I’ve been contemplating a tattoo for about 2 years now, but I always seem to find a reason not to get one. They are SO permanent, it might not turn out exactly how I want it, it might look bad as I get older or a stretch mark from pregnancy might run right through it! Plus, I’m not really the type of person to get something so edgy. I’m a one-earring-in-each-ear kind of girl.
I came really close to getting a tattoo two years ago on my birthday, but the guy I was going to get it from was on vacation for the month of July. After that I pretty much talked myself out of it. Then…my sister went and got one a few weeks ago and my brother and dad are getting inked a week from tomorrow! All of the family tattooing has rekindled my thoughts about it. I’ve always known I would get a stargazer lily. I think they are really pretty and feminine, but I don’t have any particular meaning associated with the lily.
I was talking to my friend Bonnie and she told me about her sister’s tattoo. Her sister has a lily tattoo to remind her of Matthew 6:25-29, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is life not more important than food and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.”
I’m not sure if I’m really going to go for it, but I’m certainly thinking it over again!
Wonderful post! We are linking to this great article on our website.
Keep up the great writing.
Not sure if it is too late to chime in here, but here are some thoughts about the lily…
Easter Lilies are used to decorate churches and homes. The large, pure white blossoms remind Christians of the pure new life that comes to them through the Resurrection of Jesus.
LILY. The white lily stands for purity. Artists for centuries have pictured the angel Gabriel coming to the Virgin Mary with a spray of lilies in his hand, to announce that she is to be the mother of the Christ child. The lily is also the sign of the Resurrection. The lovely white Madonna lily was used for years as the Easter lily. It often failed to bloom in time for Easter, however, and so Bermuda lilies were substituted. They have six-part flowers (three petals and three sepals colored alike) and usually six stamens.
The Lily in the BIBLE: Lessons to trust are gathered from the Lily: Matthew 6: 28-30 Molded in the rim of the molten laver in the temple: 1 Kings 7:26 & 2 Chronicles 4:5 The principle capitals of the temple ornamented with carvings of lilies: 1 Kings 7:19,22,26 Used in a figurative sense, of the lips of the beloved: Song of Solomon 5:13
So have you decieded yet? :)
I am soooo thankful that we live under GRACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It took me awhile to believe that, but I know it and thank God for it daily….
I love you Bec,
Mom :)
My favorite part of all this is that one of your motivators is not wanting to feel left out of the family thing. Your family is so tight, they even all want to be tatooed together! I have no idea how to spell tatoo’d. I just looked it up, and it’s tattooed, in case anyone cares.
I love you sweetie!
good food for thought john…i didn’t know you visted my blog!
I think there are some good reasons not to get a tattoo.
1) G_d created you by His design. You should not deface a masterwork.
2) Tattoos look more and more awful as you age, they bleed out and loose color. Further, they are very out of place on an older person.
3) G_d seems to be against this activity.
Leviticus 19:28
You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead nor print or tattoo any marks upon you; I am the Lord.
The critical Hebrew word (Strong’s H7085) (transliterated kah·ak·ah’) used here has only one definition:
1) incision, imprintment, tattoo, mark.
If you need some feedback, ideas of where to go, or even company when you do it (or should I say “if” you do?!?), let me know! :) I’m so excited to hear you’re entertaining the thought! xoxo
wow mom! john and i seriously thought you would never even think about a tattoo! we krolls are crazy, but that’s why we’re great!
i love you!
Okay, now I cannot even begin to believe that I am even entertaining the thoughts of what would I tattoo on my body and where would I put it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is crazy…. but so again are the “Krolls”.
I do think the lily is beautiful and the sentiment also is meaningful.
I am going to bed so this crazy thought can die?
XOXOXOX—-Mom :)