White Picket Fences

I like white picket fences. I really do. I used to live in a house with an awesome vinyl picket fence that I helped build. I love the look of them from a street, with their (at least in my imagination) picturesque lawns and stunning houses with dormer windows.

Recently, I was talking with a dear friend about life, as two twenty-three year olds are apt to do in this day and age. We both are surrounded by people who are getting married, living the American dream with their own places, the kids, etc.....and that's when she said something that hit me:

"I don't want the white picket fence."

I thought about it for a second. I mean, I knew her desire to still be married--so she wasn't heading in the complete opposite direction from even a few months ago. But what did she mean?

"I do not desire a life that is safe. White picket fences are safe; it's what they symbolize. I find living the complete June Cleaver thing boring and dull. It doesn't push me towards doing great things."

It was then I completely got it. One hundred percent....and I completely agreed with her.

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You all now by know how much I desire to be married. It is true. I believe the Lord told me I would someday and I look forward to that day. But I am also a girl who--call it feminist or whatever you want--does desire to do more with a husband and kids than just cook and clean. NO, I don't want to go out and get a career that makes me abandon my family. I want to do something WITH my husband and kids; I want to be everything He wants me to be and do everything He wants me to do....

I don't want a safe life either.
As it is, I don't live a safe, expected life. I go to college when a LOT of my friends didn't. I am (mostly) content with not being married at twenty-three. I choose to be very involved with my job at the library and be heavily involved in my church. All of it puts me out there with people. Trust me, I would rather stay in a safe bubble, here at home, where I don't run the risk of hurt, rejection, or failure.

But that is no life. At least for me. I look ahead to where I would like to be. I don't desire something that screams of perfection. I'm not a perfect human being by any stretch of the imagine. And I don't want perfection.

There is a difference between nice things and things that box me in
Don't get me wrong. I still want a nice house (that yes, I am known to imagine in my mind looking like one from Southern Living. I know. I know. Unrealistic). I desire a husband and children. Ones that do not cheat on me or cause me heartache. But I also don't want cookie cutter scenarios. I don't always cook neatly in the kitchen and I don't always want life being neat either. For me, one of the ways in which I don't see it being "neat," is that I want to adopt my children. And let's face it, adopting is not exactly the "white picket fence." Depending on how old the child is, there is baggage; you can go through a tumultuous time. Having something I can control one hundred percent in this area would box me in........and frankly, I do not think the Lord has that path for me.

Every one has a different path they are to walk. If we all looked the same, if all of us resided in the same "houses," this life would be very boring. So I defy anyone who thinks we need to have certain stereotypes--even ones that involve husbands and children.

I look at my friends who are getting married. They are doing things their own way.....and I am sure that the Lord has certain scenarios He wants them to avoid, to keep them from living in the safety zone. It's a beautiful thing to watch. And as I watch, I dream about my own....who knows what further ways the Lord will change me into my own version of June Cleaver. For yes, I will always wear heels in the kitchen (or be barefoot in the kitchen), look chic, and care about my kids. But there will be so much more as well. And it will be all a part of the woman He makes me to be.

What about you? Are you letting your life stay in the white picket fence? Or are you stepping outside of it and making your life, your house, your OWN?

Therefore, since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles. Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith."--Hebrews 12:1-2a

The World's Ideas of a Woman's Image

A girl looks in the mirror. She is innocent and lovely, the bloom of childhood is still ablaze on her face. Yet in her lap there lies a magazine. Perhaps it is a movie star's face that stares up at her or maybe it is a model for Vogue. The woman's hair is immaculate; her make up is flawless. She is beautiful, practically perfect in every way. The magazine clearly is promoting her image in some manner; it's the ideal for all women, both young and old. The little girl looks back up at her reflection in the mirror. Sighing, she puts her face in her hands. Will she ever look like this? This is what "woman" looks like--or so she begins to think. There isn't anyone who others seem to revere or make popular....that looks like her. How will anyone think she is special and beautiful and worth having when she doesn't look like a magazine centerfold? Is being innocent really all it is cracked up to be?

