family, escrow and chuppah ...

I'm in the blogging mood ... so much going on in my life and marriage and family and church ... where do I begin?

My wife is simply amazing ... we've been married almost 10 years and I'm more in love with her than ever before ... our children are growing up so fast ... Ava is getting smarter and smarter every day ... this week, we introduced her to the world of Monopoly ... she won ... it's on ... Adiah dances in this Hawaiian costume every night ... so cute ... Asher is such an amazing kid ... I couldn't imagine life without my son ... and now we have little Alicia ... she's almost walking and has the most beautiful eyes ...

as far as the Stirring, today we went into escrow on the building we're purchasing ... it still seems unreal ... we've been praying for a space like this for years ... I know this is God's dream for us, and God loves to see His dreams in the hands of His children ... God is so good!

Over the next three weeks, we're wrapping up our series Under the Chuppah ... we've been talking about love and romance and dating and marriage and sex ... all the good stuff ... with all the confusion, divorce and brokenness when it comes to relationships and marriage, I'm convinced the book Song of Songs is more relevant and needed today than ever ... we're calling this generation back Under the Chuppah and into a life of freedom and purity ...

it's late and I need sleep ... blog on!

It's my life!

God has blessed me with such an amazing son ... We wrestle and growl and play with motorcycles all day long ... it's my life!

a long day ...

woke up late this morning (saw Coldplay at Sleep Train last night) ...
spent a few hours at Starbucks drinking coffee (reading Acts & Ephesians & 1st Samuel 30) ...
ate pizza ...
met with Emily and talked about the Stirring Kids ...
signed a few checks ...
responded to almost 130 emails (grateful for typing class in high school) ...
Red Robin with Matt and Erica parsons ...
life group at the Gafner's (steak & potato salad) ... I love our church ...
met with Darby Anderson about 'the Way' ...
called my wife in Sacramento ... (I miss my family) ...
watching a film about a cop who chases down bad guys with a gun ... (yep) ...
keeping up my blog reputation ...

poets, prophets, and preachers ...

I just spent the past weekend in Grand Rapids, Michigan, soaking up the Poets, Prophets, and Preachers, a conference hosted by Rob Bell of Mars Hill, Shane Hipps, author of Flickering Pixels, and Peter Rollins, author of How (Not) to Speak of God. When I found out about this conference, I knew I had to be there. I bought a plane ticket the next week. Sometimes, you just know you've got to be there.

The heart of the conference: Reclaiming the Art of the Sermon

Here were some of the session titles: (provoking to say the least!)

The Original Guerilla Theatre (Rob Bell)
The Story We’re Telling (Rob Bell)
Returning to the New: An Introduction to Tranformance Art (Peter Rollins)
How Technology Shapes the Sermon (Shane Hipps)
The Fig Tree and the Failure of Language (Rob Bell)
Fumbling Around with Your Radar (Rob Bell)
For Those With Ears to Hear: Parables and the Lost Art of Provocation (Peter Rollins)
You are the Medium (Shane Hipps)
The One Thing I’ve Never Heard Someone Talk About That Has Changed Everything For Me (Rob Bell)

I took 15 hard core pages of notes ... I leaned forward in my chair 3 days straight ... my head hurts, but my spirit is alive ...

More than anything, I have a wider lens through which to read the Scriptures ... I have a new set of questions as I approach theology ... I have a new passion for teaching and preaching ... I have a renewed love for God's story ... (and I have a great idea for our Fall series) ... just wait and see ...

Oh Canada!

we just spent the past 8 days on family vacation in Canada ...

what a glorious week in Beautiful British Columbia ... so green and so peaceful ... there's nothing like the smell of cows and hay in the morning ... we spent time with our grandma and cousins and uncles and aunts ... we watched movies ... we ate Sushi ... we took the kids to Dinotown (a mix between Kid's Kingdom and Disneyland, but more like Kid's Kingdom) ... we walked on the beach ... we have such a generous family up in Canada ... they fed us and loved us and blessed us ... thank you so much ... go Canada!

by the way, if you didn't know, I'm half-Canadian ... I told that to the lady at the border and she laughed at me!

