Podcasts about Satisfied

While the Patriots have exceeded expectations, there's no reason to be comfortable with the position they're in after their loss to Buffalo.

In this second Twisted Passions episode, the host tackles a loaded question: Is homosexuality worse than other sins? He explains why Scripture uses especially strong language about homosexuality in the Old Testament, but then emphasizes that the New Testament consistently places it in “lists of sins,” highlighting the gospel's equal sufficiency for all sinners. The episode closes with a pastoral plea: churches often speak against homosexuality from the pulpit, but rarely speak _to_those quietly struggling in the pew, and that gap must change.Topics DiscussedWhy the question “worse” can mean different things (degree of wickedness, path of deliverance, depth of impact)“Corruption” vs “perversion” framing (heterosexual sin vs homosexual sin)Old Testament “abomination” language and civil penalty context (Leviticus 18, 20)New Testament “sin lists” (Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 6, Revelation 21) and what that implies for how believers should think and ministerGospel-centered conclusion: the blood of Christ is sufficient for “all sin,” and the church should not treat people with SSA as a different class of sinnerPastoral application: preaching only to “defend a statement” can unintentionally build a barrier for strugglers; we need diligence, not toleranceKey Takeaways“Worse” has multiple layers: moral weight, deliverance process, and personal impact.The New Testament's emphasis is not ranking sin but spotlighting the gospel that rescues sinners.Churches should pair biblical clarity with real pastoral care for those in the congregation who are silently battling.Practical safeguards and wise boundaries are normal in discipleship for any besetting sin, and should not be treated as uniquely shameful here.Ready to download the Cord App? Find it here!Download the Satisfied Battle Plan or listen to the rest of the series here!Satisfied is a monthly program on the Thee Generation Podcast designed to offer practical tools based on biblical principles so that anyone can experience full purity and lead others to do the same. To ask questions or share testimonies, send an email to satisfied@theegeneration.org. If you've been encouraged by this podcast, please take the time to give us a five-star rating and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the Thee Generation for others. For more faith inspiring resources and information about joining Thee Generation, please visit theegeneration.org.

Welcome to the Daily Disciple Podcast. As daily disciples, we seek to adore and follow Jesus, our teacher, into the abundant life that he offers. Because we find Jesus irresistible, fascinating, and incredibly practical, we want to be students of his scripture. Today's episode is found in Psalm 23 "Satisfied."

