Healthy and it's filled with practical ways you can start (or restart) your healthy lifestyle on a solid foundation. Download it here for free: lauren-joyce.com/resources    I love to hear all the feedback from listeners, email me at lauren@lauren-joyce.com   Want to know more about me and what I do? Visit my website at healthyandempoweredliving.com   Need to connect with others on the journey and support and encouragement where you're at? Join our FREE Joyful Health for Christian Moms FB Community: bit.ly/joyfulhealthforchristianmoms   It would make my day to hear from you! Will you be so kind as to leave a quick review here.

Have you ever felt like you have too much to do to actually change habits when it comes to living healthy?  Do you feel like you don't ever have the energy you need to actually workout and eat right?  Prioritizing your health is challenging, especially when you don't feel like you have the time or energy you need! But it's possible! You want to prioritize yourself, you want to grow in your relationship with God, you want to show up as your best for your family... BUT HOW when you have so much to do and so little time? HOW when you can't get a good night's sleep and have no energy for the necessities let alone living healthy? I'm sharing from my heart today a word that the Lord gave me out of conviction for how I was using my time and energy. I had to start asking myself some hard questions to determine whether the things I was doing in my everyday life were actually aligning with how God wanted me to live and who God created me to be.  Tune in today for a quick encouragement from the wisdom shared by Jesus in Mark 10 and learn exactly how to use your time and energy effectively.  Grab a notebook and your Bible and get ready for a heart check as I share from my own personal conviction in this area of my life and health and how you can learn from it.  I pray this blesses you as you continue living healthy and empowered!  In Joy, Lauren    Ways to Connect with Me: Have you grabbed your FREE guide yet? It's called 5 Ways Christian Moms Can Live Healthy and it's filled with practical ways you can start (or restart) your healthy lifestyle on a solid foundation. Download it here for free: lauren-joyce.com/resources  I love to hear all the feedback from listeners, email me at lauren@lauren-joyce.com Want to know more about me and what I do? Visit my website at healthyandempoweredliving.com Need to connect with others on the journey and support and encouragement where you're at? Join our FREE Joyful Health for Christian Moms FB Community: bit.ly/joyfulhealthforchristianmoms It would make my day to hear from you! Will you be so kind as to leave a quick review here.

Do you feel like the holiday season tends to be where all diets go to die? Are you sick of the frustration that comes with not being able to enjoy the season because you're too busy worrying about how to recover and get back on track once it's over? I don't think it has to be that way and it shouldn't be that way because the holidays should be an enjoyable time of celebration and family and yes, even yummy foods that you don't eat the rest of the year.  Here's something short and sweet to encourage you as you go into the holiday season. I want to try and make this a quick episode because I know how busy the holiday season can be. So, whether you're making sure you have everything to host your very first holiday meal at your house OR wondering what the best thing to bring to the meals you were invited to is… ONE thing I know, you don't want to be worrying about your own eating, the weight you'll likely gain, or having to throw in the towel on your diet AGAIN. I've got you covered today with 3 super simple healthy eating tips to help you feel your best this holiday season.  AND stay tuned until the end because I also want to share with you my #1 mindset shift that will make every holiday season a success!  I pray this blesses you as you continue living healthy and empowered!  In Joy, Lauren    Ways to Connect with Me: Have you grabbed your FREE guide yet? It's called 5 Ways Christian Moms Can Live Healthy and it's filled with practical ways you can start (or restart) your healthy lifestyle on a solid foundation. Download it here for free: lauren-joyce.com/resources  I love to hear all the feedback from listeners, email me at lauren@lauren-joyce.com Want to know more about me and what I do? Visit my website at healthyandempoweredliving.com Need to connect with others on the journey and support and encouragement where you're at? Join our FREE Joyful Health for Christian Moms FB Community: bit.ly/joyfulhealthforchristianmoms It would make my day to hear from you! Will you be so kind as to leave a quick review here  

Do you feel like you're in an exhausting up and down cycle of failure or inconsistency in your health journey? Have you been relying on willpower in your health journey and trying to do all the right things with no success? Would you rather experience freedom and joy in your health and truly learn to get healthy from the inside out once and for all? I'm excited to share some insights the Lord showed me from John 21 about how leaning on Jesus in your health journey, listening for His voice rather than the world's, can give you the perseverance and motivation you need to continue forward no matter the circumstances of life or the season of change you're going through.  The journey to a healthy life can be simple, but unless you're doing it in partnership with God, you will never see the "results" you're looking for or find the freedom and joy God wants for you in your health.  So whether your season of change is something smaller like beginning the school year, entering a busy holiday season, or going on summer break OR something bigger like transitioning to more kids at home with you or moving to a new house, I leave you with this challenge today:  Ask yourself where God is in your health journey? And then follow that with asking yourself why you're trying to get healthy? I pray this blesses you as you continue living healthy and empowered!  In Joy, Lauren  Ways to Connect with Me: Have you grabbed your FREE guide yet? It's called 5 Ways Christian Moms Can Live Healthy and it's filled with practical ways you can start (or restart) your healthy lifestyle on a solid foundation. Download it here for free: lauren-joyce.com/resources  I love to hear all the feedback from listeners, email me at lauren@lauren-joyce.com Want to know more about me and what I do? Visit my website at healthyandempoweredliving.com Need to connect with others on the journey and support and encouragement where you're at? Join our FREE Joyful Health for Christian Moms FB Community: bit.ly/joyfulhealthforchristianmoms It would make my day to hear from you! Will you be so kind as to leave a quick review here  

As a mom, do you take care of yourself FIRST or at all? Do you find guilt taking over whenever you do anything for yourself? Maybe out of habit you find yourself thinking that your family needs all the things and THEN you'll think about taking care of yourself! BUT the truth is, you weren't meant to eat only scraps from your kids plate, run around town as a ball of stress trying to get your kids to every activity, or let anything come before your relationship with the Lord.  Yep, I said it.  Your health, your family and friends, and the Lord NEED you to take care of yourself.  And when you think about it, a healthy family really does have to start with you, momma! Don't worry though, it's not as hard as you might be thinking. Today, I'm sharing a few reasons WHY taking care of yourself has to be your top priority and the top 3 things I recommend starting with.  I pray this blesses you on your journey of healthy and empowered living!  In Joy, Lauren    Ways to Connect with Me: Have you grabbed your FREE guide yet? It's called 5 Ways Christian Moms Can Live Healthy and it's filled with practical ways you can start (or restart) your healthy lifestyle on a solid foundation. Download it here for free: lauren-joyce.com/resources  I love to hear all the feedback from listeners, email me at lauren@lauren-joyce.com Want to know more about me and what I do? Visit my website at healthyandempoweredliving.com Need to connect with others on the journey and support and encouragement where you're at? Join our FREE Joyful Health for Christian Moms FB Community: bit.ly/joyfulhealthforchristianmoms It would make my day to hear from you! Will you be so kind as to leave a quick review here

