Below was posted to Instagram and Facebook over seven days a year ago, I’m now posting it to our website as people have been asking me about my story and journey. I hope you enjoy reading it and at the end better understand me.

If you’ve known me very long, you’d know that I’m a conservative Christian American that loves his Family, Friends, Disney and above all God…..well hold on cause since I left social media behind a few years back there have been some changes……..and yes I’m still a conservative Christian American that loves his Family, Friends, Disney and above all God. I’ll share more over the next week…….

It was in the aspiring of 2021, over three weeks of a sermon series (by three different Pastors) that I realized that I had been suppressing the sharing of my faith for over 25 plus years. The sermon series had a big impact on me. The cross I’ve been wearing around my neck for the last 25 years kept me accountable when it was showing, but when it was under my shirt and tie no one knew I was proclaiming my faith and was being held accountable. I’ll share more tomorrow night……stay tuned.

For several months I researched and researched if it was okay for a Christian to have a tattoo. I quickly find out that the answer is no according to Leviticus 19:28 (ESV) “You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves”. But further research teaches us in John 8:36 (ESV) “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Long story short in August 2021 I got my first tattoo behind my ear to always hold me accountable. These were just two of the verses I read, and I researched what a lot of Pastors, Theologians, etc. had to say on the subject. Stay tuned……

As I spent the two months studying what God’s Word says about Christians having tattoos I realized that my wifey has wanted tattoos for the entire (at that time) 35 years of our marriage. That realization was an “ouch”!!! We were at Hume Lake Christian Camp watching our 11 month old Granddaughter while our Daughter (Elise) and Son-In-Law (Brad) were camp counselors for our Church’s High School Summer Camp when I told Sandi about my journey study God’s Word about tattoos. Her “WHAT!”, was quickly replaced with “I’m getting my first too then”. It was in August 2021 that I got the Cross behind my ear, and in just two months would be adding my second. I originally designed my second, but had Sandi put her artistic talent to work and now have my wifey’s art and handwriting on my arm. I added the praying hands and “1 Thes. 5:17” for my 67th birthday as I was reading through the New Testament and found out that my “Always Pray” was my interpretation of the Apostle Paul’s Words found in 1 Thes. 5:17 “Continuously Pray”.

I’ll continue tomorrow about my journey and why I’m heading down this road……

While studying about what the Word says about tattoos, two verses stuck with me. God gave Moses more direct laws in Leviticus than he did in the Ten Commandments, as the Israelites were creating false Gods, worshiping idols, etc. As I said a few nights ago, Leviticus 19:28 says “You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves”. But in the New Testament in John 8:36 Jesus tells us “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Jesus is telling us that through his crucification we are no longer bound by the old laws, and no longer in bondage to sin. I designed my next tattoo based on these verses, my tattoo artist enhanced my drawing to what is now on my calf as I’m so thankful for the freedom and liberty we receive through Christ.

One of my favorite books is the Bible is Isaiah, and one of my favorite verses is Isaiah 40:31 “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” I added an Eagle and “Isaiah 40:31”; which people comment a lot allowing me to share my faith more and the verse.

Did you know that the largest living thing lives in Sequoia National Park? It is named the General Sherman and is Sequoia Redwood Tree standing over 275’ tall with a base that is more than 36’ in diameter. So if those figures aren’t amazing enough, now just think it was a young tree when Christ walked the earth; and is still standing and growing today with an estimated age of 2,200 years old. I’ve been to the General Sherman about nine times in my life, and have never stopped marveling at his beauty, size and age. Over the years I’ve grown to love this tree as it is brings me in an earthly way close to God. My next trip to the Sequoias will be to find the 3,000 year old trees that are smaller than the General Sherman and were young trees when Isaiah prophesied about Jesus birth (Isiah 7:14), crucifixion (Isaiah 53:5), and resurrection (Isaiah 53:10) approximately 2,800 years ago.

My life goal is to live up to my Dad’s integrity; my Dad went to be with the Lord thirteen years ago, and not a day goes by that I don’t think of my Dad. He dropped out of high school in the tenth grade to go work in a lumber mill as a cook’s helper in Vancouver British Columbia; and didn’t stop working until he was in his seventies. Though he never finished school he was highly educated through reading books, and having conversations with friends and family. He could hold a conversation on nearly any topic.

A few months ago my Daughter, Elise, asked me to join her in having “Legacy” tattooed on our arms in memory of my Dad. I found a letter my Dad wrote my Mon months before my Mom cross Canada and they were married. Sandi, my wife, scanned the letter and then traced the letters on her iPad and with her Apple Pencil to spell “Legacy”. Last week Elise had it put on her wrist, and I had it put on the handle of a vintage hammer like my Dad used (like Jesus he was a carpenter) on my arm.

We will both do our best to carry on his legacy.

Thank you for joining me on this week long journey of my tattoos and my faith. So as I said in my first post, if you’ve known me very long you’d know I’m a conservative Christian American that loves his Family, Friends, Disney and above all God. I hope that my story shows you that I’m still the same person, just now with tattoos to express my faith. I actually have one more tattoo which is my favorite, but I promised the artist who created the piece that was the inspiration for my tattoo that I would never post it on social media. I hope some day we can link up so I can share the piece on me with you; it’s story, and why it means so much to me.