What Would Grandmother Do?

My Grandmother and me when I was about 4. :D

What would Grandmoter do?

Three years ago I was sixteen and Fabulous! I had just conquered a depressive illness that had trapped me in the house for two years! But that's a story for another day.... The point was, I was free. I could do anything I wanted, Go anywhere, wear anything. My parents have always been relaxed with their rules on this only child. So long as Jesus was okay with it, I could do anything.

So that Christmas, While surfing the net, I found the prettiest dress I had ever seen. I immediately called my aunt and had her pick it up. It was red and white with a tulle underskirt, a sleeveless halter. Back then, needless to say, modesty was NOT my goal. It was seriously low cut, but what did I care?I was covered, and hey, I looked HOT! I cried when my parents made me pin it up an inch.

But I still got to wear it. I could walk in to my Uncle's house Christmas eve and WOW everyone. I mean the last time they saw me I looked horrid, tee-shirt and shorts trapped to a frozen gatorade bottle. So here was my chance to shine! I was so excited, all dressed up and flashy, I walked through the door with a swagger to my step. The first thing I did was walk over to my then 81 year old grandmother and give her a loving hug. I was excited, what will Grandmother say about my new dress? "Oh!" She said "You look..." She pause and mentally I inserted, "Fabulous, wonderful, How about Beautiful?"

"Cold"

Yup... She couldn't say anything bad.. but she sure was thinking it...

You'd think I was crushed, isn't that how the story goes? But no, I got my compliments from the rest of the family and was properly "Worshiped" I even wore the dress again several times.

This year I stood in the fitting room with a low cut sleeveless and stared at the mirror. Since then my ideals have changed. a lot. I slipped in to that sexy black dress and all I could think of was my Grandmother's words. I looked gorgeous, like a model, but all I could feel was... cold...

Needless to say I didn't buy it.

So now you're thinking, "Oh, another Modesty post" But no, that's not what this is about. Modesty is your own choice. I chose a higher neckline because I got tired of people seeing me for my flesh and not who I was. But what you wear is between you and God.

You've heard the Phrase "What would Jesus do" and as Christians we use it all the time. But there's a lot of times we just don't follow it. I know I don't. Sometimes it's hard to apply what a Man did two thousand years ago,perfect though he was, to what we young women do today. So here's something, take the example of someone who's a good 40 to 80 years closer in age to Jesus, and know Him a lot better than we do.

Our Grandmothers.

My Grandmother is now 85 and still bright and chipper as ever. But she's tired and ready to go "Home." Right now is the time to learn from them. Every facet of their lives that they are willing to tell you. Pick up every strength in their faith. Seeing their steadfastness in Christ makes it a whole lot easier to follow him ourselves.

One of my Grandmother's Wedding Photos (They Eloped. :D )

My Grandmother was born in the early 20's, can you imagine what she's come through? From living in the mountains through the thirties, deffinately a "Walk to school up hill both ways" type life, to cell phones and Ipods? Not long after she married, my Grandad went off to fight in the pacific. She had her first child and raised her for a year by herself. There was so much more to her life, things she has and hasn't told me. Can you imagine the strength in these women?


So whenever you just can't figure out what Jesus would do, Ask yourself what "Grandmother" would do. If she's still here, ask her personally. She knows a lot more than you do, trust her judgement. :D