On
the one month anniversary of Papa D’s home going, I was going to
share a couple more thoughts about my tattoo, my dad, etc. but after
reading what my son wrote on his Facebook page about what his tattoo
means to him and why he chose what he did, with his permission, I have
decided to share what he wrote instead. But before I do that (of
course, because I can't post anything without adding my .02 cents
LOL)…..
There are times when you are in the tumultuous "teenage
years" with your kids when you wonder if, as a parent, you have failed
because of some things that happen or you wonder how you went from being
their "mommy and daddy" whom they adore to the "enemy" (ok, enemy is a
harsh term but for anyone who has raised teenagers, sometimes that's
what it feels like). Back then, I never thought in a million years that
when people would tell me “don’t worry, they eventually become
human/normal/come back around again” that it really would happen.
Fortunately, over the last couple of years, I have been pleasantly
surprised that there has been truth to that. While there still have been
some bumps along the way, the bumps have gotten fewer and farther
between. In the final days of my dad's life and especially in the days
immediately following, I have seen a change like no other in my oldest
and as a mom, I couldn't be any more proud. And I know Papa D is
smiling down and proud, too. I can honestly say, "hey Paul, we done
good, honey."
In saying this, I cannot, at the moment, think there could be a more
fitting tribute to Papa D's one month home going to the kind of person
my dad was and the profound effect his life, as well as his death, has
had on some.
So without further adieu, here's Kel's post (love you, Home Slice):
New tattoo, really happy with the way it turned out!
Ok, so now the reason behind it. The words "Washed by Blood" are
actually lyrics from a song by Brian Welch, the guitarist from Korn who
came to know the Lord. The song talks about how once you make that
decision to follow Christ, your sins are forgiven and you get a second
chance at life. You don't have to be a slave to all the crap you
struggled with before. What most people don't know, because I hid it so
well was that I was living a life that was eventually going to kill me
or put me in prison.
Despite all the "fun" I was having, I got to
a point where I had never felt more empty inside and nothing ever made
it better. Then, on April 14th, the day that Papa D went home to heaven,
something changed. Papa D was a devout Christian, and even when life
threw bad things his way his faith never faltered and for the first time
that really spoke to me. I saw the kind of life he had lived and the
family he had helped create with my grandma, and the one thing that
really stuck out to me was their faith. Knowing that I wasn't going to
be able to handle the loss of him on my own, I finally knew what had
been missing this whole time.
The day Papa D died is the day I
gave my life to Christ, and it has been the best decision I have ever
made. So when my mom came to me and said we should go get tattoos on the
1 month of Papa D's passing, this is why I wanted this. Had it not been
for him and his wonderful example he lived, I wouldn't have made that
decision.
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"
