No Edge and Baptism

Hey guys, I just wanted to let all of you know that this Sunday, there will be no Edge again, but I really hope you will come with your families to the church service at either 8:45, 10:00, or 11:30! I am baptizing one of our very own Edge people, Evan Hubbard this Sunday. If you know Evan, give him a congratulations. It is a great decision that he has decided to be baptized. By the way, I know many of you probably have not been baptized and I want you to know that there are about 4 different opportunities for you to get baptized throughout the year at our church. If you are interested, let me know.

By the way, baptism is for those of you who have already invited Jesus Christ into your heart and have a desire to make it public. By being baptized, you are telling the whole church that you have accepted Christ as your Savior. It's a great thing! By the way, if you want another reason, Jesus was baptized!

Have a good rest of the break!

Merry Christmas!

All right, Christmas is almost over. It always goes by so fast, but I want to know what everyone got for Christmas. The highlights for me this year were some nice clothes, a putter, and some sweet ski pants that I will bust out for the ski splash weekend! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! Don't forget to tell everyone what you got. By the way, did anyone think about the birth of Christ today and realize that is the reason we celebrate Christmas! Just checking.

Christmas is almost here!

Hey everyone!
I wanted to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas! Just remember Jesus this Christmas and what he has done for you. Remember to focus on the real reason for Christmas. Have a great break.

We will be posting on the blog periodically, but possibly not every day just to let you know, but we will start back up every day in January.

I hope you guys are excited about the Edge Games! It's gonna be better than ever, but it all depends on you guys bringing friends! Start thinking and praying about someone you might want to bring to The Edge Games...someone who isn't a believer or maybe just needs to find a church like ours. Whoever it is, bring em!

Have a great Christmas!

One Parent To Another

A few months ago, I attended a seminar given by Walt Mueller of the CPYU. I was not familiar with the organization (which stands for the Center for Parent and Youth Understanding) but it looked worthwhile.

It certainly was. The information given was astonishing and illuminating, and I strongly urge all parents to check out the link Todd has put up here to their website. But it was something Walt said in his first few moments that has stayed with me the most. He said he had three simple words that would help any parent through any troubled time with their child. That definitely perked up my ears. If he has an easy solution, than I want it! I leaned forward in my chair and listened closely as he softly said, “the Lord reigns”.

The simplicity of that truth hit home. I have recalled this moment many times since then. I find tremendous comfort in the thought that no matter how it looks…the Lord reigns. When things seem hopeless and lost…the Lord reigns. When I am confused and unsure of what to do…the Lord reigns. The opening words of Psalm 93 have become an anchor for me.

Walt then shared about his own normal struggles with his family. He was there speaking to us as an expert on youth culture and parent/teen relations. He could have left that out and none of us would have probably ever known. The courage and compassion he had to openly share made him more credible in my eyes. It helped to know that even with all his knowledge and wisdom, his family is not “perfect”.

I pray that the next time you are faced with a daunting situation that the simple yet powerful phrase “The Lord Reigns” will rise up in your spirit and be an anchor for you too.

The Lord reigns. Amen.

Carol Ann Utrup“Maddie’s Mom

AGOW!

The Addicting Game O' The Week this week is:



ZOOKEEPER.

The instructions are in Japanese, so here's how you play:

Line up 3 or more of the small animal by swapping to animals that are next to each other. it's easy. the flashing spinning things are good, don't be afraid of them. The binoculars tell you all available moves.

As Always, be sure to post your best score as well as what you think of the game, and if you think you have a game that should be next weeks AGOW, go ahead and post it too...

Enjoy.

COW

The comment of the week this week goes to Alison Feke for her honest and yet very funny comment about allowance. Alison, thanks for being a faithful commenter on the blog and especially for this one. You are always brief on your commenting, but you get the point across very well.

Here it is, comment of the week,

alisonfeke said...
I should get allowance but my mom forgets and then I never get allowance! But I do get money on the street sometimes but its usually pennies...

Thanks Alison...claim your prize the next time we meet! Congrats!

Edge coming to a close for the year!

Hey folks!

