Your mother let you leave the house like that?

Took the kids to a movie last night at Tempe Marketplace. Busy Saturday evening in this outdoor shopping mall...misters running to add moisture to the air and drop the temp by a few degrees, kids being pushed in strollers with ice cream stained shirts, and teens looking like they were wanting some fun with their friends.

In waiting for my friend Karen, I noticed something that was odd. There were tons of teens who looked like they were just out of place. There was one girl who was wearing the Amy Winehouse do...literally looked like she hadn't washed it for weeks to achieve that amount of ratty hair. I wondered how her neck could support the weight! There was another girl who looked normal for the most part. Normal is not the word I would typically use, but she looked like every other girl my daughter is friend's with. But she had a mohawk of sorts in the middle of her head. Mind you, it was not a real mohawk; she had the longer hair surrounding her beautiful face, but in the middle of her head was this mass of gelled up, hair sprayed singular hair that made me do a double take.

Not to mention the clothing. This girl who looked about 14 was wearing hot pants with half her bum hanging out, little shirt, heels...I told my daughter she would NEVER be able to leave the house again if I caught her wearing that in public. There was another girl who looked young wearing a t-shirt tied under her pubescent breasts and jeans so tight I don't think she could sit down if she wanted to, much less breathe in them.

I am all for self-expression. I think you should be yourself, and be able to feel comfortable in your own skin. I just don't want to see your skin as you are doing this. If you want to look like you did your hair while still in bed - all the more power to you, but do you think this looks good, or are you trying to be different for difference sake?

Emi asked if she could get purple highlights before the end of school. I agreed, and don't mind this little bit of self peeping out for the world to see. I just don't want to see her become a person who feels she needs to show everyone what God has given her to gain attention. I want her to be someone who realizes the difference between knowing who she is, and keeping herself safe from what the world views as beautiful, acceptable, or appropriate. I want her to remain true to herself, and to the Lord. She does not have to dress for the world, but for the person she is...sweet, compassionate of others, and lovely in every way. A beautiful child of mine and the Lord's.