This is real, this is me. I'm exactly where I'm suppossed to be.

It is Easter Sunday. Church was really good this morning. A church member apparently died a couple days ago (or like 10 daysish) while on a youth group trip. He was in his thirties w/ a wife and two children. Shortly before his death he had written a facebook note that was basically an autobiography of his life. They read part of that note in church this morning to demonstrate how he lived his life BC and AD. You could hear in the story how Jesus changed his life. From drugs and alcohol to a life of light. Each of us has been sentenced to death for our rebellion against God. What Jesus did was take the punishment for us. It is by believing in him (his birth, life, ressurection, words, truth, the whole package) that we can be saved from DEAD. Dead doesnt have to mean dead, and its an amazing gift. They said a line this morning that stuck with me-"He died our death so that we could live HIS life". Jesus died the death that we deserve so that we could live the life he lived. Christian translates basically to 'little Christ'. Being saved from the death we deserve means we should live the life that Christ lived-pure and sinless. Easter is the day that Jesus rose from the dead. He concured the power of death to give all who believe in him freedom from death. This is the day to celebrate the ressurection-both of Jesus and of us from our lives of sin. Jesus gave us the chance to truly LIVE. Thank you, Jesus!

We got invited to spend the day with a woman I met at the church at her husband's parents house. Its about 15 miles away in a super small town. It was a farm so that was fun. They were really nice people. They made it clear they invited me because they felt bad for me. I tried not to take offense to that since I know they have no reason to feel bad for me. It was a fun day and I enjoyed their company, no matter their motives for inviting me. It is important to enjoy every experience.

My mother left this morning. Avie loves her so much ( I do too of course) and she loved having her around. I miss her already. I know that I am exactly where God wants me to be for now. He told me to come here and I feel soooo much happier on a daily basis. I really love it here. I miss my friends and family, but I am very grateful some have come to visit. I miss having Toby and bella and leah here too! it was such a fun couple days with them last week! I really loved talking to Leah and learning more about her. I think it is such a blessing to meet people that have common experiences.

While my mom was here, we went to walmart. Then we went to the dollar store looking for easter egg fillers. When we got there I realized I had lost one of my earrings. I left Averly with my mom to drive back to walmart to find it. I searched frantically and even prayed I would find it. I did, but then I questioned why I cared so much. I purchased this paticular pair of earrings back in 2005 when I was living with my aunt and cousins. My cousin Stephanie got the same pair only different colors. I wore them all the time. That was a period of my life in which I felt...indescribible. I think I cared so much about finding that lost earring because I was afraid to lose that memory. It is just proof of how much more growing I have to do as a Christian. I shouldn't hold onto the past. The truth is, that period of my life was really reckless and selfish. Yeah, it felt nice back then, but now, looking back, it feels kind of gross that I acted that way. I do like those earrings, but I think I need to move on from the past and just like the earrings cause i like em'-and not freak out if I lose one. things are just things. Thinking about it now, I think its my cousins and family that I miss most from that time period. Everyone has changed so much.....

Anyways...I'm hungraaay. Gonna go make a 'pocket' =)












It wasn't the earrings I would miss...It was the memories...