Stepping on MY Soap Box

 Every little boy or girl wants a role model, someone that they can look up to. Someone who parents aren't ashamed to have their children like. For most individuals, just who their boys and girls call their "idols" doesn't matter. Anyone and everyone will suffice. But for Christian families, there are to be something more--besides a person looking cute or singing your favorite song or playing for your favorite professional sports team. They have to be a good role model in the true measure of the word. A person who lives out what they say their beliefs are. Someone who isn't ashamed to speak boldly about his or her faith. Someone who the media appears to respect and people pay close attention to--looking to see if they are genuine or if they are a fraud. These role models have a lot of living up to do.

In the past year, there have been a few guys who have been pretty vocal about their faith in Christ. For obvious reasons, it garners a lot of media exposure, yet they haven't backed down. Tim Tebow is one of the most recognizable names in professional sports right now and a big chunk of that comes as a result of his speaking about his faith, the media reporting it, and people paying attention to it. The fact that he can no longer wear his eye paint with Bible verses (like in the picture above) hasn't stopped him from sharing his feelings and favorite verses. The guy loves Christ and he wants the entire world to know. Heck, he even is open about his virginity and though SNL has mocked it on numerous occasions, he hasn't apologized for it. IN fact, I think that is one of the many reasons he rejected doing 'The Bachelor" (oh what a stupid rumor that was--that he accepted. I laughed heartily at that...and I still do.)

American Idol has its own "Tim Tebow" in the form of Colton Dixon. He is also bold about his relationship with Christ, only in a different way. It takes guts to sing a Christian song during "Your Favorite Idol" week--but that is what Colton did. He made no bones about the fact that it was a worship song and that he had dreamed of singing it. Colton speaks openly about praying before and after performances; his dream is to perform at the Dove Awards and his dream job would be to play with Casting Crowns. All of this information is on the American Idol webpage; anyone could find it. And again, he isn't ashamed of it. It is who he is.

So here is my question? This is my soap box...Where are the girls?

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Girls can have guy role models; there isn't any problem with that. However, it isn't a situation to which a girl can completely relate. Girls want to have at least one girl role model, someone who they can feel is walking (or at least remotely gets) the type of things that girls go through. Yet look around. They aren't there. Christian young women are sorely lacking on that front.

In this day and age, there is so much negative publicity out there involving women. You've got Kim Kardashian--who in order to find a picture where her chest isn't spilling out, you have to wade through five pages of pictures. You've got Snooki--Jersey Shore party girl who is now pregnant.....scary, isn't it? Then there is Lindsey Lohan--and we all know what is going on with her. The point is that the majority of the options for a girls' attention are ones that we want to run in the opposite direction from rather than towards.

I have yet to find a Christian young women in the spotlight--to the extent of Tebow or Colton--who is unashamed about her stance for Christ, her modesty and commitment to purity, her desire to reject the feminism that the Liberal news media promotes.....it's lacking and it shouldn't be. It isn't fair!

Christian teenagers, especially girls, need someone to look up to. We're hormonal, relational human beings who are motivated by what we see. When we see someone acting in an admirable way, we want to be like them. Guys have it--girls don't. Something needs to change, especially if we want a better world for our future daughters and granddaughters.

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How do we get there? I don't have the foggiest idea. I know that some days, I pray that the Lord would allow me to somehow, someway, be the female counterpart to Tim Tebow (and yes, I would love to marry him, but that is beside the point ;-) LOL) I want to be a person who girls look up to. Yet I recognize that it starts NOW, in my daily life. By going to work in a polished manner, by sharing my homeschooling thoughts to the mother who asks, by admitting that my faith and sense of morals prevents me from behaving in certain manners--these things get you noticed. We all have this God given ability in us.

It isn't through any effort of our choosing. Indeed, it is only by God's grace that we are made into the Spotless Brides that He sees. However, He wants us to show His handiwork to the world. I am resolved to be a Tim Tebow, a Colton Dixon, in whatever sense of the word right now. Maybe someday it will be on a larger scale, I don't know. All I do know is that something needs to change. We need less Snooki's in the spotlight, that's all I can say =D

Okay, I'm stepping off my soap box now and I'm getting started at making a difference. How about YOU?

