My mind is just full to the brim with thoughts. do you just keep thinking or as a blogger do you write it? Risking a galosh nosh, and it seems I'm always nibbling on that item, I'm going to say something that might be best kept to myself but that doesn't seem to be my MO.
One of my granddaughters asked her Mother...do you think Nana is ashamed of us? The shock that I felt when she relayed that to me just stunned me!!! What!! What on earth is she talking about!!??
Turns out the girls had been privy to a conversation going on in a room where they, with their silence, had sort of flown under the radar. Several wonderful LDS women, wonderfully active LDS women, were sitting and visiting, enjoying each others company and they ended up, as often happens, discussing what to do about dress standards in general and dress standards at Stake dances etc. etc. Most likely parents and their role came up also. Perhaps some specifics. I don't really know. I was not there.
There is not a reader of this blog that hasn't heard or been in on one of these discussions. At some point, some place, some time, in our mortal journey, we will be in the thick of the skimpy clothing discussion. It's ongoing. It's a challenge. low necklines and high skirts are the subject. Why is tightness sometimes overlooked? bathing suits. length of shorts. On and on. Immodesty.
A million years ago in Anchorage, at a youth conference, a non-member girl showed up in a 2 piece bathing suit at a swim event....another time there was a fashion show and a girl showed up in a strapless gown. Less dress than appropriate. The late 60's/early 70's were the first of the mini-skirts to hit our Stake. There was a girl in my Laurel class and all of her clothing was sewn to perfection by her Mother. Each high-necked, long-sleeved, loose fitting mini-skirted knit sheath dress, had color coordinated leggings and stylish shoes. She was talked about a lot. So was the Mom. The first minis were probably 6-8 inches above the knee. A huge challenge in the Stake. Dress standards, dance standards. back to that pick a little/talk a little song from The Music Man!
So this talk has been going on, this concern, probably forever. I've heard it in one form or another for 50 years! same song. same verse. True--absolutely necessary to address the situation & to encourage those leaders but even more so...encourage the parents to do all they can for the sake of modesty. The classes/teaching/training does not cause me any concern. I support and tell the Moms so on modest dress. This trying to figure out how to present standards etc. I'm all for that. I've spoken at Standard Nights. In the past, lots of them. I've read the booklet. I know it's right. Truly I do. I want to help. That is not my beef.
When we sit in judgement of people, teens/kids/adults, and judge the manner of their dress and consider them less than worthy of a real Church welcome, & make my non-member granddaughters wonder if their Nana is ashamed of them because of how they dress!? Not good. Well, I start breathing fire, judging others for judging them, and just get myself in a huge vat of boiling oil!! Have to repent. again.
I remember sitting in an early meeting and hearing it discussed as to how to tell a man he needs to wear a white shirt. I thought I was going to explode. I finally blurted out that unless the man was blind and couldn't connect the dots that he obviously would see that he was the only one not dressed in white. He would eventually take care of it. Same with a woman wearing slacks to Church.
This subject probably needs to be connected with children that are inactive. I'll do that. On Monday. I probably have the cart before the horse.
Remember in the Book of Mormon where the people weren't allowed to go to Church because of the coarseness of their clothes? somehow or other in a weird way I connect the two. and then the pride cycle kicks in and that was the cause of things starting to crash and burn. that clothing. a constant source of trouble.
If I just delete this then I have nothing ready as this is what is on my mind. So I'm just going to post it. I can delete it later or do as I said and continue on Monday when I'm cool calm and collected!!
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