Kristin McLendon

Kristin McLendon: June 2008

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Personal Prayer Request...

I am working Chrysalis this weekend...please pray for the 18 girls on the flight. If I can be selfish and ask that you would pray for me, I give a talk on Friday at about 12:55pm. :-) Please also pray as Robert and I are apart that we would be renewed and refreshed by His Holy Spirit!

posted by Kristin @ June 19, 2008 0 Comments

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Here I am, Lord

This is the article I wrote for this week's newsletter, The HillTopper. Thought I would share it with all of you!

Here I Am, Lord
If you know me well, you know I do not believe in coincidences. I see the Lord’s plan in things when things seem to “happen for a reason.” Sunday was June 15th which marked eight years since I lost my dear friend Katie Brookshire. If you’ve heard any part of my testimony, you know the beginning of it starts with the death of my friend. I was not a Christian until Katie died and I looked at this friends life and said, “I want the peace and the joy that Katie had.” It took a little while to surrender my entire worldly life to the Lord, but I eventually came whole heartedly before the Lord wanting every bit of Him to fill every ounce of my being.

So about coincidences, on Sunday we sang the song “Here I Am, Lord.” Most would think that we sung this song due to the content of Rev. Bill’s sermon…but I knew it was for Katie, or a gentle reminder from the Lord to me of the calling on my life. I’m not quite sure why I associate this song with Katie…I always have. I don’t know if we sang it at her funeral or I heard it in the weeks after, but every time I hear the song, I hear Katie’s voice saying, “Here I Am, Lord.” You see, Katie lived her life in such a way that you knew she loved Jesus. Katie was the first example to me that being a Christian was so much more than going to church on Sunday morning (which was my mentality up to this point). Katie had a relationship, something I knew nothing about.

Since beginning my own relationship with Jesus the cry of my heart has been and I pray over the last five years you have been witness to it, “Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.” My prayer for you today, even if you didn’t know Katie, a beloved child of God, that you would be encouraged to look deep within. Do you have this relationship that Jesus desires us all to have? Do you desire to hear His voice calling in the night? And would your response be, “I will go, Lord, if you lead me?”

posted by Kristin @ June 18, 2008 2 Comments

Monday, June 16, 2008

Celebrating Robert!

Where I come from, birthdays are a big deal, so I kept asking Robert if he was ready for his birthday weekend! And boy was it a weekend! I woke him up Thursday morning with a birthday candle in sweet rolls...then we left on Thursday right after he got off work (he wasn't too happy about having to work on his actual birthday) and we headed to Perry. It was there that we celebrated with family and one of Ms. Nancy's wonderful cakes. We also shared congratulatory hugs with Marynan and Todd as they just got engaged and are getting married in November!


Friday morning we headed to Atlanta to start our search for a home that we knew the Lord already had picked out for us. We met up with a dear friend of mine from college and her husband and they gave us the grand tour of Marrietta...which included lunch at the Australian Bakery...yum! I think I can get use to find all these new little and different places to eat! We then headed to Buckhead where we were staying the night and got ready for dinner. Our hotel room had a lantern on it which I'll let Ms. Nancy come up with the biblical meaning in that one. :-) Then we headed to Dante's Down the Hatch where we had fondue and a night of jazz!











Saturday morning we headed back north to Kennesaw where we met up with Cory (who I will be working with come August) and his wife Ann Marie. They gave us the great tour of Kennesaw and treated us to a great lunch and great fellowship. The very end of the day we found the apartment Jesus had ordained for us...but I am going to leave those details for Robert to post in another blog...since he is much more entertaining with words than I am!

We drove on home Saturday night and went to church at RHUMC Sunday morning. Then we headed over to my parents house for a quick Father's Day lunch before my dad went off to take his test in the simulator and my mom headed to Atlanta (didn't we just come from there?) We celebrated Dad and then had a surprise for Robert. I didn't even know about this one....






It was a great weekend of celebrating with friends and family...and as Robert kept saying, "it's great to be alive" after all my tears of last week. Sunday we also celebrated being married for 6 months. Hard to believe it's been 6 months already!!

posted by Kristin @ June 16, 2008 2 Comments

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

One year ago today...






So I have to admit that this week has been a really hard week. I've only cried twice...one time harder than the other...the second time just simple tear drops...it's been a week of coming off a mission trip that which is always full of emotions...but a week of remembering. On Monday, June 9th it was one year ago that our friend Ashlee passed away. We didn't find out about it until returning home on June 13th and then I went into youth leader mode of consoling kids...and as I've thought I've dealt with things...it's one year later that I'm realizing maybe I haven't.

Today is one year ago that our Honduras mission team was involved in our accident..when a semi truck slammed into the school bus that was carrying our team. Last night as I lay in the arms of my husband, he just held me and allowed the tears to fall. I still ask, "what was God's plan in all of that?" I'm wondering now how I survived. Honestly....how did I survive physically and emotionally?

