Poly can mean "many." Ticks are blood sucking parasites. Put those two words together and it sure sounds like "politics." We think you can figure out where we see the parallel.

It's been since 1835 that our nation, the Good Ol' U.S. of A, has not carried national debt. President Andrew Jackson was in the White House when we, as a nation, was debt free. Since then, the income to outgo as been staggeringly "in the red."

No company or individual can survive operating this way but our nation has continued the downward spiral into massive debt: To the tune of 38.5 trillion dollars. Do we really realize how much debt that is?

In this podcast, not only do we vividly illustrate this but we also put the blame where it belongs. And when it comes to having to "pay the piper," well, it's not going to be a pretty picture.

What's the answer? Let's talk about it.

As we enter 2026, we take a look back at some of the notable events of the past year. Some good...some not.

Political, financial, personal, and spiritual pinnacles and pits punctuate our look back. And we look forward to just how much of a rollercoaster this next year just might be.

From horrific deaths to widespread youth revival, we're seeing events that are shaping the nation. We've also seen even more undermining of our nation through political polarization via partisanship.

Will we survive this next year? It all depends on our foundation:

Solid rock or shifting sand.

What's your favorite Christmas song?

Both Jay and Tom agree that "Joy to the World" is each of their absolute favorite. However, research tells us it was not intended to be a Christmas song. Written in 1719 by Isaac Watts, it was meant to be a celebration of the Messiah's Second Coming. Read the lyrics with that in mind and you'll see what we mean.

However, in 1833, Lowell Mason created a melody for the verses and it soon became a celebration of Jesus' first coming as well.

And if you haven't heard the story Jay loves to tell at this time of year about "Wally's Christmas Play," you'll be touched by the message.

The infinite becomes finite. How can God become man? Our discussion today lays out the explanation, giving us what we need to maintain or change our focus of the celebration of Immanuel, God with us, that many heathen around the world participate in.

The over 300 Old Testament prophecies Jesus fulfilled, should cause every person to stop and consider that His birth, death, and resurrection wasn't just so we could give each other gifts and eat more desserts than we should.

"The Reason For the Season" isn''t just a nice platitude. We're celebrating the birthday of our soon returning King."

Does God send people to hell?

This is one of the ongoing questions many non-Believers have and the accusation they bring against a so-called "loving God."

How can a loving God sentence people to burn for eternity?

For five centuries, probably longer, people have been taught that God has chosen only certain people to go to heaven. It's bundled up in the T.U.L.I.P doctrine based on John Calvin's teaching in the 1500s.

This week's podcast confronts the un-Biblical teaching that some cannot be saved. 2 Peter 3:9 indicates that God 's desire is that everyone repent and be saved. Peter even declared it in Acts 3.

Today we aren't condemning but revealing the Biblical foundation of our freewill and God's sovereign grace. From Joshua's declaration of "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" to Jesus' statement "God did not send His Son to condemn the world but that the world, through Him, might be saved," there is hope for any who will believe and follow Jesus.

This podcast will help lay a solid foundation for people to be able to know they're saved and know that everyone who puts their faith in Christ will be saved. It's the Good News to a lost world!

Jay mentions the website, Soteriology 101. Research it for greater equipping.

Grateful Thursday to Black Friday. Grateful to Greedy in less than 24 hours.

Tom likes to call the time from Thanksgiving to Christmas as "The Thirty Days of Gluttony." With people celebrating the holidays, it invariably involves food: Great good and great amounts of it. Then add the pies, Grandma's famous peanut butter fudge, and the ever-famous fruit cake and the calories skyrocket.

But just how do we learn to be thankful, especially in a day and age where people are so ego-centric that they feel they deserve what they get and, therefore, take it all for granted instead of being genuinely appreciative.

And it's not just "what" we're thankful for but for whom and to whom we are thankful.

The bottom line is, thankfulness is a position of being, not just saying. And choosing to be thankful, having a constant attitude of thankfulness, is something we need to be taught and well as be shown by example.

Even if the gift we receive isn't something we're necessarily thankful for (the underwear Grandma gave us) it's the person (Grandma) that we love and are thankful for.

It's a heart issue, not a possession issue. And we Believers have so much to be thankful for and the greatest Someone for whom we are thankful.

Just how much of everything there is to know do you think you know?

Jay and Tom have bounced this question around quite a few times, often with the self-deprecating response, "Probably a thimbleful."

Then there are the things that are just plain unexplainable. And too, history is full of myths, legends, and speculations of what the spiritual world is like. We know that Jesus said, "God is spirit and we must worship Him in spirit and in truth." But what does that really mean?

We pursue knowledge and understand but do we really pursue wisdom? True wisdom comes from above so that's where we need to start. However, people who reject God end up venturing into myriads of myths and legends, and worse, the dark things.

There's a whole lot more to knowledge and we need to be careful where we seek it. The whole realm of fantasy can be very appealing to immerse ourselves in but when it draws away or supersedes Godly wisdom and understanding, red flags should be waving frantically.

This podcast proves that Jay and Tom don't agree on everything. But they do agree on the things that matter eternally.

19.5 million people have served our great country through military service. We appreciate and thank our military veterans for all they've done.

That's what it has taken to preserve the wonderful freedoms we enjoy today. But has this freedom, sustained by such great sacrifice, become a burden of sorts?

It's important for us as citizens of the U.S. of A. to remember exactly what we have. As we stand before the flag representing our great country, we pledge our allegiance. And the writers of our pledge were very specific as to what we give our allegiance to: "The Republic, for which it stands."

We also need to remind ourselves that "though we are in this world, we are not of it." This gives us a greater responsibility as Believers to protect what God has established here.

Today we discuss the service we give and the responsibilities we have as God's emissaries to this great nation.

En gardé - one of the few French phrases we know. Basically means, "defend yourself" or "be on the ready." And that's exactly what today's topic is all about.

Del Tackett from "The Truth Project" posed this question:

"Do you really believe what you say you believe is really real?"

If that's true, then the next step is to know as much as you can know about your faith, beginning with you. When did you make Jesus Christ Lord of your life? That's the foundation of your faith. When sharing with anyone about the Lord, it all begins there.

There are many famous apologists throughout the centuries who have stood in defense of the faith. Their brilliance in being able to defend the faith before skeptics and antagonists is amazing.

But are we equipped to do the same? Most of us aren't but we can put on the whole armor of God and, as in 1 Peter 3:15, "make a defense to anyone who asks for the reason for the hope that is in us."

In fact, we aren't called to argue religion. It's like the old saying: "We're just simple beggars telling other beggars where to find bread."

We share five essential truths that you can easily arm yourself with when God opens a door to share. Simple, to the point, and the truth.