Young artists in the family

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My mother was a gifted artist. Unfortunately, a frightening incident in her early 30s caused her to put down her brushes and refuse to pick them up again. Though I wasn’t more than four at the time, I clearly remember the day it happened. I was playing with some of the neighbourhood children in the yard across the street from our house when my mother flew out the door with my toddler sister in her arms and ran across the street. Never in my life had I seen my mother run anywhere, so it was obvious that something was very wrong. Then, she barged into the neighbour’s house without even stopping to knock. Even at my young age, I knew that that was something you just didn’t do! What I and the other wide eyed children didn’t know was what had just happened. Mom had been painting at the kitchen table while I was outside playing and my sister napped. When the baby woke, Mom left her painting and went to lift her out of the crib, stopping to do something in the bedroom while the little one toddled out to the kitchen. The next thing Mom heard was choking and gagging. My sister had reached for the glass of turpentine that Mom used to clean her brushes and, thinking that it was juice, had drank it! Mom rushed her across the street because the neighbour was a nurse and would know what to do. Fortunately, our doctor’s wife happened to be visiting and, unlike many people in our small isolated town, she had a car! She rushed Mom and the baby to the hospital where a stomach was pumped and everything turned out fine. Everything, that is, except Mom’s love of painting. She blamed herself and didn’t paint again for many decades. Even then, though she dabbled at it a bit, the passion was gone.

I think Mom would have been thrilled to know that some of her great grandchildren have inherited her gift. This week, 12-year-old Sam was honoured as Young Artist of the Week by North Vancouver’s Artists for Kids and Gordon Smith Gallery.

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Sam painted the picture that he’s holding while we were visiting in October and it was a delight to watch it unfold layer by layer. If you’re familiar with Vancouver, and look closely, you’ll know that you’re looking toward the north shore and will see the Lions Gate Bridge on the left.

Sam’s teacher had this to say, “Sam finds peace and joy through drawing. He loves adding his own unique flair and extra details into his class art projects. He is inspired by his surroundings, as well as his imagination. He is constantly trying new techniques to achieve a desired effect in his art. He adds incredible details into his creations that are admired by his teacher and peers.”

Yes, Great Grandma would be very proud!

On our way home from Vancouver in October, we stopped in Calgary to visit more grandchildren. On a trip to Goodwill, our daughter and I found a hoodie for 7-year-old Simon. As soon as he saw it, his response was, “I want to paint that!”

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I watched in awe as his picture took shape. Simon had recently been diagnosed with ADHD, but he was completely focused! I held my breath as he added more and more details fearing that he was going to ruin the painting and become frustrated, but he knew exactly what he was doing! When he finished, he told me that it was for me and that he wanted me to hang it in my bathroom! I thought that was an odd request, but I followed his wishes and I’m so glad I did. I see it multiple times a day and it warms my heart every time! I only wish my Mom could see it too. She would be so proud!

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Sam and Simon aren’t the only young artists in the family. We have several grandchildren who seem to have inherited some of Great Grandma’s talent! Whether this becomes a passion that stays with them throughout their lives or whether they pursue other interests as they get older, art has so many benefits for children. It promotes creativity, encourages neural connections, and builds fine motor skills. It helps develop problem-solving abilities and helps kids understand themselves and their world. Most of all, I think Sam and Simon would tell you that art is fun!

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Date night

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In many parts of the world, Monday was Valentine’s Day, a celebration of love and romance. In past years, that might have meant going out for a special dinner for hubby and I, but our province recently lifted the public health restrictions that would have assured us that we were eating in the company of people who have chosen to protect themselves and others by being vaccinated against Covid. As a result, we aren’t eating out these days. Instead, we decided to celebrate with an at-home date night. 

Preparing in advance, we ordered a special Valentine’s meal to be picked up at The Wooden Spoon, a local bistro that’s a favourite of ours. We also put a bottle of wine in the fridge to chill. The table was set with tablecloth and candles and we sat down to enjoy a fabulous dinner. Afterward, we enjoyed a romantic comedy in the comfort of our own living room. 

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Since this was a date, we dressed as though we were going out. I chose a favourite dress from cabi that I haven’t had occasion to wear since the beginning of the pandemic. It was a little snugger than I remember it being, but thankfully, it still fit! 

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The lighting wasn’t great for getting good photos, but if you want to see some great pictures of the dress, which is a deep midnight blue, check out this post by Dutch blogger, Greetje, who writes No Fear of Fashion. It was fun to discover not too long ago that she has the same dress as I do! 