I know this sounds crazy, but one of my favorite things to do on vacation is to visit other churches ... we visited a Canadian church 'Peace Portal' on Sunday morning ... we sang the song Oh Canada to begin the service ... it just happened to be Canada day ... the message was powerful ... just months ago, the pastor lost his wife to cancer ... she was an amazing woman of God ... he talked about the importance of community in moments of pain and death ... how do we encourage and come alongside people in the most painful moments ...

that night I went to an underground Youth Church movement ... there are over 1000 youth meeting weekly to worship and seek God ... they meet in five different cities ... they're not connected to any particular denomination or church ... it's just Canadian youth who want to reach their generation for Christ ... amazing ... the gathering was raw and real ... one of the youth shared his testimony ... just a few months ago he was dealing drugs, and then he met Christ, and now he's one of the young leaders in this movement ... he shared his story and then we prayed for each other ... God is moving in Canada!

on the way back, we spent an evening with Steve and Renee Swinburne in Bellingham, WA. ... we love the Swinburnes ... they fed us pasta and sent us off with fruit snacks and coffee ... I drank a quadruple shot Iced Caramel Macchiato and drove 12 hours straight back to Redding (with only one speeding ticket) ... 70 mph in a 60 mph zone ... 60 mph on I-5??? ... what the heck? ... Steve warned me about the Washington police and how they're out to get those speedy Californians ... I should have listened to him ... bummer!

now I'm back ... I've missed my country and my bed ...

seminary and ramblings ...

almost done with class ...
just wrapped up my last paper ...
absolutely intrigued and wrecked by the life of Bonhoeffer ...
just got back from Grandma's memorial service ...
shaping my message for Sunday ...
performing Drew and Julie's wedding this Saturday night ...
getting excited about our vacation to Canada ...
just drank a cup of coffee at 10 pm (awful idea) ...
I am white and I need a tan ...

sitting in class ...

I'm finishing up two weeks in Tozer Seminary ... two weeks, 10 days, 80 hours of class ... "the life and thought of Bonhoeffer" and "Global issues in Evangelism" ... my head hurts ...

I'm sitting in class with some great friends ... yes, of course, the one and only Shawn Bagley from Utah ... sitting right next to me and making me laugh ... we're drinking coffee and eating skittles ... skittles, friends, and theology ... it's my life ...

Once I finish this week, my family and I are leaving for our summer vacation to Canada ... good old British Columbia ... I can't wait ... all 6 of us piling into our mini-van for an adventure to the land of Canada ... go Canada!

I'm going home ...

my grandma June passed away this Thursday morning at 6:05 am ...

she loved Jesus ... she walked with God ... she lived a life of courage and passion ... she played the piano and used her musical talent for God's glory ... more than anything, she loved to serve people ... she had a burning passion for people ...

my grandpa Paul and grandma June were missionaries in countries all around the world ... they saw revival in villages, cities and nations ... they preached the message of Jesus with boldness ... they prayed for the sick ... they cast out demons ... they saw the dead come back to life ... they planted churches in New Zealand, the Philippines, and Canada ... they lived filled with the Holy Spirit ...

grandma June leaves behind a great legacy ... she gave her life ...

early this morning, my grandma called the nurse into her hospital room ... she spoke quietly, yet boldly to the nurse and said, "I need to get dressed, I'm going home" ... these were her last words, and she fell asleep ...

brothers ...

when I was young, my brothers and I were in a rock band named 'Outburst' ...

