Reminders

     There was a changing moment for me today, right when I woke up. There is a quote floating around that was said by Henry Ward Beecher that goes along the lines of, "The first hour of the morning is the rudder of the day."Ever since hearing this quote, I decided to test out the validity of this quote the past couple of mornings, but this morning in particular made me realize just how true Henry's quote was.

     As some may know, I have a few tattoos. As most of you do know, tattoos are permanent and you'd have to go way out of your way to drastic terms in order to remove a tattoo. I wanted the tattoos that I have to serve as reminders for me. They have stories behind them, but I didn't want to get a tattoo that only meant something to me for a short period of my life, rather I wanted the certain tattoo so that it would serve me in a positive way the rest of my life. The tattoos that I have are intended to be personal, daily reminders to me, that are for the most part hidden from the public. They have been "reminders" to me in the past, but this morning they almost spoke to me. Almost as if a clear voice was speaking in my head through the stories on my body.

     The cross on my ankle. My first tattoo and story. It is not just some cross I had my friend tattoo on me, but it became a reminder of my foundation. Friends are not my foundation. Family is not my foundation. Good times are not my foundation. Tattoos are not my foundation. Items and belongings are not my foundation. My spiritual and emotional foundation is found on the cross. The cross being on my physical foundation, my foot. When I look down and see it, I remember who I'm living for and why.

     The Greek word Méinate in my arm. The Greek word "méinate" comes form the passage in John 15:4 where Jesus tells His disciples that he is the vine, and in order for His disciples to bear fruit, they must remain within Him, the one true vine. This Greek word has the meaning "to abide or remain within a source that provides life." I've learned that remaining is not only a daily thing, but it's a lifetime commitment. You can't remain if you aren't in the vine in the first place. Remaining is a command that we can only fulfill by dying a Christian; dying a believer in Jesus Christ. If we quit halfway through our life, we didn't remain. When I see this word, I'm reminded to never give up, to never quit, and to pursue The Lord always.

     The face of the Lion on my thigh. My most recent tattoo. It is not complete, as there is still to be a lamb placed on my left thigh. These combined create the transformation of Christ. Isaiah 53:7 portrays Christ as the Lamb, the Lamb going to the slaughter. The Lamb offering Himself for His people. All throughout Jesus' life, He served others. He was the sacrificial Lamb stated in Isaiah. In Revelation, we see Jesus as the Lion. He is no longer the sacrifice, but the leader. The authority. The glorious One. He comes back stronger and with power over all of the world. He didn't get there easily though. He died, served, and sacrificed with His life that he had here on earth. In order to reach the Lion, we must live the Lamb.

     These stood out to me this morning. All throughout my morning I was reliving each story and reminding myself the meanings behind each and every one of them. My morning today was shaped by these stories, and I plan on having a day filled with joy and servitude to others. Don't let a morning last a minute, live in awe and peace in your mornings, that your days made be made right.