How To Be Rich

Generosity… I think it’s a characteristic we’d all like to be known by. Yet, going from a lifestyle of giving nothing away to giving something away can sometimes be a big leap. We have to hurdle such obstacles as trusting the organization or person we are giving to. We hear so much about abuse and mismanagement, it can make a person justifiably leery. Or, we get blocked by the discouragement that our gifts, whatever they might be, would be too small or insignificant to make any real difference. Another high wall to climb is our own financial situation. How can we give to others when we are barely paying our own bills or are buried in interest rates and debt? Still, we see generosity as noble and honorable, and definitely something that “rich people” should practice.



You’re right, rich people should definitely practice generosity. Did you know that you are rich? Go ahead, see for yourself. Click on this link to find out how your income compares with the rest of the world. Global Rich List Surprised? Are you in the top 5% or higher? Phenomenal perspective, isn’t it? So, how does your personal generosity (the way you give of your time, talent, and resources) reflect your wealthy position in the world?

Now before you start getting nervous, I have no intention of making anyone feel guilty. Rather, I believe one of the biggest reasons people don’t give more often to more worthy causes is simply that they don’t know where to begin. I have seen first-hand how hard it can be to volunteer at a local shelter or even the library. I have personally called local non-profit agencies and left multiple messages letting them know I had a group of people willing to come and give their time for whatever they needed, only to have my phone calls go unreturned. It can make you feel like they might not really need your help after all. So, what’s a person to do? Push hard, look deeper, and cut through that red tape!

For as many organizations that unknowingly make it difficult to participate in their cause, there are just as many making it easy. At Great Lakes, we encourage our Growth Groups to organize their own service projects and we’ve seen amazing results! Everything from care packages to soldiers, to Easter baskets for local families in need, to simple food drives. Just this weekend I had the opportunity to participate in one of the most fun service projects yet. A few of our women's groups pulled together to have ourselves a party. We called it “Ladies Night: A Benefit for Care Net” where we chose to support a local organization, hoping to raise funds and supplies they need to help support women experiencing unplanned pregnancies. Here is the story we shared at the party as a part of learning more about this great program…



All it took was one Evite, one planning meeting with my friends Eden & AnnaLisa, and a little initiative, and we had all we needed. We just did what women do best, socialize, eat great food and have some drinks and somehow, with less than 30 of us, we were able to raise roughly $2,000 worth of supplies and cash to hand directly to Care Net and their Earn While You Learn program.





These women generously gave everything from cribs and bassinets, to diapers and baby wash, to brand new clothes and gently used hand-me-downs. More than that, we were all inspired and many of the women have expressed even greater desire and creativity for ways we can do more! Amazing!



We know one thing for certain… it is easier to give when we know what we have received. The pursuit of “more” is an elusive mirage, and the reality is that we very likely have all we need.

Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. – 1 Timothy 6:17-18

With that perspective, I dare you to invest yourself in just one of thousands of worthy causes. Why don’t you spend your coffee money this week on a new CD that could result in lowering the global poverty rate?

Taking A Day Off

We just got back from a wonderful 10 day vacation home to Seattle. It was great to spend time with friends and family, it didn’t rain even once, and Claire did relatively well on the long flights. I did not check my work email at all for the duration of the trip. Some of you might think, “Of course not! You were on vacation!” The rest of you can identify what a huge accomplishment this really was for me. It was the first time in 5 years that I have taken a trip of any kind without checking in for work. It felt amazing!



Before we left, Pastor Dave had been covering a series of talks on Sundays at Great Lakes Church on The 10 Commandments. It was not the "Summer Bummer" it might sound like, each week was surprisingly relevant and applicable. Especially the week he talked about the fourth commandment, reminding us about keeping the Sabbath. In other words…

TAKE A DAY OFF!

Ok, maybe when God sent these commands to Moses he did not use all caps and an exclamation point. Or, maybe we should read all of them with exclamation points. Either way, I paraphrase that way because it’s the one commandment that makes me reply to God (in my head, of course) and say, “Aw, that’s sweet. Thank you for thinking of me, but that’s not necessary.”
Anyone else?
Nobody?
Just me?

