Worthy Reading

It's been a while since I posted some worthy reading so here you go!

Sonoma Christian Home has written a lovely article on how our princesses, our daughters, can use 

"The Royal Compus" the find their way back to the King when they are lost in the world.

Christian Mommy Blogger has Six Little Words for you to consider.

The Power of Mom's discusses, perfection, Pinterest and what your children really want from you. 

Out of the Blue Etsy Shop

The Unplugged Family, shares a film called, "Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood" The film is about an hour long so bookmark it and watch it with your spouse or family. I really encourage you to subscribe to this fabulous blog.

If you have any Worthy Reading, please share it by leaving a comment!

~Blessings~

Dressing On A Dime~Guest Post

Photo Credit

I rarely purchase clothing. We don't even budget for the expense because left-over grocery money is usually enough to cover what we don't receive from family and friends. In God's good providence, He's blessed us with a community who has a light hand on their material possessions and often pass along their unused clothing to us. Additionally, we both grew up in large families where living on a dime was the name of the game for a significant part of our childhood. The following 13 principles still guide our decisions about clothing purchases:

~Invest in good quality, classic clothing. By choosing well-made, timeless items like skirts, tailored jackets, a good pair of jeans or slacks in neutral colors, you can wear them for multiple seasons without feeling "dated."

~Use cheaper accessories like scarves (which help keep you warm, stylish, and ensures your cleavage stays covered!), belts, and necklaces to dress up a plain shirt instead of buying a new one.

~Buy your clothes off season when they are on sale. Stock up on commonly worn clothing like underwear or t-shirts when they're on clearance.

~Avoid buying clothing you love in the wrong size. You'll get more use out of it if you feel good in it.

~If you're not sure whether it really "suits" you, don't buy it. It will end up having a lonely life in the back of your closet.

~Swap clothing. Growing up, my three sisters did this all the time. Between us, we had oodles of clothes to choose from.

~Hand it down. With the exception of birthday presents, my children live in hand-me downs. They don't know the difference, and to my knowledge, no one else does either (until now...the secret's out!). Find a friend or two who have children slightly older and/or younger than yours and share clothes back and forth. It takes a little organization and frequent purging, but it can work!

~Recycle clothing. My 2-year-old has just gone through another growth spurt which left a few of her pants looking like floods! Since the waistband still fits perfectly, I'll be cutting them up and turning them into skirts which will hopefully fit her for a few more months. (Tutorial coming soon on Growing Home.)

~Try selling clothing you no longer wear (and would be too embarrassed to pass along) at a garage sale or consignment shop. It surprised me when a local consignment shop gave me a couple bucks for clothing I thought was terribly dated.

~Shop at outlet malls, discount warehouses, and thrift shops to get the best bargains. You may have to do some digging around, but you're bound to find a steal.

~Visit a clothing department's website before you go. Often you'll find a $5.00 off coupon just for visiting! Keep your eye out for promotional codes.

~Pick clothing with labels printed on the inside. All the big names are plastered on the outside, but if you're looking to spend half of what it costs to buy lables like Dooney & Bourke, skip the lettering.

~If you're the trendy sort, purchase just one or two knock-off versions to keep yourself from feeling ripped off when they go out of style two months later.

Do you have any other frugal clothing shopping tips? I'd love to hear your savvy ideas!

Jacinda is a sinner, saved by grace, the cherished wife to her best friend Brad, the mother of two precious children so far - Charity Sofia (2) and Judah Paul (6 months), and a passionate homemaker who enjoys blogging about it all at Growing Home!

I Could Have~Guest Post by Julie Fink

A few weeks ago my friend Rose came by on a Friday morning to pick me up to go to a Girls Getaway that I had planned for our church ladies in Shipshewana, Indiana. She arrived a few minutes early, and since I wasn’t quite ready, I let her in and asked her to make herself comfortable while I finished up.

When I walked out of my room about fifteen minutes later, she was standing by our fireplace mantle looking at a photo album of a trip I took to a variety of places in Michigan with my husband last summer. The album was a gift designed by our daughter Sabrina and made through a company called Shutterfly.

