This morning we had the chance to talk with MVNU’s President Dr. Henry Spaulding.
Dr. Spaulding talked about the plans and projects for the new year along with his goals for the upcoming semester. He also shared advice to those returning to school this semester and how we can pray for him and the MVNU community as the 2018 Spring semester kicks off.
For the full conversation, click HERE!
For more information about Mount Vernon Nazarene University, click HERE!
With New Years being right around the corner, today on the Morning Thing, we shared with you some resolutions to get your New Years started right!
The Morning Thing Co-Hosts (and Lilly) shared their New Years Resolutions for the Morning Thing Fave Five today! Check them out below!
Trevor Moore New Years Resolution
Daria Swisher New Years Resolution
Marcy Rinehart New Years Resolution
Eddie Dilts New Years Resolution
Lilly Buckley New Years Resolution
To start off, we talked about some of the New Years resolutions that Christians should try to take on for this next year!
Many Christians make New Year’s resolutions to pray more, to read the Bible every day, and to attend church more regularly. These are fantastic goals. However, these New Year’s resolutions fail just as often as the non-spiritual resolutions, because there is no power in a New Year’s resolution. Resolving to start or stop doing a certain activity has no value unless you have the proper motivation for stopping or starting that activity. For example, why do you want to read the Bible every day? Is it to honor God and grow spiritually, or is it because you have just heard that it is a good thing to do? Why do you want to lose weight? Is it to honor God with your body, or is it for vanity, to honor yourself?
Philippians 4:13 tells us, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” John 15:5 declares, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” If God is the center of your New Year’s resolution, it has chance for success, depending on your commitment to it. If it is God’s will for something to be fulfilled, He will enable you to fulfill it. If a resolution is not God honoring and/or is not in agreement in God’s Word, we will not receive God’s help in fulfilling the resolution.
So, what sort of New Year’s resolution should a Christian make? Here are some suggestions:
(1) pray to the Lord for wisdom (James 1:5) in regards to what resolutions, if any, He would have you make
(2) pray for wisdom as to how to fulfill the goals God gives you
(3) rely on God’s strength to help you
(4) find an accountability partner who will help you and encourage you
(5) don’t become discouraged with occasional failures; instead, allow them to motivate you further
(6) don’t become proud or vain, but give God the glory. Psalm 37:5-6 says, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”
Thanks for listening!
Have a wonderful New Years!
– Your WNZR Family
New Years Eve is right around the corner and we’re helping you celebrate it with your family! Kids and adults included!
Our friends at Food Network shared some tips and recipes to help your kids ring in the New Year too! Check them out below!
1. A Milk-and-Cookies Toast
Ring in the new year with a family-friendly milk-and-cookies toast. Prepare the glasses in advance by dipping the rims of cocktail or champagne glasses in melted chocolate, then covering with colorful sprinkles. Set up a fun decorating station to make fortune cookies (which can be ordered online) more festive. Simply dip cookies in melted chocolate, then decorate with assorted sprinkles and mini chocolate chips. At midnight (or whenever you decide “midnight” is), serve the milk and the fortune cookies. Toast to the new year and read your fortune!
Here’s a fortune cookie recipe if you would like!
2. Confetti Balloon Countdown
Assuming those little ones might not make it to midnight, a confetti balloon countdown is a great way to celebrate the new year without keeping them up too late! Use a large craft hole punch to make plenty of confetti out of colorful tissue paper or gift wrap. Have everyone write New Year’s resolutions on small pieces of paper to include. Then, use a plastic bottle with the bottom half cut off as a “funnel” to slip all the confetti paper into the deflated balloons. Blow up the balloons (one for each hour) and hang them high on a wall. Celebrate by counting down and popping one every hour until midnight (or bedtime).
3. Sparkler Cupcakes
Make any New Year’s dessert extra special with the addition of sparkler candles. Cupcakes work especially well, as everyone can have their own personal dessert, with no utensils necessary! Just bake in advance and then light the sparklers when it’s time to welcome the sweet new year.
Here’s your choice of cupcake recipe!
Coconut cupcakes
Vanilla cupcakes
Peppermint Hot Chocolate cupcakes
4. Hot Chocolate Bar
A custom hot chocolate bar is the best way to keep warm on a chilly New Year’s Eve. Everyone loves a cup of hot cocoa, but topping it with extra goodies makes it even more special. First, create a large batch of hot cocoa and keep it warm on the stove top or in a thermos. Assemble a station with mugs, spoons and small dishes of assorted toppings. Marshmallows, nuts, candy canes, mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, cinnamon sticks, fruit and – of course – whipped cream all make for great toppings.
Here’s a recipe for some classic hot chocolate!