Now, imagine if I replied to the other commandments the same way…
God: Thou shall have no other gods before me.
Michelle: Aw, that’s sweet.
God: Thou shalt not murder.
Michelle: Thanks for thinking of me, but that’s not necessary.
See the problem? When God speaks, it is not meant to be sweet. Though he is loving, I should not respond to the things that are important to Him as though it’s a Hallmark greeting card. But, I just can’t help it when it comes to this idea of taking a day off.

In a typical American work week, most people put in approximately 40 hours and take two days off… If you read that last statement and said, “Yeah right, my boss has me working 60 hours and I rarely get a day off!” you might have boundary issues, which is your problem and not your bosses. If you are your own boss, then you might have boundary issues, which is just one of your many problems, and mine. But, even if you are neither of the above, you still might find it very difficult to observe this seemingly optional commandment.

Here are a few reasons I find it hard to take a day off:
1. I love my job!
It’s really true. Right now, I work for Great Lakes Church and love everything I get to be a part of. To top that, I haven’t had a job I didn’t love in a very long time. I have been lucky to work with great teams for great causes with great results. What’s not to love? So, since I love my job so much, it is hard to actually want day off. I have always been unbalanced in this area of work & play and always wanted more time to just relax, but I’ve never made it a priority. This could also be because, for the most part, since I’ve loved my jobs, I’ve found it energizing to be productive and helpful.

2. Being a part-time employee + a full-time wife and mother are tricky to balance.
Practically speaking, I do work part-time from home and do not have a set day off. Desiring to focus the majority of my attention on Claire, I try to get work done while she is sleeping or otherwise occupied. This means that, for the most part, I do a few hours of work each day, some days I get even a few more in and work still spills into the next day and the day after that. This leads me to feel guilty thinking of taking an entire day off, not checking emails, not planning, etc. since the time I am able to work around my little girl already feels so limited.

3. Most moms don’t get a day off from motherhood.
The other practical thing to consider is that my home and family is also my full-time job. I have to confess that while Dave was speaking on this topic at Great Lakes, I was sitting next to a friend of mine who is also a mother. I leaned over and rhetorically asked her, “Could everyone not make a mess, or use dishes on my Sabbath? Could Claire make her own bottles and change her own diapers on that day?” Snarky, I know. But, I don’t think I’m alone in sincerely wondering how it’s possible to take an entire day each week to rest from the demands of parenthood.

The idea of a day of rest is definitely the root of some tension in the Peterson home. You see, Tony has always been very good at this one. I remember the first year I knew him, I tried to give him a call at work to wish him a Happy Birthday. No answer, no big deal. Only to find out the next day that he always takes a day off for his birthday. I thought he was joking. He wasn’t. I asked him if he had any special traditions, like going to a theme park or hanging with his family for that day… Nope. Even if he stayed in his pajamas and played video games all by himself, he was not going to work on his birthday. I, on the other hand, once attempted to make it into work even though I had just been in a car accident and needed to be at the hospital while they used 14 stitches to mend the cuts from my face hitting the windshield of my car. (That's a story for another day, folks) So, you see, we have very different approaches to what warrants a day off of work.

As much as it annoys me, Tony’s idea is much closer to God’s than mine. Would you believe he never checks his email and rarely even answers his cell phone on Mondays, his one day off? He is quite strict. He sleeps in, snuggles with his girls, watches movies, plays video games, reads a book, goes to the zoo, takes a long drive, and eats meals with friends. He does whatever he wants to do except work. In general, I haven’t felt like I needed much “me time”. And that, right there, is the lie.

“Me time” is not what the Sabbath is about. The Sabbath is about taking time to rest, refocus and reconnect in my relationship with God, acknowledge my need and dependence on Him, and thank Him for His faithfulness to me. Observing a Sabbath would help me remember that, even if there were more hours in a day or days in a week, I still could not get it all done. I need to remember that God is the provider of my needs and the needs of those who might be depending on me. It is ok and even acceptable to say “no” once in a while. As a wise person once said to me, “Sometimes you need to say ‘no’ to good things so that you can say ‘yes’ to great things”. One of the greatest things I can say yes to is putting time into my relationship with God, who is simply not impressed by how much I might accomplish in a day.

