Driving Notes

ROCKS for Christmas?!

ROCKS for Christmas?
by Emily Porter, Afternoon Drive C0-Host

As the holiday season comes and goes, the memories stay. One of the funniest memories I have is the time I got rocks for Christmas. I’m still extremely bitter about this moment.

First, you need a little background. I always “fight” with my uncle. We constantly joke around and give each other a hard time. It’s not unusual for me to be very sarcastic.

So, here’s what happened…
I was about six or seven years old. As usual, I was pestering my uncle and he was pushing back. He started to tell me that he was going to give me rocks for Christmas. Of course, I didn’t believe him at all. There was no way!

Well…
Christmas day came along; everything was going normal, Christmas as usual. We were over to my grandparent’s house to open presents, when my uncle headed upstairs to retrieve the presents he had bought for my brother and me. He gave us the gifts and before we even opened them, I could tell what was in the box, ROCKS! I opened the box to find none other than rocks! They were the nice, shiny rocks you buy at the store, but rocks nonetheless.

I was already so mad, but that wasn’t even the worst part. I looked across the room and saw my brother opening a TV!
‘I get rocks and he gets a TV!? You’ve got to be kidding me!’

At this point I start crying and threatening to throw the rocks outside. Mind you, I’m only six or seven. My mom tells me, “No.” I wasn’t allowed to throw the rocks away. I HAD TO KEEP THEM! Of all things, I had to keep them! I was so mad!

As I sat on the floor in front of the couch with tears in my eyes, my uncle brought down another box with my name on it. I reluctantly and angrily opened the box. It turned out to be a TV just like my brother’s. It didn’t take too long to cheer me back up and I had a great Christmas, but that memory has burned in my mind and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.

I could make many statements and analyze my story as why we should be thankful for what we have and how my story plays into that, but what I will say is this:

Memories can last forever and play a big part in your life. This holiday season don’t take those memories or the people that are a part of those memories for granted, because life is short and nothing lasts forever.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and make memories with your family that will last and last.

December 3, 2014 0

An unexpected blessing

Last week, Marcy, Rachel and I had the chance to attend MVNU’s fall musical, “Same Old Story.” It was a great night full of laughter and another reminder that I am blessed to work with a very talented group of students on this campus. Kudos to Prof. Ryan Long, the cast and crew for a great run!

The night also provided a blessing I wasn’t expecting. I ran into one of our listeners at the show and as we greeted each other, he said, “I pray for you guys every day…and I mean that.”

I can’t tell you how much that simple comment motivated me for the rest of that night and into the weekend. I knew he wasn’t kidding or making small talk. It is incredibly humbling on so many levels. What we do at WNZR is truly a partnership between our staff and you. I can’t express how much we appreciate those prayers. I can’t express how much we need those prayers.

The last few weeks have been a typical roller coaster for our staff…between illnesses, family deaths, the challenges of class assignments, mentoring, grading, staying on top of events, and technical issues, your prayers ARE making a difference!

Thank you!

-Joe

November 18, 2014 0

Words of the day – Sept 15 and 16

Monday’s word was jink.

It is a verb meaning to move quickly or unexpectedly in turns and sudden shifts.

The aircraft jinked up and down to avoid the missiles.
Tuesday’s word was cantankerous.

It is an adjective meaning often angry or annoyed.

That cantankerous man insists that nothing should ever change!

September 16, 2014 0

Word of the day – Sept. 10, 2014

Today’s word is flyblown.

It means not pure or tainted

Example: The world is flyblown with the vices of irresponsible power.

September 10, 2014 0

Word of the day – August 27, 2014

Today’s word of the day is inveterate
Pronounced in-VET-er-it, meaning having a particular habit, activity, or interest that is long-established and unlikely to change.

EXAMPLES:
He was an inveterate gambler.
He has an inveterate tendency to tell some very tall tales!

