Dec 21, 2010

I'm the kinda girl who...

...Loves a warm latte, any time of the day
...Adores being a wife, and all that comes along with that role.
...And when those days come where I'm sick of doing the dishes, or cooking and cleaning, I remember that ...I've got a whole world of blogs to find some inspiration from....
...Planned my wedding day from the time I was about four, until the day I married my sweetheart
...Love trying new recipes, and sometimes I even write them in my cookbook before I even try them, just knowing they will taste amazing. Haven't had to rip a page out yet!
...Looks forward to being a Mommy in the future, but am reminding myself daily how much I enjoy this time being newly married, and still going to school....
...Would love to eat organic foods and make as much myself as I can...when the budget allows
...Still loves a good burger and curly fries
...Yet, enjoys a good work out a couple times a week, even if I have to push myself to do it
...Goes through a point once a year where I feel like my wardrobe is a bit immature, but if I swap it around, or even buy one new thing, the whole world opens up and it's as though I've got an adorable wardrobe!
...dreams and dreams and dreams, but when it comes to actually doing, sometimes I get a little overwhelmed...
...craves sweets...alot....
...loves her family, like crazy...
...has been laying around the last two days trying to battle this cold. At first, I enjoyed the rest. Now, I'm def ready to get those Christmas gifts done, and enjoy my favorite time of year!

Just a little "get to know Brit" for you today...
:)

Dec 20, 2010

Just Precious...

I picked this book up a few months ago, and then put it away so that I could enjoy it especially at Christmas time. So, as the season began, I started to read this book. What I found, was a collection of joy, peace, and the work of the Lord. Robert J. Morgan is a Pastor in Nashville, Tennessee. He writes a new story to share with his congregation each Christmas Eve, and after he had quite the collection of stories, he decided to put them together. So as I curled up under the covers each night, I would read a story from this book before I went to sleep. Each story left me feeling such joy, as I was reminded of the true meaning of Christmas. Whether these stories are true or not, they are full of warmth and inspiration. I would encourage you to run to the nearest book store and pick this up. It's perfect to leave on the coffee table for anyone who may want to enjoy a sweet Christmas story, reminding us of the hope we have in Christ. 


Daddy Daughter Date

This is what I haven't wanted to do for months!

Sit in a cozy chair, which I had to pull a stake out in order to even get this, might I add.
With a white peppermint white hot chocolate mocha....sprinkled with a little chocolate.

OH NO! I ATE IT! I JUST realized I gladly licked up that whipped cream with chocolate sprinkled on top....without even thinking?!!! (can you tell I'm typing as I think?!!)

No, I don't have some issue with eating chocolate because I fear it will make me lose my figure, I mean I worked in a chocolate shop for 6 months, eating it everyday!

I'm allergic! And I'm going to experience the effects! I went two days without it and have felt wonderful! Good thing I took an allergy pill this morning...

It is seriously becoming impossible for me to ignore my favorite thing on this earth...

Ok, enough about that. Really, it's time for me the meaning of this post in the first place.

This morning while I was getting ready for the day, I looked out the window and realized that it was snowing! Light, fluffy, little snowflakes were falling from the sky. It hadn't really stuck, unless you wanted to count what had been left from the light snow of last night.

Looking at the snow falling down, reminded me of one of my favorite memories with my Dad.

Christmas of 2008.

The snow started falling a few days after I had come home from school to enjoy my winter break. Every year, since before I can even remember, my Dad took me out on a Daddy Daughter Date. We would go out for dinner, a restaurant of my choice of course, and then shop for Mom, Alex, Josh, and anyone else I had on the list that year. I remember just talking the ears off of my Dad, making him laugh at my goofy mishaps. (If anyone knows me, they know I have a few "Brittany moments" up my sleeve.) Thank goodness Dad laughs at them all!

So this particular year, we were waiting until the snow calmed down a bit before we ventured out for our date. Yet, it never seemed to cease. So, we loaded up in the more snow friendly vehicle, and headed into Salem. Keep in mind, Salem is really about fifteen-twenty minutes away from out house on the average day. Yet, this time, it took us well over an hour to get anywhere close to Salem.

I'm not quite sure right now why we decided to do this,  but we ended up taking the back roads so that we could avoid all the people who didn't know how to drive in the snow. Little did we know, some of the roads had been closed off because of trees falling, and an overabundance of snow in some areas.

As we started to get into the thick of the snow, we noticed that there weren't too many tire tracks on the roads we were taking, meaning, they weren't being driven on for a reason!

Even though it took forever to get into Salem, we were able to enjoy the beautiful country roads we have come to know quite well in the many years of living in this area. Yet, they took on a whole new, beautiful shine.

Instead of making our way downtown to the usual dinner spot, Bentley's, we thought we had better settle on McGraths, because it was getting dark, and the snow was started to come down harder.

Sitting in the restaurant, looking out at the piles of snow in the parking lot, we were filled with such laughter and joy, knowing we would have a white Christmas. As usual, I asked Dad and ton of questions about his childhood and what it was life when we were little kids. This is something I have grown to cherish, for my Dad is a good storyteller, and I'm always brought back to the special times when I was young. They always consisted of these three things; dinner at Bentley's, Christmas shopping, and ending the evening with a Mocha, if we weren't already too full from dinner.

My Dad is such a gift to me. He's always been such a joy to be around. That could be because he is an absolute goof ball, like me (if you were wondering where I got it from). But he's also one of my biggest fans. No matter what I do, say, or chat on and on about with him, he is always interested, and extremely proud of me. Sometimes when I come home to visit, we sit up late chatting about anything and everything, catching each other up on life.

I am what you would call, a Daddy's girl.

Yet, if you haven't noticed in prior posts, I am also, my Mother's only Daughter, and we are truly best friends. (I Just Love my Mom)

This Christmas, I'm looking forward to that wonderful tradition of the Daddy Daughter Date.

Britt

Dec 5, 2010

Disney on Ice

This weekend we had our good friends, Colin and Beka Smith, over for dinner and then went on a double date to Disney on Ice! Even though we were some of the only people without kids, that didn't stop us from cheering on Belle or Buzz Lightyear! The show was so much fun and we loved being able to go back to being 5 for a little bit. We literally cheered on all of our favorite Disney characters, just like the little guy that sat behind us. Between the four of us, our most common line was, 
"I am seriously having SO much fun!!!!" 

