My Kingdom for Some Tights...That Stay Up!

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Once upon a time I used to buy these wonderful opaque tights.  They were perfect.  The right weight. The right size.  The right staying-up ability.  Because once upon a time they made opaque tights with control tops.  You just put them on and they stayed exactly where you left them:  on your hips.

Last winter I needed to buy new tights, because the old ones finally carked it.  And so began my quest for a basic winter essential, that didn't up around my knees by the time I got to work.  Are you hearing frustrated?  I bet you're feeling the same!  The tights I used to buy were from Woolworths (see, I'm training myself not to say Safeway....I'm getting better-ish).  When I went back last winter I discovered they had changed their "recipe".  No more control top.

In fact, there are no control-top tights to be had anywhere.  So began my quest for keeping my tights UP.  A very smart colleague (who is young, so obviously this is something the younger crowd have sorted), shared that she goes "superman style" because tights just don't stay up.  Ugh.  The only thing strong enough for the downward pressure of gravity on tights is shape wear type garments.  Regular undies don't seem to be quite up to the job.  That's a day of pretty high pressure!!!!  But she was right.

Since it's nearing winter and the days are headed back into the teens for top temperatures, I'm finding myself googling "control top opaque tights" again.  Let me tell you, the results thus far are not so great.

So here's my question to you, dear reader:  have you found opaque tights that actually stay up, that are currently available somewhere in a store.  Or online.  Or via pigeon post (see how desperate I am?)?  Please share!  What do you buy?  Where do you buy them?

Micellar Water, I don't think we can be friends

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Dear Micellar Water

I wanted us to have a long and happy relationship.  I really did.  Everyone told me you were gentle and soft and good for sensitive skin.  They told me that you were the perfect thing for removing eye makeup.  You even come in a hypoallergenic formula.  I thought we were set for years to come.

But, no.

You were so disappointing.  Rather than being gentle and soft, you were harsh and irritating.  You made my eyelids swell and become heavy, like they were sitting on my bottom lashes.  I have had days and days of antihistamine eyedrops and topical cortisone cream (thank you Miss Sunshine!) to get my eyes back to normal.  No, I just don't think this is going to be a long-term, sustainable relationship.  And I am terribly disappointed about that.  Disappointed that you didn't live up to the hype.  Disappointed that no one warned me this was a possibility.

Since I can't be friends with you I'm on the lookout for a new friend.  I'm thinking organic, cold-pressed coconut oil might be a better friend for me.  No chemicals, no detergent-like liquid masquerading as something more pure that it really is.  Yes.  I think coconut oil might be just the friend I've been looking for.

Yours not-so-faithfully
No Longer Putting Up with Puffy, Itchy Eyes

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I'm calling this summer my "Makeup School Summer".  It's amazing what you can learn on YouTube.    One of my very favourite teachers has been Kate at The Small Things Blog.  She is so sweet, and very knowledgable, so I felt like I was in good hands all the way through summer.  I had to supplement her tutorials with a few for more mature skin, and hooded eyelids, but I'm well on the way now.  And then came the micellar water debacle.  For the last 6 weeks or so I have been battling these itchy, puffy flareups and wondering if it was the mascara, or what else it could be.  The micellar water is the only other new thing I hadn't used before, so by process of elimination I am fairly confident this has been the culprit.

I'm hoping the coconut oil approach to removing makeup will do the trick (again, thanks to Miss Sunshine).  I'll be posting a follow up to report on how that goes.

Do you have sensitive skin?  What have you found to be a giant flop?  Or a great thumbs up?

Who would you invite to dinner?

I think I might be a creepy stalker kind of person.  In the way that the internet lets ordinary people kind of stalk famous people without them knowing that we've decided they are our best friends.  Now, don't tell me I'm no alone here!!!  I am probably one of the less scary versions of this kind of stalker, because I don't have Facebook or Instagram or Twitter or any of the other thousands of social media thingys people use these days.  But some of my favourite famous people have websites and blogs and Facebook, and they write almost daily and let you into their lives a little bit.  And, for social media avoiders like me, they make stuff public.

