Kristin McLendon: October 2009

Monday, October 26, 2009

Whatch you been cookin?

{I tried several times to make that title as incorrect as possible and make it look like what was coming out of my mouth--don't think it really worked, but I hope you got the idea!}

When Google Reader came into my life, it transformed my blog reading--I sometimes get so wrapped up in reading blogs though-I forget to blog on my own. But, one of the blogs I've enjoyed reading is called Kelly's Corner Blog. I especially like on Fridays, she has a series entitled "Show us your life." She puts it on her corner blog-then moves it over to the "Show us your life blog" so that we can all refer back to it easily...like today, when there was a recipe I wanted to show you!

The week my parents were here for the transplant, Kelly ran a "Show us your life Dinner Recipes" and I was quite grateful for new ideas! There were over 300 entries to her blog that I'm looking forward to trying a few, but that week I tried her suggestion. We liked it so much, I made it again this weekend and thought I just had to pass it on to all of you. So, if you like chicken and if you like your entire meal to be in one dish, here you go--click here to go directly to it. It's amazing. This is definitely a keeper in our family. Thanks Kelly!

So, to get back to our question of the day, "Whatch you been cookin?"

Labels: recipes

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Brave.

If you look up the definition of brave it states, "possessing or exhibiting courage." Can I tell you my definition of brave? How bout I show you my definition....

My Mom. And today is her birthday. And during this past year of her life she demonstrated to all of us a new level of brave. Most of you know the unconditional love she showed and the sacrifice she made--because you carried my family through that time with your thoughts and prayers--but I do want to pause today, on her special day, to recognize her. As she sacrificially gave a kidney to her brother just over a month ago, I watched a little woman under 5 feet tall walk in such a way of "possessing courage." She never once hesitated. She never once thought what this would mean for her. She challenged all of us to think about someone other than ourselves. And as they wheeled her into her hospital room following the surgery, she has never looked so beautiful.

Today we honor her. Robert and I are in a season of not being able to do much, but we asked the Lord to show us what we could do and this is what He showed us. Today mom, on your special day, we made a donation to the National Kidney Foundation in Honor of YOU. We share this here publicly to:

a) Honor You

b) to bring awareness to the National Kidney Foundation

c) to use your story to challenge others today to think how they may give to others

d) ask others to pray about supporting this cause as well. {If the Lord leads you, and you are interested in supporting the National Kidney Foundation, please click here for their Donation Site.}

Thank you Mom for setting such a high standard for all of us. May today be a day you feel honored and loved. May this year be a year full of overwhelming blessings and even more supernatural encounters with our Lord Jesus.

We love you oh so very much and wish more than anything we could be there to celebrate you on your special day.

Love,

Robert & Kristin

Labels: family

Monday, October 19, 2009

So long 20's, you were good to me....

I'll admit right from the start, this idea is not my own, but one I will gladly "borrow." :) Last week, Beth Moore's daughter, Amanda, turned 30 and she gave tribute to her 20's. Her blog made me start pondering over my own 20's and realized that they were really good to me...and thought they were even blog worthy. I started my 20's as lost as lost could be and they became a journey of becoming a lover of Jesus.

So, in the remaining hours of my 20's, I pay tribute to you, because you truly were life changing.

Here we go:

Age 20: At the University of Georgia, I was the true definition of rebellious and "enjoying" (enjoying actually meant miserable because I was filling the voids in my life with worldly things) life at one of the top 5 party schools in the nation. During my 20th year, I lost my Grandma Billie--the first of my grandparents to pass away and I lost my dear friend Katie, and it shook me. Life as it was, was no longer okay.

Age 21: Surrendered my life to the love of my friend Katie's life, Jesus....and He became the Love of my life.

Age 22: This year marked me as who I was to become and one I will never forget! This year was spent at the feet of Jesus. I found myself on Leadership at Wesley, leading Freshman girls. I also went on my first mission trip ever and it was to Costa Rica. I graduated from TheUniversity of Georgia this year. GO DAWGS!