Bridge Engineering: Part 3 Settling In For A Long Winter’s Nap. Based on a post by Architect 23 94, in 3 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Connected. We all said our goodnights, then Stefani and I made our way back up the stairs. I closed the door to the basement and motioned for her to wait for a moment. I reached up to a nearby shelf and very carefully removed an old set of sleigh bells, which I silently hung on the doorknob as an early warning system. Stefani whispered, "Someone has been doing some serious planning." I quietly replied, "Yes, someone has. Is it working?" She answered by wrapping her arms around me and pulling me into our first slow, introductory kiss. Our lips separated briefly, we looked silently into each other's eyes for a moment, then our heads instinctively tilted and our lips came back together with a deeper, more confident kiss. One kiss blurred into two, then three, and continued until one was indistinguishable from the next. Our mouths opened wider and wider, yearning to feel the other partner's passion, before our tongues began a frantic dance between her mouth and mine. My hands began exploring the soft curves of her lower back, just above where the satin dress flared outward over her hips, and her long fingers ran through my hair as her hands eagerly pulled me into our hungry kisses. I lost all sense of time as we finally broke the passionate tension that had been building between us over the past months. I hadn't realized how much I missed an emotional and physical connection with a special someone, and I knew she felt the same. Our faces were both flush with passion and gasping for breath when I reluctantly pulled away from our moment. Without saying anything, I gently kissed her one more time, took her hand in mine, and led her toward the loft stairs. Stefani understood my intentions and acknowledged her consent with a beaming smile and by clutching my arm close to her body as we walked up the stairs. As we reached the top of the stairs, I motioned toward my bedroom door where a branch of mistletoe hung in the threshold. Stefani saw it and quickly moved to position herself as a gatekeeper in the doorway, saying, "I'm glad you took my advice." I responded by taking her in my arms and resuming the passionate kissing and interplay of our tongues that had begun downstairs. Stefani draped her arms around my neck and pressed her body against mine as my hands slid down her back to feel the satin covered swells of her ass. With our continued intimate contact, my cock responded and began to expand downward inside my pant leg, sandwiched against Stefani's pelvis as it grew. In her own expression of arousal, she extended one leg out from the full length slit in her skirt and wrapped it around the back of my thighs, intentionally pressing her skirt covered mound firmly against my restrained tool. Our mouths frantically struggled to find new depths and my hands cupped her ass as she began urgently grinding herself against my cock. The fervor was only broken when we began to lose balance and Stefani returned to standing on both feet. We both took the opportunity to occupy our hands in other ways, hers sliding between us to grasp at my cock and to unsuccessfully pull at my belt, and mine fumbling to release the back closure on her dress. Admitting defeat, we both paused and I moved behind her to take a different approach. My hand brushed her silken curls aside as I placed soft kisses down the side of her neck and slowly loosened a series of clasps on the back of her dress. She uttered soft moans of pleasure as my lips explored her nape then concentrated on areas that drew the most response. As I continued to expose more of her sensual back with the release of each fastener, Stefani crossed one arm over her bosom to hold the dress in place and reached behind herself with the other to caress the engorged flesh straining within the stretched fabric of my slacks. When I finished the last of the clasps, she removed her hand from my cock and used it to push me backward onto the edge of the bed. I sat in rapt attention as she took a couple steps away from me and, with her back turned, stepped out of her heels to reveal neatly manicured toes with nails painted to complement the color of her dress. Now with bare feet, she turned to face me, still holding the dress with one arm crossed over her tits. Her eyes erotically connected with mine as her hands slowly slid the dress downward, seductively unveiling bit by bit of her amazing body. First were her braless tits, pear-shaped handfuls with the slight sag of an early-thirties mother and topped with aroused gumdrop size nipples on proportionately sized areola. With my attentive eyes and childlike smile suggesting approval, the maroon satin curtain continued descending to uncover a slender torso with modestly toned abs and a cute concave belly button. Once her hands reached the top flare of her hips, Stefani released the dress and let gravity pool it at her feet. Her flat stomach and thin waist gave way to supple curves of womanly hips, which then tapered back to meet her long legs. The toned muscles gracefully ebbed and flowed, punctuated by lean knees and petite ankles, all proportionate to the scale of her tall, trim frame. Stefani was a vision, standing before me in nothing but a pair of black satin panties consisting of a small triangle over her sex and thin ribbons of fabric extending outward over subtly visible hip bones. I quickly shed my sport coat and shoes and began opening the buttons down the front of my dress shirt as Stefani did a slow turn and playfully wiggled her amazing heart-shaped ass. I tore my gaze from her body and looked her lustfully in the eyes as she completed her turn, "Wow, you are absolutely incredible!" My shirt was completely unbuttoned and my full-mast erection strained obscenely against the front of my dress pants. I pulled the shirt tails out from under my waistband and started to unbuckle my belt, but Stefani interceded, "Please, let me." I dropped my hands to my sides as she closed the few steps between us and bent forward to kiss me as I sat on the edge of the bed. We shared a few short kisses before she placed her hands on my chest and gently pushed my torso back on the bed. I propped myself on my elbows as she began trailing kisses down the center of my chest and deftly pulled my belt free of its buckle while opening my slacks. By the time her kisses reached my waist, she was on her knees before me and nuzzled her face against my boxer short covered rod and began kissing along its fabric covered length. The eroticism of the sight and the feel of her warm breath would have easily put me over the edge had I not done everything in my power to hold back. Sensing my edging, Stefani relented her touch and curled her slender fingers under the waistband of my slacks and boxers. I lifted my hips to assist while she pulled the waistband toward herself and carefully lifted it over my straining bulge. Her eyes fixated on the vertical tower that sprung upward as soon as it was free of its prison, and continued staring as she pushed the unwanted clothing down my legs. Once she had my pants fully removed, she slowly slid her hands along the top of my legs while she placed a line of kisses up my right inner thigh. She made one last kiss right next to the base of my cock then nuzzled her face against it and cooed soft hums of contentment. Meanwhile, her right hand took a moment to caress my pelvic area before her long, slender fingers encircled my shaft and began to explore its girth and length. After a few moments, Stefani pulled her head away from me enough to visually inspect every detail of my cock as her hand slowly stroked up-and-down and moved it from side-to-side, exploring its network of veiny ridges and large swollen mushroom cap. Her attention resulted in a bead of clear pre-cum pooling on my tip, which she leaned forward and licked away before it dripped downward. With her visual inspection seemingly complete, Stefani continued to slowly stroke my cock while she moved her head downward and used her tongue to caress my loose hanging, neatly shaven balls and then envelope one of the globes fully in her warm mouth. At this point, the previous single bead of pre-cum gave way to a steady stream trailing down the side of my shaft and over the back of her hand. After giving both orbs equal treatment, her tongue followed my trail of precum over the back of her hand and up my throbbing shaft to its source. She looked me deeply in the eyes as she slowly took my engorged head into her mouth and swirled her tongue around its rim. I held the approaching orgasm at bay by brushing her curly locks aside and placing my hands on the sides of her cheeks to gently guide her off my cock. I continued guiding her up to me where she put a leg on each side of my hips to straddle over me. I pulled her face down to mine and kissed her with passionate urgency as her naked chest pressed against mine and my still leaking cock sandwiched between my stomach and hers. As we kissed, she shifted her position upward so her panty covered sex rested on my shaft and then began to slowly rockng her hips, using my cock to work the fabric into her moist folds. My hands instinctively cupped her ass and reinforced her grinding motions. Kissing tapered off as our breathing became heavier and Stefani raised her torso off my chest to find a slightly different position on my cock. We continued to look into each other's eyes as my hands left her ass to explore the alluring tits hanging above me, seductively swaying in time with her motions. I held them for the very first time, massaging and gently squeezing the milky masses while her erect, gumdrop size nipples punctuated my palms. Her heavy breathing was interrupted when my fingers playfully pinched at the swollen nubs, so I took that as encouragement to lift my head and give them some oral stimulation. My mouth covered one, then the other, swirling my tongue and suckling as Stefani increased the speed and force of her hip movements. Realizing the pressure once again building in my balls, I swiftly rolled our semi-conjoined bodies and reversed our positions, with Stefani now on her back and me sliding off the edge of the bed to kneel between her legs. She raised her hips as I grasped and pulled the thin satin ribbons from her hips. They slid toward me and the sodden triangle of fabric reluctantly separated from her wet folds to reveal a small, neatly trimmed patch of hair immediately above glistening and rosy pink gateway petals. They were naturally opened wide to display her well-lubricated inner flesh and partially cloaked love-button. With her panties fully removed, I gently opened her knees and started to lean forward. Stefani understood my intent, bent her legs upward, and opened them widely to allow me full access. Like she had done to me earlier, my lips left a line of kisses up her inner thigh as my nose inhaled her intoxicating scent. Having reached my destination, I gently licked the outer lips on each side of her opening before sucking each into my mouth and giving equal treatment. Stefani's hands had found my head and were offering reassuring encouragement to continue the oral pleasures. My hands also wandered, alternating between holding her hips and kneading her tits as my tongue's attention became more fervent. I moved from her labia to firmly lick the length of her central opening, gently brushing over the top of her clit. Stefani responded by tensing her legs and clenching my hair in her hands. I returned down to cover the core of her sex with my mouth and swirl my tongue around the entrance to her tunnel. Stefani moaned and continued pulling at my hair as I very slowly moved my attention upward. Eventually, my mouth centered over her pearl and the tip of my tongue tenderly circled around it, before firmly pressing against it. She moaned loudly and every muscle in her body tightened as I changed from licking to sucking on her button. I was rewarded with a flood of her cordials and a long series of rhythmic contractions. I gave her outer petals a few more gentle licks and caressed her flat stomach with my hands while she recovered from the height of her pleasure. When she returned to consciousness, she breathlessly whispered, "Come here." and motioned me toward her. I stood from kneeling at the edge of the bed and climbed between her still splayed legs to hold myself over her. Stefani quietly said, "Thank you. You have no idea how amazing that was; how amazing it is to be here with you." as she tenderly wiped her juices from my cheeks and mouth. I responded, "It's been an amazing couple of months. I haven't felt this way about someone since;” I was speaking from my heart without the filter of my head when I realized the inappropriateness of what I was about to say, and adjusted my statement to, "; well, for a very long time." Stefani looked me lovingly in the eyes, cupped my cheek with her hand, and said, "It's okay to talk about her. Julie is still part of you and always should be. I know how much you love her and it means a lot that you would even mention me in the same breath." I leaned down with an appreciative kiss as I held myself over her. One kiss led to another, then to another and another, until our tongues were tangled and our mouths continually joined. We made out with renewed urgency and Stefani reached between our bodies to wrap her hand around my still steely rod. She broke our kissing long enough to beg, "Please, I need you inside me." Our kissing resumed as she guided my cock toward her opening and rubbed its engorged glans up and down her slit several times before removing her hand. Her arms encircled my neck as we kissed and I shifted my hips to seat the tip of my cock firmly against her gateway. Stefani moaned into my mouth when she felt the pressure, and tightened her arms around my neck when the head slowly pushed through her stretched but slippery opening. I cautiously rocked my hips, pausing frequently and allowing her passageway muscles to relax around my rigid cock. She urged me to continue by mumbling into our locked mouths, "More; more; more;” I applied a little more pressure with each motion of my hips and her body slowly welcomed me deeper and deeper. Signaling she wanted more, Stefani wrapped her long legs around me, interlocking her ankles behind my ass and flexing her legs to draw me further inside. With confidence that Stefani was wanting more, I broke our kissing and took her hands in mine, pinning them above her head as I held my body above hers. She seemed excited for me to take control and relaxed her legs while still keeping her ankles interlocked behind me. I began increasing the speed and force of my thrusts, eliciting yelps of pleasure as my cock explored new depths. The bed shook with our quick motions, as did Stefani's curly tresses and motherly tits. The expressions of pleasure on her face were incredibly erotic and I changed to longer, slower strokes to delay my pending orgasm and prolong our pleasure. She understood what I was doing and agreeably pleaded, "Kiss me." I did, and we made love with our mouths while she reinforced my long, slow, intentional pelvic motions with her legs wrapped around me. That tender moment was emblematic of everything we both wanted and needed. There was an unspoken connection between our souls, bridging our broken pasts and forever joining us into the future. Our bodies responded physically to the emotional and spiritual joining. Stefani's by weeping in happiness through a long, rolling orgasm; and mine by releasing eight years' worth of pent-up passion deep into her womb. Completely consumed by the intensity of the experience, Stefani rolled with me as I collapsed beside her on the bed, our legs still intertwined and my cock slowly softening inside her residual contractions. I looked knowingly into her tearful eyes and said softly, but with conviction, "I love you." Stefani pressed her forehead and sniffling nose into my neck and replied, "I love you, too; even more than I thought I did before tonight." We laid silently in each other's arms, exchanging occasional pecks of affection, until my flaccid cock slipped from Stefani's sex followed by a flood of our combined juices. She quickly cupped her hand to her crotch and scurried to the ensuite bathroom. While she was in there, I quickly slipped on my boxer shorts, opened the bedroom door, and stepped out into the loft to check on the girls. The house was silent and the sleigh bells on the basement doorknob appeared undisturbed. Satisfied all was well, I was walking back in the bedroom and was closing the door when Stefani emerged from the bathroom, still naked, and proclaimed in a hushed voice, "David! I've never been so full of cum in my life!" I shrugged my shoulders as I approached her saying, "You're the one that turned me on so much." then pulled her into a passionate embrace and kiss. She returned my kiss then pulled away saying, "I think I would like some more." as she pulled down my boxer shorts and dropped to her knees in one swift motion. She engulfed my limp cock into her warm mouth and massaged it with her tongue until it began to swell. One hand massaged my balls while the other cupped my ass cheek and pulled me into her ministrations. Once I had a hint of rigidity, she began bobbing her head and applying suction to further draw out my length. Working my cock in and out of her mouth, she made sure the sensitive underside of my glans remained in full contact with her tongue. It didn't take long for me to reach a full, raging erection. Sensing that with her mouth, Stefani confirmed with a couple quick strokes of her hand before standing and moving toward the bed. I watched in rapt attention as she climbed onto the center of the bed, positioned herself on her elbows and knees, and seductively wiggled her ass in the air. She looked at me over her shoulder with lust in her eyes and implored, "Take me!" I quickly climbed on the bed and positioned myself behind her. My hands playfully grabbed her hips and pulled her back into me, sandwiching my thickened shaft against her ass. She responded by wiggling her ass, which served to neatly seat my rod between her cheeks. I held her hips with my hands and rocked a few times to slide the underside of my cock against her cheeks. Having played around enough, I shifted backward on my knees and cupped a hand under her sex. I briefly caressed her inflamed and eager mound before dipping two fingers further into her very well lubricated slit. Stefani uttered encouraging moans as my fingers worked in and out of her dripping wet hole. Knowing we were both ready for the main event, I pulled my copiously coated hand from her mound and used it, along with the pre-cum already dripping from my tip, to spread lubrication along the length of my throbbing shaft. Stefani looked back at me as I held her hip with one hand and guided my cock toward her opening with the other. We both gave prolonged moans as our heightened arousal allowed me to penetrate her fully in one long push. Once inside her, she looked back at me and renewed her original request, "Take me!" And so I did. With my hands holding her hips and pulling her back against my pelvis with every stroke, I began lustfully pistoning in and out of her tunnel. She buried her face into the mattress and squealed with delight as I pounded into her roughly, causing her hanging pear-shaped tits to swing violently with my harsh pummeling. After a while, my hands moved to cradle the milky fruits and feel their rippling movements against my palms. As I became winded from the extended punishment I was giving Stefani, I used the supple handfuls to raise her torso toward me and aggressively kiss the nape of her neck as my cock momentarily slowed its assault. Stefani muttered unintelligible encouragements as her tunnel walls pleasured in the slowed movements of my veiny shaft and bulbous head erotically sliding in and out. In the course of my affection, her breathing quickened and became shallower as she ascended toward climax. Knowing she was close, I gave her sensitive nipples a quick squeeze, pushed her torso back down to the mattress, and grabbed her hips to resume my forceful penetrations. My lustful plunging quickly put Stefani over her summit and she emitted long moans of pleasure punctuated only by the impacts of my pelvis against her ass. Her body began quaking and, unable to support herself, crashed forward face down on the bed. My body followed hers downward and pinned her against the mattress as I gave a few more hard thrusts before pushing myself as far into her depths as possible, and releasing volley after volley of cum. Her walls sheathing my cock spasmed through a long drawn-out orgasm, milking every drop of seed from my cock. I held myself over her while our mutual orgasm slowly subsided. Not wanting to smother her with my weight, I rolled off to her side, leaving a strand of cum as my cock slipped from her warmth and dragged across her ass. Still laying on her stomach, Stefani turned her head and motioned me toward her for a series of lovingly soft post-coital kisses. She then repeated her earlier actions of cupping a hand to her crotch and making her way to the bathroom, to which I chuckled and she returned a playfully stern expression and wagging finger. I checked on the girls again while she was in the bathroom and then we both decided we should get a little sleep before they would be up for Christmas morning. Stefani set the alarm on her phone and we drifted off to sleep naked in each other's arms. Wake Up Call. I didn't hear the alarm, but Stefani did and apparently decided to give me a different type of wake-up call. I awoke to the feeling of wet warmth around my morning erection. I looked down to see a mass of dark curly hair slowly moving up and down over my midsection. I reached out and brushed aside her mane to see her looking up at me, the corners of her mouth smiling from around my cock. She briefly pulled it from her mouth and offered a cheery, "Good morning handsome." I replied, "Good morning beautiful." before she returned her attention to pleasuring me. She resumed slowly making oral love to my glans and moved one hand to massage my balls as she worked. After a while, she began to take more of my shaft with each downward motion until my engorged head began flirting with the entrance to her throat. She had no perceivable reflex to the contact and, on the following downstroke, wiggled her head a little to work my crown past the restriction. Once past the threshold, she took my full length, burying her nose firmly into my pelvis. She held herself there for several moments before pulling herself off my cock, then repeating the actions again and again. I had never experienced that feeling before and it didn't take long for me to be overcome by the pleasure. While buried deep in her throat, I urgently warned, "I'm going to cum! I'm going to cum!" Stefani strained to push her head down further and take in every possible millimeter of my cock before purposefully constricting her throat around the head of my cock. My hands grasped at her curly locks as I launched forceful jets of cum directly into her throat. After the first few ejections, she pulled back to remove my crown from her throat and to milk the remaining cum into her mouth with a rhythmic bobbing motion. She looked into my eyes as she swallowed my seed and continued fellating my organ until it softened in her mouth, then simply said, "Merry Christmas, David." Christmas Morning. I had started a fire in the great room fireplace after Stefani's morning gift and was faking blanket-covered sleep on the sofa when I heard little footsteps clamoring up the basement steps and bursting through the sleigh bell alarmed door. The girls scurried across the room in their new pajamas, taking the shortest route to the Christmas presents under the tree, and began eagerly exploring which packages were for whom. I pretended to be waking up and put on a show by pushing the blanket aside, stretching my arms in an exaggerated fashion as I sat upright, and saying, "Merry Christmas, girls!" Just then, I saw Stefani coming down the loft stairs and continuing the ruse by drearily rubbing her eyes and smoothing her disheveled curls. She had apparently gone shopping in my closet and was wearing one of my old t-shirts, which was long enough on her to almost completely cover a pair of my boxer shorts beneath. She echoed, "Merry Christmas everyone!" The girls distractedly replied, "Merry Christmas," as they continued sorting through gifts under the tree. Stefani sat down next to me on the sofa and folded one leg beneath her. After confirming the girls were not looking, I turned my head and gave Stefani a quick peck on the lips before suggesting, "Girls, do you want to pass out all the presents?" They excitedly responded, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" and enthusiastically went about checking tags and making stacks of presents where each recipient was seated. I reached over to take Stefani's hand in mine, our fingers interlaced, as we soaked in the holiday atmosphere. During their process, Toni and Lizzie independently delivered a package for either me or Stefani and noticed us holding hands. Interestingly, they both had similar reactions which amounted to hesitating for a moment, then going on about what they were doing as if us holding hands was expected and logical. Once the girls had all the gift bags and wrapped boxes distributed, we took the civilized approach of taking turns, each of us opening a present while the others looked on. Toni and Lizzie each received an assortment of clothes, girly trinkets, and a couple electronic items. Stefani and I were especially moved when the girls exchanged gifts they had personally selected for each other, then embraced in an extended hug. On my next turn opening a gift, I was genuinely touched when I unwrapped a shirt-box size package from Lizzie to find a small ceramic coin dish, hand-painted in red and green with speckles of gold glitter. Also in the box was an impressively detailed color pencil drawing of Lizzie, Toni, Stefani, and me all holding hands and standing on Lizzie's little bridge behind our house. Stefani and I reserved our presents to each other until all the others had been opened and the girls were happily playing with their new toys. We sat on the sofa watching them and shared occasional discreet touches of affection before exchanging our gifts. I'm sure we would have both selected different items had we known the deepening of our relationship that would occur on Christmas Eve, but they were still meaningful in a retrospective way. I opened an absolutely beautiful mechanical wristwatch with an ornately engraved metal band. As I was admiring its craftsmanship, I noticed the side of the clock face was inscribed with intricate script, "Thank you for being on-time. --Stefani" Knowing the deeper significance of those words in Stefani's painful past made my gift to her equally meaningful. I presented her a small box which she opened to reveal a delicate silver pendant necklace containing a marble-size translucent brown gemstone. Her slender fingers picked up a small printed card inside the jewelry box that read, "Legend of Apache Tears -- This gemstone native to Superior, Arizona bears the tears shed by Apache women after loss of their men defending the sacred homelands. For those who possess an Apache Tear, their emotional body will be cleansed of old traumas or wounds and they need not cry again, because the Apache women cried enough for the one who holds the stone." Stefani carefully placed the card back into the jewelry box and closed the case saying, "Thank you, but I think you are my real healer." I replied, "I know you are mine." and gave her a short but meaningful kiss. Our lips pulled away from each other to find the girls sitting on the floor by the Christmas tree, distracted from playing by the sight of us kissing. Stefani was quicker thinking than me and asked the intentionally leading question, "How would the two of you feel about the four of us spending more time together?" To my surprise, Lizzie put her toys aside, walked over to the sofa and gave Stefani a giant hug. She said something to Stefani while they hugged, but I couldn't make out the words. Toni followed Lizzie's lead and came over to give me a hug. Her face buried into my neck, she said with the honest wisdom of a child, "You make my mom happy." Not understanding the full significance of what had just occurred, Toni and Lizzie returned to playing while Stefani and I silently held hands and just enjoyed the moment. My mind drifted to recount the last couple months, and last 24 hours, as the fingers of my free hand idly twisted and twirled a small piece of wrapping paper. While Stefani and I had commonly tragic backgrounds that drew us together, that is not why I loved her. That was simply the key that opened our guarded doors and freed our real selves. I loved her for being the intelligent, quick-witted, caring, compassionate, and cheerful person I had come to know once she let me inside her world. When we were together, especially with Lizzie and Toni, we felt like a real family. There was genuine care and warmth. Lizzie's reaction to hug Stefani earlier surprised me, but it shouldn't have. I did the best I could to raise her, but I was still only one man. She didn't have a mother figure in her life and, looking back over the last couple months, I could see the special bond she was starting to form with Stefani. I vowed to myself right then that I would focus on doing the same with Toni. Her earlier statement of, "You make my mom happy." and the picture she drew of the four of us holding hands, told me she was clearly more astute to the situation than I was aware. My heart yearned for the impromptu family the four of us had started to become and, more importantly, it yearned for Stefani in a way I hadn't felt since Julie. I glanced down at my free hand and observed that my fidgeting fingers had unconsciously produced a little twisted rope circle from the scrap of wrapping paper. In that moment, I realized that my heart knew what it needed. The girls had moved their play downstairs while I was lost in my thoughts, and Stefani and I hadn't said anything in quite some time. She eventually broke the silence, and my distant stare, by asking, "Are you okay? What's wrong?" I responded, "Nothing is wrong. Absolutely nothing." before continuing with conviction, "I know this is going to sound impulsive, but I've never felt more clearly about anything in my life." I lifted my free hand with the little wrapping paper ring and said, "I love you, Stefani. Will you marry me?" She quickly and emphatically answered, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" and her eyes filled with tears as I slipped the makeshift giftwrap ring over her finger. She then leapt into my lap, cradled my face with her palms, and passionately kissed me through her weeping. The Idea. We introduced the idea to Lizzie and Toni as we were all playing board games that Christmas afternoon. It would be an understatement to say they were thrilled about being sisters and living in the same house together. Stefani and I hadn't even begun to consider logistics of being a family. Would we live in my house, her house, a new house? Regardless, the girls immediately started planning how they wanted to decorate a shared bedroom. Stefani asked if they might each like their own room, an idea which the girls quickly dismissed. As the girls' planning continued, Stefani discreetly moved her hand under the table and onto my thigh, giving it affectionate caresses and little love squeezes. I gave her a contented smile, then a moment later she interrupted the girls' conversation to ask, "Would the two of you like to sleep in the tent downstairs again tonight?" Of course they said yes, but I think Stefani and I were even more excited than they were. When the evening wound down, we tucked them into bed and headed upstairs to my bedroom. Stefani decided she would like a shower so we gathered towels and toiletries, sharing plenty of kisses and touches as we did. We reluctantly parted and she proceeded into the bathroom. I heard the glass door open and close, then the sounds of splashing water indicating she was in the shower. I gave her about 10-minutes to freshen up before stripping naked and going in to surprise her. I opened the shower door to see her rinsing shampoo from her hair. She continued rinsing without interruption, but acknowledged me by saying, "I was hoping you would come in." My hands explored her body while she attempted to rinsed her hair, my hardened cock occasionally poking and pressing against her as we moved. She gave up rinsing after a few moments and we urgently kissed in each other's arms, our wet naked bodies pressed together and responding to the slippery contact. After some extended foreplay, I turned Stefani away from me and motioned for her to place one foot up on the tiled shower bench, then entered her from behind in that standing position. She steadied herself against the shower walls as I passionately took her in that standing position, my hands alternating between her holding her hips and kneading her soapy tits. Stefani giggled as I eventually pulled out of her and the combined product of our orgasms trailed down the inside of her leg and swirled down the shower drain. We did actually clean ourselves, of course with a lot of shared soaping, rinsing, and drying assistance, before taking our desire to the bed. We made love numerous times that night in various waves of passion, some tender and caring, some urgent and visceral, and all immensely satisfying to our bodies and souls. Announcement. Stefani told her parents about our engagement when they returned from their cruise. They were understandably concerned given the very short timeline of events and urged her to slow things down. They expressed the same to me when Lizzie and I met them for the first time over a family dinner. After eating, her parents took me aside to reinforce their concerns when I began talking somewhat cryptically, "I was perfectly content living day-to-day, just Lizzie and me as our own little family. Sure, I had fantasies about my wife still being alive, or meeting some beautiful woman that would fill that hole in my heart, but I didn't expect that to ever happen and certainly didn't seek it out. Then Lizzie met Toni, and I met a very; guarded; version of Stefani." Her parents gave each other knowing glances at that statement, and her dad offered, "And bitchy." I laughed and put my hands up in the air as if to mockingly plead, "You said it, not me." before I verbally continued, "Let's just say that her; cold; attitude led to us having a conversation and discovering we have some common experiences in our pasts. Anyway, that's when I truly met the real Stefani and began falling in love, not because of our common pasts, but because of the beautiful, intelligent, caring, compassionate, and cheerful person I came to know after she let me in. I didn't understand what was missing from my life until I truly met the real Stefani; and Toni. The four of us complete each other." Her parents' faces visibly softened as I continued, "I completely understand your concerns, and I'm willing to wait as long as it takes to have your blessing. Your daughter is my fantasy, my fairy tale that I thought I would never find. I can wait a little longer." Her mom's eyes filled with tears and her dad held out his hand to shake mine saying, "You have our blessing. I trust the two of you to decide when the time is right." Blending. Stefani and I honored her parent's guidance and spent the next months growing together and falling deeper in love. We had frequent sleepover nights at both my house and hers and were really beginning to function as a family of four. Stefani was very much becoming a mother to Lizzie, and me a father to Toni. At some point that spring, we all knew the time was right. In early June, Stefani's parents and a small gathering of friends looked on as Stefani, Toni, Lizzie, and I stood on the bridge behind our house and officially became a family. It turns out maybe Lizzie was always right about that bridge. It did have a way of healing wounds and making everything right again. Based on a post by Architect 23 94, in 3 parts, for Literotica.

