Womanhood

I think a lot about the women who have been in my life, because so many of them have been mentors to me. When I make certain recipes, I think of their hands showing me how to do it and taking the time to teach me.

When I think of certain beliefs, I think of those who have testified of those beliefs which upheld me until I had my own testimony.

There are those that I admire deeply because they live their beliefs. They are paragons of virtue. That doesn't mean they are perfect, but they sure try hard to live what they believe. And they teach those beliefs to their children, or share those beliefs with others.

I have been so blessed to know women who have given up so much to have and raise kids. Some of them gave up work they adored, paychecks to be envious of, names in journals and on glass doors.

 Most women give up bodies that they liked for stretch marks and pooches, only to discover that having a child shows them what their bodies can really do.

Some women suffer over not having those babies themselves and sacrifice a lot of time and tons of money to adopt, so they can be an influence on a child.

Others hope and pray that opportunity will come to them and go on making a difference in the world in all their significant ways that probably seem insignificant to them.

Women can bear and raise children or influence others'. We provide a spiritual and moral compass in homes and communities. We take care of, nurture, support, direct, and provide.

So why are we so busy applauding and glamorizing women who do the exact opposite? I am so sick of seeing women devalue us by being sex symbols, or glorifying depravity. Why would we do this to our gender? Why are we allowing our womanhood to be raked into the mud?

Lately, I have seen a lot of articles telling males to "man up." To be the men that they should be, taking responsibility, providing for the children they have fathered, learning to work hard, putting aside their video games for a good days work, putting away their porn to find real relationships, etc.

Well, ladies, I say it is time to "woman up". Let's give men a reason to man up. Let's stop trying to show them we can do everything they can do. We don't need to take on men's roles. Let's let them do what they were designed to do. Let's give them a reason to want to protect us, whether it is from unclean jokes or unclean thoughts, or a real enemy.

We have shown the world we can do so many things men can do, unfortunately, we have forgotten to glorify the work we were, by divine design, made to do. Be women.

I am not in any way suggesting that women quit their jobs or dress in potato sacks. Nor am I suggesting that we dumb ourselves down, or become helpless. I can't imagine our world without the contributions of intelligent, capable, strong women.  I am suggesting that we dress, talk, and act in feminine ways. What does that mean?

Let's keep our language clean. I have seen article after article with bad language in it. It is so distasteful. We shouldn't be telling raunchy jokes or pretending they are acceptable in our company.

Let's dress modestly. The men I most trust and admire are those who wish more girls and women would cover up a little more. We are so much more attractive when we have something intelligent to say, or act gently, laugh genuinely and when we embrace our spirituality.

Let's value virtue and teach that to our children. Time and time again as I read classic literature I am reminded that there was a time when people noticed each others' character and placed value on those characters and decided whether or not they wanted to be associated. Maybe we need to check our values. After all, there is a reason they are called "values", because those attributes are worth having.

Do we watch, read, listen to, or glorify women who are muddying us up?

Let's stand up for what is right and good, no matter what others might say. We have for so many years let the world tell us what causes we need to champion. It is time for us to be the champions of being women. It is time for us to be spiritual, feminine, strong, intelligent, and capable in our womanhood.

My husband has told me on more than one occasion in the past how it seemed that the women he worked with were trying to tell the dirtiest jokes, or were flippant with morality. Does this do anything positive for womanhood? Does flaunting our bodies make anyone think highly of us, or does it just make us targets for abuse? Does using filthy language or telling dirty jokes in any way make us look good?

Let's look around for the women that we admire because they honor womanhood and point them out to our kids as role models.
Let's start giving girls a reason to want to be women and give our boys a reason to want to protect us, admire us, and honor us.

So ladies, let's be women.