So, while I work that out, I have developed a new habit. I call it “Sabbath Moments”, but since saying that out loud sounds super cheesy to me, you can call it whatever you want.



You see, I know that Claire will need me throughout the day, that I will have meetings with people I serve with, that I will check my email, and return voice mails all day long. Since I can’t see a way around any of these things, I am now in the habit of purposefully getting up out of bed long before Claire wakes up and my day officially begins. Lately she’ll sleep until 7:30am or even 8:00am. I know that if I get up at 6:30am, I can make myself some coffee and sit and read in the quietest moments my home will be all day. I know that I meet Jesus there, whether I choose to read the Bible or browse the Pottery Barn Catalog (although, I have made it a rule not to pick up my phone or open the laptop). It’s quiet, I can hear my own voice in my head and I always hope to hear the voice of the Lord. The mornings that I actually do this, I am that much more thrilled when Claire wakes up and I feel extra excited to see her! On a good week, I can make it happen 4 out of the 7 mornings. This also means that I go nuts trying to straighten up the house and the kitchen when she goes to sleep the night before, in anticipation of a peaceful early morning.

Another Sabbath Moment I get to enjoy now and then is at a coffee shop by myself. I just work it out with Tony when a good time for me to take off will be and then I go and sit for a couple of hours by myself! I realize for some of you, the idea of reading a book sounds much more like work than rest. But, for me, it is the essence of peace.

Thankfully, because Tony is so strict about his day off, I am usually forced to get out of the house and have some fun with him, whether it's a trip to Ikea or a breakfast date. He takes family time seriously, and his approach really keeps me in check.

I’m curious how you’ve found to take time to stop working and rest? Have you?

So, coming off of 10 days of rest, I’ll share with you some of the pictures of our time in Seattle. Enjoy!



PS Claire had a lot of firsts while we were gone…
1st time meeting her relatives (except for her great-aunt Nancy who stopped by our place in Wisconsin in May)
1st time Riding the Ducks
1st time clapping her hands together (Thank you Joshua Davies)
1st time eating foods that were not pureed (We tried bread & rice noodles, and we liked them!)

Tech Church

It’s hard to believe that there was a time, not too long ago, when messages were communicated to “the people” via radio and print only. Now we live in a time where even books are being replaced with a digital paperless option… Print isn’t yet dead, but his kids have definitely moved him into the retirement home. People used to tune in and hang out around the radio to “listen” to their favorite shows… if they liked westerns it was “Have Gun Will Travel”, or if detective mystery was your thing then “Philip Marlowe”.

Today, we have televisions being made with better resolution than the human eye. We have video game consoles that allow you to view things in 3D without wearing glasses, and control the system with body and hand movements, no controller needed. We carry around in our pockets mini-computers that can view HD video on our command. These mini-computers can locate you on the planet within inches, control all the other high-tech equipment in your house, allow you to speak face-to-face with anyone else, live, and connect you to everyone else in the world at wireless speeds faster than humanly imaginable only a few years ago.

In my lifetime, I’ve been privy to witness a pre-computer and post-computer educational system. I started learning DOS programming at age 9 from my mother on our “laptop” computer (which was actually about 40lbs. and had a black and green 6-inch monitor). I’ve witnessed the birth of the biggest technological leap the world has ever known, the internet. And now I work in a field that I get to be a part of utilizing and creating content for this new information-thirsty culture.


My job is to leverage the use of modern methods to accurately and effectively communicate the message of Jesus Christ to the masses. I think my official title is “Church Computer and Video Dude”. Really, I have three jobs, but two of them are pretty closely related… video creation, graphic design, and worship pastor (which really means band leader). Let me tell you a little about my day-to-day.

I work for a growing church called Great Lakes Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Before GLC, I had a similar job with EastLake Church in Bothell, Washington. Before that I was a “Web Development Assistant” for a small web conferencing company which is now extinct. And before that, I was a “Customer Service Representative” for DHL (the freight delivery company). I always loved design and constantly found myself tinkering around with different programs, but never did it “professionally” until I was at EastLake.

As you walk into Great Lakes Church, you begin to notice a certain style. But even before you set foot into our lobby, you most likely received one of the 75,000 mailers we send out two to three times a year. Then you decide to show up. First, you’ll navigate your way through our halls via the interior signage. Then as you enter our Adult Auditorium, you’ll be handed a program which tells you who we are and what to expect.


