What's "In" for Spring
I'm not a huge TV watcher, but occasionally, I run across a series that captures my interest. One such series ran a couple of years ago called "What Not to Wear (WTNW)." I wasn't such a big fan that I can tell you what day and time it aired, but whenever I was flipping channels and happened to run across Clinton and Stacy giving some fashion-senseless woman a wardrobe makeover, I had to stop and watch. Just in case WNTW was never a part of your TV-watching experience, here's the rundown on how the show worked. A camera crew from WNTW would secretly film some unsuspecting fashion-challenged woman over a couple of weeks or so. Said woman would have been nominated for a makeover by caring, loving (?) friends and family because she "is just so beautiful/smart/funny/kind/talented, but she doesn't dress the part." In a surprise ambush (at least that's the word that always entered my mind), this lady's caring tribe would be joined by Clinton and Stacy for a quick viewing of the film crew's proof that this lady was in need of some serious help. Said victim -- er, I mean Lucky Lady (LL) would then be offered the chance to run off to New York for a week for an all-expenses paid wardrobe/hair/makeup makeover. And, gosh, there she was on camera with her caring tribe, and what kind of crazy would she be to turn down THAT deal?!
The first step was always the one that looked the hardest to me. Clinton and Stacy would empty LL's closet -- shoes, accessories, and all -- and inspect each item. Most if not all of her wardrobe pieces ended up being not cool enough to keep -- thereby meeting their demise in a pretty good-sized trash can. Ouch! LL almost always objected strenuously to all of her now deemed uncool stuff heading to the dumpster, and I think I related to that part of the show the most. I could only imagine someone going through MY cool stuff and not only tossing it but pretty much wondering how I had ever managed to get this far in life looking like THAT! But I digress.
Anyways, Clinton and Stacy would coach LL on attractive styles and colors for her body type and skin tone, etc., hand her a credit card, and turn her loose on what seemed the priciest shopping venues in the Big Apple -- no chain stores for this gal! She would then attempt -- sometimes not very wholeheartedly, it seemed -- to make purchases using the guidelines given by her fashion mentors. A new 'do, some glam makeup, and a few VERY EXPENSIVE outfits later, and LL was lookin' good and was ready for a big reveal of her new self to that caring tribe waiting back home for her at some swanky gathering place. And there ya go -- Clinton and Stacy just saved another fashion nightmare from herself.
Why did I love this show so much? Partly because I secretly wished they would rescue me from my mediocre -- at best -- sense of haute couture. But I think that mostly I love a good makeover! And along those lines, I present to you the spring line-up for God's gals.
First, of course, we'll need to do a Clinton and Stacy-style wardrobe cleansing. We're basically gonna have to get rid of our whole old self. Ephesians 4:22 says, "You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." With great dramatic flair, "let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles." (Hebrews 12:1) That pretty much empties the closet, so to speak. And of course, any accessories we may have had tucked away need to go, too. "But now rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." (Colossians 3:8-10)
Feeling a draft yet? Not to worry. God's got you covered -- literally! And kinda like Clinton and Stacy, He's not letting you get away with bargain outfits. He's going for the good stuff! "For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10b) And you don't have to just parade around in those fancy garments and robes. A girl's got to have some bling to really sparkle! How 'bout a little "compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience?…And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Colossians 3:12, 14) And there's always that "warrior girl" look made popular in Ephesians 5:13-18! All the cool girls are rockin' the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, and prayer. And ladies, what believer's outfit would be complete without the heavenly garment -- white clothing given to those who overcome? (Revelation 3:5)
The wardrobe given to LL came at a high price. That high-limit prepaid credit card afforded Lil' Miss Fancy the best physical transformation money could buy. But the transformation of our souls comes at a MUCH higher price. God sent His own Son to earth to live a perfect life and to die as a perfect sacrifice for OUR sins so that we could be made new -- so that the old self in each of us could die and be replaced by the new self. Pretty much, it cost Him everything.
So honor your Creator today. Dress up like the daughter of the King that you are! Turns out, those garments and robes, the spiritual bling, that heavenly garment -- they're CLASSICS! So trade in the old for the new, and celebrate this season of transformation like never before!
The first step was always the one that looked the hardest to me. Clinton and Stacy would empty LL's closet -- shoes, accessories, and all -- and inspect each item. Most if not all of her wardrobe pieces ended up being not cool enough to keep -- thereby meeting their demise in a pretty good-sized trash can. Ouch! LL almost always objected strenuously to all of her now deemed uncool stuff heading to the dumpster, and I think I related to that part of the show the most. I could only imagine someone going through MY cool stuff and not only tossing it but pretty much wondering how I had ever managed to get this far in life looking like THAT! But I digress.
Anyways, Clinton and Stacy would coach LL on attractive styles and colors for her body type and skin tone, etc., hand her a credit card, and turn her loose on what seemed the priciest shopping venues in the Big Apple -- no chain stores for this gal! She would then attempt -- sometimes not very wholeheartedly, it seemed -- to make purchases using the guidelines given by her fashion mentors. A new 'do, some glam makeup, and a few VERY EXPENSIVE outfits later, and LL was lookin' good and was ready for a big reveal of her new self to that caring tribe waiting back home for her at some swanky gathering place. And there ya go -- Clinton and Stacy just saved another fashion nightmare from herself.
Why did I love this show so much? Partly because I secretly wished they would rescue me from my mediocre -- at best -- sense of haute couture. But I think that mostly I love a good makeover! And along those lines, I present to you the spring line-up for God's gals.
First, of course, we'll need to do a Clinton and Stacy-style wardrobe cleansing. We're basically gonna have to get rid of our whole old self. Ephesians 4:22 says, "You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." With great dramatic flair, "let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles." (Hebrews 12:1) That pretty much empties the closet, so to speak. And of course, any accessories we may have had tucked away need to go, too. "But now rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." (Colossians 3:8-10)
Feeling a draft yet? Not to worry. God's got you covered -- literally! And kinda like Clinton and Stacy, He's not letting you get away with bargain outfits. He's going for the good stuff! "For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10b) And you don't have to just parade around in those fancy garments and robes. A girl's got to have some bling to really sparkle! How 'bout a little "compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience?…And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Colossians 3:12, 14) And there's always that "warrior girl" look made popular in Ephesians 5:13-18! All the cool girls are rockin' the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, and prayer. And ladies, what believer's outfit would be complete without the heavenly garment -- white clothing given to those who overcome? (Revelation 3:5)
The wardrobe given to LL came at a high price. That high-limit prepaid credit card afforded Lil' Miss Fancy the best physical transformation money could buy. But the transformation of our souls comes at a MUCH higher price. God sent His own Son to earth to live a perfect life and to die as a perfect sacrifice for OUR sins so that we could be made new -- so that the old self in each of us could die and be replaced by the new self. Pretty much, it cost Him everything.
So honor your Creator today. Dress up like the daughter of the King that you are! Turns out, those garments and robes, the spiritual bling, that heavenly garment -- they're CLASSICS! So trade in the old for the new, and celebrate this season of transformation like never before!