Learning.

I've been learning A LOT in my brief little stay out here in Western Pa. For instance, I learned how to take the weight of a piece of gold in grams and determine the price of that piece. I've also learned how to tell a fake Morgan Dollar from a real one and I've perfected my ability to look up prices on eBay and price them accordingly for the store.

I've also been learning a lot about my family. I learned that my mom's mom and dad were married at 18 and 20 years old (respectively) and that my grandma loved being a housewife. I learned that at one point in time my grandfather held 3 jobs at once while also being a husband and father.

I learned that a week can feel like 3 days and four weeks like two, but that no matter how far or long I'm away I will always miss my family back home. I learned that just because you say something and convince others of it, it doesn't mean you've convinced yourself, particularly your subconscious.

I've learned that people can bounce back even if at one point in their life they seemed irreversible. I've learned that people can really be good people or they can really be manipulative people, but they should be loved nonetheless. And I've learned that just because I have a set of standards that I live by doesn't mean that everyone else does or should live by them.

I realize everyday that I don't know myself as well as I think I do, and each Sunday God gives me one more thing the rejoice about. I've spent more time in the Word than I probably ever have on my own and I've seen the seed begin to grow in my own heart. As I am surrounded by those who do not live in the Spirit, my time with God builds me up and allows me to be an influence instead of being influenced.

I've both grown up and returned to childhood; made plans for the future, but reminisced in the past. I've managed to save and not always to spend and I've learned to listen.

Each day it seems something new comes my way: a new adventure, a new lesson, a new reason to press on with all that I have. I don't know what's to come; I'm not even guaranteed my next breath, but I know that God is faithful and is continuing a work He started in me a long time ago. I know I'm His which assures me, it's all going to turn out just fine.