Tattoos & Scars

We all have scars--internal and external we all have them. The external ones may be from falling off a bike or breaking a bone and having surgery. And the internal, well we live in a broken world, so we've all had our heart broken once or twice...

Today at work I was looking at my feet...weird I know, but sometimes there's nothing better to do when you're lifeguarding an empty pool....I looked at my left foot and saw a few scars. One particularly got me thinking. It was the scar from when I got a thorn in my foot in Uganda, Africa and had to go to the hospital....yes, the Ugandan hospital! I was reminded of how faithful the Lord was in using the unfortunate discouraging event and using it for me to experience His love. I remember sitting in the emergency room with a child screaming a bed over (we think he was being circumcised but that's besides the point) and my mind could do only one thing...and that was pray! The Lord taught me during that time that in the craziness and when life gets loud to just pray. Talk to the man One who has my heart and can bring peace and comfort...I needed to hear this today. The Lord knew it...maybe that's why he made no one come in the pool for so long :)

My reflection on internal scars goes with my tattoo story, so I'll get to that in a second. I have two tattoos, yes, I said it, two. One I got when I turned 18 as an act of rebellion because I knew my parents would hate it. And the other is on my wrist. It says "Love 1 Cor. 13"...or at least that's what it's supposed to say. It actually says, "Love 1 Chor 13"...if you know me, you know I'm a TERRIBLE speller, and when I say terrible I mean really really TERRIBLE! So being a terrible speller didn't help the fact that I hadn't opens my bible in probably a year....so when I went to get my tattoo I drew it out and as soon as I knew it it was permanent. I went home, opened my bible and found that my tattoo was misspelled. Yes, MISSPELLED!!! Theres no H in Corinthians, well not at the beginning at least. So I laughed for a second, and then I cried for longer than that. I thought of what an idiot I would look like when I showed people and how they'd laugh at me. So for the longed time I tried to cover it up and when people saw it I'd get really nervous about whether they'd even notice it or not. Then one day I showed a friend and she pointed out what a cool story it is and what a reminder of how far the Lord has brought me...so every time I see it I think of the deep pit the Lord drew me out of and how I am so thankful He did.

When I see it I think of all the times my heart has been broken, and how the Lord has restored it every time. My heart has been broken in the past from an abusive ex-boyfriend and hurtful words from the world around me, and recently from losing my Pa-a man I look up to and love so much. But my scars make me thankful, not afraid to live life, but thankful that I have a mighty God who restores the broken hearted and comforts those who mourn.

So when you look at your scars remember the past, remember what caused them, and be thankful for where the Lord has brought you from. Remember the faithfulness of Jesus and how He never leaves. Never.

"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned." Psalm 34:18, 19, 22