Who I Am

**Important note to readers--The following post is one of involvement, whether on your own blog or in a comment...just so you know =)**


My friend, Jasmine, has raised an interesting point on her blog...and I quote her:


"I adore playing against that "conservative Christian homeschooling type." Here's what I mean by that: the homeschool world is full of diversity, but, many times, we homeschooled Christian conservative kids get pushed into a mold that doesn't fit all of us. It's as if some people assume that we're all exactly alike: we like the same music, watch the same films, wear the same styles of clothing, read the same types of books, etc.

That simply isn't the case. We were all made differently, for a different, unique purpose in God's grand design, and with that difference comes different taste. The diversity and originality in the body of Christ is something that I so enjoy seeing, and the freedom we have in Christ to be a bit different from one another is something I enjoy taking advantage of. While we all may have a lot in common as far as scriptural interpretation goes (though even that tends to vary at times), there are going to be a few differences: favorite colors, for instance. =) Pastimes. Interests. Passions. Talents. Abilities. Most of us don't actually resemble the stereotype people have concocted of us in their heads."

What she said is something that I said, "You said it, Sister!" You see, I find the same things are true for me. People can maybe be shocked that I don't fit the typical mold of homeschooled Christians, but you know, I don't want to. God has made me into the person that I am to be--and if I was like the next person, that would be so very boring.

Thus, I want to make you all absolutely aware of the girl whose blog that you read. You might end up being disappointed with the "image" I represent....but honestly, that's the way it goes sometimes. But for others, I don't think you will be surprised.


1.) I don't wear skirts all the time NOR do I think it is the only way to represent modesty and femininity. I have two pairs of pants that I abolutely love--and I have several blouses that I love to wear with them. Pants also make me look taller and I like that.

2.) I am a sports person. What with it being college football season and all, it is that time of year that I pull out my oversized Boise State Broncos shirt and wear it proudly. I get emphatic about games, missed field goals, and the lot =) And I don't stop at college football. I like Nascar, golf, baseball.....it's not feminine, but it is who I am

3.) I am a cooking fanatic--I love watching the Food Network and figuring out all of the new things that I want to make. I subscribe to three, soon to be four, cooking magazines; I am part of a cookbook club.

4.) As it relates to politics, I have determined that I am Conservative Republican and not a Conservative Conservative. I don't like people who make outbursts during someone's speech....you know what I am talking about. I actually have a few nice things to say about President Obama =) Not about his policies, but about him in general, just so you know.

5.) My family are movie junkies. Every night, yes, every night, we all sit down and watch a classic movie together. Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, Bette Davis, and so many others are like family friends that we know and love. But we also don't stop at movies. We love classic TV shows and even a nowadays one or two. Like tonight, we will all be watching the finale of America's Got Talent with both eyes glued on the screen. My family isn't of the opinion that you should "throw out the baby with the bathwater," as the saying goes; there can be some good out there.

6.) I am also a major country music fan. While Carrie Underwood is one of my personal favorites, I love George Strait, Brad Paisley, and even a Taylor Swift or two. And while I constantly play Christian music (Steven Curtis Chapman is my favorite there) I don't stop with that. Frank Sinatra is always on....and I am even liking soft rock. =)

7.) Like my Mom said, she is a short hair fan.....and so am I. I don't like wearing long hair and I also liking having a style. I don't think long hair is the only way to look feminine.

I could go on and on--but the purpose of my post is this--we aren't to live in a box that is "one size fits all." God leads and guides people in so many different directions. Which leads me to you all. Comment and tell me what you thought about "my confessions." And then, share about yourself--give me a glimpse into who you really are.

In Total Agreement on This Particular Issue

My friend Jasmine and I agree on basically everything. Okay, so maybe we don't agree on who to vote for Tuesday, but we have genuine respect for each other....which helps make up for our differences. But while reading her latest post today, I found myself nodding my head in agreement with everything she said.

Read it here. And then come back and listen to my own thoughts.

