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Unexpectedly, news outlets wind up having a relatively traditional election night experience

“This looks a lot more like 2016 to me than 2020,” NBC’s Chuck Todd said, a reference to Trump’s victory that year over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The post Unexpectedly, news outlets wind up having a relatively traditional election night experience appeared first on Boston.com.




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CNN pundit Scott Jennings’s election night defense of Trump supporters goes viral

"I'm interpreting the results tonight as the revenge of just the regular ole working-class American, the anonymous American," Jennings said on CNN at 3:38 a.m. Wednesday, in a clip that's been shared widely on social media.

The post CNN pundit Scott Jennings’s election night defense of Trump supporters goes viral appeared first on Boston.com.







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Maintaining professional relationships after being let go from a company—Elaine Varelas advises on an appropriate course of action

If you've been let go from your organization, is it appropriate to try to maintain the internal and external professional relationships you've made during your time there? What implicit and explicit rules exist around contacting former clients and colleagues? Elaine Varelas explores the many aspects of this situation.

The post Maintaining professional relationships after being let go from a company—Elaine Varelas advises on an appropriate course of action appeared first on Boston.com.




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While many file for unemployment, these companies are hiring thousands. Here's why.

“The hiring in some sectors and the layoffs in others is a clear reflection of the ‘feast or famine’ realities occurring with those industries serving consumers."

The post While many file for unemployment, these companies are hiring thousands. Here’s why. appeared first on Boston.com.




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Wave of job-switching has employers on a training treadmill

“A lot of restaurants are in survival mode, and survival mode creates a vicious circle,” said Dominic Benvenuti, an owner of Boston Pie, which owns more than two dozen Domino’s locations in New England.

The post Wave of job-switching has employers on a training treadmill appeared first on Boston.com.




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Biden administration finalizes rule to grant overtime for millions more salaried workers

Under the federal law, nearly all hourly workers in the U.S. are entitled to overtime pay after 40 hours a week. But many salaried workers are exempt from that requirement — unless they earn below a certain level.

The post Biden administration finalizes rule to grant overtime for millions more salaried workers appeared first on Boston.com.






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Queen Bey and Yale: The Ivy League university is set to offer a course on Beyoncé and her legacy

Titled “Beyoncé Makes History: Black Radical Tradition, Culture, Theory & Politics Through Music,” the one-credit class will focus on the period from her 2013 self-titled album through this year's genre-defying “Cowboy Carter.”

The post Queen Bey and Yale: The Ivy League university is set to offer a course on Beyoncé and her legacy appeared first on Boston.com.







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Disunited States of America

"I saw my brother in these boys. I saw my son in these boys.”

First, we talk to an activist speaking out against violence towards blacks in America. Then, we hear how the story of one police shooting in San Francisco has been turned into a stage play.

Next, we learn why the Bahamas issued a travel advisory to the US. Also, we hear about the perils of "walking while black" in New York City. Plus, a daughter figures out how to talk to her father about race for the first time.

We end the show with “American Tune,’’ a posthumous release by the New Orleans musician Allen Toussaint.




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Reunited

As Trump ends Obama-era protections for Salvadorans; a family in Minnesota has few good options to stay together.

Also on the program: An American family finds their way in Mexico after deportation; a group of indigenous people from South West Africa visit a museum in New York City to view the remains of their ancestors; A Korean adoptee meets his birth mother and winds up moving in with her; plus why 'Arirang' is the perfect song for a divided Korea.

(Image: David, who came to the US from El Salvador without papers, has three children who were born in the US. Credit: PRI’s The World)




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Untold Afghanistan

In the early 2000’s the US helped fund Afghanistan's first private university. It was part of an effort to help rebuild Afghanistan's education system. Over time, the American University of Afghanistan has become a symbol of hope for many young Afghan men and women who dream about higher education. But that very hope has also made those students, and their campus in Kabul, targets for extremists.

Also: First Lieutenant, Erica MacSwan, prepares for her deployment to Afghanistan; Lt. MacSwan recalls her family’s personal experience with the 9/11 attacks; and we step inside a fashion boutique in the heart of Kabul.

(Two years after the attack on the American University in Kabul, school officials have stepped up security. That means the campus has the look and feel of a military compound. Credit: Farzanah Wahidy/PRI)




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Who's listening?

When US presidents get on the phone to speak with foreign leaders, staff are on hand to take diligent notes. But is there a set procedure of how calls with foreign dignitaries are handled? Tom Blanford from the National Security Archives in Washington, DC says that Trump’s style has been very different compared with his predecessors.

