Tattoos and Bling
Two weeks ago I got a new tattoo and a nose ring (stud piercing). This has been something I have wanted to do for some time now….but it was never the right time and to be completely honest, I had worried about what some would think. But as I get older I am becoming more and more comfortable in my own skin. I know God created me. He wonderfully created me says the Bible in Psalm 139:14, “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.” So I know that God made me and He made me uniquely. He made me a daughter, a wife, a mother of three. He made me short, athletic, independent and a little on the rebellious side. He made me with certain traits and talents: like being a teacher/coach. And He gave me a personality that I tend to show (hence, piercings and tattoos)!!!
So two weeks ago, my BFF and her husband came to visit. She and I had said for several years that we were going to get tattoos and my nose pierced together someday. SO THAT SOME DAY CAME and WE DID!!! I had been looking at different tattoos for years. But just recently found a simple but bold tattoo of the word STRENGTH with a cross in the middle of it. This tattoo stuck out to me immediately…… for many reasons. 1) It’s simple. 2) Even though it’s simple it tells a lot about who I am and what I want to represent. 3) I am physically strong (God made me that way). 4) I want and thrive to be mentally and spiritually strong 5) and most importantly I know my strength (physical, mental, and spiritual) come from Christ alone. Two weeks later, I LOVE my new tattoo and my nose stud. I really feel like these two things represent who I am! And I am not ashamed…..
So why do I tell you this….. Well, I have another tattoo. It was from 20 years ago. I was in Junior College, playing Jr College basketball….dating a serious boyfriend at the time (not my husband now). At the time, I was wanting to get an ankle bracelet tattoo that had his name inside of it. But that night I had found out some bad news and we were on the beak of a terrible break up. My friend had gotten her ankle bracelet, but I chickened out (not knowing if I would end up marrying this boy or not) and made a last minute decision to get a tattoo of WOODSTOCK (the bird) dunking a basketball. YAP!!! That’s my tattoo….on my hip!!! FOREVER! I didn’t marry that boy (thank goodness I didn’t put his name on my ankle). But the years that followed, I resented this tattoo. I had talked about getting it removed and even having it redone into something more feminine. I have even had my husband snap a picture of this tattoo to send to artist to see if they could recreate it into something more beautiful. But that all changed two weeks ago after I got my NEW tattoo. I don’t know what made it click…..but suddenly I DO NOT want to change my woodstock with a basketball tattoo. And the reason why is because it tells a story about me. About who I was back then….20 years ago. A little lost. Loving the game of basketball. Going through a heartbreak. Making crazy tattoo decisions. I have come along ways.
So today I have two tattoos….. One old. One new. But I absolutely love that these tattoos tell a story about who I am! And thankful for WHO made me who I am!!!! And Who has changed me from the inside out.
The good news about my cross, is that I KNOW that guy won’t leave me.
****As for the nose ring….its just some added sparkle to my smiling face!