Wednesday Inspired
I have a confession to make. It could take you by surprise. I certainly don’t know how to break this news to you. This straight laced wanna be Cinderella…Cowgirl has now worn jeans to her church’s Sunday worship service.
Back Story
Now I don’t know how the rest of the world wheels and deals with Sunday clothing. But when you’re my age, and you grow up country and Baptist you take your outerwear on Sundays very seriously. All of my life I have entered church buildings everywhere with the best clothing that I own on my body.
As a young girl, I wore frilly dresses with black patent shoes. A little older there were more beautiful dresses. As a teenager (I rebelled some) I wore very cute trendy but very short dresses. As an adult I continued my devout pilgrimage. I wore dresses then dress pantsuits. (If you are making fun of me, your monitor is going to explode right now in your face. Shame on you!)
I have worn jeans to many church functions: Sunday evening church, Wednesday church and church socials. But I can’t remember ever… not even in my wanna be “hippy” stage in high school did I don blue jeans in Sunday morning church.
God has never told me not to wear jeans.
Jeans just never crossed my mind.
Recently, our church started two worship services and I have been going to the later service which is contemporary. I wasn’t sure about it at first with all the psychedelic light shows (which they toned down) and the loud band on stage (which I now love).
But two times now I have worn jeans. I apologized to my daughter the first time I wore them giving her some excuse.
She chuckled.
I apologized the second time, last Sunday, and gave yet another excuse. She told me many people had dressed that way.
I felt guilty.
This is what I have decided about wearing jeans to church on Sunday:
1. The church walls did not cave in.
2. I was not sent home for indecent exposure.
3. I didn’t feel the wrath of God come down on me.
4. My attention was on the service and not on my uncomfortable clothing.
5. I wasn’t adjusting my pantyhose without anyone seeing me. (Yes on occasion I wear them…not too often.)
6. My Bible still opened when I needed it.
7. The church bells did not ring out of protest.
8. The pastor didn’t point me out as a charlatan.
9. There were others…wearing jeans…and they weren’t …teenagers.
10. It was great.
Worshiping God has nothing to do with our clothing, but then you knew that. Our worship is a refection of our soul. It is the pouring out of love in song. It is the surrender of ourselves to someone we don’t understand, but need desperately to fill our empty places.
I will wear jeans again to worship God that's a given …probably not next Sunday, though. Baby steps, People, baby steps.
Is there an "outside the box" for you?
Comments
The one my family stayed with was a small country church where the men wore bibbed overalls and the women wore what they had. We were very comfortable with who we were, there was no judgement, as it should be. To this day, many of these long gone people still have the biggest influence on my life.
Dad was not a church man. His church was the great outdoors. Dad always declared, when Mom would try to get him to attend, that he was closer to God in the great outdoors when in any building.
God does not care what you wear, only that your heart is true.
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen
Elizabeth, I know! It hard to break out of patterns I have set for myself. I need to use this for one of my characters.
I wear jeans to church every Sunday. We have a very contemporary church. OH, and we rock out too!!! Light show...not so much. But that would be quite interesting.
And yes, Jesus doesn't care what we wear. And yes, our Bible does still open. Good for you! Enjoy your newfound comfortableness.
I agree, God doesn't care if you wear formal or casual, just as long as you're there.
Growing up I always had to go to church in a suit and tie. It was years before I ever learned to tie a tie correctly. I recall my father's frustrated breath on the back of my neck as he would tie my tie for me, even as a teenager. I loved the clip on ties.
I stopped going to church after high school, partly due to the dress issue--after all I was a bit of a hippie then.
I started going to church again when I move to California and had children of my own who needed a good influence. The dress code was far more relaxed- maybe a bit too relaxed for some. Tee-shirts and shorts are not uncommon. Maybe some of the dress is going a bit too far.
For me I like clean, neat, and comfortable. I still avoid suits and ties.
Lee
Yeah, finding my "writer's clothes" put me WAY outside the box! For someone afraid to get her ears pierced until she was near 40, I've made up for it with big hoops, wild colors, lots of dangles. It's just me!
Way outside the box I crawled into and stayed...for way too long!!
Patti
www.pattilacy.com/blog
CM, I believe the world should live in their jeans.
Joanne, I with ya on that one-ingrained. Oh and I had forgotten the hats. I loved those hats.
Mason, I'd love to read it.
Tamika, Yes for the transformation...make the things important...important. Let the rest go.
Mary, I love it! I want to look good for Jesus too.
Lee, I still think Church should be a respectful place and that includes how we dress.
Patti, However, I do love that box. :)
Best Wishes Galen.
Imagineering Fiction Blog
Good post.
Galen, It might be worth a try and who knows the book material you could get from it. :)
Janna, Exactly!
Brandy, OH MY! At least you are ok now. A HAT for a teen? Again oh my.
Welcome Becki!!! Come back anytime.
At least you're going and as you say the world didn't cave in ..
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
The church I attend has a contemporary service which my family attends. I am not a dress up kind of girl so jeans at church are just my normal attire.
But I know lots of people struggle with those attitudes and traditions that have been ingrained since childhood.
I think Jesus would be right there next to you with his Levi's on!!!
Blessings
Robin
I am from the Northwest, and it is church culture generally, for all to feel welcome however they come.
I decided that my heart is right, and I'm still the traditional gal at heart, but I will wear pants here and there and God will love me just the same. His love is unconditional!
As long as anyone dresses decently and has respect for God's house in which they are entering...that's what matters!
Angela C.