Please know that I do not post this lightly or without much prayer. It has been sitting in my drafts for about two months. I never want to offend or alienate anyone. That being said, it weighs heavy on my heart for several reasons. The first one being modesty. The second being safety. I have friends who have found that the pictures they took of their children and posted to their blogs AND Facebook have been stolen and used in completely inappropriate ways. Sick, twisted, disgusting and heartbreaking. Not something you would ever want for your photos. Or your kids. Let's not give that kind of people an easy job!
Modesty. Oh friends, allow God to speak to your heart on this one. I know our family, when truly seeking God's direction, always finds room for improvement in this area of our lives.
With that being said....
Oh! The posts. The status updates. The pictures on Facebook. The girls in the stores.
I have said it before and I will say it again...where ARE their mommas?
Oh wait, I see them. Standing beside them. Posting the pictures of them. Not modest ones!
Oh my.
If I told you all an eleven year old boy was looking at your daughter's barely clothed body, how would you feel?
How about the 20 year old in the store?
Or your friend's husband on Facebook?
Or the child molester?
Creeped out yet?
Maybe you should be.
Because what you seem to think is cute, those guys see as nothing more than lingerie. It covers no more and sometimes even less.
Please, mommas. Protect your daughters. Don't encourage immodesty and then paste pictures of them everywhere half dressed in sexy poses.
Your job is to protect them. Not promote them.
It breaks my heart. I am pretty sure it breaks Gods. It reminds me of the line from a song, "Break my heart for what breaks yours..."
Blessings,
I am linking up with Amy this week at Raising Arrows!
Also linking up with Caroline at The Modest Mom!
I love these two women! I encourage you to visit their sites and be encouraged!
Also linking up to Hearts at Home blog hop. A great place to connect with other moms!
Welcome! Follow our family of 6 on our military moving, God loving, homeschool adventure! We are honored you have joined us and look forward to hearing from you.
Michele, this same post has been on my heart too! The women at our church need a lesson in modesty. I hate it that my husband has to watch where he looks at all times! Its just crazy.
ReplyDeleteYes, sadly our churches are not immune.
DeleteYou mean you don't think those 50 foot Victoria Secret window displays in the mall aren't the coolest thing ever? I can't even take my children to the mall. Sad.
ReplyDeleteHa! We tell the boys to guard their eyes!
DeleteThank you for your courage in posting this!! My heart too breaks for these girls most of whom don't have a clue what they're doing!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, I will admit I sat on it for a while afraid to offend, but God wouldn't let me off that easily! Yes, it is sad...we have got to do a better job of teaching them!
DeleteVisiting from Welcome Home Wednesday. Thanks for sharing on modesty today for our youth.
ReplyDeleteWelcome! Thanks for coming over!
DeleteThank you for posting. I've been talking a lot about this subject lately. I am so glad to know that I am not alone. :)
ReplyDeleteNope, not alone Brandi!
DeleteProtection is an aspect of modesty that isn't usually mentioned. Unfortunately, in the world we live it, it is a very important aspect. Thank you for bringing it up.
ReplyDeleteDh is a Christian Counselor and he said we'd be shocked at the # of sex addicts in the church, let alone outside of it. Decency, both in how we dress, and in how we think, must be taught to our kids.
ReplyDeleteIt is a scary thought, Lisa! I tell my kids all the time, just because someone claims to be a Christian does not make them good.
DeleteI am thankful that I have a boy child. It's hard for parents now a days to dress their girl children well. So much is immodest, or geared for teens.
ReplyDeleteAnnette @ A Net in Time
http://anetintimeschooling.weebly.com/a-net-in-time-blog.html
Don't think for a minute that our boys are safe from this! even our boy children are being targeted with immodest clothing- skinny jeans that leave nothing to the imagination, tight tshirts designed to show off their physiques. Low slung swim trunks; not to mention inappropriate tshirts featuring graphics and rebellious wording- and that's what I find while shopping for my 5 year old son.
DeleteOur sons need just as much prayer if not more.
I agree Sarah that the boys are catching up in the immodesty department. I do think it is a easier thing to police, Annette.
