Thursday, February 23, 2012

Winter Jam Survival Guide, Part 3

Last round of tips from your friends at The House Party - listen up & take notes!

- If you're coming early to wait in line to make sure you get in, buddle up a little. It may feel nice outside for a few minutes, but when you're standing out there for at least an hour and the sun is going down...you'll thank us for reminding you to wear your favorite striped cardigan.

- Embrace and stick with the buddy system. Again, embrace and stick with the buddy system.

- If and when you see any members of a band cover their ears or take cover, follow suit...that one is pretty self-explanatory.

- Bring ear plugs. Well, if you like to be able to hear that is. You make look goofy and get made fun of, but you'll be the one laughing when you get home and you're the only one who can hear for the next 5 days.

- MOST OF ALL - have fun!! How have we gone this long without mentioning that??


Be sure to stop by The House FM booth to say "Ello", get a free picture in our Photo Booth and play in the Angry Birds Tournament, mmkay?

-Andy & Jenn

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Winter Jam Survival Guide, Part 2

In our effort to ensure you have a crazy awesome time at Winter Jam this year, here's some more tips building on yesterday's post.

- Remember - arrive NO LATER than 4:30. We can't say this enough.

- Bring $10 in CASH to get in...there's no time to mess with checks, credit cards, etc., in that craziness.

- Bring some extra spending money. Being in 1 building for about 7 hours straight, there's a good chance you're going to get hungry, or thirsty, or see someone with Dippin Dots and start drooling (Is it still the ice cream of the future?). On top of that, you're going to find your new fav band/artist that night and want to have ALL of their music...or there will be an awesome V-Neck band shirt that just HAS to be in your wardrobe. Bring extra money. Nuff said?


We hope when you lock these in your memory bank, you are that much closer to having an awesome experience at Winter Jam! Keep checking back for more tips!


We're here to help,

-Andy & Jenn

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Winter Jam Survival Guide

From your friends at the House Party, here's some valuable information you won't find on the poster or website to help you enjoy your experience at Winter Jam this year:

- Show starts at 7, doors at 6 - BUT they usually open early. Our recommendation is getting there by 4:30 AT THE LATEST! Doors will most likely open at 5:30.

- The Jam Nation Entry is at 4:30. No, we have no idea where the door is...they never tell us :( Wander around the building, ask important-looking people, etc, until you find it!

- The more people in your group, the earlier you need to be there. Not only will that help ensure you get in, but that you get to sit together.



Please, take our experience and share it with the masses.

Be looking for more survival tips this week as we count down to Winter Jam in Wichita on Friday!

-Andy & Jenn

Friday, February 17, 2012

The Tim Tebow of the NBA - Jeremy Lin - Does he listen to The House FM?

Jeremy Lin has an incredible story of a guy who was dropped from multiple NBA teams, and was given perhaps one final chance to make it,  and now is one of the NBA's hottest new stars (check out his full story here).  The coolest part?  He is a Christian and gives all the glory to God!  And his favorite artists make me think that he might listen to The House FM to get ready for his games:



Lecrae? Check!  Hillsong? Check!  Yep, he's probably listening.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

This is what happens when dad is in charge for the night

As a kid, I remember the few times when mom would let dad take me and my brother to the grocery store.  He would let us stock up on all the treats we wanted.  Last night, my wife was gone for most of the night.  I think this picture explains it all:

Two donuts, knight helmet, and plastic axe

Now, my son has something to show his psychiatrist someday, and I have something to show his future prom date.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

..is that "surprise me God" for real? What about bad things happening?

That's what Chrystal said to me in an email yesterday.  I would be willing to guess that this fear is the #1 reason why people don't take the Surprise Me, God Challenge... so here is my response to her, and maybe to you too if you are going through the same thoughts and struggles:

It is for real Chrystal, you should check out the incredible stories we have heard from people about how God is doing incredible things in their lives!  here's a big list of stories: http://www.thehousefm.com/DisplayPage.aspx?ID=36

Here's one that I thought you might find interesting about how something "bad" happened but God turned it around and made it good:

I prayed the prayer and got a flat yesterday. I took it to Hibdon’s and they said both my back tires could not be fixed and it would be $200 for new tires. I'm not able to afford that so they told me to just pay $15 for the balancing and I could have the tires! God is good!