Also, TikTok, is one of the most popular social media apps in the world but the company that owns it is based in China, and some say that's leading to censorship; When you think about the Soviet Union, you don’t often think about comedy, Michael Idov’s film ‘The Humorist’ delves into the life of a Soviet comic; the power of comedy is something stand-up comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi is trying to harness in order to start a more honest conversation between Israelis and Palestinians; and the tale of a Russian ship captain whose message in a bottle was recently discovered on a beach in Alaska.

Image: Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump (Credit: Ukraine Presidential Press Service via EPA)










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Jodi Picoult’s ‘Nineteen Minutes’ tops PEN America of books banned in schools

Earlier this month, PEN issued a report that expands upon numbers released in September for Banned Books Week, when libraries and stores around the country highlighted censored works.

The post Jodi Picoult’s ‘Nineteen Minutes’ tops PEN America of books banned in schools appeared first on Boston.com.




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Book Review: Sy Montgomery shares ‘What the Chicken Knows’ in new mini hardcover

Chickens outnumber people 4:1, they have more in common, anatomically, with dinosaurs than humans, you can mail order up to 350 different varieties of chicks, and roosters really are much meaner than hens.

The post Book Review: Sy Montgomery shares ‘What the Chicken Knows’ in new mini hardcover appeared first on Boston.com.





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Trump chooses New York Rep. Elise Stefanik as ambassador to United Nations

Stefanik, 40, who serves as House Republican Conference Chair, has long been one of Trump's most loyal allies in the House, and was among those discussed as a potential vice presidential choice.

The post Trump chooses New York Rep. Elise Stefanik as ambassador to United Nations appeared first on Boston.com.





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3 Questions with Anna Leonova, Ukrainian Composer

Meet Anna Leonova! Anna Leonova is an Ukrainian composer of contemporary classical music, pianist, composition teacher, piano and music theory teacher, currently living in Qatar. At an ... Read more

The post 3 Questions with Anna Leonova, Ukrainian Composer appeared first on CMUSE.





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MTV VMAs 2024: How to watch tonight, starting time, nominee list and more




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How to watch the 'The Voice' Season 26 premiere tonight: Start time, new judges and more




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The Best Little Sunday Christmas Morning

Have you heard the news? Christmas IS ON A SUNDAY this year! It doesn’t happen again till 2022 and then again in 2033,2039 and 2050. But like it or not, it’s a reality in the here and now. So what are you going to do about it?

The last time Christmas was on a Sunday was in 2011. Back then a LifeWay Research poll of 1,000 Protestant pastors, 91% were planning on having a service of some kind on Christmas Sunday morning. While 69% said they were also going to have a Christmas Eve service. Of the estimated 9%, who were not planning on having a service, some made national headlines when they decided to cancel.

You might have noticed the term, “service of some kind,” as many churches had modified their regular activities to allow for people to participate in both their family traditions and attend a church service. Many had elected to only do one “family service” (which offered no separate children’s programs) held later in the morning. This was to minimize the demands on volunteers but also to be together on a special day.

This was the approach that my church took in 2011. To say the least, I was a bit skeptical at first. Thinking that few would come and after all the work that goes into Christmas Eve I was not excited about showing up early the next morning. But I can honestly say it was one of the best Christmas’s. First of all, we left everything in place from the night before so we didn’t have to set anything up. Then, like I previously mentioned, the service was later in the day, which allowed for Christmas morning traditions, presents, and breakfast. So that after the wrapping paper had been torn to shreds we actually had something to do. The service lasted about an hour. The worship team did two Christmas songs, we had the kids do a few special songs to tracks, which all the parents and grandparents loved (also brought their family out to church) and didn’t require a bunch of prep or costumes. Our Pastor shared a short message of hope. Not to sound overly spiritual here but it really was a very spiritual moment to be in church on Christmas. After the service concluded we exchanged Christmas greetings with our church family and then headed home to play with new toys, eat again, and spend the day with family.

No matter what you choose to do this Christmas, we just wanted to make you aware it was coming so you could plan. Also wanted to share some thoughts and experiences, but we really wanted to get the conversation started. What did your church do on Sunday Morning Christmas 2011? What worked and what didn’t?  What are you going to do this year?

Leave a comment below or hit us up on twitter.




