It’s summertime and our wardrobe changes. Cool comfortable fabrics for the heat, natural fabrics that breathe and feel light against our skin. Some outfits are sleek designer fits that reveal every curve of the body. Others wear lose flowing clothing that hides their body. Some things are just plain comfortable and versatile. We look and observe and see the outside but how many of them are comfortable wearing who they are? Am I? Are you?
Idelette in The Path talks about how she wants to “cloth generation X in Amazing”. She has such a passion for each person to wear who they are and wear it with panache. Bobbie has been talking about wearing grace. Graces gives dignity to how I walk and hold my body. With grace I am completely comfortable with who I am in God’s eyes.
This weekend I found myself wearing “gray”. Gray is neither black nor white; it is a “spirit of heaviness” and is completely the wrong “color” for me. It is so tight it constricts my heart; it squeezes out the joy and the sunshine from my laughter, my eyes and my vision and doesn’t allow me to enjoy life or those around me.
How do I wear "me" with comfort and ease? My gait is a smooth flowing stride that reflects purpose and hope, my shoulders don’t stoop with the lies that are whispered in my ear, my eyes are clear and bright and look out to find the best in others and believe the best has been given to me. My smile is not fixed or phony – it is warm and authentic and welcomes you into my world. My hands will quickly reach out to others because I am so confident with the way God has reached out to me. My voice is strong, clear and sure and is not intimidated by the voice of others. This is not how it always is, but it is how I would like to be dressed – always.
Designer fashion labels don’t define me. I am defined by how I wear “The” Designer label that says I am wonderfully complex and that I was sculpted from nothing into something (Psalm 139 - The Message and New Living). Maybe it is how I let this Designer Label be sewn into my being, into my thought process, be woven into the very warp and weft of who I am.
To be honest I don’t wear my Designer Label well. I too often believe the lies that are whispered to my heart by the evil one and let the world’s labels define me. Slowly I am becoming more familiar with those lies, recognizing them and taking off the ill-fitting clothes, exchanging this wrong fit for my authentic Designer clothing again. The synthetic fabric doesn’t allow our soul to breath but because we do not recognize the true Designer label we substitute with these. Natural fabrics, the best fitting and longest wearing Designer outfits are specifically tailored and fitted by the Couturier of Heaven. This wardrobe will only fit the one unique individual it was designed for. No duplicates are ever created. Each one cost the Designer His life in exchange for it.
The natural fabrics breathe freedom, beauty, joy and praise. The synthetic fabrics put ashes, captivity, mourning and despair upon my body. Natural fabrics allow one to be a strong and graceful oak; synthetic causes the weeds to kill all the beauty. (Isaiah 63)
I am often given the label “Steph the Chef”. I love to wear my Designer chef wardrobe. All too often though I chafe at the fact that people only see my chef wardrobe and not the other pieces of my Designer fashions. But is it their fault for not looking within, or is it my own? Perhaps I have chosen to hide some of The Designer’s wardrobe away from the view of others because I am not comfortable with wearing all of “me”. Well, not perhaps – it is the truth. As I pondered who I am and what are my dreams this weekend I realized that there is a lot of synthetic outfits in my wardrobe that need to be trashed. The tailor made Couturier wardrobe is waiting in the fitting room and I really need to make an appointment with Him! (by the way He is open 24/7 – appointments are made by calling out His name) Only when I am willing to wear all my Designer fashions will I be comfortable wearing “me”.
Oh yes tonight I am going to be courageous and check out more of my wardrobe! Here, now, in the middle of my life, nel mezzo mia vita, it is high time I enjoyed wearing every single bit of my Designer wardrobe inside and outside!
What does your wardrobe look like? Have you discovered all of it? How about having some fun in an appointment with the Heavenly Couturier this week?
5 comments:
'nel mezzo mia vita' - i love that line so much. it's so much more who i want to be rather than 'pre-menapausal'. ugh.
today i put on my floppy hat of salvation, my designer belt of truth, my feet sandled in leather comfort of the gospel of peace! :) i love this (and i'm not mocking with my words, honest) i always thought that armor was a horrible fit for me!
and i am slowly regaining that confident stride and smile that looks those around me in the eye and welcomes them into my world. but it's so hard. those tapes in my head (with the voice of my mother) cause me to doubt, isolate and second guess myself. i hate those tapes.
thank you for such a beautiful illustration of amazing!
All right Bobbie! Comfortable clothing, getting out there letting the world around you see how well you wear your Designer outfit.
I am in total agreement with your "armour" ideas. That heavy metal stuff is too like legalism and heaviness. My shoes of peace are soft leather sandals as well.
I am looking forward to hearing more wardrobe ideas and seeing what an eclectic fashion show will be displayed!
Oh my! I don't know what to say or think. Truth is, I'm too scared to open my wardrobe...don't want to face all the stuff I need to throw out.
I need to have more than just fun with Him at the moment...I need a whole new wardrobe! All I can do is ask for grace for now!
So glad that you are "wearing you"!
As I close my eyes, I see the painting I posted on my blog. And that feels like my wardrobe. I love simplicity, and fluid, classic lines. Linen shifts for summer, short and straight. With a small nip at the waist. Caressing to the touch silks, simple cottons, clothing purchased from small stores with stories in the buy, clothing found from old friends, rarely mass-produced, never anonymous. All with stories and images that speak to me as I wear them. Classic, timeless, sparse,items that become friends, that I will wear forever or until they are threadbare. The gorgeous mustard yellow of my mothers 1950's short swing coat with huge cuffs, the taupe Italian cashmere/wool subtle, classic, 3/4 coat that the airlines purchased for me when my luggage was lost on the way to my aunt's funeral. The board shorts of the final boys shopping trip in Oz, the black and beige short circle skirt and camisole that I wore the spring L and fell in love, the ivory silk camisole I wore for our wedding, the soft cotton lilac robe I bought for myself when I was exploring Queen Esther and what it meant to enjoy being a woman of beauty, a woman for such a time as this. As I accept and embrace my feminine wonder and dangerousness, I move more into a classic, natural, shapely wardrobe, and less sheer volume, with much more abundance in the fewer items that are friends. nel mezzo mia vita - the Spirit seems to speak, you are starting to choose who you are, to move into the naturalness of your beauty, to value the few. Stephanie, there is much for me to think of here! I din't know. thanks
Anj
Comfort, light, memories, looking for new clothes, clothes that suit the man or the woman! Great designer wear we have here.
Love it all.
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