The last Edge gathering of the year will be tomorrow morning, Sunday, December 17th at 10:00 AM! Then, we will have a couple weeks off from Edge altogether. I look forward to seeing all of you tomorrow morning!




By the way, I went Christmas shopping yesterday and I forgot how tiring it was to shop all day. The day starts in the Christmas spirit and then by the time you are done, you look like this. Today, I am recovering from shopping and all the money we spent. How many of you guys buy gifts for everyone in your family and if so, where do you get the money to do it? Do you get an allowance? Do you earn money somehow? I am just curious.





See you in the morning!

SOW!

and the Student of the Week is.........

drumroll.......

Brody Babick!

Brody is a Seventh Grader at CVCA, and the lead singer in our very own EDGE band!

Let's get to know him a little better, and see how he fares on the SOW 10:

1.Fav Restaurant: Brody likes Buffalo Wild Wings, he gets the buffalitos. He says he likes it because you can eat an watch sports at the same time. It is a beautiful combination.

2.Fav Subject in School: Math, because he's good at it.

3.Fav Sports Team: Indianapolis Colts. Brody says Peyton Manning is Awesome, but Marvin Harrison is his favorite player. Brody also plays Football and participates in Wrestling, Track, and Cross Country at CVCA.

4.Fav TV show: Monk, because he's crazy and he has a good time watching it with his mom.

5.Fav Movie: Bench Warmers: with all the funniest comedians in the same movie, how can you go wrong? his favorite scene is when the pinch hitter gets hit by the pitch and wins the game because of the walk. oops, should have put up a spoiler alert...

6.Fav Band: Hawk Nelson, becase they have awesome guitar and a good lead singer, but his favorite song is Be My Escape by Relient K.

7.Fav website: The Edge Blog! because we have cool games and he can chat with todd. Let's get some extra prizes for Brody!

8.Fav part of edge: Edge Games - he likes to battle with friends against the other teams. For those of you who don't know about the edge Games, get ready 'cause they're coming and they're gonna be legendary.

9.If he weren't at Edge he'd be: at a high school football game or, now that Football is over, he'd be w/friends...hmm sounds like you're still at Edge Brody!

10. Other Hobbies: he love's pool, singing, and having a blast. Right on Brody.

Well, there he is, your SOW.

As always be sure to congratulate Brody the next time you see him and if you have anything in common with him give him a shot out in the comment section!

Control Yourself

Tonight, I talked with Ledge folks about being Courageous and Controlled. We talked about the things or people in our lives that sometimes let us lose control by getting mad or reacting with anger kid of like this guy. Are you good at controlling yourself when someone is getting on your nerves? Are you good at controlling yourself when it is hardest to control yourself? A good leader is someone who is courageous and takes risks and is passionate, but at the same time is controlled. Share the hardest time for you to keep control of yourself. Also think about how you can have better control over your actions.

AGOW!

Hey there everybody!

It's Tuesday which means it's time for another ADDICTING GAME!

this week's game is a little different. it's not so much a game, but more of a puzzle.

It's a trial and error thing. don't think you'll figure it all out on the first try. You'll need to play it over and over again. The object is to decorate the tree in the proper order, which will allow each "ornament" to reach it's maximum level, at which point something cool happens, but i won't tell you what...but i will tell you that Todd and I figured it out (so it can't be that tough, right?).

enjoy!

Grow Ornament

and for those of you not open to enjoying new and different things, here's a wintery twist on an old favorite: ski battle

COW

All right, this week's comment of the week goes to the deep comment of Mr. Christian Corpora!

Nice comment Christian! I liked your response to post about Jesus being all we need. He talked about something he learned in Bible class and he added some good insight into what I said so I deem your comment the COMMENT OF THE WEEK!

Here it is in green letters!

christian corpora said...
i agree--the bible says that all we'll ever need jesus will provide. we were just talking about something like this in bible the other day--just because some people are very unfortunate or not as well off as us, it doesnt necessarily mean that they did something wrong or unholy. same goes for us--we're not as blessed as we are because we did something great for god.
Sat Dec 09, 02:41:00 PM

See me Sunday to redeem your prize!

