ACCESSORIES OF JOY

ACCESORIES OF JOY 

Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you.  Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.  And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love.  Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.  For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.  And always be thankful.    Colossians 3:12-15, NLV

Let it never be said that my daughter swims with the crowd.  She has always been a creative dresser; her sense of personal style takes her from the sublime to the ridiculous.  She has absolutely no desire to dress like her peers.  Tie-dye apparel, painstakingly draped scarves, wild color combinations, and cartoon high-top sneakers are some of her clothing staples. 

We made a stop at the thrift store on the way home from school today.  This was the result of approximately two weeks of begging.  She had the notion that a pair of long gloves was in order.  Her plan was to purchase a long-sleeved shirt several sizes too small for comfort.  She also desired a pair of cloth gloves.  She imagined severing the sleeves from the shirt and attaching them instead to the gloves.  It was a matter of NEED.

I relented and we found a shirt that matched her specifications.  After consulting with one of the ladies at the store, we were directed to a basket of ancient cloth gloves.  I’m sure every pair was older than me.  Aubrey immediately donned a pair of tan ones, declaring them perfect for her project.  Before we could take our items to the register, she practically shrieked with pleasure at another discovery.  Resting in the basket was a pair of elegant, ivory elbow-length gloves.  They were festooned with long rows of stitching from one end to the other.  Aubrey’s yearning was immediate. She had to have them.  As though glue were involved, she put them on and couldn’t take them off.   I conceded. 

Her delighted murmurs of admiration flowed freely from the back seat of the car as she beamed at her hands and arms all the way home.  She was already imagining the outfits she could embellish with this, her latest accessory.  She was beside herself with bliss.

Not quite two hours later, she descended from her bedroom wearing the following:  A green fabric hat (reminiscent of a 40s flapper), a t-shirt and tan pair of overall shorts, sandals, and ivory elbow-length gloves.  Though I know in my heart that allowing my daughter to display free expression will result in wonderful things, I balked as only a ‘stick-in-the mud’ mother would.   I practically begged her not to wear the gloves.  The hat I could tolerate.  The gloves were just over the top.   We were going to see many people at the gathering.  I just knew that the gloves would draw unwanted attention. I asked her to reconsider.  Realizing that the lines on her face were heading for ‘crushed spirit’ territory, I caved.  It was my pride, after all, that wanted those gloves to remain in the non-public arena.

No sooner had we entered the building, one of my dearest friends asked her pointblank, “Why are you wearing those gloves?”  Aubrey’s answer was swift and unapologetic.  “Because my mother couldn’t talk me out of it.”    That’s pretty much how the evening went; though most others asked me discreetly with a casual whisper, “What’s up with the gloves?”  At one moment our friend Dorothy entered the scene with mild concern as from a distance the gloves were easily mistaken for arm casts.  I assured her without words that the only fracture was one of traditional fashion sense.  Choosing her words carefully, Aubrey’s hero Pastor Enid was thankfully and graciously complimentary of my daughter’s recent acquisition. 

The whole scene makes me smile now.  After considering my gut reaction, it occurs to me that my more dominant emotion is not one of embarrassment.  What I feel rather, is a measure of amused wonder at this zany and wonderful daughter of mine.  How freeing it would be to experience true unconcern about what others may think of me.  How truly amazing it must be to possess the gift that turns unwanted rags into banners of radiant joy.  

Picture below is many years later and with several friends who are also wonderful at BEING without stressing. Love those girls.