You’ll take your seat (in a movie theater since that’s where we currently meet) and thumb through the program, all the while, the huge 60 foot screen in front of you is creating an upbeat atmosphere with motion graphics and video footage. After a video countdown, the band plays three songs and you’re invited to follow along. After the band is done, you’re invited to take your seat again, and the room goes dark allowing for three more videos to be played (all before you even see the pastor). The first is what I call the “interlude”… it’s the background music and motion graphic that transitions you to situate and sit down without an awkward silence. Next is what I call the “roll-in”… our speaking schedule is designed around a topical series, and the roll-in is the intro for that topic… kind of like a sitcom theme intro. And last is what I call the “setup clip”. This is a short video clip from a movie or TV show that pertains to the weekends topic, and transitions our pastor in with humor. I'm responsible for your experience from your invitation all the way up to the pastor speaking (if he botches it, that's not my fault).



Our target is the 30 year old male who’s never been to church or hasn’t been in a really long time. Right now you’re probably thinking “shouldn’t your target be everyone?” Well, we do want everyone to know Jesus yes, but we know that stylistically we cannot reach/please EVERYONE. Even if you’re a church that has no target or says your target is everyone… the style of music you play, the way your leaders dress, the color of paint on your walls, the humor (or lack thereof) reaches a certain demographic of people and turns away other demographics… like it or not. There are all types of churches cuz there are all types of people. Our music is loud and rockin, our pastor wears jeans and t-shirts, we meet in a movie theater, and our humor is sarcastic and plentiful… we reach 30 year old men.

So, with that in mind, I create videos that emphasize that. I create graphics that appeal to the non-Christians. The non-Christian sees a dove, or a crown of thorns, or Jesus hanging bloody on a cross, and they are intimidated by the imagery and turned off… therefore, I NEVER use those “standard” religious images. Not out of disrespect, but instead to be relevant and sensitive and helpful to those people outside our Christian “club” (at least, that's how they see it). It is my job to make the message of Christ “Easy and Accessible” and to allow those people to come check out the claims of Christ as He accepts them... exactly as they are.

Another thing I need to be aware of is the community and its residents. I was born and raised in the Seattle area, so I’m used to white collar America. In a city where getting ahead means putting off having a family until your thirties so that you can climb the business ladder and get a bigger cubical at your next review, that’s what my path was. But out here it’s so different. People get married at 19 and 20, and then have their first, second, and third kids by the time they're 25. Our target works in a factory (of which I have no experience) or has a construction type job (also, no experience). My work needs to connect to those guys. I can’t be using Dilbert type humor when office humor doesn’t mean having an idiot boss and a wasteful meeting. Office humor is more like “I forgot to put the parking brake on the dozer and it rolled into our new frame and demolished half the work site”.

I like what I do… a lot. My week is spent in Adobe After Effects, Photoshop, and Dreamweaver. The things I used to do for fun, I now get paid for. My newest love is what’s called “open source” software. It’s free software that the designers give freedom to anyone and everyone to change how they see fit. One of my favorite new programs is Blender 3D. Similar programs are in the thousands of dollars range, but Blender is free. I use it to animate and create graphics in 3D space.



Man! I’ve got so much to talk about but I know I’ll bore then heck out of you if I continue and go into the details of my art. Or maybe it won’t bore you. Tell you what… if you’re interested in hearing more, leave me a comment and maybe I’ll expand in a part 2.

Human Hearts

I get home sick. Though I grew up in El Paso, Texas until I was thirteen, I actually get homesick for Seattle. I wake up sometimes and feel like going to get a coffee near Juanita Beach, or driving across the 520 bridge and back – yes, even in traffic – just for the incredible view. Though the internet helps me feel connected to friends and family and life there in Washington, I still get that far away feeling once in a while.



Home sickness is not a condition that is easily treated. I found nothing for it on Web MD or Mayo Clinic’s website. I have prayed about it, only to be reminded of what Jesus says in the book of Luke:

“If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison – your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters – yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.”

