God Isn't Shallow

In light of certain events yesterday, I've got a few things to get off my chest.

I should note that yesterday was the anniversary of our first year of marriage. Before you assume that I'm going to write some cheesy, mushy-gushy post about that, I'm not. It's a little too overdone and my readers and friends already know how I feel about my husband. We had a pleasant day together, went out for an amazing dinner at the Top of Waikiki revolving restaurant, and came home to relax. Anyway, we enjoyed ourselves. But this post isn't about all that.

My husband and I agreed we weren't really going to buy each other presents. Maybe on our five-year or ten-year. But for us, it's enough to have a nice night out, reminisce, and talk about the future.

Even though we had both agreed to that, I wanted to surprise my husband with something that was pretty much for both of us, but that he would really appreciate. He's been bugging me ever since we were dating to get my nose pierced, because it would look "cute" or "hot". I staunchly refused, because I considered it too cliche and overused; I also wanted to pierce my lip although he didn't want me to--"no lip, no nose", is what I constantly told him. But I started thinking about it again a few days before our anniversary, how in a lot of cases I'd read about, lip piercings lead to cracked teeth and other problems, and how I actually wouldn't look that bad with a nose stud (or ring, after it heals).

So I decided to get it done. It was painful because of the thickness and shape of my nose (and the fact that the piercer had to take the piercing out to reshape it--excruciating!), but it's in now and I'm going to keep it healthy.

My parents and grandparents always tried to dissuade me from piercing anything but my ears (seeing as they were unsuccessful with my older sister) by saying "it would ruin your lovely face". Now, I've always had this desire to be a model or an actress of some kind, and that phrase was enough to make me leave my face alone. I wanted to be pretty, not edgy. I didn't want to "copycat" my sister.

But the thinking I've been doing the past few days made me realize something: that's never going to be my life. No matter how much I pine for it, it's not going to happen. You may say "you're young, you've got plenty of time". But I don't. If any of that was going to happen, it would have already, or at least started in that direction. That isn't ever going to be me, so I need to do whatever is me.

I've never thought of myself as being really hardcore or edgy or any of that, but I've never seen myself being dainty or prim either. I'm somewhere in the middle.

Including my nose, I have eight piercings (seven in my ears). I may put a few more hoops in my ears or maybe someday be brave enough to pierce my bellybutton. I'm not saying yes and I'm not saying no. I'm saying we'll see. I have one tattoo as of right now; I have three more planned out in my head. Will I get them all done? God only knows. They're all pretty meaningful to me, so I'd say there's a good chance of at least one or two more. Will I always be getting tattoos? Let me put it this way: I'm not putting anything permanently on my body that doesn't mean a crazy lot to me and I'm not going to go wild. I cross the bridges when I come to them.

I grew up in a pretty conservative, very sheltered family, one that was very opinionated on things like modesty, tattoos, and piercings. Ear piercings were okay with them, but I couldn't get them pierced until I was nine or have them pierced again until I was eighteen. After that, they let me do what I wanted with my ears (but seeing the reactions from my sister's industrial and ear-gauging, I thought it best to keep it somewhat conservative).

I appreciate that my parents were trying to look out for me and make sure I was raised right, but that has nothing to do with why my nose is pierced or why I have a tattoo on my wrist. They are there because they are for me and they are part of how I wish to present myself. I'm not going to apologize for it and I certainly do not have to defend myself.

I do not believe getting a tattoo or a piercing in a weird place will send you to hell or put you on God's bad side. I don't think He's that shallow, nor should we be. He cares about your heart and what you're doing with your life, how you're behaving and living. I can have piercings and tattoos and still live for Him, still be a light. Having them doesn't scream "sinner" and having none doesn't say "saved". I know pastors, leaders, and some amazing men and women of God who have tattoos and piercings; if anything, they've made themselves more approachable and expanded their opportunities to reach people.

To me, if what you're putting on your body means something to you, go for it. But don't slap stuff on there just because you can or want to fit in with a certain social group. And if it isn't your thing, don't look down on those who enjoy it. Don't pretend to understand their logic. To each his own. Don't judge those who do and don't judge those who don't. Live and let live. Maybe the world will be a little quieter.