Benji played the drums, Jeremy played the guitar, and I played the piano and sang ... in fact, we actually filmed a music video (we never finished it, due to the fact I got angry with my brothers and kicked them out of the video) ... anyways, one day I'll post it on my sight for your entertainment ...

we wrote a few song and performed concerts for the neighbors and their families ... we set up our instruments in the garage and jammed for hours ... back in the grunge days (before Nirvana caught on) ... I wrote a rap song called 'the Resurrection Rap,' inspired by Carmen, of course ... and I wrote a few worship songs, inspired by Michael W. Smith and Keith Green ...

as a band, we never released an album, but we were a hit in the neighborhood ... and that's all that matters ... we made people laugh and our songs gave people hope ... years later, when I began high school, the band broke up ... it was a sad day, but nothing great lasts forever (except love and Jesus and Christian rap) ...

Benji grew up to be a loan officer ... Jeremy moved to Seattle to become a legend in the rock world ... I am a pastor in Northern California ... we are still friends, and perhaps one day we will resurrect 'Outburst' for one more concert in the garage ... long live rock ...

one more thing: if you've never heard of Carmen, you've never lived ...

Happy Birthday Asher ...

Happy Birthday Asher ...

2 years old and you're the man ... riding bikes and throwing balls ... handsome little guy, just like your dad ...

I pray for you every night, that you would grow up to be a man of God ... that you would love Jesus and follow Him with your whole heart ... I know you have a great call on your life and I will pray for you and encourage you until I see you walk in that great calling ... you're a marked little man and I can't wait to see the bold man of God you will one day become ...

and please stop beating up your sisters ... that's not cool!

Adiah's first song ...

tonight, my 4 year old daughter Adiah wrote her first song ... my kids are great song writers ... it must run in the family ...

most people don't know this, but almost everyone in my family has incredible musical talent ...

my grandma plays the accordian and keyboard ...
my other grandma plays the tuba and the piano ...
my grandfather plays the trumpet and sings ...
my father plays piano, guitar and writes songs ...
my mom plays the guitar and the piano (and coordinates weddings) ...
my uncle plays the banjo ...
my brother Benji plays guitar and enjoys country music ...
my wife sings and plays the recorder ...
my daughters are songwriters ...
oh yeah, my brother Jeremy wrote a couple of songs in a rock band (I think they won some MTV contest) ...
and I played the trombone in high school ...

anyways, here are the lyrics to Adiah's new song:

I love you Jesus
Please come with me to Disneyland
Please help my birthday to come really fast
I hope my birthday has cupcakes and cake
I hope Spring comes fast

Chorus:
I love you Jesus
I love you all the way to the moon and back

I love you Jesus
I love you everywhere
I love you to the sun
I love my baby sister Alicia
I hope she grows up fast

there's no place I'd rather be ...

I just wrapped up the craziest and fullest few months of my life ...

I finished a challenging theology course in my Masters program, brought our 4th child Alicia Amy Edwardson onto the planet, tackled a thick series on 'Heaven' at the Stirring, and we just hosted our first 'When God Dreams' Conference ...

It's been such an amazing few months ... my daughters bring me so much joy ... my son can beat up your son ... I'm enjoying spending time with my brothers and their wives ... my parents are so encouraging and generous ...

I love our church ... our church is the bomb ... I'm not talking about Sundays, I'm talking about the people ... the people who serve and the people who love and the people who worship and the people who encourage me and hold up my arms every day ... the ones who carry ladders and speak words of life and put courage in me ... that's the church ... thank you for being WHO God has CREATED you to be ... I'm proud to raise my family in our church ...

I just spent the last hour hanging out with my wife on a couch ... there's no place I'd rather be ... I'm fried and ready for bed ...

the first Stirring conference ...

it all begins tomorrow night at 7 p.m. ...
20 churches ...
120 peeps ...
American Apparel t-shirts ...
clouds and ladders ...
worship and painting ...
new films ...
bohemian drum circle ...
lattes ...
creative church forum ...
dream sessions ...
and of course, Jesus Himself ...
seriously, how the heck did we get this crazy idea to do a conference?
don't miss it!