Edge Christmas Party

I hope you were there. It was a great time last night and I hope you all enjoyed the party. I am interested to see if you have any feedback from the party. Did you enjoy it? What did you like about it? Do you have any comments on the talk that I gave?

Have an awesome week and I will be posting the Comment of the Week later today!

Check out this sweet Christmas light extravaganza! It has been a classic for a couple years now.

It's cold out there...

Last night, I took a walk outside with a friend and it was so cold, it was bone chilling. All I could think about was getting back inside! I started to think about what it would be like to be a homeless person on a freezing night like that. Then I started to thank God for giving me a warm house and food and clothes and all of that. Then I began to think that even though God gave me all of those great things, He gave me something way more important. I started to realize that the most important thing I need to thank God for is the gift of Jesus Christ, his death to cover my sins, and his ressurrection to prove that He was God. What if I had no home, no warmth, no food, no family, no friends, and all I had was the clothes on my back and well....Jesus Christ. THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH! He is all that I need and really, if you know Christ as your Savior, that is all you need.

What if you had nothing today? If you were homeless. Would you still be grateful to have Jesus Christ as your Savior? Food for thought!

Edge Christmas Party

You know it's Christmas time when you wake up to snow everywhere. Don't forget, this Sunday night is the Edge Christmas Party from 7-9 PM. This will be our last Edge of 2006...which is sad. Don't miss this night full of Christmas fun...cookies, games, music, and a the true meaning of CHRISTmas!

It's gonna be a great time. Merry Christmas!

Also, don't forget...

Come early for the Edge Christmas Party this Sunday and catch Out of The Blue's Christmas Improv & Music Jam. Improv starts at 5:30 in the High School Room and will finish before the Edge party at 7:00.

SOW!

Greetings Edgelings!

It's once again time for the SOW!

This week's SOW is 8th Grader Krystal Backus from Jennings Middle School.

Let's get to know Krystal:

1. Fav. Restaurant: Ryan's Steakhouse, because steak is really good. Her favorite side dish is good ol' Mac 'n Cheese.

2. Fav. Subject in School: Science, especially when they talked about genetics. (what color are your parents eyes??) Also, the teacher is cool.


3.Fav Sports Team: Steelers, because they have "good" players. She likes football because of the cheerleaders.

4. Fav TV show: Suite Life of Zack and Cody

7.Fav. Website: something called MySpace? And yahoo? ever heard of 'em? Like a lot of you guys, she likes to talk to friends online, a lot.

8.Fav. Part of EDGE: the music! Because she likes to sing(that 'a girl)

9. If she weren't at EDGE she'd be: hanging out in her room, listening to the radio, playing with her hair, must be a girl thing.

10. Other hobbies and interests: Krystal enjoys Cheerleading, Basketball, and talking on the phone. Plus, she is very competitive according to her she, "must win at all cost."

Well, there she is, your SOW for this week. As always, say, "hi" to krystal when you see her around and if you've got anything in common with her post a comment and say so!

Update: Picture's up, sorry about that.

One Parent to Another

One Monday night a few weeks ago, my daughter Maddie & I were deciding where to go for dinner. I joked that we could go to “Yours Truly” for Kids Night like we used to do when she was little. We laughed over the image of her sitting in one of the tiny chairs making a paper bag puppet with pipe cleaners and glitter, all the other kids clinging to their parents not wanting to go make puppets because there is a “big scary girl” over there.

You see, my daughter likes to dress well…differently. She wears lots of black, chains on her pants, skull & cross bones on her shirts, and spiky bracelets. Since she first started dressing this way over a year ago we have both had to learn how to handle strange looks. Usually we can laugh about it, but sometimes it hurts.

Like the time we were shopping at Berean Christian bookstore, loading up on good stuff to read and Skillet CD’s. Maddie went out to sit on the bench by the door while I checked out. A woman walked in, stopped and gave Maddie a nasty look as if to say “what are you doing here?” then she opened up the door and walked into a place full of items that are supposed to help us learn to be more like Jesus. Does that seem strange to anyone but me?

