Tattoos for Jesus?

            I’ve recently been hearing a lot about the topic of tattoos and whether or not Christians should get them. Since I don’t have a tattoo or even know if I would ever get one, I don’t know if I can really talk much on the topic. Honestly, only lately have I actually thought seriously about the whole idea.

            With the topic on my mind, I brought it up to another Christian friend of mine. She was pretty indecisive as well, but she did show me this video that got my attention.

            It got me thinking, what would Jesus really think about a Christian having tattoos? The main argument is always that we aren’t supposed to mark up or destroy our bodies because they are temples of the Holy Spirit, but what if we’re just decorating our bodies for the Holy Spirit?

            It’s an interesting thought worth meditating about.

The Bad Luck Coaster

            Most Christians generally don’t believe in luck or bad luck. They believe everything happens for a reason, whether it’s good or bad. Personally, I’ve always agreed with this consensus.

            Until recently.

            Lately, I’ve been having the longest and strangest string of bad luck I’ve ever encountered in my life. For the past couple of weeks it’s been either extreme bad luck or extreme good luck. The switch between the two has been incredibly harsh.

Honestly, it’s like a roller coaster going as high as it possibly can before plummeting down at an almost ninety degree drop, going lower than where the ride first started, before starting the cycle all over, going higher and lower with each twist and turn.

Anyone would need motion sickness pills after that.

My days will start out good, keep getting better, and then drop down to bad and then the worst. Then the next day, it’s vice versa. There’s just no logical reason as to why. The good luck has involved everything from my school, to my friends, to my job. The bad luck has as well. It’s been bewildering.

I know it doesn’t sound like a big deal, just everyday runs of good or bad luck, so let me explain why I’m writing this.

Just today, the roller coaster plummeted farther than it ever had before. It went down so quickly and so low that my health suffered.

Literally.

Suddenly, my good luck part of the ride seems to be over and bad luck seems to have taken me on a different ride. And this ride, if I may call it that, has suddenly gotten me to reevaluate my whole “Everything happens for a reason” way of thinking.

Does all this pointless amount of bad luck have a reason?

As a Christian, I feel like I have to say yes. I mean, we’re all part of God’s plan and to believe that what happens in life is random and has no meaning would go against this way of thinking.

But as a teenager going through some very tough times? I think it’s understandable to fear the answer could be no.

And that’s okay.

I’m not denying God has a plan for each and every one of our lives. I’m sure He does and knows the reasons behind each of those moments that seem pointlessly full of bad luck.

But that doesn’t mean I know.

The truth is, life is full of so many moments that it’s hard to see what bad parts can lead to the good. The only one who truly knows the reason why everything happens is, of course, God. But, thankfully, every once in a while we get a little glimpse as well.

Now that I think about it, I had to go through some bad luck at school so my friend and I could both have some good luck. So perhaps the bad luck with my health will lead to something good too.

Even if I don’t know what it is yet.

So maybe, instead of trying to frantically unbuckle myself from the bad luck coaster with tears streaming down my face, I should just sit back, raise my arms in the air, and rest assured that God’s strapped in right there next to me, along for the ride.

Besides, I trust He knows every twist and turn before I do.

But Mom, Eve Was a Vegetarian!

            Right from the start, I can promise this post is not as deep and heartfelt as my other posts are and I apologize for that. However, I’ve wanted to touch on a topic for a while now since I’ve never really come across it on any other blog.

            Here’s the topic: Christian vegetarians.

            All right, I know this is hardly a pressing issue, but it’s one that caught my attention. On a personal level, it’s because I’m a Christian who just so happens to be vegetarian as well. As a result, I’ve become curious as to what the two could have to do with each other.

            Vegetarianism has become popular lately, as can be seen by the many restaurants opting to have meatless options on their menus (I mean, even Burger King has a veggie burger now!) Many adults are vegetarian, as well as teenagers, and even some kids. I find it interesting how every person who decides to be vegetarian does so for different reasons.

My personal reason is against animal abuse, but I’ve heard of many other reasons. Some choose to be vegetarian because they think eating meat is murder, some as a protest against the meat industry, others for religious purposes, and some are allergic and have no choice.

What I’m wondering is, could one of those reasons correlate directly to being Christian?

When I originally decided to become a vegetarian, my mother freaked out. Like many other teen parents, she automatically assumed the worst.

“But you won’t get enough protein!”

“But you’ll start to get sick more often!”

“But what will you eat?”

“But how can I cook for you?”

The questions went on and on. Eventually, my mom saw I was serious about my decision and supported me, so long as she knew I was healthy. Now, whenever she questions me, I always make the same joke.

“But Mom, Eve was a vegetarian!”

Her response is almost always her rolling her eyes.

My joke got me thinking, though, as to what God’s reaction to my being a vegetarian would be. Would He admire me for respecting His creatures or would He be offended that I refuse to eat a type of food He has created? Were we originally meant to be vegetarians, as Adam and Eve were, or were we always destined to eat meat, like they later had to do? Besides, if being a vegetarian were the right way to go, wouldn’t Jesus have been a vegetarian?

