Hey World,
I will write again this week at some point about last Wednesday night's cool moment! But for now, here are a few cool updates:
1. MILE- yesterday I did not run my mile. Don't be too mad. lol I hadn't been feeling 100% percent and just wanted to run it when I was! So my plan is to train hard this week and then Monday is the day!!!
2. JONATHAN AND I ARE GOING TO BE AN UNCLE AND AUNT! ( It is so nice to finally be able to tell the world! haha) Jonathan's sweet sister, Jessica and her husband Wilson are going to become parents in early September!
3. also see the latest from the 365 project here: http://365project.org/brit/365
More updates and a blog post to come later!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
All you ever wanted to know about Fruit! (Bible facts, The Healthiest Fruits for You, and a Smoothie Recipe!)
Well, this all started on Monday night. I have some awesome high school girls that come over to my house for Bible Study; a Discipleship Group kind of deal. They're awesome and I wish I would've had the zeal they have in high school to know more about God and to tell people about Him! So on Monday night we were discussing questions we had about God, the Bible etc. One interesting fact that a girl named Tara brought up was the common misconception that the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden was an apple. Before I go any further let me give a disclaimer.
[In the long run it really does not matter what the forbidden fruit was because wether it was an apple, a tomato, or even a nasty ol' prune ;) , the point is that Adam and Eve still ate it and disobeyed God. This first sin that was commmited set the course for the rest of history and from that point on every human that is born is born with sin. Sometimes it's easy to think, we'll i'm a pretty good person, am I really that bad of a sinner? The answer is yes. And before you're offended and sign on to facebook instead of reading the rest of this think about a few things.
-When you got your yearbook in school, what is one of the first things you did? Most of us do what anyone would do. We flip quickly through the pages looking for ourselves to see how much we are in there. Or, how about when your family takes a family picture and you all have to agree on ONE out of the like 50 to get prints of. Which one do you choose? The one you look best in right? Who cares if so-and-so's eyes are half open. haha I love this pic! (I have no idea who these poor people are, haha. I just typed in "awkward family photo's and this is what came up! lol).
Haha. It's kind of funny because I can so relate (not to this picture! haha but to always looking out for my own interests). I think we all can relate because deep down we are selfish and prideful. We care the most about ourselves. "Looking out for number 1." God is not our first priority and usually others aren't either. We are sinners. So many times we spend all of our time, money, and our talents/gifts on other things. So, all of that to say that we are sinners because Adam and Eve also took their eyes off of God and were distracted by other things.And our hearts are so prone to wander and worship people and things other than God. He is the one we owe our lives to and the one who gave his life so that we could have a relationship with Him! THAT is the good news. Even in our prideful, sinful state Christ loved us enough to die for us and take our punishment instead! Now when we accept Him as the Lord of our lives we can live in relationship with Him for forever! ]
Below are some older and modern day depictions of the Forbidden Fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil that was in the center of the Garden of Eden. Read the story of Creation and of the Fall here:http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%201-3&version=NIV
Okay so you get the picture....haha oh man I love puns. lol One more modern day example is in Snow White. Her downfall was a wiked witch disguised who gave her an apple. Sound familliar?
So, here is a sweet paragraph from good ol' wikipedia about the forbidden fruit and some history behind it and why we always think it's an apple. (All info was taken from here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbidden_fruit).
[In the long run it really does not matter what the forbidden fruit was because wether it was an apple, a tomato, or even a nasty ol' prune ;) , the point is that Adam and Eve still ate it and disobeyed God. This first sin that was commmited set the course for the rest of history and from that point on every human that is born is born with sin. Sometimes it's easy to think, we'll i'm a pretty good person, am I really that bad of a sinner? The answer is yes. And before you're offended and sign on to facebook instead of reading the rest of this think about a few things.
-When you got your yearbook in school, what is one of the first things you did? Most of us do what anyone would do. We flip quickly through the pages looking for ourselves to see how much we are in there. Or, how about when your family takes a family picture and you all have to agree on ONE out of the like 50 to get prints of. Which one do you choose? The one you look best in right? Who cares if so-and-so's eyes are half open. haha I love this pic! (I have no idea who these poor people are, haha. I just typed in "awkward family photo's and this is what came up! lol).