It all boils down to this, that we have to believe that 1) God has an incredible plan for our lives that is better than *our* plan, and 2) His ways are not our ways, so when we see things not happen the way we want it, there is a good reason.

I hope you take the challenge and let me know how it goes!

-Andy

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

The Tooth Fairy calls in to The House Party!

Andy had talked about his son losing his first tooth and getting some money from the tooth fairy, and in the process MAY have made it sound like he was the tooth fairy.

Well, the tooth fairy was listening and called into our show to set the record straight!  And Andy gets to ask the burning question that we all want to know: What does she do with all those teeth?

Listen to the interview here!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

What love means to a little child

I got this email a few days ago, what a great reminder of what true love is all about:


What Love means to a 4-8 year old . . .
Slow down for three minutes to read this. It is so worth it. Touching words from the mouth of babes.
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?'

The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined . See what you think.

 'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'

Rebecca- age 8

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'

Billy - age 4

'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'

Karl - age 5

'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'

Chrissy - age 6

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'

Terri - age 4

'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'

Danny - age 7

'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.  My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss'

Emily - age 8


'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'

Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)



'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'

Nikka - age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)


'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday'

Noelle - age 7

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'

Tommy - age 6

'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.

He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'

Cindy - age 8

'My mommy loves me more than anybody
You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night'

Clare - age 6

'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'

Elaine-age 5

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.'

Chris - age 7

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day..'

Mary Ann - age 4

'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'

Lauren - age 4

'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down 20 and little stars come out of you.' (what an image)

Karen - age 7

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'

Mark - age 6

'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot.. People forget.'

Jessica - age 8

And the final one

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,

'Nothing, I just helped him cry'

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Do two new years resolutions at once!

So, I have been 3 for 3 so far in doing my resolution so far - getting up in the morning and running.  I have an Android Phone, and I found that using two apps helped me run and read my bible at the same time!

For the running part:  I use the Endomondo Sports Tracker PRO app, which uses GPS to track where I run and tells me my pace and my total workout time after every mile.  You can download it for Android, iPhone, and Blackberry.

For the Bible part:  I use Lifechurch.TV's most excellent "YouVersion" bible app, which has the option for you to listen to the audio bible of your reading plan.  I am using it to go through Prof. Horner's Bible Reading System, which hits 10 Chapters in the Bible a day.  You can download YouVersion for Android, iPhone, and Blackberry.

But if you need music while you work out, we've got you covered there too, because you can Download The House FM App for your Android, iPhone, or Blackberry!

Now, the only thing to do is to get out there and make 2012 the year that your life changes!

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

When should we give?


I had helped give to a local family in need recently.  I felt like God really wanted me to, so I pooled my resources, and got others that I knew to help out too.  It was such a great feeling to do something not for yourself but for someone else.

Then the doubts start to file in.

Did they really need the things we give them?
Does that person at the corner of the stoplight really need our money to feed his family?
Does the salvation army really need my change to help others?
Does my church really need my tithe to keep the church heated in the winter?
Does The House FM really need my donation to stay on the air?

I think it is a natural reaction whenever we give our money away, to want to make sure that it only goes to who we want and is only used for what we designate, but honestly, I'm not sure that is what Jesus asks of us.  In Luke 6:30, Jesus spells it out pretty plainly:
Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 
Ok, so I'm supposed to give to *anyone* who asks?  I'm pretty sure I would run out of money quickly!  But Jesus talks about this a few verses later (like he was reading my mind and the mind of everyone else who was listening) in Luke 6:38
Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.
JESUS said that!  As much as I believe in him, why can't I believe in his promises in the bible?  Why is it so hard for me to be the giver he wants, knowing that my gift will return in FULL and RUNNING OVER!

So my resolution for 2012 and beyond... Give to anyone who asks.

Who wants to take a step of faith with me?

Who wants to start believing Jesus at His word?