I will admit that I did not really care for her new style choice at first. I was glad she was not wanting to wear really short skirts and skimpy shirts, but still this look was pretty scary to me. I remember her coming home from EDGE band practice one night last year telling me all about this really cool couple that looked just like her. I met Micah & Jessica Irwin for first time at the next EDGE night. He was all decked out in baggy black pants with chains, big spiky jewelry, black nail polish, and blue tipped mohawk. (Many of you know them, or will remember him from the Café where he often played bass) I could see right away why Maddie thought he was cool…but as I got to know him & Jessica I learned that it goes way deeper than that. They are so genuine in their love for God and for others. They live their lives and their faith to the fullest.

I am so glad that they were there for Maddie at time when she was trying to figure out her identity. They showed her that you can love Jesus and live for him and still be who you are. They also challenged me to look beyond the surface with people. I will be forever grateful for all they poured into my daughter’s life and for helping me to understand my own child better.

Styles come and styles go, but it is the heart that matters most. And if you ever find yourself thinking that some kid is trouble just because he wears chains on his pants or has funky hair, I want you to go and get out your high school senior picture…now that is pretty scary!

Carol Ann Utrup
a.k.a. Maddie’s Mom

AGOW!

Hey there yous:

Here's this weeks Addicting Game O' The Week!


use your space bar, don't let you're guy hit the ground too hard and you could become the "King of Extreme Sports!"

Base Jumping

As always, tell us what you think of the game, and post your high scores!

COW

Comment of the week this week goes to.....drum roll...rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Nick Seeman! Nick gave us a great movie review of the movie "The Nativity." Even though it was random and had nothing to do with the post, it was helpful for those of us who want to see the movie. Way to go Nick! Keep up the good commenting!

NICK S. said...
Here,s a random cooment: Tooooooooooodd and everybody else of course! I just went to see the nativity last night and it was amazing. If Im right and I usually am(sweet wiseman line from the movie) it sticks almost always to the bible except whe the wise men see Jesus and when herod passes the baby killing law so that mary and joseph and jesus have to go to egypt. Everyone needs to go see it though there are a few parts that may be a bit frightning to those who don't take slaughter and scarry stuff to well. But its rated PG so most parents should allow it. AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BEST MOVIE IVE SEEN ALL YEAR MAYBE EVER.


You will get your prize at the Edge Christmas Party!

After thoughts

Hey guys! It was great to see you at Edge last night. I hope you all had a good time. Let me know what you thought of the stations. Which one was your favorite?

Also, we are officially done with our series on "Number 2." I hope all of you will take your challenge from last night and try to love those who are the hardest to love...love the unlovable. Remember John Merrick, elephant man.

Remember to put your official number 2 tile somewhere so it will remind you to "love your neighbor as yourself" even the unlovable.

Have an awesome weekend and I will see you Sunday!

SOW!

Hey Hey Hey the Student O' the Week for this week is....

drumroll please.....

DESTINY NOWICKI!!
a Sixth Grader from Lakeview

Here's Destiny's take on the the SOW 10

1. Fav Restaurant: Friendly's, because of the ice cream! She gets vanilla with gummy bears. wow, what can't you get on ice cream there?

2. Fav Subject in School: Reading, it's not just her favorite subject, it's also one of her favorite pastimes. She especially likes Lemony Snicket's Series Of Unfortunate Events books.

3.Fav Sports team/fav sport to play: team: OSU because they are the best football team ever, although I think the '72 dolphins might have something to say about that...

4.Fav TV show: That's so Raven. it's funny. period.

5.Fav Movie: Chronicles of Narnia, because the animals and effects was so realistic looking.

6.Fav Music: JoJo, no to be confused with K-C and Jojo of late '90's prom theme days, sing it with me, "All my life...."

7.Fav Website: www.disneychannel.com to find out when Raven is on!

8.Fav part of edge: Battle of the Grades. she loves competing.

9.If she weren't at edge she'd be: watching Raven...hmm...i'm sensing a theme here.

10.Any other hobbies/interests: Destiny plays the clarinet and loves to listen to music with her friends, and hey, did you know she likes That's So Raven??

We'll there she is, your Student O' the Week. as always give a shout out to Destiny here on the blog about something you might have in commen with her and be sure to congratulate her when you see her at EDGE tomorrow!