Haha. It's kind of funny because I can so relate (not to this picture! haha but to always looking out for my own interests). I think we all can relate because deep down we are selfish and prideful. We care the most about ourselves. "Looking out for number 1." God is not our first priority and usually others aren't either. We are sinners. So many times we spend all of our time, money, and our talents/gifts on other things. So, all of that to say that we are sinners because Adam and Eve also took their eyes off of God and were distracted by other things.And our hearts are so prone to wander and worship people and things other than God. He is the one we owe our lives to and the one who gave his life so that we could have a relationship with Him! THAT is the good news. Even in our prideful, sinful state Christ loved us enough to die for us and take our punishment instead! Now when we accept Him as the Lord of our lives we can live in relationship with Him for forever! ]
Below are some older and modern day depictions of the Forbidden Fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil that was in the center of the Garden of Eden. Read the story of Creation and of the Fall here:http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%201-3&version=NIV
-this fruit does look kind of apple-esque
okay this one almost looks like an eggplant. Lol. but you still get the point I suppose.
So, here is a sweet paragraph from good ol' wikipedia about the forbidden fruit and some history behind it and why we always think it's an apple. (All info was taken from here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbidden_fruit).
Forbidden fruit is any object of desire whose appeal is a direct result of the knowledge that it cannot or should not be obtained or something that someone may want but is forbidden to have.
The metaphorical phrase forbidden fruit refers to the Book of Genesis,[1] where it is the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil eaten by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
Type of fruit
In Western Europe, the fruit was often depicted as an apple, because of a misunderstanding of, or perception of intentional dual meaning in, the Latin malus, which as an adjective means evil, but as a noun means apple. In the Vulgate, Genesis 2:17 describes the tree as "de ligno autem scientiae boni et mali/the wood, indeed, of good and evil knowledge" Genesis 2:17 ("mali" is the genitive of "malus"). The larynx in the humanthroat, noticeably more prominent in males, was consequently called an Adam's apple, from a notion that it was caused by the forbidden fruit sticking in Adam's throat as he swallowed.
Some Slavonic texts state that the "forbidden fruit" was actually the grape, that was later changed in its nature and made into something good, much as the serpent was changed by losing its legs and speech. The Zohar (the text of Jewish Kabbalah) also claims the fruit was a grape.[2]
Other Christians sometimes assert that the "forbidden fruit" was the fig, from the account of their using leaves of this tree to cover themselves (also the fig tree is the only fruit tree explicitly mentioned in the Genesis 3 context). Since the fig is a long-standing symbol of female sexuality, it enjoyed a run as a favorite understudy to the apple as the forbidden fruit during the Italian Renaissance. The most famous depiction of the fig as the forbidden fruit was painted by Michelangelo Buonarroti in his masterpiece fresco on the Sistine Chapel ceiling.[3]
Because the tomato, a fruit, is in some Slavic languages called "rajčica" or "paradajz", (both words are related to paradise - "raj" means "paradise"), there are also many of the opinion that it is the forbidden fruit of Genesis. Before the seventeenth century, tomatoes were regarded as poisonous in many European countries, lending credence to the rumors of its forbidden past.
Some Rabbinic traditions regard the forbidden fruit as wheat : wheat is "khitah" in Hebrew and thus is a pun on khet, "sin".[4] Still, many believe the quince, which pre-dates the apple and is native to Southwest Asia, was the forbidden fruit.
Other potential forbidden fruits of the Garden of Eden include the pomegranate,[4] the carob,[4] the etrog or citron,[4] the pear, and, more recently, the datura.[3]
Lastly, some Christians believe that the forbidden fruit was not meant to be a known species at all, but was a distinct plant that no longer exists.
-Interesting stuff right! Okay now that this post is insanely long I will leave you with some more interesting fruit facts:
The Ten Most Popular Fruits in America Are...