Bridge Engineering: Part 3 Settling In For A Long Winter’s Nap. Based on a post by Architect 23 94, in 3 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Connected. We all said our goodnights, then Stefani and I made our way back up the stairs. I closed the door to the basement and motioned for her to wait for a moment. I reached up to a nearby shelf and very carefully removed an old set of sleigh bells, which I silently hung on the doorknob as an early warning system. Stefani whispered, "Someone has been doing some serious planning." I quietly replied, "Yes, someone has. Is it working?" She answered by wrapping her arms around me and pulling me into our first slow, introductory kiss. Our lips separated briefly, we looked silently into each other's eyes for a moment, then our heads instinctively tilted and our lips came back together with a deeper, more confident kiss. One kiss blurred into two, then three, and continued until one was indistinguishable from the next. Our mouths opened wider and wider, yearning to feel the other partner's passion, before our tongues began a frantic dance between her mouth and mine. My hands began exploring the soft curves of her lower back, just above where the satin dress flared outward over her hips, and her long fingers ran through my hair as her hands eagerly pulled me into our hungry kisses. I lost all sense of time as we finally broke the passionate tension that had been building between us over the past months. I hadn't realized how much I missed an emotional and physical connection with a special someone, and I knew she felt the same. Our faces were both flush with passion and gasping for breath when I reluctantly pulled away from our moment. Without saying anything, I gently kissed her one more time, took her hand in mine, and led her toward the loft stairs. Stefani understood my intentions and acknowledged her consent with a beaming smile and by clutching my arm close to her body as we walked up the stairs. As we reached the top of the stairs, I motioned toward my bedroom door where a branch of mistletoe hung in the threshold. Stefani saw it and quickly moved to position herself as a gatekeeper in the doorway, saying, "I'm glad you took my advice." I responded by taking her in my arms and resuming the passionate kissing and interplay of our tongues that had begun downstairs. Stefani draped her arms around my neck and pressed her body against mine as my hands slid down her back to feel the satin covered swells of her ass. With our continued intimate contact, my cock responded and began to expand downward inside my pant leg, sandwiched against Stefani's pelvis as it grew. In her own expression of arousal, she extended one leg out from the full length slit in her skirt and wrapped it around the back of my thighs, intentionally pressing her skirt covered mound firmly against my restrained tool. Our mouths frantically struggled to find new depths and my hands cupped her ass as she began urgently grinding herself against my cock. The fervor was only broken when we began to lose balance and Stefani returned to standing on both feet. We both took the opportunity to occupy our hands in other ways, hers sliding between us to grasp at my cock and to unsuccessfully pull at my belt, and mine fumbling to release the back closure on her dress. Admitting defeat, we both paused and I moved behind her to take a different approach. My hand brushed her silken curls aside as I placed soft kisses down the side of her neck and slowly loosened a series of clasps on the back of her dress. She uttered soft moans of pleasure as my lips explored her nape then concentrated on areas that drew the most response. As I continued to expose more of her sensual back with the release of each fastener, Stefani crossed one arm over her bosom to hold the dress in place and reached behind herself with the other to caress the engorged flesh straining within the stretched fabric of my slacks. When I finished the last of the clasps, she removed her hand from my cock and used it to push me backward onto the edge of the bed. I sat in rapt attention as she took a couple steps away from me and, with her back turned, stepped out of her heels to reveal neatly manicured toes with nails painted to complement the color of her dress. Now with bare feet, she turned to face me, still holding the dress with one arm crossed over her tits. Her eyes erotically connected with mine as her hands slowly slid the dress downward, seductively unveiling bit by bit of her amazing body. First were her braless tits, pear-shaped handfuls with the slight sag of an early-thirties mother and topped with aroused gumdrop size nipples on proportionately sized areola. With my attentive eyes and childlike smile suggesting approval, the maroon satin curtain continued descending to uncover a slender torso with modestly toned abs and a cute concave belly button. Once her hands reached the top flare of her hips, Stefani released the dress and let gravity pool it at her feet. Her flat stomach and thin waist gave way to supple curves of womanly hips, which then tapered back to meet her long legs. The toned muscles gracefully ebbed and flowed, punctuated by lean knees and petite ankles, all proportionate to the scale of her tall, trim frame. Stefani was a vision, standing before me in nothing but a pair of black satin panties consisting of a small triangle over her sex and thin ribbons of fabric extending outward over subtly visible hip bones. I quickly shed my sport coat and shoes and began opening the buttons down the front of my dress shirt as Stefani did a slow turn and playfully wiggled her amazing heart-shaped ass. I tore my gaze from her body and looked her lustfully in the eyes as she completed her turn, "Wow, you are absolutely incredible!" My shirt was completely unbuttoned and my full-mast erection strained obscenely against the front of my dress pants. I pulled the shirt tails out from under my waistband and started to unbuckle my belt, but Stefani interceded, "Please, let me." I dropped my hands to my sides as she closed the few steps between us and bent forward to kiss me as I sat on the edge of the bed. We shared a few short kisses before she placed her hands on my chest and gently pushed my torso back on the bed. I propped myself on my elbows as she began trailing kisses down the center of my chest and deftly pulled my belt free of its buckle while opening my slacks. By the time her kisses reached my waist, she was on her knees before me and nuzzled her face against my boxer short covered rod and began kissing along its fabric covered length. The eroticism of the sight and the feel of her warm breath would have easily put me over the edge had I not done everything in my power to hold back. Sensing my edging, Stefani relented her touch and curled her slender fingers under the waistband of my slacks and boxers. I lifted my hips to assist while she pulled the waistband toward herself and carefully lifted it over my straining bulge. Her eyes fixated on the vertical tower that sprung upward as soon as it was free of its prison, and continued staring as she pushed the unwanted clothing down my legs. Once she had my pants fully removed, she slowly slid her hands along the top of my legs while she placed a line of kisses up my right inner thigh. She made one last kiss right next to the base of my cock then nuzzled her face against it and cooed soft hums of contentment. Meanwhile, her right hand took a moment to caress my pelvic area before her long, slender fingers encircled my shaft and began to explore its girth and length. After a few moments, Stefani pulled her head away from me enough to visually inspect every detail of my cock as her hand slowly stroked up-and-down and moved it from side-to-side, exploring its network of veiny ridges and large swollen mushroom cap. Her attention resulted in a bead of clear pre-cum pooling on my tip, which she leaned forward and licked away before it dripped downward. With her visual inspection seemingly complete, Stefani continued to slowly stroke my cock while she moved her head downward and used her tongue to caress my loose hanging, neatly shaven balls and then envelope one of the globes fully in her warm mouth. At this point, the previous single bead of pre-cum gave way to a steady stream trailing down the side of my shaft and over the back of her hand. After giving both orbs equal treatment, her tongue followed my trail of precum over the back of her hand and up my throbbing shaft to its source. She looked me deeply in the eyes as she slowly took my engorged head into her mouth and swirled her tongue around its rim. I held the approaching orgasm at bay by brushing her curly locks aside and placing my hands on the sides of her cheeks to gently guide her off my cock. I continued guiding her up to me where she put a leg on each side of my hips to straddle over me. I pulled her face down to mine and kissed her with passionate urgency as her naked chest pressed against mine and my still leaking cock sandwiched between my stomach and hers. As we kissed, she shifted her position upward so her panty covered sex rested on my shaft and then began to slowly rockng her hips, using my cock to work the fabric into her moist folds. My hands instinctively cupped her ass and reinforced her grinding motions. Kissing tapered off as our breathing became heavier and Stefani raised her torso off my chest to find a slightly different position on my cock. We continued to look into each other's eyes as my hands left her ass to explore the alluring tits hanging above me, seductively swaying in time with her motions. I held them for the very first time, massaging and gently squeezing the milky masses while her erect, gumdrop size nipples punctuated my palms. Her heavy breathing was interrupted when my fingers playfully pinched at the swollen nubs, so I took that as encouragement to lift my head and give them some oral stimulation. My mouth covered one, then the other, swirling my tongue and suckling as Stefani increased the speed and force of her hip movements. Realizing the pressure once again building in my balls, I swiftly rolled our semi-conjoined bodies and reversed our positions, with Stefani now on her back and me sliding off the edge of the bed to kneel between her legs. She raised her hips as I grasped and pulled the thin satin ribbons from her hips. They slid toward me and the sodden triangle of fabric reluctantly separated from her wet folds to reveal a small, neatly trimmed patch of hair immediately above glistening and rosy pink gateway petals. They were naturally opened wide to display her well-lubricated inner flesh and partially cloaked love-button. With her panties fully removed, I gently opened her knees and started to lean forward. Stefani understood my intent, bent her legs upward, and opened them widely to allow me full access. Like she had done to me earlier, my lips left a line of kisses up her inner thigh as my nose inhaled her intoxicating scent. Having reached my destination, I gently licked the outer lips on each side of her opening before sucking each into my mouth and giving equal treatment. Stefani's hands had found my head and were offering reassuring encouragement to continue the oral pleasures. My hands also wandered, alternating between holding her hips and kneading her tits as my tongue's attention became more fervent. I moved from her labia to firmly lick the length of her central opening, gently brushing over the top of her clit. Stefani responded by tensing her legs and clenching my hair in her hands. I returned down to cover the core of her sex with my mouth and swirl my tongue around the entrance to her tunnel. Stefani moaned and continued pulling at my hair as I very slowly moved my attention upward. Eventually, my mouth centered over her pearl and the tip of my tongue tenderly circled around it, before firmly pressing against it. She moaned loudly and every muscle in her body tightened as I changed from licking to sucking on her button. I was rewarded with a flood of her cordials and a long series of rhythmic contractions. I gave her outer petals a few more gentle licks and caressed her flat stomach with my hands while she recovered from the height of her pleasure. When she returned to consciousness, she breathlessly whispered, "Come here." and motioned me toward her. I stood from kneeling at the edge of the bed and climbed between her still splayed legs to hold myself over her. Stefani quietly said, "Thank you. You have no idea how amazing that was; how amazing it is to be here with you." as she tenderly wiped her juices from my cheeks and mouth. I responded, "It's been an amazing couple of months. I haven't felt this way about someone since;” I was speaking from my heart without the filter of my head when I realized the inappropriateness of what I was about to say, and adjusted my statement to, "; well, for a very long time." Stefani looked me lovingly in the eyes, cupped my cheek with her hand, and said, "It's okay to talk about her. Julie is still part of you and always should be. I know how much you love her and it means a lot that you would even mention me in the same breath." I leaned down with an appreciative kiss as I held myself over her. One kiss led to another, then to another and another, until our tongues were tangled and our mouths continually joined. We made out with renewed urgency and Stefani reached between our bodies to wrap her hand around my still steely rod. She broke our kissing long enough to beg, "Please, I need you inside me." Our kissing resumed as she guided my cock toward her opening and rubbed its engorged glans up and down her slit several times before removing her hand. Her arms encircled my neck as we kissed and I shifted my hips to seat the tip of my cock firmly against her gateway. Stefani moaned into my mouth when she felt the pressure, and tightened her arms around my neck when the head slowly pushed through her stretched but slippery opening. I cautiously rocked my hips, pausing frequently and allowing her passageway muscles to relax around my rigid cock. She urged me to continue by mumbling into our locked mouths, "More; more; more;” I applied a little more pressure with each motion of my hips and her body slowly welcomed me deeper and deeper. Signaling she wanted more, Stefani wrapped her long legs around me, interlocking her ankles behind my ass and flexing her legs to draw me further inside. With confidence that Stefani was wanting more, I broke our kissing and took her hands in mine, pinning them above her head as I held my body above hers. She seemed excited for me to take control and relaxed her legs while still keeping her ankles interlocked behind me. I began increasing the speed and force of my thrusts, eliciting yelps of pleasure as my cock explored new depths. The bed shook with our quick motions, as did Stefani's curly tresses and motherly tits. The expressions of pleasure on her face were incredibly erotic and I changed to longer, slower strokes to delay my pending orgasm and prolong our pleasure. She understood what I was doing and agreeably pleaded, "Kiss me." I did, and we made love with our mouths while she reinforced my long, slow, intentional pelvic motions with her legs wrapped around me. That tender moment was emblematic of everything we both wanted and needed. There was an unspoken connection between our souls, bridging our broken pasts and forever joining us into the future. Our bodies responded physically to the emotional and spiritual joining. Stefani's by weeping in happiness through a long, rolling orgasm; and mine by releasing eight years' worth of pent-up passion deep into her womb. Completely consumed by the intensity of the experience, Stefani rolled with me as I collapsed beside her on the bed, our legs still intertwined and my cock slowly softening inside her residual contractions. I looked knowingly into her tearful eyes and said softly, but with conviction, "I love you." Stefani pressed her forehead and sniffling nose into my neck and replied, "I love you, too; even more than I thought I did before tonight." We laid silently in each other's arms, exchanging occasional pecks of affection, until my flaccid cock slipped from Stefani's sex followed by a flood of our combined juices. She quickly cupped her hand to her crotch and scurried to the ensuite bathroom. While she was in there, I quickly slipped on my boxer shorts, opened the bedroom door, and stepped out into the loft to check on the girls. The house was silent and the sleigh bells on the basement doorknob appeared undisturbed. Satisfied all was well, I was walking back in the bedroom and was closing the door when Stefani emerged from the bathroom, still naked, and proclaimed in a hushed voice, "David! I've never been so full of cum in my life!" I shrugged my shoulders as I approached her saying, "You're the one that turned me on so much." then pulled her into a passionate embrace and kiss. She returned my kiss then pulled away saying, "I think I would like some more." as she pulled down my boxer shorts and dropped to her knees in one swift motion. She engulfed my limp cock into her warm mouth and massaged it with her tongue until it began to swell. One hand massaged my balls while the other cupped my ass cheek and pulled me into her ministrations. Once I had a hint of rigidity, she began bobbing her head and applying suction to further draw out my length. Working my cock in and out of her mouth, she made sure the sensitive underside of my glans remained in full contact with her tongue. It didn't take long for me to reach a full, raging erection. Sensing that with her mouth, Stefani confirmed with a couple quick strokes of her hand before standing and moving toward the bed. I watched in rapt attention as she climbed onto the center of the bed, positioned herself on her elbows and knees, and seductively wiggled her ass in the air. She looked at me over her shoulder with lust in her eyes and implored, "Take me!" I quickly climbed on the bed and positioned myself behind her. My hands playfully grabbed her hips and pulled her back into me, sandwiching my thickened shaft against her ass. She responded by wiggling her ass, which served to neatly seat my rod between