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The Powerful Act of Honoring Your Seniors

I recently took on a new position leading worship in a small church on the outskirts of Nashville. They are good people and there are a lot of great things happening in those church walls. However, they are feeling the same stress that many of our churches feel today, and that is staying relevant with our ever changing culture in music worship and not leaving our senior population in the background feeling marginalized.  Let’s be honest, if it were not for their lives, traditions and heritage we would not be in those walls today. So what is the answer for young worship leaders today trying to navigate this tug of war? One word. Love. You have to love your senior people.

I worked for 13 years in a health and wellness center spending much of my days working alongside senior adult participants. One of the most important things I learned in that job was that when an older adult begins to lose their independence, they often begin to lose hope. And when people lose hope, they often grasp onto anything that is known and trusted in their lives. Change is difficult and people naturally want what is familiar. But I also found as I validated their giftedness and encouraged them to reach out to the people around them, they were willing to rise to the challenge and hope would begin to return in their lives. 

My fellow worship leader friends, can I encourage you to validate your people? Honor your seniors with a genuine love and respect. You will be amazed at the things that you will learn from them!

My current worship leading position is part time and I don’t have the luxury of spending hours in the office for drop in appointments and lunch dates. So, this week I hosted a luncheon for around 50 seniors who attend our church so that I could get to know them a little bit and let them hear from my heart. I sent them an invitation stating that I wanted to meet with them and explain to them why they are the most important key to growth in our local church.  Let me say right off, we never once discussed music worship in the church. Maybe someday...but not this day.

Instead, I validated them with a message that I have shared before. Here’s the message.

“You are valuable.”

Isaiah 46:4 - "Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.’

“This was a promise to the people of Israel.  But our God is the same God that spoke those words to His people. We are also His people. I believe today that God MADE you, he will SUSTAIN you EVEN TO YOUR OLD AGE.  Why would God do this? Why would He make this promise to us if our lives are no longer valuable here on earth? You may be retired from a job...but God has not retired you!”

I shared with them Hebrews 12:7 - “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?” I went on to tell them this.    

“Your history and heritage in Jesus is unlike anyone else’s. No one else can effect the world around you like you can. The lessons you have been taught and the hardships you have faced have made you who you are. And hopefully, we have all learned to allow those life lessons draw us closer to Christ and to become more like Him.”

We then dove into this scripture:

Eph. 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I reminded them that “God still has work for you to do... work that He has prepared in advance for you! That’s exciting! He has specific assignments just for you!!!!”

I went on to explain “God Assignments” as a way of life to listen to the Spirit throughout your day and be willing to act on His assignments when He speaks. Perhaps it will be paying for someone’s gas or spending time with a teen in the church. I challenged them to be faithful to ask the Lord daily and be willing to share with each other what God is doing in their midst. I asked them to speak out their faith because a younger generation is starving and thirsty to know that God is real. Young people can see fake a mile away and they are not interested in just “doing church.” I reminded them that no one else in these walls can testify to the reality of God in their lives the way they could.

I left them with this challenge:

“Young people hunger to know God...but they can detect fake and they don’t like it. How can YOU help them to see the reality of God? You can offer them love and acceptance.  You can invest in them. You can offer God Talk. God talk is sharing what God is doing in your life TODAY... answered prayer, sharing hope, sharing the Joy of the Lord.

Let’s face it...when you and I are gone... when Jesus takes us home... the future of this church remains in the hands of those coming after us. And if we don’t foster right relationship, testimony and genuine love of God with the younger generation, this church will not grow...it will die.  It’s a heavy assignment. But I believe it is the assignment God is calling us to step into.”

We closed with this scripture and very few dry eyes in the room. The Spirit of God was near and there was a new sense of awareness that we are called with a purpose...even to our old age.

John 13:34-35

 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

When the Spirit leads and we have another luncheon (as they have already requested that we do this again!) we will begin to discuss the importance of letting change happen in our music so that the same message of God is delivered in a relevant way that younger generations can understand. But not this day...this day was all about love. 


Submitted by: Shelly Head
Worship Pastor at Gallatin Church of the Nazarene




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184 AAW: Building Community in Your Worship Team (with Jordan Merritt)

Today, we're excited to introduce you to someone on the front lines of worship every single week at a local church, just like you!  He's a worship leader, pastor, husband, father and a good friend of the ministry: Jordan Merritt.