1. Apples
2. Bananas
3. Pineapple
4. Papaya
5. Strawberries
6. Blueberries
7. Raspberries
8. Plums
9. Peaches
10. Pears
2. Bananas
3. Pineapple
4. Papaya
5. Strawberries
6. Blueberries
7. Raspberries
8. Plums
9. Peaches
10. Pears
(info taken from http://chattanoogapulse.com/pulsefeatures/the-list/the-list-ten-most-popular-fruits-in-america/)
Top 15 Healthiest Fruits:
- Apples – 1 medium apple (80 calories, 0 g fat): An apple’s 3 g of fiber help you meet your fiber goal of 20 g to 30 g daily. High-fiber diets can lower heart disease risk;
- Apricots – 3 apricots (51 calories, 0 g fat): A good source of beta-carotene (which is converted to vitamin A by the body), providing the equivalent of 35% of the RDA for vitamin A;
- Bananas – 1 medium (105 calories, 0 g fat): Bananas are a great source of potassium, which plays a key role in heart health and muscle function. Plus each one has 2 g of fiber;
- Blackberries – 1 cup (74 calories, 0 g fat): This fruit boasts a whopping 10 g of fiber in a single cup;
- Blueberries - 1 cup (81 calories, 0 g fat): Blueberries help prevent and treat bladder infections by making it hard for bacteria to stick to urinary tract walls;
- Cherries – 1 cup (84 calories, 1 g fat): A good source of perillyl alcohol, which helps prevent cancer in animals. Heart-protective anthocyanins give cherries their color;
- Grapefruits – 1/2 fruit (39 calories, 0 g fat): A good source of vitamin C and a compound called naringenin, which helps suppress tumors in animals;
- Kiwi – 1 medium (46 calories, 0 g fat): Just one little fruit packs a mean vitamin-C punch (74 mg) and an impressive 2.8 g fiber;
- Mangoes – 1 mango (135 calories, 1 g fat): A single mango has enough beta-carotene to cover your RDA for vitamin A while racking up 57 mg of vitamin C;
- Oranges fruits- 1 orange (61 calories, 0 g fat): One orange provides an impressive 50 mg to 70 mg of vitamin C, 40 mcg of folic acid and 52 mg of calcium;
- Papayas – 1 cup, cubed (55 calories, 0 g fat): Loaded with vitamin C (86 mg per cup), a healthy dose of fiber (2.5 g) and a sprinkling of beta-carotene and calcium;
- Purple grapes - 1 small (113 calories, 0.9 g fat):Offer three heart-guarding compounds: flavonoids, anthocyanins and resveratrol (green grapes are not rich in them);
- Prunes – 1/3 cup, stewed (87 calories, 0 g fat): Prunes’ famed laxative effect is no mystery: There are 5 g of fiber (both soluble and insoluble) in just 1/3 cup;
- Raspberries - 1 cup (60 calories, 0 g fat): Teeming with 8 g of fiber per cup, they also boast vitamin C, ellagic acid and anthocyanins;
- Strawberries - 1 cup, sliced (50 calories, 0 g fat): Strawberries have high levels of ellagic acid and anthocyanins, and are rich in vitamin C (95 mg per cup) and fiber (3.8 g per cup).(Info from http://dietmotion.com/top-15-healthiest-fruits.html)
- now obviously i'm sure there are tons of other top fruit lists out there but this is just one I found and I love how it has the nutrition info!
Lastly, here is my fav. smoothie recipe!
1. Crush up 2-3 ice cubes in blender.
2. Add in either orange juice or I really like V8 fusions juice! (8oz. = a whole serving of fruits and veggies!)
3. then add in a banana chopped up, strawberries (fresh OR Frozen), and any other fruit you like.
4. while it's blending on LOW pour in Carnation Instant Breakfast Powder mix (I'm a chocolate girl but I guess any flavor will do).
5. Drink it up as a healthy breakfast and start to the day!
Alrighty well I have officially written my quota for the day! haha But hope this was beneficial and enjoyed! Stay tuned for a crazy God story that happened Wednesday night!... coincidence...I think not!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Mile Update, 365 project, and random thoughts about the problem of evil.
Mile Update- Okay good news! Tonight I did my mile for the week and decreased my time by another minute! So far it's gone from 12:30 to 11:02 to today's time- 10:04! Again still long, but it's encouraging to see time keep coming off!
365 project- check out the latest on the 365 project -HERE-
Random Thought:the problem of evil-
okay well this weekend I got to go with Parkway's Studentz to the Great Wolf Lodge (super cool place check it out -here- ) and we talked about the Problem of Evil. One of the biggest questions that Christians are faced with today is " If God is so good and loving, why is there evil?" A few things to remember are:
-God did not create evil, but he does allow it. Without it there would be no free choice in the matter. Doesn't it mean so much more that we CHOOSE God over evil rather than if there was no evil and we were just robots who automatically loved God?
- Also, God is all powerful. He defeated sin and death when he died on the cross for our sins and then rose from the dead. He will come again and those who are His (see previous post titled "What's the Big Deal?") will live with Him forever free from evil, pain , tears, etc.
-So here's the awesomest illustration ever (all credit goes to Jennifer Autry. She taught the girls in one session and said this) So, if God knew that we would choose evil instead of Him (which caused the need for us to be saved in the first place) then why did he even make the world and us? Well. Let me ask you this question. Think about your parents. Don't you think it might've been easier on them if they hadn't have had you? Ya know, more dates, more alone time, more money, etc. And don't you think that they knew when they had you that there maybe some bumps along the way (think about all the times you ever gave your parents an attitude, lied to them, etc.... ) Well they sacrificed all of that and despite knowing that you would hurt them a few times they still had you. Why? Because that precious bonded relationship that you have with them and they have with you is worth it. God thinks the same way. Only times like a bagillion. haha :) I'd love to hear your thoughts, questions, etc. on this topic. Comments are welcomed.