her cheeks. I held her hips with my hands and rocked a few times to slide the underside of my cock against her cheeks. Having played around enough, I shifted backward on my knees and cupped a hand under her sex. I briefly caressed her inflamed and eager mound before dipping two fingers further into her very well lubricated slit. Stefani uttered encouraging moans as my fingers worked in and out of her dripping wet hole. Knowing we were both ready for the main event, I pulled my copiously coated hand from her mound and used it, along with the pre-cum already dripping from my tip, to spread lubrication along the length of my throbbing shaft. Stefani looked back at me as I held her hip with one hand and guided my cock toward her opening with the other. We both gave prolonged moans as our heightened arousal allowed me to penetrate her fully in one long push. Once inside her, she looked back at me and renewed her original request, "Take me!" And so I did. With my hands holding her hips and pulling her back against my pelvis with every stroke, I began lustfully pistoning in and out of her tunnel. She buried her face into the mattress and squealed with delight as I pounded into her roughly, causing her hanging pear-shaped tits to swing violently with my harsh pummeling. After a while, my hands moved to cradle the milky fruits and feel their rippling movements against my palms. As I became winded from the extended punishment I was giving Stefani, I used the supple handfuls to raise her torso toward me and aggressively kiss the nape of her neck as my cock momentarily slowed its assault. Stefani muttered unintelligible encouragements as her tunnel walls pleasured in the slowed movements of my veiny shaft and bulbous head erotically sliding in and out. In the course of my affection, her breathing quickened and became shallower as she ascended toward climax. Knowing she was close, I gave her sensitive nipples a quick squeeze, pushed her torso back down to the mattress, and grabbed her hips to resume my forceful penetrations. My lustful plunging quickly put Stefani over her summit and she emitted long moans of pleasure punctuated only by the impacts of my pelvis against her ass. Her body began quaking and, unable to support herself, crashed forward face down on the bed. My body followed hers downward and pinned her against the mattress as I gave a few more hard thrusts before pushing myself as far into her depths as possible, and releasing volley after volley of cum. Her walls sheathing my cock spasmed through a long drawn-out orgasm, milking every drop of seed from my cock. I held myself over her while our mutual orgasm slowly subsided. Not wanting to smother her with my weight, I rolled off to her side, leaving a strand of cum as my cock slipped from her warmth and dragged across her ass. Still laying on her stomach, Stefani turned her head and motioned me toward her for a series of lovingly soft post-coital kisses. She then repeated her earlier actions of cupping a hand to her crotch and making her way to the bathroom, to which I chuckled and she returned a playfully stern expression and wagging finger. I checked on the girls again while she was in the bathroom and then we both decided we should get a little sleep before they would be up for Christmas morning. Stefani set the alarm on her phone and we drifted off to sleep naked in each other's arms. Wake Up Call. I didn't hear the alarm, but Stefani did and apparently decided to give me a different type of wake-up call. I awoke to the feeling of wet warmth around my morning erection. I looked down to see a mass of dark curly hair slowly moving up and down over my midsection. I reached out and brushed aside her mane to see her looking up at me, the corners of her mouth smiling from around my cock. She briefly pulled it from her mouth and offered a cheery, "Good morning handsome." I replied, "Good morning beautiful." before she returned her attention to pleasuring me. She resumed slowly making oral love to my glans and moved one hand to massage my balls as she worked. After a while, she began to take more of my shaft with each downward motion until my engorged head began flirting with the entrance to her throat. She had no perceivable reflex to the contact and, on the following downstroke, wiggled her head a little to work my crown past the restriction. Once past the threshold, she took my full length, burying her nose firmly into my pelvis. She held herself there for several moments before pulling herself off my cock, then repeating the actions again and again. I had never experienced that feeling before and it didn't take long for me to be overcome by the pleasure. While buried deep in her throat, I urgently warned, "I'm going to cum! I'm going to cum!" Stefani strained to push her head down further and take in every possible millimeter of my cock before purposefully constricting her throat around the head of my cock. My hands grasped at her curly locks as I launched forceful jets of cum directly into her throat. After the first few ejections, she pulled back to remove my crown from her throat and to milk the remaining cum into her mouth with a rhythmic bobbing motion. She looked into my eyes as she swallowed my seed and continued fellating my organ until it softened in her mouth, then simply said, "Merry Christmas, David." Christmas Morning. I had started a fire in the great room fireplace after Stefani's morning gift and was faking blanket-covered sleep on the sofa when I heard little footsteps clamoring up the basement steps and bursting through the sleigh bell alarmed door. The girls scurried across the room in their new pajamas, taking the shortest route to the Christmas presents under the tree, and began eagerly exploring which packages were for whom. I pretended to be waking up and put on a show by pushing the blanket aside, stretching my arms in an exaggerated fashion as I sat upright, and saying, "Merry Christmas, girls!" Just then, I saw Stefani coming down the loft stairs and continuing the ruse by drearily rubbing her eyes and smoothing her disheveled curls. She had apparently gone shopping in my closet and was wearing one of my old t-shirts, which was long enough on her to almost completely cover a pair of my boxer shorts beneath. She echoed, "Merry Christmas everyone!" The girls distractedly replied, "Merry Christmas," as they continued sorting through gifts under the tree. Stefani sat down next to me on the sofa and folded one leg beneath her. After confirming the girls were not looking, I turned my head and gave Stefani a quick peck on the lips before suggesting, "Girls, do you want to pass out all the presents?" They excitedly responded, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" and enthusiastically went about checking tags and making stacks of presents where each recipient was seated. I reached over to take Stefani's hand in mine, our fingers interlaced, as we soaked in the holiday atmosphere. During their process, Toni and Lizzie independently delivered a package for either me or Stefani and noticed us holding hands. Interestingly, they both had similar reactions which amounted to hesitating for a moment, then going on about what they were doing as if us holding hands was expected and logical. Once the girls had all the gift bags and wrapped boxes distributed, we took the civilized approach of taking turns, each of us opening a present while the others looked on. Toni and Lizzie each received an assortment of clothes, girly trinkets, and a couple electronic items. Stefani and I were especially moved when the girls exchanged gifts they had personally selected for each other, then embraced in an extended hug. On my next turn opening a gift, I was genuinely touched when I unwrapped a shirt-box size package from Lizzie to find a small ceramic coin dish, hand-painted in red and green with speckles of gold glitter. Also in the box was an impressively detailed color pencil drawing of Lizzie, Toni, Stefani, and me all holding hands and standing on Lizzie's little bridge behind our house. Stefani and I reserved our presents to each other until all the others had been opened and the girls were happily playing with their new toys. We sat on the sofa watching them and shared occasional discreet touches of affection before exchanging our gifts. I'm sure we would have both selected different items had we known the deepening of our relationship that would occur on Christmas Eve, but they were still meaningful in a retrospective way. I opened an absolutely beautiful mechanical wristwatch with an ornately engraved metal band. As I was admiring its craftsmanship, I noticed the side of the clock face was inscribed with intricate script, "Thank you for being on-time. --Stefani" Knowing the deeper significance of those words in Stefani's painful past made my gift to her equally meaningful. I presented her a small box which she opened to reveal a delicate silver pendant necklace containing a marble-size translucent brown gemstone. Her slender fingers picked up a small printed card inside the jewelry box that read, "Legend of Apache Tears -- This gemstone native to Superior, Arizona bears the tears shed by Apache women after loss of their men defending the sacred homelands. For those who possess an Apache Tear, their emotional body will be cleansed of old traumas or wounds and they need not cry again, because the Apache women cried enough for the one who holds the stone." Stefani carefully placed the card back into the jewelry box and closed the case saying, "Thank you, but I think you are my real healer." I replied, "I know you are mine." and gave her a short but meaningful kiss. Our lips pulled away from each other to find the girls sitting on the floor by the Christmas tree, distracted from playing by the sight of us kissing. Stefani was quicker thinking than me and asked the intentionally leading question, "How would the two of you feel about the four of us spending more time together?" To my surprise, Lizzie put her toys aside, walked over to the sofa and gave Stefani a giant hug. She said something to Stefani while they hugged, but I couldn't make out the words. Toni followed Lizzie's lead and came over to give me a hug. Her face buried into my neck, she said with the honest wisdom of a child, "You make my mom happy." Not understanding the full significance of what had just occurred, Toni and Lizzie returned to playing while Stefani and I silently held hands and just enjoyed the moment. My mind drifted to recount the last couple months, and last 24 hours, as the fingers of my free hand idly twisted and twirled a small piece of wrapping paper. While Stefani and I had commonly tragic backgrounds that drew us together, that is not why I loved her. That was simply the key that opened our guarded doors and freed our real selves. I loved her for being the intelligent, quick-witted, caring, compassionate, and cheerful person I had come to know once she let me inside her world. When we were together, especially with Lizzie and Toni, we felt like a real family. There was genuine care and warmth. Lizzie's reaction to hug Stefani earlier surprised me, but it shouldn't have. I did the best I could to raise her, but I was still only one man. She didn't have a mother figure in her life and, looking back over the last couple months, I could see the special bond she was starting to form with Stefani. I vowed to myself right then that I would focus on doing the same with Toni. Her earlier statement of, "You make my mom happy." and the picture she drew of the four of us holding hands, told me she was clearly more astute to the situation than I was aware. My heart yearned for the impromptu family the four of us had started to become and, more importantly, it yearned for Stefani in a way I hadn't felt since Julie. I glanced down at my free hand and observed that my fidgeting fingers had unconsciously produced a little twisted rope circle from the scrap of wrapping paper. In that moment, I realized that my heart knew what it needed. The girls had moved their play downstairs while I was lost in my thoughts, and Stefani and I hadn't said anything in quite some time. She eventually broke the silence, and my distant stare, by asking, "Are you okay? What's wrong?" I responded, "Nothing is wrong. Absolutely nothing." before continuing with conviction, "I know this is going to sound impulsive, but I've never felt more clearly about anything in my life." I lifted my free hand with the little wrapping paper ring and said, "I love you, Stefani. Will you marry me?" She quickly and emphatically answered, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" and her eyes filled with tears as I slipped the makeshift giftwrap ring over her finger. She then leapt into my lap, cradled my face with her palms, and passionately kissed me through her weeping. The Idea. We introduced the idea to Lizzie and Toni as we were all playing board games that Christmas afternoon. It would be an understatement to say they were thrilled about being sisters and living in the same house together. Stefani and I hadn't even begun to consider logistics of being a family. Would we live in my house, her house, a new house? Regardless, the girls immediately started planning how they wanted to decorate a shared bedroom. Stefani asked if they might each like their own room, an idea which the girls quickly dismissed. As the girls' planning continued, Stefani discreetly moved her hand under the table and onto my thigh, giving it affectionate caresses and little love squeezes. I gave her a contented smile, then a moment later she interrupted the girls' conversation to ask, "Would the two of you like to sleep in the tent downstairs again tonight?" Of course they said yes, but I think Stefani and I were even more excited than they were. When the evening wound down, we tucked them into bed and headed upstairs to my bedroom. Stefani decided she would like a shower so we gathered towels and toiletries, sharing plenty of kisses and touches as we did. We reluctantly parted and she proceeded into the bathroom. I heard the glass door open and close, then the sounds of splashing water indicating she was in the shower. I gave her about 10-minutes to freshen up before stripping naked and going in to surprise her. I opened the shower door to see her rinsing shampoo from her hair. She continued rinsing without interruption, but acknowledged me by saying, "I was hoping you would come in." My hands explored her body while she attempted to rinsed her hair, my hardened cock occasionally poking and pressing against her as we moved. She gave up rinsing after a few moments and we urgently kissed in each other's arms, our wet naked bodies pressed together and responding to the slippery contact. After some extended foreplay, I turned Stefani away from me and motioned for her to place one foot up on the tiled shower bench, then entered her from behind in that standing position. She steadied herself against the shower walls as I passionately took her in that standing position, my hands alternating between her holding her hips and kneading her soapy tits. Stefani giggled as I eventually pulled out of her and the combined product of our orgasms trailed down the inside of her leg and swirled down the shower drain. We did actually clean ourselves, of course with a lot of shared soaping, rinsing, and drying assistance, before taking our desire to the bed. We made love numerous times that night in various waves of passion, some tender and caring, some urgent and visceral, and all immensely satisfying to our bodies and souls. Announcement. Stefani told her parents about our engagement when they returned from their cruise. They were understandably concerned given the very short timeline of events and urged her to slow things down. They expressed the same to me when Lizzie and I met them for the first time over a family dinner. After eating, her parents took me aside to reinforce their concerns when I began talking somewhat cryptically, "I was perfectly content living day-to-day, just Lizzie and me as our own little family. Sure, I had fantasies about my wife still being alive, or meeting some beautiful woman that would fill that hole in my heart, but I didn't expect that to ever happen and certainly didn't seek it out. Then Lizzie met Toni, and I met a very; guarded; version of Stefani." Her parents gave each other knowing glances at that statement, and her dad offered, "And bitchy." I laughed and put my hands up in the air as if to mockingly plead, "You said it, not me." before I verbally continued, "Let's just say that her; cold; attitude led to us having a conversation and discovering we have some common experiences in our pasts. Anyway, that's when I truly met the real Stefani and began falling in love, not because of our common pasts, but because of the beautiful, intelligent, caring, compassionate, and cheerful person I came to know after she let me in. I didn't understand what was missing from my life until I truly met the real Stefani; and Toni. The four of us complete each other." Her parents' faces visibly softened as I continued, "I completely understand your concerns, and I'm willing to wait as long as it takes to have your blessing. Your daughter is my fantasy, my fairy tale that I thought I would never find. I can wait a little longer." Her mom's eyes filled with tears and her dad held out his hand to shake mine saying, "You have our blessing. I trust the two of you to decide when the time is right." Blending. Stefani and I honored her parent's guidance and spent the next months growing together and falling deeper in love. We had frequent sleepover nights at both my house and hers and were really beginning to function as a family of four. Stefani was very much becoming a mother to Lizzie, and me a father to Toni. At some point that spring, we all knew the time was right. In early June, Stefani's parents and a small gathering of friends looked on as Stefani, Toni, Lizzie, and I stood on the bridge behind our house and officially became a family. It turns out maybe Lizzie was always right about that bridge. It did have a way of healing wounds and making everything right again. Based on a post by Architect 23 94, in 3 parts, for Literotica.