 Jason and Colin
Brittany and Beka
 Brit hasn't been to Disney Land, (I know GASP), so this was as close as she could get!
We were shocked at how much things cost at these types of shows. How do you parents do it?!

Well, if Disney on Ice ever comes near your, GO! It's just so much fun:)

Freebies...what a joy...

Christmas Letter Christmas Card
Make a statement with custom Christmas cards at Shutterfly.
View the entire collection of cards.

Dec 3, 2010

Just in time for Christmas!

So I was reading through my list of blogs I follow and found a friend that was sharing about this neat opportunity! Shutterfly is giving us bloggers the chance to blog about them, and get 50 FREE HOLIDAY CARDS! How incredible is that? If you want to find out more, check it out here.

Jason and I have been wanting to make a book from Shutterfly with our wedding photo's, but just haven't found the time to do it yet. A good friend of ours has made a ton of photo books for her and her family over the last few years and they have always turned out amazing.

I checked out their collection of Christmas cards and everything else that they provide on their website and you definately need to check it out. Isn't this just the cutest this. There are tons of pages full of adorable cards you can choose from, whether you want just one picture or five! 

Being that I was already on the site, I thought I would check out some of the other things that Shutterfly does, so check out some of my favs! 

Photo Books Still can't wait to have one of these myself...
Notepads I don't know about you, but I love writing little notes, this would make it fun to give to others
Photo Gifts I got my Grandparent's coffee mugs one Christmas and they still have them:)
Address Labels Too many cute ones to choose from!
Canvas Wall Art How many times do we find that one picture we took that we would love on the wall? 

I hope you guys take a chance to look at Shutterfly, and maybe even take advantage of this offer! 

Enjoy this beautiful Christmas season:)

Britt

Nov 22, 2010

It Has Only Begun

Friday night was incredible.

Why? I mean it was only a sweet little hymn sing in this cute coffee shop here in Abbotsford that only about 10 people showed up to.

It was incredible because I was able to experience support for The Beautiful Truth, from more than just my close friends and family that of course are obligated to believe in all that I do(wink wink)

As Friday night came near I was worried, for I knew that not too many people knew what The Beautiful Truth was, nor were able to make it out for the Hymn Sing Fundraiser.  Yet, I didn't allow this to bring me down, for it's only the beginning! This is the first time I was given the opportunity to tell people about this ministry, which is such an exciting thing! I look forward to looking back on this night, and remembering how neat it was to be able to tell those 10 people about the passion that the Lord has put on my heart. I was able to share a bit of my own personal journey in finding God's truth about how beautiful I am.

And I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Being able to speak about what has been burning so deep within my heart for a long time now, gave me hope for whatever is to come in the future!

I mean everyone has to start somewhere right?

So, here's what I took from this night.

-I will write down the amount of money that was raised, and keep it somewhere that I will forever be able to look back on.
-I felt God's hand holding me
-I was reminded that God brings the right people at the right time.
-Having my husband by my side, believing in me and supporting me was such a comforting thing.
-I knew that if this coffee shop was just a bit closer, my family would have been there, smiling from ear to ear, reminding me of their support
-I experienced a taste of what it is like being able to hear someone else's personal story, and being able to encourage them even though they filled me with more encouragement and hope than they could even imagine.
-I even bought my own Apple Cider to support The Beautiful Truth and had to laugh a little bit in that moment...
-I was filled with such energy just being able to speak about the incredible things that God has done in my life.
-I may have come away from this night having been impacted by it more than any other person in the room and I am thankful for that.

God has filled me with hope for the future, and joy for what is going on right now. I am just so thankful for all that is to come in January when The Beautiful Truth is officially launched on the CBC campus!

Praise God!

That's absolutely ALL I can say...

Praise God!

Britt:)

Nov 7, 2010

Organized Little Wife...

Tonight as I was getting things ready so I can feel like it's ok to have Monday show up tomorrow morning, I stepped back and looked at myself for a sec. So I thought I would share with you some of the ways I try and keep organized, because...well, we all know how busy life can be. If you are anything like me, I can get stressed out easily and then, well, it's just not a good thing. So here's some tips!

My top 10 ways to stay organized...
      in absolutly no order

1. Lists lists and more lists. I'm a list girl. So I take the time to write down the things I need to get done, and the things I want to get done. If you don't get to that one thing on your list, just cross it off and put it on tomorrow's list....works for me!

2. Adding to the world of lists, I actually mentally go through what's going on each evening of this week so that I know which nights I am making dinner for Jason and I both. Then, I jot down what I will make so I don't have to get home and fret at 5:00pm wondering what I am going to feed my poor hard working starving husband! It works out that I typically make three good dinners, and then the rest of the nights we are either gone or left overs are to be enjoyed.

3. Planner. If I don't have my cute little planner, I will miss coffee dates, homework assignments, and every other thing I am supposed to be at. When I was younger, I used to see my Mom write on her wrists those "MUST do's" or leave sticky notes on the cabinets in the kitchen. Until now, I never understood.

4. Before I get all tired out at the end of the day, I go around the house and tidy it up quick. I put things away and just straighten things up so that I don't wake up in the morning feeling annoyed by a messy house. Now, I'm not the average Joe, and at times I enjoy the house being a little more clean than it probably needs  to be. But, I've learned to do it in a way that's not obsessive so I can actually enjoy my home! Tidying here and there is the trick!

5. This goes for Sunday nights, so you can start off the week on a good note. Rather than spending that extra hour looking at endless pictures on facebook, I go through and write those lists of dinners for the week, groceries/errands needing to be run, and get the homework to do's all in order. This helps me feel like I'm actually ready to start a fresh week.

6. Choose one day a week that you will do the house cleaning. For me, this works. Yet, some weeks, I have to choose one chore to do a day if I don't have any days where I'm not working. This just helps you feel more relaxed at home knowing that the house will get all cleaned, let's say, Friday. Then by next Friday, or the Friday after that (depending on how messy you are:)

7. Well, I don't think I have anything else for you right now, but I could come up with more;)

Enjoy being organized!

Nov 5, 2010

Fall How I Love Thee

The last few weeks have been beautiful! Here's a little update straight to the point...