I can flip flop on many things. Indeed, as the Lord grows me and changes me, I find that my opinions and standards change right along with them. Things that I once thought were okay, I don't necessarily anymore. But I never talked about going to skirts all the time. I am all about dressing femininely and with beauty. For my friend, Anna, that can mean wearing skirts and dresses exclusively. For me, it is something entirely different.

Wearing a skirt or dress does make one feel feminine. All I have to do is put on my 40's dress and twirl in it to realize how wonderful it is! But there was a time when I did think pants were a no-no if you wanted to be thought a woman into femininity and Biblical Womanhood. I never took the plunge, but boy, if someone was coming over who I wanted to impress, the skirt would come on quick as a flash! And no one would ever know =)

But the Lord has freed me from that bondage to legalism. It is not in the Bible "Thou shalt only wear skirts." I sort of stuck it in there myself. Until the Lord showed me that beauty comes from the heart, that femininity can be expressed in many ways. Including the wearing of pants.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am all about modesty and femininity. Skirts are the primary staple in my wardrobe. I love my 40's dress. (Though they don't exactly work in 30 degree weather--you get rather cold.) But in the names of modesty and keeping covered what should be covered, we can border on frumpiness and not being polished. Because [looking around] we are made to believe that polish and class somehow are connected with sexiness and feminism.

Big lie!

The Lord made us women and there is a balance between keeping covered what needs to be--and yet not hiding that we are women. I am still trying to find where that is. But one thing I do is I always have a feminine twist. With jeans, I try to wear pretty tops and not a grubby t-shirt. I usually wear heels like open toed sandals or my black pumps (which I just love =) with anything I wear. Mom is a big help when it comes to this. She too has had an interesting jounrey in this dressing issue (and I am sure she will share it in a comment.)

Never will I condemn a girl who wears skirts all the time. Provided she doesn't make it a legalistic issue, I don't have a problem with the way the Lord has directed her. IN fact, if given a choice between skirts all the time or pants all the time, I would take the more feminine way. But the Lord has me in a different camp right now. He wants me to mostly have skirts in my closet--yet jeans handy as well. God wants me to promote a feminine lifestyle in how I dress.

But never neglecting the heart first and foremost!

The Many Facets of Feminism

Feminism—it’s a word that has been tossed around a lot the past few weeks and months, especially in the political realm. The beginning of the year found many Christians discussing the radical feminism of Hilary Clinton. Everything under the sun was brought to the light: her pro-choice record, her stances on obvious women superiority, the governmental control in EVERY area of life, the lack of femininity in her wardrobe. But by summer, Senator Clinton was out of the running for the Presidency and all talk was stilled. That is, until Sarah Palin stepped onto the scene.

Sarah Palin and Hilary Clinton are two very different women. Sarah Palin is a stanch pro-life supporter; she is for minimal government in matters of guns and healthcare. Governor Palin dresses in skirts. However, according to several dear people I respect, Sarah has been deemed a feminist. Indeed, she has been called a “feminist for life (unborn lives.”)

Now, I do agree with the general consensus of those I admire. Sarah Palin and Hilary Clinton are both in favor of throwing the shackles off…which isn’t right. They think that they can manage both a household and a high-profile career…and usually one suffers, so I will take the former over the latter. Granted, one is more “conservative” than the other. But I have a news-flash for you: Sarah Palin and Hilary Clinton have the same core….and so do we.

Conservative Christians don’t like to admit it, but there are elements of feminism in all of us. Okay, so we might not be out there getting a career. But what about our constant voicing of opinions? Or our independent streaks? What about our “me-first mentality?” Each of these things shows our feminism.

Perhaps you all feel as I do sometimes. I read certain books that talk about not being feminist and how that is wrong…..and then I screw up by making a decision independent of counsel or something. I can feel so inferior, like I am all of a sudden this radical feminist who no longer desires femininity and Biblical womanhood! Do any of you ever feel like that? Sadly, these feelings are made more prevalent than we think, probably because of all the writings out there. They are so good—yet still discouraging!

