Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!! Oxoxoxoxoxoxxxxxxoooxoxo

Monday Prayer/I don't understand men??? (some men)...

Our Special Guest!!!!

First project underway...

Yikes!!! Please excuse my uncontrollable mane!!!

My Thought For The Day

Halloween Night

Well we got so many "Frito Boat" Customers I wasn't able to video tape much. We ended handing out almost 150 Frito boats...to bad we ran out of cheese and chili!! We had a wonderful time...until next year...

What we do for Halloween!!!!

Me with straight hair!!

Pink Eye...ugh...

Monday Prayer...

Colton's Dance Party...

Spirit Tutu 2...

The Spirit Tutus...

So I get my days confused probably because I am sooooo tired!!! This started Thursday and is ending on Friday...Spirit Day is Friday...ummmm I may have just confused you more...anywho

The Brick...ugh....

Ostrich Adventure...

Brielle...

Just Checking in...

Me just gettin my Ramble on...

A New Song...

You Are God

You are God  Lord of all things

Filled with strength, love and mercy

Flood my soul to overflowing

You are God

Change my heart

bend me shape me to your will

change me completely

Change me Lord till there's nothing left but You

You are more than conqueror

you are ruler of everything

and all I have, everything, all I am

is Yours...

Breakfast With Brittani...

The Crazy Day...

Part 4




Part 3





Part 2






Part 1

Breakfast With Brittani Part 2

Breakfast with Brittani Part 1

Colton's Tip of the Week!!!!!

Monday Prayer...

Sweet 16

Sweet 16

Sweet 16!!!!!

Funny Colton Quote...

The Tank Top!!!!!!!!

Breakfast With Brittani...

Colton's Tip Of The Week....

Breakfast With Brittani...

Monday prayer on Tuesday...

I have been having sooo much trouble with my browser lately!!! Boo... I'm just now getting to post this. Better late than never!!! I'm just glad it appears I finally fixed it!!!! Ugh

Teenage Girls On A Saturday Night...

Inspiration...

I'm going to make this for my entry way!!! Can't wait to see how it turns out...

Friday Night!!

Colton's Tip Of The Week!!!

Change...

Funny Colton Quote...

Breakfast with Brittani!!!!!

I Loooove Wednesdays!!!!!!

Brazil Report From The Beginning

Video Blogging!!!!!

Behind!!!

I have not been keeping up with ANYTHING!!! One of the battles is this thought...what do I have to say??? Well I've come up with the answer!!! SOOOOOOooooo MUCH!!!! Here is where I'll start.

I'm more my self today than I have been my whole life!!!!!!!!!!!!

To be continued...

Koinonia Christian Fellowship's latest and greatest!!!

We (Our church) resently changed our billbored hoping to get some chatter going and heads a turnen thinking about the "God" thing!!! AND IT'S WORKING!!!! Stepping out of the box and PROUD to be apart!!! Go God!!!!

Leaving Tomorrow!!!!

Oh My!!!!

How do I feel???? Clueless...

No not really. I am in a spirit of anticipation...I can not wait to see what God is going to do!! I feel excited to be in the midst of His GREAT plan...also very thankful.

I'm looking forward to keeping you all updated...

I am almost ready to go. I really need to clean but I'm not sure if I'm going to get to it. I guess there are worse things eh... Colton wants to spend time with me and I think that is much more important than a clean toilet for my favorite mother-in-law! She would be the first one to tell me forget about it!!! Cheerio and Big Daddy are at Cheer practice...so I guess it's time to get off here and love on my baby boy who's getting under arm hair...I know random!!!

B

Monday Prayer...

Cast all of your cares upon Him...

Praying Gods peace over you today.

Please feel free to leave your thoughts and requests...

I am so thankful to serve a God who listens, who answers, who loves...

Praying for you today...

B

4 Days Until Brazil

I can not believe that this time next week I will be in Brazil...