But like I said, these people don't know that they would be my best friends in real life, and best friends have meals together around their tables.  They laugh and cry together, and share life and groan about housework.  Isn't it funny how the internet lets you do a little bit of those things without ever meeting someone?

So, my favourite famous people?  The people I would love to spend a few hours around my table with good food and lots of fun?

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Jen Hatmaker:  Because this woman is hilariously funny and very real.  She asks hard questions about the church and thinks deeply about faith - walks what she talks.  She does her stuff with God in the Word.  I'm learning that I work the same way.  And she's so funny (did I say that already?).

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Shauna Niequist:  Shauna is more than a handful of years behind me in age, but she carries this incredible wisdom that I just want to soak up.  She is a truth-speaking story teller and the minute I have a regular income again I am ordering all her books.  She speaks of the sacredness of living life around the table and how sharing our stories deepens our faith.

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Shiela Walsh:  Another incredibly funny woman, with a dry sense of humour that I totally get.  She has an incredible story and is an amazing story-teller.  Again, faith is her grounding and she just oozes warmth and wisdom.

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Ann Voskamp:  Another profound storyteller, homeschooling mother of five.  She also has an amazing story, and with five kids no doubt has a great sense of humour.  But this woman lives in the moment with deliberate intention in her faith that I just want to soak in and become.

I think I would put Jen and Shauna in charge of food because they are complete foodies, and I need their inspiration.  Desperately.  I want to return to my foody ways and I'm having a little trouble getting back there.  And then I can only begin to imagine what an evening, or a whole day….or well, let's just go all out shall we?  a whole weekend retreat.  We would talk and laugh and eat and talk some more about absolutely everything that is important, and probably a whole bunch of stuff that isn't so much.

If you could have dinner with a favourite someone, or a group of someone's who are famous who would you choose?

As the weather cools...

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We have, after quite a warm autumn, fallen into winter.  All of a sudden it has gotten cold and we're beginning to find snotty little people around the place.  I've had my own snotty not-so-little young man about the house these past two weeks and being the sharing kind of boy he is, has passed some germs on to me.  I'm diligently taking ease-a-cold tablets and eating fruit.  And salad.  It is terribly unsatisfying eating something cold on a cold day, but I know there are far more good things in raw foods, so salad it is, because this is not the week to be unwell and foggy.  I have an exam on Wednesday and the possibility of me needing to attend an excursion has been raised. 

I found some little gel hand-warming thingys in Aldi the other day.  They're like ice-packs, only you crack the disk inside these little pouches and the gel inside gets warm.  To return them to their original state you boil them in a pot of water for five minutes.  I haven't used them yet....but that excursion may be a great time to christen them for winter use.  I expect they'll be very appreciated when I am finally in a position to be required for yard duty.

My winter adventure in the kitchen at the moment is with a Moroccan spice mix called 'ras el hanout'.  I have used it in a recipe I was given for a lamb and apricot tagine.  I've also used it to coat sweet potato cubes for a salad.  I have plans to make a vegetarian casserole as well...like the lamb tagine only with vegies instead.  I ended up googling for a recipe to make the spice mix because it's hard to come by in this very Anglo little corner of the world.  As it happens I had all of the one hundred million spices (only a slight exaggeration!) I needed to make it so I can enjoy this little adventure whenever I please!  I used this recipe, and added two star anise to my lamb tagine, since another recipe I found had anise seeds in it.

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We're deep in the throes of learner driver training around here, with two Learners in the house.  There are days I feel I may never drive my own car all by myself again.  And I have never sat in my own back seat so often since I began driving about 25 years ago.  It's quite a thing, to drag one's very adult self out of the back seat!  This is almost as bad as toilet training toddlers, only this lasts for so much longer.  Maybe I'll just have to enjoy my hand warmers while Miss Sunshine learns about the challenges of icy-cold steering wheels?

Deep Breath...Let's Talk Exercise

My dear blogging friend, Frances, mentioned she was about to head off to the gym.  I applauded her for her bravery.  I tried a gym for about three months a couple of years ago.  I hated it.  Perhaps it was the environment.  The only gym in Our Town at the time was at the local pool and it was a dingy little room off to the side of the building with limited equipment. The few people there ignore everyone else in the room - no camaraderie shall be entered into.

