tattoos

Normally I wouldn’t post such a lengthy blog because I know that people have short attention spans.    You can skip to the pictures if you’d like or you can read it all.

Most of you know that I am a planner.  I research things in detail before I make a decision.  This was a year and a half plan to get a tattoo, and to get the right tattoo for my first one.

Raul from Diablo Rojo in Austin, TX

The finished product.  I have lots of moles/freckles so it's inevitable that my tattoos will be in or around them.  If you'll notice, there is shading of red in both "love".

I chose to get lyrics from my favorite song, which has been my favorite song since the album came out in 2006.

The song “Age of Reptiles/Age of Insects” is a song by Showbread on the Age of Reptiles album.  It’s a little over 10 minutes long, and it’s absolutely beautiful.  For those of you who think that all they do is “scream”, there is very little “screaming” in this song.  This song has gotten me through some rough times.  It makes me feel closer to Jesus, like He is right there holding me.  Even though I am a mere human, a mess, and a screw up, He is there taking it all away.  He bears my burden and sets me free.  He is my Savior.  If you ever have 10 minutes to spare, please listen to this song. 

Lyrics (to the Age of Reptiles part):

I am made of parts that freeze & ligaments that atrophy

Though they look they’ll never see

They don’t know something’s wrong with me

Just as well I’ll never tell what’s underneath my scales

I’ve worn too thin to honor you, My every effort fails

Bury me with Israel  and cover up my tracks

Leave not a trace of what I was I’m never coming back

And if your mercy falls upon He whose blood is cold

Unearth me with your hands of love And never break your hold

The world is full of ones like me

Who need to see the truth

But the truth is never truth indeed

The truth is only you

Jesus bless the crocodiles

Forgive the cobras and all the snakes

Open up your arms to carry all of our mistakes

Suck the venom from every bite Vomit every drop

Some of us may bite your hand But some of us will not

And every knee will bow before you Each forked tongue confess

My selfishness will rot in me And I will seek your rest

Still some lizards flee from you Ashamed of all they’ve been

So Jesus take myself from me Never bring it back again

The world is full of ones like me Who need to see the truth

But the truth is never truth indeed The truth is only you

The world will soon become extinct The age will pass away

And all will know that you are God, hallowed be your name

Jesus bless the crocodiles

Forgive the cobras and all the snakes
Open up your arms to carry all of our mistakes

Forgive the basilisk, Forgive the moccasins and adders too

Have mercy on each alligator that never lived for you

I myself hatched from an egg

No white light from above

Just another ancient serpent that never earned your love

Still you find me underneath the rocks and in the ground

I cower there just short of air and never made a sound

It’s true that I’m in love with you and even in my shame

You wipe away the imperfections and take away the pain

You wrap your loving arms around this wretched thing called me

Your love is all I’ll ever need

Your love has set me free.

The truth is only you.

Beautiful right?

I know some people’s personal beliefs/opinions are that tattoos are a sin.  For some it’s just personal preference to not have them

Many people use the reference in Leviticus 19:28

Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.

However we are no longer under the Old law, and looking at it in context God is talking about the pagan religious rituals that are idolatrous devotion and witchcraft.

If people still would prefer to use this as a reference, then we should step back to Leviticus 19:26-27

Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it. Do not practice divination or sorcery.

Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.

I see many Christians today eating blood filled meat and cutting their hair, but that does not apply to us today either.  These were also pagan rituals that are no longer applicable.

Romans 14 is also a good source since the Bible is not clear on the issue of tattoos.  I feel no guilt, condemnation toward myself, or doubt about tattoos.  I don’t believe that the tattoo that I have and the tattoos that I will get will cause another person to stumble.  If anything, I believe this one will be a great conversation starter on what Jesus has done in my life.

I am taking this from two different questions on Showbread’s formspring account and I think it’s stated very well.  This is in regards to 1 Corinthians 6:19

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own. 

“Some people say tattoos are defiling your body, which is a temple, but I can’t imagine why decorative pictures are anymore defiling a temple than a lovely mural painted on a church wall.  It seems to me, tattoos make some believers (who find them unconventional) uncomfortable and they might like to think there’s a way to explain them as sinful when in reality they are ultimately trivial and inconsequential as a shirt we wear, a color we dye our hair, or paint we put on our fingernails” – Josh Dies

“i don't think it is only applicable toward sexual immorality, i think the scripture is putting an emphasis on health and care for your "temple." some folks use this to argue against tattoos, which doesn't make a lot of sense because it's like arguing that painting a church or hanging art in it keeps it from honoring God, what reason would one ever have for thinking that art on your body keeps it from honoring God? on the contrary, would might say that celebrating art (which is God's invention) honors God!” -Josh

Also I am aware that when I get to be about 70 or 80 they will not look the same. 

At least I’ll have wrinkly colorful skin.

I’m interested to hear if you have any thoughts/beliefs on tattoos.  Either way my belief will stay the same and as I shared mine, you are welcome to share yours.  I’m always curious to hear other thoughts and opinions.