Everyone keeps asking me if I'm excited or nervous and I keep saying really neither one...I just feel overwhelmed with everything I need to get done. It's kinda crazy because I'm not only going on the trip but I've had to handle a lot of the details for the trip for the Team. So at work I have had so many things to get done!! Passports, visas, backing lists, job duty lists, transportation to and from airports, e tickets, emergency contact information...ugh

So my goal for this weekend is to get everything done for my self...laundry, shopping, outlet converters, ZOTE soap for laundry on the go, grocery shopping for the house, meal planning etc etc etc...so that I can bask in every experience of this amazing journey!!! I'm trying so hard not to just want to get it over with and keep perspective of how amazing God is in His awesome plan that He saw fit to allow me to be apart of!!

I plan to journal here during my trip so come on by if you're interested in seeing how it's going...the good bad and the ugly...mostly good I pray...I can't wait to see what God is going to do!!!!!

Our flight leaves from Fresno at 1:20pm on August 4th and we arrive in Sao Paulo Brazil at 7:40 am August 5th. From there we hop on a bus and travel approx 4 hrs to Brodowski. This is what I'm calling the first leg...

I will try to journal every day and take lots of pictures to post...

Please keep us all in your prayers...

B

weight loss challenge....

0 lbs. lost...0 lbs gained
boo!
B

Thoughts of You...

Thank You for who You are. Thank You for all that You do. I call on Your name You always hear my voice. I pray I never stop praising You . Consume every part of me. Transform my mind with Your words. Make my ways Yours. Stir up a passion in me, a thirst that will never be satisfied. I want to long for You the way You long for me. I want to bask in the warmth of Your presence... amen

Do I Truly Believe?

I'm reading a book called "Healing the Sick" and I've been challenged with this thought that keeps invading the space between my ears. The thought is this...Do I truly believe what the bible says is true? My automatic response is of course I do!!! However do my actions, the way I think, the words that I speak, the prayers that I pray, truly reflect that I believe all of God's words to be truth. So I am setting out on a challenge, a quest of sorts. I'm starting in the New Testament of Gods word as if I'm reading it for the first time. On the journey I will consciously, prayerfully, realistically believe EVERYTHING I read What ever Jesus tells me to do I will do. What ever He said He will do, I will expect Him to do it...

B

Monday Prayer

Praying for you today...feel free to leave your thoughts or requests...B

You Should Come...Tonight at 7:00pm

Putting on the Armor of God...

This morning I was reminded of this passage. Reminded that we need to be diligent concerning our armor...declaring it over ourselves and others...in reflection I thought about how even though the armor covers different parts of the body breast plate of righteousness etc... I think it's cool how each piece of armor really protects every part of your body spiritually. Salvation, faith, righteousness, truth...and how with out one the others are lacking. I have also always looked at this passage as a defense which is certainly true but it is also important for people to witness them in our lives as something to attain for them selves through their relationship with Christ.

Ephesians 6:10-18

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

LOVE!!

As I was catching up on some of my favorite blogs today I came across this video telling the story of how the song "How He Loves Us" was birthed ( side note I love the sloppy wet kiss line in the song and for the life of me can not understand why David Crowder took it out of his version of this song...what's up with that??? Love David Crowder though) I've heard this story before but it's funny how it comes to me again at this time in my life. I feel challenged to LOVE to sacrifice for it, cultivate it, share it...How different this world would be if we learned to love better. I wanted to share the video and just challenge you to love a little more give it freely even when everything in your logical mind says not to...I pray God fills you and me with His love over flowing so you and I can love more and better.....

Enjoy
B

Weigh in...

Well....how could I forget my weigh in????
I did not lose the 8 lbs I was shooting for however I did lose 3lbs...I'm trying not to feel frustrated. I guess it's better than gaining...Next month I'm going for 5 lbs...I think that is a happy medium...wish me luck!!!

B

Intense Brazil rehearsals this past weekend!!!!

Me, Nancy and Carole/BGV's

Joseph and Lorenzo both 14 years old and amazing electric guitarists...Did I say AMAZING!!!

Lorenzo's mom Elena/Power Point Person

Nancy and Carole my partners in crime/vocals...

Robert aka: Animal and Carole's hubby

Nick/bass, Holly/keys, Paula/winds

Sandy Koinonia Worship Pastor/Piano/vocals and chief!!!!

Getting Ready For Brazil...