Edge this Friday!

You have got to be at Edge this Friday! We are doing things differently then we have ever done them before. This Friday, you will check in and we will start our night in the old edge room. Then we are going to do something crazier then we have ever done before...trust me. I am not going to give you any other details...just come and check it out. This Friday, we are also finishing our series on Number 2 so don't miss the fun...games, giveaways, battle of the grades, pizza, and a sweet message.

Crazy I tell ya, crazy!

AGOW!

That's right, here comes another game you won't stop playing until someone yells at you or your eyes go crossed.

An oldie but a goodie:

The Helicopter Game

The beauty is in the simplicity on this one. left click to go up, release to go down. see how long you can last, and be sure to post your best distance (mine is 1026)!

enjoy!

Cooper

I would like to introduce all of you to Cooper, a cocker spaniel pomeranian mix puppy. He is the newest addition to our family. He is only 9 weeks old so we have to train him to go outside to do his business and stuff like that. He is a good dog, but he likes to chew on shoes and ears. Does anyone out there have this kind of dog? Give us some pointers. We are new dog owners.

COW

The Comment of the Week from this past week comes from a girl who had 50 people over her house for thanksgiving, which is probably the record for number of people in one house for thanksgiving! If you had more, than let us know.

Congrats Carson Bock on the Comment of the week! I loved hearing about your large thanksgiving gathering! You can get your prize at Edge this Friday!

"Hey ppl! It's 7:10 in the morning right now and I am helping my dad cook two turkeys, casserole,stuffing, and dessert for the 50 poeple that are coming over too our house today! It's gonna be a lot of fun....todd yur right that last one was really random........ I HATE BEETS! I have never tried them but I don't plan to.........i love mashed potatos too! IS it just me or does everyone like mashed potatoes the best.......did we start a trend or something!?!?!?!oh,well..........HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

--Carson Bock

What a World

Hello from Cambodia! I just got back from the Mekong river where a large Vietnamese population lives in Cambodia. Here was some of the worst poverty I have ever witnessed.

This is a picture of some kids who live on the streets in Cambodia. I didn't take it, but it is a site that I see everywhere here.

When I was your age, I didn't realize how as Christians we must care for the poor. Loving the poor and meeting their needs is a really important part of serving God. It's easy to forget that when you live in the United States, don't you think? Everyday I ask God to give me His eyes, so that my heart will hurt for what hurts His heart. Ask God to show you these things and He will!

I miss you guys and I'm praying for you!

I'm full!!!!

Anyone else incredibly full from their thanksgiving feast? I feel like this cat.

What was the weirdest thing you ate at thanksgiving?

Have a great rest of the weekend and we will see on Sunday!

First ever SOW

Hey there edge-peeps-

Welcome to the first installment of a new weekly series here on the edge blog, it’s the Student of the Week! (or SOW for short)

We're going to feature one of your fellow edgers answering the SOW 10, ten questions designed to get you inside the minds and lives of the SOW!

If you share anything in common with the SOW, be sure to comment here on the blog or say hi to the SOW at edge.

And how do you become the the SOW? it's all about being in the right place in the right time...

So, without further ado, the first ever SOW:

Alex Carlson! 6th Grade, Hudson Middle School

1. Favorite Restaurant:

McDonald’s. he get the Big Mac. Everytime. Gotta get the fries. As for the drink, he likes to mix it up.

2. Favorite subject at school:

Science. The teacher is really nice, and the class is not just paperwork. He likes to do lab stuff like making rock candy, or competing in the “Soup-Can Derby.” Alex also can’t wait until they get to dissect frogs. Cool.

3. Favorite sports team:

The Chicago Bears. Our buddy Alex grew up in Chicago, IL, and he also loves to play football. On defense he plays Cornerback, and on offense he plays fullback.

4. Favorite TV show:

Drake & Josh on Nickelodeon. He likes it because it’s about two brothers and it’s hilarious.

5. Favorite Movie of ALL-TIME:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone ‘cause it’s suspenseful and action packed.