On the cover of the album is a picture of my husband and me sitting on a bicycle built for two that we rode around the perimeter of Mackinaw Island on the day that we spent there.

“I don’t get it,” my friend Rose said, “Why couldn't you have worn pants or Capri’s to do this?”

“I could have,” I told her, “I could have worn whatever I wanted to wear. I just chose to wear my khaki skirt.”

“Oh,” she replied, “I just thought you wore it because you had to.”

I don’t do anything because I have to. Everything that I do is by choice. And for the past many years, I have chosen to wear skirts and dresses in just about everything I do.

What caused me to make this kind of decision? I made this decision after reading a little book entitled, “Your Clothes Say it for You” by Elisabeth Rice Handford. It’s a little book that I picked up at a tiny Baptist Book Store in Orlando, Florida. I didn't go to the store searching for a book like this, but the title caught my eye and so I decided to give it a read.

This little book reminded me of two very important things:

1. People notice what we wear.
2. People are affected by what we wear.

People notice what we wear. I have noticed that when I dress modestly and in a feminine way people are often encouraged or intrigued. Men are usually encouraged, women are often intrigued.

My wearing dresses and skirts has often given me special opportunities to share Christ with others in ways that I would not usually get to share. Just like my friend Rose was curious about why I wore a skirt to ride a bike, many other people are curious about why I wear skirts and dresses whenever they see me too. Their questions always give me an opportunity to share how I got saved, how much I love the Lord, and how important it is for those of us that are saved and love the Lord to live in a way that communicate who He is to the lost world around us.

When I wear my skirts and dresses I am sharing one of the most important truths in the Bible ~ and that is that God made them male and female. If you have ever spent any time reading through the Bible, you know how important this truth is to God and how vital it is to carrying out the good works (marriage, parenting, respect, leadership, provision) that God has called His creation to carry out.

But truth is not the only thing that is communicated by the skirts and dresses that I have chosen to wear ~ respect for myself and others is communicated too.

When I choose to dress modestly and in a feminine way I am sharing a message loud and clear that says, “I care about those that are around me. I care about the men that are looking my way. I care about their purity and I care about their devotion to the Lord and I care about the security of their wives.”

My choice of dress also communicates the respect that I have for myself. Every time I dress in a way that modestly covers my “sensual zones” I am reminded of my own value. I’m not just some cheap piece of something found and fondled on a clearance rack in some discount store. And I’m not something that is supposed to be sampled by people that are just walking by wondering whether they would want to buy me or not. I am a precious creation of God and my body is a special gift that He has given to me to share with someone very, very special ~ and that is my husband. Because of the respect that I have for myself and others, I have chosen to dress in a modest and feminine way.

I could have worn a pair of pants or Capri’s or shorts or anything else that I wanted to wear when I took that bike ride last summer. As a born again Christian woman, I have the freedom to wear whatever I want ,wherever I want, and how ever I want. That is what Christian liberty is all about. God doesn't judge me for what I wear daily because He doesn't even notice what I wear daily ~ when the Lord looks at me, all He sees is Jesus.

The reason that I dress modestly and femininely is because I know that people notice and people are affected by what I wear. And when the world looks at me, I don’t want them to see a woman that is wrapped up in being culturally comfortable or convenient, I want them to see that I am a woman that loves them and desires to communicate the truths that I have learned from my wonderful Saviour Jesus."

Mrs. Julie Fink is a kindred spirit of mine!

She is a  a wife to a good man who happens to be a busy and successful Pastor. The mother of two delightful grown-up daughters, mother in law to their husbands and grandma to Jeremy and Sabrina’s two precious little boys. She is a woman that loves her home and spending time with her family.

Julie is also a Pastor’s Wife to their church folks, a friendly face to herneighbors, a daughter to her father, a sister to my sisters, and a friend to many of you.

But best of all, she is a child of the King who is loved by our Lord.  She has been saved since the spring of 1984 and she has enjoyed every minute of growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

For more encouragement from Julie, please visit her at Journal for Women! She aso has some wonderful audio messages and Bible studies for women!