Age 23: Headed to Costa Rica for 3 months to live with an amazing family and work with teenage prostitutes. It was during these 3 months the Lord gave me specific dreams and visions of what was next--so at the end of 3 months, I boarded a plane and headed back to Richmond Hill (that small hometown I said I would never go back to--Jesus has a sense of humor and oh, how I love that place now, 7 years later!). Within a few months I took on the role of Youth Minister at RHUMC.

Age 24: Went to my first ever OneThing Conference--and it marked me, again. The Bridegroom Message pierced my heart and I left that conference never the same. Actually, that was the year "ruined" became a common word in my vocabulary. Jesus became my Husband and I fell in love. I also LED my first ever mission trips this year--and they were to Guatemala and to the rural north Georgia mountains. I lost my Granddaddy at the end of this summer. I miss both him and my Grandma Billie dearly and wish they both could see who I've become.

Age 25: I almost died this year. Seriously. Food poisoning in a third world country will put you in and out of the hospital in that country and back home for 8 weeks....but it will allow you to see things in a new light and from a new perspective. Leading mission trips this year took me to Costa Rica and Arcadia, Florida to do Hurricane Relief. This year is also a special year, as it's the year Robert and I worked together for the first time. Only Jesus knew then that it'd be a lifetime partnership! :) {cheese, I know!}

Age 26: I actually turned 26 while in Waveland, Mississippi {my birth state!}, sleeping in a semi-truck that had been converted and had bunk beds in it, leading an adult team (that was a new adventure for me) that was doing hurricane Katrina relief. Wouldn't have had it any other way! A few months later, my dear friend Heidi and I tracked half way around the world to Romania together to spend the Christmas season with those less fortunate than ourselves. That summer we put International missions aside and I led a team of 60 to do Hurricane Katrina relief back in Gulfport, Mississippi. 26 was a good year--a year the Lord used to rebuild my physical strength! This is also the age the Lord showed me who my husband was and he began to pursue me.

Age 27: I got engaged!!! YAY!!!! And well planned a wedding! This Summer is also the summer we launched "Missions In Our Own Backyard" and actually had a mission trip in Richmond Hill which was really exciting. We also had a mission trip to Honduras--which means it was the age that I almost died--again. You've read the blogs (if you haven't click here) and well--it was life altering. Kelli's song puts it best and I encourage you to read the lyrics here. I also lost a dear friend this year, Ms. Ashlee Kraft. I still miss her oh, so much.

Age 28: I GOT MARRIED!!!! Yeah, um. And I went to Rome. Rome, Italy for my honeymoon!!!!! I could say enough said. But as this was one of the most joyful years, it quickly became one of the most painful, as the Lord showed me my 5 years in Richmond Hill were coming to an end. For the complete story, you can click here, but to make a long story short, I fell in love with those kids. 5 years will do that to you. And to tell them I was leaving ripped my heart out. I still love them. I still miss them. But Jesus is faithful. And still the One I'm head over heels in love with, and where He says go, I go. I finished out my last Summer in Richmond Hill and led one more trip to Costa Rica, New Orleans and had one more go around of "Missions In Our Own Back Yard" in Richmond Hill, then had my last day as Youth Minister in the Hill. Before moving, I stood next to my baby sister as she married her high school sweetheart, and then 2 days later, Robert and I uprooted all we knew and moved to Marietta/Kennesaw, Georgia and RiverStone Church.

Age 29: Hm--I became an adult--because I paid off my car! That makes you an adult right? :) 29 was an interesting year of many ups and downs and relearning my identity in who I am in Jesus. I survived my very first RiverStone Summer Camp--of 300 youth going passionately after Jesus and I'm grateful the Lord has me apart of such a bigger picture that I can't see just yet. I've been learning that He created me to be ME and that one statement might not sound much to you, but it means everything to me right now. 29 has also been a year that I've settled down (did I just say that?) and I learned how to be a wife, which I think is a good thing. :)

So, here we are....minutes away from 30. 62 minutes to be exact. And I come in expectancy of great things that the Lord has for me. There are many friendships and relationships that made my 20's possible that I couldn't even begin to contain in one blog, so this is one big thank you note--to ALL of you. Thank you for investing in me. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for not only loving me, but loving me well. Thank you for holding my hand, helping me keep my chin up, wiping away the tears, holding me when holding was needed, for the hugs, for the laughter, for helping me lead, for being my behind the scenes team that allows me to walk in who Jesus has called me to be, and for helping me walk into my 30's gracefully! :) You have my heart!

