Closet Purging!

So...after declaring the need for a break, I ran into a week full of free time. What a blessing! Here's the post I've had on hold for awhile...and I've got another one ready to be put up in a few days! Just don't expect this new rate of posting to continue. :-)

Although it took some time, I finally got to the point of being willing to submit to God's guidance and change the way I dressed as He led. I knew some of what I needed to change, but I also needed help. PJ and I went through my closet, and he helped me to identify what I didn't need to be wearing as well as telling me why a specific item of clothing could cause problems for guys. I chose to get rid of these things instead of keeping them in my closet and being tempted to wear them.

In choosing what to keep and what to get rid of, there were a couple of basic rules that I went by. Please keep in mind that the goal of the rules was not to be legalistic but rather to establish a basic standard of modesty to which I could compare my clothing. In general: no shorts or skirts shorter than knee length and no shirts or dresses that were either strapless or had straps that did not cover the shoulders. These two standards laid out a pretty clear definition and were helpful in the closet purging.

What did I have that had to go? Tank tops, short workout shorts (cheer shorts), and dresses with thin straps. When all of these things were out of the closet, I sorted them again. If there was no way to wear them modestly, I got rid of them for good. I kept some long tank tops that are great for layering and some cheer shorts to sleep in. I still have a couple of dressy shirts that I won't wear by themselves but can be worn under something else like a cardigan.

It was hard to actually get rid of the clothes because I liked them, but I'm glad that I did. Even with the shirts that I kept to wear under other things, the temptation is still there to wear them as tank tops. If I still had all of the original clothes, it would be much more difficult to hold to the standards that I set.

Girls, remember that your beauty is powerful and is a gift. Who do you want to give the gift of your magnificent beauty to...every guy that sees you, or your husband? But what if you don't get married? Should you not worry about protecting your beauty now since you won't have someone to fully appreciate it? By no means. You are completely loved by Christ, and He will gladly accept the offering of your beauty even if He doesn't give you a husband in this life.

The following quote is one I found on The Modesty Survey in response to the question, "if you could say one thing to your sisters in Christ about modesty, what would it be?"
"Sisters in Christ, you really have no concept of the struggles that guys face on a daily basis. Please, please, please take a higher standard in the ways you dress. True, we men are responsible for our thoughts and actions before the Lord, but it is such a blessing when we know that we can spend time with our sisters in Christ, enjoying their fellowship without having to constantly be on guard against ungodly thoughts brought about by the inappropriate ways they sometimes dress. In 1 Corinthians 12 the apostle Paul presents believers as the members of one body - we have to work together. Every Christian has a special role to play in the body of Christ. That goal is to bring glory to the Savior through an obedient, unified body of believers - please don't hurt that unity by dressing in ways that may tempt your brothers in Christ to stumble."

I pray that you are blessed by his words. Look for another post coming soon!

Officially Taking a Break

Yes, I know it's been quite a while since I've posted...and it's going to be a while longer. I've actually had a draft of the next post for a few weeks, but I'm still waiting on some direction from God on what to include and how to say certain things. I'm not ready to put the next post up, but never fear, it will happen. :-)

Not to leave modesty completely out of this post...
In my statistics class, I sit with a guy who I know through one of my roommates. This past week, he came into class, and as soon as he sat down, I could tell he was in a bad mood. After the usual "hey, how's it going" small talk, he was quiet for a few minutes but then totally took me by surprise with what he said next...something to the effect of, "do you ever feel dirty just by walking around campus and everywhere you look there's a girl with a really low shirt or not a lot of clothes on?"

I wasn't quite sure how to answer this, as I don't react to seeing girls in the same way guys do. I don't feel "dirty," but I am disappointed and frustrated. I told my friend that I was sorry he had to deal with this, but I really didn't know how to make it better for him. He was also really upset by the fact that some of the things that one of his close, Christian girl friends wears cause him to struggle. He likes and respects this girl very much, but he was really upset about this issue. I was so surprised by how outwardly upset he was and that he was sharing this with me, as we're not close friends. As far as I know, he doesn't know that I blog about modesty.

Point of the story...girls, guys are frustrated by a lack of modesty, particularly with Christian girls. They're frustrated enough to vent to anyone who will listen. So girls, let's listen to them. As I've seen on t-shirts...keep on keepin' it on!