VBS is coming! Well, not for a while but it is time for all VBS directors to begin gearing up for this year's VBS. This will be my second time directing. I am very excited about it! We are doing Group Publishing's Jerusalem Marketplace which is going to provide some awesome experiences for these kids. We have so many ideas and the excitement is stirring among all those who usually help!

Have you ever visited an old ghost town where everybody in the shops dress up like a character from the era and talk and act as if they were living in that time? Thats what we are going to try to pull off. In addition, have you ever been to Knott's Berry Farm where you can be doing something and suddenly two cowboys run through the streets shooting guns and the next thing you know there is a miniature skit happening right in front of you? Same thing! The Bible story is going to be acted out every day at some time during the day that the kids aren't aware of! It will feel random to them.

I will update as more happens but right now I am very excited about all of this. At this point I have the dates tentatively planned for June 16-20. I have a budget that is waiting on Board approval and I have the classrooms and timing figured out. My next step will be beginning recruiting and decoration plans.

Pray for me!!!

Esta noche es el primero clase de espanol de esta semestre. Es importante porque quiero viajar a El Salvador en Julio. Favor de orar para mi porque quiero sabe que Dios quiere.

Tonight was the first spanish class of this semester. This class is important because I want to go to El Salvador in July. Please keep me in prayer because I want to know what God wants.

Yesterday was one of those "no good terrible horrible bad days." This week was supposed to be fabulously wonderful too! I hit the week running and was all ready to go.

We had to buy a new tower for my computer because my old one is near crashing. This was done Saturday. So I began my day yesterday by starting up the old computer and doing my routine. Then, in a brief moment I set up the new computer in a different location to start downloading things to it. In the midst of that I started up my laptop that I had brought from home to print a file for the Board meeting that night.

So there I was, running three different computers at once, and doing very well, I might add, when the problems began. First my printer stopped working on my old computer, then the space was full. Then I couldn't get the printer to work on either my laptop or my new computer.

Some of the most important things I needed to do this week were W2's, 1099's and 941's (all IRS stuff). They are all due by the 31st of this month. I couldn't work on 1099's without the W9's which I didn't get until later that day. I never got to any of them.

I was crushed. Truly frustrated and trying hard to stay afloat in all of this. When I left church I was so discouraged and cried. I had to run a few errands last night so I decided to just walk through stores slowly. I prayed as I walked and God started seeping His caring and comfort into the cracks of my depression.

When I got home I immediately turned on worship music and started cleaning. I figured I needed to focus on who God is and to feel like I accomplished something that day!

I listened to worship the whole night. I spent some time in prayer as well. God really spoke through that. He helped me take my thoughts captive and not dwell on the things that I couldn't change or that were possibly not true, like thinking the Pastor was mad at me (I knew he wasn't but when I was depressed it was easier to think I was wrong). God spoke His truth to my heart. Reminded me of what He has brought me through in the past.

I finally went to bed. I wasn't giddy, or even very happy. But I was at peace. I knew God would carry me through this. This morning I woke up feeling refreshed. I am ready for this day, whatever it brings. And I am taking my worship music to work with me. Nobody should have to deal with the IRS on their own!

Today we did what is my favorite part of a building project...we grabbed a bunch of sharpies, a few Bibles, some hot cocoa and chips and went to the new church and wrote all over the inside! It is such a fun time.

There were many Psalms written on the stage, all my favorite Scriptures I wrote in my office, Chris (our missions guy) wrote Psalm 67 in English and Spanish on the floor of his office, I wrote the great commission on his doorframe, there is Isaiah 61 (beauty for ashes, healing the brokenhearted, oil of joy for mourning etc.) in the prayer room, and in the bathroom...the verse in Deuteronomy about taking the excrement outside of camp and burying it. I want to find a verse about cleansing the temple and write it in the bathroom.

One lady wrote the names of all the books of the Bible throughout. She went in order and just circled the church. So it was random that she put Hebrews in the Pastor's office...he loves coffee...get it? He brews!!! She also wrote 1, 2, 3 John in the men's restrooms.

But it was precious to see the kids running around and writing Scriptures that they had memorized. They love this time of writing on the walls!

A friend of mine prayed for a specific Scripture to write in my office and ended up, unknowingly, choosing one of my favorite verses!

I will link this or upload pics later. They weren't on my camera so I have to wait until I get the pics.

