"Yes, I got a tattoo..."

“If people are honest with themselves when they choose a tattoo, the art will represent them better than anything that will ever come out of their mouth. The things that are most important to me are represented in the art that covers my body. My God, my family, my friends, my job, my social and historical beliefs and the aggressive or even violent nature with which I will protect all of them.....basically in that order of importance. Is it scarey or repulsive to some people? Yes. Does it change who I am? No. If anything it works as an outward conscience that will forever remind me of who I am and what is important during times of trial or long after my mind starts to fade due to old age if I'm blessed with a long life..."


Yes, I got a tattoo....

It was my 30th birthday present to myself...and I love it. I look at it when I wake up...when I run...as I get ready...several times a day while I am working...and at night while I am playing with Bailey and she points at it on my wrist and say's "Pretty" ...it makes me smile...because yes, it is pretty. In fact, it is beautiful...

So, let's go ahead and play the "Questions & Answers" game....easy ones first....

Of course, everyone's first question is "What did you get?"...My children's initials encased in an Infinity sign on my wrist.

"Did it hurt?"....Yes, some places more than other's...but it was not so intense that I wouldn't do it again....I mean come on, I have had 2 children...I can handle a little bit of pain. I'm not going to lie, I was scared...and really nervous...like REALLY nervous...but I knew what I wanted and was confident in my decision...

"What does Travis think?" ....He loves it...and I am happy...so that makes him happy. Believe me, he would tell me if he didn't like it or didn't support me. He has no problems what so ever telling me when he doesn't like one of my outfits of choice...so something that is permanent on my body would be a piece of cake.

"Doesn't the bible say you are not supposed to get tattoos?" Getting a little bit sticky here...yes, it does.

"Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord." Leviticus 19:28.

I asked myself that question time and time again...I thought long and hard about my decision to get a tattoo. I knew some people would frown upon it...some would think I was disobeying God and going against religion...some noses would be stuck in the air...and ultimately, some people  just wouldn't see the beauty I see when I look at it. I am ok with that.. I did my research and instead of trying to explain to you why I finally came to the decision that I would not be disobeying God by marking my body with a tattoo I will copy & paste an article that I found. It explains it perfectly and I am content in my choice...it's a personal choice that everyone has to  make for themselves. Some don't agree with it, some do, and some just don't understand it...that doesn't make any of us wrong...that just makes us human...

To Tattoo or Not To?

This is a question many Christians struggle with. I believe tattooing falls into the category of "disputable matters" where the Bible is not clear. But wait a minute, you might be thinking. The Bible says in Leviticus 19:28, "Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord." (NLT) How much clearer can that be?

It's important, however, to look at the verse in context. This passage in Leviticus, including the surrounding text, is specifically dealing with the pagan religious rituals of the people living around the Israelites. God’s desire is to set his people apart from other cultures. The focus here is prohibiting worldly, heathen worship and witchcraft. God forbids his holy people to engage in idolatrous, pagan worship and sorcery which imitates the heathens. He does this out of protection, because he knows this will lead them away from the one true God.   It's interesting to observe verse 26, "Do not eat meat that has not been drained of its blood," and verse 27, "Do not trim off the hair on your temples or trim your beards." Well, certainly many Christians today eat non-kosher meats and get haircuts without participating in the forbidden worship of pagans. Back then these customs were associated with pagan rites and rituals. Today they are not. So, the important question remains, is getting a tattoo a form of pagan, worldly worship still forbidden by God today? My answer is, this matter is disputable, and should be treated as a Romans 14 issue.  If you are considering the question, "To tattoo or not to?" I think the more serious questions to ask yourself are: What are my motives for wanting a tattoo? Am I seeking to glorify God or draw attention to myself? Will my tattoo be a source of contention for my loved ones? Will getting a tattoo cause me to disobey my parents? Will my tattoo cause someone who is weak in the faith to stumble? In my article, "What to Do When the Bible is Not Clear," we discover that God has given us a means to judge our motives and weigh our decisions. Romans 14:23 states, "...everything that does not come from faith is sin." Now that's pretty clear!  Instead of asking, "Is it okay for a Christian to get a tattoo," perhaps a better question might be, "Is it okay for me to get a tattoo?"  Since tattooing is such a controversial issue today, I think it's important to examine your heart and your motives before you make the decision.


Lastly, "Why did you get that design?" ....My children are my greatest accomplishments in my life...I love them unconditionally... I have made a lot of mistakes in this life...and I am sure I will make a thousand more before my time on earth is through...but when I look at my children...I know...I just know without a doubt that I did something right.

My Grandmother had Alzheimer's disease....my fear is that one day I will develop this same thing. I saw my Grandmother deteriorate...and when I walked in and she didn't know who I was... it crushed me. My mother and I have an estranged relationship and don't meet eye to eye on lots things but I will admit, I saw the pain in her face when my Grandmother did not recognize her or remember certain things.....I fear that one I am going to wake up and my memories are going to start to fade...slowly, I will lose bits and pieces of myself...What if I can't remember Khristian's favorite toy was a screw driver just like his PawPaw.....Or that Bailey loved Bananas and Green beans...that Khristian loves going in Bailey's room every morning to pick her up and bring her to me. I fear that one day I am going to wake up and look into my children's eyes and think I am staring at a stranger...

I pray that one day if this happens...I can look at the beautiful tattoo on my wrist...no matter how weathered or tattered it may be...and be reminded of the two most important people in my life. Be reminded that no matter how my mind is fading...and my body is deteriorating...that I created two beautiful human beings that are going to grow up and do great things.

So yes, I got a tattoo...everyone has different reasons...and these are mine...

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