We've had some windy and rainy weather, but it makes me want to curl up inside with a book
There's been some extremely sunny weather that has reminded me of how much I love the West Coast
I have had many wonderful coffee dates with some friends that I truly cherish
Pumpkin spice candles, latte's, and bread has entered the scene once again, and it brings joy to my senses
The gorgeous sweaters have made an entrance and the boots just complete each outfit to a tee...
Our heavy winter blanket has covered out duvet, which makes going to sleep all the more wonderful
My robe is no longer annoying and space hog in my closet, it's a MUST HAVE this time of year
Apple juice turns to hot spiced cider with a touch of cinnamon and cloves
This semester is just a little more than half way over, which means I'm that much closer to graduation
The Beautiful Truth is becoming more of a reality! I've had to kick into gear getting the planning going
Christmas is on it's way, and according to Starbucks, I should be enjoying everything RED...oh well:)
Quality family time is heading this way very quickly...
Soups and stews and pot roasts are something my husband hopefully gets to come home to


Life is beautiful.

Thank you God for the simple things that make me smile.

Britt

Oct 28, 2010

Not Perfect. But Beautiful.

No marriage is perfect.

We all have times where we are struggling. Often we have different levels of struggles. Some face extremely obvious hardship, while others are battle a little more quietly. Some struggle after 30 years of marriage, while others are pushing through things in their earlier years.

What I am getting at here is this....
Don't read into every other couple you know thinking that they don't know what it means to struggle. Thinking they just have a perfect relationship and nothing hard ever comes their way.

That's pure judgement right there.

I know for myself personally I bet there are some people that look as Jason and I and think, "Oh they have it good. They never fight or have bad days. They don't know what it's like to experience hardship in life."

And they are 100% wrong.

When I am talking about struggles here, I'm not just talking about the arguments or dissention that can be felt within your marriage. I'm also talking about the difficult things that can happen in life.

And we get it, even after only being married one year.

We know what it's like to argue.
We know what it's like to have a hard day.
We know what it's like to wonder where the money will come from and to wonder when things will get easier.
We know what it's like to just want to hold on to each other and ignore the difficult things happening around us.

Now don't get me wrong here, I do look back on my new life with Jason and see such beauty, such joy, such love that has grown deeper and more authentic. Most of all, I see God holding our hands together along the way. Honestly, besides the normal differences every young couple works through, Jason and I are wonderful. I feel that my love for him grows stronger as each day passes, and being able to see him every day of my life fills me with such joy.

 It's the difficult challenges that life brings that can make everything else harder.

But it's how you act in that time that matters. It's how you respond that is important.

Take our wedding day for instance. It POURED and THUNDERED which changed every single plan that he been there from the beginning. Seriously, I'm not kidding her. We were having an outdoor wedding and reception in the middle of July. But God had different plans. So we went with it and INVITED the rain to be just another "accent" to our wedding day.

Just like the storms that come into our lives, we need to respond in a way we won't be embarrassed to look back upon. Yes, we make mistakes, but if we hold our heads up, I believe God will guide us down the right path.

So have hope today. Know that EVERY couple has difficult days, weeks, or months. Some couples experience hard times within their marriage, while others experience hardship in many other areas.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Push through this difficult time. Make sure to spend time with those that refresh you, and build you up. Ask others' for prayer. Spend time in prayer yourself.

God knows.
He will bring you out of that storm.
He brought Jason through the storm, and we were still holding hands tightly, full of love for each other.
He CAN do the same for you.

Oct 18, 2010

I enjoy Big Train Chai



Now that is what I call beautiful. Spiced Big Train Chai.

                                                    What is something you enjoy today?

As I was thinking about what to write today, and I thought it was the perfect day for something simple. Something that wasn't in depth or profound, even though in my opinion Big Train is just that....But really, I was thinking about how we desire to feel enjoyment. There's a reason why coffee shops have spread like wildfire. It's a place were we like to take some time in our day to stop and grab something we enjoy drinking. Some of us meet at coffee shops to chat and catch up with a good friend. Some of us need a little perk to push us through the day, but this by all means adds a little joy into our lives, whether we will acknowledge that or not.

Sidenote...
I really get a whole lot of homework, cleaning, and checking off my to do list when I have a little cup of yummy joe. Even if it's decaf might I add....talk about mind games!!

Anyway, the point of all of this is my desire to remind you to take a moment to stop and enjoy something that you love. Enjoy that cup of coffee. Enjoy that piece of chocolate, or that pumpkin spice bread. Take some time reading those blogs that you enjoy, or if you are a book worm, read some of your favorite book before you go to sleep.

Do something today that you enjoy.

There are so many things that you could to do that you enjoy. Life is stressful, crazy, busy, and often scary at times. Things change. Stress pours in. Responsibilities pile on top of each other. Yet, take a moment to ENJOY your day. Take a moment to say hi to God and thank him for your day, for this beautiful fall weather. Unless you aren't in BC or on the West Coast....then I am really not sure if you are experiencing such gorgeous weather.

So today, I'm going to enjoy my chai latte (of course I'll disregard the fact that my milk tastes a little off;)
I'm going to get in a good exercise becuase I enjoy it.
I'm going to go see a movie with my love, but I enjoy being with him (And it's Monday and neither of us have things to do on this day;)


Do you get my point?


Do something today that makes you happy, that makes you feel good.

God loves you and wants you to enjoy today.

Britt



Sep 30, 2010

Walk on that Water...

Do you have a dream? 

Do you have something so heavy on your heart, that you lay there dreaming about it as you fall asleep each night?

Do you ever wonder if that "one thing" you have always wanted to do just might ever becoming a reality? 

I sure did. 
And my dream is slowly coming true. 

For the last few months, this song has resonated with me every time I hear it. The first time I heard it, was actually on The Biggest Loser as funny as that may sound. But honestly, it made sense right then as I heard the lyrics for the first time. 

Walk on the water. 

Just like Jesus told Peter to do. Just as Peter knew in his heart he very well could do, should do. The story is unique, and it is utterly beautiful now that I look at it.

 29"Come," he said.
   Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
 31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

Right now, I have only taken that first step of walking on the water. I have only begun my journey, of creating a group, a program, just something for every beautiful young girl, young women, mature women seeking to find the truth. 

It's beautiful really. God has given me a dream. And I intend to pursue it until I feel that I have lived up to what I feel called to do.