Ryan Wrecker filling in for Annie, and taking on the Fed meeting, the Trump economic meeting, and much more. Guests are Deroy Murdock and Doug Kelly, and topics include the AI arms race, and narco terrorism.

Dan Glessing, president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation, joins Jordana.

 Bridge Engineering: Part 1Two broken, single parents find healing.Based on a post by Architect 23 94, in 3 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Connected.And so it began. The start of another school year. I pulled my Jeep into the school grounds and took my place in the waiting drop-off lane. Children scurried about the school grounds with crisp back-to-school clothes and brightly colored backpacks not yet soiled and tattered from use. I winced internally as numerous mothers hugged their little ones, sent them into the building, and tearfully departed.My Elizabeth unfastened her seatbelt and eagerly fidgeted on the edge of the seat as we crept forward in line. Upon arrival at the designated unloading zone, Lizzie contorted herself over the center console and gave me a tight, all-consuming hug. "I love you Daddy!" she shouted as a volunteer parent opened the car door. And with that, she was gone in a flash. The volunteer and I just smiled at each other and shrugged our shoulders.In a repeat of years past, I drove away with a feeling of emptiness. Lizzie and I spent every minute of the summer together and I grew accustomed to her as my constant companion. It seemed like just yesterday that I dropped her off for the first day of preschool. Today it's third grade. How fast will the remaining years fly by before she leaves me all alone?I spent the day in a nearby coffee shop distractedly conducting business via email on my laptop. It wasn't rational, but somehow it felt better knowing I was only a couple minutes from the school, and from Lizzie. Time passed excruciatingly slow and I struggled to resist going to the school and being one of 'those' helicopter parents. Well, school ends at 2:50. I held out until 2:15.I was third in the line of vehicles waiting for pick-up and my eyes anxiously scanned the mass of children emerging from the school doors. It wasn't long before I spotted Lizzie joyfully skipping hand-in-hand with a girl I didn't recognize. She was rail thin, had a very lightly tanned skin tone, and towered above Lizzie. That wasn't too surprising since Lizzie took after her very petite mother and also barely made the birthday cutoff for her grade, but this girl was quite a bit taller than the average third grader.The girls zig-zagged as they skipped down the sidewalk with swinging arms and bouncing hair. Lizzie's straight and amber brown, her friend's a loose mass of dark curls. Lizzie spotted my Jeep and pointed it out to her friend. They hugged goodbye with Lizzie's arms around her friend's waist, and her friend's arms around Lizzie's head. I smiled at the height contrast and felt a sense of relief as Lizzie ran toward the Jeep.She climbed in and frantically began telling me everything about her day, a flood of words pouring from her mouth as if a damn holding them back had burst, "My teacher is Mrs. Pierpont and she is really nice and she has red hair. A boy named Alex sits next to me and he has shiny shoes. I had a hot dog for lunch and; and; and;”My heart felt comfort as she sat next to me and I heard the happiness in her voice. I needed her near me and to know that everything was ok.Lizzie had talked non-stop for 10 minutes and was still going as we headed toward home. The small-town streets gave way to a rural two-lane road as we headed out of town, and eventually the tires crunched along the gravel road leading to our house in the woods. It was the tranquil setting that I needed when Lizzie and I moved here 8 years ago."; and I met a new friend. Her name is Toni, well it's really Antonia, but she wants to be called Toni. Kind of like my name is Elizabeth, but you call me Lizzie. She is really nice and really tall. She has a pet frog."I interrupted to ask, "Is that who you were skipping with after school?""Yes, she in my class but she doesn't sit next to me. I met her when we were in line for lunch and we sat together. She brought a salad from home and bought a milk in the lunch line. She just moved here from somewhere else. Can I bring lunch from home tomorrow?"I patted her knee with my hand and said, "Of course, you can sweetie." as we parked in front of the house.It wasn't a large house but was plenty of space for the two of us. There was a great room, kitchen and half bathroom on the main level; two bedroom-bathroom suites and a loft space on the second level; and a semi-finished basement that I had been slowly working on for several years. It had all the modern technology and conveniences but was built with a rustic charm complementing its setting in the woods.We kicked our shoes off in the mudroom and Lizzie discarded her backpack into the coat cubby by the door. Lizzie, or more accurately, I, survived the first day of the school year. Only 179 more to go.Getting In A Rhythm.Lizzie and I settled into the school year rhythm over the next couple weeks and I began to slowly let go of my separation anxiety. Every day, I dropped her off at school, worked from home, then picked her up from school. Evenings were filled with homework, dinner preparation, and some form of relaxing time together. Lizzie particularly enjoyed walking in the woods and making up imaginary games with sticks, leaves, rocks, or other things she would find along the way. The grand finale of her outdoor adventures was always spending some time on a rope swing that I had hung from a tall oak tree. Other nights we might occupy ourselves with board games, cards, or television as the mood struck us. At the end of every night, Lizzie would get ready for bed then we would spend about a half-hour talking and reading a book of her choice before turning off the lights.I also noticed another pattern forming in those first few weeks of school. Lizzie was talking more and more about her new friend, Toni. They waited for each other to arrive in the mornings before going into the school together and would always emerge side-by-side in the afternoons. They were quickly becoming inseparable and I was happy to see her form that kind of relationship. Like me, Lizzie had always been socially reserved with only a few limited friendships.I saw her reserved personality opening up more and more with Toni, so one evening when Lizzie asked if she could invite her to play at our house, I readily agreed. I wrote my name and cell phone number on a note pad before tearing it out and handing it to Lizzie, "Ask her to have her parents call me and we will see if we can setup a time to play."Lizzie squealed and bounced up and down in excitement. She continued bouncing all the way to the mudroom and safely deposited the note in her backpack.Introductions.It was a couple days later, mid-morning on Thursday, that I answered a call from a number I didn't recognize. Thinking it was likely a business call, I answered, "Hello, this is David."A friendly but hesitant female voice replied, "Hi, I'm Stefani, Toni's mom.""Hi Stefani. It's nice to meet you, well, over the phone at least. Lizzie has been so excited to play with Toni!""Yes, I've heard a lot about Lizzie over the last couple weeks. Toni is excited too."I got down to details and asked, "When is Toni available?""Would Saturday afternoon, maybe around 1:00, work for you?""Yes, that would be just fine." Not knowing how many facts about our home life found its way to Toni's parents, I tried to be understanding of the fact that people can be cautious of sending their children, especially girls, to a single father's house. I tentatively asked, "Where would Toni be most comfortable? Lizzie would love for her to come here, or we are happy to meet at Triangle Park. Whatever works best for you."Stefani thought for a brief second, then replied, "Would you be comfortable dropping Lizzie off at our house for a couple hours?"I noticed that she said, "drop her off for a couple hours," which clearly meant I was not invited to stay. However, I didn't think much of it since a dad hanging around during a play date in someone else's house would be awkward at best."Yes, I'm sure Lizzie would enjoy that."Stefani gave me the address, then we exchanged closing words and ended the call. I sat and reflected on the conversation for a few moments. It all seemed very normal. Stefani seemed "normal" and was pleasant enough, though I sensed a business-like tone in her voice. I shrugged it off thinking, "How much can you tell from a 2-minute phone call?"Getting Together.I told Lizzie the news when I picked her up from school. She shrieked with excitement, did a little dance in her seat, and began counting the hours until 1:00 Saturday. She definitely got that over-enjoyment of simple things in life, and the dancing talent, from her mother!Saturday eventually arrived, although much too slowly for Lizzie's liking. After lunch, we hopped into the Jeep and rode into town with Lizzie impatiently fidgeting in the passenger seat the whole way. We pulled onto Depot Street near downtown and Lizzie helped me scan for the mailbox with the correct house number. I saw it from a distance and slowed down so she could have the discovery."There it is! There it is! 2 1 5!" she screamed.I brought the Jeep to a stop in front of a small, well-kept bungalow style home with an impressive display of annual flowers by the front steps. As soon as we stopped, Toni burst out the front door and bounded down the porch steps in a single leap. Likewise, Lizzie unfastened her seatbelt and threw open the door in one fluid motion. They met midway across the yard in a full speed, shrieking embrace.I smiled at their innocent joy as I unbuckled my seatbelt and walked around the Jeep toward the house. As I did, the front door opened and a tall, slender lady stepped out onto the porch in bare feet, wearing fashionably weathered blue jeans and a buff color corded sweater. She appeared to be in her early 30s and looked like the identical, older version of Toni. She was maybe around 5 foot 10, tall and had the same slender build, with addition of modest womanly curves at her hips and chest. Her chiseled facial features and shoulder length dark curls were also a matured version of Toni's.I approached the porch and offered a cheery "Hello! I'm David, nice to meet you."She crossed her arms and somewhat coldly replied, "Hi David," then with a voice inflection that implied more of an assertion than a question said, "Would it be ok for you to pick Lizzie up at 3:00?"I sensed the invisible barrier she was erecting and halted my progress toward the porch."Yes, that would be fine. I'll see you then."As I turned away to walk back to the Jeep, she flatly said, "Please don't be late."I didn't reply to her, but turned my attention to Lizzie and said loudly enough for my demander to hear, "Have fun girls! I'll be back Before 3:00 to pick you up Lizzie."While the lady on the porch didn't introduce herself, the voice matched Stefani's from our phone call a few days ago, and was equally business-like in demeanor. It's difficult to describe. She didn't project a mean or nasty personality that would have made me wary of leaving Lizzie, but she was definitely keeping her distance. The mystery of it piqued my curiosity and made me realize that, as much as Lizzie talked about Toni, she hadn't told me anything about her family.I ran a couple errands around town and returned to Lizzie's house at 2:50, ten minutes early. When I pulled up I saw numerous toys strewn across the front yard and heard playing voices and squeals coming from behind the house. Since I was early, I leisurely wandered the front yard picking up hula-hoops, jump ropes, a bicycle, and a few balls. As I deposited the last couple items into a neat pile next to the driveway, I heard Stefani's voice behind me softly say, "Thank you, you didn't need to do that."I turned to face her as she stood on the porch in the same jeans and sweater she had on earlier, "No worries. I was a little early and didn't want to intrude."With her arms crossed in front of her, Stefani somewhat timidly said, "Thank you for that too; for being early."Just then, the girls came running around the corner of the house screaming, "Spider! Spider! Spider!"I looked at Stefani, smiled and shrugged my shoulders. I corralled Lizzie and said, "It's time to go, is there anything you need to clean up?"Toni answered for her, "No, we just had toys out in the front yard. I'll put them in the garage."The girls pleaded for another play date as they hugged. Stefani simply answered, "We'll see."I gave a quick wave goodbye as Lizzie and I climbed in the Jeep and pulled away.Drop-offs and Pick-ups.Over the next few days, the pattern of school drop-offs and pick-ups with Lizzie and Toni as an inseparable pair continued, and Lizzie begged me relentlessly for another out-of-school play date with Toni. Given Stefani's tepid response at the end of the last play date, I was hesitant to initiate. However, Lizzie's continued insistence eventually wore me down and I made the phone call that Thursday.Stefani answered the phone with a simple, "Hello.""Hi Stefani. This is Lizzie's dad, David. How are you today?"She answered somewhat suspiciously, "I'm fine."After a second of not receiving any more of a response, I stumbled a bit with my words and added, "Uh, Lizzie would really like to get together with Toni again. I; I was just calling to see if you would be open to that."Stefani questioned sharply, "Why are you asking if I'm open to it?"I stumbled some more, "Uh; well; you sounded a little hesitant at the end of the last play date and; and I didn't want to be presumptuous about them getting together again."She coldly answered, "I'm fine with it.""Okay, good. It seems Lizzie and Toni are becoming fast friends."In an ever-so-slightly warmer tone of voice, Stefani asked, "When and where are you thinking?""How about Saturday afternoon again? Wherever you would prefer is fine with us.""Yes, that works. Saturday afternoon at 3:00. How about our house again?"I replied, "Sounds good. We'll see you then." before we exchanged goodbyes. I ended the cell phone call and loudly exhaled my relief that the awkward conversation was over.Building Friendships.The beginning of the second play date went much like the first; screaming girls happy to see each other, a cold reception from Stefani, and a firm directive to be there on-time to pick up Lizzie. It also ended similarly to the first play date. I arrived early, exchanged a few short words with Stefani, and gently guided Lizzie to the Jeep as the girls begged for more time together. This same routine became standard procedure over the next several weeks and a half dozen more play dates.The only change to the pattern occurred after the first few play dates, when Stefani and I began texting each other to make arrangements rather than talking on the phone. The texting suited me just fine as it avoided the awkwardness of our previous telephone conversations.Eventually, Lizzie started asking if Toni could come to our house to play. I avoided the subject as long as possible since I wasn't sure how Stefani would feel about Toni coming to a single father's house or, for that matter, even how much she knew about our family situation. After an especially persuasive appeal from Lizzie one afternoon, I caved and picked up my phone to text Stefani.I wasn't sure how to best approach the question and, after several re-writes, settled on a minimal and factual approach, "Hi Stefani. Lizzie would like to invite Toni over to our house for a play date."A couple hours later my phone buzzed with the simple reply, "Okay. When?"After a few exchanges of date options, we settled on that Thursday after school. Stefani offered to drop her off and I sent her our address.I told Lizzie the plan and she immediately began formulating a list of all the things they would do. The two activities that kept rising to the top were to show Toni her bedroom and play on a bridge that she and I had built over a small creek in the woods.It was a simple bridge made by spanning a couple logs from bank to bank, then covering them with old rough sawn slab wood for a walking surface that was about 6-feet wide. It wasn't much, but it was sufficient to occasionally get my small tractor to the other side of the creek and it was one of Lizzie's favorite spots in the world; running over it, throwing stones into the water, looking for crayfish, watching the squirrels and chipmunks, sliding on the frozen stream in the winter, etc. If the weather was nice, she would sometimes do her homework laying belly down on the bridge with her elbows propping up her upper body.It was also her spot of solace when she was sad or upset. She would sit on the edge swinging her feet below her until the surrounding woods healed whatever was bothering her. Eventually, she would meander her way back to the house in a much better mood than she left.She and I were a lot alike in that respect. It was the very reason I bought the property when we moved here, to get away from life and let nature heal some wounds.Inseparable.Lizzie was positively giddy during the ride home from school on Thursday. She recapped the list of things she had planned to show and do with Toni. I reminded her to be a good host and do the things that Toni wants to do, though I suspected that would easily be worked out between the now inseparable friends.As Lizzie shed her backpack and shoes in the mudroom, she asked, "Can we make chocolate chip cookies before Toni gets here?""Sure, I think we have all the ingredients. Start getting everything out."We had made cookies together enough that Lizzie knew where everything was located. She rushed around pulling ingredients, mixing bowls, and baking sheets out of the pantry. After confirming everything needed was present, Lizzie started measuring ingredients into the mixing bowl. I stood by to lend assistance when needed and occasionally clarify a fractional measurement or the difference between teaspoons and tablespoons.Other than a little incident with the flour, Lizzie did a great job mixing the cookie dough. Together, we spooned balls of dough onto baking sheets and put the first tray into the oven. Lizzie set the timer and I suggested she go clean the flour off her arms and face while they were baking.I cleaned errant flour from the countertop and floor while Lizzie washed up. Just as I finished and began to load the dirty bowls and mixing utensils into the dishwasher, the oven timer chimed and there was a knock at the front door almost simultaneously.Lizzie heard it and ran full speed to the door. I quickly dried my hands and hit the button to silenc