Okay enjoy,
This girl's calling it a night.
stay tuned for a post about fruit. haha. Sounds weird but keep checking back. Hopefully by the end of this week your thoughts that are now racing about things related to fruit will be settled haha :)
365 project- check out the latest on the 365 project -HERE-
Random Thought:the problem of evil-
okay well this weekend I got to go with Parkway's Studentz to the Great Wolf Lodge (super cool place check it out -here- ) and we talked about the Problem of Evil. One of the biggest questions that Christians are faced with today is " If God is so good and loving, why is there evil?" A few things to remember are:
-God did not create evil, but he does allow it. Without it there would be no free choice in the matter. Doesn't it mean so much more that we CHOOSE God over evil rather than if there was no evil and we were just robots who automatically loved God?
- Also, God is all powerful. He defeated sin and death when he died on the cross for our sins and then rose from the dead. He will come again and those who are His (see previous post titled "What's the Big Deal?") will live with Him forever free from evil, pain , tears, etc.
-So here's the awesomest illustration ever (all credit goes to Jennifer Autry. She taught the girls in one session and said this) So, if God knew that we would choose evil instead of Him (which caused the need for us to be saved in the first place) then why did he even make the world and us? Well. Let me ask you this question. Think about your parents. Don't you think it might've been easier on them if they hadn't have had you? Ya know, more dates, more alone time, more money, etc. And don't you think that they knew when they had you that there maybe some bumps along the way (think about all the times you ever gave your parents an attitude, lied to them, etc.... ) Well they sacrificed all of that and despite knowing that you would hurt them a few times they still had you. Why? Because that precious bonded relationship that you have with them and they have with you is worth it. God thinks the same way. Only times like a bagillion. haha :) I'd love to hear your thoughts, questions, etc. on this topic. Comments are welcomed.
Okay enjoy,
This girl's calling it a night.
stay tuned for a post about fruit. haha. Sounds weird but keep checking back. Hopefully by the end of this week your thoughts that are now racing about things related to fruit will be settled haha :)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
365 project update
Hey friends,
check out the latest on the 365 project --> here .
Okay I'm off to have some fun with my good friend Trea D. Mill :)
Stay tuned... later I will share an amazing illustration for dealing with the problem of evil...
check out the latest on the 365 project --> here .
Okay I'm off to have some fun with my good friend Trea D. Mill :)
Stay tuned... later I will share an amazing illustration for dealing with the problem of evil...
Monday, January 31, 2011
Embarrassing Accountability Update...
Well... today was the day. A week ago, today, I ran a mile, just to see if I could even do it. Got a shame-worthy time, but I did run the whole thing. So.. this week I ran a mile again. The good news is I shaved a minute and a half off of my time!!! The still lame news is that my mile is still 11 minutes long... lol. So this journey will continue. Stay tuned folks.
Not at all to do with that; check out this amazing verse:
For You, Lord, are kind and ready to forgive, abundant in faithful love to all who call on You. - Psalm 86:5
Isn't that awesome. God is so good. He completely blows me away with his justice, his kindness, his forgiveness, his abundant faithfulness and love, and the fact that he gives it freely to all who call upon Him.
Not at all to do with that; check out this amazing verse:
For You, Lord, are kind and ready to forgive, abundant in faithful love to all who call on You. - Psalm 86:5
Isn't that awesome. God is so good. He completely blows me away with his justice, his kindness, his forgiveness, his abundant faithfulness and love, and the fact that he gives it freely to all who call upon Him.
Day 11 - 1.31.11
Great Monday of nannying awesome kids, treadmilling it up (more to come on that later), awesome girl's group and then..... dun Dun DUN..homework. lol
Day 10 - 1.30.11
tonight at SNL (awesomest youth gathering EVER) Mike not only challenged us to share Christ, but also made Rotell dip (sp?). Needless to say, it drove Laura to insanity lol ;)
Day 9 - 1.29.11
Today Jonathan, my parents and I went to the Sheraton for a food tasting for our reception! Get ready for some awesome food peeps!
day 8- 1.28.11
J.Braun and I stopped by RCS and saw George be Homecoming Prince! Also, today (1/28) equals four months until marriage for JB and I :)
Thursday, January 27, 2011
day 7 - 1.27.11
day 6 - 1.26.11
Monday, January 24, 2011
Sometimes Accountability is Embarrassing...