6. Favorite Band:

Alex isn’t into music much, but he does get into Nickelback. Favorite songs: Photograph and Saving Me.

7. Favorite Website:

AOL Instant Messenger because it’s fun to talk to friends.

8. Favorite part of EDGE:

Battle of the Grades! Because it’s fun and Alex likes to work together with his fellow Sixth Graders.

9. If Alex weren’t at EDGE, he’d be:

Watching TV at home, probably watching Drake & Josh.

10. The Catch-All, Does he have any other hobbies or interests we should know about?

He plays Drums in band at school, and loves to play basketball with friends.

There he is, Alex Carlson, Student of the Week. When you see him, make sure to give him a big pat on the back!

and have a great Thanksgiving!

Please tell us!

So what is everyone doing for thanksgiving? Does anyone have any weird thanksgiving traditions? What food do you like on thanksgiving? Is there something your family always eats for thanksgiving that you can't stand? The one thing that I usually see on the table for thanksgiving dinner is beats, and those are disgusting!

I hope everyone has a great thanksgiving! The student of the week should be posted either today or tomorrow!

If you ever wonder why we celebrate Thanksgiving and how it got started, check this out! Thanksgiving was started because of Abraham Lincoln thankfulness to God. Read this speech and remember to thank God for all He has given you!

AGOW!

Hey there edgelings... we all know that this Thursday is Thanksgiving, a time when we all get together to (among other things) eat a turkey. So in honor(or should it be memory? :) ) of turkeys everywhere I present to you the ADDICTING GAME O' THE WEEK:

TURKEY TO GO!

So gather 'round the computer with old Aunt Matilda and Uncle Fester, get Grandma Bessie and Grandpa Fred and start catching some flying turkey feathers! watch out for the forks!

COW

Yes, it's time for the COMMENT OF THE WEEK!

This week goes to our one and only, Maggie Keating for posting one of the funniest comments I have read yet. For some reason she has the ability to laugh really hard without making a noise. I would love to see that some time! It may

^look something like this.

Check out her comment below

Maggie said...
Hey, i can laugh really hard too-except ya cant hear me!! somtimes i laugh so hard my mouth is open and i'm rolling on the floor but ya can't hear me! it's sorta weird!!

You are not weird, but you are hilarious! Maggie, you will recieve your prize at the next Edge on Dec. 1st!

Everyone please give your props to Maggie for such an amazing comment.

A Farewell Address

Hey! I just wanted to post a quick goodbye to you guys before I leave! I'm going to be in Southeast Asia for two weeks (until Dec. 4). I'll be in Thailand for a week and Cambodia for a week. Here's a map to help you out. --->

In both of those countries, the governments in charge to do a very bad job at protecting kids. As a result, most poor kids end up in some kind of slavery. I will get to go to homes there that prevent and rescue kids from slavery. I can't wait!

God is EVERYWHERE. Did you know that? He is in Asia with the kids who are suffering more than you and I have ever seen. And He is with the kids who have been saved. I am so glad that God sees the worst suffering in the world and that He has a plan to end it some day.

Don't cry too much when I leave. : ) But please pray for me! I'll miss you tons and I'll be praying for you, too!

p.s. Sorry I missed you this morning...I'm sick!

Chaos in Columbus!

Craziness in Columbus tonight as the clock ticked to 0 and the Buckeyes won the biggest game of their lives. The stadium filled up, but there was no chance of the fans knocking the goal post down. Check out the triangle of policeman around the goal post.

I love the looks on the faces of the Michigan fans.

Go Buckeyes!! For all of you Michigan fans, sorry...not this year!

It was a joy to see our Buckeyes take this one. On to Arizona for the national championship game! Who will it be? Michigan rematch?

O...H... let's hear it!

Edge Tonight

Hey everyone,
It was so great to see all of you at Edge tonight. The games were crazy, you guys were crazy, this guy reminds me of how crazy you were tonight. It was a lot of fun.
<-------

A couple follow up questions for you:
1. Does anyone remember what Scripture passage we use for "Number 2"?
2. What were the 2 ways we can love each other that I talked about?
3. What is one way you are going to love others better?

Also, if you learned anything new tonight or if you were challenged in any way...let us know.