 Bridge Engineering: Part 1Two broken, single parents find healing.Based on a post by Architect 23 94, in 3 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Connected.And so it began. The start of another school year. I pulled my Jeep into the school grounds and took my place in the waiting drop-off lane. Children scurried about the school grounds with crisp back-to-school clothes and brightly colored backpacks not yet soiled and tattered from use. I winced internally as numerous mothers hugged their little ones, sent them into the building, and tearfully departed.My Elizabeth unfastened her seatbelt and eagerly fidgeted on the edge of the seat as we crept forward in line. Upon arrival at the designated unloading zone, Lizzie contorted herself over the center console and gave me a tight, all-consuming hug. "I love you Daddy!" she shouted as a volunteer parent opened the car door. And with that, she was gone in a flash. The volunteer and I just smiled at each other and shrugged our shoulders.In a repeat of years past, I drove away with a feeling of emptiness. Lizzie and I spent every minute of the summer together and I grew accustomed to her as my constant companion. It seemed like just yesterday that I dropped her off for the first day of preschool. Today it's third grade. How fast will the remaining years fly by before she leaves me all alone?I spent the day in a nearby coffee shop distractedly conducting business via email on my laptop. It wasn't rational, but somehow it felt better knowing I was only a couple minutes from the school, and from Lizzie. Time passed excruciatingly slow and I struggled to resist going to the school and being one of 'those' helicopter parents. Well, school ends at 2:50. I held out until 2:15.I was third in the line of vehicles waiting for pick-up and my eyes anxiously scanned the mass of children emerging from the school doors. It wasn't long before I spotted Lizzie joyfully skipping hand-in-hand with a girl I didn't recognize. She was rail thin, had a very lightly tanned skin tone, and towered above Lizzie. That wasn't too surprising since Lizzie took after her very petite mother and also barely made the birthday cutoff for her grade, but this girl was quite a bit taller than the average third grader.The girls zig-zagged as they skipped down the sidewalk with swinging arms and bouncing hair. Lizzie's straight and amber brown, her friend's a loose mass of dark curls. Lizzie spotted my Jeep and pointed it out to her friend. They hugged goodbye with Lizzie's arms around her friend's waist, and her friend's arms around Lizzie's head. I smiled at the height contrast and felt a sense of relief as Lizzie ran toward the Jeep.She climbed in and frantically began telling me everything about her day, a flood of words pouring from her mouth as if a damn holding them back had burst, "My teacher is Mrs. Pierpont and she is really nice and she has red hair. A boy named Alex sits next to me and he has shiny shoes. I had a hot dog for lunch and; and; and;”My heart felt comfort as she sat next to me and I heard the happiness in her voice. I needed her near me and to know that everything was ok.Lizzie had talked non-stop for 10 minutes and was still going as we headed toward home. The small-town streets gave way to a rural two-lane road as we headed out of town, and eventually the tires crunched along the gravel road leading to our house in the woods. It was the tranquil setting that I needed when Lizzie and I moved here 8 years ago."; and I met a new friend. Her name is Toni, well it's really Antonia, but she wants to be called Toni. Kind of like my name is Elizabeth, but you call me Lizzie. She is really nice and really tall. She has a pet frog."I interrupted to ask, "Is that who you were skipping with after school?""Yes, she in my class but she doesn't sit next to me. I met her when we were in line for lunch and we sat together. She brought a salad from home and bought a milk in the lunch line. She just moved here from somewhere else. Can I bring lunch from home tomorrow?"I patted her knee with my hand and said, "Of course, you can sweetie." as we parked in front of the house.It wasn't a large house but was plenty of space for the two of us. There was a great room, kitchen and half bathroom on the main level; two bedroom-bathroom suites and a loft space on the second level; and a semi-finished basement that I had been slowly working on for several years. It had all the modern technology and conveniences but was built with a rustic charm complementing its setting in the woods.We kicked our shoes off in the mudroom and Lizzie discarded her backpack into the coat cubby by the door. Lizzie, or more accurately, I, survived the first day of the school year. Only 179 more to go.Getting In A Rhythm.Lizzie and I settled into the school year rhythm over the next couple weeks and I began to slowly let go of my separation anxiety. Every day, I dropped her off at school, worked from home, then picked her up from school. Evenings were filled with homework, dinner preparation, and some form of relaxing time together. Lizzie particularly enjoyed walking in the woods and making up imaginary games with sticks, leaves, rocks, or other things she would find along the way. The grand finale of her outdoor adventures was always spending some time on a rope swing that I had hung from a tall oak tree. Other nights we might occupy ourselves with board games, cards, or television as the mood struck us. At the end of every night, Lizzie would get ready for bed then we would spend about a half-hour talking and reading a book of her choice before turning off the lights.I also noticed another pattern forming in those first few weeks of school. Lizzie was talking more and more about her new friend, Toni. They waited for each other to arrive in the mornings before going into the school together and would always emerge side-by-side in the afternoons. They were quickly becoming inseparable and I was happy to see her form that kind of relationship. Like me, Lizzie had always been socially reserved with only a few limited friendships.I saw her reserved personality opening up more and more with Toni, so one evening when Lizzie asked if she could invite her to play at our house, I readily agreed. I wrote my name and cell phone number on a note pad before tearing it out and handing it to Lizzie, "Ask her to have her parents call me and we will see if we can setup a time to play."Lizzie squealed and bounced up and down in excitement. She continued bouncing all the way to the mudroom and safely deposited the note in her backpack.Introductions.It was a couple days later, mid-morning on Thursday, that I answered a call from a number I didn't recognize. Thinking it was likely a business call, I answered, "Hello, this is David."A friendly but hesitant female voice replied, "Hi, I'm Stefani, Toni's mom.""Hi Stefani. It's nice to meet you, well, over the phone at least. Lizzie has been so excited to play with Toni!""Yes, I've heard a lot about Lizzie over the last couple weeks. Toni is excited too."I got down to details and asked, "When is Toni available?""Would Saturday afternoon, maybe around 1:00, work for you?""Yes, that would be just fine." Not knowing how many facts about our home life found its way to Toni's parents, I tried to be understanding of the fact that people can be cautious of sending their children, especially girls, to a single father's house. I tentatively asked, "Where would Toni be most comfortable? Lizzie would love for her to come here, or we are happy to meet at Triangle Park. Whatever works best for you."Stefani thought for a brief second, then replied, "Would you be comfortable dropping Lizzie off at our house for a couple hours?"I noticed that she said, "drop her off for a couple hours," which clearly meant I was not invited to stay. However, I didn't think much of it since a dad hanging around during a play date in someone else's house would be awkward at best."Yes, I'm sure Lizzie would enjoy that."Stefani gave me the address, then we exchanged closing words and ended the call. I sat and reflected on the conversation for a few moments. It all seemed very normal. Stefani seemed "normal" and was pleasant enough, though I sensed a business-like tone in her voice. I shrugged it off thinking, "How much can you tell from a 2-minute phone call?"Getting Together.I told Lizzie the news when I picked her up from school. She shrieked with excitement, did a little dance in her seat, and began counting the hours until 1:00 Saturday. She definitely got that over-enjoyment of simple things in life, and the dancing talent, from her mother!Saturday eventually arrived, although much too slowly for Lizzie's liking. After lunch, we hopped into the Jeep and rode into town with Lizzie impatiently fidgeting in the passenger seat the whole way. We pulled onto Depot Street near downtown and Lizzie helped me scan for the mailbox with the correct house number. I saw it from a distance and slowed down so she could have the discovery."There it is! There it is! 2 1 5!" she screamed.I brought the Jeep to a stop in front of a small, well-kept bungalow style home with an impressive display of annual flowers by the front steps. As soon as we stopped, Toni burst out the front door and bounded down the porch steps in a single leap. Likewise, Lizzie unfastened her seatbelt and threw open the door in one fluid motion. They met midway across the yard in a full speed, shrieking embrace.I smiled at their innocent joy as I unbuckled my seatbelt and walked around the Jeep toward the house. As I did, the front door opened and a tall, slender lady stepped out onto the porch in bare feet, wearing fashionably weathered blue jeans and a buff color corded sweater. She appeared to be in her early 30s and looked like the identical, older version of Toni. She was maybe around 5 foot 10, tall and had the same slender build, with addition of modest womanly curves at her hips and chest. Her chiseled facial features and shoulder length dark curls were also a matured version of Toni's.I approached the porch and offered a cheery "Hello! I'm David, nice to meet you."She crossed her arms and somewhat coldly replied, "Hi David," then with a voice inflection that implied more of an assertion than a question said, "Would it be ok for you to pick Lizzie up at 3:00?"I sensed the invisible barrier she was erecting and halted my progress toward the porch."Yes, that would be fine. I'll see you then."As I turned away to walk back to the Jeep, she flatly said, "Please don't be late."I didn't reply to her, but turned my attention to Lizzie and said loudly enough for my demander to hear, "Have fun girls! I'll be back Before 3:00 to pick you up Lizzie."While the lady on the porch didn't introduce herself, the voice matched Stefani's from our phone call a few days ago, and was equally business-like in demeanor. It's difficult to describe. She didn't project a mean or nasty personality that would have made me wary of leaving Lizzie, but she was definitely keeping her distance. The mystery of it piqued my curiosity and made me realize that, as much as Lizzie talked about Toni, she hadn't told me anything about her family.I ran a couple errands around town and returned to Lizzie's house at 2:50, ten minutes early. When I pulled up I saw numerous toys strewn across the front yard and heard playing voices and squeals coming from behind the house. Since I was early, I leisurely wandered the front yard picking up hula-hoops, jump ropes, a bicycle, and a few balls. As I deposited the last couple items into a neat pile next to the driveway, I heard Stefani's voice behind me softly say, "Thank you, you didn't need to do that."I turned to face her as she stood on the porch in the same jeans and sweater she had on earlier, "No worries. I was a little early and didn't want to intrude."With her arms crossed in front of her, Stefani somewhat timidly said, "Thank you for that too; for being early."Just then, the girls came running around the corner of the house screaming, "Spider! Spider! Spider!"I looked at Stefani, smiled and shrugged my shoulders. I corralled Lizzie and said, "It's time to go, is there anything you need to clean up?"Toni answered for her, "No, we just had toys out in the front yard. I'll put them in the garage."The girls pleaded for another play date as they hugged. Stefani simply answered, "We'll see."I gave a quick wave goodbye as Lizzie and I climbed in the Jeep and pulled away.Drop-offs and Pick-ups.Over the next few days, the pattern of school drop-offs and pick-ups with Lizzie and Toni as an inseparable pair continued, and Lizzie begged me relentlessly for another out-of-school play date with Toni. Given Stefani's tepid response at the end of the last play date, I was hesitant to initiate. However, Lizzie's continued insistence eventually wore me down and I made the phone call that Thursday.Stefani answered the phone with a simple, "Hello.""Hi Stefani. This is Lizzie's dad, David. How are you today?"She answered somewhat suspiciously, "I'm fine."After a second of not receiving any more of a response, I stumbled a bit with my words and added, "Uh, Lizzie would really like to get together with Toni again. I; I was just calling to see if you would be open to that."Stefani questioned sharply, "Why are you asking if I'm open to it?"I stumbled some more, "Uh; well; you sounded a little hesitant at the end of the last play date and; and I didn't want to be presumptuous about them getting together again."She coldly answered, "I'm fine with it.""Okay, good. It seems Lizzie and Toni are becoming fast friends."In an ever-so-slightly warmer tone of voice, Stefani asked, "When and where are you thinking?""How about Saturday afternoon again? Wherever you would prefer is fine with us.""Yes, that works. Saturday afternoon at 3:00. How about our house again?"I replied, "Sounds good. We'll see you then." before we exchanged goodbyes. I ended the cell phone call and loudly exhaled my relief that the awkward conversation was over.Building Friendships.The beginning of the second play date went much like the first; screaming girls happy to see each other, a cold reception from Stefani, and a firm directive to be there on-time to pick up Lizzie. It also ended similarly to the first play date. I arrived early, exchanged a few short words with Stefani, and gently guided Lizzie to the Jeep as the girls begged for more time together. This same routine became standard procedure over the next several weeks and a half dozen more play dates.The only change to the pattern occurred after the first few play dates, when Stefani and I began texting each other to make arrangements rather than talking on the phone. The texting suited me just fine as it avoided the awkwardness of our previous telephone conversations.Eventually, Lizzie started asking if Toni could come to our house to play. I avoided the subject as long as possible since I wasn't sure how Stefani would feel about Toni coming to a single father's house or, for that matter, even how much she knew about our family situation. After an especially persuasive appeal from Lizzie one afternoon, I caved and picked up my phone to text Stefani.I wasn't sure how to best approach the question and, after several re-writes, settled on a minimal and factual approach, "Hi Stefani. Lizzie would like to invite Toni over to our house for a play date."A couple hours later my phone buzzed with the simple reply, "Okay. When?"After a few exchanges of date options, we settled on that Thursday after school. Stefani offered to drop her off and I sent her our address.I told Lizzie the plan and she immediately began formulating a list of all the things they would do. The two activities that kept rising to the top were to show Toni her bedroom and play on a bridge that she and I had built over a small creek in the woods.It was a simple bridge made by spanning a couple logs from bank to bank, then covering them with old rough sawn slab wood for a walking surface that was about 6-feet wide. It wasn't much, but it was sufficient to occasionally get my small tractor to the other side of the creek and it was one of Lizzie's favorite spots in the world; running over it, throwing stones into the water, looking for crayfish, watching the squirrels and chipmunks, sliding on the frozen stream in the winter, etc. If the weather was nice, she would sometimes do her homework laying belly down on the bridge with her elbows propping up her upper body.It was also her spot of solace when she was sad or upset. She would sit on the edge swinging her feet below her until the surrounding woods healed whatever was bothering her. Eventually, she would meander her way back to the house in a much better mood than she left.She and I were a lot alike in that respect. It was the very reason I bought the property when we moved here, to get away from life and let nature heal some wounds.Inseparable.Lizzie was positively giddy during the ride home from school on Thursday. She recapped the list of things she had planned to show and do with Toni. I reminded her to be a good host and do the things that Toni wants to do, though I suspected that would easily be worked out between the now inseparable friends.As Lizzie shed her backpack and shoes in the mudroom, she asked, "Can we make chocolate chip cookies before Toni gets here?""Sure, I think we have all the ingredients. Start getting everything out."We had made cookies together enough that Lizzie knew where everything was located. She rushed around pulling ingredients, mixing bowls, and baking sheets out of the pantry. After confirming everything needed was present, Lizzie started measuring ingredients into the mixing bowl. I stood by to lend assistance when needed and occasionally clarify a fractional measurement or the difference between teaspoons and tablespoons.Other than a little incident with the flour, Lizzie did a great job mixing the cookie dough. Together, we spooned balls of dough onto baking sheets and put the first tray into the oven. Lizzie set the timer and I suggested she go clean the flour off her arms and face while they were baking.I cleaned errant flour from the countertop and floor while Lizzie washed up. Just as I finished and began to load the dirty bowls and mixing utensils into the dishwasher, the oven timer chimed and there was a knock at the front door almost simultaneously.Lizzie heard it and ran full speed to the door. I quickly dried my hands and hit the button to silenc

Nicholas "Harry" Callas reacts to the Steelers' 27-22 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

Episode Two Hundred and Seventy Nine Are you satisfied? 

Sunday Evening, December 7, 2025 | S0585 SPEAKER: Roger Shouse DOWNLOAD: Interactive outline WATCH NOW: Livestream S0585

The meditation featured in this episode originally took place during the IJS Daily Online Meditation Sit on December 03, 2025. To join these FREE daily meditations live, sign up here. Visit jewishspirituality.org to learn more about the Institute for Jewish Spirituality.

On this episode of Altitude Advantage, team reporter Elisa Hernandez and lead writer Aric DiLalla preview the Broncos' Week 14 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. Into + listener comments (00:00-9:51) Garett Bolles named Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee (9:52-14:10) Broncos not satisfied with 10-2 start (14:11-22:07) Denver's offense readies for rematch with Raiders (22:08-27:33) Broncos defense looks to hold Raiders in check again (28:33-36:52)  Key games around the league this weekend (36:53-43:04) Broncos who should earn Pro Bowl consideration (43:05-48:26) Want more of Altitude Advantage? Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts. Make sure to leave a rating and review or a comment if you're watching on YouTube.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Award-winning filmmakers Melissa Haizlip and Chris Bolan spoke to me about their documentary SATISFIED that gives and intimate behind the scenes look at the life of Renée Elise Goldsberry; the ups and downs, disappointments, and joys of her personal life and career, including her Tony award winning role in the Broadway production of 'Hamilton'.SATISFIED is available to stream on AppleTV, VoD and distributed by @AuraEnter Find me on Social Media at: @CarrieCnh12paypal.com/paypalme/carolynhinds0525My Social Media hashtags are: #CarolynTalks #DramasWithCarrie #SaturdayNightSciFi #SHWH #KCrushVisit Authory.com/CarolynHinds to find links to all of my published film festival coverage, writing, YouTube and other podcasts So Here's What Happened!, and Beyond The Romance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hope is not a wish that something will happen or go well, but a confidence in what God has said or promised.Tune in this week as pastor Westley Henry shares on the truth of hope.If you would like to partner with BLVD Church and what we are doing in the community, you can make an investment of support at https://blvd.church/give

Wednesday of the First Week of Advent

Lao Tizer Band – Forever Searching – 8:14 Tingvall Trio – Birds – 4:48 Thianam; Tower Of Power Horns; Michael League; Paul Jackson, Jr.; Anika Nilles; Martin Verdonk – 2016 Dec | Satisfied | GB mix – 4:51 Band of Other Brothers – Nashville – 7:04 Chick Corea Elektric Band; Chick Corea; Dave Weckl; John […]

Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel addresses the media on Tuesday, December 2, 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These biblical principles will change your life forever. In this series, Dr. Jerry Savelle reveals what it truly means to be redeemed and blessed. It is normal for a believer to walk in everything Jesus paid for—peace, healing, and more—every single day. This revelation transformed Dr. Jerry and Dr. Carolyn Savelle's lives—and it can transform yours too. The apostle Paul called this message the most important truth he ever delivered to the church. As you watch, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the significance of the cross and the power of Jesus' victorious resurrection. His finished work is the foundation for God's power and the fullness of His blessing operating in your life today. Get this revelation—and watch your life begin to change before your eyes. Discover what happened at Calvary and how it applies to you as a believer right now.

These biblical principles will change your life forever. In this series, Dr. Jerry Savelle reveals what it truly means to be redeemed and blessed. It is normal for a believer to walk in everything Jesus paid for—peace, healing, and more—every single day. This revelation transformed Dr. Jerry and Dr. Carolyn Savelle's lives—and it can transform yours too. The apostle Paul called this message the most important truth he ever delivered to the church. As you watch, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the significance of the cross and the power of Jesus' victorious resurrection. His finished work is the foundation for God's power and the fullness of His blessing operating in your life today. Get this revelation—and watch your life begin to change before your eyes. Discover what happened at Calvary and how it applies to you as a believer right now.

