The No Diet is because I have to now say no to lactose and no to soy. Do you realize that everything has Soy in it? So I will be saying no to everything. Which means I will get really skinny. Its a great diet!

Seriously, I believe I am Lactose and Soy intolerant and am going to cut it out of my diet. Right now I am slowly working at cutting it out since I need some alternatives in the meantime.

I found this bread at the store that has no lactose or soy. YAY! Plus some deli meat and some slice rice cheese (this has traces of lactose and soy but for me that is better than no cheese at all). This was my sandwich for lunch today and it tasted pretty good. I noticed a small difference at first but thats mostly in the bread. The meat obviously was fine and the cheese tasted normal. YAY!

It may turn out that cheeses, or certain cheeses are ok (many LI people can eat cheese) but I don't know for sure because yogurt seems to mess me up too and the cultures in Yogurt are supposed to still be ok for LI folks. So we will see. My goal is to get to where I can go 2 weeks without any Lactose or Soy and slowly introduce certain types back in and see how intolerant I am.

How will this work on the cruise? I might have to just not worry about it on the cruise :)

Do you know, living alone has its advantages. One of those being that I believe I see a side of God that you married people possibly miss out on. That being the fun side that says, "hey Bri, remember those glow sticks that Debbie gave you? Pull them out tonight and get your camera!"

If I remember right, this picture was taken after I got sick. Thats why I look somewhat tired. I was weak from losing so much weight (5 lbs in 24 hours) and the kids couldn't help but still want to be held. It was a blessing though, wouldn't change it for the world!!!


Tonight we all met at the church to see the El Salvador team off. Let me begin by saying that I have a complete peace about staying. I know it is God's will this time. Praise the Lord! I stayed because both Pastor Pat and Chris went so I am here to hold down the fort. Pastor Pat told me not to sell the new church for anything less than 5 Million. I told him I would start at 10 and work my way down. :)

It was strange not going though. I think because I understand exactly how they are feeling. At this moment their plane should be taxiing to the runway and taking off. They are feeling a mix of excitement, sadness, thrill, nerves and so many other juxtapose emotions.

Please pray for them through the next 10 days. Pray for me as well...I am holding down the fort remember!

No pictures, I'm sorry but I forgot my camera. Maybe I can get some later from our unofficial church photographer.

What an amazing weekend. Psalm 103 was the theme, "Bless the Lord, Oh my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name!"

One thing that stood out to me was the meaning of the word bless: to yield, to adore, to congratulate, to salute and to thank.

Bless the Lord, yield to the Lord, adore the Lord, congratulate the Lord, salute the Lord, and thank the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me, bless, yield to, adore, congratulate, salute and thank His holy name!

He alone is worthy.

As a single gal I have times of being alone, and feeling vulnerable. Not always, but in certain situations. Sometimes for no reason, just because I'm alone. When I am with my father there is always the security that everything will be ok. It doesn't really matter what the situation is around me, I can relax and be at peace knowing daddy is in control (sounds like a spiritual application is there!).

Today, however, daddy wasn't able to be there and God showed me that He always protects me. Several of the men from church (5 to be exact) had met at my apartment at 6 a.m. to help me move.

At about 6:30 I was upstairs with Pastor Pat and I hear some yelling outside. There was a guy out there yelling profanity at the guys downstairs helping me move. Apparently he was angry that we had woke him up (honestly we had not been all that loud. No more than anyone else in the neighborhood at one time or another. I have lived here three years and never had anyone complain about me being noisy where plenty of others has caused problems. We were not whispering but we weren't yelling or anything). Pretty soon the whole neighborhood is up. They all told us that he was pretty much crazy (so obviously we hadn't bothered them).

The part that started getting scary was when Eric told me what he had said to them. He talked about me and called me some profane names. He knew we were Christians and mocked us with that. The guys handled it very well, though Danny, when the guy started talking about me, was very upset and Eric talked him down a bit. Danny is an ex gang member. Had he not been saved when this happened...well...Danny may have turned that guy's other cheek for him.

So Eric, having heard a lot of what this guy was saying about me, got concerned about me coming back alone to clean. So they basically decided I shouldn't come back alone.

We went to my new place (much much much nicer neighborhood and I met my neighbors already they are about 80ish and adorable!!!) and unloaded. When we finished there I stayed to unpack and Pastor Pat left to go drop off his trailer. He decided to grab Kelly, his wife, and go clean for me at the old place so I wouldn't have to go back at all.

He and Kelly arrived at the old place and the guy started yelling at him again. Using what can't really be described as colorful language since he basically only used one word over and over. He wanted to start a fight with Pastor Pat and was getting in Pastor Pat's face (just inches away) trying to egg him on. As they were leaving the assistant manager came out and asked Pastor Pat to call the police so that they could get a police report filed on this guy.

I walked away from this somewhat shaken up but feeling very secure knowing that any of those 5 guys was ready to deck that guy for my sake. The fact that they didn't was not unprotectiveness but being Christ-like. Its nice to have many men in my life who will stand up for me. Makes me feel very safe.

I will post pics of my new apartment when I get more unpacked!

Well JoAnn did my work for me! Here is her website of photos!



Calvary Chapel Carson City 2008 VBS

Recently a comment was added to my blog, you might have read it, from a girl...no a woman...named Brittany. I met Brittany 10 years ago when I went on a missions trip to Ireland. Can it really be 10 years ago now? My goodness how time just keeps marching on. Brittany was a sweet little thing that I got to spend some time with while I was there. She was more of a missionary than myself. She jumped right in and worked with the kids, helped out wherever she could and was just darling to watch. Myself, I was an awkward kid just becoming an adult who didn't have a clue how to just jump in.

Anyways, hearing from Brittany was a pleasant surprise. I went to her site and found that she is now a woman of God. Some things haven't changed. She looks to be very involved with her church community and loving and serving the Lord.

My brother had some pictures posted on his church website a while ago that showed Zach Ruiz, guitar in hand, worshipping God. You could tell he was worshipping just by the closed eyes and expression on his face of adoration.

Its times like these that make me so grateful for the God we serve. I can't tell you how many times people tell me, as if reassuring me, that one day I might still use my teaching degree...What they don't understand is that its not about what you are doing, its about who you are doing it for. When you are in God's will for your life and you realize that, embrace that, and live it to the fullest you are so much more blessed.

And in 10 years you may see some beautiful fruit of it!

I can't say that Brittany was fruit from my labors, and I taught Zach in Sunday School, but I'm not trying to claim that fruit either. Its simply seeing the fruit in the entire orchard, if that makes sense. You step back and see how much God can change a life in 10 years. Where God takes people. Taking children and growing them into Godly adults.

I cannot tell you how blessed I am.

So if there are anymore long lost acquaintances, friends, children I babysat or taught in Sunday School, people I met once on the street, by all means...tell me where you are at now and how God has worked in your life. I would love to hear!