I think I've finally decided that since my knees don't like netball anymore (a shame, because the rest of me loves it), walking is my preferred exercise of choice.  I can go at whatever time I prefer and it costs me nothing but time.  When we first moved to Our Town I also noticed that you're not allowed to walk past another walker without greeting them.  Well....this happens between 5am and 7am.  I don't know about the rest of the day.  A simple "morning" and a quick smile is all that is required.  I thought it odd when we first moved here.  Now I'm the first to offer the requisite greeting.  I like that we're a friendly bunch...unlike the gym bunch.

All that being said there are a couple of drawbacks.  Firstly, motivation.  I'm an early morning walker and prefer to return home before the sun is high enough to get in my eyes.  If I don't wake up in time to be home by 7am I don't go, and often I just don't feel like it.  Since I'm not paying for the privilege I don't feel the same need to get  my money's worth as I do at a gym.  The second drawback is the weather.  If it's raining but I have managed to wake up in good time I sit there looking miserably out the window - all those good intentions dashed!

This year I have determined that I need to walk more.  I'm aiming for three to four days a week.  I think I could nearly do that.

What is your favourite form of exercise?

Direction, Conclusions...and probably other stuff!

Pork & Apple Pasties - discussed here.

Thanks to your wise and insightful comments, a conversation with a good friend at church and a great deal of thought I have finally come to a conclusion about the issue of tithing.  Jodie made the point that we have a responsibility to support our local churches, and she's absolutely right.  I feel  comfortable with the place at which I've arrived.  It feels pretty good actually, not to feel paralysed and fearful about the whole matter.

I've also been giving some thought about the types of things blog readers like to read about.  It would also be kind of nice to have a plan, of sorts, so that a whole week doesn't go by without me having gotten to the end thinking "I couldn't think of a single thing to share".  That usually happens because my brain is so full of Uni stuff...which is really only interesting to fellow B.Ed. students!

Recent conversations with my youngest brother have made me ponder the idea of posting a series about parenting.  After our chat yesterday I realised that I've been there and learned stuff that he's just having to deal with.  And like me a way back then, he's struggling with how to go about parenting his beautiful girls in the best way possible.  Surprisingly, I realised I know stuff about that and in my work I've developed some practical, useable resources that can help him.  How cool is that!

So, regular commenters and lurkers alike, I'd love to hear from you.  What would you like to read about?  What information do you want to learn about?  Is there something I do that you think you'd like to learn how to do too?

Thankful, Blessed & Grateful

I have been aware that today (well, tomorrow my time) is Thanksgiving Day in the US.  Generally speaking I am quite reluctant to take on the customs and traditions of other cultures because they belong to ... well... others.  There are definitely things we can enjoy about the ways of others but we don't necessarily have to take them on as our own, if that makes sense.

Thanksgiving Day is one of the few celebrations from another culture that is appealing to me.  I think we would all do well to set aside time in our busy lives to focus on the blessings in our lives and I love that Americans have set aside that time.  They are indeed a blessed bunch to have that opportunity.  If I ever had reason to be living in the US I know this is something I would look forward to!  Given that I can do is take a moment on my day off I thought I'd post a list of things I am grateful for here:

• A magnificent, patient, funny husband.
• The most amazing children.
• A home in a beautiful little corner of the world.
• A job I adore working with people I admire.
• Friends who bless me in unimaginably precious ways.
• Extended family who bless us in their own ways.
• Generational and personal faith.  Perhaps that should go first!
• The opportunity to study in a way that works with my family and work.
• Needs that are always met.
• Having experienced a Colorado Springs summer with no flies (as I chase blowies around the house with fly spray!)

I'm pretty sure that's a really, really short list compared to what I would come up with if I spent more time.  But as I look at that list I find that the blessings to celebrate are more significant than the trials to work through, and let me tell you there are trials that are challenging.

What are you thankful, blessed and grateful for?

Imitating Christ's Humility

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain concet.

Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

not looking to your own interests but each of you to

the interests of others.  In your relationships with one

another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus..."

~  Philippians 2:3-5 ~

Challenging words.  Words that beg the question:  where is the line between justice, mercy and the mindset of Christ?