Wow!! I kinda feel like I did the time I signed up for the Camp Pen Mud Run...What have I gotten my self into...although very excited about the adventure.
I have Brazil Vocal practice every Tuesday evening. This past week we had it on Tuesday and Thursday going over 22 songs...yes I did say 22 in Portuguese no less...Have I said WHOA yet...this is so hard. Some how I have complete confidence that all will be learned and ready to go when it is time...which the time is rapidly approaching...I know it's God's peace...and I know with His supernatural help I will get these songs learned before heading out on this journey...
Pray for me if you think of me...I really need it...
B

Inspiration...

ox B

Colton's famous Quotes:

Mom...I'm seeing states everywhere...my poop was Oklahoma and my towel is Alaska!!!

Oh Colton...get dressed.

God and me..

God is so pulling and stretching me. Most of the time I find it difficult to walk in His calling because I feel sooo unworthy. Yes I know none of us are or ever will be but it's a battle I guess I have always grappled with.

I'm working at a job at my church that I know God opened the door for and His plan is continuously unfolding through that. I've begun leading worship at Koinonia He so graciously allows me to be used to usher His people into His glorious presence I stand in complete awe of Him. Then there is the whole Brazil thing that is a constant undercurrent. I have been asked to pray about giving my testimony while I'm there. I feel as inept to do all these things as I do about steering my son through puberty.

God continues to remind me that I am completely incapable of doing any of this without Him directing my every step. I know I can walk in confidence knowing that He is in complete control and ultimately I do...but I'm not living in that confidence.

I listened to a sermon a couple of days ago and she gave this fabulous analogy of who we are with Christ. She had a water bottle in her hand that she was actually drinking from and she held it up and said..."it's like this water bottle. When we become a Christ follower we poor ourselves out, she tipped over the bottle and tipped it back up, then we fill back up with the Holy Spirit but the bottle is the same." Now the sermon was on dieing to self. But that illustration really spoke to me and what I'm going through with my doubt of self. That God wants to change you and help you be more and more like Christ but He still made you to be you...and really we are responsible for learning who that is and for embracing it then ultimately doing it.

B

Puberty...

It's official...my son has hit puberty!!! I'm just not ready...and I grew up with girls...I feel a little inept...

So far I am able to keep a straight face...my tone has staid even and unsurprised...I am very matter of fact and accurate. My son feels he can tell me anything...so I guess so far so good.

Two of the latest questions:

What is a douche? and So mom...how big can I expect this thing to get???

Help...

Monday Prayer...

Praying for you today...feel free to leave your thoughts or requests...
B

I'm not a prude!!

I am soooo not a prude...this has gotten me into a little trouble and a little fun in my life. Lately it has caused me a bit of trouble. I have gotten too lacks when it comes to the music I'm letting my teenager listen to. I mean part of the problem is I like it too!! I love to get my groove on...I mean I hear the beats and I gotsta move...and babies gotta booty like wow oh wow babies got some boo...well, you probably shouldn't be able to finish that one and I know the party don't start till I walk innnnn...just get me goin...the next thing I know I'm leaning to the left with one hand on the steering wheal pooching my lips out bobbing my head looking like ya you know you want some of this...I mean what do you expect a from a girl from Paramount who married a guy from North L.B. (Long Beach)...but you know it's not good for the soul...in an effort to purify our minds and start over a couple of days ago we (me Brit and Colton) were heading out on a 45 min. drive and I thought here is my opportunity to begin the change. So I lay it out...if a song comes on about sex, alcohol or drugs change the station we're not listening to it...WOW!!! What a quiet ride...my teenager is not finding the fun but I'm feeling much better and I know God's a lot happier too...

Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Brazil...

I am going to Brazil on a missions trip with my church!! I leave August 4 and will be home on the 15th. What an amazing journey God has me on. Let me give you a little back story. Last year when Darin and I were visiting churches we started feeling the pull toward Koinonia Christian Fellowship here in Hanford Cali. The very Sunday that God spoke to both of us telling us this was the place he had planned for us the missions team that had just come back from Brazil were giving their testimonies of the trip. I sat with tears rolling down my face as they spoke of the powerful movement of God while they were on this trip. While they shared I heard God's voice say..."you will have a testimony like this one day". I was kind of in one of those moments wondering is that really you God?? I was also rolling my eyes, on the inside of course, saying ya right. I just couldn't see it in the midst of my own personal storm in that moment. As I look over this past year I am amazed at God's continued faithfulness in my life and in his revealing His plan for me. As I heard the rumblings of the trip coming around this year I remembered what God had said but didn't really act on it. While minding my own business Sandy, the worship pastor at our church, asked me if I would consider being part of the team that was heading out to Brazil this year!!! What could I do but say yes...God is just incredible. It has been about 4 or 5 months since I made the commitment to go and I have embarked on a journey that leaves me feeling most of the time like I'm having an out of body experience...
God is full of surprises!!!
I will share more of my journey with you soon. This post is getting way too long.

