I appreciate all you ladies who are working so hard in today's world to be modest and to teach other women to be modest (butterflies). Thanks too for all your comments below on the subject!!
I just finished a book about being a "Help Meet" and I'd like to share something in it that I read & thought it was interesting & important enough to pass on here. Consider this to be Part Two of the Butterfly/Caterpillar weblog below.
Titus 2:3-5 tells us that women are to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed". I thought about two of those words "CHASTE" & "DISCREET" ....wouldn't those words be included in the "modest" realm? And why is the word "BLASPHEME" used here? What is the connection? I liked what this book said "Modesty is & should be the principal rule of female dress. When you come out of your house, go to church, to the store, or anywhere in public....dress as you would dress for the judgment Seat of Christ". If young women would think like that...putting the Lord first & foremost before embracing today's styles & standards...they would never walk down their wedding day aisles without being appropriately attired. They would be chaste & discreet before all...especially before the Lord.

We ARE our brother's keeper & therefore we need to be mindful of what we wear in their presense. This book I read brought out a biblical example...Bathsheba. Her indiscretion caused the downfall of so many...just by her simply doing what she thought she had the right to do. Some might argue that Bathsheba didn't do anything wrong, that it really wasn't her fault...but think about this: She provided the opportunity for a man after God's own heart (David) to lust. David should have been able to go outside at anytime (day or night) and not have this temptation placed before him. Our brethren should be able to go to Christian weddings & worship services and not have temptations placed before them either.

This has been bugging me for awhile and I am curious as to what other Christians think about this.
Wedding season is once again upon us. Many times I have gone to the wedding of two young Christians that were born & raised in two Christian homes. There are the usual "wedding" decorations, vows, flowers, cake, songs, etc....but unfortunately (in many cases) there is also present the usual strapless, backless, or cleavage baring bride or bridesmaid dresses....and in some case even the mothers (of the bride or groom) have worn "eyebrow" raising outfits as well.
What is with this my fellow sisters/brothers? I am quite perplexed and am wondering if any of you can explain this to me.

The bible says that we are NOT to be conformed to the world but to be transformed. In other words...are we a caterpillar or an actual butterfly? The butterfly has been completely transformed. Think about it...how hideious would a caterpillar be if it was only partially transformed? It certainly wouldn't be beautiful! Isn't that a little like what "lukewarm" is? And that is considered spewable! Why do Christian women buy these types of styles for such a special day as their wedding? Why do they come publicly before the Lord to be blessed in a covenant of marriage without more clothing on? I'm sure they would never come dressed so scantily for a worship service so why do they think the Lord should be revered any different or any less at their wedding?

I have seen too many wedding pictures of young women unashamedly baring their shoulders, backs, and chests in pictures. Why? At one wedding, my husband refused to hug the bride b/c he didn't know where to put his arms or hands since he'd only be touching her skin somewhere and he knew that that was wrong. At another wedding, the mother of the groom's dress was way too low in the front. I'm not even 5'2" and I could see plenty. What do you think the men could see who were taller? It is shameful!

Jesus told a parable to his disciples about a wedding feast. The invited guests wouldn't come so the father told his servants to fetch others from the Highways & Byways to his son's wedding. Afterwards everyone was attired properly (with the customary wedding raiment provided by the host)...everyone...except one man. The father asked him why he wasn't dressed like the others. The man had no excuse...and therefore he was cast out. In other words...this guest would only go some of the way but not all of the way. His attitude was that he was not willing to be completely transformed.

Women need to stop thinking that this isn't a big deal...b/c it is!! We as Christians are to be light & salt and that means to not let the world's standards become our own. We are told in I Timothy 2 to adorn ourselves in modest apparel with propriety and in a proper fashion that professes godliness. Less dress can NOT be more godly than being more covered can it? We are also told to not put stumbling blocks in front of our fellow brethren (which immodestly certainly does), to live peaceably with all men (includes our brethren), and to be peacemakers. It would make sense to me that "less" dress would not generate peace but strife & confusion instead.

Since I found Facebook I don't check or write on Pleonast like I have in the past....guess I'm not a techno "Multi-tasker". But once in awhile something will happen or I'll find or think of something worth sharing. Well...something happened...
This past Saturday my hubby & I and our 2 "home from college" kids went to a College graduation BBQ. Several Christian friends came to this celebration...some were in the house, some in the yard, and then there were those of us (approx 9-11 people) on a deck visitng, talking, and watching our hostess grill our supper. I was standing by the far right railing & my son Jeff was standing a little north of me. Suddenly the deck gave way beneath us....and we fell. This would have qualified for a classic "blooper" video had someone been recording it. The rest of the deck sort of buckled & slid towards the fall point forcing everyone else on it to be its slide slave (including the BBQ Grill being hung unto by the hostess). Thankfully there were no serious injuries!! Jeff's foot was pinned only momentarily, no one was burned from the grill (thanks to the hostess), and I didn't get impaled by a broken wooden railing that was "this close" to my stomach. We were all able to stand up on our own two feet. I went & sat down in a yard chair & began to feel some burning (like you do when raw skin has been scraped on pavement). I saw that I had 2 holes in my pants the size of quarters and one of the holes was bleeding (on my upper right thigh). Hubby & I visited the bathroom, saw that I had been "nailed", so we went to an urgent care center & they closed me up with medical "super glue" and I got a tetnus shot.