So this 365 day project thing has been very fun so far. I thought I should write an actual post today instead of just having pictures all the time. So... ah this is embarrassing... well since the New Year started I have really been trying to be healthier in food choices as well as in exercising regularly. This is NOT an effort to be rail thin but really just about being a good steward. God has given my a life and a physical body and I want to honor him by the way I treat it. So for the past I think like 3 weeks now I have been on the treadmill running and walking at least 3 times a week sometimes more if I've had the time as well as doing some different strength training things. So today I decided to see if I could run for a whole mile. This was a pretty lofty goal, I am pretty out of shape and I don't think I've run a whole mile since like 10th grade. So the good news is....I DID IT! I ran for a whole mile! I was so excited and it was a great sense of accomplishment. The embarrassing and kind of hilarious part of it is... it took me TWELVE MINUTES AND THIRTY SECONDS...lol. That's ridiculous. haha. So I'm posting this publicly to hold myself accountable. I'm going to be working hard to get this time down and weekly giving an updated time that will hopefully be lower than the whopping 12:30.
So any-hoo check out 1 Corinthians 6:19-20- Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
School starts tomorrow so I am headed to bed but I hope you all had a fantastic Monday and I will catch you later!
So any-hoo check out 1 Corinthians 6:19-20- Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
School starts tomorrow so I am headed to bed but I hope you all had a fantastic Monday and I will catch you later!
day 4- 1.24.11
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Day 3- 1.23.11
Oh how I love the way the Lord uses this place every day of the week, but Sundays are a personal fave. There really is nothing like worshiping the God of the universe with your church family
Saturday, January 22, 2011
day 2- 1.22.11
day 1 - 1.21.11
The amazing Jonathan Braun took me out for a "Princess Night." Yeah, this guy's the bomb. Also- he loves burgers. lol.
Okay I changed my mind.
Not about blogging. But I decided to start my "365 day project" yesterday instead of on the 28th. Woo hoo!
So here as well as here : http://365project.org/brit/365/2011-01-22?ref=nf I will be documenting life via pictures for 365 days. On the website just click previous to see previous days.
So here as well as here : http://365project.org/brit/365/2011-01-22?ref=nf I will be documenting life via pictures for 365 days. On the website just click previous to see previous days.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Oh man why does this always happen...
Oh long lost friends. I'm thinking this is a little thing called a "mad-sick cycle."
1. Brittany consistently blogs for a while
2. Brittany gets either too lazy or too busy or both to blog.
3. Brittany returns to her blog months later and is bummed out.
4. Rinse and Repeat!
** although I must say a hilarious girl I know named Laura McCarter did call me out on this a few weeks ago! Thanks girl and woo-hoo for accountability.
So to let's catch up:
--School is starting tomorrow for one of my classes (it's an online type deal) and Tuesday is the day I start back with the commuting shin dig.
--Wedding plans are going great! We picked out the guy's outfits last Saturday. I cannot believe 2011 finally came. it just seemed so far off for so long and now we are getting married in just a little over 4 months! YAY!
--Monday night the girl's Bible study that meets at my house starts back up again! (Shout out to all of you awesome girls).
--Blogging- okay a have an idea let me know what you think:
1. Next Friday the 28th I am starting the 365project. basically you take a picture every day for a whole year and it's kind of like a photo diary. super cool right? I think it'll be cool to have the last four months of single life and then the first 8 months of marriage documented!
alright peace out girl (and boy) scouts,
more to come later, I promise this time ;)
1. Brittany consistently blogs for a while
2. Brittany gets either too lazy or too busy or both to blog.
3. Brittany returns to her blog months later and is bummed out.
4. Rinse and Repeat!
** although I must say a hilarious girl I know named Laura McCarter did call me out on this a few weeks ago! Thanks girl and woo-hoo for accountability.
So to let's catch up:
--School is starting tomorrow for one of my classes (it's an online type deal) and Tuesday is the day I start back with the commuting shin dig.
--Wedding plans are going great! We picked out the guy's outfits last Saturday. I cannot believe 2011 finally came. it just seemed so far off for so long and now we are getting married in just a little over 4 months! YAY!
--Monday night the girl's Bible study that meets at my house starts back up again! (Shout out to all of you awesome girls).
--Blogging- okay a have an idea let me know what you think:
1. Next Friday the 28th I am starting the 365project. basically you take a picture every day for a whole year and it's kind of like a photo diary. super cool right? I think it'll be cool to have the last four months of single life and then the first 8 months of marriage documented!
alright peace out girl (and boy) scouts,
more to come later, I promise this time ;)
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