Humility.

When Noise is too Noisy

Is it just something that comes with age?  Or is it just me?  I don't know, but this is how noise seems to feel.  There is such a relief when students are silent at the end of a noisy lesson of productive work, or when the TV is turned off.  Or when the radio in the car gets turned off.  Sometimes that type of noise just gets in my ear and I can't think until it's gone.  There is bliss in the silence!

I find it interesting how different people are.  Some of us need silence in our homes.  Some of us need the company of background noise to feel settled.  Personally, I am content with the company of my own thoughts.  There are so many running around in my head at the moment that I need space away from noise to do them all justice.

What relaxes you?  Constant noise, or silence?

The Melancholy of Grey Days

This morning is grey, cold and rainy.  More like winter than autumn.  In the grey of early dawn this morning I'm wondering if the Proverbs 31 woman ever felt like she'd 'dropped the ball'.  Did she ever feel the melancholy of failure?

My Hot Cross Bun 'Issues'

I mentioned yesterday that I make hot cross buns on Good Friday.  It's a relatively new tradition in our home and it is one born out of frustration at the commercialisation of something that is meant to be ... sacred.

Once upon a not-so-long-ago time, hot cross buns were available in the shops only a few weeks before Easter.  Back in those days I would buy them as often as I could and even store some in the freezer to enjoy after Easter.  In particular, we enjoyed the Coles homebrand buns.  They weren't dried out so you could eat them toasted or not, as you desired.  Over the last few years hot cross buns have been available within days of Christmas being over.  And this is where my objections began.

Is it just me, or is there something inherently wrong with greedily profiting from a religious observance and tradition some four months before the event actually occurs?  Because of the commercial greed that drives the provision of hot cross buns so many months before they're required, I now buy none.  That's right, not a single cent is spent on purchasing these little fruit buns that absolutely adore.  And that makes me feel a tad cranky.  I want to stomp my foot and whine "It's not fair"!

Rather than becoming bitter and twisted about the whole thing, I decided to make the tradition of eating hot cross buns a meaningful and special event in our family.  I make them early in the day on Good Friday so that we can hopefully have them for morning tea.  Over the years we've spent time staying with friends, camping, staying home....and no matter where we are I will make them.  Because I want my children to know they are a special part of the symbolism that helps us focus on the reason we celebrate Easter in the first place.

Promise and Comfort

Yesterday's devotion (at home) was a small passage in 1 Samuel 12.  It is a description of a moment in time when, like all of us, the Israelites realised the error of what they had asked God for.  They had wanted to be like the nations around them and have a king.  They would not be dissuaded and God gave them what they wanted.

Does that scare you just a little, as it does me?  God knew a king would not be in their best interest, but they were so determined that He let them have their way and experience the long-term consequences of their stubbornness.  I wonder how many times, in my life, I have pestered God for something that was outside of His will for me that I now endure consequences for?  I'm not sure I have the answer for that, because my life is full and rich.  But I can be stubborn and pester God!!!!  What about you?  Do you pester God like a petulant child when He doesn't give you what you thought you desperately wanted?

What I loved about this passage in verses 19-25 is that when the Israelites realised how wrong they'd been Samuel had comfort for them.  He reminds them to turn their hearts towards God, despite what they'd gotten themselves into.  Samuel reminds the people that God does not reject His people and promises to teach the people, again, the way that is good.  And he reminds them to remember all that God has done for them.

I think this is a beautiful picture of what God does and wants to do in our lives, when we've gone off the track He had planned for us.  It doesn't matter how wrong we've been, God just wants us to repent and return to Him.  We might have to live with the consequences off being on the wrong track for a long time, but God uses even those journeys for our benefit.  I know in my own life that the toughest times are those where I've learnt the most about God.  Not that I think we should all take off and do our own thing, because I do think God will teach us what we need to know of Him when we're diligently following His way!  But I think it's good to remember that all is not lost when we step away.

