Kendall Explains It All

Family and friends always ask us how Kendall does on mission trips. We thought it might be more fun if we answer this from her perspective instead of ours. We asked friends and family to send us their questions. Here goes!

1. What is your favorite part about going on mission trips? 

Kendall: Well, my favorite part about mission trips is playing with the kids. 

2. What is your least favorite part about going on mission trips?

Kendall: In Africa I didn't like most of the food. I don't like nshima or cabbage. 

3. Why do you think it's important to go?

Kendall: Because Jesus calls us. 

4. What do you look forward to doing?

Kendall: Hmmmm... Well, when I was in the airplane I was looking forward to learning what the kids do around there.

5. Did you like Africa or Haiti better?

Kendall: Both. In Africa, I liked hanging out with my friends. In Haiti, I liked playing games with the kids. 

6. How do you feel about seeing children your age living in impoverished conditions?

Kendall: What does impoverished mean? Well, I feel sad for them. 

7. What do you think about how children in other countries interact with each other and their family members? 

Kendall: In Haiti, the kids would fight over fruit and throw rocks at each other because they were hungry. I haven't seen that happen here. 

8. Do you ever need alone time?

Kendall: Yes, I would go inside and take breaks.

9. Do you like trying new foods?

Kendall: Yes!

10. What country would you like to go to next?

Kendall: Oh, that is a hard question! Let's see... West Virginia.

11. What was your favorite food that you tried in another country?

Kendall: In Haiti I liked the chicken and red beans with rice. 

12. What was your least favorite food that you tried in another country? 

Kendall:  Maheu. 

13. Is there anything that people do/cultural practices in other countries that you wish were part of American culture too?

Kendall: Eat their food. 

14. Would you like to learn other languages?

Kendall: I want to!

15. Which languages?

Kendall: All of them!

16. What are the most funny things that you have experienced in other countries? 

Kendall: Laventa, (in Haiti) was the teacher and you had to do what she said or she spanked you with a stick. However, I had no idea what she was saying. She tried to spank me a lot. I had to tell her pa touché! (Don't touch!)

17. What would you tell someone who is afraid to leave the U.S.?

Kendall: Well, I would say that I was scared to go to Africa and Haiti. I got over it by going to those places and learning that they weren't scary. 

18. What would you tell someone who is worried that they might get sick or hurt on a mission trip?

Kendall: I would tell them to pray about it. If they get sick they should pray to God that they feel better. Sometimes, there are doctors and medicine in other counties that would make them feel better. They could bring medicine with them if the airporters let them. 

19. Can you talk to the children without any problem?

Kendall: Yes, sometimes they understand me. 

20. Is there anything else you would like to say?

Kendall: I don't like how they treat dogs in other countries, but they aren't pets like they are in America.

Shelfie: Nobody's Cuter than You by Melanie Shankle

Book Description: There is nothing as precious in life as a friend who knows you and loves you in spite of yourself. Yet over the last couple of decades, we’ve substituted the joy of real friendship with cheap imitations. We settle for “community” on Facebook and Twitter and a series of text messages that allow us to communicate with someone without the commitment. We like each other’s beautifully filtered photos on Instagram and delude ourselves into believing we have a community. But real friendship requires effort. It’s showing up, laughing loud, and crying hard. It’s forgiving and loving and giving the benefit of the doubt. It’s making a casserole, doing a carpool pickup, and making sure she knows those cute shoes are 50 percent off. Written in the same comedic style as the New York Times bestsellers Sparkly Green Earrings and The Antelope in the Living Room, Nobody’s Cuter than You is a laugh-out-loud look at the special bond that exists between friends and a poignant celebration of all the extraordinary people God had the good sense to bring into our lives at exactly the right moments. From the friendships we develop over a lifetime to the ones that wounded us and the ones that taught us to love better, Melanie Shankle reveals the influence our friends have on who we were, who we are, and who we will become. And on a day when our jeans feel too tight, our chins have decided to embrace hormone-related acne reminiscent of our teen years, and our kids have tested the limits of our sanity, they are the ones who will look at us and say, “Nobody’s cuter than you!”

Book review: It's true that we live in culture where we can get by exchanging "likes" and "emojis" on social media and text messages and be "friends". It's weak and shallow. We have no commitment and no accountability that way. This synthetic type of friendship can't hold a candle to real friendship. Melanie's book is a memoir about the beauty of friendship. You get to read about how Melanie's friendships have shaped her life. We all need those people who love us in spite of ourselves, and to some we are those people. I loved this book about the beauty of friendship and faith. People who add to your life and can speak into it because you've done life together. People who have a front row seat to your life and you to theirs. People who you've been vulnerable with and can point you back to God when you need it. 

I have a new favorite book! If you're a female and have friends you need this book! I laughed and cried my way through this book. You get to follow along Melanie's life reminiscing her friendships all the while remembering your own. There were multiple times that my husband or daughter came into the room where I was reading to ask me what was so funny! I would not recommend reading this book in public. It may result in people seeing the ugly face you make when you cry. Maybe you're into that sort of thing- I'm not. Don't forget your tissues! My one regret about this book is that after such a descriptive narration of their hair for Tiff's wedding there was no picture. I'm just saying...

Reader’s Note: I received this book from Tyndale Publishers in exchange for this honest review.

Where the Mean Things Are

It was a regular Tuesday night at church teaching kids about missions. All the kids where running around like crazy playing, including our daughter Kendall. All of sudden she ran to me. She hugged me tight as tears spilled over her face. She was telling me something, but I couldn't understand the words coming out of her mouth. When it finally was comprehensible she told me her friend was mean to her, had pushed her, and said she didn't want to play with her.

Ugh. Drama. It's the worst.

I wanted to retaliate for my girl. I wanted to pick up a battle that wasn't mine to bear.

I had two options. I could follow my flesh and take the low road. Which only results in breeding more drama. Teaching Kendall to take the low road.

Or, I could take the high road. Which is hard, not well traveled, and not what I wanted to do. But Jesus would.

But Jesus. 

I don't want to teach Kendall to be like me. I want to teach her to be like Jesus.

Not long before Kendall's tears I had spoken to a child who had ripped a chair out from underneath his brother. My response was Philippians 2:3.

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."

Now it was my turn. 

So I told her to pop a squat. 

First, I gave her the bad news. This would not be the last time that someone was mean to her or would hurt her feelings. There would definitely be more pain and tears, because the world is full of sin and sinners. 

But Jesus has overcome the world. {John 16:33}

Then, I gave her the good news. Now that she knew what it was like to have her feelings hurt she could choose how to respond. She could choose to be a good friend despite how her friends treat her. I told her the Bible says that a friend loves at all times. At. all. times. {Proverbs 17:17} That doesn't mean she has to play with someone and continue to be treated that way. It does mean she tries to fix things with them. If that doesn't work bring someone with you, like Mommy or Daddy. {Matthew 18:15-17} Above all to remember that Jesus loves that person just as much as He loves you. So treat them that way.

And some days I have to remember that advice myself. Okay, some days it's more like hours and minutes.

Save the drama for your llama. Not your mama.

Love like Jesus.