Inked. Tatted up. Branded. Whatever your decide to call it, people get tattoos every day for many different reasons. For most, it's something meaningful and a way of expressing themselves. Others it was just the "cool thing" to do at the time.
I personally don't have a tattoo...yet.
I've wanted to get a tattoo for quite some time but haven't found anything that I could live with permanently. I've googled, I've gone into the parlor a few times, and I've had people tell me things to get. My indecisiveness kept me from ever doing it. Smart, I know. All this time I've been looking for something cool....some kind of symbol to represent me. I've looked at Hebrew, Incan, and Chinese symbols for "mother" and "mercy", or something to represent my mission trip to Peru, but nothing ever jumped out at me. Today I went online and looked again, thinking that just maybe there was a new symbol or design created since the last time I checked. (what can I say...I'm an optimistic dreamer! Ha!). Right as I began my search for the design that is to be forever branded on my body, I stopped and realized I had forgotten to put on my "I am Second" bracelet this morning (something I never take off). I started thinking about how many times I have had the opportunity to share my testimony and the meaning of that bracelet. When people see it and ask what it stands for, I'm able to tell them about how awesome my God is, how He has forgiven me, and how I strive to put Him first in every area of my life. That black bracelet brings glory to God. I had an overwhelming feeling of gratefulness. How awesome it is that God has redeemed a sinner like me and loves me so much that He let his son pay the price for MY sins. (John 3:16)
Redeemed.
That's it. No cool design. No interesting language (that I more than likely can't pronounce, much less read!). Just clear and simple: Redeemed. That's what I want to see every day for the rest of my life. A reminder to me and a statement to all that by His great and unfailing love and mercy I have been redeemed. With that one word tattoo, I hope to have the opportunity to share God's word and the work he is doing in my life.
Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. Psalm 103:1-4