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You might also notice that I had my hair cut recently. It’s not quite what I had in mind when I went to the hairdresser, but it was time for a change! 

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25 style tips that every woman should know

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LogoHave you ever noticed that some women always look polished and put-together? What is it that makes them look that way? Who doesn’t want to look fabulous every time she steps out of the house? Today I’m sharing 25 style tips that every woman should know. Tips that work regardless of size, age, budget, or taste.

1.  Use a lint roller to remove lint, hair, and other small fibres from your clothes. This is especially important if you have pets!

2.  Similarly, make sure you have a fabric shaver to remove fuzz and pills from sweaters.

3.  Invest in a good quality iron with a range of settings; one that can get out the toughest wrinkles but is also gentle enough to use on delicate fabrics.

4.  Even if you’re not a seamstress, have a basic sewing kit on hand and know how to use it to sew on a button, tack up a hem, or do a minor repair.

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5.  Make sure that your shoes and boots are clean and/or polished.

6.  Use empty wine bottles or rolled up newspapers to keep tall boots standing upright when you’re not wearing them.

7.  Declutter and organize your closet. Hang what needs to be hung in neat categories and fold the rest. You won’t wear what you can’t see.

8.  Read labels when you shop. Pay particular attention to washing or cleaning instructions. If an item requires hand-washing or dry-cleaning, don’t buy it unless you know that you’ll give it the care it needs.

9.  Be a strategic shopper. Keep a wish list of specific gaps in your wardrobe to prevent impulse buys that you’ll regret later.

10.  Remember that a bargain is only a bargain if you’re actually going to wear it. Don’t buy it unless you love it.

11.  Dress up a little when you go shopping. This tends to result in better customer service.

12.  Put the majority of your fashion dollars into good quality basics. Have fun with trends, but don’t fill your closet with them as most won’t last long.

13.  Check the rear view. Use a 3 way mirror when you’re shopping for clothes and check your back before you leave home. Every angle matters!

14.  Wearing white? Check it in the light. White clothes tend to look more see-through in daylight, so check in bright light to make sure you’re not revealing something that you’d rather keep hidden.

15.  Make sure your clothes fit properly.

16.  Don’t prioritize fashion over comfort. If you feel uncomfortable, you’ll probably look uncomfortable.

17.  Don’t be afraid to mix patterns. For tips on how to do that successfully, check out this post.

18.  Think about balance. Your top and bottom should complement one another. Pair a loose skirt or wide-legged pants with a fitted or cropped top. Wear skinny jeans or leggings with a looser, longer top.

19.  Remember, leggings are not pants! Unless you’re wearing them strictly as exercise wear, pair them with longer tops, tunics and oversized cardigans that cover your butt.

20.  Accessorize! Accessories are the finishing touches that can take an outfit from drab to dramatic.

21.  Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try something new.

22.  Know which colours suit your skin tone. Wear those colours close to your face.

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23.  Know your personal style. This post explains how to use Pinterest to help you identify yours.

24.  Think about what you want your outfit to say about you. For help in choosing and using your own style adjectives, read this post.

25.  Remember, age is just a number! Regardless of how young or old you are, embrace the styles that make you feel good.

If you have questions about any of these tips or would like to add some of your own, please use the comment section below.

From dressy to casual

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LogoAbout this time of year, I begin to get very tired of my winter wardrobe. When you aren’t going shopping and haven’t bought anything new for quite awhile, the only solution to this wardrobe weariness is to try to create some new combinations using items that you already have. That’s what I did this week.

Ever since wide-legged pants came back into vogue, I’ve been thinking about pulling out a pair that have been in storage for several years. I remember exactly when and where I bought them. It was a rainy day in March of 2008. Hubby and I had been in Japan for about three weeks. We were over the jet lag and had settled into our teaching jobs and our tiny apartment. It was a national holiday and because of the inclement weather, we decided to spend the afternoon exploring a mall that we’d often passed on the train on our way to work. This was years before Uniqlo came to Canada, but we’d been introduce to the brand on a previous trip to Japan and were delighted to find a Uniqlo store in the mall that day. Before leaving Canada, I had looked everywhere for a pair of navy blue dress pants to add to my teaching wardrobe, but hadn’t been able to find what I was looking for. Amazingly, there they were waiting for me in Japan and I hadn’t even had to fit them into my suitcase!