A Modesty Heart Check

Here is a valuable, and free, resource a friend gave me from Sovereign Grace Ministries. I recommend you download this file yourself and tape it on your mirror to use as a guideline while getting dressed.

   I'm linking up with A Wise Woman Builds Here Home today! Will you join us?

―How does a woman discern the sometimes fine line between proper dress and dressing to be the center of attention? The answer starts in the intent of the heart. A woman should examine her motives and goals for the way she dresses. Is her intent to show the grace and beauty of womanhood? Isis to reveal a humble heart devoted to worshipping God? Or is it to call attention to herself and flaunt her beauty? Or worse, to attempt to lure men sexually? A woman who focuses on worshipping God will consider carefully how she is dressed, because her heart will dictate her wardrobe and appearance — John MacArthur [emphasis added]

Keep in mind

Why do we make such a big deal about modesty? Please know that this isn’t about us imposing some kind of clothing standard. Modesty is important because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is an outward expression of a heart desire not to distract from or reflect poorly on the gospel. We have a gospel mission: not only to preach Christ, but to live in a way consistent with our profession of faith. May our modest dress be a witness to the One who gave Himself as a ransom for all. It is very important to us that you read the questions in the context of biblical truth. Otherwise, we all are prone to the temptation to turn a tool like this into a list of rules or to sinfully judge others who don’t agree or to excuse ourselves on a technicality. We want you to consider these questions in light of the beauty of God’s standard of modesty.

Heart Questions to Ask

What statement do my clothes make about my heart? In choosing what clothes to wear today, whose attention do I desire and whose approval do I crave? Am I seeking to please God or impress others? Is what I wear consistent with biblical values of modesty, self-control and respectable apparel, or does my dress reveal an inordinate identification and fascination with sinful cultural values? Who am I trying to identify with through my dress? Is the Word of God my standard or is the latest fashion? Have I asked other godly individuals to evaluate my wardrobe? Does my clothing reveal an allegiance to the gospel or is there any contradiction between my profession of faith and my practice of godliness?

Before you leave the house, do a modesty check. (What are some things you should look for as you stand in front of your mirror?)

From the top…

When I am wearing a loose-fitting blouse or scoop-neck, can I see anything when I lean over? If so, I need to remember to place my hand against my neckline when I bend down. If I am wearing a button-down top, I need to turn sideways and move around to see if there are any gaping holes that expose my chest. If there are, I’ve got to grab the sewing box and pin between the buttons. The same check is needed if I am wearing a sleeveless shirt. When I move around, can I see my bra? If I do, I need the pins again. Am I wearing a spaghetti-strap, halter, or sheer blouse? Not even pins will fix this problem! Most guys find these a hindrance in their struggle with lust. It’s time to go back to the closet. Can I see the lace or seam of my bra through my shirt? In this case, seamless bras are a better option.

More key questions: Does my shirt reveal any part of my cleavage? Does my midriff show when I raise my hands above my head? Is my shirt just plain too tight? If the answer to any one of these questions is yes, then I need to change my outfit.

Moving on down…

Does my midriff (or underwear) show when I bend over or lift my hands? If so, is it because my skirt or my pants are too low? Either my shirt needs to be longer I need to find a skirt or pants that sit higher. I also have to turn around to see if what I’m wearing is too tight around my back side, or if the outline of my underwear shows. If so, I know what I have to do!

And as for shorts—I can’t just check them standing up. I need to see how much they reveal when I sit down. If I see too much leg, I need a longer pair.

The ―sit- down: check applies to my skirt or dress as well. And I must remember to keep my skirt pulled down and my knees together when I’m seated. And speaking of skirts, watch out for those slits! Does it reveal too much when I walk? Pins are also helpful here.

Before I leave, I need to give my skirt a sunlight check. Is it see through? If so, I need a slip.

Finally, I must remember to do this modesty check with my shoes on. High-heels make my dress or skirt appear shorter.

And don’t forget –this applies to formal wear as well.

A note on swimwear: It’s not easy but you can still strive to be modest at the pool or beach. Look for one-piece bathing suits that aren’t cut high on the leg and don’t have low necklines.