Today I'm talking about one of the top things I hear from moms like YOU about what SHOULD be done when it comes to living healthy. And that's meal planning and food prepping!  Maybe you know deep down that meal planning and food prepping can save you time and money in the long run BUT you just don't really understand quite how.  Maybe you've tried so many different strategies but just haven't been able to find that consistent routine that works for you.  I want to say today that I see you. And I've totally been there!  I want to share with you today 3 ways that meal planning and food prepping actually saves you time and money and then share my best tip to get you started and keep you going on this healthy habit you're so desiring to make a part of your lifestyle.  I pray this blesses you on your journey to healthy and empowered living!  Ways to Connect with Me: Have you grabbed your FREE guide yet? It's called 5 Ways Christian Moms Can Live Healthy and it's filled with practical ways you can start (or restart) your healthy lifestyle on a solid foundation. Download it here for free: lauren-joyce.com/resources  I love to hear all the feedback from listeners, email me at lauren@lauren-joyce.com Curious if my 12 Weeks to Joyful Health Coaching Program is right for you? Learn more or sign up now at lauren-joyce.com/programsignup  Unsure if working together might be the best next step in your health journey? Book a FREE Call at bit.ly/ljdiscoverycall Want to know more about me and what I do? Visit my website at healthyandempoweredliving.com Need to connect with others on the journey and support and encouragement where you're at? Join our FREE Joyful Health for Christian Moms FB Community: bit.ly/joyfulhealthforchristianmoms It would make my day to hear from you! Will you be so kind as to leave a quick review here  

If you are ready to break up with dieting for good and finally get off the emotional rollercoaster of trying all the different programs out there…  If you're ready to start getting healthy the right way, on a solid foundation…  If you're curious to hear more about what your relationship with God has to do with you living healthy..  Then you're in the right place! Hey there, I have a special episode for you today that's a little different than usual. I participated in a virtual event called the Everyday Disciple summit a few months ago where I was interviewed by fellow coach Cat Sharp.  I got the recording from her because it was SO good I wanted to be able to share it with you! So again, this episode is me being interviewed by Cat and let me just say that we cover some pretty amazing topics in this 30 or so minute interview.  We chat about everything from what discipleship means as a mother to how to truly break free from the feelings of shame and guilt around your health choices.  I pray this blesses you.  Connect with Cat Sharp Facebook: facebook.com/catsharpcoaching Instagram: instagram.com/catsharpcoaching Website: catsharp.com Ways to Connect with Me: Have you grabbed your FREE guide yet? It's called 5 Ways Christian Moms Can Live Healthy and it's filled with practical ways you can start (or restart) your healthy lifestyle on a solid foundation. Download it here for free: lauren-joyce.com/resources  I love to hear all the feedback from listeners, email me at lauren@lauren-joyce.com Curious if my 12 Weeks to Joyful Health Coaching Program is right for you? Learn more or sign up now at lauren-joyce.com/programsignup  Unsure if working together might be the best next step in your health journey? Book a FREE Call at bit.ly/ljdiscoverycall Want to know more about me and what I do? Visit my website at healthyandempoweredliving.com Need to connect with others on the journey and support and encouragement where you're at? Join our FREE Joyful Health for Christian Moms FB Community: bit.ly/joyfulhealthforchristianmoms It would make my day to hear from you! Will you be so kind as to leave a quick review here

Do you ever just feel like you're too tired to exercise? Have you felt too overwhelmed by the idea of adding one more thing to your to-do list each day?  Yep, I've been there. It can be so hard to make getting exercise a priority when it feels like you have zero energy or too many other things to do already!  BUT I do want to say that I truly believe that exercising doesn't have to be as complicated as I think we sometimes make it in our heads and that you can actually get more energy by exercising regularly!  Today's episode is jam packed with Biblical perspective and encouragement about exercise, reasons why regular exercise actually gives you more energy AND some practical tips that you can start implementing today!  I pray you are blessed and encouraged by this and I'm grateful for the chance to speak into your life for a few minutes today!  In Joy, Lauren    Ways to Connect with Me: Have you grabbed your FREE guide yet? It's called 5 Ways Christian Moms Can Live Healthy and it's filled with practical ways you can start (or restart) your healthy lifestyle on a solid foundation. Download it here for free: lauren-joyce.com/resources  I love to hear all the feedback from listeners, email me at lauren@lauren-joyce.com Curious if my 12 Weeks to Joyful Health Coaching Program is right for you? Learn more or sign up now at lauren-joyce.com/programsignup  Unsure if working together might be the best next step in your health journey? Book a FREE Call at bit.ly/ljdiscoverycall Want to know more about me and what I do? Visit my website at healthyandempoweredliving.com Need to connect with others on the journey and support and encouragement where you're at? Join our FREE Joyful Health for Christian Moms FB Community: bit.ly/joyfulhealthforchristianmoms It would make my day to hear from you! Will you be so kind as to leave a quick review here

I could feel all of the emotions coming up for me during this podcast conversation. And for anyone who has ever gone through ANXIETY, major LIFE changes, or has ever felt STUCK-- THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU! Georgie Hubbard quite literally blew my mind with her stories, her zest for life, and her true grit and passion to serve others. She is committed to a lifelong vision of personal growth, and she shares everything she learns along the way. Georgie comes to us as an Australian-based podcaster, and is the Co-Founder of CH Solutions AND the Mind-Body to Lead. Georgie is featured on the Business Insider Top 20 Mindful Leaders and their program continues to grow and flourish. Her programs helps busy professionals obtain and create the tools and lifestyle that helps lead them to overall success through the 3 to Lead: Movement, Mindset and Meals! Some of the major "A-ha" Moments: How to work through fear and change by using the Best Case, Worst Case, Likely Case exercise (listen to the episode for details on how to do this! Trust me, it's a game-changer.) Most anxiety can start to be healed when we get quiet with ourselves, and CLEAR about what we want. Then... take action. Manifestation - Get as clear as possible on your desires and visions and TRUST your intuition (and that you WILL find a way to figure it out), and go for it!!!!!!! This will be an episode I will listen back on forever. Check out Georgie Hubbard at the links here: Facebook: www.facebook.com/georgielhubbard/ Website: https://www.mindbodytolead.com/ YouTube: Mind Body To Lead Podcast Resources: The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying; Bronnie Ware The Happiness Advantage; Shawn Achor The Universe Has Your Back; Gabrielle Bernstein Connect with Me: Have we connected yet? If not, we need to! Jump on over to: www.valerielynnconsulting.com and let's get in touch! I love hearing from YOU so please also come hang out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-lynn-5aa73b1b/ or on Instagram at: www.instagram.com/valerielynnconsulting Topic or Guest Speaker suggestions? Send me an idea or let me know if you'd like to be a guest on the show by emailing me: valerielynnconsulting@gmail.com. Credit - Music by: Nimbus --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/valerielynnconsulting/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/valerielynnconsulting/support