The pants, which have a subtle pinstripe that doesn’t show in the photos unless you zoom in closer, served me well that year in Japan and again a few years later when we spent some time teaching in China. Once we were home to stay, however, I didn’t need a working wardrobe. I wore them to church occasionally, but eventually they were put away in storage. I didn’t get rid of them because I really liked them, they fit well, and they reminded me of our wonderful experiences teaching in Asia.

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When I decided to bring them out this week I wanted to see if I could style this old pair of dress pants in a more casual, sporty way. Inspired by this post published by Greetje who writes the blog, No Fear of Fashion, and others I’ve seen wearing dressier pants with sneakers, I started pulling pieces from my closet. In no time, I had come up with four very similar but different looks.

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I started with a basic Breton stripe tee. I don’t think you can ever go wrong with Breton stripes! I very seldom tuck a t-shirt in, but in this case I wanted to highlight the pants, so I tucked it all around and added a black belt. Without a topper of some kind, this would have emphasized the thickness at my waist, so I added my Uniqlo ultra light down vest. I finished the outfit with white sneakers and a pair of silver earrings. Suddenly, the pants that were previously part of a career wardrobe fit my more casual retirement lifestyle. A quick switch from vest to lightweight hoodie resulted in another outfit that I would definitely wear today.

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Next, I put away the Breton stripes and brought out a more colourful t-shirt. I also exchanged the white sneakers for navy blue ones.

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Finally, I switched back to the vest for one last look.

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Now that I’ve seen how easily I can work these pants back into my present wardrobe, my mind goes to another pair from the same era that are still in storage. That pair is black and even wider in the leg. Perhaps I’ll pull them out too and see what I can do with them.

Brooches are back!

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LogoBrooches, once considered stodgy and old-fashioned, have made a fashionable comeback and are now a stylish and versatile accessory that can add a spark of glamour and attitude to almost any outfit. Unlike our grandmothers, who tended to wear a bit of elegance pinned to their lapels or upper bodices, today’s brooches are often styled in unexpected ways.

If you’re lucky, you might have inherited some vintage ones from your granny, but if not, second-hand stores are a good source. I found these two in one of our local thrift shops for 25 cents apiece!

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The newest trend where brooches are concerned is wearing a cluster. Why wear just one when you can wear two or three? Some are even sold in sets like these ones found on Amazon. Though insects wouldn’t be my personal choice (except maybe the dragonfly and the butterfly), having a theme can sometimes help pull a look together.

At the moment, since I only have the two to work with, I’ve been wearing them together.

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As a gal who loves casual glamour, I like the juxtaposition of a little sparkle on a basic denim shirt. I’d also wear them on a plain t-shirt, a sweater, a cardigan, or a jean jacket.

Brooches didn’t actually begin as jewelry. Historically, they were functional items used to hold pieces of cloth together. The pin on a Scotsman’s kilt comes to mind as a good example. Today, however, there are numerous ways to make a statement with a brooch. Here are just a few ideas:

  • use one or more to dress up a purse or a bag
  • add one to a hat
  • use one as a hair accessory
  • position one at the point of a V neck
  • add one to the waistline of a skirt or dress instead of wearing a belt
  • attach one to a belt
  • pin one to the wrist of a shirt or jacket

I even read about one woman who liked to pin a sparkly dragonfly to the back of her shoulder!

If you’re wearing a brooch, or especially a cluster of them, be careful that they aren’t too heavy for the fabric. To prevent them from pulling it down, try pinning a piece of felt or sturdier fabric behind your garment to provide support. A cotton makeup pad will also work well.

A post about brooches would be incomplete without mentioning Queen Elizabeth II. Apparently she owns 98 of them and is seldom, if ever, seen without one. Many of them have historic and personal significance and some are meant to convey a message. I’m not a monarchist, but I can’t help chuckling over the fact that on July 12, 2018, the day that Donald Trump arrived in the UK for a three day royal visit, she wore one that had been given to her by the Obamas!

Art to wear

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LogoI grew up on the Pacific coast of Canada with a deep appreciation for the art of the Indigenous people of that area. Four years ago, I shared the story of the beautiful hummingbird ring made by Haisla artist, Hollie Bear Bartlett, that hubby gave me for Christmas.

This Christmas, I received some more wearable Pacific coast art!

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The cozy, reversible wrap, was a gift from the Vancouver branch of our family; our oldest son, his wife, and their two sons. A product of Native Northwest, it features the work of Coast Salish artist, Doug Horne. You can probably see the whale motif best in this photo. Look for the rounded head, the toothy mouth, and the blowhole on top.

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In the stories of the Northwest Coast, the killer whale, or orca, is associated with strength, dignity, prosperity, and longevity.