I suppose, since Jesus gave up his own life, I can give up some time with my friends and family… I suppose…

I think part of the weariness comes from not really feeling “called” or “qualified” to do this kind of work. I mean, who on earth ever would have thought I would be involved in launching a new church in the Mid-West? Certainly not me. I never even finished college, let alone one minute of seminary training. But, again, God is faithful to answer me using Scripture. I’ve been reading in 2 Corinthians and mulling over one section in particular. The apostle Paul is writing to the church in Corinth talking about this very idea of being qualified. He says:

“Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not! The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This ‘letter’ is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.”

So, rather than share my version of what God is doing here in Kenosha, I’ll let another young lady speak for herself. This is Brittany’s story…


About a year ago, I made the first time decision to accept Jesus Christ as my Savior. Growing up, I never had much exposure to religion, going to church, I didn't know the first thing about the Bible, or the difference between God and Jesus Christ (Truthfully, I didn't even know there was a difference). My cousins started talking to me about Great Lakes Church, for those who hate church. Intrigued, I decided to give it a try one Sunday last summer and it will remain one of the best decisions I've made in my life. Weeks went on and while I started to attend regularly, made the first time decision, I knew something was missing in my life, the pieces of the puzzle hadn't quite added up. That Fall, I went through a difficult time. The only way to truly describe the second half of 2009 is feelings of complete loneliness. Although I was surrounded by people, I've honestly never felt so separated from the rest of the world. This was all going on around the same time that I started attending church. I started learning more and became completely captivated by the idea that there's someone, with more power than any of the people I was letting control my emotions, that would love me unconditionally regardless of my story, what I've been through, or the decisions I've made. In October, I decided after several months of learning the Word that I would get baptized.



It was time for me to really begin this journey I was on and expand my faith and not be afraid to let this wall, that I've put up with everyone, down and simply, grow. Since I started attending Great Lakes Church, I've served on multiple teams and I'm currently apart of my second Growth Group. During my first Growth Group, the leaders and members of the group made a permanent mark in my heart and helped me learn and expand so much. Being that it was a class especially designed for first-time Christians, I learned about the first right steps and I couldn't be more grateful that that class was my first one.

Next week, myself and several other individuals will be traveling to Virginia to help a previous GLC member launch a new church and I could not be more excited about this. I know that there are several other individuals who are in the stage I was in just one year ago, lost and completely caught up with the wrong perspective on the ways things are vs. the way they should be. When the doors open for that church, I pray that at least one person out there will take a chance like I did because it's the best one I could have taken.

I still struggle with sin and know that I'm nowhere near the point in my faith that I have the potential to be, but I have found a community of people who understand and accept me for where I am and this is something I always thought I had to strive for in the past and now it comes effortlessly. I believe the reason it took 20 years for me to become a Christian is just the way that God works with everything and everyone. Nothing happens over night, I wouldn't have understood or appreciated church or God for that matter at any other point in my life because I was too stubborn and thought I was the only person in control. I realize now, we weren't put on this earth to walk through life alone and as long as I believe in God, I'll never be alone again.


The trip to help launch a new church in Virginia that Brittany is talking about is being led by a guy named Jason. Jason has a story of his own… Watch this video for a glimpse…



Want a peek at the church they are traveling to help launch? Scott Obenchain and his family were members at Great Lakes Church just a few short months ago. Check out his Pastor’s Welcome Video that Tony helped create…




I think about Great Lakes Church and am refreshed. I don’t want to imagine how empty my life might feel if I didn’t have the opportunity to be a part of what God is doing here in Kenosha. I am thankful for these tablets of human hearts and the difference they are making in the lives of those around them. It helps me remember that my true home is not a place. My true home is found in my relationship with God.

P.S. Yes, both of those videos, and many many others, were shot in our living room. Who needs a studio?

The Balancing Act

I watched a documentary once on a guy, Philippe Petit, who was a tight rope walker. I think it’s an impressive talent to be able to walk along a rope high up off the ground. Really, all gymnasts & acrobats impress me. It clearly takes a lot of physical stamina and discipline to be able to do these things, let alone to do them well.