The other thing I love about that passage is Samuel's promise to teach the Israelites God's ways.  I am very grateful for a handful of friends who will courageously speak into my life the truths that I need to hear.  God uses these women to teach me and through their sage, Godly words I am able to seek out God's will in situations where I get lost in my own thoughts and forget to look up.  I believe God places people like that in the lives of all of His children.  But we need to choose to see those people and appreciate them as God's gift of teaching to us.

Finally, Samuel tells the people to remember the great things God has done for them.  When days are dark and we've nothing within us that can praise God with in our own strength, this is where to begin.  Look back and see what God has done in our lives.  If we look, there is plenty to see!

A Fascinating History

Picture from ottawa.ca

I mentioned, yesterday that I'm in the midst of writing an assignment in relation to design and technology.  I had to choose an item from and find examples from three different decades to photograph and describe, and then describe the teaching and learning inpired by these objects.

In the last two days I have immersed myself in the history of the development of the sewing machine.  What a controversial invention!  Its many inventing contributors engaged in patent wars. The machine was the subject of some significant industrial upheaval.  It is even reputed to have contributed to the devaluing of the woman's role in the home.

And yet, the invention of this machine is the source of a great deal of enjoyment and creativity, even though less and less of us have need of its use.

The Cutting Room Floor

One of my Tail Feathers blocks, used for the same subject

I'm in the middle of writing an assignment for Design & Technology and like the sewing related theme a scrap of my work has been flung to the cutting room floor.  As is always the way, sometimes the most  beautifully written sentences are the ones to go.  And so this is mine.  One I love, that no one will see otherwise.

"As a child I watched my mother create our clothing, a sewing machine always set up in our living room with fabric scraps, pins and threads scattered about."

Just had to share it with someone!

Picket Fence Ponderings

My little devotion book directed me to the end of Exodus 14 this morning.  The text was about how God delivered the Israelites from the Egyptians by returning the waters of the Red Sea back to where they should have been, covering and drowning the Egyptian horseman pursuing the Israelites.  I was caught by one verse in the middle of the reading.

And when the Israelites saw the great power the

LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people 

feared the LORD and put their trust in Him and in Moses 

His servant.

(Exodus 14:31)

The thing that struck me about that verse was that it was only once the Israelites saw what God could do that they put their trust in Him.  It seems to me, this is not the first time the Israelites had seen God's power.  So this putting their trust in Him had to have been an often repeated act.  Something grasped with great enthusiasm in the moment and then slowly reliquished as life became ordinary again.

And then I wondered.  Do I let go of that trust in some way when life becomes ordinary, and then downright tough?  Do I have to rely on witnessing God's amazing power in some tangible way in order to maintain my trust in Him?  Surely that is quite a shallow kind of faith to have.

Over the last few years I have learned that when things are tough going, there is much comfort to be drawn from knowing that you are doing the work that God has set before you.  Without that knowledge there is, I find, a tendency to begin moaning and complaining about your lot.  You begin to become discontent with how things are and wish that someone (or God) would deliver you from the challenges you face.  Rather than relying on a magnificent display of God's power in your life, I find He tends to speak more quietly and I need to listen more carefully than the Israelites did that day.  

This year, the verse that will be tacked up on my fridge to remind me of why my days are full to overflowing and to bring me comfort when I wonder how I'm going to cope is this:

"Tell Archippus:  "See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.""

(Colosians 4:17)

Do you rely on only God's display of power, 

or do you seek His still small voice?

The Excruciating Part of Christmas

If you think this is going to be a whine about family, you're wrong!  Although for some of us this may be the most painful part of Christmas, I have found something far worse than any family disagreement.  And believe me, our families are not immune.

The most excruciating thing for me is shopping.  In December.  I've one stop left to make and I'm dreading it.  I only have to go into one store, but the thought of going anywhere near a shopping centre is not a pleasant thought.

I had to finish up 'main' gifts and buy food yesterday.  We arrived at 9.10am, when it was lovely and quiet.  Normal, even.  By the time we left two hours later the place was a zoo.  And not a pleasant experience like wandering about the beautiful Melbourne Zoo, or Healesville Sanctuary.  I came home exhausted.  The kind of exhaustion I felt the week after the Year 6 graduation, when I'd been at work full time for a few weeks without a day off.  Trouble is, I was only at the shops for two hours. Those two hours rendered me useless for the rest of the day!  By the time I got into the last supermarket I was nearly in tears....and not because Mr Busy was being his usual shopping-difficult self.  He was being completely lovely.