The Questions About CBD You Want Answers To What is CBD? What are the benefits of CBD? How to use CBD? What factors should I consider when buying CBD? What are the benefits of CBD? Why choose organic CBD? CBD and Me Have you ever done something that you swore you'd never do? Well, that's exactly what happened to me recently. I was introduced to a CBD product and saw the results and just had to jump on board. It's still mind-boggling to me… In fact, it's a double whammy. As a former pharmacist, I have always been skeptical of anything that wasn't FDA approved but was being used for medicinal purposes.  It didn't matter if it was organic or not, the fact that it hadn't been regulated caused me to hesitate. Until my friend, Cori introduced me to Green Compass Global CBD products. The results people are experiencing are mind-blowing. Here are the reasons I joined the team at Green Compass Global. First, it never hurts to have an additional revenue stream.  If 2020 taught us anything, it's that having multiple revenue streams is smart. Second, the company aligns with a few of my core values of faith, integrity, and service to others. Third, if I can help someone else find relief from ailments or sleep better, feel less anxious, or have less pain, I'm all in. I read a quote recently by Barbara Nakatomi – “If you want something better and different, be willing to do something better and different.” That resonated with me for this journey that I recently embarked on. About Sam, Tammie, and Cori and Their Relationships with CBD and Green Compass Global   About Cori Gochar Cori has a bachelor's degree in nursing and has been able to use her nursing background to help navigate through the last 23 years battling an autoimmune disease. She has done research in all areas of health and wellness, including, spiritual discipline, nutrition, yoga, and clean eating. Cori is passionate about total body wellness and looks at the human body as being composed of mind, body, and soul. Cori's recent discovery of the endocannabinoid system and pure, clean medical-grade CBD has furthered her wellness journey and she is so excited to have linked arms with Green Compass Global. Her passion is to share her knowledge with others so they can feel their very best ~mind, body, and soul. Cori knows she is blessed to be a blessing. She is the mother of four beautiful kids and the wife of a dentist. Cori finds joy in her faith and family. She considers herself as being a “hope dealer”. In everything, she does she always has her two perfect sidekicks ~her labrador retrievers Leroy and Nala! About Samantha Faile Samantha is a natural-born “helper.” She is a firm believer that credentials and job descriptions do not define her but they equip her with life lessons that she can share with others. Samantha has been a dancer since she could walk and became fascinated with the body and movement at an early age. Her path led her to explore athletic training during her short-lived college adventure at North Greenville University. Samantha found her soul mate 0f 24 years through her love for dance and music. Together they have 2 beautiful kids and she has a bonus son who has given them 4 awesome grandchildren. Samantha's passion for health, nutrition, and exercise led her to become a certified instructor for Gold's Gym. There she helped clients for over 10 years develop healthy lifelong habits as well as a love for fitness. Samantha's studies and fascination for nutrition served her well. She used that knowledge to help her own son who was diagnosed with a neurological disorder at an early age. Her faith in God and his genius of giving us plant-based medicine and holistic approaches have allowed her son, who is now 17, to be on the other side of that disorder without prescriptions. Samantha's mission is to share her experiences with others in hopes of helping them and their families. She truly believes it is possible to live your best life through natural approaches to healing and wellness. Her motto is “farm first and pharma last.” After much research, she has now partnered with an amazing CBD company that is changing lives and she gets to work individually with each business partner and customer to see them achieve incredible results. About Tammie Epley Tammie is a wife and homeschool mom of 2 who loves sharing the gospel and Jesus. She has worked in the healthcare industry as a Respiratory Therapist for 15 years and has a passion for helping others. About CBD CBD stands for cannabidiol, one of many cannabinoids in both marijuana and hemp. There are actually over a hundred cannabinoids but the two most talked about are CBD and THC. THC is marijuana. It has psychoactive effects and makes you high. Unlike THC, CBD is non-psychoactive, it does not make you high. THC and CBD are two varieties of the same plant. Hemp was bred to provide high levels of CBD and very low levels of THC, only 0.3%. CBD is projected to be a $22 billion industry by 2022. Hemp is lawful. What Factors Should Be Considered When Buying CBD Products Quality – highest grade raw materials, pure, natural, organic, and effective Farming – organic and domestic Transparency – Does the company you are purchasing from share ingredients, extraction methods, and farming practices. Reliability – Does the company you are purchasing from offer a money-back guarantee? Some Of The Benefits of CBD Include Anti-inflammatory Antioxidant – helps modulate the immune system It can alleviate pain and reduce muscular tension Improved social interactions by helping to alleviate anxious feelings For pets, it helps with maintaining healthy hips and joints and a sense of calm. How to Use CBD CBD can be used in low doses as a supplement or in higher doses for more therapeutic effects. The key to dosing CBD is to start low and go slow. Cori's Journey with CBD and Green Compass Global She needed answers and hope. For 23 years Cori has been battling an autoimmune disease that has affected a lot of her organs and has had to be on high-risk drugs and her outlook was that she would have to be on them for the rest of her life. Through prayer, Tammie introduced CBD to Cori. Cori was skeptical that a little plant would help her body.  She'd been on so many strong medications, but since there was a 30-day money-back guarantee she decided to try it. After a week or two, Cori discovered that she felt good, she was less anxious, slept better, and had fewer aches and pains. The best news came when Cori's doctor said she wouldn't have to do chemotherapy this month because her blood work was so pristine. Her life is completely changed and she is grateful to God for such a miraculous blessing. CBD May Not Have the Same Effect For Everyone We need to put a caveat on Cori's testimony for CBD. Every person who tries CBD will experience different results depending on what is going on within their body. It's also important to note that Cori was using Green Compass Global CBD and results may vary with other products that aren't manufactured the way Green Compass products are. Personal Branding Cori gave the perfect example of building the know love and trust factor as a direct sales representative.  Trust determines buying practices. Similarly,if you want to attract clients, you have to build a personal brand and build the know love and trust factor. Learn more about personal branding here. Sam As a former fitness training and someone who studied nutrition, Sam believes plants first pharma second. When her son was diagnosed with a neurological disorder, she decided to forgo pharmaceuticals and use nutrition and at that time was introduced to CBD oil. At this time, there is no sign of neurological disease. Sam is an enneagram 2, which means she's a helper. She was struggling to sleep and the needs of those around her were keeping her awake at night. As she researched things to help her sleep, she began to try CBD products. When she found Green Compass CBD, she was taking 2800 mg of CBD a day. She was finally feeling in charge of her emotions and able to sleep. When Sam tried Green Compass CBD, she was shocked at how effective it was at such a low dose. Her cousin told Sam to start off at the 500mg/ml bottle and use .25ml.  Sam took ¼ of a dropper three times a day and she was feeling great, rested, energized and less stressed. At that point, Sam introduced the Green Compass CBD to her mom and sister and when they started to see results, her cousin told her about the opportunity to join Green Compass. What sold Sam, was that there was no paperwork and it was direct sales, no middle person, so the cost can be low and the cost is the same for Green Compass representatives and all other consumers. Sam expressed how both customers and other representatives are seeing amazing results from the product and the company and that their lives are being changed. Tammie Anxiety has always been a crux for Tammie. She saw doctors and tried medications, but nothing worked. Hormonal imbalances and neck pain made Tammie desperate to find something to help her feel better. After the devastation of losing a pregnancy, she was at the darkest point of her life. Her friend stepped in to help Tammie and suggested CBD. Like Cori, Tammie was skeptical. She had tried CBD before, but it didn't work. Her friend introduced her to Green Compass Global CBD and she was very impressed with the product and became fascinated with how the endocannabinoid system works. After three weeks of starting the CBD, she started sleeping better, her skin was better, and her neck no longer hurt. At that point, she wanted to become part of Green Compass Global so that she could share the CBD with everyone she knew. The better she felt, the more she wanted to share it. The other thing Tammie loves about Green Compass Global is the fact that it is a new company and a ground floor opportunity. Tammie believes Green Compass Global CBD products are amazing. Likewise, Tammie shared that the compensation plan is amazing. Like Cori, Green Compass Global CBD has changed Tammie's life. Why Using Organic CBD Is Important You want organic CBD because the hemp plant absorbs toxins from the environment. If it is not organic, you could be putting toxins in your body which defeats the purpose. Learn More About Your Host, Robyn Graham, Click HERE. To learn about The Brand Marketing Insider by Robyn Graham, click HERE. Join the Female Entrepreneur Insider Facebook Group HERE. Book a Brand Marketing Strategy Session HERE. Ask Me Anything HERE. Connect with me, Robyn Graham: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest Robyn's Green Compass Global Website Connect with and learn more about Cori: Instagram: www.instagram.com/cgochar6 Facebook: www.facebook.com/corineubauergochar Connect with and learn more about Sam: Instagram: www.instagram.com/samanthafaile Facebook: www.facebook.com/samanthafaile Connect with and learn more about Tammie: Instagram: www.instagram.com/tammieleigh Facebook: www.facebook.com/tammieepley