There is a fine line between being an individual and yet being a servant; we are to be submissive, yes, but not stifled—or at least I don’t think so. I am extremely blessed that in my family, Mom and Dad want me to make decisions…but I never make one without getting the opinion of one or both of my parents first. I have freedom and independence, yet there are safeguards. (Mom and Dad let me have my own e-mail address, but I can never check it without their logging me on to the computer. They also know full well who I e-mail and for the most part, they know what the letters contain because I tell them.) The Lord created women with a mind of their own, so I feel they are to have some of their own thoughts—and provided they don’t do it all the time, I feel they can share them too.

I struggle with not having my feminism pop up more than it should. I far too often voice my own opinions (though I am learning when I should just turn the mouth off.) I do get impatient when waiting for Garrett or Dad to open the door at restaurants. I am far from perfect, so don’t ever think you’re alone in that way!

Honestly, I feel bad for Sarah Palin. Don’t think that I excuse her actions ( I wish she were more of a wife and mother than a politician.) But I think some of the treatment and words about her are unfair. The Lord says that he who is without sin should cast the first stone. I cannot get down in the mouth about her being a feminist (albeit a less radical of one than others I have seen) when I struggle with being a feminist too.

Let’s all try to figure out where feminism rears its ugly head in our lives and try to remove it—yet still be an individual, not a stifled robot, at the same time.

Life is a Highway

We all have different roads to travel in life. Some are easy ones, without any bumps and hills. Other roads are exactly the opposite; they put us in mind of a Six Flags roller coaster ride. There are roads where there are multitudes of other people traveling with you…and yet sometimes, we feel as if we are the only ones on a particular path. It is this latter road that I am on, and I would like to share my journey thus far with you.

When a young man or woman ends high school, there comes the inevitable question, “What are you going to do about college?” Most of us, then, begin the process of finding a university, deciding on our major, and then we pack up to begin the “expected” next stage of life, with plenty of people doing the same thing. Call me a rebel, but I have found that there is another exit for me. It reads: Stay At Home until Marriage with an unknown mileage marker. After much prayer and counsel, I am firmly convinced that is the exit I need to take. So, I wave good-bye to friends as they take their exit and I take mine.

However, no sooner have I begun going down this road than I meet with opposition. My cell phone rings incessantly. “Gabrielle, this is _____. Did I possibly hear you right? Have you opted not to attend college? That is absolutely madness! What about making something of yourself? How will you meet your future husband? You have just written your death sentence with your decision; you are going to regret it!” This call is one repeated over and over again, as people give me their opinions on how I need to be living my life. “What about your cousin, _____? Doesn’t their life hold everything? They graduated with a degree in _____ and have a great job ahead of them. What do you have…baking and cleaning?” Whether these people know it or not, they cause me to wonder if I have taken the wrong exit. After all, I see very few cars traveling on the road I am…and I like driving where there are people!

I contemplate turning around. My family and I haven’t always thought this way regarding college anyway. I read a book called So Much More that revolutionized my thinking. I analyzed if college was really the right thing for me, as a girl who wants to be under Dad’s authority. I consulted with my parents, and between what I was thinking and what they were also, we decided it wasn’t best for me. But did that matter? Everyone else was doing college; surely there was no harm in it. However, I didn’t feel at peace with turning around either.

I pulled over for a minute and just was still. In that quiet moment, I recalled a song that I absolutely love by Steven Curtis Chapman. The chorus and bridge go something like this, “So believe Me now. Believe Me here. Remember all the times I’ve told you loud and clear I am with you, and I am for you. I never have, I never will, abandon you. I am the God who never wastes a single hurt that you endure. My words are true and all my promises are sure. So, believe Me now.” I let those lyrics play around in my head once more. How could I be second guessing what I knew I had to do? Sure, most of my peers had a different goal and destination programmed in their GPS system, but mine wasn’t any less important. The world might say it is, but God told me to take this road, and I had better believe and obey Him. “Okay, Lord. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt you have called me to take this road, yet I feel so alone. Keep me committed to traveling this way. I know there is a future and a hope on the other side; it is just going to take some pain to get there. Help me make it, especially when the world encourages something other than You and Your ways.”