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Where there's a pumpkin....

It will be found!

Last week I was craving....

cooler weather

hot apple cider

pumpkins

leaves changing

scarves

And I got in Richmond Hill....

record highs of 91

wearing sun dresses

flip flops

sweating

humidity

But lot's of celebrating of my little man River

and early celebrating of the number 30

so it made it all worth it

This weekend I got....

40 degrees

leaves changing

left the house with a scarf

had to stop and purchase during our day

a hat and gloves

was grateful I put on my cuddle buds

an apple festival

was thinking of my friend heidi and our

bathroom experience in romania

was going to go hiking

but decided it was too cold...

so we drove to the top of the mountain

found a pumpkin patch

got a pumpkin...two actually

one my size (cost $3), one robert's (cost $7)

came home to our house being 59 degrees.

But it was the PERFECT day

of quality time with my husband.

No worries.

Pictures will come soon I promise.

of both weekends--

and more detailed blogs about both weekends.

But just had to let you know the contrast.

Because I think my body is in culture shock.

Good Night Friends.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Yes, yes I am.

A few weeks back my sweet hubby hijacked our blog. Now, he is an "author" on our blog--so I couldn't report it as stolen...but it is a rare occasion that he writes. I don't even think the word "rare" is appropriate. "Never" isn't appropriate either, since this hijacking made I think contribution to the blog #2, but it's more appropriate than rare.

All that rambling to say, if you missed it, at about 2am one Saturday night a few weeks back, my husband decided to write a blog (it's here if you missed it). I was sound asleep-completely oblivious. Still oblivious the next morning. Still had no clue all through middle school extravaganza that Sunday morning. Sunday lunch was good-still no clue nor a peep from him.

Then finally during the teeny tiny ounce of time we get on Sunday to sit still, I pulled the forever faithful MacBook into my lap, opened up Google Reader and lo and behold, there it was.

I cried. Like big girl tears just rolled down my cheeks. Then I started reading all of your comments and I cried again.

I have many weeks and random thoughts that I need to blog on (not to mention a season that might or might not make it on the blog--just being honest) because in case you've noticed or maybe haven't--there hasn't been much blogging going on around here.

I have also had many times lately that there has been an outpouring of your love for me that has just overwhelmed me--and I will blog about those. Soon, I promise. But this one, specific blog is to thank my precious husband. I would not have made it through this season with out you. To quote a really good friend of mine that looked at me lately and said, "Aren't you glad you have Robert and you don't have to go through this alone?" Yes, yes I am. I thank Jesus every day for you. I don't know what I would do without you. I do know I wouldn't have made it these last few weeks without you. I love you.

Date Night, October 2nd, thanks to a gift card from our friend Kelli we went to Macaroni Grill, then went browsing at Barnes and Nobles! :) It was a perfect night!

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

We can't imagine our lives without you...

RIVER!

It was one year ago today that you graced us with your life! I will never forget the day your mama told me she was expecting you. This was such joyous news and we eagerly anticipated your arrival. For the next 9 months we dreamed about you. We dreamed about what you would look like. We seemed to know from the very beginning that you would be a boy who would become a man's man like your daddy....and we called you "Little Olive" in reference to Psalm 128:3, "Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table."

Upon learning you were going to be River Caiden we have dreamed and prayed very specific prayers for you. That you would not only know of this Man Jesus that your parents speak of to you--that you would know Him and love Him with every ounce of your being. We pray and believe that you are going to be a very God fearing man that Jesus uses "For His Kingdom Come."

We love you River Caiden. We love you with all that we have. We love being a part of your life. We love seeing you grow. We love seeing all your "firsts." You are an amazing young boy already. We see strength in you. We see characteristics already that God is going to use in a mighty, mighty way.

