Speaking of modesty

I just wrote about my friend Sheila and her new blog (be sure to check it out!) And that reminds me of other blogs I frequent.

Cindy Swanson is a radio personality in Illinois. She is also one fabulous blogger (her Notes in the Key of Life is here). It was her blog that alerted me to the plight of the Lakeshore Baptist Church in Mississippi, and led our church to send several teams down there following Hurricane Katrina.

Anyway, her current post is about modesty. She makes so many good points - and as my comment to her got longer and longer, I figured I should also blog about it :-)



In our church, we have 'Virtue Club' - a once a month all-girl (often with moms, too) evening. I've taken the girls to the mall to look at clothes, and see what ones we can wear, what ones we can adapt (t-shirt underneath, for example), and what ones are simply never appropriate. Seeing the mall through teen eyes is an unforgettable experience.



At the end of the year, we have a banquet with a modest fashion show (I was inspired by Pure Fashion). The girls shop with their moms for three outfits (or make them from their existing clothes) - and they get to model them.


Here our Hannah models a scarf top she and big sister Bethany - 'mc-ing' on the left - made together.

The whole church was invited to the special "V-Club Banquet."


Here are all the girls in their 'fanciest' outfits.

By the way, that night wasn't just for girls. We also have Valor Club - and the guys demonstrated their skill at target shooting (paintball guns) in front of everyone.



The night was unique in other ways, too. The older ones had been challenged during the year to do some extra work - writing down their testimonies, learning how two other people in their lives came to Christ, doing some Christian service assignments, developing a devotional life, and talking to their parents about purity issues. As a public recognition of this, they received special gifts.

The girls each came to the front with their extended families and their Faith Family (the adult in church assigned to pray for them each day) and their fathers gave them a piece of jewelry (a necklace or a ring), as a reminder of their commitment to live a pure and godly life.


Here is our 15 year old friend Melissa with her dad, in a moving moment.



The boys received, in similar fashion with their families and Faith family member, a replica of the sword Excalibur, to remind them of their commitment to live godly and manly lives.


Here is our 15 year old son Nathan, kneeling to receive a blessing from his Dad, my husband Bill.


And here is our young 13 year old friend Johnny, with his father and family.

Modesty and purity issues should be normal outgrowths of the Christian life. But those of us who have walked with Jesus for a long time know that 'normal' is not always easy.

When I've taught the girls modesty principles (without trying to become legalistic), I have tried to make the point that modesty doesn't mean frumpy or completely covered up. When we speak of someone being modest, it usually means they are very good at something - they just aren't bragging about it. I've told them that I'd look pretty good in a certain outfit - and that they would, too - but that not flaunting all we have is just the point here.

It's one thing to understand this when you're 50; it's quite another when you're 12, or 14, or 17. These young people are dealing with things I could not even have imagined when I was their age.

Which brings me to the most important thing I want to say in this post. If you have young ones in your life - especially girls - whether in your home, your extended family, and don't forget the ones in your church, pray for them.



They need our unconditional love, our interested support, our careful guidance, our obvious modeling, and our faithful prayers.