Sam's Club Secret-Agent-Dress-Shoppers

I went shopping for my homecoming dress today. Easier said than done--just ask my mother. You see, I live the by the principal of modesty. Sound like a joke in this world? Probably. But there is a method to this madness.

We, being the Latter-Day Saints, have a pamphlet titled For the Strength of Youth that spells out His standards for us teenagers, "Your body is God's sacred creation. Respect it as a gift from God, and do not defile it in any way. Through your dress and appearance, you can shoe the Lord that you know how precious your body is. You can show that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ." It later says, "Ask yourself, 'would I feel comfortable with my appearance if I were in the Lord's presence?"

Not in them 'dresses', no! I had to really look at the tag to make sure they weren't shirts. And then if you were lucky enough to find one that went past your thighs, it was cut too low at the top. And don't even get me started on sleeves.

So finally we settled for a really cute red shirt and a grey skirt that reached my knees--and it looked cuter than all the dresses put together!

But, you must understand, this is more than a boring rule. Here, let me use another metaphore; street signs. You can think them as too limiting and disobey them for the sake of pleasure and get yourself in a wreck, or you can see them as a pointer towards safety and have a nice, comfortable ride.

When trying on a few dresses to see if they were really that bad--only to see that they were--I didn't like the feeling. Sure maybe they were cute but...ugh, I just didn't like it. I didn't feel like the daughter of that God I am and had this sick, twisted sense of worldly satisfaction creeping in--blagh!

When I wore the more modest outfit, however, I felt...pretty. Beautiful even. Not really vain, just deserving. Like I was clean and sure of myself and like I didn't need the world's sleazy styles to feel accepted--because I don't. And trust me, that was the feeling I was aiming for. That's what's going to make that dance enjoyable and fun is feeling sure of myself and feeling my Heavenly Father's approval.



Oh, and I guess I should mention my other motivation: I'm lucky enough to have a date who wouldn't have it any other way. He would've felt very uncomfortable if I had chosen the other options. It was the same with my dates to Prom and Sadie's. We have some amazing young men in our town!!



Haha, then there was the other part of the trip. I was assighned to watch my baby brother in the huge block of isles called Sam's Club. But this takes more than sight. It takes hearing, patience, sense of humor, optomism, imagination, fair physical health, good running shoes, loud hollering voice, list of excuses to tell those who question, and just about all you've got.



He wanted to play spies. So, deciding it was better than just yelling at him to slow down, I gradually got over myself and ducked practically into the freezer of frozen meat when 'someone was coming'--that someone being an employee. We then ducked behind each isle until the 'coast was clear' and then sprinted to the next one--even right in front of people--trumpeting the James Bond theme song the entire way until we found my mom.

It was great! I'm thankful for two little brothers who keep my life in perspective--one who keeps me in check and another who yanks me out of my comfort zone--and for parents who put up with all of it.