Beyond Modesty?

Modesty is a subject that is often discussed in Christian circles. Most girls who claim the name of Christ realize their responsibility in this area, and want to know where the lines should be drawn. Each of us have different people, whether parents or teachers or pastor who will tell you what is a proper length for skirts, how long your shorts must be, and that your jeans must not be too tight, etc. And there are plenty of people and websites and such that discuss how to be cute and modest…how to look trendy and still not cross over the line drawn in the sand called modesty. And I’ve done the same thing myself. But lately I’ve been thinking about what it means to take the issue a step further than mere modesty. Like every doctrine or standard we discuss, each decision we make must be based upon God’s Word. Every standard—every belief we hold—we must always ask ourselves the most important question of all first. What does God think? And when you get down to it that’s really the only thing that matters.

There are the very obvious passages to which people most often turn about women and clothing, mainly 1 Timothy 2:9-10 and Proverbs 31:30—The ones that warn against braiding the hair and wearing fine jewelry and clothes. I know that whenever I have heard these passages preached on, there are always disclaimers given, like “It’s ok to want to be pretty”…”God is a God of beauty”, etc. And those things are true—not only is God a God of beauty, He is the very Creator of beauty, and He did make Eve to be beautiful in Adam’s eyes. But, as women, our natural desire to be beautiful must not be our life’s goal. Often, by putting in those disclaimers, we girls are just given license to spend most any amount of time we deem necessary to “make” ourselves pretty.  I know I don’t need the disclaimers. My problem will never be in not caring enough to make myself look presentable. So I need a balancing act on the other side. That other side being pleasing Christ and obeying Him—making those things the consuming desire, not making sure hair, clothing, and makeup are just right. The problem is that most of the time these things get out of balance in our lives. Do we spend more time in front of the mirror than in God’s Word or in doing for others?

Honestly, this isn’t a subject I particularly like. I would prefer not to think about it. I would rather just continue on my merry way, not worrying about how much focus I place on looking good on the outside. And I comfort myself by comparing myself to others and thinking I’m doing ok. After all, I rarely wear much makeup and I shop at thrift stores! J But as quickly as I think that, I realize that I need to pick myself up off the ground where I just stumbled because of the huge thing in the way called my pride. L The issue isn’t how we are doing compared to other people. God never compares us to others. He only compares us to His Son, and I know I have a long way to go there.

My brother often tells me I look beautiful or cute at the oddest times. Usually it’s first thing in the morning—with my glasses on, or when I’m not wearing any makeup—or when I’m hard at work in the garden, and I laugh and shrug it off. Then he gets serious and tries to tell me how it really is from a guy’s perspective. Or at least, from his perspective. I’m not sure he has totally convinced me yet, or maybe I’m just not sure there are other guys as great as him out there. J Nevertheless, he assures me that as a guy seeking God’s best, he is actually turned off by the ones who try so hard to look perfect, who look just about like the world does with a bit more covered. And I do know that even if his kind of thinking isn’t common, I plan to wait on one who does think that way!

Maybe I haven’t come up with all my conclusions yet. I just know that this is heavy on my mind and I’m still thinking things through. But I do know one thing for sure, and that is that to be like Jesus is my goal, and Isaiah 53:2 says that “…he hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him…” Jesus was meek and lowly, never trying to draw attention to himself in the way we so often do. His desire was never to become a great orator, or to make lots of money, or to “look good” to the people—all the things that we in this world seek after. Jesus’ sole purpose was to do the will of the Father. That right there is enough to make me at least take a second look at going beyond modesty, and moving towards being more concerned with having a gentle and quiet spirit. That is where I need my encouragement, for I really do want to have what is of great worth in God’s sight. Who wouldn’t?

My Dad & Me Family Farm Update

Thought I'd post some recent pictures. There has been SO much going on around the farm lately. We are certainly expanding, so time on the computer is cut waaaay back! That's a good thing, though! We now have six cows on our little five acre spread. Too many, really, though three of them are just babies. Besides Maggie and Jill and Ches (my horse), we now have Abby and Houston and Fudrucker and Ellie. Ellie is Maggie's second heifer, and Houston and Fudrucker are beef cows.  If you couldn't tell by the names. We will have to come up with more grass or something in the future or we will most certainly run out of pasture! The calves are growing like little weeds, and it is so cute to see them frisking about in the grass.

Me bottle feeding Ellie

Ellie growing up

Just sittin' on Ches...it was a BEAUTIFUL day, and Ches doesn't mind me up there, as long as I don't want her to actually GO somewhere.

Our milk business is doing great. We now have about 30 customers that come and buy milk and eggs from us each week. I have also recently begun offering yogurt, and that has gone over well. I get probably 2-3 calls every day on average from new customers wanting to be added to the list! It's a good thing that we will start milking Jill come March, Lord willing, because we don't have much milk left to sell that we don't use ourselves! It keeps me busy, but it has been fun meeting all these new people and keeping track of things.