Hearts That Praise Luke 1:46-56 Exegetical Main Point: At Elizabeth’s blessing, Mary’s soul turns from wonder to praise. God’s personal care for Mary and for His people causes joyful praise to erupt from her heart. Main Point of the Sermon: When we see God and self rightly, we will praise greatly. Me: Have you ever wondered why Christians sing so much? Why do we make singing such a large part of our gatherings? While I always enjoyed the singing that I grew up around in church it took a while before it really clicked for me. I would watch people who had no sense of pitch sing, if you can call it that, at the top of their lungs to God. I didn’t think it was beautiful. I thought it was comical. My brothers and I would sometimes sit behind those individuals purposefully just to get a good laugh during service. Sometimes my mom would get caught up in the fun too, and I’d see my dad nudging my mom to stop, if he wasn’t up on stage leading. I was telling some of the guys this morning about the churches that I grew up in – sometimes I’d even see people take off running down the aisles because they were so overcome by joy in the Lord. I’ve been a lot of different denominations worship services. I’ve seen a lot. I’ve seen people laugh, cry, lay on their faces, shout, dance, wave flags, pray and sing in spontaneous tongues, you name it. While I liked it, I didn’t always get it. But it clicked for me as a teenager. At the revelation of my sin and God’s grace that swallowed it all up, I couldn’t help but sing. My heart became like a geyser ready to explode out of my lips. In fact, at times it felt like my body would lift off of the ground because of joy my soul felt. Minus the flag waving – I’ve experienced all of these forms of worship, whether private or in public worship. When you see God and self rightly, you cannot help but praise. We: Whether you can relate with singing or dancing, every human can relate to this in life generally. When you see something spectacular, like the grand canyon, or an amazing sunset, or a gorgeous bride coming down the aisle, what do you do? You talk about! You tell others. Humans cannot help but overflow with praise for the things that we love. We cannot help but respond when we see beauty. The Bible tells us that similar responses come from humans when we see something amazing not with our eyes, but with our spirit. Remember Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians, where he prayed “that the eyes of [their] hearts would be enlightened…?” When we come to see with our spiritual eyes how great God is and how much he has given to us, our souls cannot help but erupt in praise to God. When we see God and self rightly, we will praise greatly. So, let me ask you today, does the Gospel cause your heart to overflow in praise? Is your praise weak and small? Do you find more joy at a Vikings game or over that video game, or… fill in the blank? If this is true, it’s quite possible that your view of God is small. What he’s done and will do doesn’t impress you. If that’s you today how do we move from a place of stagnation to joyful and expressive praise? Today’s text gives us some powerful clues on how. Text: Context: In the previous weeks, we’ve unpacked Luke’s telling of the infancy narrative. First, John’s birth was prophesied. Then Mary received news from Gabriel that she would have a child who would be king. And last week we read that Mary went to visit Elizabeth. When she got there she found Elizabeth pregnant just as the angel had said. And at Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, proclaimed blessing over her and her child, even calling her newly conceived child “my Lord”. For her own baby had leaped with joy at the approach of Mary and her child. As Elizabeth spoke these words over Mary, Mary’s wonder, perhaps fear, over all that had been told to her concerning her son turned suddenly into a song of praise erupting from her soul! Mary’s sight of God’s grace caused praise 46-47 Luke records her song. Let’s look together: 46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, Mary’s praise sounds like the Psalms. Psalm 69:30 reads, “I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.” This word “magnifies” in the original language means “to make great”. That is, Mary is praising God’s greatness. She is rejoicing in her Savior. I love the way John Piper talks about magnifying God. He writes, “There are two kinds of magnifying: microscope magnifying and telescope magnifying. The one makes a small thing look bigger than it is. The other makes a big thing begin to look as big as it really is. When David [or Mary] says, “I will magnify God with thanksgiving,” he does not mean, “I will make a small God look bigger than he is.” He means, “I will make a big God begin to look as big as he really is.” We are not called to be microscopes. We are called to be telescopes…”[1] I think Mary’s song magnifies God like a telescope. Seeing God’s enormous grace given to her, a lowly teenage girl causes her to talk about God’s true greatness. She knows she is a sinner in need of a Savior, but sees an incredible God who brings her and all the world salvation through her newly conceived child, Jesus. When Mary sees God and self rightly, she cannot help praise greatly. Hannah’s Song: Mary’s is most likely drawing from Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2, another woman who praised God’s greatness when she saw him intervene in her life. Listen to the opening lines of Hannah’s song: “My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. “There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. Out of teenage Mary’s heart flowed praises from the Scriptures. Is that how you praise God, teens? Is that how you praise God, church? Remembering God’s faithfulness to others in the stories of old is perhaps the best way to deepen our faith in God’s goodness to us. This is why it’s so important that we memorize and internalize the Bible. Praise like Mary’s, like Hannah’s, comes from spiritual sight, birthed out of meditation on God’s present, past, even future faithfulness. This is why Mary says “my soul” praises, “my spirit” rejoices. Having encountered God, her whole being, spirit and body, is erupting with praise to God. Transition: Mary is beginning to understand all that God had done and would do for her. And when she came to understand, she didn’t stay silent. She didn’t keep meditating. She spoke! She sang! She couldn’t help but praise God. And hear me on this: she praised God for specific things. Do you praise God for specific things that he has done? 1) Mary praised God for his personal care 2) and for God’s care for her people, Israel. Let’s see it. Verse 48 Praises for God’s Personal Care 48-49 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, When you see the word “for” at the beginning of a sentence in Scripture, it is usually grounding a statement that has come before it. It answers the question “why is your soul praising God” with the reason, with the “because”. She praises becauseGod has seen her and visited her with abundant grace! Because even the “mighty” God knows the lowly. He knew the poor virgin teenager and gave her such a great gift: to bear and mother the Son of God. As a result of this child all generations would call her blessed, as indeed we do today! Mary’s heart overflows in praise because she sees that such a mighty God, the creator, the ruler of the universe chose her. This understanding of God should make us praise just like it did Mary. Do you know how mighty God is. Yet, he knows you. He chose you for his family, for his mission. If this doesn’t make you praise than you may not know just how much grace has been shown to you. Mary adds at the end of verse 49, “and holy is his name.” Like Hannah, Mary grounds God’s kindness toward her in his character. Why has God been so good to Mary? Because his name is holy. God’s “name” represents his being, his character. Holiness is one of many aspects of God’s character. God’s holiness usually makes us think of his moral perfection, but holiness here should not be limited to that. It is so much more! God’s holiness doesn’t leave him separate from the world on his throne looking down saying, “you pitiful sinners”. His holiness moves him to act on behalf of the lowly and against the unrighteous according to his covenant promises.[2] Because God is holy he cannot lie. He cannot go against his promises to save his people and to judge the ungodly. God’s holiness is the reason hell exists. His holiness is the reason you and I can be assured of our salvation if we are trusting Jesus alone for it. Why does God care for me and for you? Because his name is holy. Perhaps you are struggling today to believe that God actually does care for you. God obviously did something great for Mary, but what has he done for me, Daniel? Oh friend, if you are a follower of Christ then you are God’s beloved child, if you don’t see his care for you even in your poverty, in your loneliness, in your pain, can’t you see what he has done? In coming to Mary in this way, as a baby, God was getting into your skin, into your pain, into your poverty, into your loneliness. In coming to Mary, a lowly peasant girl, God is proving his steadfast love to all of us – especially the meek and broken. I pray now that God will give you spiritual sight to see and believe this. In coming to Mary, he has come to you. Who is like our God? This should cause us to praise greatly! Amen? Transition: Mary praises God for his personal care for her. Now let’s look at her praises for God’s care for his people. Let’s look at verse 50. Praise for God’s Care for His People 50-55 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. Steadfast Love: Mary’s praise turns from first person pronouns to third person. His mercy is for “those” who fear God. This passage parallels Psalm 103:17 closely, which says, “The steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children… This word “mercy” in verse 50 could be translated steadfast love, coming from the Hebrew word hesed, which denotes the covenant faithfulness of God. God’s steadfast love and mercy never ceasesfor the one who is in relationship with God. Those who bow in reverence to God like Mary, those who know the grace that has been poured out on them, can be sure that God will never fail them, never leave them. It’s hard to compare this faithfulness to anything on earth, but the best I can do is to compare it to a mother, who’s compassion for their child, keeps them coming at their call even when they are disobeying, when their fears are irrational, when they are overreacting, when there is nothing actually wrong. Oh Church, do you see the steadfastness of God’s love for you and for his people? This is a reason that our souls should praise him. Who is like our God? Let’s continue in verse 51 with Mary’s praises for God’s corporate care for Israel. