Light the Darkness

The Cycle of Life

We drove to Branson on Friday night to spend a week with Belinda's family.  We look forward to our time together annually.  We were headed back to the resort where we were staying when Belinda got the call from Jeremy.  Jesi's water broke and they were on their way to the hospital.  What to do?

Since it was 1 am we decided to pack the car and then get some sleep before jumping back in the car for the trip back to KC.   We made it in around 12:30.  While we waited for Jesi to push I decided to go see my dad who was in room 403.  He was doing much better, in fact he was sitting on the edge of the bed eating.  The Social Worker had just dropped off paperwork for the power of attorney.  My Mom, my Dad and I had a good long discussion about what to do at the end of his life.  He is ready to go and doesn't want heroic measures taken if his condition is irreversible.  It was comforting and inspiring to hear him discuss life and life after death.

It was surreal to be having that conversation knowing that just one floor above a new Kendall was minutes from being born.  Landon Michael Kendall made his grand entrance to the world at 2:48 p.m. weighing in at 6 lbs 13.5 oz and 19" long.  He is a cutie of course!  He looks so much like Jeremy did at birth.  I'm so proud of Jesi and Jeremy.  They handled everything with joy and class.  It is great to be a grandpa.  I was so excited when I posted my Twitter about the birth I left out the 6 out of 6 lbs so what was there was 13.5--people thought that was one huge baby!  No, just one grandpa needed texting lessons. 

You can find Belinda's version of the day by going to her page.  I don't have pics because I have a borrowed computer but I'm sure there will be many later so check back in a day.  I'm going to bed because we are going back to Branson in the morning.  Jeremy told us to go enjoy the Barkers because Landon will be waiting for us here when we return.  What a mature daddy!

God is Good!

Gary Kendall 

Happy Mother's Day

It was great to have my Mother at our home on Mother's Day.  We haven't been together on Mother's Day since 2000.  It was fun to have her, and Belinda, and Jesi who is pregnant.  There were lots of gifts, stories and laughter.  My Mom and Kristen worked on a key lime pie that turned out delicious.  Josh wants us to note that he helped with the garnish :) 

Belinda  shared tonight at the service at Indian Creek.  It was very good. She talked about how to know you are a person of value.  You have value because God says you do.  It goes beyond appearance, performance, income, titles or accomplishments.  Belinda shared her time with a young lady named Melissa Elliott.  Melissa lost her husband, Chris, a couple of years ago in an auto accident.  Melissa told about what she's learned and how God has stood beside her during these years.  It was very touching and meaningful.  All in all it was a great day!

Oh, and one more thing, Bridget Taylor, from Triiilogy,  sang the song "Momism's" to the tune of the William Tell Overture.  It was incredible, funny and challenging to sing but she did a super job.  Thanks so much!

Gary Kendall  

What a Difference!

Every so often there are events that could go drastically different than they do.  We had one of those today.  I was downstairs getting ready to watch the KU vs Temple game.  My dad, who is 73, started down a set of 12 stairs to our basement.  He put his hand on the rail and then tripped.  I heard his cane come flying down down the stairs and a large crash.  I ran to the stairs to see my day upside down hanging from the rail for all he was worth.  I ran up the stairs and supported his head and back until he could let go and get turned around.  We got him down the stairs just fine.  It is a good thing he got a good grip on the handrail or we would have been headed to the Emergency Room or worse.

Once my dad was comfortably settled in the easy chair I thanked God and reflected on what a difference a handrail can make.  It could have been life changing.  Isn't God good.  I bet if we could know everything that could have happened to us at any one point in time we might be surprised to see the care we receive.  I know there are bad things that happen to us but perhaps they are only a fraction of what could happen.  I praise God for his providence today!

Christmas Guests

My parents, Paul and Ruthie Kendall, got in today from Coos Bay, OR.  The average annual temp in their hometown is 65 so our weather was a rather rude greeting.  But we spent ten years in Alaska so snow, ice and cold isn't new.  We are looking forward to our time together.  They can stay until December 26.  We haven't been together very often since we got married because both of our families have been in ministry and Christmas Eve is a very important time for churches.  I think we've been together three times in the nearly thirty years since I got married.  So this is a real treat for us.  We are hoping to entice them to move to Kansas so help us treat them well.  I know you will.  They love Indian Creek and I know many of you love them.  Thanks for treating our family like your own family. 

Oh Christmas Tree

On Saturday night we loaded up the CD player and started putting up the Christmas decorations.  The tree was the first.  Belinda and I got the tree put together just fine.  I plugged in all the lights and one of the preset strands of lights would not work.  It took over an hour to get that strand off.  Then there was a trip to Home Depot and a new line of lights was in place.  However, we didn't argue one time and we worked together wonderfully!  It was a Christmas miracle!  You probably think I'm joking but I think we set a record this year for the fewest arguments putting up the Christmas decorations--none.  It went really well :)  We ran out of time on Saturday night.

So after the Creek@Night I finished getting most of the other decorations out.  The various decorations bring back so many good memories of Christmas past.  Belinda caught up on some work so it was back to the Christmas music, Third Day, Hillsongs, Vineyard Christmas, and Wow's double CD reminded me why I love the season.  God's precious gift of love to us grows more meaningful to me every year.   

These next two days Belinda and I are going on a retreat with 19 other Pastors and leaders from Olathe.  We are going to pray, get to know each other and listen to what God would say to us as a people.  What a great way to start the Christmas season.  I don't know what kind of access I'll have to the Internet but I'm hoping to get a great connection to God.