Jordan is currently serving as Worship Pastor at Embrace Church in Sioux Falls, SD, one of the fastest-growing churches in the country.  In addition to leading worship, he is a gifted songwriter. He co-wrote the Newsboys single, “You Hold It All,” and he has written songs for multiple projects with artists including Newsboys, Selah, Travis Ryan, and others. Jordan’s desire is to see the Church equipped, refreshed, and reminded of God’s promises through worship.

Thank you to Jordan for taking the time to sit down with us!  We hope you are encouraged by a "fellow soldier in the fight", who is leading worship in a local church every week.  Be encouraged and be confident that God has put you on mission as a worshipper in your church ... to restore the honor of God, to restore the People of God and to bring His presence into your services each and every week. 

Have a great week!





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The Worship Podcast (Episode 5): Women in Ministry, with Krissy Nordhoff

On today's podcast, we wanted to cover a very important topic. It's forefront in our culture, yes, but it's also important in the church, too. Specifically, in worship and songwriting.  That topic is ... women in ministry. 

We here at The Worship Podcast (All About Worship & WeAreWorship) completely affirm and believe in the ability, anointing and commission of women to minister to the church body, and of course, to others around them. In a way, it's strange to even feel the need to type that sentence.  But as society and culture is starting to have some real confusion and controversy over this gender topic, we believe as Christians we should lead the way in freedom!  We should set the example in empowerment, equal contribution in the Kingdom of God and a general attitude of preferring one another.

Now, this is a huge topic!  So we wanted to sit down with someone who is making a real difference in this world.  Her name is Krissy Nordhoff.  She leads a ministry called "Brave Worship".  She's also an accomplished songwriter, anointed worship leader, wife, mother, and lucky for us, a friend of The Worship Podcast ministry!  It doesn't matter what "side of the aisle" you believe you are on when it comes to this topic - we can all benefit from having genuine conversation and even more important, listening.  

Find out more about Brave Worship and make sure to check out their podcast, as well!

And oh yeah, last (and certainly least in this case), Dustin & James don't mince words about their travels to India ... stomach issues and all.  Enjoy!

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The Worship Podcast is powered by All About Worship (Dustin Smith & James Galbraith) and WeAreWorship (Wisdom Moon & Morgan Shirey).

You can also connect with The Worship Podcast on social media:
The Worship Podcast on Facebook
The Worship Podcast on Instagram
The Worship Podcast on Twitter





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Listening

I’ve been involved with ministry since I was a baby . . . literally. My family moved to the USA from Johannesburg, South Africa at the end of 1986 to be missionaries here in the States. I was born a couple months later in Texas. So from the time I was born, I’ve been ministering alongside my family. I’ve seen the good and the bad. People will tend to focus on the bad, but I’m somewhat of an eternal optimist. I believe that good can be found in most situations.

One of the critical things I’ve learned in my life is the power of listening. A lot of people will “listen” to people talk, but are just waiting for a chance to say what’s on their mind. I realized I was like this when I first got married. My wife, who is amazing, would share something that was on her heart. I would “listen” until I got a moment to give my “spiritual” insight. Or what I thought was insight. There were times where I would say things that only made things worse. She would say that I wasn’t really listening. It got to the point where I was so frustrated by that phrase that I would just be quiet and listen.

I started to listen intently anytime she had something to share. Then I would wait and let her know that I truly did hear her. This mindset has helped me even with being a Worship Pastor. My wife and I lead the Young Adults group at my church. Young adults are my favorite age group. Most of them are either going into college or leaving college and entering the real world for the first time. There have been times when they’ve brought personal issues to me and my wife. We’ve found it to be incredibly effective to truly listen and not just wait to insert our “point.” Once we’re able to truly hear the heart of the situation, we are then able to speak life into it.

Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.  - Proverbs 1:5

This might seem like a simple thing, but the application of it is incredibly fruitful. Whether you’re dealing with a spouse or church members or friends, heed these words. Doing so shows that we sincerely care. It shows an authenticity not found easily.

This is also a powerful way to pray. It’s so easy to feel like we have to always have words coming out of our mouths when we pray. Sometimes we just need to listen. Listen for what the Lord is saying. Listen and meditate on his word.

So let’s take time this week, whether we’re in our cars, our homes, or whatever and just take time to listen. Listen to what the Lord is saying. Listen to what your kids, spouse, church family are saying. Take the time to show you care and find out what’s on their hearts.