Ever since becoming a follower of Jesus....which was a direct result of my friend Katie passing away...which will be 8 years ago this Sunday...I have clung to the verse of Romans 8:28. I often refer to this verse as Katie's verse. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

We know God uses everything...everything. That's so hard to grasp my little mind and heart around...but everything. Even when I don't understand it. Even when I don't see the purpose. Even when I wake up having flash backs of screaming and flying through the air. Even when I get overwhelmed with emotion and just start to cry. ....I have to believe that their is a purpose. I have to believe that God has used this in my life and the lives of my kids. I have to believe that somehow God used this to bring His people closer to Him...and in that I will cling to Him.

So today...tears and all....as my husband looks at me and says, "Today we are celebrating." I look at him like he's crazy and say why? He says, "Because we are alive."

In closing for today, I'm going to share with you the words our dear beloved worship leader Kelli wrote in response to this day a year ago. May it remind you of how gloroius our Jesus is.

"To Be Alive"
1 Truck.
1 Bus.
29 passengers laughing as they talk about their day.
The bus driver screams
They're thrown from their seats
The semi slams and metal shrieks along its way.
You're thrown on the grass
As the sounds of breaking glass
Pierce through your ears awaking your worst fears.
You can't breathe.
You can't see.
Can you feel anything?
Can this be real?
God, can this be happening?
You open your eyes;
You're alive
And you don't know why.
You just stare, and then you stand and walk away.
You're alive.
You're alive!
And it feels like it's for the first time
You can see what it means just to be here.
Just the chance to glance
Just once more the joys of the world
And to give a little more than you've given.
And you'll try to find
All there is to life
Cause you know what it means
To be alive.
Back at home, the sun seems brighter.
You hug a little tighter
Embracing every smile that comes your way.
You love a little deeper,
Cause life's a little sweeter
When you see the glory in each day.
You're alive.
You're alive!
And it feels like it's for the first time
You can see what it means just to be here.
Just the chance to glance
Just once more the joys of the world
And to give a little more than you've given.
And you'll try to find
All there is to life
Cause you know what it means
You shouldn't be here;
You shouldn't feel this.
You shouldn't even know how great life is.
But you are here.
Yeah, you are here.
And you realize through the sweet taste of tears
There's a reason;
There's a purpose.
And God's telling you somewhere beneath the surface
You belong here.
You belong here.
You belong here.
You belong here.
You're alive.
You're alive!
And you know that it's for the first time
You can see what it means just to be here.
Just the chance to glance
If just once more, the joys of the world
And to give a little more than you've given.
And you'll try to find all there is to life
Cause you know what it means
What it means just to be
Now you know what it means
To be alive.

posted by Kristin @ June 11, 2008 0 Comments

Monday, June 9, 2008

Robert & Abigail

In response to Robert's blog on our child Abigail while I was gone, I thought it warranted a response. Here are some pictures of the two of them only moments ago...as you can see, Abigail makes even funnier noises than what her mom makes towards her when Robert picks her up...if only you could hear the squealing that came from her when he was holding her....she was happy her mom came home and made her familiar clicking noises. It's music to her ears!

posted by Kristin @ June 09, 2008 1 Comments

Sunday, June 8, 2008

We're Home!

Check out our New Orleans blog to see details...I promise to update more later...I have to process things first!!!

http://rhumcyouthinneworleans.blogspot.com/

posted by Kristin @ June 08, 2008 0 Comments

Saturday, June 7, 2008

My Dog Skip (or just my cat, Abigail)

So... This past week my wonderful wife has taken a mission team to New Orleans - the land of opportunity... right. Anyway, I've had quite some time to think and talk with myself. I've also taken to talking to Abigail, the cat.

When I talk to Abigail, I find that she is not like most cats. If she likes you (which is from time to time with me) she will come when you call her. The funny thing about Abigail is that she does not respond to whistling or the common "come here girl." You see Abigail has been raised with a slight handicap - to no fault of her own. You see, Kristin does not know how to whistle. So Abigail won't respond to a simple whistle - you're not alone Marynan.

Abigail responds to certain wavelengths of sound. One call that can be produced to arouse her attention is to smile with teeth exposed, separate the jaws a little bit, press your tongue to the roof of your mouth and blow air out. Try it. Most animals would look at you funny, but Abigail knows that it is a natural "call of the wild" for her.

Another way to get a response from Abigail is to make several clicking noises with your mouth. Sort of comparable to many African tribes that use the "click" language. Abigail would go nuts on an African safari just by being around the people.

The most affective way I've found to call Abigail is rattle her food bucket. It always elicits a response.

(Mom - do you see a Godly, Biblical lesson in this?)

posted by Robert @ June 07, 2008 1 Comments