            

I found it.

 As Faith suggested, I am going to do a cook through a cookbook thing.  

I will wait until I have the internet... and a cookbook.

In other news, I have always wanted to know how to play the piano.

I am seriously looking into taking lessons when I move to OKC. 

If I can't find lessons, I'm going to try to teach myself.

I need to find a keyboard, I know it's not the exact same. 

 It would get me started though don't you think?

I have all kinds of dreams. 

Maybe I'm taking on too much, especially in the midst of trying to settle into a new house, city, and job.

One day at a time.

Also, I am very blessed to have these people in my life.  Without them, I would be homeless.

-My brother.  Even if he does insult me occasionally and leave me sweet messages like this:

-Kaylee & Jeremy.  They are letting me stay with them for 3 weeks until I can move into my apartment.          

I have to polish the good China daily though.  ;-)

I need a shtick.

I do, need a shtick or schtick... however you spell it.

Exercise was it for awhile, now that's being put on hold.
I'm pretty boring, so I never really have anything interesting to add.

*I read.  I don't really want to write my thoughts of books, plus who reads those anyway?
*I watch movies. Again, I don't want to write my thoughts on movies.  It'd be either GOOD or BAD.
*I have no children.  I can't really write about nonexistent kids.
*I work in a hospital.  I can't write about patients and even if I wrote something without details of names or stuff, it's still probably a HIPAA violation.
*I go to concerts.  Not often enough to keep a weekly blog of it though.

I'm at a loss.

I forget to take my camera places, so unless I can start taking pictures of my daily life, nobody wants to JUST read about it.

Help.

Uprooting.

I am now jobless.  At least I am for 3 weeks until I start my new job.

What am I doing these next three weeks of free time, you ask?

*Looking for a place to live.

That's it.

I'm lame and boring. 

Hopefully, I will be moving in those three weeks as well.

Living in Northern OKC in an apartment is expensive.

I made myself a budget. (I'm going to try really hard to stick to it.)

I have wanted a new bed for awhile.  

Hmmm. King or Queen.  

I have also wanted a new TV.

Hmmm. 32" or 42".

I have saved up a considerable amount of money, so I can afford these things.

I have budgeted for them.

I will miss these people:

These folks are part of my ICU crew in A-town.  They are awesome.

The pregnant one (Michelle) taught me so much when I was a nursing student, she doesn't work

there anymore though.  

Wish me luck on my apartment looking... I might try to blog my adventure.  My friend Ashley will be accompanying me in my journey, she has an eye for these kinds of things.  Maybe even my little "nephew" Brayden will help too!

I broke my dang toe.

I broke my pinkie toe.  Well, I didn't have an X-Ray or anything, but it hurts to move it, it's bruised and swollen and I can't bear weight.
You know what that means?
No working out for awhile.
I'm hoping it's just sprained, so maybe it'll heal faster?

I'm not being a wuss either.  I guess maybe I am a little.

I was all into Insanity too.  I completed a week and half and I love it a billion times more than P90x.
I was also already seeing subtle differences in my body and I even lost 2 lbs!

Oh well, once my toe heels, I'll just start over again.

Just wanted to give an update to anyone who reads this, and to let you know I'm not being a slacker.

New things on the horizon.

As many of you know, I have been looking for a job in the city.  I already have a job in A-town, but other than that job, there is nothing there for me.  I am single and have no kids, and I don't even live in A-town anymore.  I ultimately wanted to move to OKC because that's where a lot of my friends my age are, and I loved living there when I was a freshman in college.

I have had so many great learning experiences when I was in A-town, and was very lucky to get a critical care job coming right out of college.  However, "to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the sun"...

I had 2 interviews the other day, both were at the same hospital.  On my way to those interviews, I got a call from the hospital that I really wanted for an interview.  For some reason, I had brought extra resumes so I just scheduled the interview for that day.

3 interviews in one day = EXHAUSTING.

When I went to my third and final interview, I had a great feeling and knew this is where I wanted to be.
I was hired on the spot and now I am looking forward to moving & starting a new direction in my career.

I will miss all my wonderful friends I made in A-town, and I am so blessed because I had such a great opportunity to learn a lot of things in the unit.

I am so excited about this new adventure in my life.  Really excited!

Done. Finished. Complete.

With some thought and consideration, I have decided I am done with the P90x program for now.

Here are the reasons:
1. I busted my rear for 60 days and I have lost hardly any inches, my clothes don't fit any better, and if I'm not following the exact diet, I'm not going to see the results I want.
2. If I'm going to exercise and hate what I'm doing (except a few DVDs I did like), I don't see the point in doing something I hate/dread so much.
3. I gained muscle, but I'm not getting much cardio. I NEED cardio.  I run/jog and love it...
4. I have a right shoulder issue from lifting a very heavy person and P90x aggravated it I think.

So I am sort of a flake.

I got my Insanity in the mail yesterday, but my chiropractor said that I need to get my shoulder in line before I start that.  I will be jogging until then I guess.