cardigans

Girls. Girls. Girls. I lived in a sorority village type situation.  A 14-story apartment building, all girls, all sororities.  Each chapter has a different floor.  Move-in day was every father’s nightmare.  Just picture about 700 J. Crew outlet stores moving their entire inventory up fourteen flights of stairs.  Not to mention the shoes, toiletries and furniture (that’s cuter than the provided furniture) that all had to make it into 330 rooms.  I admit it freely.  I was one of them.  My monogrammed duvet cover had to match perfectly with the pink lamp shades.  Between my roommate and I, Ann Taylor had made enough money to stay in business for at least 3 seasons nationwide.  Living on the 11^th floor, I had 52 other closets to live out of, but yet I was always in the mood for shopping.  I am never satisfied.  It comes with being a girl.  And a woman.  It’s a constant battle between need and satisfaction.  “Julianne, do you NEED that adorable, embellished cardigan?” “Julianne, do you NEED those charming Coach flats?” 

Nope, I never do.  But sometimes I feel like society tells me I’m not good enough.  I need that Louis Vuitton handbag so that people will notice me.  Pay attention to me.  Isn’t that what it’s all about? Attention?  We want the cutest room so all of our friends will come sit and admire, and want to spend time in it.  We want those cute flats so that everyone will compliment them and ask to borrow them.  I’m not even sure it’s about the flattery. But I’m positive it’s about the attention.  We throw ourselves at that boy regardless of whether he tells us we’re fat or ugly, because at least he’s paying attention.  Too many girls, and women, forget that they’re never  forgotten.  They feel forgotten because they’re not the mold.  We’re told constantly we have to be a certain way.  And when we’re not that way we feel no one pays attention.  That’s why girls often purposely attract negative attention.  We’re all like Britney.  Any attention is good attention.  We’re selfish.  We want all the attention.  We want all eyes on us.  We want to be noticed.  So, that’s when I have to tell myself, “Julianne, is that spray tan really going to be bringing attention to the things you want to bring Glory to?” Why don’t our actions want to bring attention to God’s light instead of to ourselves? 

• 1 Corinthians 10:23: “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive. ”
• Romans 1:21: "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened."
• Revelation 4:11: "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."
• Isaiah 43:7: “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”
• Philippians 1:9-11: “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God."