So, this tight-rope-walker-guy… It would have been impressive enough had he performed his talent only in a circus or at a carnival. But, for him, this was not enough. He had a team of friends that set up rigs so that he could walk his tight rope between buildings. High above the ground, as passers-by looked on in astonishment; he would walk the air from one building to the next – no net. In 1974, he was arrested for his stunt walking between The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City – his highest accomplishment. The story focused on a man with a passion for his dream, and in a strange way, I could relate.

Since 2006, I have put my passion and energy toward helping create places where people could encounter the living God in a real and authentic way. I was privileged to be on staff at EastLake Community Church, and have been blessed to move across the country to Wisconsin to help launch Great Lakes Church. In both places, and in countless Growth Groups, I have passionately pursued creating environments where people could come and know they were wanted. I love it more than any other job or volunteer work I have ever been a part of.

I love hearing about people connecting, with each other and with Jesus Christ. I love when people start conversations with me like this: “You know, I was just talking with someone the other day about the next group I’d like to lead. What do you think?” Groups are up there with my very favorite things to talk about. As you might imagine, it takes a lot of work to make sure there are enough groups for everyone to have a chance to participate. It takes a lot of selfless leaders and hosts to open up their homes and their schedules. It takes a lot of emailing, researching group topics, and getting to know people on an individual level. It consumes a large part of my mental and physical energy, and I love it!

The reality is, even aside from Groups, I really love everything I get to be a part of at Great Lakes Church. This past weekend, we hosted 20+ church planters here in Kenosha for a Networking Meeting. We gathered together to exchange materials, ideas, & inspiration. All of these church leaders have planted within the last 3 years, and some of them have not yet even launched their churches. I was so excited about the potential for this meeting that I went into overdrive preparing for the event.

Those are just a couple of things I can easily get swept away in the details of. I cling to details and lists. I don’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t. They give me the sense that something tangible is being accomplished, that my time is not idle. Dare I admit that I find a lot of who I am in the items on the lists that I have checked off?

The danger I am discovering recently is that I have been relying on these To Do Lists, and lots of checked off boxes, for peace and satisfaction. Peace. Satisfaction.


Enter Claire. Our sweet baby is now 3 ½ months old, which means I have been a mother for the first quarter of this year. Checking things off my lists has gone from being a great way to keep organized to an insatiable obsession. Now, along with my lists, I have laundry, dishes, diapers, laundry, feeding, and laundry to keep up with. How can I keep up?

No. Seriously. How? Is there something I’m missing? Is there some strategy you learn at mother school on how to organize your life and your home for your family and still be involved in all of the things in life that meant so much before the baby came along?

Lately, as I pray, there is only one thing I know for sure. No, it’s not the magic strategy. (So, if you have it, please pass it along.) The one thing I know is that I am loved.

I am loved.

I am loved by God, the creator of the universe, in the most precious and personal way. Nothing on my lists will earn me favor with God. None of the piles of dirty laundry or dishes are keeping me from being loved either. I am loved and that is that.

Now, I look at my own tight rope and see all I am trying to keep balanced… Growth Groups, Sundays, baby clothes, To Do Lists, dishes, catching up with friends, diapers, calling family… It is a balancing act that will never bring me peace or fully satisfy. Peace. Satisfaction.

If I am truly loved, which I am, then all of my striving is for myself. I am learning, or at least desiring to learn, that the only lasting peace I will ever have is in my relationship with Jesus Christ. The most important “phone call” I can make each day is the one to my Lord and Savior and Friend. I would like to step off of my own tight rope and fall into the net of grace that God has offered me.

I am working on it.

Jesus said, ”Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon your selves and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30

My Claire, 3 months

My baby girl is three months old! I never thought of myself as an "attached" personality type, but I love to be around her. She smiles when I smile... we talk about things (mostly I ask her what she's saying, and she just repeats "Ay ay ay")... she's grabbing my face... she loves to play rambunctious games with me.



It's crazy to watch her grow so fast. She's out of 0 - 3 month clothes already and fitting into her 3 - 6 month clothes very nicely. When I'm feeding her from a bottle, she's eating between 7 & 8 oz. and we've had to move the straps on her car seat twice already.