After yesterday's experience I'm appreciating some things and planning on making some changes .  The staff at Our School are a very generous group of people.  On the last two days of school, our pigeon holes need to be cleared constantly, for the gifts and cards that arrive there.  Chocolate is often the gift of choice.  But this year I received two little gifts that really spoke to me on many levels.  One was a card from TEAR that indicated the gift of school supplies had been purchased in my name.  I am still so excited about that gift that I keep going back to it to read the card!  The second was a little Christmas tree decoration, in the shape of a Christmas tree.  This decoration was so much more special, though.  It is made in Kenya under a project that tries to help people find alternative ways to earn income whilst preserving the native wildlife.  My beaded Christmas tree is absolutely exquisite.  As I hold it I wonder about the person (presumably a woman) who made it and I am in awe of the workmanship that went into this little piece.

Neither of these gifts are terribly expensive and yet they speak to my heart more than any other.  These are gifts that have built a community up, rather than tearing people apart as they selfishly push and shove their way around a shopping centre that is designed to relieve us of our money so that others can become richer.

So what am I going to change in my approach to gift purchasing next year?  Two things.

1. I am going to seek out gifts that build up and provide hope to the communities from which they come.
2. Like one of my colleagues, I will aim to be done by Grand Final Day.  This lady does all her shopping on Grand Final Day, when the shopping centres are empty.  Oh yes...that's my kind of shopping!

I realise that this is not a perfect world, and not every recipient will be receptive to the idea.  But where I can, that's where I'm aiming.

If you're after some ideas of organisations that sell gifts that make a difference, here's what I've found on my very quick little google search:
Beaded Hope
Baptist World Aid
World Vision
Care
Ethical Gifts
Compassion
Global Exchange Store

Please note, that I have not investigated each of these organisations and do not necessarily endorse their philosophies.  This list is merely an example of what is available.

Culture and Hospitality Post Script

To each of you who have left comments about your farewelling experiences, thank you.  I have enjoyed hearing of how things are done in the South of the USA, South Africa....other's experiences here in Australia.  Such a mixed and varied collection of responses.

As I was certain would be the case, my nephew's observation and experience was not widespread.  I didn't think it would be.  I was certainly surprised that plenty of Aussies don't walk their guests out.  I was surprised, because I only know one family in our wide circle of friends who don't....but they do things so very differently to us, I thought it was just 'them'!

Since I ate lunch out today I will no doubt be suffering insomnia in the wee small hours of night and you can be sure this will consume some of my wakeful hours.  My encouragement and challenge to us all (including myself) would be this:  Let's determine to be intentional and deliberate about caring for our guests, from the moment the enter our homes, until the moment they drive away. 

Will you join me in my quest to be a blessing 

to the guests who grace us with the blessing of their company?

Of Culture and Hospitality

My 11yo nephew made an interesting observation when they were here for dinner the other night.  As they were leaving, we walked them out to their car and said farewell, as we always do when we have guests over.  I try and slip on some shoes as we wander out because our driveway is gravel and my feet are no longer the tough things they were in my youth.  We hover somewhere between the end of the verandah and the driveway, depending on the shoe situation.  Once our guests have driven away we head back inside.

My nephew's comment to his Dad?  "Wow, they came out to say good-bye.  In America they sent us out the door and shut it on us once we were out".

I've been thinking, pondering and grappling with this for a few days now. I am fascinated by such a small but significant difference in the culture of hospitality.  I am swivelling, in my mind, between what the Bible tells us about offering hospitality and what it looks like 'on the ground'.  Believers are encouraged to offer and practise hospitality.  It is one way we can care for each other's needs.  We show our love for one another as a tangible action that blesses others richly.  It is also a way that we serve one another.

I always come away blessed when we have been invited to share a meal in a friend's home.  There is nothing more delicious than a meal, whether it be toasted cheese sandwiches or a three course dinner party, that has been prepared by someone else with us in mind.  The fact that they have given of their time and resources is the blessing.  It looks like food on the table but there is a far deeper blessing at work. 