DeleteEven with our young daughters we are very careful about the clothes they wear. My Cessa will often see someone wearing something and say, "Momma that is so unappropriate." :)
ReplyDeleteGood for her! You must be something right!
DeleteThank you for sharing what was on your heart. As the mom of 6 girls, modesty is something we try to teach at a very young age.
ReplyDelete6 girls! What a blessing that must be!
DeleteWhat a wonderful post! I am sharing on my FB page!!
ReplyDeleteAmy
https://www.facebook.com/WildflowerRamblings
http://wildflowerramblings.com/
Oh Amy, thank you for sharing. This post has reached over 1000 people as of this afternoon. Maybe together we can get the modesty message out there!
DeleteAmen Michele! Amen!
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteGreat post! It's also something that weighs on my heart. I'm so glad you posted this! I'm definitely sharing it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
DeleteSo where does everyone find decent clothing? It's nearly impossible to find dresses which are not too short, too low or too tight here in New Jersey! I am so frustrated, I may take a sewing refresher course and start making my own clothes! Sometimes a style might be okay, but the material is so thin, it's indecent!
ReplyDeleteHello! I'm Michele's daughter, Ashton. =) We find many cute and modest items at thrift stores and I also sew clothes for myself and family and friends. Sometimes we shop online or we modify clothes. We have also found that camisoles save the day when it comes to clothes that are too thin or too low in the front. Mom and I also wear cardigans over shirts. Much of the time you just have to be creative with clothes, or make small changes to make them modest. I am convinced that layers are a girl's best friend! =)
DeleteI do pretty well thrifting and also trying to keep my wardrobe to just ten outfits and two for church/ special occasions. If you can come up with 10 reasonably modest outfits you've got plenty. I think lots of people fall into the idea that they need to go shopping every season (not you necessarily), and own way more clothing than they really need. When I became interested in dressing modestly, it went along naturally with buying and owning fewer things.
DeleteI agree. I've often wondered about pictures of little girls in bathtubs on blogs. Who knows who's looking at that.
ReplyDeleteOh my yes! I was probably one of those moms at one time. What we think is so cute and innocent is seen so differently by others. Such a sad state of affairs!
DeleteI completely agree with your post! We try hard to dress and teach modesty...but many are only focusing on girls. We do not allow our boys to go shirtless or walk around with saggy pants showing off their undies. That is just as inappropriate as scantally clad girls. Thank you for speaking truth :)
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome. I love your thoughts about the boys. Since mine are still fairly young, I guess I have not given as much thought to that aspect. Guess I need to! Do your boys go shirtless at the pool? Our 11 year old does not, our 6 year old still does sometimes.
DeleteThis is a subject that's been close to my heart for a long time. My hubby and I are expecting our first child in November (a boy), and I'm already deep in prayer for guidance on how to raise him with the discernment recognize these issues and develop a respectful nature. Thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDeletetheblossomingbump.com
You are so welcome. Many blessings for that new baby to come. Good for you for thinking about it early on. It is always better to have a plan! There are some great resources out there for raising Godly men!
DeleteThank you for your post. I grew up in a Christian "bubble" of sorts...Christian home, church, school, even college, yet I failed to receive Biblical teaching about the temple God gave me. I have, however, recently read a book (find it here: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/315320) that teaches the Biblical worldview about one's body (not just what we wear, but so much more about the body). It isn't very long and I found it well worth the read. Thank you for your boldness! God bless you!
ReplyDeleteGreat post....so true! Having grown up in the church (Christian home and school and even college), a book I recently read (find it here: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/315320) showed me how little I had learned about what God says about the temple He gave me and how He requires that I treat it. It isn't a very long book, but it is well worth the read....a Biblical worldview with scriptural, practical applications for our lives. I am so happy to have a better "starting point" from which to work as my husband and I seek to train up our seven children (4 girls, 3 boys) in the way HE would have them go! God bless you!
ReplyDeleteAmen! Amen! Amen!
ReplyDeleteVery well said! It breaks my heart too and I like you don't know how to say it without offending. I realize that many moms just don't know. The culture has them so blinded. I pray their eyes are opened. Thank you for being brave enough to say it!
ReplyDelete