Prepare for BATTLE

Hey everyone, I hope you're getting pumped up for edge, you're gonna need your energy 'cause we're gonna play hard and praise hard tonight!

Check out the Battle of the Grades Score update over on the sidebar. --->

We'll keep it updated so you can follow the score.

8th Grade has held a commanding lead ever since taking the honor from 6th grade a few weeks ago. Could tonight's BoG blowout be the night when 6th grade reclaims the top spot? Or will 7th grade, on the heels of then heroic 20,000 point surge from last edge, use their momentum to vault into the lead?

Who knows? but one thing is for sure, tonight more points than ever are up for grabs, and ANYTHING could happen!

See you there!

Go Buckeyes!

In light of tomorrow's BIG GAME, I encourage all of you to wear your Ohio State buckeye stuff, shirts, shorts, pants, hats, gloves, scarves, or whatever you can find. Tonight is buckeye fan night at Edge! Those of you sick individuals who like Michigan, you can wear your Michigan stuff, but wear it at your own risk.

Edge T-Shirts

Hey folks, the new order of Edge Strong Tower shirts are in! Bring your money this week! They are $10 a shirt, which is cheaper than what we paid for them.

Everyone must have one! All shirts must go. One will be given away at the end of the night! If you don't have one, what are you waiting for!

Don't miss it!

This week at Edge...

I hope you all are pumped for Edge this week...it will be sweet. This week, we will meet in the gym to start and we are going to play some Battle of the Grades games to give everyone a taste of the The Edge Games, which is coming in January. This week, we will be doing our second week in the "Number 2" series. Last time we talked about "Loving Ourself," and this time we will talk about the best ways that we can love others. Remember, "Number 2" dude! Come for more games, food, videos, music, new giveaways, and of course, Number 2! When you come to Edge this week, please check in and go right to the gym. DON'T MISS EDGE THIS WEEK, it would be like missing Christmas.

AGOW!

That's Right, the ADDICTING GAME O' the WEEK!

This week, time wasting gets educational. sort of. I bet you would have paid more attention in those typing classes if you knew that one day your life would depend on it!

play:
WORD SHOOT!

and while you're playing, improve your posture!

and while you're improve your posture, calm that camel down!

Note: I have no intention of posting something serious so you won't think I am dumb.

You guys! I went to see Out of the Blue last night and it was great! Oh, how I laughed. I brought my brother, too, and he laughed really loud. REALLY loud. I almost said something to him about it. : )

Have you ever heard someone say they were horse laughing? It means laughing really loud. Shout out to Joy because she always says she horse laughs. I've never seen her look like this when she does it, though. Thank goodness - I totally couldn't be her friend if she did. (Kidding, kidding.)

You should definitely go see Out of the Blue before the Christmas Edge on December 10th.

p.s. I love all of my friends and family no matter how they laugh so don't think I'm mean. I'm nice.

Important Date Change for Parents

The Edge Christmas Party which was originally scheduled for Friday, December 15th has been changed to Sunday, December 10th from 7-9 PM. Please mark this down on your calendars so that you remember the change especially because it is on a Sunday night, which is not a night we typically meet.

The Christmas Party will include Christmas games, Christmas cookies, Christmas music, Christmas giveaways, and a Christmas message!

Come early on Sunday and see the "Out of the blue" improv jam for the month, which takes place from 5-7 PM right before Edge begins. You will not want to miss it!

Comment of the Week

All right, you have been waiting for it, and here it is...the comment of the week.

This week's comment is by someone named Evan. The question is, which Evan is it? Evan Burnham? Evan Hubbard? Another Evan? We will soon find out. Here it is:

Hey guys and Todd!! Today (Saturday the 11)my family went to the Barnabas house and helped out there!! The Barnabas house is a house owned by the church that missonaries stay at. It's really cool because everything is donated and goes together perfectly ( such as colors and themes). We went and donated my old crib ( thats in great condition) and built it! Its really cool to see how lots of people who do only a little work each come together to make something awsome like me, only it's a house and i don't have wall to wall carpeting in my stomach ( pardon the pun)!! har har har!!
Sat Nov 11, 05:58:00 PM

-Evan

Evan, please reveal your last name so that you can be properly awarded. Evan was awarded this comment because he talked about a sweet way his family served and that is awesome to hear about. Not to mention the part about the wall to wall carpeting in his mouth. Didn't quite get that, but I still liked it.