Gary Kendall

Happy Birthday Jeremy

Jeremy wanted to go to the Kansas vs Texas football game for his birthday.  He picked the coldest day of the fall, it even snowed some, but we had a great time. Unfortunately the Kansas football team didn't have a good day.  Texas was considerably bigger in size and faster too.  The Jayhawks stayed with them for a half but that was it.  Texas won 35-7.  We stayed until the end by the way.

Birthdays are good milestones to remember where you were a year ago.  I've seen Jeremy grow so much as a husband, a son, a brother, a worker and as a follower of God.  I'm proud of him.  It is fun to watch him grow up.  It is a privilege to be his dad.

We celebrated Kristen and Jeremy's birthday the night before at Houlihans, I'll write about her in a separate blog.  Belinda put some pics up on her blog.

 

 

Happy Birthday Mom

My Mom, Ruthie Kendall, is an awesome mother, wife, speaker, singer, student and friend.  She was born in Pearsal, TX, to Bill and Viola Collins.  Bill was the Mayor of Pearsal.  Mom was the fourth and youngest daughter.  She was the Salutation of her class, ran track, played the piano and sang.  She felt led to go into ministry so she attended the South Texas Bible Institute, in Houston, TX, where she met my dad, Paul.  They were good friends before they dated.  My Mom asked my Dad out on a date once just to make another guy jealous (she later revealed).  The date went so well it led to another and eventually to marriage.

The next year Mom dropped out of college so she could give birth to me!  We lived in Houston for a couple more years and then my parents felt called to lead a church in McAllen, TX.  She gave birth to my brother, Brad, while we lived there.  When I was six they accepted an invitation to lead a small mission church in Anchorage, AK.  There my Mom raised two boys, worked outside the home, led the choir, directed the worship service, taught classes and prayed like a saint.  My Mom makes meeting with God for prayer, Bible study and worship a priority to this day.  She was the consummate Pastor's Wife and the Proverbs 31 woman. 

My Mom and Dad led churches in Texas, Alaska, Kansas, California and Oregon where they live today.  She's been a faithful wife and strong leader in every church where they ministered.  A decade ago she began to be invited to lead women's conferences.  She also has been a regional coordinator of the Women of the Church of God for about the same amount of time.  She went back to school and graduated from Mid-America Christian University fifty years after she started.  She has many talents including singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" backwards. 

I could go on and on but I'll conclude by saying that a guy couldn't have a better Mom.  She is wise, loving, joyful, godly and sensitive to others and to the Holy Spirit.  I feel truly privileged.  Have a very happy birthday Mom--and many more.

A Birthday in Heaven

August 5 is a bittersweet day for us.  Sweet because it is the birthday of our youngest daughter, Megan.  Bitter because she isn't here to celebrate it and we miss her.  That doesn't mean that we aren't happy for her that she is already in heaven celebrating life eternal with Jesus and the host of heaven, we are.  We just miss her in a very human way. 

We are glad and feel privileged God entrusted her to us.  We've learned a ton from the experience we've had with grief and we are better for it.  That doesn't mean we don't miss her.  Oh, I think I already said that a couple of times.  Megan's short life was full of joy.  And even on the night she left earth for heaven she hardly complained so we had little to no warning she had viral pneumonia.  Even the doctor missed it.  Do we second guess ourselves?  Who wouldn't?  But we've let that go and choose to focus on the fact that we had Megan, and even if it was only 21 months, it was a rich and joyful time. 

Cherish the time with your loved ones.  We never know how long we will have.  If you read this and think about the Kendall family today pray with us to thank God for Megan's life and pray that we will have the emotional health necessary to press on in times like these.  Thanks for standing with us.

Please Pray for My Dad

My mom asked that I request prayer for my father, Paul Kendall.  He has some kind of bursitis or tendinitis in his elbow and it is causing terrific pain.  He says it is as painful or more than anything else he has had which is saying a lot.  At times the pain is so strong he doesn't know or comprehend his surroundings.  My mother is devoting nearly all her time to caring for him.  She isn't complaining and it is a labor of love but please pray with us for his healing.  Thank you.

They are moving toward putting their home on the market so when you pray for them please ask for a quick sale and for full price.  While we are asking we might as well ask BIG!  I know God cares about that which is important to us and I think it honors Him for us to ask specifically. I'm glad to know you are praying with us.  Thanks.

Back

We had a 5 am wakeup call to leave Monterrey.  After a drive across town in the dark we turned in our car and made it to the airport by 6:30 right on time.  We flew to Houston and had a layover then we flew back home to KC.  It is good to be home!  Now I can be a nurse to Belinda and catch up on the work I missed.  I had very limited access to email but as I read through them today I am so pleased with the way Indian Creek is working, serving and ministering.  And of course a church is only as good as the people who make it up so that means you are the ones making it happen.  Thank you!  I couldn't head off to Mexico to perform a wedding for one of our members if there wasn't such a solid base.  You are a joy to serve.

The night before we left we took some pictures at Chipinque.  We have many good memories there of times with our students.  It was also the place where Kristen and Jessica got lost while hiking down the mountain.  We split our group up that day so there were only two adult sponsors.  Mary Davey was with a young girl who was having a physical problem that later required us to take her to the hospital.  I couldn't go up the mountain to look for Kristen because I had to stay with the rest of the group.  It was getting dark at the time so I had to make a choice, stay with the kids and help the majority.  Or go after two, one of which was my daughter.  It reminded me of what God did in giving up His own son to save us (only on a MUCH smaller scale).  God provided when a Mexican couple on a hike ran across the two young teens (at that time) and as God would have it, they spoke English and were able to guide them out just as it got dark.  Praise God!

Driving up there last night reminded me of God's faithfulness.  What a mighty God we serve!