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; Second Exodus: Mary, here, speaks of what God has done in having the Messiah be born by a lowly teenage girl. And whether she knows it or not, she is prophesying of what Jesus would bring about in his rule. This language about God’s strong biceps resembles Old Testament descriptions of God’s saving power displayed at the Exodus. Listen to how God described the coming deliverance of Israel to Moses in Exodus:“Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” What’s amazing about this statement by Mary is that she is attributing the same powerful personal rescue that God brought about in the Exodus to the coming birth of the Savior, Jesus! God would bring about judgment on Israel’s enemies. He would scatter “the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.” What she didn’t yet understand is how he would do this. Yes, Jesus would scatter Israel’s enemies like he did at the Exodus, but he would in fact start within the hearts of his own people. Jesus would lead a second exodus, setting people free from slavery to sin – setting us free from our own fleshly desires that keep us from God! God came near to Israel in Egypt and Pharaoh and all of his wise man and armies were no match for him. God comes near to humanity in the person of Jesus and the darkness of our sin is no match for the light of his presence. Make no mistake, while Jesus’s coming does mean mercy for the repentant, his presence will always shine light on pride in our hearts, on sin in our hearts. Today, Jesus’s message goes into all the earth and Scripture tells us that we will know who are enemies or friends of God based on their response to Jesus. Friends, God knows your thoughts. He knows whether you are rejecting him in thought or deed. God tests the heart of man. He knows what we are truly made of and he will judge accordingly (Jn 10:16). Verse 52 illustrates this point: 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. We have already seen this taking place in God’s description of John the Baptist and Jesus as great in contrast to King Herod “the great”. God decides who will be great. It would be easy to misinterpret this passage, and much of the Gospel of Luke for that matter, by thinking that God somehow hates the rich and loves the poor inevitably, like he is utterly opposed to someone taking a high position of leadership or ever growing in wealth. No, but what God hates is the pride that often comes with power, with wealth. What God hates is the oppressive leadership of the proud found throughout history. So why do we keep craving the power and wealth of the world? When we read in the sermon on the plain later in Luke, “blessed are the poor”, Luke is getting at much more than social and political realities, though they are also included. He is talking about the spiritually poor (the humble) and the spiritually rich (the proud). So where are you? Can you be categorized as the poor in spirit? If so, Jesus says you are blessed! Oh, but if this is not true of you, I urge you to repent before the Lord. Humble yourself before him before he brings you low in another way. Verse 54 continues the praises: 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” Verse 54 tells us that God sent his Son in “remembrance” of his promises to Abraham. That promise was that all the world would be blessed through his offspring! Galatians tells us that Jesus is that offspring. He is the salvation of the world! Israel waited for thousands of years for the Messiah. In the birth of Jesus, God has helped his servant Israel! In the birth of Jesus he has helped us! He will surely finish what he started. Who is like our God? Gospel Call: If you do not yet know Christ I hope you are beginning to see your need for help? I hope you are beginning to see that help comes through Jesus? He is the help you need! It’s just that simple. God knows what you need, sinner. God knows what you need, sufferer. You need a Savior. You need a perfect life, you need a substitute for the death you deserve for your sins against God. You need life to overcome death. You need Jesus Christ, who lived perfectly, died that death you deserved, and rose again. God sent his Son out of great love for us so that all who would believe on him would be saved – saved from sin, from Satan, and from the world. Find your help today in Jesus. Turn to him today if you do not know him and find help. Be baptized and join a family that will help you grow in your faith. Forgotten? If you think that your sin, your circumstances, your life is too far gone, that you are too far from God, hear me today: God doesn’t forget you. If he can rescue a nation, even the world, he can rescue you today. Doubt God’s love for you no more. He is not a God who will fall through on his promises. He is not one to go back on what he says, or fail to finish what he started. Oh church, take your eyes off yourself and look to the faithful God. If you have been joined to Christ through faith, you must know that even when you are faithless God is faithful. He cannot deny himself! (2 Tim 2:13). This is reason for us to praise God! Amen? Mary saw God clearly and recognized the amazing grace shown to her and to her people Israel, and as a result she couldn’t help but praise. So what about us? You: Church, don’t you see that God has shown you incredible grace and mercy? He has come so low for you, even being born in this weak flesh, bearing the weight of the world, its temptations and suffering, and dying the death that you deserve. Don’t you see that he is risen and reigning, preparing a place for you, indwelling you by his Spirit, interceding for you daily. Don’t you see God’s covenant faithfulness to you? You have a reason to sing! You have a reason to sing with joy and dancing and celebration! Allow me to finish the quote I started above from John Piper: The whole duty of the Christian can be summed up in this: feel, think, and act in a way that will make God look as great as he really is. Be a telescope for the world of the infinite starry wealth of the glory of God. This is what it means for a Christian to magnify God. But you can’t magnify what you haven’t seen or what you quickly forget. Therefore, our first task is to see and to remember the greatness and goodness of God. So we pray to God, “Open the eyes of my heart!” (Ephesians 1:18), and we preach to our souls, “Soul, forget not all his benefits!” (Psalm 103:2).”[3] We preach this glorious Gospel so that the eyes of your heart would be opened by the Spirit to see his greatness, so that you would not forget all his benefits in the midst of the trials of life, and so that your heart will respond in worship of our gracious and merciful God. Singing with heavy hearts: And church, if your heart is heavy, if you feel like you cannot rejoice today because you are still in the waiting season, you failed in that sin again this week, because you struggle to live without that loved one, or in this depression, cling to Jesus. He knows how to sympathize with you in your weakness. At Jesus’s last meal with his disciples, after revealing to Judas and Peter that they would betray him, after telling his disciples that he was about to be deserted by all and killed, Matthew’s Gospel reveals these words: 30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Jesus had a reason not to sing, he had just eaten his last meal and was headed for death. His soul was in such anguish that he would sweat drops of blood a short time later in the garden of Gethsemane. But his soul knew better. His heart knew that God was worthy of praise. His lips could not contain the Psalms of praise stored away in his heart. Even at the cross, they would come from his bloody and swollen lips. He knew God’s faithfulness, God’s goodness, and on your behalf, he sang to God the Father in faith. This Jesus lives in you, sufferer, to empower faith-filled praise in the face of evil. You don’t have to pretend you are happy, but Jesus invites you to come and sing to him in trust that he will comfort and restore you. We: This is why we gather throughout the week, to remind one another of these truths, in song, in word, in the Lord’s supper. We remember all that God has done while we wait for his second coming. Jesus Conclusion: Church, Jesus is surely coming back! And on that day we will join the heavenly chorus, with the angels, with Mary, with all the saints of old, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come… (Rev 19:6-8). Let your kids, your spouse, your co-workers, your class-mates and roommates see the greatness of God this week in the way that you praise him, even if in a song of lament. In faith filled expectation, let’s magnify his name together! We have a reason to praise! For he who is mighty has done great things for you and me! And holy is his name! Amen? [1]https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-to-magnify-god [2]Stein, R. H. (1992). Luke(Vol. 24, p. 92). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers. [3]https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-to-magnify-god

