Funny things wind me up... and I find it a bit much that things put up on facebook can push my buttons. But the other day one of my FB friends asked on her status "totattooornottattoo?".....
With out realizing what I was setting myself out for I scrolled down the comments (as you do on a night when you are lazy and slobby and not going out) and got more and more agitated. Most people just were like "yeh tattoo" but the negative people just had such a way of draining the life out of the thought of getting a tattoo.
Statement such as "they are ugly" "unattractive" were taken way to personal as I will explain in a sec...
But then people started throwing God into the mix.... making statements that lean on the idea that getting a tattoo was disrespectful and ... dare I say sinful! I think this is when my blood started to boil...
Then there was the classic "you will regret it when you are an old woman"...
I wrote a long and slightly rude/over the top statement, but then realized (after i read it out to my very gentle and caring husband and he gave me "the look") that maybe its not a good idea to be so self-righteous on someone else status.....
But hey!! my blog is my space and I am aloud to be as self righteous as I want!
So this is to all the Tattoo hater:
If you are going to tell me not to get a tattoo because you think they they are ugly or unattractive then I think you just know that wrong tattoo artist... I say artist because all the tattoos I have are some of the most amazing pieces art I have ever seen. Not to mention that the person that did the art work had one of the hardest canvasses ever to work with.. MY BODY!! True, there are some pretty grim looking tattoos out there, but if you look for someone who is truly talent at the art of tattooing you are going to get a piece of art that isn't "on" you, but "is" you which I think is a beautiful way to encourage creativity.
Also, I'm going to be honest.... I am a broken person. I a not perfect and I grew up being a hater of myself.... especially my body. I know that God doesn't like this about me, because when he made me he loved the way he put me together. I haven't always respected my body in the way that I should and that reflects in some of my wobbly bits. Plus gluttony is a problem for me... But I think God likes to use humans as He teaches and heals other humans. For me getting tattoos on my body was a hugely healing process. I learned that beautiful things can be on me.... and if you have ever gotten a tattoo you will understand when I say that it doesn't feel like you have a tattoo on you, but that it because a part of you. So having an artist put beautiful things on me has helped me to see that I am a beautiful person. Yes I was beautiful before the tattoo, but in my broken humanness I couldn't see it.... and I believe that God gifted those tattoo artist to help heal me and remind me "My Daughter you are my beautiful piece of art, even more beautiful then that art painted on your body, but when you see it remember you are my beloved masterpiece! And I love you with an UNCONDITIONAL love"
I think the God I have am learning about and loving was first known as CREATOR. I think he is highly honored when humans are creative and when they express that. Marking your body is a serious thing. God even talks about how serious he is about loving us when he talks about "writing us into the palm of his hand" and "writing promises right into our hearts". These are extreme because when we mark our body it does last FOREVER! I would NEVER encourage someone to get a tattoo spur of the moment and with out researching the tattoo artist and parlor that you are getting it done in or examining the reason for why you are getting this tattoo in the first place.... But I still would say tattoos are great ways of marking important moments in life and re-telling stories and our body is a great places to care those stories around.
That is another reason why I love tattoos. They tell a story. And this is another thing I know God loves. God loves stories. He loves people telling stories and the power story telling has to connect people and draw them into life changing experiences. The majority of my tattoos are moments in life when I encountered and Gods blessings for me. When I see my tattoos and when others ask about them I have a great chance to tell people the best love story of all.... the one where God and I fell madly and deeply in love.
I think in the bible there are loads of bible verses that we need to take seriously and the ones that talk about not marking our bodies is one that we should take seriously too, but I feel its bigger than just the act of "marking" your body. God tells us over and over again that whatever we do we just need to do it in a way that honors him and loves him. Even Jesus said that the GREATEST commandment is simply "Love God with all of your heart, mind and soul and Love your neighbor as yourself".... I do that and can do that regardless of if I am tattooed or not.
And just as a side note: for all those haters that say "when you are an 80 year old woman/man you are going to hate how wrinkled and faded and ugly your tattoo is"... Just remember when you are 80 year old your boobs will be to your knees (if you have boobs), your butt wrinkled like a raisin and your face a winkled mess of a life well lives. I highly doubt you will care one little bit what your body looks like.... cuz most 80 year old don't give a damn.... the attractiveness of their bodies is the least of their worries... that is a worry of youth.
So to all the haters.... Just remember the next time you start hating on tattoos and claiming that God doesn't want us to alter out bodies.... then maybe you should make sure you your not dying your hair, painting your nails, wearing make up, shaving or cutting your hair, or wearing jewelry either....