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100% of the art featured on Native Northwest products is designed by Indigenous artists and used with their consent. Artist names and cultural affiliations are acknowledged on all packaging and the artists are paid in fees and royalties.

In addition to my beautiful wrap, hubby and I received two Native Northwest masks from another family member. Here, I’m wearing the eagle design by Haida artist, Roger Smith. Eagles are associated with guidance, hope, healing, and the pursuit of freedom.

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You can easily see the tentacles on Ernest Swanson’s octopus on the mask on the right. Swanson comes from a long line of established Haida artists. The octopus is respected in the Northwest coast culture for its ability to adapt to change. The raven mask on the left, by well-known Tsimshian artist, Roy Henry Vickers, is one that I purchased when we were in Vancouver in October. It was produced by Oscardo, another company that partners with Canadian and Indigenous artists and pays royalties for each product sold. The raven is an important figure in Northwest coast art and mythology. Known as a trickster, he has the power to transform both himself and other beings. He can even change animate to inanimate, and vice versa. Hopefully, when I wear the mask, he transforms Covid into something harmless!

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Perhaps this is a good time to talk about the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. Cultural appropriation involves adopting an element of another culture without respect for its meaning or significance or with the purpose of exploiting the culture for personal gain. Appreciation, on the other hand, involves a desire to learn about another culture in order to broaden one’s perspective and understanding. It also involves fair compensation and giving credit where credit is due. That’s why it’s so important to me to learn the meaning behind the symbols that appear on my wearable art and why I appreciate the fact that companies like Native Northwest and Oscardo credit the artists and pay royalties for their work.

If you’re interested in knowing more about the stories behind the symbols and creatures that appear in the art of the Pacific Northwest, the book Understanding Northwest Coast Art by Cheryl Shearar is an excellent resource.

One less cancer!

/ edebock / 12 Comments

It’s been several months since I wrote an update about my health which is usually a good thing because it means that there’s been nothing new to report. This week saw something very big happen though! Before I get into that, let me begin with a bit of history for those who are new to the blog.

In the early fall of 2013, I was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer (NETS) which is incurable, but often treatable. Exactly seven months later, a second completely unrelated cancer was found in a my left parotid (saliva) gland. Treatment on the first cancer was halted while that one was removed surgically and followed up with thirty radiation treatments. Once I’d had time to heal from that, treatment on the first cancer resumed. I entered a clinical trial that involved 12 radioisotope treatments (PRRT) over a period of approximately five years. Each of these treatments left me highly radioactive for a week, but I responded well and there was some shrinkage of my tumours. In the fall of 2018, toward the end of that regimen, scans detected something suspicious in my thyroid gland which eventually proved to be yet another unrelated cancer. Since only a small percentage of papillary thyroid cancers are aggressive in nature, the decision at that time was to watch and wait. My body had been through enough and we could afford to give it time to heal before deciding how to address this latest discovery.

Skipping ahead three years to last fall, my neuroendocrine cancer continued to be stable. In fact, 20 months after my last PRRT treatment, I was still experiencing some decrease in tumour size. I was feeling great and able to live a normal, active life. Though there had been no change to the thyroid cancer, we decided that the time had come to remove it rather than taking a chance on allowing it to begin growing or spreading.

Then began the long wait due to Covid hospitalizations delaying surgeries! Finally, on Thursday morning, the same amazing surgeon who did my previous neck surgery removed my thyroid. I woke up very early that morning with two distinctly different kinds of cancer and a few hours later I had only one again! It’s taking awhile for the reality of that to truly sink in.

After an overnight stay in the hospital, I’m home and feeling remarkably well considering. I’ve needed nothing more than Tylenol for pain which is such a blessing as heavy duty pain killers make me nauseous. My neck feels a bit like someone held me in a headlock for an extended period of time which is probably pretty similar to what happened during the 3.5 hours of surgery! I have a very husky voice as the result of some difficulties with the breathing tube, but that should gradually heal over the next couple of weeks. I had a super good sleep last night and now I’m just going to lean back and take it easy for a few days! During the first week of March, I’ll be back in the city for a follow up appointment with the surgeon as well as CT scans to check on the neuroendocrine cancer. In the meantime, I’m just rejoicing over having one less cancer!

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That skirt again

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LogoThree weeks ago, I shared this skirt with you. It was one of my most recent thrift store finds. One of my personal fashion rules is that everything in my closet should be able to be worn at least three ways, so I’ve been playing around with the skirt and looking for other things to wear it with. Today, we’re going to look at two combinations that I tried and discuss why I think one works better than the other.

