Blown away...

Tonight we went to a Sunday school social function for our oldest son. We appreciated the invitation for families to come, as well as kids. We were celebrating the end of the year, the class in general, and our friends' move to an awesome farm that has a pool and a pond and poultry and livestock. It's a great place.

To be honest, I didn't really think much about the pool being central to the event. I assumed that it being a church event, girls would dress modestly. I took for granted that the rules would be the same as they are in summer camp... one-pieces in the water, cover-ups when walking around. Somehow, it wasn't like that at all.

What I saw was girls who my son has gone to church with since he was three, dressed in skimpy bikinis, wandering around the property. They jumped in and out of the pool. They surrounded guys in the water and chatted with guys lying next to the pool. They played with chickens, jumped off the rope swing into the pond, and even stood talking to the host dad, a pastor, all the while scantily clad in string bikinis.

I can't remember a time when I've seen that many girls in that little fabric, including our recent family vacation at the beach. At the beach, girls donned shorts or shirts for the most part when they weren't in the water or lying in the sun. Yet tonight, I was totally, completely blown away. Of the approximately 20 girls there, four had on one-pieces/tankinis that sufficiently covered their chests and behinds. Wow. Just wow.

We are at a critical point in teaching our oldest son to respect women and to stay morally pure. Yet this event thrust him in the middle of an absolute nightmare. I am so sad at the fallenness of it all.

I was scared to say anything to anyone, and then another mom broached the subject with me. Then a wife of a ministry intern approached us about us, and another pastor's wife chimed in too. We all had sons or husbands who were standing out in the middle of all that... stuff.  As a volleyball game started, we decided someone needed to tell the girls to put on shirts or cover-ups if they were going to play. Amazingly, the hostess had to find several shirts and loan them to girls because they hadn't brought anything to put on over their bikinis. By the end of the evening, there seemed to be two groups of people: the parents who were mortified at the blatant disrespect the girls were showing for males in general, and the parents who were standing there talking to other parents while their daughters pranced around in skimpy swimwear.

My husband wanted to leave early, but because we were giving other students a ride home, we felt like we couldn't go. So we stood there talking and silently praying for the boys. Before the designated time was up, the boys' parents started calling them out of the water. We just couldn't watch anymore. I'm ashamed I didn't take my son home earlier, to be honest, but I was somewhat in a state of shock at the whole situation. I am still in a state of shock.

My oldest child is a girl. I have always felt a little guilty for making her choose modest over trendy, but tonight I looked at her and said, "You know that if this had been your class and you were swimming, you would have had on a one-piece or tankini, right?"

To which she replied, "Absolutely."

Her dad said, "Now do you see why we have been so strict about what you wear?"

And she said, "I've always done it. I've not always liked it, but I've always obeyed. And tonight I realized just how bad it does look to walk around with nothing on."

We are most assuredly not perfect and don't get the whole modesty thing right 100% of the time. One of my greatest regrets in life goes back to the bad choices I made in that area during high school and college. But we have to fight to be holy; we just have to.

We had a great family discussion... very open, very frank... all of us... 17-year-old girl, 15-year-old boy, 9-year-old boy, and mom and dad. And then we had a time of prayer. I'm grateful the Lord shone light in what could have easily been a dark place. I am overwhelmingly thankful for my husband's godly leadership, calling light, light and darkness, darkness and taking time to instruct our sons in the battle they will face all their lives.

I just had no idea they would have to fight it so fiercely in the church. My prayer is that the Lord will contend for the men in my life and be a help against their adversary. My prayer is also that my daughter and I will choose light and always lay down our right to wear whatever we want in order to protect our brothers in the Lord.

So long, TOMS...

And now I can't buy my beloved TOMS anymore. I really, truly hate that. Really. Truly.

You know, big Blake could have just said, "Many in our company and many of our supporters have views that differ with those of Focus on the Family, but here at TOMS, we are not about politics; we about helping people. No matter what your view on the issues, we hope you will do what you can to help end poverty and disease in the world."

I don't expect Blake Mycoskie to drop shoes and share the gospel. But I didn't expect him to slam my beliefs either. Well, wait a minute, maybe I did. We are not of this world, after all. But I just sort of thought Mycoskie was a little beyond the politics of it all, you know.

Now I feel like I can not only not buy TOMS anymore, I feel like I can't even wear the TOMS I have. 

It's made me rethink a lot about charitable donations. TOMS is NOT a charity. Not at all. I pay twice as much for the shoes than I should so that they will send a pair to someone in a Third World country. TOMS is still making a lovely little profit. Actually, as I think about it, I'm kind of embarrassed I bought such expensive shoes in the first place.

