Shownotes
In this episode of A Prisoner's Pardon, Michi J. explores the timeless holiday film 'It's a Wonderful Life,' outlining how the protagonist, George Bailey, learns the true value of his life through his sacrifices and impact on others. The episode highlights parallels between George's journey and our own lives, encouraging viewers to shift their perspective from materialism and self-reliance to community, support, and selflessness. By reflecting on George's hardships and divine intervention, listeners are inspired to embrace a wonderful life filled with purpose and gratitude.
00:00 Introduction to Classic Christmas Movies
00:41 The Timeless Message of 'It's a Wonderful Life'
01:29 Deep Dive into George Bailey's Life
04:06 George's Sacrifices and Temptations
06:29 The Impact of George's Choices
07:31 Finding Freedom and Embracing a Wonderful Life
08:44 The True Spirit of Christmas
10:43 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Transcripts
Microphone (2- AT2005USB): The
Christmas season is here and with
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:it comes the timeless tradition of
watching classic movies like Miracle
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:on 31st Street and The Christmas Story.
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:These are films that never fail to
capture the true spirit of the holidays.
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:Today's culture has, unfortunately,
just about lost its spirit.
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:,
Microphone (AT:
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:being on the political climate.
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:And.
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:Even in our own lives, not really
being thankful for what we have.
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:Microphone (2- AT2005USB):
I want resonates with me.
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:It's the movie.
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:It's a wonderful life.
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:the story is about a
character named George Bailey.
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:George had dreams of traveling the world.
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:These plans didn't go as expected.
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:AS George navigates the ups and
downs of life, his trouble multiply.
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:A divine intervention occurs.
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:To show George the true impact
his life has had on others.
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:I want us to look at this movie and
understand how having a wonderful
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:life is also a possibility for us all.
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:Hello everyone and welcome
back to A Prisoner's Pardon.
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:I'm your host, Michi J.
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:And today we're going to delve
deep into the heartwarming
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:story It's a Wonderful Life.
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:The story is about a
character named George Bailey.
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:He's played by James Stewart.
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:And in the story, it unveils
George's life as a man who once had
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:big dreams of traveling the world.
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:However, as life often unfolds
for all of us, these plans
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:didn't quite go as expected.
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:George finds himself tempted to
take an offer that promises to
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:free him from his current troubles.
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:But something inside him compels him to
stay and face the challenges head on.
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:But as George navigates the ups and downs
of life, his trouble seems to multiply.
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:Haven't we all seen things like this?
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:he faces adversity in his
business and even finds himself
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:on the brink of jail time.
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:We've all faced adversity in our lives.
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:If you haven't, just keep living.
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:Well, the weight of all of this becomes so
unbearable for George that the once strong
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:George contemplates giving up entirely.
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:He begins to drown himself
in harmful behaviors such as
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:drinking and he even entertains
the thoughts of ending his own life.
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:Whew.
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:We've all been there where we
just do not want to face things.
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:Things are just too much.
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:there was a life changing
encounter for George.
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:So when George was at his lowest
point, a divine intervention occurs.
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:What happens is an angel
is sent from heaven.
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:To show George the true impact
his life has had on others.
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:This angel helps him to see
that despite his struggles, his
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:life is truly a wonderful one.
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:George discovers that he is not
a prisoner of his circumstances,
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:but rather a beacon of hope and
inspiration for those around him.
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:Let's reflect on George's journey
and let's draw parallels to our own
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:lives because we all experience our
own George Bailey moments, times
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:when we feel trapped and hopeless.
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:But if we shift our perspective,
we can find that our lives too are
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:filled with wonder and purpose.
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:Microphone (2- AT2005USB)-2:
First off, George lost his father.
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:That was a big impact on him because
he was the breadwinner in the house.
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:And George had to make some sacrifices.
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:That was exactly the time
when he was gonna go and leave
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:and just travel the world.
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:Instead, he devoted his time to
take over his father's business.
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:I think that's what we
should be doing too.
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:We should be handling
our father's business.
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:If you know what I mean.
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:So, all of us have been impacted
with the loss of loved ones.
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:Or, just having someone there
that haven't been doing what
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:they are supposed to be doing.
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:It's one or the other.
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:Then, George, he took over the business.
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:And he was only going to take over
the business just for a short while
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:until his brother gets out of college
and then he was going to take it
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:over so George can travel the world.
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:That didn't happen either.
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:George's brother got married and was
given the prospect of a great job
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:through his father in law's company.