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First, I tried the skirt with this turtleneck sweater that’s been in my wardrobe for many years. The colour worked, but I felt frumpy. That definitely wasn’t a look I was going for! But what was the problem? The sweater is a bit bulky and very straight. I don’t have a girlish figure and the shapeless sweater emphasized that. It made me look thick in the middle! I tried adding a long necklace and belting it at my natural waist, but I still felt frumpy, so this look was a no go for me.

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I think this look is much better. The V neck, the shape of the sweater and its shirttail hem give me a more streamlined look. The necklace and the glimpse of navy at the neck draw the eye away from my midsection and toward my face.

What do you think? Do you agree with my assessment?

I meant to have hubby take a close-up shot to show you the jewelry I was wearing, but I forgot, so here they are.

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I’ve had the necklace for about 20 years. it was a gift from a very dear friend who lost her battle with breast cancer 15 years ago, so it’s very special to me. The cameo earrings are my latest purchase from cabi. Aren’t they exquisite? I felt a bit like I should be walking around a heritage house or maybe a stone castle instead of my 1980s bungalow!

I’m a Christian feminist

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I’m a Christian feminist. Yes, there is such a thing and no, that f word isn’t an obscenity.

The label may not be a familiar one, but Christian feminism predates well known secular feminists and activists including Simone de Beauvoir, Betty Friedan, and Gloria Steinem. There is, in fact, a long history of Christian women devoting themselves to fighting for the status of women, and the right of women to vote, to own property, and to defend themselves in a court of law against rape and domestic abuse. Women like Nellie McClung who, based on her understanding of God’s intention for creation, together with Emily Murphy, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Irene Parlby and Louise McKinney, launched a legal challenge that would pave the way for women to be declared “persons” under law and to participate equally in all aspects of life in Canada. Thankfully, theirs is a rich tradition of pro-life feminism that continues today.

Within the Christian church, there are two schools of thought regarding the roles of men and women. Complementarians believe that men and women, though equal in worth, are meant to have distinctly different roles. Egalitarians, while agreeing that men and women are equal in worth, believe there should be no gender restrictions on what roles they can fulfill. Marriage and ministry are the primary points of disagreement between the two viewpoints.

When we first married, I was a baby Christian. I tried to be the submissive wife that my husband had been taught was his due simply because he was born with a Y chromosome and an extra appendage. It didn’t work. He wasn’t a good leader and, truth be told, I wasn’t a good follower. All the while, I wondered why God would want me to submit to a sinful man. Then I realized that He didn’t. We were meant to be partners, submitting to one another (Ephesians 5:21) with God as the head of our household.

But what about Ephesians 5:22-24 and Colossians 3:18, verses that exhort wives to submit to their husbands? We can’t simply ignore portions of scripture because they make us uncomfortable or dismiss the parts we don’t like. Sometimes we have to grapple with scripture. We have to understand the context and the time in which the words were written. We have to dig deep and seek to understand the principles being taught and then figure out how to apply them in our time and place.

“It’s dangerous to cherry-pick a few stand-alone verses, particularly when they are used as a weapon to silence and intimidate, effectively benching half the church… We can’t read letters written to specific people with specific situations in mind in a specific context and then apply them, broad-brush, to the whole of humanity or the church or even our own small selves.”  Sarah Bessey, Jesus Feminist

These select verses telling wives to submit to their husbands line up with the Greco-Roman household codes that were part of Pax Romana law at the time and in the place that the apostle Paul was writing his epistles. They were the law of the land at that time and, as in Romans 13:1-2, Paul is telling his readers that “everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities.”

Interestingly, just four verses after Colossians 3:18 instructs women to submit to their husbands, verse 22 tells slaves to obey their earthly masters. While wives must submit is a core teaching in most Christian churches today, no one takes that verse literally and suggests that slavery is actually a godly practice. I jokingly respond that if I have to submit to my husband, I also want my slave!

In addition to slavery, which is never actually prohibited in the Bible, the church has rightfully done away with many Biblical practices including polygamy, the buying and selling of daughters, stoning, the requirement that baby boys be circumcised, and many other ancient practices that were once culturally acceptable. Gender inequality is just one more example of an injustice that we need to let go of.