Or maybe just realize that God speaks differently in different times about the SAME PROMISES and that above all we should be seeking to honor him, re-tell his story, being creative, helping heal the broken and be about love. If a tattoo can do that then I say
TATTOO!!!
I wont post a picture because it wont do my tattoo justice. you will have to see it in person, but let me just say I am so excited to share this new bit of ink with you all face to face when we meet.
Last summer Steve got to come and stay with me for a whole 7 weeks. We spent the first 5 week loving that we had time and space to just be best friends together. At the end of the 5th I woke up on a Friday morning to Steve telling me he had a whole adventure day planned for us. I put on a bright red sun dress and latched my favorite golden elephant necklace around my neck.
Steve and I spent the most gorgeous day together chasing adventures and laughing. By the end of that day Steve asked me to marry him and I was over joyed to say yes.... In turn, I haven't taken that golden elephant necklace off sense.
I often find myself gently twisting that necklace back and forth as I remember all the times Steve and I have shared and also getting lost in the anticipation of what is to come (only 19 more days to go in America). That necklace has definitely been a part of my last two years.
One of my most favorite things to do is get a tattoo before I leave a place. It just is a way I have come to solidify my memories of the people and place during that part of my journey. I knew I wanted a tattoo before I left Seattle because this has been such a time of discovery, lessons learned, love grown, dreams born.
Today (well yesterday now), I got my Seattle memory. I had a few really good friends that joined me and we went down to a tattoo shop in pioneer square. (Don't worry we did our research and knew this artist was amazing).
My one friend sat first... and hour and a half later she was a proud owner of a Celtic heart symbol on her middle lower back. Then it was my turn. The artist had done an impressive job taking the inspiration of my golden elephant necklace and forming it into an impressive piece of art work. As she gently laid the stencil on the tops of both my feet, my insides were rushing with excitement.
My artist Heidi was so clever and amazingly talented! One of the best experience of this was how involved she let me be in the process. She let me give my opinion on the style and even let me pick out my favorite colors from her set of inks.
An hour later I was biting my lip in the worst pain I had ever felt! They were not crapping around when they said foot tattoos were intense. I knew it was bad because when the tattoo artist asked me about how I fell in love with Steve all I could muster was "I love him very much".
Two hours later we had one foot done and another stencil on my foot. With all the strength I could muster she started in on the second foot... now that WAS WORST! All I could do was think "breath... breath"...
But another hour and a half later my second foot was done. I could barely stand, as my leg muscles were shaking from clenching so hard for the last 3 and a half hours...
IT WAS THE BEST TIME EVER!
Actually, is was pretty bad, but the moment Heidi, my tattoo artist, said "Your all done"... and I looked down at the most beautiful bit of art work that now is as much a part of me as my journey has been, I knew that it was all worth it... that all that pain, and clenching, and whispering of prayers had formed a breath-taking and colorful work of art, ON MY FEET...
As we got home and made fantastic fruity drinks, the numb-pain feeling gradually absorbed into my feet. As I sat with my legs propped in the air loving and paining over what I had just done... I had to smile to myself a little at how much this tattoo really is a beautiful symbol of these last two years....
How some of the most painful times of these last two years has really shaped me as a person... I know my tattoo is mostly just a normal girl's funny idea of pretty, but in my tattoo moment, where pain and beautiful kissed so gently I thought... "This was so worth it".... and i really thought that... not just about my tattoo but about all that I have been through these last two years. All the airport good-byes, nights spent praying alone, confusion, dreams being changed, friends getting hurt, learning how to love more, thinking deeply, questioning more, writing endless papers, missing Steve until my heart felt like it was physically broking in two, crying because I missed another two Christmas' with my family.. all that pain that in the moment I thought was just down right ugly pain... it actually was the beautiful strokes of art being born... I couldn't see it so much then... and to be honest I think I have some more painful strokes before this art work is done... but I'm starting to see the picture... the colors... the art of what is happening...
Now to heal quickly so I can enjoy this beauty being born from pain... :D
can't wait to show you my Seattle Journey Tattoo!
About Me
- Teen Bean
- I'm just some regular girl trying her best to be a good friend, woman, christ-follower, wife, mom and adventurer (in no particular order). I love variety, trying new things and meeting new people and sharing experiences with others. All of which in one form or another can be found in this space. WELCOME!
Heart Heart Time!
Stevie and Beanie
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