But it hasn't been easy, and I am battling those doubts daily. "What if no one shows up? What if girls don't want any help? What if I get too overwhelmed that I can't speak anymore, that I can't even think? What if...?"

I've had a few plans already fall through, I've already felt the water start moving up my legs as I started to sink, but I've gotten back up and took that next step. And I am continuing to walk. Each time I start to feel the water creep up, I am going to remember that this is the dream that I believe God has put on my heart. It is as though I was the one hearing, "Come". And I am getting out of that boat and taking those steps towards the Lord, towards the calling I believe I have. 

And I believe. 
Do you?
Do you believe that what God has put on your heart, can and will come true? 
Do you believe that you can do this? 
Because I sure do. 
I believe in you, and I need you to believe in me to. 


Britt

 

Sep 17, 2010

A Struggling Life. A Loss of Another.

Life is so short. Life is incredibly precious.

Yesterday morning, a friend from high school lost his life. Today, a baby boy is trying to hold on to his. What do we make of this? Even though I am not closely tied to either of these beautiful souls, my heart goes out to their families.

Orrin Coates. A friend of many from high school, a best friend today, a brother, an uncle, a son. Orrin brought life to those he spent time with, this I do remember even though it's been a few years. He knew what his plans were, and he was full of joy because of that. Orrin, life took him too soon.

Baby Bowen. He was born with a heart that was under developed. He has a Mommy and Daddy that love him so much. Two big sisters that can't wait to play with their little brother. Bowen, a life that is fighting so hard to keep going.

God, we question why things like this happen. We don't understand why anyone has to lose a life so young, or be born with burdens that are at times physically impossible to bare. This reminds me of our little Carter that passed away a few months ago, that fought an incredibly long and grueling fight with cancer. Lord, why do they have to face this?

Loss is never something easy to grasp. Even when my precious GrandFather died Christmas day three years ago, it was still heart wrenching and life changing even though he had lived a long and beautiful life.

I'm reading through a book for one of my classes and these words resonated in my heart when thinking about loss. "Loss, any kind of loss---rejection, abandonment, divorce, death---is a shocking, numbing, gray thing that at the outset, at least, freezes the heart and slows the mind. Loss changes life at the root. Irrevocable. What was once the center of life--the person, the position, the plan, the lifestyle---is no more." (The Story of Ruth)

 Loss freezes the heart and slows the mind. 


So how to we grasp this? I'm speaking for those of us on the outside looking in. We may not have been in the direct line of this loss, yet we still experience this sadness and utter shock of the preciousness of life.

I don't know about you, but I have to run to God. I may not understand why things are happening the way they are, but I know that he does. He's the one that brought life into Orrin the day he was born. He's the one continuing to breathe life into the lungs of little baby Bowen.

We may not be experiencing loss the same as those who have lost their son, their brother, their best friend. But our lives have been shaken a bit. Our eyes have been opened to the reality of life, and the shortness of it at times.

This morning I woke up with a heavy heart. I was sad for Orrin's family. I felt for his close friends. I was wondering how baby Bowen was doing, wondering how his new Mommy and Daddy were handling this challenging time. So I chose to open my bible, and seek some encouragement, some comfort from my God.

" Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:28-31

Then I skimmed further and found this,

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

Guys, God is holding onto us. He is taking care of Orrin's family, he is holding the hand of Bowen. No matter where you are at in life, no matter what types of loss you have experienced, God is holding your hand. He wants you to know how much he loves you. So cry out to him, pray to him. He is listening.

My challenge for myself, and for you today, is to remind your family that you love them. Tell your closest friends how much you cherish them. Hug those you love, and kiss your children goodnight. But most of all, pray for those who are experiencing the loss first hand. Pray for those who are hoping for a life to just hold on.

Life is a beautiful thing. Don't take it for granted.

Sep 12, 2010

Waiting for Something Beautiful

Yep. I'm listening to that amazing song by Needtobreathe called Something Beautiful.
And once again, I'm inspired.

The past few weeks have been just wonderful! I finished my job with the college and was able to do some last minute deep cleaning before my busy final year at CBC started. It was so nice to have a few weeks just to myself cleaning, and enjoying time spent with good girlfriends and family. Jason and I went home for about a week and spent some quality time with my family and that was such a gift! Everytime I get to see them, I'm reminded of how blessed I am to have them. They bring such refreshment into my life, and I thank God for that every day. Wish you could have been there wish us big brother!

So, I've actually begun the process of gathering info and what not for The Beautiful Truth. It's been such a fun beginning to this journey. I was able to get my mission statement put together, my vision, and the things that I value in regards to this dream. Thanks Cyndy for helping me with your expertise in getting this stuff out!

                              Here's what the walls looked like while we were doing the vision cast!



To you guys, this looks like a jumble of color. But to me, it's ideas, dreams, and goals that have been written on my heart for months and are finally out on paper! It's been so fun beginning my research and getting some foundation set. The Beautiful Truth is BEGINNING! I have a lot of work to do, lots of prayer, and boy oh boy I'm excited:)

If any of you know someone that's passionate about making a change in the hearts and minds of our young women in the way they see themselves. If you want to help, email me! If you want to be a prayer warrior, I REALLY need it.

I'll keep you all updated on what's new with The Beautiful Truth.

I'm waiting for something beautiful to start rolling on into my life....:)



Aug 21, 2010

Operation Beautiful

Operation Beautiful. 


What a blessing it was to see the one woman who started this thing speak about it on The Today Show a few weeks back. One morning, this woman came to the realization that she was sick of trying to live up to an impossible expectation of beauty. So she decided to make a change. She started putting sticky notes on the mirror in public bathrooms and hoped to make one woman smile. This continued on until thousands of women started sending in pictures of the places they had left a note and then a book was born. Every time I watch these type of videos I am once again reminded of the need to get The Beautiful Truth going. It's just so exciting to see the many different things women are doing to take a stand and remind each other how beautiful we are JUST THE WAY we are! It's inspiring, encouraging, and boy it is affirming. 