Tocco Divino Salon, 2626 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA 95204 Me: Well, good morning everyone. Today, I am in front of Tocco Divino and I'm going to get my hair cut. And we're going to talk with Melissa Sherwood. Right in here right now. Me: And as you can see Melissa took good care of me over in the chair. Me: This is kind of her grand opening, almost? We're getting closer. Melissa: The grand opening will be January, February. Me: January, February. Melissa: Yeah, so it’ll be a while before we’ll have that. We had to get the little details taken care of before we do that. Me: Well, there have been a lot of details as we've kind of moved through this process. That's for sure. This used to be an office building. And it took a little bit at the city. As well as here to make it the beautiful place it is now. Melissa: Oh, yes, it took from the time of signing four months of hard construction. Yeah. Yeah, it was quite a transformation. Me: Have you got any pictures of the before and after? Melissa: I do have. I do have a video it's on Facebook. Of the before and after the full transformation from getting the keys to opening day. Me: Oh, very cool, very, very cool. So, that's on Tocco Divino. Melissa: Tocco Divino Salon Facebook page. It's also on my personal page if you happen to be a friend of mine. Yeah, I'm trying to find some other avenues to get it out there. So people can take a peek. Me: Very cool. Very cool. YouTube? Melissa: I tried to put it on YouTube. I haven't figured it out yet. Me: Very good. Very good. So tell everybody about what makes this different from any other salon. You are the new salon in town. Melissa: We are the newest salon in town. We really pride in making it a place that when you walk in that you just feel at home. That it's beautiful and you feel pampered just walking in. But, you also feel very comfortable. What also makes us different is that we believe that everybody that works here that we're family. And so you feel the difference just in the environment and atmosphere as far as a sense of community, a sense of family. And I think that makes us very different from any other salon. Because there's a lot of talent out there and we do have a lot of talent here as well. But the atmosphere, the environment makes us very different. Me: Very nice. Very nice. I know it does feel very, very homey in here. I enjoyed coming in. It’s my second trip and I was the first one I got to be a chair for. Melissa: Yes. Very true. I don't know if that was good. I was half-asleep. Me: You were a little tired that day. You were a little tired. That was what? Three hours of sleep you got. Melissa: One hour. Me: One hour, oh man. I was a brave man. Melissa: You were a brave man. Yes. Me: Well, everybody, make sure and stop by and see Tocco Divino. And Melissa Sherwood “The Cosmetologist For Everyone Who Sure Would Like To Look Good!” Thank you so much, and we'll talk to you all again later. Thanks. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/yourperfecthome/message