Unleashing the power of everyone ...

tonight we began our Acts series ... we're calling it unleashing the power of everyone ... in Acts, Jesus says, "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you!" ... our prayer is that God would give us the courage and boldness to live filled with His Holy Spirit ...

our 'When God Dreams' Conference is this weekend ... I'm spending the next few days praying and preparing for the Conference ... at this point, we have more than 20 different churches from our city and beyond coming to be involved ... I'm so grateful for everyone helping create and dream and pull this thing off ... props to our amazing Stirring team ...

My wife and I saw Wolverine Friday night ... amazing! ... we're huge X-Men fans ... if you could be any mutant, what would you be? ...

Catalyst Conference ...

just wrapped up the first day of the Catalyst Conference in Irvine ...

we listened to Andy Stanley talk about leadership in the face of uncertainty ... Guy Kawasaki talked about innovation and convinced everyone to buy Macs ... Bryan Houston brought such a burning passion for the church and its great calling on earth ... and Hillsong United led worship ... those guys are money ...

we hung out with 3200 pastors and leaders, ate chicken sandwiches for lunch, drank 8 cups of coffee, waited in line for 15 minutes for the bathroom, and took a friendly ride in a hot air balloon ... we are filled with joy and God is speaking ... the perfect conference, except for the waiting in line bit ...

tonight, we went to the beach and saw dolphins ... we ate chicken nachos and jumped in a hot tub until wrinkled and ready for bed ... it's my life ...

My next few weeks ...

Wrapping up the Heaven series (two more weeks) ...
Attending the Catalyst Conference in Southern California ...
Watching Wolverine with my wife on opening night, May 1st ...
Launching a new 12 week series through the book of Acts ... unleashing the power of everyone ...
Hosting our first 'When God Dreams Conference' May 7th-9th ...
Celebrating my 9 year anniversary with my wife on May 20th ...

Kings ...

just spent a few days with my family in Sacramento ...

my father got me officially hooked on the first 3 episodes of Kings ... a new television series based on the David and Saul story in the Bible ... it's incredible ... the story and the writing and the cinematography and the creativity ... and so far, it's fairly true to the actual story, with a few Hollywood differences, of course ... I won't ruin it for you ... if you're not watching it, go online and get caught up ...

the only bummer, it shows Sunday evenings at 8 a.m. ... I think I'm a bit tied up Sunday evenings ... but I'll catch up online ...

it's a great time to be alive ...

I'm stoked about the next few months ...

Easter and baptisms ... I get to baptize great friends ...

Catalyst Conference in Southern California ... it's gonna be sweet!

When God Dreams Conference ... our first Stirring Conference ... crazy!

Family vacation to San Clemente ... our favorite family vacation spot ... skunks and the beach!

Summer ... we love summer!

It's a great time to be alive ... and to have four kids and a mini-van!

200th post ...

please take this moment with me to celebrate my 200th post ... I'm making blog history ...

I want to take this special moment to thank all my blogging friends and fans ... this blog wouldn't be possible without you ... I thank my family and my amazing wife ... you give me the courage to blog in the face of such a dangerous world ...

a special shout out to all the Stirring bloggers ... you make me laugh and you make my cry and I will forever read your blogs ... thank you for your silly videos and your precious links and sharing all your beautiful stories with me ... you are truly an inspiration ...

and most of all, I want to thank Jesus ... without Jesus in my life, I am blogless ... period ... You are my hope and my blogging life ... may my blog bring You glory ... amen ...

almost finished ...

I just finished my master's paper on healing ... tomorrow morning, I have an online presentation for my class ...

in this theology class, I'm writing 6 papers on Jesus and the mission of the church ... even though I can't wait to be done with my master's, I am learning quite a bit ... these classes have forced me to wrestle and study and dig deeper into the Scriptures ... I've completed 21 classes and I have 7 to go ... yes, I'm counting ...

when I graduate, I want to throw a huge party with all my friends ... hot tubs and steak and corn hole ... it's my party ... everyone's invited, even President McKinney ... I hope he enjoys hot tubs ...