5. Pizza-Making Station
Celebrating New Year’s at home is always fun, but keeping the kids entertained and engaged until that ball drops can feel overwhelming. Here, pizzas serve double duty as a meal and a fun activity. The trick is to keep it simple and let everyone make their own personal pizza. Purchase pizza dough from a local pizzeria (or make your own) in advance, and set up a pizza-making station in your kitchen. Put out different sauces, cheeses and plenty of toppings, and let everyone create individual pizza combinations.
6. Noisemakers
These DIY noisemakers are sure to bring the house down when the new year rolls in. They’re incredibly simple to make and a fun activity for the entire family. Just remove the labels from several plastic water bottles and create a decorating station where you can turn them into festive noisemakers. Fill them with beans, buttons, jingle bells, ribbon and confetti! Then screw on the cap and decorate with glue, cut tissue paper, washi tape and ribbon — the possibilities are endless. Make some noise for the new year!
Thanks for listening!
– Lilly
Good chilly morning from the WNZR studios! Since Christmas was two days ago, it’s possible that you may be feeling a little upset, you might have the ‘Post-Holiday Blues’ So today on the Morning Thing, we shared eight ways to beat these Blues!
Below is a little recap of the eight tips and tricks for beating these ‘Post Holiday Blues’, and if you would like to read the whole article, click here!
1. Expect some letdown.
The holiday season is both joyful and stressful at once. Returning to the usual routine and probably quieter workplace than normal can dampen your spirits just by the absence of exciting things to do and look forward to.
2. Choose to see the benefits of post-holiday time.
The good side to the end of the holidays is that you’ve had a chance to rest, to relax, and to enjoy yourself. The craziness prior to Christmas has ended both at the workplace and in the home, and the restful time after Christmas and New Year’s Eve has hopefully given you the opportunity to do things that are different from your usual routine.
3. Be gentle on yourself with respect to your New Year’s Resolutions.
If you set the bar too high and you already feel as if you’re slipping, don’t berate yourself. Instead, look at your resolutions realistically and assess whether they need some tweaking to ensure that they’re achievable.
4. Continue spending time around people.
Lift your spirits by continuing to stay connected with friends and family, and getting out and about to do activities where other people interact with you.
5. Do things that give you cause to look forward to something.
Revive the excitement of anticipation by arranging fun activities, such as having dinner with friends, starting a new class for a hobby or interest, attending a sporting event regularly, going to the movies, etc.
6. Make healthy choices.
After the many indulgences over the holiday period, it can leave you feeling a little out of shape and worse for wear in the nutrition department. Aim to return to eating healthy food, drinking healthy drinks, and ensuring that you keep getting exercise.
7. Make this a time for getting professional help and turning around things that have been bothering you.
Once this busyness dies down, you’re returned to thinking about your general life issues and this might just be a good time to get help from the professionals, be it for anything from sorting out your finances, redecorating your home, or dealing with the unhappy feelings you’re experiencing.
8. Expect to enjoy the year ahead.
Think ahead to the changing seasons and the sorts of things you’d like to be doing as the year moves on, and the sorts of activities and events you’d like to be a part of. Doing something about the things you’d like to happen is the first step and once you’re immersed in planning and doing, you’ll be too busy to fret.
Thanks for listening!
-Lilly
Eddie and Lilly are holding down the fort the week for The Morning Thing, and today they are recapping Christmas. Alongside spending time with family, we also talked about things you can do post-Christmas to help you get ready for the New Year. This list included Rest, Reflect, Rejoice, Relish, and Ready. If you would like to look into this article from Crosswalk that further explains the 5 R’s, click HERE.
We also shared that the Festival of Trees, and event where clubs and organizations of Apple Valley decorate Christmas Trees and the public is invite to vote one these trees is still happening through the 31st of December. It costs either a dollar or one food item for a ticket to vote, and all proceeds go toward Food For The Hungry. Times are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 2-8 PM, Friday 2-9 PM, Saturday 9 AM – 9 PM, and Sunday Noon to 8PM.
For this week’s Morning Thing Fave 5, our co-hosts share their favorite Christmas memories.
We continued our week for a great plan for Christmas with what to tune out of and what to tune into. Click HERE for the full article. We also talked about the gift of perspective.
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Luke 12:22-23
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3
Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 1 Corinthians 1:7
This week we’re talking about how to create a great plan for Christmas. Every day this week, we’ll be sharing tips and advice on how to make this a great Christmas. Today, we talked about how to beat holiday stress. Have realistic expectations and set priorities. It’s important to remember that the real reason for the season is Jesus and time spent with family. We talked about the importance of remembering that we don’t live in a Hallmark movie or a Pinterest board. Click HERE for the full article.
For this week’s fav 5 The Morning Thing shared their favorite Christmas gift they have ever given! Hopefully we can inspire you this Christmas!
Rise and Shine 