Episode 7 Recap!

I fall more in love with our little show every week!  Our producers at Thinkfactory Media and Lifetime have put together a beautiful show!  I'm truly humbled by those of you watching who are feeling the same way.  The bible says that God's Word shall not go out in void, so knowing each week millions of people are wanting to learn more about God is so amazing!  I know my Father in Heaven will meet you wherever you are.  You don't get good to get God, you get God and then become better.  He doesn't care how you show up when you find Him, He just wants you to show up!  OK, on with the recap.

The Coleman Family - You have NO idea how happy I was that someone, other than me, was delivering a purity message!  I must admit though that I thought some of those kids were way too young to have been in that class.  And they say mine is graphic?! Wow, this one made even my sex talk seem mild!  I'm not saying it wasn't a good "sex" talk, I'm just saying that I can now sympathize a little more with those of you who think mine's a little too much.  And this is the reason I always let parents know that my talks are rated PG-13.  I leave it up to the parent's to decide if their child is mature enough to hear it.  I laughed so hard when Taylor said, "Kissing is cheating on Jesus? I've been cheating on Jesus this whole time and didn't even know it!"  Hilarious!  I loved the Father/Daughter Dance with Taylor and Pastor Coleman.  It was precious.  I grow prouder of Taylor every week:).

The Perry Family - The Perry Girls are stunning.  I'm not surprised they were asked to model.  I  can understand that Mark was a little bit taken back by the pictures.  He's their Dad.  I wouldn't expect anything less.  But, I still love how he and Cheryl continue to show grace to their daughters.  They are so soft spoken.  It would be an interesting evening to have them over for a Koloff Family Dinner.  Poor things, they'd never get a word in!  We'd scare them to death!

Then, there's The Koloffs - Oh, the dreaded "tattoo episode"!  This wasn't the first time I've dealt with Tawni getting a tattoo.  Her first one came around six years ago.  Several months before Teryn got married, she got a tattoo on her wrist, but hid it from me until Teryn's wedding day.  She didn't have a choice of telling me because the Maid of Honor dress was sleeveless!  I'll never forget when she brought me into Teryn's bedroom and said, "Mommy, I have something to tell you."  That statement brings chills to every mother!  She pulled her sleeve up for her big "reveal".  It was a tattoo that said "Jesus" on her wrist.  Hard to get upset about that, but I did.  I cried.  Partly because it was a tattoo and partly because it was beautiful.  Then, we had a fantastic wedding and all was fine.  Not saying I liked it, but she's still my Tawni Bear and I like her...a lot, a lot, a lot!

Then, a couple years ago, she got another one.  This time on her shoulder.  It's a tattoo of my mom's favorite flower.  I cried again.

Now, once again, as you witnessed on tonight's episode, there's a third.  What you saw on tonight's episode was as real as it comes. From the tattoo, to my reaction and even the text that I sent.  Trust me, I tried my best to wash that thing off!

I wasn't enthused about Kolby being at a tattoo parlor, but I'm glad she experienced her first (and hopefully last!) visit with her sisters.  As you could see in the "reveal" scene, I knew something was up.  I know my girls well and it's hard for them to keep surprises from me.  I cried when Tawni showed me her tattoo because it made me sad that she keeps marking her body with something as permanent as a tattoo.  Let me set this straight.  Never once, not even once, did I question Tawni's heart or motive for getting this tattoo.  It wasn't in any way because I thought she is away from God or backslidden, for gosh sakes!

Being a person with so many regrets in my own life, I just don't want to see her regretting inking her body up and not being able to do anything about it.  We are not the same people today we will be 5 years from now.  All of us continually evolve and change.  Our opinions can change, our style, likes and dislikes.  Tattoos are permanent.  Sure, you can go through expensive and painful removals, but that's a high price to pay for something you may do "in the moment".   There's no way to escape regrets in life, I know that.  But, the best thing about mistakes?  They make us wiser.

The bottom line for me is that I think covering your body with tattoos is just not a good idea.  But, we're all different and just because I couldn't see myself ever getting a tattoo doesn't mean that Tawni's going to feel the same way.  I've come to accept that all four of my girls' are unique, just as the Lord made them.   They aren't me.  They have different opinions about certain things than I do and tthey stand up for those.  That's the way I raised them to be, so I can't complain now, nor would I want to. 

I'm not too worried about Kolby getting one right now.  She can't even handle having her blood drawn!  But, like she said, I've got two years to talk her out of it or get used to the idea!

In my Christian walk, I've met lots of Christians.  Some of them have been covered in ink from head to toe, yet show more grace, mercy and the love of Christ than others who've never gone "under the needle".   Some of you want to start throwing condemnation on Tawni for getting a tattoo and using Scripture to do it.  I get that.  It's true that there are references about tattoos in the bible.  It's in Leviticus.  But, there's also Scripture in that same book that tell us not to cut our hair or wear clothing made of two different materials.

What I want to know is this.  I'm much more interested in the condition of Tawni's heart than I am with what she puts on her body.  And she has a heart that truly loves God.  She is one of the most generous, compassionate and giving people I've ever known. 

Tawni's tattoo and the meaning behind it are beautiful.  It was hard to argue with that?  A tattoo expressing her love for God, me and her sisters?  Wow.  What you weren't able to see on this episode was the moment she and I shared after she explained it.  I cried again, but this time because I was so touched by how much we mean to her.

Tawni told me later, off camera, that it broke her heart when she saw my reaction, so she made me a promise.  She said she wouldn't get another one until after I'm gone.  Hopefully, by the time I leave this earth, she'll be too old to want one!  But, if so, I asked her to put an image of my face on her back!  I was only kidding though because I wouldn't want her to have my face plastered on her body the rest of her life!  Or would I?  LOL!

Who knows?  Maybe one day, I'll go with her and we can get matching "mother-daughter" tattoos?!  Well, probably not!

Until next week.