Those final moments together, however, seem as important to me as the way guests are greeted when they arrive and the meal and the company that is enjoyed throughout the visit.  It's like the dessert at the end of a meal.  That final taste that leaves a sweet and lasting impression of friendship.  As I think back, I have fond memories of being waved off.  That feeling that those last moments are as important as all the moments that have been shared throughout the visit.

We will continue to wave our guests off from the end of the verandah, or the driveway, because it's what we've always done.  And I think, for the most part, it is what Aussies do.  But I will do it with a greater appreciation, now, for what it says to our guests.  It is the final moment for blessing those who visit our home.

Modern Modesty

Last week I saw a blogging furor happen on another dear blogger's site.  The kerfuffle was a result of a post about SAHM's dressing nicely.  The guest poster used a adjective that was not well received by many of those who read this lady's blog.  And it all got me to thinking.

Modest dressing is quite the topic on many blogs.  Particularly by those who are conservative and believe that modest Christian women should wear dresses rather than pants of any kind.  This approach has always fascinated me.  What would you tell a Scotsman whose traditional dress is a kilt? And what about the men of Fiji who wear a straight skirt type of garment?  Then there are the men of PNG, whose idea of modesty and wearing men's attire is grass over their behind and a length of fabric hung over a wide belt thing in the front.  No doubt the traditional costumes of the women there would have the conservatives amongst us in a dead faint.  Having lived in a cross cultural situation, I find statements about what is appropriate and what is not to be quite odd.  It appears to me that each culture has their idea of what should and should not be worn and what constitutes modesty.  I think it would be wrong for any of us to impose our views on other cultures when it comes to dress code.

Of course, our culture has it's own sense of what is modest and appropriate and what is not.  I am quite tired of seeing the top bit of lace of young woman's bras.  And I'm tired of seeing the tops of their undies.  I'm really sick and tired of seeing most of a young male's backside.  Really...underwear is exactly that.  Items that are worn UNDER clothing.  Recently when we were visiting some friends I sent both my daughters back to change before we left.  Our friends have a mid-teenaged son and strappy straps and shorty shorts were, I felt, inappropriate.  Dh recently told the father of this boy of the conversation we'd had at home before visiting them and he thanked Dh for our sensitivity and the care we had shown for his son.

There are many items of clothing that I find difficult to understand as being appropriate. I'm not sure if I'm just getting old, but since most of my friends (both older and younger than I) agree I think I'm not too far off track.  Jeans that are painted on, too much cleavage, leggings with no skirt over the top...I promise you there are a number of things my daughters will not be leaving our house wearing! 

I think modesty is more than just a collection of rules and opinions.  Modesty is about respect.  Respect for ourselves and respect for those around us.  We show no respect for ourselves if we are showing personal attire or parts of our bodies that are not meant for public viewing. Our peers will have little respect for us either.  Indeed people who dress like this often earn pity rather than a positive reputation.  They could be the nicest person in the world, yet the way they dress will colour how others view them.

Likewise we should respect others in the way we dress. It is not fair on those around us when we insist on wearing whatever we feel like, knowing that what we wear will impact on those we are with.  While, in simplistic terms, we may have the right to do so, it shows no regard whatsoever for those around us.  Our responsibility to those around us must surely be more important than our rights as individuals.

Week in Review

It's a little hard to believe that at exactly this time last week we were about an hour off landing back in Melbourne. We've been home a whole week!!!!

Settling Back to Home. It's been nice cosying ourselves back into our home. It's been oh so cold (to us!), with icy mornings and overcast days. Especially after the reprieve of warmer days. Our heater has been working overtime. The washing and dishes have been kept up with and the suitcases have finally gone into the 'dungeon'.

Back to Work. I felt a bit like a fish out of water, in that I missed work break. Despite that I've settled back in pretty well and the week has just been like I never left....except that we all have holiday stories to tell.

After having experienced a front loading washing machine for a few weeks while we were away we've decided we'd like to replace our top loader with a front loader. We've car repairs to work on first....a rather unpleasant surprise upon our return. One day in the next year or so, though, it'd be good to be able to do that.