On the other hand, Samaritan's Purse takes hope to the hopeless. They meet needs, make repairs, comfort in crisis, bring healing, and most importantly, share the gospel. Of their budget, 6% goes to fundraising, 5% goes to general/administrative costs, and 89% goes to ministry. You can take a look at their financial report here.

I'm resolving to be more modest in my purchases. I don't have to buy from a Christian company, although that's always nice. I do need to be more careful what I support though, because each spending choice I make limits where my dollars can go, and there are a whole lot of people in the world who need food and clothes and medical care and families and love and most of all... Jesus.

So... so long, TOMS... you were amazingly comfortable, but now I realize it's not always about my comfort.

Old Navy rocks the 80's...

It's official. The 80's are back. Old Navy has pleated jeans.

Old Navy pleated capris in dark blue - click here.

Old navy pleated capris, light blue version - click here.

Oh, 1980's, I always knew you'd come back. And now... enjoy this lovely photo of the 1986-ish me, making a college spring break stop at South of the Border on the way to Disney.

Alas, poor red faux...

It took everything I had not to write "Alas, poor Yorick..."

I've heard reports that the red fauxes are out and about this time of year.  Unfortunately, this one didn't make it.

He is now 50% off at Target.

Tricky little S'mart...

One of my two favorite clothing stores sent me a coupon over the interwebs.  I'm pretty sure they sent the coupon to a few other people too.

It was a "Take-an-additional-40%-off-all-Red-Dot-Clearance" coupon.  The Chickie Shopper Code requires that I go to such events or risk losing my certified Chickie Shopper status.

What did I find (besides that adorable tunic-length cap-sleeve gray sweater vest with faux fur trim)? I found trickiness.  You see, there are TWO kinds of sale items at the S'mart.  One kind is "Red-Dot Clearance," and the other is just plain old "Sale" (how prosaic). And the signs look SOOOO similar.  I think that's tricky.

They ought to make the signs for non "Take-an-additional-40%-off-all-Red-Dot-Clearance" coupon items a distinct color, like... say... blaze orange.  You know, the color hunters wear so that they don't get shot in the woods when stalking down their prey.  The Red-Dot signs can remain their lovely red, black and white.  Think about it; it would totally work.  After all, if we're going to risk life and limb out there bargain hunting, we ought to have an official system to ensure budget safety.

Red-Dot-Clearance sign

NOT Red-Dot-Clearance sign

Oh so faux...

Fake boot tops made of fake fur 

Or

A new way to wear Tribbles

Faux fur awareness campaign grows...

One of my sweet colleague-friends copied and pasted on my fb wall a status that one of her other friends had posted.  She thought I might enjoy it.  I think you might too:

"dear old navy customers, i regret to inform you that we do not and never have sold fox fur lined hoodies...we do, however, sell FAUX fur lined hoodies...it's easy to see the confusion."

Faux fur confusion plagues our culture.  

Save the fauxes...

Friday I wore a lovely new tunic-length cap-sleeve gray sweater vest with faux fur trim.  The fur looked a lot like my gray and black striped kitty I had growing up.  As a public service to the faint of heart, I assured them that the fur was faux... completely synthetic and not in any way akin to real kitties.

"You say faux 'fOH'? I thought it was 'fOHx' or 'fAWx.'"
"No, 'fOH.'  You know the French word for false... fake."
"You mean faux fur is fake fur?"
"Yep.  What did you think it was?"
"I thought is was a little fox-like animal."

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLs...

We had a great laugh.  And so began the "Save the fauxes" campaign.

A Day at the Mall...

It was a cold and rainy day. I thought I'd spend the day in my nice thermal jammies, watching the Heels annihilate ... hummm, Tracey may read this and I like Tracey, so let me edit that ... watching my alma mater play some b-ball.

Then somehow we had a major miscommunication in our house. Before I knew it, I was in real clothes (and a rain coat) and heading to the mall with Kelsey. It was fun (she says in a semi-incredulous tone).

We hit all the teen shops. And then some old people ones too. Kelsey found several ... memorable pieces.

...from the sale rack at Forever 21...

...at Belks ... it was 75% off ... I'm beginning to think Kelsey doesn't like sweaters with stripes.

... trust me when I say that ruffles are THE thing in fashion. Maximizing metallics and ruffles, this blouse heads in the direction of overkill.

And this skirt... darlin' isn't it? Ralph Lauren's spring collection for ONLY $200.00. Yikes!