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:George saw the opportunity for
his brother, so told him that
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:he can go ahead and do that.
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:, and George sacrificed everything
again so that his brother
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:can accomplish a better life.
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:Again, a great message do we
sacrifice for our brothers?
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:Then George, was tempted to just
leave, but it was a trick from Mr.
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:Potter.
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:Mr.
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:Potter, he was an evil man,
well, a very angry man.
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:He wanted to control everything.
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:So he wanted to tempt George
with a seemingly lucrative job.
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:But if George took it, he would
then expose all the people to Mr.
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:Potter's plan to take over everything and
just charge sky high prices, therefore
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:trapping the people in impoverishing them
because they would be indebted to him.
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:He would, you know.
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:Raise all the prices till they
just can't even afford it.
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:Sounds familiar?
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:George didn't allow it.
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:He stayed where he was even
though he wanted to leave and
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:he protected his community.
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:He took on a selfless job.
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:Now, later, through this job,
One of his co workers misplaced
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:some money which actually put
him in jeopardy of going to jail.
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:At the end, he was facing so much
adversity, so many problems, and
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:they come in all at one time.
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:It doesn't come one at a time, and
wait for you to get over one.
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:It floods in.
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:So George was frustrated.
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:He was angry.
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:He was taking it out on his family.
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:He was starting to want to drink.
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:And then also, commit suicide
and just end everything.
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:But then he had an
intervention, thankfully.
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:we all need those types of interventions
from someone sent from heaven.
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:It could be a fellow co worker, a
sibling, , a stranger at times, to come
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:and give us a good word, to encourage
us, and also just to let us see that.
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:It's not as bad as it seems.
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:Microphone (2- AT2005USB):
We all can find freedom.
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:We here at a prisoner's pardon have
a mission and that is to drive this
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:perspective home to all our listeners,
whether they are physically in
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:prison or trapped in a spiritual
sense, just as George Bailey was.
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:Just as Illinois has Pontiac
and Wisconsin has Dodge
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:Correctional as intake facilities.
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:We recognize here that there is a
spiritual facility preceding them all.
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:so how can we embrace a wonderful life?
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:It really starts by being
honest with ourselves.
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:Too often people hide their pain,
refusing to admit the struggles,
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:acknowledging our vulnerabilities is
the first step towards finding freedom.
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:Don't buy into the false statements
you hear about self empowerment
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:and I can do it all by myself.
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:All that is false.
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:If you don't believe it, just look
at the evidence all around you when
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:you look closer, it's not true.
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:You know why?
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:Because we all need someone.
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:We all need family.
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:Also Don't fall for the
false marketing as well.
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:That's happening now during the season.
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:It's not immaterial things.
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:Marketing.
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:That's going on.
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:What have you believe that you
can have a wonderful life if
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:you go out and buy something?
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:This is definitely false marketing.
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:I don't know if you've seen it, but have
you seen the media about target having
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:black Friday prices when it's actually
the same prices throughout the year?
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:Yeah, it was a big media blow
up about that, but that's
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:not the only thing they do.
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:And this is what a lot of stores do
not just to look at target, they mark
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:up prices and then mark them down
and say that they're having a sale.
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:A wonderful life is not also
in fake relationships either.
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:Fake meaning, it's just about sex or
money or anything else other than two
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:people being totally committed for
life to the betterment of the other.
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:So is willing to make sacrifices for them.
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:Question, do you make
sacrifices for others?
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:Or do you do things only for yourselves?
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:George Bailey, in the movie, A
Wonderful Life, made sacrifices
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:for his wife and his kids.
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:He made them for his brother,
his father, and his community.
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:He didn't have the most
desirable house, clothes, or job.
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:Still, though, he had a wonderful life.
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:The angel showed him how, if he
wasn't around to make the sacrifices
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:he did, how things would have turned
out for each person he had affected.
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:Boy, it makes you wonder how
much we impact people seeing
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:this really gave George.
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:joy and filled him with the
real spirit of the Christmas
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:season we can do the same thing
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:God gave us the gift of himself
and we should do likewise by
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:giving the gift of ourselves.
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:A prisoner's pardon, is all about
freedom to live a wonderful life.
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:That's all for today's episode.
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:Remember, A wonderful life is
not found in material possessions
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:or fake relationships, but lies
in the sacrifices we make for
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:others, much like George Bailey.
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:So stay true, stay joyous
and have a wonderful life.
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:Thank you for listening and may you
have a week filled with blessings.