For those of you that are aware of this dream I believe God has put on my heart called The Beautiful Truth, I am in the early stages of getting this started! I've been meeting with some people and discussing the possibilities for this next year in using the internship hours I need to obtain in order to graduate, to gain a stronger foundation of what I want to begin. I am hoping to spend three months doing research and polls and interviews and studying in order to gain a better grasp of what it is young women are in need of learning. I want to talk with those who have done things similar to this, or just been involved in the lives of those that struggle with self confidence. I also want to begin meeting with girls and really getting to the heart of this issue, and seeing how to make a beautiful change in the way we see ourselves. I'm hoping to officially start this program, or group during my second semester of school. It will be like my little baby, so I want to see how it goes on the campus of Columbia Bible College. This is all if my prof allows me to use this as my internship which would give me 8 hours for sure a week of research research research until I dive right in. Say a prayer! I sure hope this works out for my internship. 


Other than that, it's been exciting seeing how God has brought specific people into my life at this time with gifts that can be used with The Beautiful Truth. How exciting!! I'm noticing that there's a big target on my back and the devil is sure heaving some huge challenges my way lately. But I will overcome each and every challenge and fear. When I say challenge, I mean my own fight to see God's true beauty in myself have grown more difficult. I've noticed old battles poking in more recently, which leads me to draw even closer to the Lord in order to gain strength and beat down those lies. The battle sure continues, even if you are trying to make a difference in the lives of others. Yet, my Mom has always said, if you don't feel the devil trying to bring you down, then you're not too big of a worry in his eyes, and boy we WANT to be a worry in his eyes...that means we are really doing something incredible for our God! I'm just thankful to have God on my side, holding my hand, and walking me through those dark moments. Lately, all I have been hearing and reading about during my God time is GREAT IS HIS FAITHFULNESS! So thank you God, for that reminder that I need every single time I'm down. 


Well, now that I went from passionately sharing Operation Beautiful, to updating you on The Beautiful Truth, and finally sharing some of the deepest struggles going on in my life, I guess I should end this tangent:) 


Time to go to sleep....


Britt





Yummy Fresh Smootheeee:)

Just had to share this royal yumminess with you. I found it in my wonderful Better Homes and Gardens mag...(aka- the housewives best friend) and today I finally tried it out! Here it is-

1 medium banana-    (mine was mushy at the bottom so I only used half and it was still perfect)
3/4 cup of fresh rasberries-  (mine were frozen because we were given such a GENEROUS amount of rasberries from some friends of ours. Thanks James and Amy!
1 tbs sugar
3/4 cup of 1% milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Mix together in your blender, and drink until your heart's delight! Or, until your heart is delighted...really, that saying doesn't make much sense, or else I don't quite have it right;)

Have an beautiful Saturday evening and I will blog again shortly.

Britt

Aug 5, 2010

My Something Beautiful

Something beautiful. Something exciting. Something breathtaking and life changing. 


These are all things we all desire. We desire to see something so breathtakingly beautiful. If you don't, then my goodness you need to! For the last few weeks I have heard this song on the radio and felt incredibly inspired to write, to blog. This morning I watched a short series called Breakthrough by Tony Robbins and the song Something Beautiful by NeedtoBreathe is their theme song. Not only does it fit, but millions of viewers are being blessed with one persons cry out to God, that turned into a song, that stirs our own hearts for "something beautiful". 


So what is it?


What is that something beautiful?


What are you wanting to see, to experience, to witness? 


As for me, this song stirs so many different emotions in my own heart, and I felt like sharing some of them with you. May it be a challenge to you to think of some of that "something beautiful" you desire to see. 


My Something Beautiful-
    -Even though I've seen many sunsets, I want to sit on some high mountain, hill, or cliff at the beach and watch our main source of light, energy, and heat fall beneath the ocean. 
    -In time, I want to experience the moment we first find out we are going to have a baby. I want to see the baby's first kick, first smile, first step. 
    -I want to be in conversation with someone and pray with someone as they accept Jesus as their Savior for the first time. I desire to see those tears of joy pour from their soul. 
    -I want overlook a beautiful canyon, or mountainous area and journal, worship, and talk with God. 
    -I want to see a room full of women being reminded of their TRUE beauty. I want to see the look in their eyes when they get it, when they realize that THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL.
    -I want to hear stories of men and women who have struggled with years of fear, anxiety, anorexia, bulimia, and everything else, and hear how GOD HELPED THEM OVERCOME
    -I want to be back where I was the last night of our senior float trip where we sat on top of a hill underneath the stars and just soaked in the beauty of no city lights, no noise, just pure nature. Just God's creation. 
    -I want to feel the joy of running and completing my first fun run.
    -I look forward to my 25th anniversary sitting next to my husband smiling at the fact that we thought one year was amazing, yet, we had no idea what wonderful things were to come. 
    -I want to experience whatever it is God is going to do with The Beautiful Truth. Just seeing the look on young women's faced when they are reminded of how TRULY BEAUTIFUL they are will bring tears to my eyes.

To me, my "something beautiful" is personal. It's my dreams, my hopes, and my desires. The list could go on and on, and to be honest, I hope that it never ends. Why? 


Because GOD IS BEAUTIFUL. 


GOD is my "something beautiful" 


GOD has put these dreams in my heart. 
GOD has written my love story with Jason.
GOD knows when my precious little babies will enter this world. 
GOD loves me. 
And GOD wants to bless me. 


He wants to BLESS you. He wants to ROMANCE you. He wants to COMFORT you and SHOW you something beautiful. 


So what is it? What is that "something beautiful" you want to see? 


Here's the song that inspired me. Look at all the different people in this video that also desire to experience something beautiful. We are all alike, and God created us. So pray, and ASK Him to SHOW you SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL




Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1H3l7kyYU&feature=av2n

Cast of Characters: Max Lucado

Beautiful. Intriguing. Inspiring. Uplifting.

I ordered this book from booksneeze.com a few weeks ago and am already inspired. Of course we all know how wonderful of an author Max Lucado is, so that would be one of the reasons why I am touched. Yet, another reason is the reality that the stories written in this book, are taken directly from the bible. They have been a part of our inspired word of God, and changed in a way that we can relate and grasp the reality these people faced every day of their lives many years ago. Cast of Characters is a book written about 22 individual lives we read about in the bible. Some of them would be Esther, Moses, Joseph, and even two criminals. I would totally recommend reading this book if you are looking for a light read, yet something that will also move in your heart. It's important for us to constantly gain a better understanding of how God has called us to live. Often, the best way to grasp these things, we can look at experiences of other people and see what they learned through out their lives. What a blessing it is to receive this book! Read it!

