I was dead and am alive, I was lost and am found.

Last night I went and got my very first tattoo. It was an impulsive thing to do, and yet it wasn't at the same time. I didn't know I was going to go last night, but I have been thinking about getting one for a few years now. I didn't know I'd end up with the one that I did, until yesterday as before I always wanted one to honor my grandmother. She would have hated it. So I decided against it but still wanted some kind of a tattoo on my right ankle. Yesterday it finally hit me. I wanted to go get it. And the idea of the one that I got came to me and it all made sense so I went with it.  I couldn't enjoy it more.

What you see above is the tattoo that I ended up with. Its written in Korean. Its pronounced nangbija, and it is the adjective form of Prodigal. I spent a year in South Korea while I was in the Army and while I was there some major poor decisions I had made before the Army caught up to me. I chose to lie about them, and then finally decided to tell the truth. When I did that, my then fiance' Rob...left me. I was in a foreign country, newly single, a wedding gown was already being fitted for me by Korean women who spoke very little English. And I was an ocean away from all the ones I loved. I got very depressed, and really didn't enjoy my personal time while I was there. I turned to alcohol and food to take care of my needs. When I got back to America I cherished our way of life much more and now looking back I'm thankful for all of the events that happened over there that helped break me down to eventually see how desperately I was in need of a Savior. That's why it is written in Korean. Prodigal comes from the story of the Prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) This is the series the pastor at the church I was attending was preaching on when I realized I was in need of a Savior. That story is very close to my heart, especially verse 32 when the father is talking to the son that had never left his side, the father says, "It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found."

So there you have, the full story on my tattoo.