This is my friend Sylvia. She is a dear and I love her. I am writing this today though as a tribute to all mom's. Sylvia is a mother of 3. Her oldest, Rosalie, is 6, Francesca is 3, and Angelo is 1. They are all very precious cute kids.

I was very blessed today to help Syl out with the kids and give her some time to herself. She was so grateful but she didn't realize how much it blessed me to be able to help her in this way. I can't be there all the time but I can a little bit. That little bit blesses me so much.

Anyways, you might be wondering how this is a tribute to all you moms...well...I don't know how you guys do it. When I am sitting and its a rough time I always have the light at the end of the tunnel that eventually the parents will show up (there is that little bit of nagging doubt that maybe they've just skipped town...nawwww....they wouldn't do that....would they?). Moms don't have that. You guys have a small reprieve, maybe, when dad gets home. But even that isn't the same. Some dads work early and have to get to bed right away. Some dads aren't in the picture. Some dads are part of the problem. And some dads help a lot and its still not enough because the kids outnumber the adults.

I just want to say to all you moms. I wish I could come and take your children for the evening while you get some well deserved time off. I don't know how you get all your children ready for church and there on time. I don't know how you keep your house clean at all. I don't know how you can manage to learn all you need to know to be a mom (lets face it, moms are constantly learning either through homeschooling, disabilities, diets, which toys are from China etc. etc. etc.) I don't know how you can do all this, be a wife, a sister, a friend, and to top it all off, you still cook.

You moms are all my hero! I pray that when I am a mom I can be just like all of you!

Have you noticed the new look for this blog? Along the lefthand side are several boxes that allow me to put some small information out to you all. I decided it would be my spot to put some of my passions, some things that I would want others to be aware of and to check out for themselves. My way of raising awareness for some ministries on my heart.

I was writing the one on abstinence vs. purity and realized I needed a whole lot more space. This is a huge passion of mine and I am actually going to be speaking to our youth kids about this in February. Please keep me in prayer. The Lord has used this teaching in many settings and He refines it every time. It is a blessing for me to speak and hopefully make a difference in the lives of the next generation.

Purity feels more and more like a lost cause. It is becoming so acceptable, even in churches, to allow impurities in our lives that I don't think we realize half of the things that are causing our struggles with sin. I'm not talking simply about sexual sin, I am talking about all sin.

For example, I love food. I love to eat. My biggest struggle with weight loss comes with the the desire to give in to all my cravings. Its not really about whether the food is healthy or not (I actually like a lot of the healthy stuff) it is about how much of it I eat.

About two years ago the Lord revealed a trend in my life. When I was lacking self control in the area of eating it has, almost always, meant that I was lacking self control in other areas in my life as well. Which came first is like the chicken and the egg question, but I do know that the root of my eating problem was spiritual and was bleeding into other areas of my life.

The solution for me to eat better has been to go to the Lord and ask for forgiveness. Then to ask for help in the area of self control, in all areas of self control. Then I would find Scriptures about God being Lord over my life and my body and I would remind myself of those. Sometimes I would fast from specific foods or entertainment. It just depended on what the Lord was asking of me at that time.

What does all this have to do with abstinence vs. purity? Everything! Purity is a journey. Purity is lifelong and purity is all areas of your life. Abstinence applies simply to sex and ends when you get married. Purity focuses on your relationship with Jesus while abstinence just focuses on what not to do.

Lets be people of purity. Lets be a people that are constantly being more and more refined into the image of Christ!

If you click on the title of this blog you will be sent to our churches photo album of the building progress. The photo that I uploaded, however, is of the future hallway. The first room to the right, I believe, is my office. I say I believe because the pictures throw me a little. Its hard to tell with just the studs. But its amazing! We have a full roof now, studs in. They are pulling the electrical for all the building. Its absolutely amazing!!!

It is after midnight and I need to go to bed but I realized I never write blogs about what is happening. I don't have pictures because I'm still working at getting things loaded into my new computer but here's a brief update.

The new church building has about 3/4 of a roof on it. Praise the Lord because it took about 4 hours to shovel the snow out of the church so the crew could keep working!!! I wasn't able to be there because Pastor Pat wanted me at the operating church to keep the office running.

For those of you who don't know we hired another person to help us at the church. We now have 3 employees! Yippee!!! Chris is great...he takes care of the mice for me so I don't have to anymore! That and his wife is a dear friend of mine so I love seeing more of her!