Welcome to Finance and Fury,   Today – next gold rush – Final part of capital preservation – Allocation as a hedge for a financial meltdown - should preserve capital, withstand market volatility, and provide diversification across a portfolio Gold – an asset which is virtually permanent, with no significant erosion of quality over time, could arguably be considered a safe haven – good evidence that Gold has provided a hedge against collapse – limited supply at about 1.5% p.a. increase   What is Gold's true role? – Capital preservation – but also Money – Base money for most of history - 1912 when J.P. Morgan was called to testify before Congress. Congressman - I want to ask you a few questions bearing on the subject that you have touched upon this morning, as to the control of money. The control of credit involves a control of money, does it not? JP - A control of credit? No. – Congressman: But the basis of banking is credit, is it not? JP - Not always. That [credit] is an evidence of banking, but it [credit] is not the money itself. Money is gold, and nothing else. This is very interesting – our money now is credit – Fiat – not backed by gold   This is why people buy Gold – protect from these outcomes There are many uses including jewellery, electronics, dentistry, medical and other industrial use – and of course investment. Jewellery is the single-largest individual source of demand – 40% is investment purposes – bars, central bank reserves, ETFs Reasons for buying gold – Seen as safe haven when economy tanks Fear of an economic crisis or inflation outbreak fuelling public demand; Gold has historically served as a hedge against a declining US dollar and rising inflation Price of gold often moves in the opposite direction to the US dollar - reflecting the fact that many regard the yellow metal as an alternative currency A change in the sovereign wealth funds asset composition, such as demand from China, to diversify their holdings; and Negative bond yields losing their appeal as an effective hedge against equities. If Aus starts QE – gold goes well   Financial System - “Race to the bottom” fuels global demand for gold Several fundamental drivers that enabled gold to break out - The gold price broke through the significant US$1,400 per ounce in June with several fundamental drivers: Continued tension between the US and China; US Federal Reserve (Fed) officials voicing concerns over the economy; and The weaker outlook globally – looks to be entering into another bull market A steady stream of weakening manufacturing data, beginning with falls in the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) in the US and German industrial production sectors. Chinese authorities were also reported to be trying to contain the fallout from the failure of Baoshang Bank, as brokerages and asset managers were looking to restrict trading due to possible counterparty risks. Then the European Central Bank (ECB) indicated rate cuts are likely in the absence of any improvement in the economy   The economy can have a sort of Hard landing Heading into 2020, we see one of two scenarios playing out across the markets: Soft landing – Manufacturing has been weak and on the verge of recession in China, Europe and now the US. A soft landing would occur if the global stimulus widely expected from central banks is able to keep a manufacturing recession from morphing into a broader recession across the entire economy. Averting a recession would be bullish for the stock market, interest rates would find a bottom, and the dollar would likely stabilise or strengthen. This might limit the upside for gold. In this scenario, we might see gold establish a new price range, supported by geopolitical risks and central bank demand. Hard landing – A hard landing occurs if the current manufacturing recession transitions into a broader economic recession, causing central banks to suffer a loss of confidence. US rates would likely fall to zero or less, and the stock market might enter a correction, while financial risks escalate. Central banks may restart quantitative easing (QE) or initiate other more radical policies. In this scenario, gold would probably form a positive price trend as a safe haven investment. Gold could gain from dangerous debt levels - Debt or overleverage is usually the culprit, as was seen with subprime mortgages in 2008. Global Gov debt surged following the financial crisis – Global gov funding is at Trillion-dollar shortfalls Expected next year and beyond – plus if a recession hits - tax receipts decline and expenses increase So the shortfall grows further with no way out - investors would no longer buy Treasuries = rates rise, credit may get downgraded and the US dollar may collapse. The second potential debt problem is corporate - As a percentage of GDP - corporate debt has now surpassed the peak of the last cycle in 2009 Major risk in this cycle is lower credit standards - the amount of BBB rated corporate debt – the lowest category of investment grade – has more than doubled since 2009 - accounts for 55% of the investment-grade market - US$1 trillion of US debt is at risk of being downgraded to junk status Forces investment managers to sell – have to dumb debt as below investment grade – creates self-fulfilling decline Should a hard landing eventuate demand for gold and its miners is likely to increase. Despite the recent gold miners rally, gold stocks are historically cheap relative to the price of the metal.   How to gain exposure – 3 major ways Gold ETFs – Through ASX – Few to choose from Gain exposure to gold pricing – buy ETF share, then represents an ownership in gold - not same as direct Physical Gold – done through dealers or private companies Storage - Hiding it under the mattress or arrange for secure storage - comes with its own associated costs Bonus of this – hold an asset you can store outside of the banking system with a private company Best way to preserve wealth during times of financial turmoil. Holding physical bullion risky — and it can be - stolen or even melt in a house fire - requires adequate insurance Can purchase and store physical gold bullion using automated platforms  Gold mining companies/ETFs Another way of getting exposure is to invest in listed companies with exposure to gold. Australian-listed companies include large, long-life gold miner Newcrest Mining (ASX: NCM), and mid-size gold producer Regis Resources (ASX: RRL) – both of which currently screen as overvalued by Morningstar senior equity analyst Mathew Hodge. Unlike other vehicles, stocks can provide a dividend income, but naturally introduce other variables, including the quality of the mine life, the cost of getting the metal out of the ground, company earnings and other balance sheet considerations. With one trade on ASX GDX (VanEck) gives investors instant access to 44 of the largest and most liquid global gold mining companies. GDX is the world’s largest gold miners ETF with around A$15 billion in assets under management.   The Downsides – Gold itself as an asset class – not an income-producing asset – Costs for bullion storage ETFs – Counterparty risks at many levels – talked about this in previous ep – crisis assets Counterparty risk is present when another party in an agreement can default or fail to live up to their obligations Gold is meant to provide protection in collapse – but what if banks are collapsing – they are the counterparty Example – Buy ETF and gain exposure to the price of gold – Buying ETF through a large financial institution Responsible for obtaining the underlying assets necessary to create ETF shares – Gold Purchase gold as a trustee – then this trustee uses a custodian to source and store this – Custodian major counterparty – trustee is minor counter party If you buy gold as portfolio insurance against a systemic failure in the financial system – ETFs are intertwined with the world’s largest banks - doesn’t fit purpose well HSBC is the custodian for most ETFs in Gold - HSBC use sub-custodians, such as the Bank of England, to source and store gold. So, in addition to carrying custodian risk, investors also have sub-custodian risk. Technically – you are a shareholder of the Trust – access gold pricing – paper claim to gold The real irony is the price of gold could be skyrocketing and the ETFs could be going bankrupt at the same time. As such – if you are worried about a collapse of the financial system – direct gold would be better   Me – Have some gold mining – but only tiny allocation – risky model as costs involved with mining – so if prices drop 30% - likely lose more – Have Precious metals ETFs – Little more – but slowly buying more direct gold   Thank you for listening,  If you want to get in contact you can visit www.financeandfury.com.au and head to the contact page