Jul 22, 2010

Pushing Towards Breaking Free

It's time to get real.

I mean, I always try to be real, and honest when it comes to blogging, and all other areas of my life for that matter. Yet, today, I've decided to share with you some things that God is doing in my heart. They sure are big things, great things....just beautiful things.

So let's be honest. I struggle with fear.

Fear. Such a frustrating word. And for those of you who don't know me, wouldn't know that anxiety has poked itself into my life for quite some time. It's something that almost everyone struggles with in my family when you look down the line. Well, I would say quite the majority at least. Worry, yes, that's normal. But anxiety, the thing that can take over and make you fear everything, obsess over little things, feel nervous for absolutely nothing, yes, that one can sure take over easily. It's something that so many people struggle with and don't even realize it. It's something I have learned to cope with, work through, and ignore.

God has done incredible things in my heart and has truly held onto me when I felt the most frustrated with this "thorn in my flesh" like I've called it many times. And I thank Him continually.

But let me tell you, over the last few months he has been 'stewing' something deep in my heart. He has been pushing me to give up the things I worry about, the things I hold on to, the way I cope with this ugly thorn known as anxiety. And it's been quite the hard hike let me tell you.

The last week or so I felt like I was climbing a mountain that just didn't seem to ever let up. It was like there was no resting point, no place that wasn't constantly going straight up. And boy did that suck. I was tired! Just like you get when hiking up a steep hill, or mountain, that feeling where you are ready to get to the top, and enjoy the view, the freedom. I've been wanting to get there, yet was feeling bogged down by my "lack of being in shape". It was as though I wasn't realizing the strength and ability I have to beat down the things that can really build up walls in my life.

(I'm sorry if any of this isn't making sense for some of you, yet if you struggle with or have struggled with anxiety, this just might sound familiar to you, so bare with me:)

I met with a great friend this morning and told her about the tough week I was experiencing, and after a few hours, it hit me. I realized that I was totally allowing the devil to bring me down and keep me from climbing the mountain of overcoming my fears. I wasn't LISTENING to God whisper into my heart that I can beat this, I can work through the things that bring me down. I was holding onto something that I learned to be ok with. A wonderful author and teacher named Beth Moore says in her devotional called Breaking Free that in her moments of being stuck in those difficult times, she was fine with just coping. She was fine with just staying in those chains that took ahold of her.

We all have something that can bring us fear, we all have something that can take over and keep us from being who God created us to be and who he wants us to be. We all have that thing that kind of bind us. For me, it's been my struggle with anxiety, and I became ok with just living with it. But God has other plans.

It's been a tough week hitting those "chains" head on. It's been a struggle to be honest, and I'm sure it's not been so easy for my husband Jason because he's had to just sit back and watch me try to climb the mountain that has grown in my life. He did pray for me yes, and he spent time listening to me as well. But it took me realizing what I wasn't allowing God to do in my life, and understanding that I needed to get on my hands and knees and lay my heart out to the Lord.

That's exactly what I did. I turned on a great worship mix, opened my journal, and wrote out everything that I was feeling. At one point the song Oh My God by Jars of Clay came on and it just broke me down. The lyrics talk about all the different horrible things that go on in this world, and how all that we can do is cry out to God. That's it. I needed to cry out to God. And boy did I cry!  That's not something I do a whole lot while worshipping God (and I wish I did), yet at this time, it was like "I just needed a good cry." I can hear my Mom saying it right now.

And it worked. God worked. And I saw!

Guys, I know this post must be difficult for some to read, and it may also not make any sense. Yet it was on my heart to be honest, and to  be vulnerable. I know many people that struggle with anxiety and I felt that there must be others that could be reading this and might need a little encouragement.

I can do it. YOU can do it. WE can all climb that mountain that has been growing in our lives. We can all overcome the things that seem to bind us and keep us from being WHO and WHAT God desires for us to be.

I could share many verses with you to support this, and boy I should! Yet, I want to leave you with this.

GOD CAN. GOD WILL if we allow Him. GOD DOES have an incredible plan for our lives, and GOD WILL help us to CONQUER our fears.

Praise God:)

I'll continue filling you in on this journey I am on, and I hope and pray that you can see the great work God wants to do in your heart. For now, I'm gonna continue pressing towards the Lord and praying that he can continue to break my heart and build it back up just as he desires it to be.

Thank you God:)

The Brittsters.

Jul 16, 2010

Pine Street.

Pine Street.

During my first year of high school, the year of new beginnings, we moved into a two story home that would soon become ours. From the inside out, my parents renovated and changed it to a classic country home. The yard was all grass. Yet, within a year it had been turned into a beautiful escape from the busy lives we lived. The home I was born in reminds my family of many incredible memories. Yet, it's not the home I miss today. Today, as I enjoy my own first home as an adult, I am reminded of the comfort, fun, and joy I have had in my home in Oregon. It will always be considered home. Even if it's not the place I am living most of the time. Home is where your heart is, and that has become such a reality for me. Yes, my home here with Jason is where my heart is. Yet, every person has a place they look at as "home". It's either where their family is, or where they first moved to when their own home wasn't a good place anymore. We each have a place we love to call home, that place we love to visit when we need to get away from the busy lives we lead in our new home. For me, my "home" is the home I just left. The home my parents have built for us as a family. The place where we all come back to when the holidays roll around. It's home.

It's the street I grew up in.
It's the place I grew to love my parents for who they were not just because they were my parents.
I learned how to cook in that house.
I became best friends with my Mom there.
Josh and I spent hours on the trampoline or in the hot tub there.
I was picked up for my first prom in that house.
And learned how to drive there.
I grew to love my neighbors Rod and Noella like family while living there.
I found my love for mini weiner dogs there:)
I had many hours of journaling and laying in the hammock wondering where God would lead me .
I had to the hard way who my true friends were while living there.
I spent time working in the yard with my Dad, talking to him about life.
I enjoyed many dinners talking to my brothers and parents for hours after the food was gone.
I battled a minor eating disorder there and regained a healthy picture of my true beauty.
God took control of my life so often while living there.
I brought home my love to "meet the family".
My family fell in love with my true love and welcomed him into our family there.

As I have my own home now with Jason, I desire to create memories just like these wherever we go. I hope to fill our home with love and laughter and the peace of God. I hope to raise my children to love the Lord and live for him here. It won't be in this exact home of course, yet it will be in my home Jason and I created.