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The Power Of All - Be Fierce Men's Ministry


Last weekend I went camping. Yep, tents, fires and axes. Now, I am FAR from a camping guy, but a certain ministry called Be Fierce was needing some worship and I filled the void.  Be fierce is a ministry that is, right now, dedicated for men. So I went and did what we all think men love...camp. It was three days of seventy-plus guys getting together and seeing what God would do among them. What happened next surprised me.

Now, you may ask, what does this have to do with worship? Or leading worship? Well, nothing really, except through that weekend I began to realize the power of brotherhood and how that can impact our families and communities.

You see there is power when we all get together and worship. The power of all. This is especially impacting when it is men functioning in this activity. Hmmm, in this day and age that may sound sexist, but Be Fierce has a mission and passion to see fathers turning back to their sons, and sons to their fathers. Also, for men to be handed the right tools to better take their honorable positions in their local churches. So, it’s not something that is sexist, but it is addressing the issue that has allowed men to sit back and watch their wives, sisters and daughters take positions that shouldn’t be theirs to have to take on.

The weekend was soon filled with voices raised and a fight in the spirit. I saw men come alive with the presence of God. It wasn’t through super hyped church services (only me and a guitar) or an overwhelmingly good sermon,  but through continued service to each other, shoulder to shoulder through activity and common union. There was brotherhood, and for many reasons that has been hard to come by. Be Fierce as a ministry had hit the nail on the head and saw a need for Fathers and sons alike to experience God, not through a good church service, but through each other - even if that was around a campfire or even in a tent. In this, they became stronger. They worshipped harder. They laughed louder and they helped disciple each other.

I can imagine the cave times with David and his soon-to-be mighty men looked similar. Men that talked and listened, worshiped and fought together through the best and worst times of their lives.

So, we shouldn’t neglect the need for men to stand strong together. Be Fierce encourages that, and they are seeing stronger families and churches because of it.






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Red Sox Have Substantial Competition for Reunion With Starting Pitcher

Eovaldi gets ready to pitch against the Royals. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Boston's former ace is reportedly on their radar this offseason. by: Michael Kadlick Posted: Nov 12, 2024 / 03:59 PM EST Updated: Nov 12, 2024 / 03:59 PM EST SHARE As the MLB's 2025 offseason begins, the Red Sox have a former ace on their radar. According to WEEI's Rob Bradford , Boston is among "about a dozen teams" who have shown interest in starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi. He declined his 2025 player option on Nov. 4 and is set to hit free agency this winter. While top tier available pitchers remain Red Sox priority, they are one of about a dozen teams who have shown some level of interest in Nathan Eovaldi — Rob




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Both Red Sox finalists denied Silver Slugger awards

Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers and outfielder Jarren Duran were both finalists for AL Silver Slugger awards but neither won. Guardians' José Ramírez won for AL third basemen. Yankees sluggers Aaron Judge and Juan Soto as well as Orioles' Anthony Santander were the three AL outfield winners. BETTING: Check out our MA sports betting guide , where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts. Duran, who was a finalist for the first time, led the majors in doubles with 48. He also tied with Arizona's Corbin Carroll for the major league lead in triples (14). He batted .285 with a .342 on-base percentage, .492 slugging




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Why Red Sox Made 'Good Call' With Qualifying Offer To Nick Pivetta

The Boston Red Sox offseason is expected to be full of moves. The Red Sox extended a qualifying offer worth a healthy $21.05 million to Nick Pivetta. While surprising, the decision by the Red Sox regarding Pivetta could end up being very shrewd, as The Boston Globe's Julian McWilliams explained alongside Jahmai Webster during Monday's episode of NESN's “310 To Left” podcast.




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Red Sox expressing interest in reunion with fan favorite pitcher in free agency

The Boston Red Sox need an ace above all other things before the 2025 campaign, but they could use multiple veteran pitching additions. Boston's rotation is relatively young and inexperienced. Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford are both 28 years old and Brayan Bello is only 25. Lucas Giolito is expected to join Boston's rotation in 2025, as he was meant to do last year before his UCL repair surgery.




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Melatonin gummies may have a higher dose than what’s on the label, Sedentary time may significantly enlarge adolescents’ heart, Mushroom Scampi

This week Zorba and Karl discuss how melatonin gummies may have a higher dose than what’s on the label, and they examine new research showing sedentary time may significantly enlarge […]




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Kids benefit more when parents step back, Laughter may be as effective as drops for dry eyes, Roasted Zucchini and Squash

This week Zorba and Karl look at a study about how kids benefit more when parents step back and let them take the lead, and they talk discuss how laughter […]