Girl on a Journey: Clothing: Day 26

Only 2 more days!!! This has been an interesting month, much harder than I thought it would be. I also learned some great things… but none of which I thought I “should” be learning going into this month. God has a great way of doing that.

I FINALLY got to go on a date with my husband (it has been 3 months) and I sported the ever famous Psalm 138:14 shirt and a pair of jeans (that I have worn it about 47 times- slight exaggeration). He made mention that there was just something about that outfit that does it for him. :) I appreciate him being a good sport throughout the month. He never once complained about seeing the same thing day in and day out.

Date night!

I would say this month has taught me a lot of things… and by day 26 I would say 99% of the time, I am not really caring about what people think about my clothing. But I did have a moment this week… It was Monday and I was wearing my long striped dress. I went to pick kids up from summer school and someone made mention of how cute my dress was.

Sidebar: I kind of struggled with telling people or not telling people about this month’s fast. Obviously anyone that would read the blog or close friends knows I am doing it, but I don’t want it to become a “look what I am doing” kind of thing. I want to make sure that I keep the focus on what the reason is for doing each month’s fast. It becomes a fine line for me to say “here is what I am doing and how God is changing my life” and “look what I am doing”. I try to find opportunities to talk about it, but I really struggle with how much, if any, to talk about it with people unless they bring it up.

Back to the situation: So the lady commented on my dress in a lobby full of parents picking up their kids. A couple other moms commented how it was cute, asked where I got it, things like that. Two days later, when I was in the same dress as I was on Monday ( I have also worn this dress multiple times a week the previous 3 weeks to pick up kids)… I purposely avoided the lobby! I waited until most parents left before I went in to pick up my kids because I was afraid someone would notice I was in the same “cute dress”. I’m not sure if it is pride issue or a vanity issue, but I was disappointed with my reaction none the less. It really hasn’t bothered me all month long, but once someone pointed out something I was wearing.... it all the sudden became an insecurity again. I can’t believe even at the end of this month, I still struggle with little things like that.

The striped dress.

I guess I still have a lot for God to teach me in these areas. And that is one of the wonderful things about this process… there is so much to learn. Things you didn’t know you struggled with, God will show you. Things He wants your heart to be softened towards, He will find a way. I am having a love/hate relationship with this fast. I LOVE what I am learning but I HATE some of the things I have to do to learn them. I think the thing I am loving the most thus far is the doors it is opening… mostly with relationships. Friends or family that will read something and then send me a note or a message or phone call on how they can relate, they have the same struggles, or they are inspired in some way to make a small change. Some are people I haven’t spoken to in years, and some of them are people I am going through life with right now, and had NO idea they shared the same struggles. It is really encouraging beyond words to know that I am not alone. I’m so thank you for people reaching out. It is more appreciated than you know.

I got to stand in that “cute dress” in the rain through a ballgame that night. Cold, rain, and sundress do not go well together. And since I got home and had no clean clothes to change into… I got to sit in that wet dress until it was dry. I think I have enough clothes to last the next 2 days… and I managed to only have to sit in a sheet/towel 3 times the entire month to do laundry. :)