Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Shamefacedness

I have received two special blog blessings this week. Both Susan and Mrs.Blythe featured my blog on theirs. I am honoured by this, but also I am a bit uneasy about this post, seeing that I might have some new visitors who don’t know me yet, and might not take this the way it is intended. I love all my sisters in Christ.

Every once in a while the issue of clothes comes up. There are basically two camps. The Pants Camp and the No Pants Camp. In these camps, there are subdivisions, but basically there are just 2 camps.

Now, I know that this is a highly charged issue. There are many reasons for that, but I will not go into that today, or maybe ever, because I really, really have no desire to argue this topic. If you write something on your blog about this, and I totally disagree, I will not post a comment.

That being said, here are my two cents; )
We all read the same Bible, so we all know what the Bible says about clothing.
1. God wants a difference between men and women in their clothing, per Deut 22:5
2. God wants us to be modest. 1 Tim 2:9

The problem is that we all have different ways of viewing these two directives. OK

But, there is something that most ladies leave out. Shamefacedness. We don’t even know exactly what it means. I didn’t even know what it meant, so I studied it and I believe that shamefacedness is the opposite of sexy. OK. What is sexy? Hee hee! How should I know? Well, I don’t know, but I “know” two gals who do! Here in Chile, while I had cable TV,
I watched BBC’s “What not to wear” hosted by Susannah and Triny. I just loved hearing them trash some poor fashion-deprived woman, glad they weren’t talking to me!!!!!! Anyway, they tell the ladies how to be sexy. They tell them how to wear the pants just right so that their thighs and bottom look good. (this is NOT shamefacedness) They tell them how to unbutton their blouses just so, to show their breasts and bras, just a bit.(This is NOT shamefaceness) How to wear their skirts and trousers so they cup under their fannies and “show off” their bottoms.

Shamefaced to me, means I do not wear anything that clings to the shape of anything private, from my knees to my neck. I avoid “sexy” in my wardrobe.(Do not mistake this for dumpy, I hate dumpy, but we’ll get into that later!)

So here it is,
Feminine
Modest
With shamefacedness

That’s my two cents!

13 comments:

Kristi said...

KUDOS! I enjoyed this post and will most likely print it out soon. I'll tell you why later. Right now, My Pastor said I can't tell anyone but I can say that I am very excited!!! :)

~Kristi

Cherish the Home said...

Excellent Rhonda!

I read in a book that the definition of 'modesty' goes way beyond what we usually think. They said that 'shamefacedness' is VERY linked to modesty. Modesty is more than being covered up it is not drawing undo attention to yourself in the way you dress, speak, or act. I hadn't thought of it that way but I can see it now. I know I probably didn't explain myself very well but I hope you can figure out what I mean by this jumbled comment! LOL

Susan said...

Absolutely excellent! I was just talking to someone on a forum the other day who asked if I felt we had to wear only dumpy, old-fashioned clothes in order to be modest. I wish I'd had your answer then. In fact, I may just copy it and post it there, if that's ok with you? Maybe those "fashion police" shows are good for something after all, eh?!

Tori Leslie said...

Good Stuff Rhonda,
I really enjoyed this. Isn't it funny how we can read a text hundreds of times and still kinda ignora a certain word. I really appreciated this post, thanks.

Pfingston said...

You could do the whole pants AND a skirt thing that I see in a) a lot of the migrant workers here, and b)state side young college age-ish kids. (he he he he)

Sorry, I'll try to be more serious next blog comment :-)

Got your message by the way . . .so who is doing the signing and decipilship, and are you using ASL or something else?

Anonymous said...

Very good post!! I have been praying about doing a Godly Apparel post for some time. I have studied this subject out in depth and have a ENTIRE folder on the subject that I use to teach our ladies. I haven't gotten liberty to do anything on here with what I've learned from God's Word and about my conviction in this area. Please help me pray. I know that if ladies honestly want to learn about this subject then they will have open hearts and open minds about it and won't get mad or debatable or argumentative about it. I will not argue or debate God's Word. I simply know that God's Word is either black or its white...there is no gray area with Him. Thank you again for sharing with us what you have learned.

Rhonda in Chile said...

I appreciate all the kind and supportive comments.
Happymama, You left me hanging! Now I am curious!

Mrs. B,Susan and Tori, blessings to you!

Michelle, I will try to do an entire post about the deaf ministry. They use a different sign language here, and at this time there is no unified Chilean sing language.

Sis Julie, you are another kindred spirit. I have a hard time with "gray" anything!

Love to you all,
Rhonda

Anonymous said...

Great post Rhonda. I was hoping someone would share on their beliefs about how they dress for the Lord. It is only recently that I have really considered modesty and femininity. Now I do wear pants, but recently got bleach stains on my only feminine pair (prettily embroidered and loose fitting) and I have no money spare to replace. Anyway, it is possible, though difficult sometimes, to dress prettily and modestly. I love my skirts and they are not dull in the slightest (except for maybe my plain denim skirt). I have two pairs of jeans that I am going to wear out and not replace. But my husband would be cross if I threw them away now in their good condition, he thinks they are OK but I'm not so sure.

Anyway, thanks Rhonda :o)

I'm not so keen on Trinny and Susannah it stresses me out to see them humiliate the ladies and they always seem to be fondling the ladies chests! I'd hate it, I wouldn't do it even for £2000 or whatever they get given for new clothes. Lol.

Rhonda in Chile said...

Hey Sarah!
So glad to hear from you! The thing I liked the most about "What not to wear" is that those worldly, unsaved women were more honest about clothing than Christians. They knew the effect they wanted to achieve. So many women do not want to realize how their clothes (and bodies) are a snare to men, sadly.

I know that if you continue to
seek the Lord in this issue, you won't regret it! When I first got married, I had convictions about clothing, but my husband didn't really care. He does now! LOL

Blessings and Joy,
Rhonda

Cherish the Home said...

"When I first got married, I had convictions about clothing, but my husband didn't really care. He does now! LOL"

That's a good point Rhonda! I hear that reasoning quite a bit...'But my husband doesn't care, he thinks pants are fine.'

Mine did too until I changed, now he would NEVER want me to change back.

Anonymous said...

One of you ladies really needs to do a post about this, the skirt vs pants thing, because noone has ever shared fully their reasons why. Maybe one of you ladies could do a post with closed comments to avoid argumentative types (like me, lol) starting a debate.

I really want to understand where you are all coming from in this. And I promise I won't start an argument ;o)

Blessings.

Cherish the Home said...

Mrs. Blythe,
I just shared my testimony about why I made the change. I didn't approach it from a 'Here's what the Bible says and why pants are wrong'. I just shared how I came to decide to make the switch.

Blessings.
~Mrs.B

Tina Leigh said...

I am so sick of the style of clothing here in the US! My husband is sick of it too. I wish there was a woman in every church that could give a fashion class to the girls. Show them how to wear, what to wear,and WHY to wear! With the styles out now these girls couldnt pick anything modest if they wanted too. I have never been very good with "the styles" but I know what looks nice on me with out making me look like I should be on a corner.I loved it when Mrs Blythe posted all her skirts!! I have pants in my wardrobe too but I dont think anyone would find them sexy. Working on a farm in over-ralls would be sexy to a weird-o! I work in pants at the hospital also because it is more practical. (much bending & stooping). But I feel my best in my long skirts. If there is any sexy in me it is left for my husband! Any you know I have had many of my skirts for years and I dont think they look out of style!!