Monday, August 30, 2010

~WATER BABIES




"You couldn't pay us a billion dollars to wear a bikini."
~Lauren Barlow, speaking of herself and her two sisters, who together make up the Christian music trio, BarlowGirl.~

"Do I embrace today what shocked me yesterday?"
~Ruth Bell Graham~

~ ~ ~

The subject of the evolution of the swimsuit is one of diminishing returns; swimsuits started out as garments that completely covered the body, such as those worn during the Victorian Era, and since then they've gotten smaller, and smaller, and smaller.  Recently, a model was quoted in a magazine as saying that one-piece suits are uncool because they cover too much--she wears bikinis only.  And since we're all dying to be just like her, let's all follow suit--swimsuit.  Hah-hah, that was a joke (on two levels). 

I understand that many people don't blink an eye at the sight of even the stringiest string bikini, simply because they're used to it--especially if they grew up around or live in a coastal area. However, it remains to be said that just because people are used to something and that thing is very common, that doesn't mean it's right or good.

There are bikinis that come in more modest cuts than the string bikini, and I think one-pieces with swim skirts over them can be very flattering.  Above is an image from the early 20th century.  What this lovely lady is wearing is much more flattering than most of what can be seen on beaches today.  

Because of innovations in the fabric industry, there's no reason why swimwear can't be produced that one can stay cool in, swim in, and still be adequately covered in.  

In fact, I've been pleased to see that Athleta makes swim shorts in addition to swim skirts--that's a novel idea that would work swimmingly at the beach or pool ☺.

~ ~ ~

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

~AS GOOD AS NEW

A recent discovery: the "Slightly Imperfect" section on christianbook.com--good deals!

Friday, August 20, 2010

~A SNAPSHOT OF FAITH

I was perusing the website of a local church, and I happened upon the profile of  a Teaching Pastor who is on staff there.  I just like what he says and how he says it, so I thought I'd share it!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

~IS THE BIBLE RELIABLE?



"A God seeker is a person on a journey of faith.  When the thirst has been awakened...we are no longer persons wandering aimlessly about...but rather people who have begun to discern the bare outlines of a path.  It is then that we become more than wanderers...for we become people looking for those signs that will point us in the right direction that can allow our journey to unfold.  For those whose thirst has led them into an encounter with Jesus of Nazareth, the signs that mark the way are grounded in an ancient and trustworthy tradition."
~Ben Campbell Johnson~

~ ~ ~

Articles:




Books:

 How Reliable is the Bible? (Tough Questions series)

How Did We Get the Bible? (by Tracy M. Sumner)

How We Got the Bible (by Neil R. Lightfoot)

Taking a Stand for the Bible
(by Ankerberg and Burroughs)

How We Got Our Bible (by Ralph Earle)

~ ~ ~

Sunday, August 8, 2010

~BUILDING BLOCKS


"Jesus is God spelling himself out in language that man can understand."

~ ~ ~

"Thomas said to him, 'Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?'  Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well.  From now on, you do know him and have seen him.'  Philip said, 'Lord show us the Father and that will be enough for us.'  Jesus answered: 'Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?  Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.'" ~John 14: 5-9 (NIV)~

"The Son reflects the glory of God and shows exactly what God is like."
~Hebrews 1:3 (NCV)~

~ ~ ~

Friday, August 6, 2010

~MODEST DELIGHTS




"Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves."
~Genesis 3:7~

Adam bit the apple and, feeling shame, covered himself with a fig leaf.  Eve too felt shame and covered herself with a fig leaf.  Then she went behind the bush to try on a maple leaf, a sycamore, and an oak.

~ ~ ~

I don't think the issue of modesty is a complicated one--it just requires being conscientious of what we wear in a few basic areas.  We need to monitor how low-cut our tops are; how short our pants, shorts, skirts, and dresses are; how see-through our clothes are; and how tight they are (though this last one deserves some leeway, as I don't believe we're called to dress in baggy clothes that are never form-fitting.

Some people's views on the topic of modesty might be seen as being too extreme, including my own, but I think modesty in and of itself is very important.  Based on what I've observed, I don't believe females are called out enough (in a nice way) by their parents, peers, and others when they wear certain things. 

In terms of more specific clothing guidelines than what I've mentioned above, I'll discuss one that comes to mind: the use of layering pieces.

There are times when it's a good idea to wear a cami or other layering piece under a top or dress, especially if the fabric is thin.  Thin fabric can be a real problem in the summer.  For example, cotton tees in pretty pastel colors look cute hanging on the rack, but are sometimes very transparent on the body.  In addition, I always wear a tank top under button-down shirts because the fabric between the buttons sometimes gapes open, and people can peer right in.  A few times I've even realized one of my buttons has come undone.

Another amazing layering piece is the scarf.  I'm so glad they've become so popular, and they're great year-round.  Again, I've found them to be extra helpful in the summer when fabrics are thinner.  I've been able to find cute ones that aren't too expensive and that are made of lightweight, cool fabric.

There are probably both good and bad attitudes and processes which exist in the modesty arena.  For example, I'm not a fan of using fingers (or inches) to measure how low-cut or short a piece of clothing should be because we are all proportioned differently.  I know schools sometimes go by these sorts of measurements out of necessity because the guidelines need to be the same for everyone in order to be fair.

Below are some resources I came across on the topic of modesty...

***

Article:  "Teaching Your Daughters to Value Modesty" on Christian Women Today's site (powertochange.com)

Some thoughts:

~A galvanizing quote from the article is, "...a girl who displays her body publicly is actually defrauding her future mate."  I think that was well-put.  

***

Article: "Your Daughter's Wardrobe: A Battle Worth Fighting?" on Christian Women Today's site (powertochange.com)

***

Article: "A Decent Proposal: Taking the High Road in a Low-Rise, Skin-is-in Society" on kyria.com (the article was originally published in Today's Christian Woman magazine)

Thoughts:

~Gresh says that if you press on the fabric of your shirt in the chest area, and it springs back, then the shirt is too tight.  I don't think that's necessarily the case.

***

Article: "The Clothes Crisis" on kyria.com (originally published in Christian Parenting Today magazine)

Thoughts:

~"Low-rise" can mean different things--from slightly below the waistline to very far below it.  I don't have a problem with slightly low-rise pants on older teens and adults as long as the shirt worn with them is long enough.  If the shirt covers the waistline of the pants, there's no way to tell where the waistline is anyway.  But, when you lean over or sit down, you must make sure your shirt doesn't ride up in the back!
~The last three paragraphs really close the article well; the issue of how clothing can affect reputation is expressed nicely.

***

Article: "The Rise of Raunch" on kyria.com (originally published in Today's Christian Woman magazine)

Thoughts:

~The scene that's painted at the beginning of the article is infuriating and heartbreaking.

***

An interview with Kathy Ireland on kyria.com,
which was originally published in Today's Christian Woman magazine.  In this article, Ireland is questioned about the fashion industry and her modeling career, including her bikini shoots.

***

Downloadable packet ($9.95) from Gifted for Leadership
 (a ministry of kyria.com) entitled, "Why Modesty Matters" 

***

Danna Gresh is the founder of a purity and modesty ministry, Pure Freedom, and is the author of Secret Keeper: The Delicate Power of Modesty.

***