For our Friday Favorites, we are celebrating Dream Big Day! The Morning Thing Hosts share a dream from their childhood – what they wanted to be when they grew up!
Click HERE (or below) to hear from Marcy, Xander and Eric.
Today on The Morning Thing, we shared some great bible verses to show you that God loves you! The God who created the universe, the most powerful being ever, loves you personally. Try to wrap your mind around that. He loves you — not just people in general, but you as a person.
The Bible is a compilation of the words God gave so that people could know more about Him. These verses from the Bible are reminders of God’s wonderful, extravagant, amazing, unstoppable and unconditional love.
The verses we shared today:
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love. (1 John 4:18)
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (Ephesians 3:18-19)
But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread Your protection over them, that all who love Your name may be filled with joy. For You bless the godly, O LORD; You surround them with Your shield of love. (Psalm 5:11-12)
We will be sharing more of these over the next couple weeks.
To see more verses about God’s love, click HERE!
We celebrated National Day of Joy today on The Morning Thing! Not only did we share about what it is and the history of it, but we also dove into scripture and explored what the bible say about joy. Use this to be joyful today and everyday!
This day has a fun story behind it! To learn more about what it is, click HERE!
To see what the Bible says about joy, click HERE!
On The Morning Thing today, we highlighted self-care! We shared some great insights from Focus On The Family about what self care actually is. Then we jumped into some tips on how to uphold your self-care from the Positivity Blog! They are both great reads that are sure to help you wind down this summer!
To learn more about self care, click HERE!
If you want to see the tips, click HERE!
Today on The Morning Thing, we honored National Eat Your Vegetables Day! We shared shared a lot of information on the day and how to celebrate it. As well as many fantastic vegetable centric recipes for you to use! These recipes are easy, quick, tasty, and you can customize them any way you like.
Rainbow Veggie Wraps
Spread hummus or cream cheese on a tortilla. Layer the veggies in rainbow order. Roll tightly and slice into pinwheels if desired.
Cheesy Broccoli Bites
Mix all ingredients and form into small balls or patties. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Mix filling ingredients, stuff peppers, and bake at 375°F for 30–35 minutes. Top with cheese for the last 5 minutes if desired.
Crispy Zucchini Fries
Dip zucchini in egg, then breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 400°F for 20–25 minutes until crispy.
Summer Corn & Tomato Salad
Toss everything together and chill before serving.
Ratatouille Skillet
Sauté all veggies until soft, then stir in tomatoes and seasonings. Simmer for 10–15 minutes. Serve with crusty bread.
Garden Veggie Pasta Salad
Toss cooked pasta with chopped veggies and dressing. Chill and serve.
Veggie Tacos
Warm tortillas, fill with sautéed veggies and toppings. Add lime juice or cheese if desired.
🥦 National Eat Your Vegetables Day – 20 Fun Ways to Celebrate!
Celebrate June 17th with healthy, tasty fun!
🥕 Fun & Tasty Celebrations
· • Veggie Taste Test Challenge – Try a new vegetable or compare raw vs. cooked.
· • Build-Your-Own Salad Bar – Offer a variety of greens, toppings, and dressings.
· • Make Veggie-Based Snacks – Try carrot fries, cucumber boats, or zucchini chips.
· • Go Meatless for a Meal – Choose one meal to go fully plant-based.
· • Juice or Smoothie Station – Blend up colorful veggie smoothies.
· • Cook a Rainbow – Make a dish using veggies of every color.
· • Veggie Potluck – Invite friends or coworkers to share veggie dishes.
🎨 Creative & Educational Activities
· • Veggie Art or Carving – Make funny faces or sculptures using vegetables.
· • “Name That Veggie” Game – Blindfold taste tests or silhouette guessing.
· • Visit or Plant a Garden – Explore where veggies come from or plant seeds together.
· • Veggie Storytime – Read books like ‘Eating the Alphabet’ or ‘Rah, Rah, Radishes!’
· • Veggie Bingo – Create a card with different veggies to encourage variety.
📱 Social & Community Engagement
· • Share a Veggie Recipe Online – Post your favorite veggie dish on social media.