This situation could have been much worse.....
Thankfully the elderly (70ish) people weren't on the deck. There was no one under the deck (or really anything for that matter...especially nothing sharp or dangerous). No children were present so therefore no worries of anyone playing on the deck or underneath & no one holding babies. No one was standing to the left of the grill who would have had no choice but to fall onto it. There were no broken bones. There might be some bruising, some stiffness or soreness for awhile but I am so thankful that that is all there is to it.
So here is my point: Sometimes we sort of take each other for granted....thinking we will see them again soon enough on Sunday, next week, next month, next year, etc. We forget that each of us is living our lives somewhere & that we actually face dangers every day. Accidents happen on a daily basis....we read about them but maybe think that that situation could never happen to me...that the "random or wierd" stuff only happens to other people. Well, it happens to Christians too....and I just want to go on the record to say that I was so thankful that all of us were OK. I realized how much each one of them meant to me even tho I don't always socialize with them regularly or we don't talk alot at worship services. They all mattered greatly to me anyway. I realized how much I would have been saddened had this "incident" been worse. I think these things serve as "wake up" calls for us to pay more attention to not only our own fragile lives/situations but to those we care about whether near or far away from us...neighbors, friends, family, and our spiritual brethren.

BTW: Just recently someone I care very much about (and who is a Christian) had a situation happen to them that literally made my jaw drop. It was one of those things that you would think was meant only for movie scripts. But it was true....horribly true. What this person went thru was the fault of a corrupt policeman (someone who should have been looking out to protect the public & not to abuse his authority). Its just another reason for me to not take the people I love & interact with for granted. I do not know what may happen to them down the road.

Over the snowy weekend my husband & I watched a Baseball movie about Roger Maris who in 1961 hit 61 home runs breaking Babe Ruth's record of 60. I'm not recommending the movie here but there were two parts in the movie that captured my heart. After Roger hits it out of the park, runs the bases, and goes back to the dugout; his entire team shook his hand and/or hugged him. They were happy for his achievement and weren't afraid, too envious, or proud to let him know. I said to Jim "I wonder what that must feel like to know you've done something pretty remarkable...that feeling of euphoria". Yeah, it was pretty cool that he had hit 61 homeruns in a single season but the thing that touched me more was how no one on that team held back from showing their excitement & congratulations.
There was one teammate in particular (Mickey Mantle) who stood out above the rest in this regard. He was a famous & excellent baseball player on Roger's team. His homeruns were neck & neck with Roger almost the entire season and he also was close to breaking Babe Ruth's record. Without any hesitation Mickey also put out his hand to congratulate Roger....no envy at all. I was struck by that. If there was any resentment at all Mickey knew this was not the time or place to diminish what had just occured.
They really showed their "teamwork" in that they ALL rejoiced. I thought about that in regards to spiritual teamwork. Do we show our appreciation and/or gratitude when we see or know of a job well done... without resentment or jealousy? Do we extend an outstretched hand of welcome to our visitors or to lift someone up who is struggling?

Later in the locker room (here's the 2nd part I like) Roger Maris is asked by a reporter "Do you think now you'll get more respect from the fans after what you've achieved today?". Roger answered "Respect isn't earned from playing baseball. Its what you do and are off the field that counts". How true!! Over the years I've heard wonderful sermons & been in good bible classes...but I couldn't possibly remember half of what was said. But I'll never forget the examples that have been laid before me of those who I never heard from the pulpit. One elderly lady in particular. She was in the hospital on a Sat eve with pneumonia. Sunday morning I witnessed her coming in the church doors in her wheelchair for worship. I was astounded & said "I can't believe you are here!" She said: "I can't think of any other place I'd rather be. I just couldn't stay away". She died about 6 months later. I told her daughter "I heard more lessons in those few short words and by her example than I ever heard in any long sermon". She was a team player till the end and garnered my deep respect.

Yesterday we had our biggest snowstorm this 2009 year (and our only snow fall this month). March is usually Colorado's snowiest month of the year but you wouldn't know that or even think that if you were a newbie to the State. This has been a very dry year for snow. The snow is still falling gently today (not blowing like yesterday) which has a beauty all its own. I know there are some who wouldn't want to live here because of the snow but I'll tell you this....I love it!!!
Snow days were always awesome at our house & still are. The kids would pull out a Monoply game and play for hours. We'd have a movie watching marathon...classics, Doris Day, Star Wars, Disney, etc. I'd make "snow cream" ice cream from the snow the kids would bring inside, we'd make hot chocolate (I didn't drink coffee in those days) or make cookies...eating more of the cookie dough than the cookies themselves. The kids would sled, make a snowman, or just bundle up and look adorable. As the kids have gotten older some have taken their snow sports to another level with snowboarding. Hubby Jim as even gone "snow shoeing" which is quite a bit of exercise.
Now that I'm here by myself I still enjoy that sort of thing. Snow days give you a chance to slow down & relax & enjoy the simple things in life. Cuddling & sharing coffee with one's spouse fireside. Taking out that knitting or cross stitch project that has been silently waiting its turn for attention. Scrapbooking or looking at photos of loved ones. Reading a good book, studying one's bible. These are wonderful gifts that snow days bring to my home.
I do love living in Colorado!