One for me, tattoo for you.

Last week I received a wonderful gift. The holiday season is full of giving and receiving (and by holiday season I mean: Thanksgiving - New Year). We are having a baby in a week, and so some of our Christmas gifts are coming early. Like most young couples with children, the object of our yearning is most often the almighty dollar, because there never seems to be enough to go around.

After we put some of our gift away in savings and got some presents for the kids, I chose to use some of my early Christmas gift to get a tattoo. Well, four of them, actually. I already had two of them: Ronin's name on my left shoulder, and Erin's name on my left forearm. Now, I have Dylan and Donovan's names above and beneath Ronin's as appropriate. I also have the word 'AWAKE' tattooed on my right forearm. Underneath that is a tattoo that says 'Rom. 13:11-14'. I will explain that in a minute.

I have received varying responses to my tattoos, and I want to share my view on them so that there is no confusion.

There is no doubt that I was taught growing up that ear piercings for boys and tattoos were wrong. However, just like in previous generations, I am finding little Scripture to back up the teaching. For example: generations before mine were taught that women should never wear pants. When my parents were my second grade Sunday School teachers, they had to sign something saying that they would not go to the movie theater. So through time we have discovered that plenty of things on our list of right and wrong was simply that: a part of OUR list.

What were the most common things I heard about tattoos growing up? A) your body is the temple of Holy Ghost, B) satanic and bad people have them, C) tattoo parlors are not Christian places, D) it is a form of self-mutilation.

Let me attack these issues in reverse order. Eating at McDonald's is a form of self-mutilation. So is getting one's ear pierced, but women have been doing that for ages with no apparent issue. Did you know that exercising is self-mutilation because you are actually tearing your muscles down so that they rebuild stronger? How about an example from the Bible. The most epic form of self-mutilation I can find: God gave Samson the power to commit suicide in order to get vengeance. Don't believe me? Check out Judges 16:28-30. Here is a snippet of Samson's final prayer: "strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes." And you know the story, God granted his request and the house came tumbling down killing more people in his death than in his entire life. Does getting a tattoo hurt? Yeah it does. But so does eating too much and running on the treadmill. Here is something to chew on...standing up for Christ hurts sometimes too.

The idea that tattoo parlors are un-Christian places is probably accurate. If you have ever been in one to view the pages and pages of tattoo pictures they have, you understand that you probably shouldn't look through them again. But what constitutes a "Christian" place? Does your favorite restaurant have a bar section? All seven of my favorite restaurants do. Do I drink? Nope. Do I go to the restaurant and eat the awesomeness that is Olive Garden? Yeah, I do. Does your local movie theater show movies that a Christian shouldn't see? I guarantee they do...mine does. Do I still go to the theater to see other movies? Not really, because I can't afford it, but when we have money, yeah, we hit up the theater. So, when I walk into a tattoo parlor and I hand the artist a printout of what I want on me, it is no different than walking past the bar in a restaurant to my seat where I tell the waitress, "No, we don't drink. I do not want to sample your wine," or when I walk past the theater showing an inappropriate movie as I head toward the one showing Toy Story 3. Seriously, folks, your local Walmart is dirtier and more inappropriate than a tattoo parlor. If you don't believe me check out http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/.

Satanic and bad people do have tattoos. There is no denying it. I would dare say that in the past the vast majority of tattooees were less than friendly types. Remember when playing cards was a sin because the only people using them were in casinos and bars? Satanic people have a bible too, and they read it and practice what it says. It was written by Anton LaVey. Trust me, I have seen it and read it. Does that stop me from reading my Bible? No way. It is a bible, but it is not the same as my Bible. Just like my tattoos aren't the same as a bad person's tattoos. I think that is the big difference, and leads me right into my next point.

