Modesty.....it's the "IN" thing in our home

Now days, even as a not so young chick and mother of 4 it is hard to find summer clothes that are modest. Shorts and skirt hemlines are high and shirts are cut so low that I feel a cami under them is a must at all times. And OH ME OH MY.....don't even get me started on swimwear!!! I actually read an amazing article this morning in reference to that very subject. Modesty is a subject that has been weighing very heavily on my heart these past few months. So I will share my heart today and what's been on it. Recently we went on a Band Trip as parent chaperones, and I found myself not looking around at what all of our band kiddos were wearing, but rather what the other moms in the park were wearing. It then occurred to me that the way our up and coming generation dresses is because they are not being taught the value of modesty. Now don't get me wrong, we like to look SUPER CUTE in our home. Trend is a big thing, but following the trend of skimpiness is not a thing in our home. Teaching my little ladies the value and worth of their bodies the way Christ looks at us is far greater my concern at this very stage in our home than what is trending in the fashion world. As Grace is growing older and maturing these topics have been at the forefront in our home recently. Teaching her daily about self confidence and self worth has been a challenge, because quite frankly I struggled for many years in these two areas. It hasn't been til about 3 years ago that I have had the confidence to receive someone telling me that I am pretty. These feelings of self doubt, and self corruption are not things I want my beautiful little ladies to grow up feeling. I want for them to stand tall and know that from the inside out they are beautiful in God's image. He made them with every detail in mind before he even began knitting them together in my womb. That right there is enough for me to know that modesty is what he prefers for all of princesses in his Kingdom. I'll give you my 3 reasons for why I am personally modest :) 1. Biblically we should be modest. That doesn't mean wear a dress from your neck to your ankles, ladies. That's definitely NOT what I am saying. But we have a saying in our home that Boobies and Booties should never be showing :) One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible in 1 Peter 3:3-4 "Do not let your beauty be that outward adorning of arranging the hair, of wearing gold, or of putting on fine apparel. But let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." This is exactly what I want people to see when they look at me or my little ladies. That quiet, gentle spirit that is oh, so precious to God in his sight. That right there quiets my soul when I think about it. What am I teaching my girls daily. When they look at me do they see that exact display. I can answer, because although it hasn't always been true they see it daily now. They comment quite often when I let that negative attitude creep up on me and I begin tearing myself down. They make comments such as Mom, your beautiful. Mom, look how skinny you are. Mom.......and so on and so forth. I don't need to look to the world thru my un-modest clothing choices to build me up. Because I have spent 11 years building up my ladies, they have been trained at looking from the inside out at beauty within a person. 2. My number two reason for dressing modestly is my sweet Blue Eyes. I am his completely, and when I say completely, I mean completely. I respect him enough that if he tells me something needs a cami or is too short or too low or doesn't cover enough that I will not wear it. It's not a matter of being submissive to him but rather being respectful that I am not on parade for other men, that I am his 100%. In his words, He still likes those sweet elements of surprise. There are some life lessons he is teaching our two boys thru that as well. 3. My little ladies are my last reason for teaching modesty and being a modest woman myself. I want them to feel loved for them, not because they look super cute in a bathing suit or short, shorts. I want their beauty to radiate from so deep within them so that when people look at them they see a love that is wrapped in God's love. Not a masked love, but a true love. They don't have to conform to the worldly fashion trends that are set by Hollywood, but rather set their own examples and trends in the circles they run in because girls want to have what they have. Not materialistically but in a spiritual realm. Knowing just how strong they are in their confidence that nothing or no one will knock them down. My heart is so full this morning thinking of all the ways to teach this young generation about the importance of modesty. It goes so deep and can spiral out of control so quickly. But ultimately its us, as moms that teach our little ladies daily the great importance of modesty as well as leading by example.