===== MDJ Script/ Top Stories for November 28th Publish Date:  November 28th    Commercial: From the BG AD Group Studio, Welcome to the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast.    Today is Friday, November 28th and Happy Birthday to Dave Righetti I’m Keith Ippolito and here are the stories Cobb is talking about, presented by Times Journal Flight delays: Here are your rights when flying over the holidays in 2025 Holiday lights on display in metro Atlanta ‘Elf The Musical’ coming to Fox Theatre for the Christmas season Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on soy and oat milk All of this and more is coming up on the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen and subscribe!  BREAK: INGLES 2 STORY 1: Flight delays: Here are your rights when flying over the holidays in 2025 Ever been stuck at the airport, staring at the departure board, wondering what your rights are? Turns out, there’s a “magic number” for delays: 3 hours for domestic flights, 6 for international. Hit that threshold, and airlines have to help—refund, rebook, your call. But here’s the catch: no extra compensation in the U.S. Some airlines, like Delta or Alaska, will throw in meal vouchers or even a hotel if it’s their fault (think staffing, not weather). Others? Not so generous. Pro tip: check your airline’s policy before you fly. And pack snacks. Always.  STORY 2: Holiday lights on display in metro Atlanta  The holidays are here, and metro Atlanta is lighting up—literally. Whether you’re cruising through a drive-thru wonderland or strolling under glowing canopies, there’s magic everywhere. Candy Rush at Six Flags (Marietta): A mile of lights, candy canes, and a gingerbread village. Sweet tooth? Satisfied. Nov. 14–Jan. 4. $39.99 per car. Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens: Seven miles, 10 million lights, and Santa. Forbes loves it, and so will you. Nov. 14–Jan. 4. Tickets start at $24.99. Lanier Islands’ Magical Nights of Lights: Six miles of twinkling displays. Pure nostalgia. Nov. 15–Jan. 4. From $25. WildWoods: AGLOW at Fernbank: Glowing gardens, luminous dandelions, and interactive magic. Nov. 14–Feb. 28. From $16.95. Go make some memories! STORY 3: ‘Elf The Musical’ coming to Fox Theatre for the Christmas season Buddy the Elf is in town, and he’s bringing the holiday cheer! “Elf The Musical” is hitting the Fox Theatre stage Dec. 16-21, but Buddy’s not waiting till then to spread some Christmas magic. Catch him around Atlanta this weekend: Friday night at The Blind Elf Parlour Bar (5:30-7:30 p.m.), or Saturday at the Children’s Museum (10 a.m.-noon), the Georgia Festival of Trees (2-4 p.m.), and Atlantic Station’s Light the Station event (4-7:30 p.m.). So, grab your syrup and get ready—it’s gonna be festive! We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.799.6810 for more info.  We’ll be right back. Break: STRAND THEATRE STORY 4: Piedmont Oncology Opens Early Detection Pancreatic Cancer Clinic, First of Its Kind in Georgia  Piedmont Oncology just opened Georgia’s first Early Detection Pancreatic Cancer Clinic (EDC) at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, and honestly, it’s a game-changer. Pancreatic cancer is brutal—only 13% of patients survive five years—but this clinic is here to change that. Why’s it so hard to catch early? No screening test exists, symptoms are vague, and many high-risk patients don’t even know they’re at risk. That’s where the EDC steps in: genetic counseling, cutting-edge research with NIH and Mayo Clinic, and a team laser-focused on early detection. “This is about saving lives,” said Dr. Andrew Page, the clinic’s medical director. STORY 5: More than 4 million expected to pass through Atlanta airport during Thanksgiving season Thanksgiving travel is in full swing, and Hartsfield-Jackson is bracing for over 4 million passengers. “It’s like our Super Bowl,” said General Manager Ricky Smith, half-joking but clearly ready for the chaos. The busiest day? Dec. 1, with 375,000 travelers expected—though that’s slightly down from last year, thanks to folks opting for road trips during the recent government shutdown. Still, the airport’s pulling out all the stops: new info totems, real-time TSA wait times, and extra security (some visible, some not). Smith’s advice? Arrive early, stay patient, and if something feels off, speak up. And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on soy and oat milk We’ll have closing comments after this. Break: Ingles Markets 2 Signoff-   Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Marietta Daily Journal Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at mdjonline.com Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Produced by the BG Podcast Network Show Sponsors: www.ingles-markets.com Strand Marietta – Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CTL Script/ Top Stories of November 28th Publish Date: November 28th   Pre-Roll: From the Ingles Studio Welcome to the Award-Winning Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast  Today is Friday, November 28th and Happy Birthday to Dave Righetti I’m Chris Culwell and here are the stories Cherokee is talking about, presented by Times Journal Holiday lights on display in metro Atlanta ‘Elf The Musical’ coming to Fox Theatre for the Christmas season Thanksgiving travel rush kicks off, more expected to drive than fly Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on soy and oat milk We’ll have all this and more coming up on the Cherokee Tribune-Ledger Podcast, and if you’re looking for Community news, we encourage you to listen and subscribe!  Commercial: STRAND THEATRE STORY 1: Holiday lights on display in metro Atlanta The holidays are here, and metro Atlanta is lighting up—literally. Whether you’re cruising through a drive-thru wonderland or strolling under glowing canopies, there’s magic everywhere. Candy Rush at Six Flags (Marietta): A mile of lights, candy canes, and a gingerbread village. Sweet tooth? Satisfied. Nov. 14–Jan. 4. $39.99 per car. Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens: Seven miles, 10 million lights, and Santa. Forbes loves it, and so will you. Nov. 14–Jan. 4. Tickets start at $24.99. Lanier Islands’ Magical Nights of Lights: Six miles of twinkling displays. Pure nostalgia. Nov. 15–Jan. 4. From $25. WildWoods: AGLOW at Fernbank: Glowing gardens, luminous dandelions, and interactive magic. Nov. 14–Feb. 28. From $16.95. Go make some memories! STORY 2: ‘Elf The Musical’ coming to Fox Theatre for the Christmas season Buddy the Elf is in town, and he’s bringing the holiday cheer! “Elf The Musical” is hitting the Fox Theatre stage Dec. 16-21, but Buddy’s not waiting till then to spread some Christmas magic. Catch him around Atlanta this weekend: Friday night at The Blind Elf Parlour Bar (5:30-7:30 p.m.), or Saturday at the Children’s Museum (10 a.m.-noon), the Georgia Festival of Trees (2-4 p.m.), and Atlantic Station’s Light the Station event (4-7:30 p.m.). So, grab your syrup and get ready—it’s gonna be festive! STORY 3: Thanksgiving travel rush kicks off, more expected to drive than fly  Thanksgiving travel chaos? AAA predicts 2.3 million Georgians will hit the road this holiday, joining 73 million Americans nationwide who’d rather drive than fly. GDOT’s trying to help, pausing roadwork through Sunday, but drivers? Slow down. Early sunsets are causing more accidents. We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.874.3200 for more info.    We’ll be right back. Break: Ingles Markets 4 STORY 4: Chiefs host Roswell, eye historic playoff win In a season where breaking records feels almost routine, Sequoyah is gearing up for its second straight trip to the quarterfinals—fourth in program history—chasing a first-ever spot in the Class AAAAA semis. Thirty-six years of history, and this senior-heavy squad is rewriting it all. Last week’s 48-28 win over Newnan? Another milestone. The Chiefs (11-1) smashed their single-season scoring record, with running back Will Rajecki breaking the career rushing mark and longtime coach James Teter becoming Cherokee County’s all-time wins leader. But now, it’s Roswell (11-1). “They’re explosive,” Teter said. “We’ve got to slow them down—long drives, limit possessions. Make them uncomfortable.” Roswell’s offense is terrifying: 44.5 points per game, led by dual-threat QB Trey Smith (2,451 passing yards, 1,026 rushing) and running back Nick Peal (1,256 yards, 19 TDs). They’ve hit 50-plus points six times this season. But Sequoyah’s offense isn’t backing down. With 505 points this year, it’s the best in program history. Rajecki (1,792 yards, 19 TDs), QB Kolby Martin, and receiver Brooks Darling have been unstoppable, backed by a veteran line. “This senior group is special,” Teter said. “They’ve grown together, and it shows. They’re comfortable, confident, and ready.” Friday night, it’s all on the line. STORY 5: More than 4 million expected to pass through Atlanta airport during Thanksgiving season Thanksgiving travel is in full swing, and Hartsfield-Jackson is bracing for over 4 million passengers. “It’s like our Super Bowl,” said General Manager Ricky Smith, half-joking but clearly ready for the chaos. The busiest day? Dec. 1, with 375,000 travelers expected—though that’s slightly down from last year, thanks to folks opting for road trips during the recent government shutdown. Still, the airport’s pulling out all the stops: new info totems, real-time TSA wait times, and extra security (some visible, some not). Smith’s advice? Arrive early, stay patient, and if something feels off, speak up. And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on soy and oat milk Commercial: We’ll have closing comments after this.   COMMERCIAL: Ingles Markets 4   SIGN OFF –   Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at www.tribuneledgernews.com Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Produced by the BG Podcast Network Show Sponsors: www.ingles-markets.com Strand Marietta – Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt Spiegel and Gabe Ramirez pondered how they'd feel if the Bears lose a close road game to the Eagles on Friday.

GDP Script/ Top Stories for November 27th Publish Date: November 27th PRE-ROLL: SUGAR HILL ICE SKATING From the BG AD Group Studio Welcome to the Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. Today is Thursday, November 27th and Happy birthday to Bruce Lee I’m Peyton Spurlock and here are your top stories presented by KIA Mall of Georgia. More than 4 million expected to pass through Atlanta airport during Thanksgiving season ‘Elf The Musical’ coming to Fox Theatre for the Christmas season Flight delays: Here are your rights when flying over the holidays in 2025 Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on soy and oat milk All of this and more is coming up on the Gwinnett Daily Post podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen daily and subscribe! Break 1: STRAND THEATRE STORY 1: More than 4 million expected to pass through Atlanta airport during Thanksgiving season  Thanksgiving travel is in full swing, and Hartsfield-Jackson is bracing for over 4 million passengers. “It’s like our Super Bowl,” said General Manager Ricky Smith, half-joking but clearly ready for the chaos. The busiest day? Dec. 1, with 375,000 travelers expected—though that’s slightly down from last year, thanks to folks opting for road trips during the recent government shutdown. Still, the airport’s pulling out all the stops: new info totems, real-time TSA wait times, and extra security (some visible, some not). Smith’s advice? Arrive early, stay patient, and if something feels off, speak up. STORY 2: ‘Elf The Musical’ coming to Fox Theatre for the Christmas season  Buddy the Elf is in town, and he’s bringing the holiday cheer! “Elf The Musical” is hitting the Fox Theatre stage Dec. 16-21, but Buddy’s not waiting till then to spread some Christmas magic. Catch him around Atlanta this weekend: Friday night at The Blind Elf Parlour Bar (5:30-7:30 p.m.), or Saturday at the Children’s Museum (10 a.m.-noon), the Georgia Festival of Trees (2-4 p.m.), and Atlantic Station’s Light the Station event (4-7:30 p.m.). So, grab your syrup and get ready—it’s gonna be festive! STORY 3: Flight delays: Here are your rights when flying over the holidays in 2025   Ever been stuck at the airport, staring at the departure board, wondering what your rights are? Turns out, there’s a “magic number” for delays: 3 hours for domestic flights, 6 for international. Hit that threshold, and airlines have to help—refund, rebook, your call. But here’s the catch: no extra compensation in the U.S. Some airlines, like Delta or Alaska, will throw in meal vouchers or even a hotel if it’s their fault (think staffing, not weather). Others? Not so generous. Pro tip: check your airline’s policy before you fly. And pack snacks. Always. We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.874.3200 for more info. We’ll be right back Break 2: 07.14.22 KIA MOG- DTL HOLIDAY STORY 4: Real Christmas trees may be the real bargain this year because of tariffs   With artificial tree prices climbing (thanks, inflation and tariffs), real Christmas trees might just be the better deal this year—and they come with the bonus of supporting local farmers. At Savage Farms, the holiday prep is in full swing. “We always encourage folks to buy live trees,” said Mason Savage. “It supports local farmers and, honestly, the U.S. economy.” They’ve got Georgia-grown Murray Cypress and Carolina Sapphire, plus Frasier firs from North Carolina—an area bouncing back after Hurricane Helene. Prices? Still $10 per foot. “It’s a blessing,” Savage said, “bringing that Christmas joy to our community.” STORY 5: Holiday lights on display in metro Atlanta The holidays are here, and metro Atlanta is lighting up—literally. Whether you’re cruising through a drive-thru wonderland or strolling under glowing canopies, there’s magic everywhere. Candy Rush at Six Flags (Marietta): A mile of lights, candy canes, and a gingerbread village. Sweet tooth? Satisfied. Nov. 14–Jan. 4. $39.99 per car. Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens: Seven miles, 10 million lights, and Santa. Forbes loves it, and so will you. Nov. 14–Jan. 4. Tickets start at $24.99. Lanier Islands’ Magical Nights of Lights: Six miles of twinkling displays. Pure nostalgia. Nov. 15–Jan. 4. Tickets? $25. WildWoods: AGLOW at Fernbank: Glowing gardens, luminous dandelions, and interactive magic. Nov. 14–Feb. 28. Tickets? $16.95. Go make some memories! We’ll be right back. Break 3: THE SUGAR HILL HOLIDAY And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on soy and oat milk Break 4: BUFORD HOLIDAY FESTIVAL We’ll have closing comments after this Break 5: Ingles Markets 1 Signoff – Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at www.gwinnettdailypost.com Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Produced by the BG Podcast Network Show Sponsors: www.ingles-markets.com www.kiamallofga.com Strand Marietta – Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre Ice Rink – Downtown Sugar Hill Holiday Celebration 2025 – City of Sugar Hill 2025 Buford Holiday Festival & Parade All-In-One Flyer See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday evening message from Pastor CJ Elwood. November 26, 2025

Coach Faith Sherrer takes us to Psalm 103 to remind us to “forget not all His benefits”! How will you remember them today?As a thank you for your support this month, please choose from two study books— We'll send you two copies—one for you and one to gift to someone special:The Word Revealed - Jesus Makes Himself Known -  A 30 day journey through John 1-4The Word Revealed - Jesus' Power, Provision, and Promise -  A 30 day journey through John 5-6Yours with a gift of any amount.Thank you for supporting the mission of Christ.

A Prayer to Be Satisfied in the Small Things God often works through the small, simple, and unexpected—especially during seasons where our expectations run high, like Thanksgiving. In today's episode by Amanda Luedeke, we’re reminded that even the most modest acts of obedience can open the door to God’s miraculous provision.We contrast the idealized “perfect Thanksgiving” many of us imagine with the imperfect but beautiful memories that truly stay with us. Instead of striving for flawless moments, we’re invited to loosen our grip, adjust our expectations, and make room for God to meet us in the seemingly insignificant. Reference: 1 Kings 17:12–16 Prayer: My Jesus, You came to this world—quietly, meekly, yet beautifully—and You changed everything. I thank You and praise You for showing us that power isn’t found only in what is big and flashy. Help me to cling to this! Help me to focus on the importance of making space for that which is simple and seemingly insignificant. Guide me away from putting all my attention on the big efforts that impress and replace that desire with an ability to see Your work in the small things. LINKS: How to Pray God's Word For Your Children Guide Connect with Amanda Luedeke Get today's devotion and prayer in written form to keep for future use! Support the ministry with your $5 monthly gift through Patreon. Discover more Christian podcasts at LifeAudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at LifeAudio.com/contact-us Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

David meditates on mercy. The Enemy uses un-forgiveness against you. Stop listening to the accuser or you will become just like him. To support the work and worship of Redeemer, subscribe to our channel and consider supporting us by giving a tax deductible gift at the link below. https://pushpay.com/g/redeemerchurchrockwall

Hans von Spakovsky, Senior Legal Fellow at the Heritage Foundation joins to talk about satisfaction with Kash Patel, James Comey and more.

Saturday Evening, November 15, 2025Given by Dr. James Anderson | RTS CharlotteSession 2Faithful Conference at Christ Covenant ChurchInfallible Rule or Infallible Ruler? The Courage to be Satisfied with Scripture Watch on YouTubeDownload our mobile app

Send us a textPsalm 107:9For he satisfies the longing soul,and the hungry soul he fills with good things.Support the show

** PLEASE SUBSCRIBE ** Welcome to On THE ONE . . . and Done! This is the show that celebrates the greatest funk songs ever created. Please be sure to like, comment and share the show, and set your alert notifications so as to never miss a video. Thank you very much for your interest and support!   Featured in OTOAD Episode 15: “Do It (Till You're Satisfied) 1974) by B.T. Express. Your tour guide for this affair is Scott “DR GX” Goldfine – lifelong funkateer, disc jockey, music journalist, author of Everything Is on THE ONE: The First Guide of Funk, and producer of TRUTH IN RHYTHM and Where'd You Get Your Funk From? Special thanks to P T F I for providing the theme music. Please drop down in the comments what other songs you would like featured on this program. Support the artists and musicians featured in this episode by purchasing their recordings and attending their performances (if applicable). https://www.amazon.com/b?_encoding=UTF8&tag=funknstuff-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=7c3da202bf596f575ff2c2313ee3e209&camp=1789&creative=9325&node=163856011 TRUTH IN RHYTHM Show: https://funknstuff.net/watch-truth-in-rhythm-music-interview-show/tir-episodes-directory/ Where'd You Get Your Funk From?: https://funknstuff.net/wygyff-overview/ Jam Fans Forum: https://funknstuff.net/jff-overview/ Website: Funknstuff.net Email: ScottG@funknstuff.net Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/funknstuff Everything Is on the One: The First Guide of Funk Book:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1541256603/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1541256603&linkCode=as2&tag=funknstuff-20&linkId=b6c7558ddc7f8fc9fe440c5d9f3c400 Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/c/TRUTHINRHYTHM  Donations: Help Support FUNKNSTUFF! Paypal: funknstuff.net@gmail.com Venmo: @Scott-Goldfine This is a review, analysis and appreciation video used to educate, evaluate, lend insights and stimulate comment on the songs and artists.  COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. No copyright infringement intended. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. LEGAL NOTICE: All original video and audio content protected by copyright. Any use of this material is strictly prohibited without expressed consent from original content producer and owner Scott Goldfine, dba FUNKNSTUFF. For inquiries, email info@funknstuff.net. TRUTH IN RHYTHM is a registered U.S. Trademark (Serial #88540281).