The truth is I’ve been racking my brain on this topic for a while, wondering if deciding to be a vegetarian would really be a diss to God, even if it doesn’t seem like a sin, bad or anything other than just a lifestyle choice.

It’s funny, though, how God works when we really need Him to.

After wondering about this for my entire two years as a vegetarian, I came across a specific Bible verse that spoke to me clearly:

“…He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God” - Romans 14:6 NIV

God spoke to me clearly and just like that, all of my questions had answers. God does admire me for respecting His creatures by not eating them, but He would also admire me for respecting His creatures by eating them as a type of food He created as well. The rest of my questions followed suit. Adam and Eve were originally vegetarians, but by not being vegetarian they weren’t doing anything wrong. The same goes with Jesus.

Like I said before, I know this isn’t a pressing issue, but it was a constant worry I had in the back of my mind. In the end, I’m glad God helped me put the issue to bed, so I can keep my mind on more important issues.

Such as, what else can I vent about on my blog?!

When You're Stuck in the Middle - Guest Post

By Morning Kay 
"Good Morning, Morning!"
http://morningkay.blogspot.com

One tip that is commonly given to teens struggling in their faith is to talk to other people about it.

But where does that leave the ‘other people?’

If you’re anything like me facing such a situation, you may just freak out. One of my friends recently went through a boatload of hardships that caused her faith to suffer. I was stuck in the middle.

We talked a lot about her doubts and hardships and I was desperate to help her overcome them. After all, this was my friend and I didn’t want to see her fall away from faith. From this experience, I have a few tips for those in similar situations. 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

This may be hard, but you have to pray continually for your friend and you have to stop worrying. That may sound cruel. After all, your friend is hurting and I say, “don’t worry?!” I know it’s hard, but you have to remember who is in control over the situation: God. If it is in God’s will that your friend heals, he or she will heal. If not, you can’t feel guilty. You have to understand that you are not the one who saves; God is. He knows what He’s doing.

“Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Be open and encouraging to your friend and no matter what… don’t give up on them.

I’m happy to say that my friend has gotten so much healing through her struggles! I have seen God’s grace abound in her life in such amazing ways that it makes me want to cry.

The problem is… she hasn’t.

My friend decided to be agnostic and that has broken my heart. When she first told me, I didn’t know what to do. It frustrated me because my friend felt so hurt by God when she was amid her personal struggles, thinking that He had abandoned her. Yet, when He provided healing for those hardships, she didn’t see it. She turned away.

I’m still broken hearted about this. I often times want to just grab my friend and shake her, demanding to know why she doesn’t see that God has always been with her and why she can’t see that her healing is His doing.

If this happens to you too, and it may, don’t give up. No matter how many times they push you away, continue to speak truth to them in love and be there for them… even if they don’t want to talk about their faith anymore.

I know it’s tough being stuck in the middle of a friend’s hurt faith. Just cling to God and remember He is in control and always has been, as hard as that may be, and continue to be a friend.

It’s always a blessing to see your friend heal in faith and I’m sure that if you’re in this situation, you want nothing more for them than that. However, you might have to accept the possibility that they won’t turn back to God in the time you know them. Or ever. But no matter what, you have to keep your trust in God’s power strong even when theirs is not.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)

All Bible verses quoted from the New King James Version. Courtesy of Bible Gateway. http://www.biblegateway.com/

Gimme, God, Gimme!

            My grandma told me a little story today. It went somewhere along the lines of this (I adapted it as a writer because…well, I can!)

            There was once this young boy. His parents gave him everything his heart desired. As he grew up, his parents continued giving him absolutely everything just to make him happy, in the hopes that someday their son would be grateful for all that had been given to him. When he was full grown, however, he left his home and never came back.

Why? Because as a boy, he got everything he wanted, but as a man, it wasn’t enough. He wanted more. All of a sudden, everything his parents gave him wasn’t enough and he left in search of more. He never once said thank you to his parents because he never understood how to be grateful. His parents waited for his return in sadness for the rest of their lives.

            After my grandma finished her story, she brought it into perspective.

            “That’s what it’s like with God and us,” she told me (albeit, in Spanish). “We always want God to give us everything we pray for and we don’t understand why He doesn’t sometimes. My story, that’s why. God doesn’t give us everything because He doesn’t want us to become like that little boy.”

            I completely agree with my grandma and her point, but I want to expand on it a little. It’s true; God doesn’t give us everything for a reason. Sometimes it’s because it’s not right for us. Sometimes it’s because He has something better planned for later. There are several reasons.

            It all boils down to this, though: trust.

            As so much else does, it’s all about trusting God. I think it’s important to learn to trust that God is giving us just what is right for us. Not more, not less. Sometimes we hold on to what He has already given us and don’t make space for what He has in store. But if we just trust Him, trust He will give us what we need instead of just all we want, that’s when I think we’re letting God truly take care of us.

            So, instead of acting like a little spoiled kid with a tired parent in a supermarket, grabbing at everything in sight, saying, “Gimme, gimme!” I think I’d rather just trust my parent to pick out what’s best for me.

            God just might surprise me more that way.