Inkened

 I don't always hang out with Satanists, in fact, I rarely do, but when I do it's just one and she's my tattoo artist. I won't give her name because she hasn't given me permission to do so; besides that, I am currently praying for her salvation, so I don't want to either embarrass her or cause someone to interfere with that work that is in progress.  I believe a good witness is an important thing when you've entered into a place absolutely known for housing evil spirits, demons, and the like. Being a Christian, it's not a sin to get a tattoo, not by any stretch of the imagination, but there are not a lot of parlors out there that give both inkened memories on your bicep and a devotional service for your soul -- just sayin'.

First, let me tell you that the first time I met my tattoo artist she was at the store and she had just finished inking a man's calf with the words "JESUS SAVES", she mentioned it in passing, and I asked her if it was difficult or hard on her to do it since she was working quite literally under a five-foot by five-foot blanket type banner in her room that had the image of the goat-man Devil himself with the words "THE DEVIL" printed under the statue.  She stated that it wasn't difficult to do professionally, but she knows when the two-spirit worlds collide in her room and her "space" because she said they seem to tear at each other pretty badly and she can feel the pull. 

She then turned to me and asked me if it was going to be OK being in that room while she worked on my tattoo, and I laughed. I told her yes, because as a Christian, I'm protected and it's not me that has to move at the name of Lucifer, but in fact the demons (and Lucifer) must flee at the name of Jesus. I was good -- and it put her at ease to know I wasn't going to lecture her about her choices. Why lecture when I can pray? I told her I'd pray for her, and she even thanked me. I thought about giving her my address so she could go feed my dogs and cats after the rapture, but I didn't want to totally offend her and end up with "666" on my arm.  Besides, I do want her to change her mind and heart and join me in that event!

I went into the store today to have her do my new tattoo, which is a Celtic Cross with a sort of loopy design to it, and there is a purple-headed thistle running through the cross, sort of sticking out to the side.  She didn't listen to me when she was designing it, and had to redo the design; which ended up taking too long, and I had to reschedule, but now she'll have the cross in her room (in a file) for a few days and maybe that'll help her understand that even the image of the cross can play a role in her (hopeful) surrender to Jesus. I hope she will accept Him, and I hope she'll remain where she is because she's incredibly talented, but yeah she can replace the wall hanging - - maybe something a bit less demonic! I'm not saying she has to put up a poster of the Resurrection or anything, but more and more Christians are going into these places to be inked up - - why not cater to your clientele? 

Anyway, I may or may not end up with the cross being on my forearm as I had first imagined it; she insisted that putting it where I wanted it made the cross appear to be upside-down, while I was saying I could lift up my arm to show it to anyone - - she would know more about upside-down crosses than I would so I decided to think about it a few more days and let the thing sit in her room for a minute to do God's work.  Maybe this weekend I'll swing by and have it put on my upper arm so that there's no argument about the orientation of the cross -- I don't want anyone seeing my tat and thinking I'm a Satanist too! Nope, that's not going to work for me.  I can wait, and make a decision. I may end up not getting it, and just leaving it in her room! Ha! Take that demon blanket thing! In your face!