On Single-arity

So I forgot about the single life. I've only had about a year in 21 years of residence of Earth where I have not been single, so you wouldn't think it would be SO unusual right?? Um, wrong. I'm not unhappy with it at all. I have so much more time for everything (I even applied to work on campus at the library). I am able to completely focus on school, and hang out with my friends so much more. Which is really good, because my roomie will be student teaching next year and not living on campus! Sadness. I've lived with her for the past two years. It's amazing how close you can get with someone in that time. With you through all the good, bad and just sheer ugliness of life. Anyway, singleness.

I have decided to call this point in my life, 'single-arity.' After making up this term, I deemed it necessary to check trusty Wikipedia. But it was some logic/science/mathematic definition. I'm not really a fan of logic, so I decided to make up my own definition.

Singlearity: a time of no romantic encounters from someone of the opposite sex. This time period can last a whole lifetime (if a gift of yours is celibacy) or for a short time. Singlearity is something to be embraced, not taken lightly or for granted. It is to be used as a special time that can never be taken back. It is sacred

Um...I don't think Webster would like that definition, but I'm new at this (actually writing up the definition, not making up words :)

[Andrew and I at Grandpa and Grandma's ranch]

So yeah, I'm embracing my newfound life of single-arity and

letting God control my life, not me.

It's all Him.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD,

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

Morally right

The world has enough women who know how to be smart. It needs women who are willing to be simple. The world has enough women who know how to be brilliant. It needs some who will be brave. The world has enough women who are popular. It needs more who are pure. We need women, and men, too, who would rather be morally right than socially correct."

-Peter Marshall

My Story

Over at the Feelin' Feminine site, Miss Jocelyn wanted us to share our story/thoughts about femininity and modesty. You can click HERE to read it and look at her other posts, etc. Or just scroll down to just read the article.

I used to be more of, shall we say, a tomboy. I absolutely hated to wear skirts. I was so happy that the only place I had to wear them was at church. However, my last two or three years of high school, I liked dressing up and being more ‘girly.’ But as I met people who demonstrated-and as I read about- femininity and modesty, the more I became interested in it. It has really been within the last year (maybe two) that I started wearing skirts on a regular basis. I’ve read a lot of articles on the web about femininity and modesty.
Elisabeth Elliot’s books have really influenced my thinking too. I’ve also gotten interested in the idea of courtship. I am determined to wait for my future husband. And waiting does not mean just lying around the house. I am *preparing* for my future husband. Or maybe God is preparing me for a life of singleness. Only He knows.
I’ve definitely got mixed comments when I dress in skirts as opposed to jeans. Some people think it is just weird (one person asked if I was trying to look like a teacher…?), but others say that they wish they would wear skirts more often and say they’re proud of me for wearing them.

We should not have to worry about our clothing every minute of the day. Who needs the headache of remembering not to bend over too low, for fear of exposing our chest? Or making sure that the pair of jeans being worn isn’t too much of a low rise? That’s why I like shoes. Even when you’re barefoot, no one ever thinks, “Oh dear, she isn’t even wearing a shoe!! She’s revealing her foot!!!!” :)

I have to be careful not to judge others, though. It is very easy to look at someone immodestly dressed, and think “how could they wear that?!” Matthew 7:2-3: “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” Besides that, modesty is more than how we dress. It’s also about how we think and what we say. I really need to work on how I think and act. When someone tells me to do something, sometimes I’ll forget, and that, my friends, is called disobedience. I’m trying to live for my Lord and Savior while still on this earth. That sometimes means giving up some of the things and desires that I want.

Psalm 37:3-4

Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou
shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the
desires of thine heart.

I am determined to be feminine while waiting for my future Prince Charming. I desire to pursue Him and what He wants me to do.

Followup to FF Challenge

I did wear skirts for a week straight. No pictures. Sorry. A couple interesting things that I did in skirts was working in the workshop and climbing up on a haybale to take pictures. My favorite combination is probably a long brown skirt and teal top :/ I'm going to be trying to wear skirts more often, especially now that the weather is nicer. (In fact, I'm wearing one right now :)

Fearlessly Feminine challenge

Well Amanda has been doing the Fearlessly Feminine challenge. So I thought I'd give it a go too. Actually I have been wearing skirts pretty much every day this week. She took the words right out of my mouth when she posted last week:

"In the past I haven’t had the wardrobe for being a dresses-only girl. Over time though, I’ve been trying to make an effort to buy more skirts and dresses when I do need new clothes, so my clothing options have been expanding. *smile* I believe God is pleased when girls dress femininely. I know people have different opinions of just what that word means, and I don’t think less of anyone who wears pants. But my personal conviction is to wear skirts as much as possible. In the winter I find this the hardest because I’m so cold all the time, so this will be a good stretching exercise for me. *grin*"

These past couple years I have really been interested in reading articles about dressing modestly and even more so when it talks about wearing skirts. So I thought I would post this. Please leave your thoughts! :)

The Challenge:
To wear only skirts/dresses for an entire week (7 days). Post some pictures on your blog and show us some of your outfits. If you don’t have exactly 7 different skirts, that’s o.k. Mix and match with your shirts. If you’d like, post every day of your challenge week and show us what you wore like the other ladies in the links above did. (I am hoping to do so.) And be creative! You can easily be modest and fashionable at the same time. Being modest and feminine doesn’t mean wearing a skirt that covers your toes and a shirt that comes all the way up to your neck, and has dull colors. No! You can be modest, feminine, lovely, beautiful and stylish all at the same time! So, be creative! Throw in some accessories. Put on a hat if you want; Dress up with some jewelry or earrings, fix your hair in a lovely do. Show us how you can look modest and feminine, yet with some added style.


For those who already wear skirts everyday:

If you already wear skirts regularly, please participate anyway! This is for all females. Show us how you mix and match your clothes, what type of fabric skirts you like best (blue jean, cotton, etc.), your favorite skirts and outfits, etc. We’d love to hear about it!

For an extra challenge:

-Venture out in your attempts to be fearlessly feminine!

-Fix your hair a different way each day of the challenge week. Must not be the same in all 7 days (that means 7 different hair-styles). Be creative and try new hair dos *smile* Take a picture and show us. -Wear a different pair of earrings if you have pierced ears, each day, or if you don’t, a different piece of accessory.
-Show us pictures of daily activities of you in your skirts.

The Goal of the challenge:

-Venturing out for one week to be fearlessly feminine in the way you dress.
-Experiencing a week of skirts/dresses and comparing it to your regular ways of dress and style.
-Evaluating yourself at the end of the week and comparing it to your regular way of dress: how was the experience for you? Any particular stories? Did wearing skirts rather than pants affect the way you felt? The way you felt about yourself? The way you acted? The way you carried yourself? Were you able to go about everyday activity as freely as pants? How did people respond? Were you more respected? Did you feel more like a lady? After the challenge do you desire to keep wearing skirts more regularly, or were you desperate to wear pants again? ETC.
-Sharing with other girls your outfits and give ideas of mixing and matching.
-Showing how beautiful female femininity actually is.