David has decided to go into the "chicken business", and has bought 100 barred rock laying hens. We just finished building the new chicken coop to house them. Come April, we should be getting lots of eggs. Our other new flock of 40 will start laying in January. Right now we aren't quite able to keep up with the demand for eggs, but it shouldn't be too much longer before we will have dozens coming in daily!

I have also had another litter of dachshund puppies. This time I have FIVE girls! Yay! They are four weeks old now, and are walking around and barking their tiny little puppy barks. Four of the five are already sold. Isn't she precious?!

Bessie enjoying the autumn weather...

Ok, that's all the update I have time for right now! I'm making mozarella cheese, so I need to go check on it...

We just got back from the WILD'S College and Career Spring Retreat Sunday night. It was a good time full of challenging, convicting sermons and lots of volleyball and stairs. I'll post pictures like Jacob wants me to when he gets them to me from his computer.  

A lot has been going on lately. I've just been a little too busy to post. And it's been a really long time since I've posted anything other than some pictures, just because it takes so much time to write out my thoughts and whatnot. Picture posts take less time! But I figured I had better take the time today since Jacob has been on my case so much! It does help to write out my thoughts. I used to do better about that, and it helps clear my head and lets me retain some of my sanity.

Pieces of poems have been running through my head for months. Fragments of verses have been tossed about inside of me, but I can’t seem to get them to come out in neat verses and rhythm—just bits and pieces here and there. I haven’t even been able to write much, even though I have had so much going through my mind! Writing takes time, and I’m afraid I haven’t really taken the time necessary for anything other than a bit of journaling here and there just to keep my sanity. Here is a sort of poem that I wrote a few weeks ago, though. It is complete, though sometimes it bothers me that it isn’t in any specific form or meter. I’m afraid my thoughts at the time wouldn’t fit themselves into any mold.

Refining Fire

Leah Hammond

You ask that I wait,

So I wait.

With impatience.

You nudge me higher.

“Embrace the waiting”, You say,

And I fret.

I want my own way.

But your mercy is great,

You won’t leave me there,

In my impatience.

Gently you whisper to trust,

You are a refining fire,

I am put to the test,

Oh, how I struggle!

I resist my Father’s hand.

In desperation, I let go,

I cling fast to You,

And I rest.

I am not consumed,

I am refined.

A pleasing aroma wafts upward,

In my sacrifice,

You are glorified.

I was going through pictures tonight of last summer. I love summertime! It made me long for summertime to come again. There is nothing quite like the sticky days of Georgia mid-summer, with the acres of green grass covering our pastures, clear blue sky dotted with fluffy clouds...and most of all soaking up the delicious sunshine! Nothing quite compares to working hard all day in the garden, or on a project on the farm, and saving the dusky evening to just sit and savor the long daylight and the feeling of a job well done. A few of the pictures I ran across made me especially anticipate the warm weather coming.  

Ches and Rose in the pasture

Anna last summer as we were putting out straw on the blueberries we had just planted

Daddy "working" on the blueberries also (he looks so cute in his hat )

Zach, our farm dog

Me digging up potatoes....mmmm...those potatoes were soooo good with fresh green beans. Yum!

Anna...isn't she cute??

Bek, also putting out hay for the blueberries....

This summer we should enjoy some of the fruits of our labor. Our blueberries, Lord willing, will produce, as well as our strawberries. A bowl of those with fresh Maggie cream on top....yummy. Can you almost taste it now??? 

I'm guessing from the comments that it's time to post again.  

Well, it is kind of nice to have that many comments.

As it is late, though, and I don't have an abundance of time, this will be a rather short post. Here, finally, are some pictures from Christmas 2006.

My mom and dad, reading a letter from Dave to Daddy before he opened his gift, which was one of my dad's favorite bowls from the gallery, a beautiful hickory piece called "Milky Way". Dave's web address is http://mydadandme.net, if you would like to see more of his bowls.  They are beautiful. 

The earrings Jacob picked out just for Bekah. He is quite the jewelry shopper. The earrings he picked out for her were dainty little sapphire and diamond dangles set in white gold...just her style. A couple of Christmases ago he gave me a garnet bracelet that I just love. He is quite good at picking out pretty stuff. Some girl will be lucky one day.  

Anna, David, and Bek

Me helping my cousin Ellen with her new rollerblades.

These next couple of pictures are of me opening my gift from David. Now, Dave had been teasing me up one side and down the other just because he had a secret from me...and I hate that.  So I was already dying to know what it was that he had gotten me. I was almost trembling here...

...And look what he gave me!!! This is my absolute favorite bowl in the whole gallery. Well, ok, maybe I like "Behemoth" (visit his site to see that one )...as well as lots of other ones...but this is the only one I kept coming back to. With it's natural edge, and the fact that it is oak (my favorite wood), it really suits me better than any of them, even though I think they are all wonderful! So, needless to say, I was pretty pleased.  

We ended up getting two barn cats for Christmas (we have mice ), as well, but I don't have a very good picture of Lily and Bess right now.

Sometime soon, I hope, I can write a post, instead of always using pictures, but once again, I've run out of time! Hope this will suffice for now.