In the future, I look forward to going and visiting my home in Oregon, yes, where a piece of my heart will always be.

I look forward to so many incredible memories to continue to be created in that home. The home where I grew up.

Mom, Dad, Josh, and Alex, thank you. Thank you for making home such a beautiful place. Thank you for loving me for who I am every moment I walk through the door. Thank you for my home. I love you.

Britt

Persevering in a New Way

For those of you who know me, know I love to exercise. I love to go for a good power walk with a girl friend, or push through the 30 Day Shred work out dvd by Jillian Michaels. I love getting out for a bike ride, or even rally the tennis ball with my husband for a bit. 

But I don't like to run. 

Or at least, I used to feel that way. 

For the last few years I really hated going for a run. It may be because I was doing it all alone, and not being realistic with myself and my abilities. 

At one point during my struggle with a minor eating disorder a few years back, I would get so angry with myself because I could not break through that tired point in the beginning of a run where my body was going...."what on earth are you making me do"? I was never one to do much running unless it was during my cheerleading daily doubles or random practices. Needless to say, unless I was on a tredmill with the tv going in front of me, I would never choose to go for a nice jog. 

This was the one area that I ignored in the world of exercise. 

Until a few weeks ago. 

A good friend of mine always talks about how much she enjoys a good run, and how good she feels after one. I began to ask her about "the wall" in the beginning of a run where I just felt like I could not push myself any further, nor wanted to. And she explained to me what it actually is and that once you get past that, it gets that much easier. 

So we went for a run! 

We decided that she would train me. Teach me how to love this area, and how to push myself in a way that I never thought I could. 

So two weeks ago, she took me out to this beautiful place in this area, and I started the journey of conquering something I thought I wasn't built to do. 

On that day, she thought it would be good to start small, and work my way up, which we are still continuing to do. We ran 4 minutes and walked 2 and then continued that for the rest of the run. It was challenging for me even though I regularly work out. My body wasn't used to this, yet I pushed through the moments of thinking I couldn't do it. I remember at one point half way through saying how much I wanted to just power walk because that's something I enjoy! Yet, Sarah kindly reminded me that I could do this, and that we only had three minutes left. Then two...then one. I remember even thinking about my older brother and how he runs 10 miles every single day with tons of gear on his back, and heat to make it worse. Yes, he's in the army. But he is still running, and doing something he had never done before. 

I even thought about Jillian Michaels being my trainer and running beside me yelling into my ear saying that I can do it, that I need to battle the lies saying I am not capable. Funny thing is, it worked! 

At the end of our run, Sarah said we were going to run to a certain point, yet I thought it wouldn't be too much longer than what I was used to. When I heard he say we had just run 7 minutes straight I was full of incredible joy! I, the one who hated running. The one who believed I could do anything else in the gym, yet could not be a distance runner...DID IT!

To some of you, this may sound kind of funny. It may seem like such a small hurdle to climb. Yet to me, it was almost impossible in my mind. I didn't think I was even built to run. It was the one thing that constantly would poke in my head saying that I wasn't really in that good of shape because I couldn't run very long. 

Yet, I persevered. 
I pushed myself past the limit that I had put on my back.
I said I couldn't run.
And I can.
And now, I love it! 
I have only just begun. 

Thank you Sarah. Thank you for reminding me that I can do this, and can conquer something that seemed impossible. Thank you for pushing me to run further without me even knowing it, and then sharing the good news as we had finished. I love that you help me push through the mental battle because I can do this physically. Thank you for being my running partner:)

God, you are amazing. Thank you for the beautiful world you have created, and The Dike...my goodness that place is beautiful and helps me enjoy our runs with baby bunnies hopping across the trail. Seeing the horses grazing half way through our run fills me with joy like every other area of your creation. 

What is something little to others, yet huge to you that you need to overcome? I know you have that one thing that you think you either physically can't do, or personally won't be able to accomplish. We are all human and we are constantly changing and growing, so what's an area that you think you could push yourself further in? 

I want to encourage you today with this. 

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." Eph. 3:20

Whether it's physical, emotional, personal, a goal, a dream, or even a relationship that you want to be reconciled, God is holding your hand. With him working in your heart, you can do anything you can put your mind to. 

So what is that one thing? 

Blessings guys....

The Newlywed.


Jul 6, 2010

What's in your life book?

 That, none of us really know.

I just finished reading this cute book called Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, Beth Hoffman. Such a cute read! The gist of the story is this, CeeCee Honeycutt loses her Mom at the age of 12 and moves to Savannah Georgia to live with her great-aunt. It's such a light hearted read, and I enjoyed it. At one point, a close elderly friend talks to her about her life book, and how people come and people go. She talks about how God is in control of our lives, and we are in need of accepting change as it comes.

So basically, it got me thinking....

What's in my life book?

        I mean, I know that this isn't something that can be figured out right now as I am typing this. For it's all in God's hands. I have given my life completely over to him, therefore, I don't need to worry about my future, and whatever comes my way. Praise God for this:) Yet, I still am given the opportunity to make my own decisions on a daily basis, and I am my own person.
       So where will Jason and I end up once I finish with school? When will we start having children? Which friends will be life long, and which will be a part of my life for a season? What choices will I make? What will come of my dream, The Beautiful Truth?
      This just brings me to look at the way life has been for me, and I am so thankful. I'm incredibly thankful for the friends God has given me, and the family that I love so much. I am humbled by the tough lessons I had to learn, and willing to continue learning. I'm am thankful for the mountains I have been able to climb, because I can always look back and be reminded that God is holding my hand and guiding me the whole way. I am reminded of God's provision over Jason and I and how he took such great care of us this past year. I am thankful, at peace, humbled, and full of joy as I look at the first 22 chapters of my life book.
       Yet, I am excited for the rest of the chapters to come. I hope and pray that my time here will continue for quite a while, for there is many wonderful things I want to experience, people I want to bless, things I want to accomplish, time I want to spend with others, babies I want to raise, moments I want to cherish my Jason, my family. There is so much I look forward to as I look at the rest of my life book...with the pages not yet written on.
       Once again, I want to learn from this thought, challenge myself and the rest of you reading this. What are we going to do with the lives God has given us? What are we going to write in our life book? I know that I desire to serve the Lord until the day I go home to be with him, and I am excited to think about everything else inbetween. So I'm going to consciously choose today, to be a blessing. Tomorrow, I want to be a blessing, and the next....yep....I would love to be a blessing to someone, somewhere, somehow.