B

5 lb Challenge!!!

So it is finally the end of the month and I must say I wasn't really in complete diet mode...however I managed to get rid of 5 lbs!!! This month I am planning to be more intentional in my weight loss so I'm upping the poundage to 8 lbs...wish me luck!!

My Baby Boy's Birthday...

Today is "Little Man's" birthday...He is 11 years old!! It really amazes me how time goes and goes...this morning he woke up to one of his favorite breakfasts...Donuts...along with a big pink box of 36 donuts to take for his class, his suggestion. He was soooo happy marching off with that box of donuts...no he didn't need, want, or ask for my help...he turned around with a mischief in his eyes and a smile on his face then he was gone...I thought of a mommy I know that lost her child so very recently and I told my self treasure it girl...this is the life you asked for don't let it pass you by without enjoying these moments...these precious, irreplaceable moments.

Happy Birthday my Baby Boy!!!

I love you with my entire heart and sole...

Mommy

What an Amazing Story!!!

I just wanted to share this incredible story of Gods faithfulness and share a story of his never ending healing power!!!!!

Monday Prayer...

^{Mathew 13:31-32
31}He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. ³²Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."

This parable reminds me of yesterdays baptism service...all those beautiful seeds that were planted that are growing and will grow and grow...

I pray that we all plant our mustard seeds in ourselves and all around us...lets remember that something small can grow and grow into something so vast and glorious...

Praying for you today...as always leave your thoughts or requests...

B

I started an on-line book club!!!

Hello!!! Just a quick FYI...I started a book club blog!!! Here is the link...join us we would love to have you!!!!!!!

Reading is Cool Book Club


B

Oh I just had to!!!!!!

I L-O-V-E this blog...OMGosh!!! I laughed so hard I'm sure Darin is like...she must be reading "that" blog again!! Here is the link to "Hello World"...Read it and weep of laughter!!!

Too Long!

Today was the first time in 4 weeks that I was able to go to church. The first week I was sick, the second week I traveled to my nieces baby shower and last week we traveled to my nephews wedding...Boy I have truly missed it. Today was a special day we had 40 people, children and adults get baptized this morning. WOW!! Is God just amazing or what. I know I've talked in the past about how much I love baptism services. My heart just swells to overflowing as I watch. This morning the church played a short video of each person being baptized each one answering the question why have you decided to be baptized. I absolutely loved this!!! To catch a glimpse of each thankful heart and how God has become so real in each individuals life. What an incredible blessing to be a part of such a service. God is still moving, changing lives, bringing hope to the hopeless and rest to the weary...How Great is our God!!!!!!!

Inspiration.......

I love a great pair of lips and lipstick!!! So if you have lips like these and I'm staring at your lips while you're talking to me NO I'm not about to kiss you I'm just admiring your Kisser!!!

Depends aren't just for old people...

Let me just say this is going to be a TMI post sooo...if you are not a TMI person STOP!!! Read no further!!!

Remember this post

Passing Gas and the Treadmill...BAD!!!

back when I was on a mission and weighed 30 lbs less....ugh...

Anywho...today my allergies are severely OUT OF CONTROL!!!!! Lets just say I'm thankful I didn't eat a fiber one bar today.......however something terrible happens to a woman after childbirth. I'm sure it doesn't help that I have 60 extra "Libby's" as Sue Silvester would say(lbs) smashing my bladder into a pancake but man...no joke I think I have sneezed at least 300 times today if not more...so I'm at work driving the whole office crazy the poor things said God bless you a gazillion times before I relieved them the over whelming burden of politeness!! Ya you got it...What I wouldn't have done for some geriatric goodness that resembled underwear reaching to my bra that held about 5 8 oz glasses of that blue liquid...oh Lord help me!!!!

