After talking about getting “inked” I finally went last night and did it. I wrote about this some time ago, but the timing could not have been better. It certainly helped that a few of my closest friends found the same significance in the Hebrew word, “shuwb” and wanted to to do it at the same time.
Yesterday, I stepped down from my position in the so-called “ministry” at our local church community. Over the years, I have served as sound engineer, webmaster, music director, youth pastor and director of our citywide art contest outreach program. Often those roles overlapped, providing many joys, and much stress.
All the while, I have struggled to maintain my graphic design business, juggling priorities on a nearly daily basis. I have made concerted efforts to keep the business small, manageable and part-time, often turning down larger design projects in order to leave time for my church responsibilities. It hasn’t been easy.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve been on a journey to re-discover the things that I am most passionate about, and in so doing, have resigned myself to the full realization that while I can do many things, I’m a creative at heart! I love design. I love art. I love communicating concepts and ideas through visual medium. And I love the relationships that I have the opportunity to build through those projects.
I suppose I got into the ministry out of a good intention… I genuinely wanted to serve others. But it is a slippery slope once you begin to “lay down your life for others.” For me, I continued to sacrifice more and more of myself — my God-created self — for the sake of doing everything that others around (and over) me asked, until one day, my loving wife stunned me with these words…
“What if you’re crucifying the wrong guy?”
“What if, instead of being the multi-purpose, “do-everything” guy at the church, you’re supposed to be the creative designer?”
So, after about a year-long process, Kay and I finally stepped down from our responsibilities at the church, with the encouragement of my pastor and mentor, and will now focus our attentions on our family, closest friendships and growing my graphic design business.
What’s this got to do with my tattoo?
The Hebrew word for “repent” is shuwb. It means literally, “Return to who you were created to be.“
So my tattoo, on my right forearm, is an ever-present reminder to be that guy. The one God created me to be.
Click here for the pics of me and my buddies, Bob and Damon getting the tattoo.