August 27, 2014 0

Bad analogies (8/18/14 show)

In case you missed this funny list we shared on Monday’s show…a list of bad analogies on HS English papers:

Analogies

August 20, 2014 0

Amazing live video of the new single from Kari Jobe – Forever

This video gives me chills. How incredibly beautiful. If you need something to turn your day around- THIS IS IT! Watch this live video of Kari Jobe’s new single “Forever”. At about 6:30 through the video, there is an AMAZING spoken word segment. I really hope you enjoy the new song, but be careful – it WILL get stuck in your head :]

-Josh

April 25, 2014 0

Heaven Is For Real

Our very own Joe Rinehart recently had the opportunity to see the new film “Heaven Is For Real”, which tells the story of a 4-year-old boy who has a near-death experience and claims to see some impressive heavenly visions.

You can check out the trailer for the film above, and see the film at Premiere Theatres in Mount Vernon. View showtimes here: http://www.uecmovies.com/theatres/details/1007

Over ten years after the near-death incident, Colton Burpo is still sharing his story and influencing people all over the world. In a recent interview with theblaze.com, Burpo shared some wise words for a 14-year-old: “Well, I’m not scared of death because I know where I’m going,” Burpo told theblaze.com, “And the funny thing is that the worst thing Satan can throw at you is death. So if I get death, I get heaven… If I don’t die I get to keep doing what I’m doing now and I get to help people out.” You can read the rest of the interview with Colton and his parents here:
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/04/16/boy-who-says-he-nearly-died-and-met-jesus-in-heaven-responds-to-his-critics/

April 18, 2014 0

Here’s a great interview from Kevin Davis of newreleasetuesday.com with Mike Donehy of Tenth Avenue North. I shared a little bit about the story behind the song during the NZ Top 10. Check out the interview and DEFINITELY check out the music video, it’s awesome! -Josh

Please tell me the personal story behind writing this song.

Maybe this song won’t be a revolutionary thought for you, but it has been for me. Probably for the last two years or so, this is the thing I have felt that God has been teaching me. Or should I say, the thing that He has been beating me over the head with. Truth is a person. Jesus says in John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but by me.” The Gospel started as Good News. It has been passed on that Martin Luther used to preach the same sermon week after week to his congregation and when they asked him why he preached the Gospel every week, he answered, “because you forget it each week.” The Church needs to believe the Gospel. The “choices we make don’t reflect who we are.” Do you remember the scene in Batman Begins when Batman is standing by a window and Katie Holmes is looking at him and she asks him, “Who are you?” Do you remember what he says? With that icy blue stare he looks at her, and in that absurd gravely voice he bellows, “It’s not who I am, it’s what I do that defines me!” That is so sad…and so wrong.

Please tell me about any Bible verses that you used to write the song?

2 Corinthians 5:17-21
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come…
…For our sake he made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

What do you consider to be the takeaway message for listeners?

Not that the promises of God aren’t true all the time, they are. But the thing is, just because we have promises, it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s answers. At least, not the way we’re looking for. And that’s why God tells me to feel it before I try to fix it. “Weep with those who weep. Rejoice with those who rejoice.” That’s what I’m called to do. Before I try to know everything and have a solution for everything and everyone, first I need to learn to sit down and weep with people. Before I try to put a band aid on their wounds, I need to actually feel the wound myself. I mean, isn’t that what Jesus did for us? He felt before He fixed. He hurt before He healed. He became flesh and dwelt among us. And so, this changes things. This means that it doesn’t matter how much Scripture and philosophy I know, what matters is what I do with it. Ironically, having a lot of information about Jesus can often be the very thing that keeps us from Him. We delude ourselves into thinking that Jesus is nothing more than a fact on a page. An idea to comprehend, a moral to ascribe to. And believe me, He’s much more than that. He is our life, our breath, and the pulse within our veins. He is before, behind, and all around. Over. Underneath. Inside. In between. We need to live big for God. That’s what the song is about.