Nowhere in the Bible does it suggest that any of the gifts of the Spirt, which include teaching, pastoring, prophecy, evangelism and leadership (Romans 12, Ephesians 4, 1 Corinthians 12), are gender specific and yet many Christian churches today exclude women from these roles. Sadly, in spite of the fact that there are numerous examples of women leading, teaching, ministering, and prophesying in scripture, patriarchy is alive and well in many churches today. This is clearly contrary to Acts 2:18 which says “Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.” Paul himself says in Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

I served on the board of our previous church for seven years, but in our present church I would not be allowed to because I’m a woman. I’m okay with me not being on the board, but I’m not okay with half the church being denied full opportunity to use their God-given gifts simply by virtue of being female and I’m not okay with a church board not having the benefit of the female perspective. The very first chapter of the very first book of the Bible makes it abundantly clear that God created male and female in His image and gave THEM dominion over all that He had made.

According to Genesis, God did create Adam first, but He also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” The original word translated in English Bibles as helper or helpmeet is ezer, a word used twenty-one times in the Old Testament: twice in Genesis for the woman, three times for nations that Israel appealed to for military aid, and sixteen times for God Himself as Israel’s helper! God created His daughters to be ezers, strong and resourceful partners for His sons. He also makes it clear that in relationship, they are to become one. That’s partnership, not patriarchy! When a woman is held back, hushed up, minimized or lessened in any way, she is not free to walk in the fullness that God intended for her as His image bearer, His ezer.

“When half the church holds back – whether by choice or because we have no choice – everybody loses and our mission suffers setbacks.” Carolyn Custis James, Half the Church

So what do I make of 1 Corinthians 14:35 which says “If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.”? Again, if we were to delve into the historical context for this verse, we would find that it was written in direct response to disruptions that were occurring in the Corinthian church at that time. The underlying principle is not that women 2000 years later should be forbidden from speaking in church, but that a church service ought to be orderly, not chaotic, a topic that Paul actually begins to address at the beginning of chapter 11.

And what about 1 Timothy 2:12 “I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man; she must be silent.”? Again, Paul’s restriction was given in the context of a personal letter to Timothy giving advice about a specific issue concerning false teaching that had arisen in the church at Ephesus. There is no suggestion that he was establishing church policy for all time. Neither is there any mention of this in the rest of Paul’s writings or elsewhere in the Bible. As has already been mentioned, there are clear examples elsewhere in scripture of women teaching, prophesying, and taking leadership roles.

So why do I, a Christian feminist, stay in a male-dominated church? First of all, there aren’t a lot of options in our small community. Fortunately, however, there are ways that I can use my spiritual gifts of teaching and faith within the confines of a patriarchal setting and I’ve always been comfortable worshipping with genuine believers who don’t see eye to eye with me on all matters. I also believe that God has placed me behind enemy lines, so to speak, for a reason. Though it likely won’t happen in my lifetime, I can pray for change and speak for justice for the women of the future. I may not be allowed to preach from the pulpit, which I don’t feel called to do anyway, but I can speak the truth, as I know it, when opportunity presents itself and I can certainly preach it from my keyboard!

For further reading on this topic, I highly recommend:

  1. Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women, Carolyn Custis James
  2. Jesus Feminist: An Invitation to Revisit the Bible’s View of Women, Sarah Bessey
  3. The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth, Beth Allison Barr
  4. A Year of Biblical Womanhood, Rachel Held Evans

This is, of course, a controversial topic. I invite dialogue in the comment section, but I also insist that it remain a safe and respectful place for the expression of differing viewpoints and experiences.

Must haves for 2022

/ edebock / 4 Comments

LogoThe internet is filled with lists of fashion items that every well dressed woman “must have” in her closet. Though I have neither, most agree that we should have at least one white button up shirt and a little black dress. Today, however, for my first fashion post of the new year, I want us to look at a completely different list found in Colossians 3:12-14.

“Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience… and over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Whether you work from home in your pjs, wear a uniform each day, dress to impress in a corporate boardroom, or don PPE to care for the sick and dying, you won’t go wrong if you clothe yourselves in these six items.

When the young mother in front of you holds up the line in the grocery store while she fumbles in her purse for her wallet and tries to hush her crying toddler, practice patience. Have compassion for the cashier and offer her a word of kindness when it’s finally your turn at the till. When a friend, overwhelmed by the world that we live in today, posts another negative and poorly informed tirade on Facebook, be gentle with your response. When someone at work offers constructive criticism, accept it with humility and consider whether or not they might be right. Show love by listening to another’s story and acknowledging their struggles or by doing something unexpected for someone else without expecting anything in return.

Even if your smile is hidden behind a mask, your beauty will shine through for all to see when you clothe yourself in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and love.

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