The Tattoo

Years ago when we began to recognize that our young daughters were wonderfully artistic, we decided to take a scenic ride up through the Berkshire Mountains to the Norman Rockwell museum.   We took the girls through each of the displays:  the story of Rockwell's life,  his early paintings, and eventually into the room with his Saturday Evening Post covers.  "Look at this one," were the delighted words as we looked at the walls of paintings.  We couldn't take in what we were seeing fast enough.

The Post covers, famous to this day, told the life of war-time and small town America.  I love "The Gossips," "Triple Self Portrait,"  "The Problem We All Live With (Ruby Bridges)," "Girl with Black Eye," "The Marriage License" to name a few.  One of our daughters was attracted to "Girl at the Mirror."

I think one of my favorite Norman Rockwell paintings is, "The Tattoo Artist."  It is the whimsical record of a sailor's love life.   Each of the lady's names was tattooed on the sailor's muscular arm and when a new girlfriend came into his life the name of the former girl was crossed out by the tattoo artist.

Recently a niece of mine posted a picture of a tattoo she got.  She has two daughters who she calls her "princesses."  She had each of their names and birthdates tattooed over her heart.  She will carry them with her always.  They will be forever in her mind.

In the Old Testament book of Isaiah, God says, "See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;  your walls are ever before me."  The same hands that bear the love scars of the cross, bear your name.  He will never forget you or abandon you.  Your name will never be crossed out.