In this episode, Dr. Paul Nissenson (Mechanical Engineering Dept., Cal Poly Pomona) interviews two Mechanical Engineering faculty members at Cal Poly Pomona -- Dr. Mehrdad Haghi and Dr. Nolan Tsuchiya. Dr. Haghi and Dr. Tsuchiya discuss the field of Mechanical Engineering, career paths available to Mechanical Engineers, and tips for Mechanical Engineering students. For more information about Mechanical Engineering, check out the Cal Poly Pomona Mechanical Engineering website: https://www.cpp.edu/~engineering/ME/ Have comments about this episode? Send your feedback to TESEpodcast@gmail.com and Paul will personally read your email. Thanks to Cesar Moreno for helping record and edit this episode, and Cal Poly Pomona for providing funding for this pilot project.  This episode was recorded on May 31, 2018 at Cal Poly Pomona.

ME Have you ever gotten the news you needed to hear after a deadline? I wish I had found the book of 1 Peter sooner in my life. You see it would have been helpful to me early on. You see I grew up in church, but quickly found it to be irrelevant to my life. I didn’t see how Jesus made a difference in…

exapme from the blog click links to read more from Neil. AUDIO from the bbc local radio - suplied from the internet/other podcasts and provided here simply incase you missed it. With the Wife with the Wife in Space Nuffink in ze world can stop us now! Except this story, obviously... A couple of hours before we settled down to watch The Underwater Menace, Sue and I appeared as guests on Bob Fischer's BBC Tees radio show to shamelessly plug this blog. You can listen to the edited highlights below (and Sue's PVC Dalek-suit anecdote was news to me!): Episode One Sue: That's just great. This story is going to star that ****ing hat. I hate that ****ing hat. We both enjoy the opening TARDIS scene, especially Jamie's reactions to the insanity he has walked into. There's a playful edge to the proceedings and a warmth we haven't really felt since the glory days of Ian, Susan and Barbara. We chuckle when Ben sarcastically hopes for the Daleks ("I bet the kids wouldn't have complained") while the Doctor's desire to encounter prehistoric monsters is dismissed out of hand ("not on this budget, love"). Me: Where do you hope they'll end up this time? Sue: Somewhere with decent carpentry. The TARDIS arrives on a beach and when Polly guesses at their whereabouts, Sue declares, in perfect harmony: Sue: Cornwall! It's always ****ing Cornwall! It doesn't take very long for our heroes to find themselves in danger: a platform they have been standing on is actually a lift, and as they hurtle beneath the sea, the TARDIS crew succumb to the bends. Sue: That's very interesting. Ben just asked Polly to get them out of there. He didn't ask the Doctor and he's standing right next to him. I don't blame Ben though; this Doctor is still pretty useless. When they regain consciousness, Polly finds some pottery with the logo for the 1968 Mexico Olympiad emblazoned on it, and then our heroes are confronted by a race of people dressed in clam shells and seaweed. Sue believes she has it sussed: Sue: Are they rehearsing for the Opening Ceremony? Their high priest even sports a fish on his head: Sue: Please tell me the Doctor doesn't get a hat like that. Just as Sue believes she has a handle on events, our heroes are strapped to some slabs and sadistically lowered toward a mad man's pet sharks. Sue: Is this a Bond movie now? Me: Yes. You Only Live 13 Times. Sue: Has this got anything to do with the Olympics? Anything at all? When the Doctor signs his name 'Dr. W', he reignites an old debate: Sue: You can't really argue with that, can you? That settles it: his name is Dr. Who. You'll just have to accept it, love. Me: Unless his real name begins with a W - Sue: Like Doctor Wibbly-Wobbly-Timey-Wimey? Would that make you feel any better? And does it really matter? I call him Dr. Who all the time - Me: Yes, I know. And every time you do it, part of me dies. When Professor Zaroff reveals that they are currently hanging out on the lost continent of Atlantis, Sue doesn't even flinch: Sue: Atlantis. Of course it's Atlantis. Where else would they be in this ****-ed up programme? So, it's James Bond on Atlantis? Gotcha. Thanks to those fainthearted Australians, the cliffhanger moves, although we find ourselves sympathising with the censor as Polly is strapped to a table and threatened with a large hypodermic needle by some evil scientists who want to turn her into a fish. Yes, a fish. Sue: I don't know what Polly is moaning about; I'd love to breathe underwater indefinitely. She could stick around and enter the 1972 Olympics. Mark Spitz would have nothing on her. Episode Two Me: How short is Polly's surgical gown - Sue: Trust you to notice that, love. The hot topic of conversation during this episode is Zaroff. Who else? Sue: He reminds me of that mad scientist from that show you love: Comedy Theater 2000 - Me: Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Sue: That's it. He reminds me of the mad scientist from that: an over-the-top pantomime villain. Me: Believe it or not, the guy playing him is actually a very fine actor - Sue: Oh, I don't doubt it. He's just having a laugh with the part. And who can blame him? How else would you play this character? His plan is completely pointless; there's no clever reason for him to do any of this, he just wants to blow up the world. There's no benefit or motive at all. Me: He's insane. Sue: It's lazy. With no motivation or backstory you have to play him as a larger-than-life lunatic. I like him; he's committed. He's definitely the funniest villain we've had in the series so far. When Ben and Jamie are taken to the mines of Atlantis, a high pitched whining cuts through the scene. We assume it represents the sound of the drilling but whatever it is, it's making our teeth itch. Sue: If we were 16 years old, we would hear that sound whenever we went near an off-license - Me: Have you warmed to Troughton yet? He's basically playing his version of the Doctor now. More or less. Sue: He reminds me of Ken Dodd in some of these stills. That one in particular (see right). The music doesn't help. It's atrocious. It sounds like they've let a small child loose on a Bontempi organ. This is the worst music that I've heard in the series so far. Who's responsible for it? Me: An Australian called Dudley Simpson - Sue: Sack him. He's rubbish. Episode Three Finally, after enduring thirteen consecutive recons (count them! thirteen!), we are reunited with a real bona fide episode. I never thought I'd ever hear myself say this but thank Amdo for The Underwater Menace Episode 3. Sue: Even though the story is still a complete mess, it's a thousand times easier to follow it when it exists. I don't want to state the bleedin' obvious but even the very worst story improves when you can actually see it. The recons I gave good scores to must have been incredible - The highlight of the episode for Sue is, of course, the sight of Jamie and Ben in tight-fitting rubber: Sue: Given the state of some of their costumes, they should have called this story The Underwear Menace. Me: I think the playwright Joe Orton mentioned this story in his diary. Or was it in Salmon Rushdie's The Satanic Verses? No, it must have been Joe Orton; he fancied Jamie in his rubber suit, I think. Or maybe it was Kenneth Williams. My memory is almost as bad as yours. Sue: Jamie and Ben wouldn't look out of place at that nightclub, Heaven. As if to accentuate this observation, Jamie and Ben suddenly launch themselves into the campest salute this side of 'Allo 'Allo. Sue: I'll say no more. Sue: Does Troughton ever go through a story where he doesn't play that bloody recorder? And are there any stories where he doesn't dress up at the drop of a hat (which he'll probably pick up and put on)? He's a borderline transvestite. Me: You might want to hold onto something during the next scene. We're about to meet the Fish People. Sue: They look like a second-rate dance troupe who are waiting to audition for Britain's Got Talent. They're probably going to do a up-tempo version of Yellow Submarine. A miner called Jacko attempts to turn the Fish People into striking militants. He does this by winding them up a bit. At one point he cries, "Are you not men?" and, quick as a flash, Sue replies: Sue: No! We're fish! What are you, blind? Hang on, is that Polly in a snorkel? Me: No, it's a Fish Person. Sue: They're having a laugh. And then it happens. Impossible to describe. Impossible to watch. Sue: This is the lowest point in Doctor Who yet. By some considerable margin. Please make it stop. Me: Is this worse than ? Sue: Oh yes, this is even more half-arsed. Me: It's like a perverse joke: you wait 13 episodes for a real episode and then you get this. Sue: I take it all back - this would have been much better as a recon. Something that really niggles at us is the Fish People's economic impact on Atlantis, which is based on the assumption that the food they farm must be consumed immediately: Sue: OK, let me get this straight: Zaroff has a nuclear reactor but he hasn't got a fridge - or, better still, a fridge freezer - to put any food in? That makes no sense at all. Me: This is your first proper look at Patrick Troughton. Have you formed an opinion yet? Sue: I feel a little more comfortable with him now that I've seen him in action. He's far more animated than I expected and he's definitely got charisma. There's something about him. Sadly, the director isn't doing him any favours so I'll have to reserve judgement until I've seen some more. And then we reach the moment The Underwater Menace is probably best known for. But immediately before it arrives - and I'd completely forgotten this - Zaroff stabs someone with a spear, he shoots someone at point-blank range and then he has two others killed off-screen. It's horrific! But it's completely eclipsed by what follows: Sue: Wow. It's so mesmerising, we have to watch it again. And again. And again. Sue: He's having a whale of a time. Me: I'm glad someone is. Episode Four Sue: I still can't believe he didn't bring some fridges with him. Still, I guess if you are planning to blow up the world you can't think of everything. You know, I think every episode of Doctor Who could be improved with a Zaroff. The only thing missing is a scene of him tearing his hair out as he screams, "Why am I surrounded by idiots!". Me: There's still twenty minutes to go. I wouldn't rule anything out. Sue: I like the way the show has kept to its educational remit. Me: What? Sue: Jamie is from the past and therefore he doesn't understand what radioactivity is. Some of the children watching this wouldn't know either - Me: Yeah, that's great. There's just one tiny problem: they don't explain it. Polly says she can't be bothered! Polly and Jamie are struggling to escape the rising waters of Atlantis: Sue: It's turned into a disaster movie now. Me: Oh, it's a disaster all right. Sue: Why is Polly wearing a fireplace corbel on her head? Me: I don't even know what that means. Thanks to those Aussie wimps, we get to see Professor Zaroff drown. Well, I say drown... Sue: That's not drowning! Zaroff has hours left before the water rises above his head! Maybe he was bored and he decided to commit suicide? The world saved, the Doctor and his companions leave the Atlantans to it. Sue: Why are they bothering to rebuild Atlantis anyway? Why don't they just move up to the surface? They've got fridges up there. And while they missed the 1968 Olympics, Mexico have got the World Cup in 1970. It would be a shame if they missed it. The Final Score Sue: That was bonkers. And a little bit shit. 2/10 Sue: Zaroff was excellent, though. I could watch him all day. I'm not convinced that he's dead either; I think he was just wetting his hair a bit. He should definitely return in the new series. The League of Gentlemen could play him. Me: What, all of them? The experiment continues. Tags: , , , , Click to share this