With that, I start the ignition and drive on, staying with my original exit. I play some of the messages that were on my phone. “Oh, Gabrielle! College is a blast! I love being in a sorority, my exams were decent, and I have an incredible boyfriend. Don’t you envy me?” By God’s grace, the message didn’t bother me. I realized that I have my own fun “pit stops” ahead. I plan on studying what I enjoy, yet without the pressure and stress of exams. I will do things with friends, though it will not be all consuming; my family will take top priority. And Lord willing, I hope to have ONE guy when all is said and done. Golly, it looks like a fun schedule to me!

I know I still will have struggles. They are daily, even hourly, sometimes. The road I have chosen to walk won’t be understood by many, Christians among them. However, I know that I haven’t taken a wrong turn, and there isn’t a bug in my GPS. I am right where God wants me for now.

I do not know where you are on life’s highway. Perhaps you have decided to take the university drive, and I wish you all the best. Yet maybe there are a few of you who like me, have taken the alternative route. May I encourage you that you are not alone! I am somewhere on the road too!

Blessings to ALL of you as you embark on the paths ahead of you. May your steps lead to the Master and His ultimate destination! Enjoy the ride!

A Woman's Time?

They sat discussing voting trends and what “classes” of citizens were voting for a particular candidate. One of the men said, “the majority of young women are going for Sen. Clinton saying ‘it’s a woman’s time.” The conversation soon progressed into different territories. As for myself, I sat in my seat, silently stewing about being categorized and the overall feminist statement.

Such was the case with me last Tuesday—Super Tuesday. I already said that I remained glued to my seat, watching in wonder at who took which state. Some were surprises and others were not. It was during a lull of “issuing delegates” that I watched Tom Brokaw make this statement.

He was only reporting the facts…for the most part. Not ALL young women voters plan on voting for Sen. Clinton. However, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the bulk of my peers are the way Mr. Brokaw described. Feminism is running rampant in this day and age.

Women like Oprah, Sen. Clinton, and Nancy Pelosi (among others) all tell girls the same thing: “You are a woman, but don’t let that stop you! You are just as capable, if not more so, of taking on a man’s field and roles! Go out and change the world! Remove the shackles that our grandmothers and great-grandmothers had! And for those of you who do not agree with us, you are weird; you are our worst nightmare; you are living in the days of old."

I will say that these women are true on one score: women can go and change the world…just not in the way they suggest. Even in our churches, the fact that women and men have different roles in the Lord’s plan is mind-boggling to most. People seem to think that those who embrace this way of thinking sit around and do nothing for themselves; they aren’t allowed to think and they are domineered by their husbands, almost like slaves and masters. Another wrong misconception!

God created women to be different. Anyone who says otherwise isn’t paying attention to the Word of God. But it doesn’t have to be a bad thing! We can be so much more than what Feminist society has relegated us to. Truly, where is the joy in taking on a man’s role and yet forsaking what the Lord intended before the beginning of time?

Perhaps it is a “woman’s time….” It’s time to take this world back from the Feminists and instead, we are to get the focus back on God and His original design? I cannot begin to imagine a world in which women embrace their God-given roles once mores. Being a wife and a mother is still a way to “rock the world” and I would love to be able to say to my granddaughter, “It was my generation that helped put the Lord back in the picture of this country.”

To be honest, I do not care if I see a woman become president—but to see femininity and Biblical Womanhood rise up once more in the United States again—that I do not want to miss!

I'd Rather Be Feminine Than A Feminist

I am following the 2008 election pretty closely. Strike that, I am keeping close tabs on Mike Huckabee's campaign. However, I know stuff about the other candidates as well. Hilary Rodham Clinton has received the endorsement of National Organization of Women (NOW) When she recived this, she proudly stated, "Yes, I am a feminist!"


Now, compare this to the movie, The Village. When Ivy asks Lucius how he can not be afraid of the dangers around, Lucius says that he is when he thinks of her in harm. He cares about her above all others and wants to keep her safe....and she doesn't protest or anything! In fact, she seems to appreciate it!