Gracious Uncertainty...

This is the title of me reading yesterday...I love this perspective. It read like this:

Our natural inclination is to be so precise to try always to forecast accurately what will happen next that we look upon uncertainty as a bad thing. We think that we must reach some predetermined goal, but that is not the nature of the spiritual life. The nature of the spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty. Consequently, we do not put down roots. Our common sense says, "Well, what if I were in that circumstance?" We cannot presume to see ourselves in any circumstance in which we have never been. Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life GRACIOUS UNCERTAINTY IS THE MARK OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE.

It goes on to say:

The spiritual life is a life of a child...

when we have the right relationship with God, life is full of spontaneous joyful uncertainty and expectancy.

While I was reading this yesterday I was thinking about how our children have to live in uncertainty all the time. I specifically thought of Colton, since Brittani is getting older she has more of an opinion about where we go and what we do.Although this applies to her as well. How many time in a day, a week, a month, a year do my kids have to adjust to change. Changes that their dad and I bring. Where we eat, where we go, how we do things., what we do. Sometimes they like it sometimes they don't. Sometimes we give them a choice sometimes we don't, and some times we can't. However the outcome is always the same no matter the joy or the fight. They WILL go or do. How many times in actuality do they just blindly go along..tra la la...just trusting that we are always doing what is best for them. They have faith that we know what we are doing and we know how it should be done and so when change comes, or the unexpected comes they move and change, shift and conform without even thinking with out hesitation.

The Spiritual life is the life of a child...

yes I believe it is.
B

My New Job...

The Title: Administrative Assistant for the Koinonia Christian Fellowship Worship Department

Now that is a mouth full...

I really enjoy my new job. I started on Feb. 16 and I'm glad that things are feeling a little more old hat-ish. It's kind of interesting I have fallen into this position at our very NEW church where we still haven't truly connected with many people maybe even any people if I'm really honest. When I say connect I guess I mean build relationships that are beyond small talk. It's like learning from the inside out. In the belly of the beast. I really like everyone and they seem to like me. I'm only there tues - fri 8:15am-2:00pm I actually go in late on Wednesday. Brit and I go to breakfast every Wed which is her late day for school. We started doing that this year and I hated to give it up. Luckily my new boss is very flexible with my schedule, within reason of course, and Brit and I are able to continue our weekly date. I don't take a lunch so I can get off at 2:00pm and it works out pretty well. I've had a hard time getting my life organized but really what's new. I feel this overwhelming need to simplify my life but I'm not sure what that looks like. So far I have cleaned out my closet got rid of a BUNCH of stuff that most people would consider clutter. I think the kitchen is next. If I don't use it it's going. I'm tired of looking at it, dealing with it and moving it around to make room for the stuff I actually use.
B

The 5 lb Challenge

I got this idea from my friend Lori's Blog and thought it was such a GREAT idea I'm going to do it too!! So here is the jest of it...I am on a mission to loose this fluffy ooy gooy layer I've acquired over...well...lets not go there...lets just say it's been a long time since I've seen a hip bone...anywho...I, like Lori, am going to try and loose 5 lbs a month...and at the end of each month let you know how much a gained or lost!!! If you have an extra 5 lbs or more to loose join me!! I would love the encouragement!!! So at the end of May I'll be checking back with all of you and seeing how things weigh in...and if I seem to forget...feel free to remind me...

B

Monday Prayer...

Praying for you today...leave your requests or thoughts...
B

Monday Prayer...

Praying for you today...please leave your specific request if you have one...
much love,
Brandi

Monday Prayer...

I will take sickness away from you. The number of your days I will fulfill (Exodus 23:25-26)
I am the Lord who heals you. (Exodus 15:26)
He was wounded for our transgressions and with his stripes we are healed.(Isaiah 53:5)
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

Praying these scriptures over you today. If you have a specific prayer need. feel free to leave it here...
B

Inspiration

Freckel
–noun
1.
one of the small, brownish spots on the skin that are caused by deposition of pigment and that increase in number and darken on exposure to sunlight.