She enjoys being out. We'll go on our regular Target or Sams Club trip and she behaves pretty much the whole time. We have to be creative about when to go out however... it needs to be far enough from a feeding that she's not going to spit-up all over herself, but soon enough before her next feeding so she doesn't get grumpy while we're out. Mostly, she just looks around or stares at us as we push her in her cart... a pleasure I never knew I would have... just watching her be content is a joy to me.



I never was a kid person. I was one of those types that shy'd away from little people like they were going to explode if I got too close. And babies... that's a whole different kind of fear. It became a bit of a joke trying to get me to hold a baby.



I remember the first time Michelle forced me into holding a baby x 2. We were just hanging out with our friends the Denham's back in Kirkland WA. I was relaxing in the recliner when all of a sudden, a pair of twins were dropped on my lap from behind. Michelle thought this was great... I thought I was stuck. She called Heidi (their mother) over and of course she thought it was great to. Ignoring my plea for them to remove the tiny people from my space, they went and grabbed the camera and solidified the memory.

I wanted a boy. I have had my boy's name picked out for most of my life, so I was ready for him. When I learned it was a girl (a week before Michelle knew), I had some thinking to do. As it turns out, to overcome my fear of babies, I think God knew that only a girl would do this for me. You see, if I had a boy first, I imagine myself being one of those rough dads... one of those "hey tiger" and punch him in the arm type of dads... even as a baby I think I would have found ways to be rough and non-affectionate with him... that's just me. But Claire changed me. She's so beautiful and small and sweet, I know I can't rough her up, or get her dirty, or call her "tiger". With Claire I have to kiss on her, and hold her close, and buy her ponies, and treat her like a princess... that's a 180 from what I instinctively want to do around babies.

I think having a boy first would have cemented in me my tendency to be distant and cold. Imagine being second born girl to that daddy. I thank God for Claire and I thank Claire for changing my heart. I hear her in the next room wrapping up a feeding, so now it's my turn to go and love on her.

Claire

Did you think we had abandoned this blog? In a sense, I thought so myself. This is definitely the longest we've gone without posting, so I thank you for your patience with us as we adjust to life as new parents.

Since I can't come up with a better way to fill you in, you get bullet points for this post. Here are some highlights of the last couple of months:

• Claire Elaine Peterson* was born on January 22nd, 2010 at 2:28am... two weeks after her due date.
  
  
• Katy (Pratt) Wogsland arrived just in time from Seattle to help us at home for the first 10 days. THANK GOD!
  
  
• We were blessed beyond belief with countless meals and notes for Claire's first 3 weeks at home. Don't know how we would have survived (or eaten) otherwise.
  
  
• Tony finished designing another mailer for Great Lakes Church, inviting 70,000 families in the area to come check us out.
  
  
• We launched another season of Growth Groups with an incredible number of sign ups, and our weekend attendance at GLC grew to just over 1,000.
  
  
• We had just over 60 people at our most recent 101 Class make a commitment to partner with GLC as members! Love welcoming more people into this family of faith!
  
  
• We baptized just over 40 people at our most recent Worship Night! (That same night, I left Claire with the provided childcare for the first time. She did great! I was a nervous wreck!)
  
  
• Because of the incredible amount of people (and KIDS) we are seeing at GLC, we brought on another staff member, Matt Stennett. Matt, along with his wife Crystal and their little son, Jace, moved across the country from Seattle (although both of their families live here in the Chicago area) a couple of weeks ago. Great additions to the team!
  
  
• Tony and I made the tough decision for me to "stay home" and quit my job in Racine. This means the three of us are now home together full time. I'm excited for this opportunity and my new job as Claire's mom. Definitely eating crow, as I told many many friends before I had her that staying at home with her was just not something I'd ever be interested in. What the heck did I know?
  
  
• Claire is really good at being a baby, growing every day, sleeping more than I'm comfortable sharing with other new moms, smiling, and "talking" to us.

And now, for our feature presentation, Claire!

Claire Elaine Peterson from Tony Peterson on Vimeo.

*We named our sweet girl, Claire, after the song Clair de Lune by Debussy. This is a song Tony introduced me to when we first began dating 6 years ago... said it reminded him of me. He insisted I walk down the aisle at our wedding to this song, it meant so much to us both. It is the song playing in the background of this video. Her middle name, Elaine, is my middle name and a family name on both sides. We pray she knows how much we cherish her.