Jane's Same Old Soap Box

Kiki- you may not want to read this. OR! tell me what you think, but don't get defensive.

Last night Jane was flipping channels and came across a "reality" show about the next super model. Out of curiosity she watched for only a few minutes, but it was a life changing event. Literally hundreds of girls one by one entered a room to meet the dozen or two judges, presumably presenting their portfolios. On a screen came a slide show of photo shoots of the girl. Many were immodest, to say the least. These were YOUNG girls, I'd be surprised if they were older than sixteen, so skinny their arms looked like twigs. And there was something very unsettling about watching this for Jane. The girls WERE pretty and confident and their is nothing wrong with being skinny even though Jane, in her own insecurity, often sounds critical. But there was something wrong with the fact that this seemed very much to be ALL that these girls were being given to aspire to: Being skinny and pretty and revealing flesh. Not only that, they are setting the standard for beauty for all women. These were girls coming from all over the world to New York, because that was the epitome of the fashion and beauty industry.
What happens when these girls mature? What if they develop breasts and hips? What if they get a wrinkle? What if they want to go to college and develop their mind and or other talents? Will they have the time? Will they have the confidence to age gracefully? It scared Jane.
Not just for the girls, which honestly was a good part of it. But also for herself. How many times does Jane go to the gym with a picture of these fashion models in mind as motivation? Not that she believes she will look like them, but as an ideal. Where does Jane turn when she's looking for a new style or way of doing her make up? And this soap box is different. Somehow in the few minutes she watched this show, Jane's window of belief changed. It's NOT right to glamorize this ideal so much. Fashion magazines and catalogs and advertisements- fine, it's the world we live in. But there is something subtly wrong with it's enticement. The devil can't get to everyone with big huge sins. But he can get to us with self doubts, immodesty, the desire to be beautiful and accepted and desirable.

Tell me all your thoughts on God

I have been thinking lately what it means to be favored of the Lord. In reading the Christmas story in the Bible, Mary is said to be highly favored among women. What a wonderful blessing, but also a great responsibility. Obviously we are not going to fulfill any mission like she did. But, what does God want of us in this day and age. If He were to say to someone in our time that they were highly favored, what do you imagine that person would be like? What would she (or he) be doing and accomplishing? And again, even if we are not destined for anything so great, what are we destined for? What can we do to serve Him? Not just worship on Sunday etc, but really and truly give our lives to Him?

Sometimes I imagine what it would mean to really be a servant of God and I imagine the nuns who vow to celibacy and serving others. Or the prophets who lead the church. Great missionaries of all faiths going to foreign lands and serving and teaching. Other times, I imagine that the little bit of heaven we can bring to earth simply by being parents and good neighbors and plating flowers is what will really make the world a better place. But is that really enough?

Jane is going through a job change right now. The school she teaches at is no longer offering one of the classes she teaches and not as many of the other one. She can't support herself on this. It could be as simple as finding a new job, but, being Jane, it feels bigger, more life changing. As she seeks for her next step in life and where she will go next, she wonders about things like fate and destiny and divine intervention.

Dedicated to Glockster ;)

Jane had short hair through most of college. Not dumb short hair; fun and spunky and flattering short hair that she kept really blonde. Somehow it gave her the confidence to assert herself enough to get through it all. It was a statement: THIS IS ME!!! and she loved it.

Over the past few years, Jane has grown out her hair. When it's layered, it has great natural curl. It also bleaches nicely on it's own in the sun. Jane's allergic to most hair products- they burn holes in her skin- so she makes her own hair gel. All it takes to do her hair is scrunching it with gel and blowing it dry. In the summer, it can even air dry. It's a bit big and wild and untamed.

Jane recently trimmed her hair to get rid of the dry ends. It is now one length and doesn't curl quite the same. It's back to it's natural dark honey blonde color and falls nice and softly. It is very healthy. But it's a bit boring. So she cut bangs. Better, but yesterday Jane did her hair- blew it dry straight using several eye burning hair products and she looks good, but something's missing. It's smooth, but threatening to frizz. If you look closely you can see it aching to curl and be big and untamed.

It's like her personality. Jane tries to keep it conservative but the products burn her eyes and skin and the curl is aching to get out...

I think it's time for a haircut.