My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. When I received Christ my body became rightfully His property. Over the years I have heard this verse used to tell Christians that all kinds of things are sinful. From the aforementioned pants on women and piercings, to tattoos and certain types of clothing. Most people totally disregard the fact that in context this verse is talking about sexual perversions and Paul is literally flabbergasted by it all and says, "WHAT!!!!!!!!??????????" As if to say, 'do you guys seriously not understand that your body is God's and you shouldn't use it that way!' But allow us to wrench the verse out of context (since it is hardly EVER used in context) and apply it to tattoos. No one should get a tattoo because that is putting graffiti on God's body. Now let's apply it to piercings. No one should get piercings because that is adding decoration on God's body. Now let's apply it to make-up. No one should wear make-up because that is making an improvement (usually) on God's body. Now let's apply it to hair cuts. No one should get hair cuts because that is altering God's body. Now let's get straight-up redonkulous and apply it to clothes...maybe we shouldn't wear them because we don't want to cover up God's glorious design? Before you massacre me, I understand that other portions of Scripture state the importance of proper garments. I was using that as an illustration to show the lunacy and the natural progression that comes from using that verse as a high horse.

Also, could someone please step up and show me one example in the Bible where the temple wasn't highly decorated? For Pete's peppers people, the Temple of Solomon would make the most lavish Catholic Church appear rundown.

So, I think it boils down to this: The Glory of God. Does what I do with my body glorify God? It is the same with everything. Does what I do with my time, money, emotions, glorify God? I think that my body does glorify God. My most important roles in this life are as a Father and a Husband. I have the names of my children on me...just like carrying a picture, the tattoos are a constant reminder that I am a father. I even put them in Japanese so that people can ask about them and I get a chance to talk about my kids. I have the name of my wife tattooed on my arm where everyone can see it...where I can constantly see it. Why? Because I am a husband and my heart belongs to Erin and I want everyone to know it. Sure, I wear a wedding ring, but men with wedding rings have affairs all the time because you can take them off. I can't remove my wife's name from my view, or from the view of someone else. That is how I want it.

Those of you who know me well know that for the past few years I have struggled greatly in my Christian life. This past June, when God started to get change my heart and we began attending Bible Baptist Church, I kept telling Erin, "I feel like I am finally awake. I feel like I have been walking asleep in my Christianity for so long...I am awake and things finally make sense."  If I were to tell you how far my life had slipped, you would be shocked. I am shocked to remember it. And you know what, I fell before and I know that it is possible for me to fall again. And trust me, I never want to go down that road again. So God led me to some verses in Romans.

"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkeness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye one the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof." Rom. 13:11-14

You know what? God woke me up. God changed my life. I need a testament in my life to that fact. I want to set up a marker in my life. I want a constant reminder that says: Hey, you're awake now buddy, things are different. Jesus made a difference, and you know the other road well.

I have it on my arm, where I can see it every single day for the rest of my life. I have already had the opportunity to share my story with two people at work.

You may not like tattoos...you may not like earrings...you may not like movie theaters, for all I know you may not like me, but I wanted to share what my thoughts were on a subject that has recently become dear to me.

Weakling

I do not particularly enjoy it when I am struggling. Whether it is physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually, I would much rather the sailing be smooth than rough. I really wish that I had everything figured out. I wish that my finances were in order, that more money was always coming in than was going out. I wish that I had retirement funds started and college funds for my kids. I wish that I did not have student loans and car loans to pay off. I really wish that I was perfect. I wish that my mind wouldn't wander. I wish that there weren't times when I coveted when others had. I wish that I could trust in God completely and never question Him. I wish that I never stretched the truth. I wish that my sarcastic mouth never got me in trouble. I wish I was more responsible, and that I had more self-control. I wish that I would never mess up. But I do. I struggle everyday, and some days I am ready to throw in the towel. I really wish that I were not so frail.

But then I am reminded of what God says in II Cor. 2:9. Everyone knows the first part of that verse. We see it on everything from bookmarks and bumper-stickers to plaques and banners: "My grace is sufficient for thee." But that is not where the verse ends. It goes on to say, "for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Paul goes on to say, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." What an encouragement this verse was to me today.

If I were perfect, God would not work in me, for I would not need Him to. If I were not so weak, I would never need to experience the strength of God working in my life. Maybe other people out there struggle with things as much as I do. Maybe sometimes it feels as if you cannot do anything right and you think, "why does everything seem so hard?" I think those are times where God is longing to show us His strength being made perfect through our weakness.

My prayer is that the power of Christ would work mightily in my life...because I am completely broken without it. My prayer is that He would show Himself powerful in your life as well. I know that this is short, but I hope that it can be an encouragement to someone who may be hurting.