This past Christmas we did a play that I wrote and directed several years ago. This year's production was awesome!!! I was very excited. I am blessed to have a lot of talent in this church. I get to pretend like I'm a movie director and they all just laugh at me. The craziest part is when I start watching all the extras on my DVDs and come in "inspired." One year my crew banned me from watching the extras. How mean! Anyways, this year's play, as I said, we have done before but it had been several years. It was about the names of God. Of all the plays I have written this one was my favorite to write. Not my favorite over all but just to write. The researching on this one was fascinating. If you ever get a chance to do a study on the names of God, do it! God is amazing!

This past semester I took a Spanish class. I absolutely adore my spanish teacher. She is a sweetheart. In fact, I had her and her husband over to Chris and Tatum's for games after the semester was over (my place is too small for five). It was fun!!! So as of the end of this month i will be taking conversational Spanish 2. Yay! The first class was easy for me having grown up with all y'all Hispanic folks. Thank you so much! It helped a ton! Maybe after this next class I will post a blog in all spanish.

Other than the funerals, which I mentioned, and all the crazy sicknesses that are going around I think thats it for the update. For those of you who really haven't talked to me in a while, no there are no guys in my life. C'mon people, when are you going to get it into your heads, I live in Carson City...There are no guys here!!!

Okay, I am going to bed now. Have a grand night!

I am standing here in our church sound booth typing this blog. Why? Because I am here at, yet another, funeral service running sound. (Don't worry, nothing is happening right now).

Funerals are sad, they are difficult, but I appreciate the reminder of a lesson that I learned several years ago as a youth leader. A gentleman in our community committed suicide. I did not know him personally but I also did not know one person that either knew of him or knew him personally prior to his death. Then, after his death, those who didn't know him heard about him from everyone else. He was very encouraging to all those around him and loved by all. And yet, he committed suicide. In his note he mentioned that he felt no one loved him and no one cared.

The very next youth night we had the youth leaders sat down and called each of the youth to us one by one and spoke with them privately. While speaking to them we would begin by explaining that in light of this gentleman's death we wanted to do a live funeral. We weren't going to wait for their funerals to say what we would say there. We told them the things we love about them. We told them the things that blessed us about them. We told them the potential we saw in them.

There were tears. There was joy. It was the best funeral I have ever attended because there were no regrets. There was none of the "I wish I would have told them..." because they were there.

Seize the day. These days are short. Think about someone dying and what you would regret and start living with no regrets!!!

I love you all,
Bri

Okay I am back! I am very excited! I found an internet service that didn't require a home phone number, is wireless, high speed and affordable! At the risk of sounding like a commercial I am very happy with it. To top it off there is no contract so if I need to cancel any time I can.

So I am back to blogging!

I was watching Return of the King last night and started realizing the reality of our Spiritual heritage. Watching the battles and the people going into these battles to almost certain death, but still going because they were fighting for what they believed in and I began to realize that this is what we have. I was watching and picturing the battles of David and his valiant men. Thinking of all the times they were very much like those portrayed in the movie. Their valor, honor and conviction in what they believed in. I thought of Jericho, Israel and all the history of the people of God and I realized that its not just Israel's history, its every Christian's.

I was stirred to the point of wishing I had a physical battle to fight for my Lord and He showed me that I can. Its in prayer. As Christians our battles are in the Spiritual realm. We can get on our faces and fight hard for those we love. I realized that in heaven we would see the effect of our battling in prayer. We would see, as Aragorn saw later, how we could be drawing the enemy away by praying. We will know the true effects of those prayers.

I have made a commitment to spend more time in prayer. God is blessing that time so much. Please join me. Lets be a praying people!!!

d Chi
Today is Wednesday. What does that mean? That mean's that Tatum is working and Chris has the boys here at the church. Xophia is at her grandma's I think.

That means that I am currently listening to some of my favorite sounds. Little feet running up and down the hallways between the two offices. Two boys playing with their firetruck. A little bit of screaming. Chris telling the boys to stop screaming. More running.

I love this. As much as it could make me crazy on some days I would rather have it than never hear it. These boys are so very precious and adorable and they just run right into your little heart. Once they are in there they proceed to fill it with truck, dirt and worms, but they are boys...what can I say.