We can't wait to celebrate with you this Saturday!

Happy First Birthday River!

Love,

Uncle Robert & Aunt Kristin

Labels: River

Monday, October 5, 2009

Happy Birthday Timothy!

Please excuse the--we look rough--Monday (not to mention where blogger decided to freeze our faces) look --and enjoy this video for a very, very special young man!

Side Note-the man of many words decided to say after the video he met you at the age of 6ish--sorry it was me that met you at the age of 12/13! :) You know you love us!

**For those of you receiving this in a reader/email and can't view the video--click here to see it!

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Very, Very Excited About...

THIS COUPLE!!!

Please meet the new

Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Haley

(aka Shua and Jordan)

**Don't know who the random guy is in the background!

The beautiful cake:

I know this pics a little fuzzy--but I love Shua's expression!

We love Shua and Jordan! We realized today that this is our first RiverStone wedding and not only that, our first wedding of new friends the Lord has brought to us in this new chapter in our lives! We loved being a part of their special day today, as this couple is very, very special. It was a very fun wedding and the type of wedding that we were all doing fine till the GROOM started crying! Then we all lost it. Oh, such a precious moment!!! Regarding this couple, Daniel summed it up well when we he started the celebration service with, "Hell is angry, Heaven is rejoicing in this moment. The couple before us is dangerous!" Amen and Amen!

Thank you Shua and Jordan for being such incredible people on a path to make HIS name known. Y'all are beautiful and we loved being there to celebrate with you today!

Labels: weddings

Friday, October 2, 2009

Mr. and Mrs. Luke Goddard

As promised from this post (and some of you mentioned that you've seen this video before--you probably have, because TLC actually picked it up and aired it on their network!) here are a few pictures from part two of our back to back weekend wedding extravaganza. (If you missed part one-click here).

If you had to ask me who Robert's best friend is, I would say, Luke Goddard. This is a man that Robert talks of often and I know he misses greatly. It was a huge honor for Robert to stand by his side as Luke became a husband.

Everything about this couple reflects how they love Jesus. The Rehearsal Dinner was nothing but speech after speech giving glory and honor for how they both know and love this Man Jesus. There was an 80% chance of rain on their wedding day-for their outdoor wedding-but I believe Jesus parted the skies and it was a beautiful day just for them! It was an honor just to be there.

Here are a few pics of this fantabulous weekend!

At the Rehearsal Dinner:

Cole, Robert, Luke and John.

I'm a details kinda girl and LOVED all of Drew's little touches that made this wedding absolutely marvelous: (And when your husband is in the bridal party you have time to take pictures of the little details while he's off taking official pictures!)

They had already moved the chairs on this side by the time I got to capture the picture, but I love the colors of the ribbons!

I like trees. I like taking pictures of trees. I especially like taking pictures of trees with pretty ribbons tied around them!

This is where they stood to say "I do"!!

Um. I joke a lot about finding a hole and staying there. If I ever go missing--this might just be where you can find me.

And finally--the beautiful, Mr. and Mrs. Luke Goddard:

The very beautiful Bridal Party:

Us:

Robert & His Mom:

Robert and his friend Michael Walker:

The beautiful cakes:

Robert & the Groom:

I met these people for the first time during the wedding weekend, but can I just say I love them! Travis & Charis Spann. Travis officiated the wedding and we had the privilege of sitting with them and Mr. Charlie Walker at the Rehearsal Dinner and we had a fabulous evening with them. I feel our paths will cross again with this sweet couple:

John and I-He was one of our groomsman and one of Robert's really good friends! This pics just for you John!

Robert & His boys-John and Kyle (both in our wedding too!)

And they are off-for a week long honeymoon in Hawaii!

Congratulations Luke & Drew! We are so excited for you. We love the way you love Jesus and we are so excited for how He is going to use the two of you together for His Kingdom.

Luke, thank you for being my husbands best friend. Thank you for loving him well. I know he wouldn't be the person he is today with out you.