Tattoos

Tattoos.  I've never been a fan.

Not that there's anything wrong with tattoos I guess, but I just wouldn't get one. 

I was reading a blog post about tattoos.  The writter was expounding on how she was dating this "great" guy for a bit, but it never went anywhere, and she found out it was because he didn't think his family would approve of her tattoos.  Here's what she said:

If a few illustrations on my body were enough to detract from my intelligence, great legs, and winning personality, then there probably wasn’t a deep and meaningful connection there anyway. And honestly, as much as I’d like to judge him as being a materialistic, nitpicking, backwards conservative snob, I can’t fault him for feeling turned off. Getting to know and judging someone are parts of dating, and if my handful of tattoos was the catalyst to dooming our romance, that’s fine by me.

 Funny thing was, it really made me think.  Everyone has their own sort of "tattoo" in a way, to at least one other person.  Jim might not date[1] Colleen because she has red hair.  Garrett might not date Georgina because she is a vegetarian.  Bella might not date Jacob cause he's a warewolf... vampire... no, he was the warewolf, whatever[2]. A conservative young man might not date a less conservative young woman who dresses immodestly, no matter how nice or funny she tends to be.  Nor is he going to date that girl that flirts with all the guys.

Here's the thing.  There are a lot of people that aren't dating a lot of other people for some reason or another.  Some for really good reasons (*cough* warewolf *cough* vampire *cough*) but others are just preferences.  We all judge our friends to some extent, wondering if they are spouse material or not, and in most cases, for some reason or another, we decide it's a "no".  It's not Colleen's fault that she has red hair, and she might have an amazing personality to go with it. 

Here's another thing.  Just because Jim doesn't like Colleen's hair, does NOT mean that Jeremy isn't going to come along and love Colleen for her amazing laugh, mathmatical abilities, her heart for God, AND her red hair. 

I guess all of this is just to say one thing...with a caviate.

The "One Thing": Don't let the fact that one person doesn't like something about you make you try to change for them.  It might just be them.

The caviat: When someone (anyone, guy/girl you like or just a friend) gives you instructive criticism, really look at yourself and determin if it's true or not.  It might really be who you are, but it could be something you have put on because you're afraid someone won't like the "real" you.

Some of our traits are choices we have made, such as a red colored hair dye bottle or a tattoo, but many of our traits are birthmarks.  Something God created us with.

The end.

[1] By "date" I mean pursue a deeper relationship with the intention of trying to determine if the other person is going to be your spouse.  Another word options is courting (which in and of itself can have many meanings), another option is "dating with a purpose," and yet another option is "dorting" which is a mixture of dating and courting (whichever meaning for courting you choose).

[2] As you can see, I have never read the Twilight books.  Hence the confusion about whether Jacob was the vampire of warewolf.

Walk on Water

Matthew 14:22-33 (ESV)
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

I tend to think I'm pretty good at trusting God.  I trust Him to provide for my family. I trust Him to keep me healthy.  I trust Him with my future.  I just trust Him because He is my help and my salvation.

But every once in a while, I notice the wind.

I start to sink.

I see my dad working hard.  I see my mom's frustrations.  I see my brothers annoyed with each other.  I find myself annoyed with others, with my situations in life, looking at my future wondering when things will happen.

I cry out to God, "Why, Lord? Pull me from this ocean of worry and care and distrust. Lord, save me!"

And do you want to know something?  He does.  I remember verse 31 "Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'"

He may not give me calm waters, but I can feel His hand holding mine.  I know that He is in control.  God loves me and He allows trials, frustrations and tears because of His love.  I am God's child.  When a father loves his child he disciplines them.  I am reminded of a passage in Hebrews.

Hebrews 12:7-8 says: "It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children, and not sons."

When we are disciplined it shows that we are His true children.  Hebrews 12:9 talks about how we respect our fathers after they discipline us, then in verse 10 it says; "For they discipline us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness." When God disciplines us, it is for our best interest and helps us to grow in our maturity.

I just wrote a sweet little paragraph about how god holds my hands once I ask Him and all that, but I had to erase it.  You know why? Because not only does He hold my hand, but He also holds me.  I am in His tender loving care no matter what, and He continues to protect and watch over me even when I am completely distracted by the winds of life.  I am still His child.