There is a big difference in these two women. One represents the nowadays woman, the one who wants to throw off the shackles of mankind. She desires to be in control. If there was danger, she would be the one sitting on the doorstep. The other girl represents women long ago, women who knew what it meant to be regarded and protected. She realized that men and women are vastly different...and that isn't necessarily a bad thing.



However, women like Ivy aren't very common nowadays. And I miss it. Like with the changing of dress, I believe what we have lost is irreplaceable. Due to the vast majority of women wanting to be in control, men don't step up to the plate anymore! They are willing to let women protect themselves, run politics, and abandon their God-given roles as wives and mothers.



Make no mistake, I do not hate people who are feminists. They are human beings created in the image of God. I find their policies off...but that is a different matter! I just wish they hadn't wrecked it for the rest of us, those who do desire men who are gentlemen. I do not mind being "branded" as the weaker vessel, especially if that means men open the door for you, men protect you, things like that.

I do not know how to communicate to guys that I want the old ways in this area of life. All I can do is pray. I can pray that men like Mr. Darcy's wouldn't be confined to fictional novels. I can pray that men like Peter Marshall would rise up. God would have to do a miracle to thwart the path we women are currently on...and he can! If you all desire a change, let's raise our voices to the One who hears! Maybe we can make things better for our children and future generations!

Intro, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Conclusion

Missing Something

It is no secret what my favorite movies are. I rave about Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility a lot. I felt compelled to mention Love Comes Softy and North and South here on the blog. Give me the choice between Anne of Green Gables and the latest "romantic comedy" and I will definitely choose the former. Overall, I just love girly movies...but that wasn't what this post was to be about.

There is something about these "timeless classics" that appeals to me. Do you know what it is? I could let you guess, but I am not:-) The way the women dress and act stirs up a feeling inside of me. It is a feeling that, if I could go back to those days, I would. Now, I know there are a lot of bonuses in this century. However, they pale in comparison to what we have lost.

I remember when I watched North and South particularly, an "object lesson" came to mind. Margaret, the main character, was at this fancy dinner party, wearing a slightly revealing dress. Her dress did not communicate, "Look at me and what I have." Rather I believe she was stating, "This dress doesn't state all about me. I have a sensible head on my shoulders, I can lovingly serve my mother and father, and I want you to get to know the real me." And in that scene, the main guy, Mr. Thornton, doesn't look at what is revealed; he looks at her face the entire time.

Now, think of what we have now. In supermarket aisles, we are bombarded with images of Hollywood actresses revealing anything and everything it seems. Always, the women are wearing cleavage showing, leg showing, form fitting clothes. And it communicates, "Oh, don't you wish you had me and what I have." These attitudes absolutely sicken me....and they are everywhere. You get it on tv, with such shows as "Dancing With The Stars." (I don't watch it; I just hear about it.) Movies and commercials now cater to this way of living. Even secular music covers aren't exempt.

What has gone wrong? You can't blame it on the changing fashion world. Even in Jane Austen's day, there were low dresses. (Granted they were not quite as low.) So, what is the deal? I believe it is the attitudes that have been to blame. We are human, after all. That said, I wish we didn't have the battles regarding dress that we do now. No longer do dresses and skirts communicate feminine or "I am a girl;" they communicate being sexy. People feel that they have to degrade themselves by revealing themselves in order to catch a guy. Wrong! Though they are fiction, every single movie I watch has the girl coming out victorious...and the guy isn't some nerd, either.

Those of us who long for the days gone by have a difficult road ahead. I cannot even imagine what will be "in" when I have a child. However, I will train her that God had something higher in store for us....and it is our job to do it. It might be wearing longer skirts and higher necklines as everyone looks at us with shocked faces. It might mean staying away from current romances, for honestly, is that the kind of relationship we want for us or them? Being regarded as feminine wasn't considered wacky up until recently. With God's help, let's try to bring it back. Let us not only look like women, but be willing to go against the trendsetters for the sake of our Christian brothers. Let's have our dress say, " I am a girl. I am a Daughter of the King, one who is highly regarded. There is more to me than my body. Focus on that. Only one guy will get that former part of me."

