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New Years Eve Live!

Album: 31: Days to Remember

Episode: 387

Lesson/Theme: New Year’s Celebration/God’s providence

Bible Verse: n/a

Characters: Bart, Harlow, Bernard, Connie, Eugene, Tom

Writer: Phil Lollar

Sound Designer: Dave Arnold

Original Air Date: January 3, 1998

Last Air Date: December 31, 2008

Description:
As midnight of the new year approaches at Whit’s End, Tom Riley, Eugene Meltsner, Connie Kendall, and Bernard Walton present a live New Year's Eve edition of Kid's Radio. While Harlow Doyle reports on activities from various sites in Odyssey, the others sing songs and share stories about the origins of New Year's and the value of spending time wisely. One skit tells the story of Joey, a boy who was always daydreaming about the future. One day, he falls beneath a tree and wakes to find a wizened old man with a cane. The old man offers to give Joey his silver life clock, which keeps the time of his life. He claims that moving the hands forward will bring the future faster, but warns that once the hands are moved forward, they can never be turned back. Joey eagerly takes the clock and begins rushing ahead in time to avoid trouble. He skips over homework and tests and right out of school, propels himself into management, instant marriage, parenthood, and other major life events, always avoiding pain and hardship. One day Joey looks in a mirror and realizes that though it is the same day, he is now an old man. The old man from the forest suddenly reappears and chastens Joey for using up his life because he didn't allow time to run its natural course and make the most of each moment. Joey awakens from what has been a terrible nightmare, now determined to savor every day of his life. Meanwhile, Eugene sings "Out with Old Year" and "Annum Novum Faustem Felicem". They also tell the story of Sisigenes the Greek and Julius Caesar, who invented the modern calendar. Finally, at midnight, the revelers at Whit's End and elsewhere in Odyssey shout "Happy New Year" to end the program.

Questions:
Why did Joey learn it's important not to waste your time? How has God provided for you this year? What lessons have you learned over the last year? What will you do differently in the next year?