I also have a rule that if I want a tattoo that I draw the design or get it drawn and wait 6 months. If I still want it then I can start planning on getting it. I still don't have a tattoo. 6 months seems like a long time but it allows for the passing of trends, moods, peer influence, conviction (or lack of conviction) etc.
When I tell people that i often get the response "6 mopnths?? if i wait that long I will never get a tattoo" thats precisely the idea.. not that you shouldn't get one but realizing how major of a decision it is, is crucial to the process. The questions from that teen site are really good.
This '6 month rule' was not imposed on me by my parents but just a personal rule I sorta came up with to prevent any "tattoo regret" that some people get when they don't plan properly.

Tim,

For such a young fellow, you've sure got a level head on your shoulders!

thats a great idea

Being the one who designs my own tattoos...I agree with Tim. I draw and wait.

And I waited 15 years for my first one, per my dad's request.

The other cool idea I had with wanting a tattoo is to make the design and then print it on a t-shirt first. That allows for the expression without the permanency. If you still want it later then thats ok too but in the mean time you get to "wear your heart on your sleeve" (maybe literally)

HAHAHA That's hysterical!!!!! ....I drew some at 15 and got my first one at 30! hehehe. Care bears! How COOL!!!!

The t-shirt idea is a good one!

Yeah the good t-shirt idea that I never followed through on haha.. I have this urge to create a t-shirt company called "Lighthearted". This references the general disposition Christians should have and the idea also came because I was thinking about being a light to the world and obviously all the actions come from the heart. Jesus in our heart light in our heart.. makes perfect sense to me anyway. lol.

Anyway in my mind I pictured a heart, behind the rib cage, and the heart would be sort of cracked in places with beams of light shooting out of. Sort of like it was about to explode but more peaceful and obviously in a good way. Kinda like when a cloudy ski breaks open and rays of light shine down.. but I am not exactly artistic. It looks cool in my head. haha.

My original plan was to get it tattooed on my side like under my arm, rib cage area and it would've looked like you could actually see into my body to my heart but after i thought about it for a while I kinda thought that might end up being kinda weird looking to other people (I still think it would be awesome) but on a shirt it would be much less of a risk.

I can draw realistic things using a grid to basically copy a picture without tracing it but adding the light and stuff would probably be beyond me so this idea never was put on paper... My friends sister is a graphic designer and she won't help me design it because shes afraid I will actually get it tattooed lol.

I had another idea which would probably be better for a poster... It was basically going to be a guy on his knees in despair.... and Jesus standing with him and "interceding". Jesus would be holding one hand out towards the man on the ground but looking to the father with tears in his eyes. The idea impression it would leave without words would be Jesus presenting the man to God and saying "father help him" or "I come to you on behalf of this man" etc..

Your idea about the man on his knees and Jesus is wonderful!!! What a beautiful image!!!

My friend, Mike, has won awards and contests with his tattoo....his entire back has scenes from the Book of Revelation. It's a gorgeous tattoo....actually many tattoos put together. The colors and images are amazingly beautiful and scary all at the same time!

My favorite that I drew out and had done is this one...some people need me to point out the Holy Spirit, the Cross and the Jesus Fish. It makes me laugh at how I (and most Christians) can see it plain as day, where some people walk up and ask what it is!!! (please ignore the "I stand on my feet all day nurse's veins")

I think we all realize that the scripture does not directly say "Thall shalt not get a tattoo" but if we expected the bible to explicitly say every single thing we weren't supposed to do by name and not only by name but by our modern English translations name we could almost do anything we wanted. The question is: Does scripture, in the original language, refer to something that has a direct correlation to what a tattoo today is considered/called. I personally haven't done enough study to know the answer to that. However if someone is convicted of something and does it anyway I think we would all agree that it is a sin.

And as far as tattoos being decoration, someone may think that but I may think the tattoo is hideous* but does that make either one of us right or either one of us wrong? I certainly don't think so.

And one could argue that we shouldn't have decorations in church, tradition does not make something Biblical (not in my opinion). The images can be harmful to our view of God. It limits our ability to understand him because we focus on images that are static, they are fixed, they are created by men. They are drawn or shaped from our limited understanding. What are the chances we are wrong? I would suggest much higher than that we are right.

*Pattey this is 100% not in reference to your picture, I really like the design and colors. Totally cool and awesome even more cause you designed it yourself.