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2021 conversation with Richard Marx. ABOUT RICHARD MARX:Grammy-winning performer Richard Marx has sold more than 30 million albums as an artist, but if you only know him from late 1980s ballads such as “Hold on to the Nights” and “Right Here Waiting,” you only know part of the story. A prolific songwriter, Marx has landed fourteen songs at the top of various Billboard charts, and has written a #1 single in each of the last four decades. His genre-crossing songwriting success includes “What About Me” and “Crazy,” which Kenny Rogers carried to the top of the Adult Contemporary and Country charts, respectively; “Edge of a Broken Heart,” a hit for the female metal band Vixen; “This I Promise You,” a Top 5 pop single for NSYNC that stayed at #1 on the Adult Contemporary Chart for 13 weeks; Josh Groban's debut single “To Where You Are,” which also reached #1; and “Dance With My Father,” which Richard wrote with the song's performer, Luther Vandross, and which earned the pair the prestigious Grammy Song of the Year award in 2004. Additionally, Richard has scored three major hits with Keith Urban: the Top 5 “Everybody,” and the #1 singles “Better Life” and “Long Hot Summer.”  Despite all his songwriting success, however, Marx is best known as a singer and performer who today jokes about his 80s hairstyle and of-the-era drum sounds. But the songs are undeniable, all of which Marx wrote and produced himself. His debut self-titled album yielded four Top 5 singles: “Don't Mean Nothing,” “Should've Known Better,” “Endless Summer Nights,” and “Hold on to the Nights.” His follow-up, 1989's Repeat Offender, was even more successful, going quadruple-platinum and earning two number one Billboard pop singles, “Satisfied” and “Right Here Waiting,” in addition to the Top 5 “Angelina.” More hits followed, including “Keep Coming Back,” “Hazard,” “Take This Heart,” “Now and Forever,” and “Until I Find You Again.” In addition, Richard's songs have been integral to a number of successful film soundtracks. He earned a Grammy nomination for his contributions to St. Elmo's Fire; scored a Top 10 pop hit with “Surrender to Me,” which Ann Wilson of Heart and Robin Zander of Cheap Trick recorded for the movie Tequila Sunrise, and wrote “At the Beginning,” a hit duet for the film Anastasia that Richard performed with Donna Lewis. Over the course of his career, Richard's songs have been recorded by Barbra Streisand, The Tubes, Sarah Brightman, Monica, Natalie Cole, Michael Bolton, Paulina Rubio, Emerson Drive, Chicago, Billy Ray Cyrus, Vince Gill, Kenny Loggins, LeAnn Rimes, Celine Dion, Julio Iglesias, Berry Manilow, Daughtry, Vertical Horizon, Lifehouse, Dave Koz, Jennifer Nettles, Ringo Starr, and many others. His memoir, Stories to Tell, is available from Simon & Shuster.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

At today's Interactive Midweek Service, Pastor Femi Paul taught on “Satisfied with the Goodness of God”, unveiling the abundant blessing reserved for those who draw near and choose to dwell in God's presence. From Psalm 65:4–5, PFP reminded us that the person God chooses and brings close is blessed because God satisfies His own with the BEST. According to the Olive Tree Strong's Dictionary, “goodness” (ṭûḇ) is in the superlative: it means the best, good things, prosperity, and joy. God's house is not ordinary; it is the place where His goodness overflows. PFP then highlighted that those who dwell in God's house (Psalm 23:6) experience consistent mercy, protection, and satisfaction. He then posed a question: “Are you dwelling or merely visiting?” Many dwell in the world and only “visit” God occasionally, yet dwelling requires commitment, consistency, and prioritising God above all else. As Psalm 122:1 declares, there is joy in going to God's house, and Psalm 36:7–8 reveals that those who take refuge in Him are “abundantly satisfied” and drink from the river of His pleasures. The message was clear: when you dwell, God satisfies you with the fullness of His house, His goodness, joy, prosperity, and every blessing that makes life whole. Prayer: Lord, I choose to dwell in Your presence. Satisfy me with the goodness of Your house. Let Your mercy, joy, and prosperity flow into every area of my life as I remain rooted in You. Amen.

Renée Elise Goldsberry is a multi-hyphenate actress and singer, best known for originating the role of Angelica Schuyler in the groundbreaking Broadway musical HAMILTON, for which she won Tony® and Grammy® Awards and received an Emmy® nomination for the Disney+ filmed version. She is also known for her work in RENT, THE COLOR PURPLE, THE LION KING, ALL IN: COMEDY ABOUT LOVE, GIRLS-5EVA, and THE GOOD WIFE, and will return to Broadway in THE BALUSTERS in Spring 2026. In this episode, Renée shares memories of sharing the stage with Stephanie in their early careers and exploring life, faith, family changes, and motherhood in her acclaimed documentary, Satisfied, which is now available digitally. Watch Satisfied Documentary Who I Really Am album Tickets to Stephanie J. Block Holiday Concerts  Tickets to Schmigadoon on Broadway

Do you ever feel like you're going through life looking for things to fill you, success, comfort, relationships, and they feel good for a while, but somehow you still end up unsatisfied? Sometimes we do the same thing with faith. We sample a little grace when we're tired, a little forgiveness when we mess up, and a little encouragement when life gets hard, but we never fully experience the whole life Jesus offers.We will continue in the book of John with a message from John 6:41–59, “The Satisfied Life,” as we unpack what it truly means to find lasting fulfillment in Christ.

Carl and Zinno come back with more football and discuss whether or not Falcons' leadership needs to come in and address the team's struggles by making some sort of change and not settle for the results they are seeing week after week the past four weeks. As the conversation continued, they shared thoughts on whether or not, Michael Penix Jr. is getting the proper help he needs in order to succeed in this offense.

Zephaniah 3:9-20

Ryan launches a multi-part series, Twisted Passions, addressing homosexuality and same-sex attraction from a biblical framework. He establishes why pastors should clearly preach what Scripture says while also equipping the church to counsel and care for strugglers, and he outlines upcoming topics: Is this sin “different,” are people “born this way,” and how do we raise kids in a sexualized culture? The aim is clarity, compassion, and confident hope in Christ for real victory.Topics DiscussedWhy churches must preach plainly on homosexuality (OT & NT texts)Common progressive rebuttals and why they don't hold up biblically (e.g., “love = affirmation,” misuse of John 8)Word study: ἀρσενοκοίτης and Paul's clarity in 1 Cor 6 / 1 Tim 1Beyond the pulpit: moving from denunciation to discipleship and counseling in the local churchShepherding kids in a perverted culture; building a proactive family planInviting listener questions/testimonies for future episodesKey TakeawaysScripture speaks clearly; pastors should, too—without hatred or compromise.“Love the sinner; hate the sin” isn't a cliché—Jesus says, “Go and sin no more.”Paul's terminology intentionally names male-with-male practice; it isn't vague.Churches must pair clear preaching with hands-on help for real people.Parents need an intentional, early plan to disciple children amid cultural lies.Ready to download the Cord App? Find it here!Download the Satisfied Battle Plan or listen to the rest of the series here!Satisfied is a monthly program on the Thee Generation Podcast designed to offer practical tools based on biblical principles so that anyone can experience full purity and lead others to do the same. To ask questions or share testimonies, send an email to satisfied@theegeneration.org.   If you've been encouraged by this podcast, please take the time to give us a five-star rating and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the Thee Generation for others. For more faith inspiring resources and information about joining Thee Generation, please visit theegeneration.org.

In the midst of life’s busyness, God invites us to step away into a quiet place and rest in His presence. Mark 6:31 shows that even Jesus, fully God and fully man, sought moments of stillness—sometimes with those He loved. Welcoming quiet allows our souls to recalibrate, hear God’s voice, and find true peace amid the noise of daily life. Highlights Jesus modeled the need for quiet and rest, inviting His followers to join Him. Quiet time isn’t just physical rest; it’s a soul-level invitation to be with God. Embracing stillness allows us to hear God’s tender voice, not our inner critic. Scripture encourages us to stop striving: Psalm 46:10, Psalm 131:2, and Jeremiah 31:3. Quiet helps us develop contentment, security, and joy in God’s presence. Practical steps: switch off distractions, focus inward, and allow God to fill your mind and heart. Regular quiet cultivates a deeper connection with God and His peace. Gift Inspiration: Crosswalk's Holiday Gift Guide Looking for a meaningful way to celebrate the season? Check out our Holiday Gift Guide—from beautifully illustrated Bibles and devotionals to novels, greeting cards, and picture books, there’s something for everyone on your list. Wrap up stories for loved ones, tuck a book into your own nightstand, and join us in celebrating the wonder of giving this Christmas! Full Transcript Below: Welcoming the Quiet By Cindi McMenamin Bible Reading: “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31 NIV) Jesus said these words to His followers after a busy day in ministry. Perhaps He felt drained from all the demands and expectations placed upon Him from crowds of people who wanted something from Him. Perhaps He felt burdened at all there was to do, and so many people to help that He needed to get away to a quiet place with His Father in heaven. And certainly, He knew His followers could use some rest and respite as well. And that’s why He invited them to come with Him to the quiet to get some rest. If Jesus, being fully God, yet fully man, could sense His need to go away to a quiet place, then we should sense our need for the stillness and quiet as well. And I find it interesting that Jesus, while there were times He got away by Himself to be with God, in this particular verse, He invited those He loved to come away with Him. Part of Jesus’ rest and refueling was to be with those He loved—in the quiet. Intersecting Faith & Life: Do you ever sense the need to get away from it all to a quiet place where you can get some rest? Perhaps you sense that every day. But that is more than just your body’s way of saying “get some rest” or your mind’s way of saying, I need a vacation. I believe it’s our soul’s way of saying “God’s been waiting. Get away with Him.” I believe it’s Jesus’ way of saying, “Come with Me to a quiet place where we can be together.” You and I can view quiet, alone times as reminders of our loneliness and do everything we can to avoid them. Or, we can try to get to a place where we think it will be quiet, but we’ll be taking our noisy minds and selves with us. But I encourage you to welcome the quiet as a much-needed respite from the noise—and as an invitation from God who has been whispering to you: Come with Me to a quiet place and get some rest. How often do we feel we must set aside time to be with God and then feel guilty for not doing it? How often our hearts may long for a getaway with Him, not realizing that getaway is available to us every moment of the day because He indwells us and calls us to come to Him within the recesses of our hearts. “Be still and know that I am God,” says Psalm 46:10 (NIV). We can get to know Him in the stillness as we allow Him to quiet our thoughts, and we begin to focus on His presence. Psalm 46:10 in the New American Standard Bible reads: “Stop striving and know that I am God.” Having a heart at rest means we are not striving to control, not anxious or stressed about what might happen, or all that we have to do. It means we are in a place of quiet contentment, like David sang in Psalm 131:2: “I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me” (ESV). Quiet. Full. Satisfied. Secure. Is it time to slow your pace, switch off the inner chatter, and ask God to still your mind from anxiety or busyness and flood it with His peace? Is it time to close the app, shut the lid on your device, or turn off the music or the TV, and develop a heart that not only welcomes but longs for the quiet stillness? It’s there you will begin to discern your Savior’s voice, which is much more loving than your own internal critic. It is there you will hear His tender words: I have loved you with an everlasting love… I have drawn you with kindness (Jeremiah 31:3). It is there you will be assured of His promise to never leave you or abandon you (Hebrews 13:5). It is there, in His presence, that you will find fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). Embrace the quiet of your day—or escape to it by carving it out somewhere—so you can get away with God in your heart. Close your eyes. Enjoy the stillness of the moment and the assurance of His presence. Spend some time thanking Him for breathing rest –and quiet—into your day. Further Reading: Matthew 11:28-30 For a guided plan for growing closer to God in the quiet, see book: The New Loneliness Devotional: 50 Days to a Closer Connection with God. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, Jake and Bob welcome Dr. Shane Owens to explore how desire, the heart, and theology work together for our good, through the lens of St. Augustine's Confessions. Dr. Owens breaks down St. Augustine's healing journey and how by understanding the desires motivating our actions, we are led into deeper communion with God. They also discuss how memories shape our view of reality, why we distrust a good God, and what the Scriptures teach us about our identity. Key Points: Our desires ultimately point us towards God Sin is a result of misdirecting our desires towards something that is not God. It is an attempt to counterfeit the beautiful Memory is dynamic, not static, and returning to our heart to examine our memories plays an important role in forming our identity and facilitating healing. St. Augustine's willingness to be vulnerable in his "Confessions" is a model for vulnerability and understanding our desires. Scripture helps us recognize true beauty and reveals our true identity There will always be a tension between our desires and satisfying those desires. Healing and maturation occurs when we listen to our desires but wait for true fulfillment in God rather than settling for counterfeits. Resources: Return to the Heart: The Biblical Spirituality of St. Augustine's Confessions by Dr. Shane Owens Dr. Owen's Instagram Bible Across America "Vice As Counterfeit Beauty" chart from Dr. Owens' book (see our website here) Dr. Owens on the Abiding Together Podcast Connect with Restore the Glory: Instagram: @restoretheglorypodcast Twitter: @RestoreGloryPod Facebook: Restore the Glory Podcast Never miss out on an episode by hitting the subscribe button right now! Help other people find the show and grow in holiness by sharing this podcast with them individually or on your social media. Thanks! Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 02:56 St. Augustine's Healing Journey 13:52 Connecting Desire, the Heart, and Theology 26:02 Every Sin is Counterfeit Beauty 35:05 Why We Distrust A Good God 43:06 Allowing Desire to Guide Even When We Aren't Satisfied 48:05 Memory Shapes How We Perceive Reality 58:05 Restoring the Glory Through Childlike Trust

Renée Elise Goldsberry is on the pod and yeah no there are no typos detected this actually happened! We covered so much ground and I am still in awe of what a warm, generous, honest, and thoughtful person Renée is. This episode is *packed.* Want to hear about her album Who I Really Am and what it was like to record it over four years and how Renée put her heart and soul into it? Done! How about her new Satisfied documentary, which is a deeply personal look into originating Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton while also raising small children and realizing she didn't have to choose because YEP we covered that, too. Oh hey maybe even Girls5Eva and a deep dive into Wickie Roy's whole vibe and (some of) her best lines and why women should never apologize for being ambitious? CHECKKKKK. Did I fangirl over Documentary Now!'s genius and hilarious Original Cast Album: Co-Op and tell Renée how often that episode is brought up on this podcast because we all love it so much? I SURE DID. #thebrownandthebeige #rooned Plus! Renée beautifully unpacks the dichotomy of her experiences as the last Mimi Marquez in Rent on Broadway and first Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton on Broadway.  This really is such a fantastic conversation. We laughed, we got chills, and we made a date for ten years from now to “talk about what wonderful things have transpired.” If you think it's not on my calendar for 2035 (with a reminder set for a year before) you don't know me at all.  Renée Elise Goldsberry's website Renée Elise Goldsberry - "Who I Really Am" (Album) Renée Elise Goldsberry - "Satisfied" (Single) Renée Elise Goldsberry - "Staring" Documentary Now! Original Cast Album: Co-Op /// Gillian's Website The Hamilcast on Twitter The Hamilcast on Instagram Join the Patreon Peeps