Modesty: The Forgotten Virtue

It’s been a long time..I know!  However, I have been busy, both in family things and in research and work.  Please forgive me for neglecting my writing! 

I’ve done a lot of thinking and praying lately and I have found myself revisiting the headcovering issue.  I’m not sure that I am called to do so, yet, but God keeps pulling me back to it..perhaps because of the references to obedience and respect.  Hmmm…maybe I’m a slow learner! 

I am now a full time dress wearing Catholic…boy do I get some looks sometimes! 

My daughter is 12 now..and is still very much a child…we don’t allow a lot of the influences that seem to make the other girls her age act about 18..so those have not been problems.  She is making the transition to dresses a little more slowly.  Most of the time she is wearing them, but we have made compromises on skorts (homemade ones).  I found some nice denim shorts that were longer and put knee length skirts over them.  She likes them when riding her bike and playing with her brother. 

For now, that’s good.  She is still very much a little girl at heart without all the teenage “angst” that the other girls her age have, so I’m not worried..she’ll make it there!

I’ll try to keep the blog updated on a more regular basis now, but for now, I must go!  Peace and Love!  :-) 

Where have the skirts gone?  I am at a loss as to where they are!

I periodically get away from the kids for a little while..leaving their daddy in charge while mom gets a much needed break.  One of my favorite things is to go to Wal-mart (it’s all we have here) and browse…not buy, just browse and walk.

 I love to go through the clothing department, noting the new colors for the season and usually eyeing the new selection of long skirts…but alas, as I browsed this time..I suddenly realized …there were no skirts!  Well, almost none!  I finally found a very few long skirts, tucked on an end cap and then another end cap that sported a very few short (knee length or shorter) skirts.  Everything else was pants!  Beautiful sweaters and blouses..but no skirts! 

 Why in our society does the manufacturer think that women want to dress as men?  Why wouldn’t they offer more skirts?  I suspect I know the answer, but will leave it at that.

 Watch your local clothing stores…are their skirts disappearing too?

 So, I leave you to ponder..Where have the skirts gone?  and ask you to pray harder than ever for the modesty movement..that it may persevere over a society that lacks any respect for women and femininity!

 Peace~

What do you do?  Do you know when Satan is interferring with your life?  Does he cause doubts and hesitation?  That’s his job!

 What does this have to do with modesty?  Everything!  If you are already on this journey,  how do you feel when people question your change of dress?  How do you feel when you are criticized or called a prude?  Do you feel sad?  Guilty? Uncomfortable?  These are all Satan..he doesn’t want you to be modest..he wants you to dress skimpy..bareing it all. 

 By causing you to feel inferior or uncomfortable, he establishes doubt!  It’s really hard to stand up to today’s society and be different.  Just think, though, how hard it was for every saint in history to stand up for their beliefs!  They died for what they believed in!  Would you go that far for your faith?  Most of us would hesitate at going that far..but we should look deeper into our hearts..God is there! 

He gives us strength, knowledge and power!  All we have to do is align our will with his..be obedient, be servants to GOD!  How beautiful is that? 

 So next time that someone makes you feel inferior or guilty for your choice to be modest..call on GOD..he will be there to strengthen and guide you..he’s just waiting on you!

 Peace,

What is modesty?  I grew up thinking that is was being a prude..dowdy dresses, long sleeves, long hair, in general FRUMPY!

Was I wrong? Was I right?  Well both, sort of! LOL!

Let me explain: Look at the women of the mid to late 1800’s..did they wear pants? Did they hold men’s jobs?  What did the community think of those that didn’t dress appropriately?  Ladies wore dresses, they tended their homes and families, to wear anything inappropriate (low cut, men’s wear, etc) labeled them either as a “women of ill-repute” or as a “strange women in need of no help”.

Today, what does the general public think of women in general?  Women are disrespected on a daily basis, we are given inappropriate clothing and we tell our young daughters that this is the “top of fashion”. 

Why do we do that?  Why do we encourage short skirts, shorts, tank tops, bikinis, thongs, tight jeans, low cut blouses or dresses, backless clothing, sheer clothes, etc?  When did we lose the little voice that says “this is not right”?

Satan acts on us everyday, but we can fight back.  In today’s society of “status quo” and the constant battle to be “fashionable and Popular”, Satan is gleeful..he’s jumping up and down with joy!  We are not hearing the quiet voice of our Lord and our Blessed Mother Mary tell us that this is NOT right!

The Blessed Mother at Fatima said, “Certain fashions will be introduced which will offend My Son very much.  More people will go to Hell because of sins of the flesh than for any other reason.”

Was she right?  YES! ABSOLUTELY!  Go out in any town, and sadly, in any church (Catholic or not) and you will find the most inappropriate clothing on women.

The danger of this is not just to the soul of the women, but also to the men..for when they see a women half clothed or dressed in suggestive clothing, Satan wins their thougts..he fills their minds with damaging, lustfull thoughts.  What are we thinking?  As Christian brothers and sisters, we have an obligation to protect not only our own souls, but to do NO harm to anyone elses by our words or deeds!

Deuteronomy 22:5 says: “A woman shall not wear an article proper to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s dress; for anyone who does such things is an abomination to the Lord, your God.

So what is modesty? How do we dress modestly? Well, first of all, examine your conscience..you can’t make full changes and hold to them if you can’t stand up to the “ridicule and snobbish remarks”.

To be a modestly dressed woman you should:

Choose dresses that hide the shape of the body, not accentuate it. Dresses should cover the knees when sitting, Blouses should not be low cut, tight or sleeveless. Make sure buttons don’t gap and that you can’t see your bra in the mirror.  Start with the obvious things first…ask your husband..if you saw this on a women on the street..what would you think?  If it’s not a wholesome thought, then chances are..all those strangers that see you on the street think the same thing! 

When dressing your little girl, I have found that long shorts (to the knee) work very well to cover her little behind when she is playing and tumbling as small children will.  As she grows, the behavior should become more ladylike and will require the shorts less and less. 

Modesty is not just about dress though..it is also about behavior.  You must act like a lady, in bearing and language and posture.  Sit with your ankles crossed and knees together, speak softly and firmly, not loudly and obnoxiously.  Act the way your grandmother or great grandmother probably acted.

Bear in mind that the Virgin Mary is a good example to use in both dress and behavior, properly covered and submissive to the Lord! Don’t you wish we could all be just a little like her?

Until my next post, May the Peace of the Lord be with you! 

Welcome to my blog on Modesty!  Please bear with me as I continue to learn about blogging and continue to glean information and resources to guide women and girls to modesty!  This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart and has brought me so much closer to the Blessed Mother and also to my Lord! I pray that it will bring you closer too!