Intro, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Redeeming the Times

It is hard being a young woman today. Let's use a simple deduction process: You are a Christian homeschooler (the group probably gets cut in half,) one who isn't dating (slightly smaller) and tries to dress modestly and femininely (gets even smaller) and for the defining moment...staying home in her father's house until marriage as opposed to college. If you try to figure it out, probably only a tenth of girls, if that, go into this "circle." I find that so sad! What used to be the vast majority is now a small minority.

Mom likes to say," What is considered normal today wasn't considered as such until around fifty years ago!" She's right. However, while I don't know the exact date of the change, I do know where to place the blame. It is we women who are responsible for what we have now. Yes, the lack of gentlemen, the drastic changes in dress, feminism....it is all thanks to us.

Genesis 3:16 reads,"...And though your desire will be for your husband, he will be your master." My translation can also read, "And though you may desire to control your husband." Well, women didn't like that! So, over a period of decades and centuries, women began to change things. Slowly, women began working outside the home, began desiring to be viewed like a man and so began dressing as one. Now, we have a full fledged feminist movement.

I don't want to appear as one who holds its gender in low esteem. It is SO EASY to listen to the voice of Evil and follow its sugar-coated lies. That is just what my previous generations did. Yet as with Adam and Eve, one's sins and mistakes can affect all of mankind. God, in His death, made available the ability to confess our sins, turn from them, and try to change out lifestyles.

God has placed a desire in my heart to redeem my time and bring back Biblical Womanhood. Would you join me? We will be considered weird, for the voice of feminism is loud and its ideals far reaching. Yet "God bless you who are hated and excluded and mocked and cursed because you are identified with me, the Son of Man. When that happens, rejoice! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in Heaven." (Luke 6:22-23) I want to redeem the times for my future generations.

It might appear that I will be making baby steps in changing the world. However, God can use anything, big or small, for His glory. I choose to leave, with God's help, godly "footsteps in the sand," marks to guide my children and their children in the way of femininity and grace, However, may they be footsteps that always point to the Savior!

Intro, Part 1 , Part 2, Part 3

An Introduction

If you could go back in time, to what time period would you go? Like my mom, would your destination be "little house on the prairie" days? Would you go back to a particular nation, as my brother would with pre-Soviet Russia? My personal choice, if I had the option, would take me to Regency England.

I love that time period. I mean, the book I am currently reading is Wives and Daughters. North and South is the next movie I plan on adding to our family's inventory. One of my favorite authors is Jane Austen....see, I am crazy about it!! Yet why does the Regency era appeal to me so?

I believe the answer to that question lies in the general make-up of women. Though some seek to remove femininity, beauty, elegance, and grace from their lives, those yearnings are in each and every women, or so I think. I will even go as far as to say that I believe God put those desires in us for good reason; they set apart from our male counterparts.

So, if I remember those traits, I see why I love the Regency era so. The modest gowns, the tea times, the functional family relationships, the courting, the protection of men....all of it "soothes my soul." Perhaps if I lived in a time and place where my desires were fulfilled, I wouldn't crave Regency England and my world of certain entertainment so much. However, I do not live in a different time and place; I am firmly rooted in 21st Century America, and my love of "old-fashioned womanhood" is probably considered really weird by people.

Many would say that we have come far from horses and buggies, slow forms of communication, and the days of man-powered machinery. Okay, maybe we have. After all, e-mail is a great way to keep in touch! :-) However, when it comes to women, their role, and the way that they are perceived, I do not believe progress and change has been good. In fact, I believe we have missed out on a lot.

I do not want to appear as if Regency England is the greatest thing as sliced bread; I know it had problems. Yet, if you would allow me, (and even if you won't) I want to try to communicate why I think the way I do. But more importantly, I want these next posts to glorify God; that is my main goal. So, here we go! (Yet remember this: what I will write about is my opinion only. You are not in sin if you don't practice or follow what I think. PLEASE bear that in mind!!!! And God bless!)