· • Host a Cooking Demo – Teach others how to cook a veggie meal (live or virtual).
· • Visit a Farmer’s Market – Buy and try local, seasonal vegetables.
· • Volunteer – Help at a food pantry or community garden.
🏆 Healthy Competitions & Challenges
· • “Most Veggies in a Day” Contest – Track how many servings you eat.
· • Veggie Selfie Challenge – Snap a pic with your veggie plate and tag friends.
· • Veggie Tracker – Compete to try the most different veggies during the week.
· • Prizes & Stickers – Reward yourself or kids with veggie-themed goodies.
Eat smart. Have fun. Share the love of veggies!
Are you ready to have fun and make memories with your family and friends? Today, The Morning Thing celebrated National Zoo and Aquarium Month by sharing a list of destinations throughout Ohio.
Check out this list! Follow the links and you can start planning your trip. We would love to have you send us a picture – wnzr@mvnu.edu
🦁 Columbus Zoo & Aquarium (Powell, near Columbus)
🦓 Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
🌍 Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
🐠 Greater Cleveland Aquarium
🐬 Toledo Zoo & Aquarium
🐧 Akron Zoo (Akron)
🐆 The Wilds (Cumberland, OH)
🗺️ Bonus Spot: African Safari Wildlife Park (Port Clinton)
📌 Quick Comparison Table
| Location | Highlights for Families |
| Columbus Zoo & Aquarium | Coasters, rides, behind-the-scenes, conservation programs |
| Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden | Historic grounds, endangered species, hands‑on demos |
| Cleveland Metroparks Zoo | Rainforest, African Savanna, immersive exhibits |
| Greater Cleveland Aquarium | Touch-pools, shark tube, diver shows |
| Toledo Zoo & Aquarium | Massive reef tanks, dive shows, evening events |
| Akron Zoo | Compact, educational programs, junior keeper |
| The Wilds | Safari adventure + outdoor activities |
| African Safari Park | Drive-through safari, petting train, exotic animals |
✅ Family Day Tips
Special Events on the Summer 2025 Calendar:
🦁 Columbus Zoo & Aquarium (Powell)
🕒 Hours & Tickets
🎟️ Online Perks & Passes
🎉 June Events
🦓 Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
🎫 Tickets
🗓️ June Events
🐠 Greater Cleveland Aquarium
🎫 Tickets
🗓️ June Events
🐬 Toledo Zoo & Aquarium
🎫 Tickets
🗓️ June Events
Rick Springfield Concert: June 29 – ticket via Live Nation, sold separately toledozoo.org+1toledozoo.org+1
Twilight Evenings: Wed & Thu, May 28–Aug 28; half‑price admission 4–8 PM, closes 9 PM toledozoo.org+1toledozoo.org+1
Weekly Evening Events: Garden tours, trivia, member mornings, family safaris, etc. See calendar details toledozoo.org
Zen at the Zoo (Yoga + Keeper Talk): June 21 toledozoo.org+2toledozoo.org+2toledozoo.org+2
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talked with Katie Ellis, Executive Director and Kristina Hagemann, Program Coordinator for the United Way of Knox County. The ladies shared exciting news about two new bike programs happening in our community. They also shared a report about the recent Power of the Purse Event. Katie and Kristina also shared highlights of their summer calendar, how to stay connected to the United Way and how to get involved with Women United.
Click HERE for the full conversation.
Today, we shared Bible verses about being a godly dad and husband! These passages of Scripture declare what God intended for men and how we can celebrate our fathers.
To see the full list, click HERE!
Today on The Morning Thing, we shared some great messages that you can give to a father figure in your life this Father’s Day. They have all kinds of messages from funny to sappy! Whether your saying this out loud or writing it in a card it is sure to make your dad feel special!
To see the entire list, click HERE!
Today we tied Father’s Day into the bible! By sharing some inspiring fathers in scripture! We should focus on God’s word this week as these amazing men inspire us to be more like them.
Some of the fathers we shared:
These are just a few! To see the entire list, click HERE!
Rise and Shine 