What's in your life book?

Is God in control?

Cuz if he is, I guarantee, you have someone taking care of you, someone holding your hand, someone loving you when you need it most, someone holding on to you when you feel like letting go.

Yep, that's the most important aspect to every life book.......God. :)

Blessings. Hugs. And Prayers for you today.

Britt

Jul 2, 2010

The Importance of Girlfriends

For those of you that know me, know my Mom and I are best friends. We are so much alike, we love the same things, we laugh at the same things, and well...she's my Momma Love. To some, they just don't understand how close I am to my Mom. So think I'm dependant on her and just haven't "leave and cleaved". Nope, that's not it. I mean leaving and cleaving your family is such a process so I'm going to jump out there and say that just because you say your vows and get married, doesn't mean you leave and cleave over night. Some people are different, yet for me, it is a process to "leave" my family, and "cleave" to the man I have married. I've enjoyed the process and have come a long way but this isn't what I am blogging about, and now I'm rambling so I think I'll get back on track:) 

Girlfriends. 

I've got many:)
Yet, sometimes I don't realize how many great girlfriends I have been given. 
And I allow myself to get in a routine of busy life....cleaning, being a wife, working, and looking forward to the next time I get to see my best friend, and my family. 
And then I go through a tough time, often a night of crying, and Jason trying to figure out why I'm sad...oops! (Anyone else ever have a spell of woman emotions and leave your poor husband feeling like "he's just gone through a blender" (that's what Jason calls it:) because of our silly emotional rollercoasters that poke their heads in here and there?

So then, Jason reminds me that I have some wonderful friends up here and that it's important to spend time with them while we are living here. It's a gift to be so close to them. We are in a place where I am finishing my degree this year, and then after that we will be settling in somewhere for good wherever we feel God is opening the door. 

Even though it's a wonderful thing to be so close to my Mom and having her as my best friend is amazing! I would never change that. But I can't forget that I have friends that are close by, that I am able to spend time with as well. God has given me a community here as well that I have grown to love. 

Am I making sense here? 

So alass, I was encouraged. I was reminded that I need my girlfriends even though I have married my best friend. I can see why Mom's need their girls nights out. While I am not a mommy and still a student, I have more time and freedom to do those things with my girls and I am so thankful for that. 

The last two weeks, I have been able to reconnect with two girls I had gotten to know my first year of school, and that has been such a gift! I thank God for bringing them back into my life, and being able to connect with them even though it's been so long. I look forward to spending more time getting to know them again, and enjoying their friendship. 

I have been able to get to know a few other people more in the last few weeks and I have been so refreshed, so thankful. Carolyn, I know you will read this, so THANK YOU. Thank you for reminding this and literally leaving your door open for me to come and join you for breakfast. I cannot express how thankful I am for your gift of hospitality. You are amazing.

Jason and I have been able to spend time with a few other young couples and that has been incredible! In fact, this year we have been able to do this regularly. And that is a constant gift to us. Last night for Canada Day, we spent time with some new/old friends and it was so much fun! 

God is continually showing me how important it is so surround myself with people that poor life into me, build me up, challenge and encourage. And I've got that. Thank you God. Thank you Jason for reminding me to spend time with those that I love. 

And Mom, you are amazing. I'm so looking forward to our girly weekend of scrapbooking and pedicures. I always miss you and look forward to our next weekend being goofs together, yet I am always at peace knowing I have you a phone call away. 

Life is wonderful guys. It's challenging, and always seems to be a growing experience. Above all, God has given us friendships for a reason and I look forward to the many memories that continue to be created. 

Love and hugs. 

The Newlywed.  


Jun 27, 2010

Yummy. Pretty. Refreshing.


I love summer! I just love the way the sun stays out until after nine. I love the fresh squeezed lemonade. And the abundant deals on fruit and veggies. I love being able to open all the windows first thing in the morning, and let in the freshness of a new day. I love falling asleep every night with the ceiling fan going. I love camping. Roasting marshmallows over the fire, even though it's pure sugar, or pure who knows what. I could go on and on about what I love about summer....
But these would be my favorites today. 





Hydrangeas

These grow right on the CBC campus so I had to ask my boss if I could take some home. Little did she know, these are my absolute favorite! When I was busy wedding planning, these were the only things that I continued to want used. I would change my mind about this, and that. But these would always stay on the priority list. Having them on my kitchen table just makes me so happy. I love taking a moment to look at how beautiful they are.

 
Cherry Apple Crisp

I had a can of cherry pie filling that I had been wanting to use, and there were a couple apples in the fridge, so this recipe worked great! I can't remember where I found it, but it was online, so just type it in the search engine and you will find it. I should really write these things down so that I can make them again, especially when it's a great recipe! 


Cheesy Rolls

I can't tell you where you've had them, or where I even got the recipe because it's a yummy one I have taken from my Mom and it's become our little secret:) But they are good all right! I made them to go along with out good old midwest meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and fresh organic corn (from Costco might I add:)

Well, today I felt like a lighter post. I wanted to share with you some things that bring joy to my heart. Of course, some yummy home cooking will be on that list. Yet, the flowers are pretty high up there, for they remind me of the love God has for me. 

Yep:)

 Jason and I have enjoyed such a refreshing Sunday. It sure was a sabbath! We spent some incredible time with the Lord this morning, and then of course I got the itch to bake. We had been given a huge amount of rasberries from some wonderful friends, so I just had to use them;) I decided I would make some muffins, so that Jason could take them to work, and then some banana bread for me. Jason is allergic to bananas, so I just have to eat it all by myself over the next little while. Bummer:) 

Be blessed as you enjoy the rest of your Sunday, and start your week all over again. Tomorrow, before you start the day, read one Proverb. I've found that to be incredibly encouraging and motivating as I get going on my day. 

Tomorrow, I'm going for a run with a friend that is going to push me. For those of you that know me, know I love to exercise and be active. Yet when it comes to running, I don't enjoy it. She's going to HELP me or MAKE me enjoy it more. It's the one thing I ignore in the world of exercise, unless it's on a tredmill with the tv going. I'll have to update you on my journey of WANTING to enjoy running:)

Britt