Congrats! Get your prize this Friday at Edge!

Moment of Truth

Hi, Guys! This is my first post here and I'm actually kind of nervous. I just really want you to like it more than you like all of Todd's. (Just kidding.) Like right now, I'm afraid you'll think that last comment wasn't funny. But please, no courtesy laughs.

<---These are my initials branded into a piece of meat. Someday when you're big maybe your initials will get branded into a piece of meat, too.

New topic: Have you noticed that in our 24/7 DVD series they say Jesus-follower instead of Christian? It's fine to say Christian, but I like Jesus-follower because it reminds me what life is all about. This is what I mean: In my life, the times when I have focused on "being a better friend" or "helping more people," I end up exhausted and frustrated. But when I focus on following Jesus and knowing Him more, being a better friend happens automatically. When Jesus is my focus, I become the person I want to be without even realizing it! That's why I like saying Jesus-follower. It reminds me that my job is to follow Jesus. Then He takes care of the rest.

That's all for now! Later I'll post something dumb so you don't think I'm too serious. : )

No Edge Tonight

Hey everyone,

There is no edge tonight, but we will resume it again next Friday. Look for a post around Wednesday for a sneak preview of Edge next week! I look forward to seeing everyone this Sunday.

Anybody have any big plans for their Friday night?

Jillian and I are going to watch a movie with friends! Have a great weekend!

The Real Issues

Well, if you were like me at all you kind of got tired of all those political ads on tv and radio for the past month. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the elections over, now our commercial breaks can return to a sense of normalcy, but here is one campaign that should have gotten a little more press:

Small Groups

I just wanted to shout out to the guys in my small group! You guys are awesome. If you are in a small group out there, tell me about it. What do you like about small group? Has small group helped you grow in your relationship with Christ? My small group guys are getting deep and asking some great questions. If you are in edge and want to join a small group, talk to your parents about it and have them email me about it at todd.iannetta@hudsonchapel.org.

Also, anyone can feel free to email me with any questions or comments at any time.

Burritos

I had burritos for lunch the last 2 days and I have realized lately how much I love burritos. They make me so happy. I mean, the juicy slices of savory steak, spicy salsa, cheese, sour cream, and rice wrapped in a warm, soft tortilla. It doesn't get any better than that. What do you like on your burrito and do you even like burritos? The one thing I don't like in burritos is beans. One time, somebody brought me a burrito and it had beans on it and I didn't like it at all...it messed up a perfectly delicious burrito. I started thinking that in life we can have great days, and then sometimes, the "beans" of life come in a ruin a perfectly good day. What is one thing that ruins a perfectlty good day for you?

One Parent to Another

There comes a time for all of us parents when we realize that our kids are growing up. If you are anything like me, that realization hit you upside the head when you were least prepared for it. One day you have this sweet little chubby cheeked angel with a kool-aid smile and sticky fingers. Then the next day you have this gangling, moody, prickly teenager. You begin to wonder where the pod could be, and what could have happened to your little angel. For surely this is not the same child.

It is at times like this when every parent needs backup!

I have been blessed with a few wonderful friends who help me when the going gets rough. They are women here at HCC who have taken the risk to be real with me. They have shared openly their experiences, struggles, and mistakes without caring about how they may come off in the story. They have reassured me that “this too shall pass”. They have prayed and laughed with me. They showed me I was not alone.

I pray that as parents of EDGE kids we will come together in unity and support not only for the kids and the ministry, but for each other too. Please join me in that prayer and take the risk to be real.


Carol Ann Utrup
a.k.a. Maddie’s Mom

Soccer...

Anybody out there play soccer? I have played my whole life and I am just starting to play on an indoor team this session. Soccer is one of the greatest sports of all time because it's hard to be good at it. Scoring goals is my favorite part about soccer. Check out these sweet goals. If you like soccer, you will love this.