Your body is a temple.....so let's decorate it!!!
A few years ago, I was sitting at a women's retreat with my mom. Now the theme for the weekend was You Are Beautiful. Also as I do about this remember that at this retreat I think I was the youngest there by almost 10 years (my then sister in law helped). During on of the discussions one of the ladies began talking about how she didn't understand Tattoos and the generation that I belong to thinking that they have to have tattoos. As I sat there listening to this lady, my mother looked at me the way any mother could. The look at said, "I know what you are thinking." And she was right.
You see, at that time I was up to four tattoos, none of them small and I had another one planned, I just had to have the money for it. But, I have a tendency to cover my tattoos when I am in a situation where I don't know how people will handle them, a great example of these times would be at women's retreats with a bunch of old ladies. I am one that loves me tattoos....I just don't want the first impression to be focused on my tattoos. So as the lady continued on were little discussion, I sat there thinking, "she just doesn't understand it." Well have a few more ladies jumped in and started agreeing with her statements I finally had to speak up.
When it came to me, I started out simply by stating that I had tattoos, and I loved everyone of them. But what I continued to say, I believe had an impact of the view points of the women sitting around me. I discussed how the tattoos I have aren't just drunken adventures that I have had, they were in essence who I am as a person. I talked about how my tattoos were my faith story and how if, instead of judging me for having tattoos, someone asked me what they stood for they would learn the side of me that is both happy and sad, but most of all is and always will be my story to Christ and the story of how Christ fought for me. I continued saying that if people would step out of the box and asked about the tattoos of some people, you might be surprised by what you learn. When I finished, the room was quiet. A couple just smiled, and my mother and sister in law looked at me and smiled.
As we stood up and walked out one of the women stopped me and simply asked if she could see them and heat the story, so I told her everything. And now you can hear it all as well.
It started with my treble cleft and Gods hands, with the words Vater Von Lichtern (Father of lights in German). It was my first tattoo, and it symbolized a gift that I have always loved God for giving me, the gift of music. You see without music I would be lost. So the words in the song Father of Lights, "every good and perfect gift comes from you" shows how God knew the perfect gift for me was, and I was and am so grateful for the love I have for music. I am always able to listen to God's words every time I listen to the music around me.
After that I got my triquetta and angel wings on my ankle. This one means more to me then anyone will ever know. It is simple in design but the meaning is one that will never change for me. The center represents the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is the essence of my faith. The wings, symbolize my family and friends that help me to keep my faith alive and are always there to support me in my faith. But one of the feathers of the wings is covered with a red bandage. That bandage means two things one more important then the other. 1, it reminds me that there will be times that my faith will be wounded but like all things with time it will heal. But more importantly it is there for a dear friend of mine. You see growing up I became friends with a man at church that become very important to me. He was a man that would always hug me, and was proud of all that I did. But I slowly started seeing that he was sick, he lost his voice and the laughter that I grew so used to hearing became silent. I later learned that he had HIV/AIDS. A disease that at the time I had heard of but never knew someone with it. That friend passed away but he never left my side. He taught me that life should always be full of friends and laughter no matter what. He taught me that even at the end you should never lose the happy spirit around you. I miss him dearly but I know he is always with me and I know he and I have a connection that will never end.
Next comes my back piece. Two angels with bible verses that speak of the healing hands of God. Why is it so big, well because that piece represents a moment in my life that few will ever understand completely. That piece shows me and my relationship with my grandmother, a women that I care for so much it hurts. Every time I think of the reasoning behind that tattoo I tear up, in fact I am tearing up right now. You see at one point in my life my grandmother was sick, like ICU sick. I was worried but confused at the same time. I was supposed to go on a mission trip but I was unsure if I should leave her. Finally after talking to my mom and grandfather I decided to go. Well at the end of the week I was sitting at the communion that was taking place and I started crying. When my bro came up behind me and asked what was wrong I said I wasn't sure. One side of me knew that I had just given up my life to Christ but another part of me felt that something else was wrong. The next day when I got home I went to the hospital I ran to see my family, and was quickly told to talk to my grandmother. What happened after will be a moment that I feel will stay between me and my grandmother for awhile, the words that were exchanged I feel forever bonded us and most of all altered my life forever. You see at that time I knew I was to be a nurse, and see helped me see that. She was the reason that I began to see nursing as my true calling and I am so grateful for her and I know that she and I will always be each others angels.
I also have winnie the pooh on my ankle. I know I know, really Pooh Bear? Well yes, you see Pooh is my connection not only to my mother but also to my future. I grew up being pooh bear and my mom was Tigger. So when I see Pooh I instantly think of family. Well in high school I was plagued with horrible cramping, when I finally went to a doctor I found that the cause of the pain was a cyst. A cyst that had caused damage to the Fallopian tube. So in order to completely remove the cyst they had to remove the tube as well. At a follow up appointment I asked my doctor a heart filled question, what did all this mean for me having kids? You see kids for me is a true dream. I feel like I am destined to be a mom and I love being with kids. I actually made one boyfriend laugh because I had said once that the only reason I want a husband is just so I could have kids, it isn't true.....well for the most part. So when the doctor stated that for me kids could be hard to have and that is saying that no more cysts will occur, I became scared. Scared for not knowing if my dreams will be able to occur. I know there are other ways to have children but having my own growing inside of me doesn't compare to the other ways to have children. Pooh Bear is a reminder that if it is meant to be my family will occur. He has a butterfly sitting on his nose symbolizing the dream that is my kids, and once I have kids I will add butterflies flying around him as to show that dreams can take off. It also shows that all of this is in Gods hands and with him anything is possible.
Lastly, (for now) there is my Gerber Daisy and ladybug that represent my nieces that I have lost due to HPE. It reminds me that HoPE does exist and mostly it reminds me of how the little time I did have with those girls have changed my life forever. They taught me so much in such a short time and I will always love them. I know that I have two guardian angels that constantly watch over me and I can't wait to see them again. It also reminds me of the pain and struggling I went through in a couple years to get to this point of my faith walk. It reminds me that no matter how dark the hole seems there is always a light at the end I just have to remember that. It also reminds me that God never left my side, but the struggles I fought greatly strengthened my relationship with Christ.
When I was done saying what all my tattoos meant, she looked at me and said that she would never look at a tattoo in the same way. And I know she hasn't, because that same lady as told me that there have been a couple times she walked up to a stranger and asked what there story was. She said she gets the occasional drunken night, but some of the stories she does hear, changes her view of life occasionally. You see this is why i say don't judge a tattoo.....the story behind it could be one of a life changing moment.
You see our bodies are our temples, we just choose to decorate them with the stories of our faith, kinda like a church decorating with the story of the bible. It shows faith, love, hope, and so much more. Tattoos are a way for us to remind our selves of where we have been and most of all where we are going. They are there as testimonials. So next time you see someone with tattoos, go up and ask what they mean, you may be surprised at what you hear. Tattoos are one of the many great ways to learn of someones journey in this life so far.
So like I said, we just want to decorate our temples with the story of our faith.
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