Instant Bond

Lily was born at 3:13pm on March 15.  The same day my grandmother was born.  She carries the name tradition started with Heather's grandmother.  She's a pretty special kid.  She spent some time in the hospital nursery after she was born so it gave me a good excuse for some daddy-daughter time right from the start.  I didn't do much but sit by her bed and hold her perfect little hand and stroke her soft newborn head.  As I look back on it now...it was a gift.  Of course no dad wants to see their little girl hooked up to machines but those days were an instant bond for me.  She won't remember a second of it...I'll never forget it.

While in the nursery God began to speak softly to me.  He's got a pretty keen sense of context (I'm guessing he whispers in the library too).  The voice I heard was a very similar voice...mostly because it was a very similar context.  Almost 5 years earlier, I heard the same voice while standing hunched over by my Son's crib.  Ethan was only weeks old and I would go into his room and bend over his black, craftsman crib until my lower back couldn't take it any longer.  While I would go in night after night to watch my son's chest fill with air and then sigh as it emptied again, Jesus began to speak to me.

He actually began to ask me questions.  (Be careful when this begins to take place in your life...it's a very Yoda moment except the sentences are usually complete and not jumbled up like the green Jedi master.)  Jesus began to ask me, "Peter, what if you raised your family on the mission?  What if you got a little dirty... a little messy and actually lived out the mission as a family?"  What would that look like."  My heart said it would look like a masterpiece.  Like an impressionistic work of art that looks chaotic and messy up close but breathtaking when seen from a distance.  And that began this crazy journey my family is currently on.  We haven't lived it out perfectly...there have been many seasons of doubt and selfishness but we are still living it out.  Fast forward 5 years and my precious Lily was another simple reminder to a simple father who's still getting asked the same question, "Peter, what if you raised your family on the mission."

What if...

Messy

One of my favorite leaders, Jeff Vanderstelt, said recently, "You know you're on mission when it gets messy."  Who likes messy?  I like things that are clean.  I prefer things with parallel lines where everything is symmetrical.  I like complimentary colors.  My dreams take place in cities with grid-like streets...simple...flat...neat...Texas.  But the mission gets messy.  People who are trying to figure this Jesus thing out are complicated.  They wrestle.  They're honest.  They get frustrated.  They cuss.  They shed tears.  They dance.  They're messy.  And what a beautiful mess it is.  How messy are the people around you?  If you're surrounded by complimentary colors, parallel lines and symmetry, chances are you're not on the mission.  I challenge us all to jump face first into the mess and find ourselves on this glorious, messy mission.  Maybe then we will be brought to our knees together...all on the same playing field.  Then we can realize what a beautiful mess God has made us all to be.  Take a step back from the globs of paint and be awakened to see the mistake of your life becoming something beautiful in the hand of "the great artist."

Lily Christine

Lily Christine Blue at 6 months

We are only days away from welcoming our little girl into our family!  We are more than excited to have her with us.  Big brother is counting down the days, Daddy is counting down the hours and mommy is counting down the minutes.  We can't wait!

She has a very special name that follows a very special tradition in our family.  All the first born girls on Heather's side of the family are named after a flower.  They also all share the same middle name.  Heather's grandmother was Violet Christine, her mom was Rose Christine, Heather is Heather Christine and the newest name is Lily Christine.  We are very proud to carry on the tradition!  See you soon Lily!

The Power of Home

Downtown Poulsbo

There is something powerful when someone has a true sense of home.  When your roots go deep and a sense of pride wells up when you think about the community you live in.  When you cheer on the local team when they win and you're crushed when they fail.  When you feel like you had something to do with the girl next door graduating with honors.  When tragedy strikes and you feel the sting without even knowing those involved.  When you stop caring about what goes on in the "big city" and you care more about what goes on in "your city."  That's something powerful.

Last night I had the privilege of sitting in a room full of people who have an incredibly strong sense of home.  It was one of the more meaningful moments I have been a part of.  Not just because these friends love their zip code, or quaint streets or the houses that make up their little town, but because Jesus has grown their hearts for their "home."  I heard story after story about how families want to see the mission grow in our town so that our children grow up moving the mission forward.  It. was. powerful.  I am forever changed by their stories and so grateful to be on the mission with them.  It is going to be fun seeing Jesus invade our little home to do some pretty extraordinary things.  OTM.

Don't Pull Punches

I was challenged by a statement today that hit close to home.  "Never feel bad for asking people to make the same sacrifices that you were asked to make."  This is a struggle for me.  I always seem to feel bad for asking people to make sacrifices.  But when I do that I pull a punch with those people and they miss out.  What I forget is that the sacrifice I was asked to make completely changed my life and by not asking others to do the same causes them to potentially miss out on those earth shattering moments.  My life came alive when I did something absolutely crazy and decided to join Jesus on his mission.  But when I'm faced to ask someone else to do the same thing I often pull a punch and just ask people to give what's convenient, comfortable or responsible.  How many people have missed out because I didn't ask them to do something that could turn their world upside down but also might change them forever.  As leaders we first need to remember that someone looked us in the eye and asked us to do some pretty big things and we thank them for doing so.  We then need to turn and look at those around us and call them to this mission and ask them to make the sacrifices that will change them for eternity.