So anyhoosers, prayer has totally enveloped me the past few days. I have had 2 issues to deal with. I feel I have dealt with them prayerfully and have felt in abundance the leading hand of the Lord. Now let me tell you, the 1st issue did NOT start that way. But it was with that initial start that I realised I have a strong tendency to go straight for the throat and I will make every attempt to abolish that sinful way of thought!
The first and main issue is as follows. A gal on PH posted a link to the following article:
"Cindy Lange-Kubick: Warning -- the apron is back
My granny wore aprons. French maids in X-rated movies wear aprons. Sarah Jessica Parker wore an apron in a “Sex in the City” scene once, although, poor pop culture connoisseur that I am, I know this only secondhand. And now the fashionistas, god forgive them, are wearing aprons too.
A company called Kitsch ‘n Glam is dispatching designer aprons to trendy Anthropologie stores and chic aprons are for sale at the Museum of Modern Art gift shop in New York.Online, you can buy vintage aprons, restaurant aprons, apron purses,
Japanese aprons, even black silky “naked” aprons.Whatever, as my daughter might say. Well, whatever they’ve done to ramp up the apron’s appeal, I’m still not wearing one.
The apron has too much baggage for me. It has nothing to do with
style, although imagine how silly a middle-aged woman might look wearing white lace and a big bow over her stretch Levi’s.I just can’t embrace a look that takes women right back to a 1950s- era kitchen — even if they’re young lawyers and accountants wearing their $80 aprons to cocktail parties and tapas bars.
For me, aprons are caveman stuff. Man Kill Meat. Woman Cook Meat.
Sure, there are man aprons too, although they generally go by the more formal term, “chef’s apron,” because when men are cooking they are chefs and when women are cooking they’re doing their job.
Maybe I should be more flexible. I’m meeting with a group of retired home economists this week. You can bet they’ve worn out an apron or two in their day. More power to them.
And women have been bringing home the bacon and cooking it up in a pan for decades. If we want to wear a square of cotton to keep our Anne Klein clean, why not?
We’re liberated.
We can wear an apron.
We can not wear an apron.
We can wear an apron and not cook while we’re wearing our apron.
Or we can cook and not wear an apron while we’re cooking.
Whatever.
My friend Lynn came over to help me strip wallpaper once. She whipped on a flowery cotton apron, its pockets filled with cutting tools and sponges and got to work.
Very practical device that apron.
I may have actually owned an apron at some point in my life. I’ve just never remembered to wear one. I prefer the dish cloth over the shoulder method of keeping my hands wiped when I’m cooking.
Honestly, I prefer not cooking altogether. But do we really want to wear our aprons out to eat?
My granny wore her apron for practical purposes only.
She cooked. She sewed. She cleaned. The apron was her uniform.
It was a dish towel, a hot pad, a Handi-wipe, a junk drawer.
It had pockets for thimble and thread, space for a bottle of Pledge and a dust rag, a Kleenex and a few peppermints.
And she would have just as soon worn her birthday suit to church on Sunday as wear her apron out the front door.
What’s the message of the New Domestics, those young and hip, college-educated women who are forming knitting circles, exchanging recipe cards and wearing nose rings and aprons to art openings?
Maybe there isn’t one. Maybe fashion is just fashion. Bustiers one year, aprons the next.
Today the Kitsch ‘n Glam Web site shows rows of apron-clad women (and one apron-clad man) looking positively thrilled — gleeful — to be in the kitchen and wearing an apron.
Very kitschy.
Very June Cleaver.
Very ‘50s.
Remember the 1950s?
That’s what worries me about aprons."
As I said before, my initial and hasty reply was unworthy of calling it His work:
" Oh what fun it must be to be a naive flaming liberal. To say what you want, to
do what you want and to never grow up. I remember those days well. I was
prepubescent, new-maxi-pad-wearing-12-year-old. I thank God everyday I grew out
of that stage.
In response to your "the apron is back," shall we say, "story" I am saddened by your extremely limited knowledge. I won't even get into the details of why your outlook on aprons is horribly caveman themselves, as I fear on deaf ears my words will fall. I will definitely add you to my prayers; I know you must need all you can get. And in case you're ignorant to the meaning of prayer, I would suggest you run, don't walk, to your nearest Christian book store and pick up the latest edition of the Holy Bible. I'd recommend the King James Version, but I have a feeling the New Living Translation might be better for your verbal skills.
God Bless you and have a wonderful life. I hope you will one day see the error of your ways. God does forgive. Make it happen whilst you have the chance!
Sincerely,
A concerned reader."
"Dear Concerned Reader,
I appreciate your feedback, although I'm not real sure what your point is and how the Bible fits in to all of this -- as a fellow Christian I would love to truly hear what your concern/view is, because I believe dialogue is the only way for people to grow in understanding and appreciation of one another.
Thanks for writing,
Cindy LK"
"My granny wore aprons. French maids in X-rated movies wear aprons. Sarah Jessica Parker wore an apron in a "Sex in the City" scene once, although, poor pop culture connoisseur that I am, I know this only secondhand. And now the fashionistas, god forgive them, are wearing aprons too.
Here is my first point of this going against the Biblical way. Maybe this was a typo. I genuinely hope so! I STRONGLY and desperately try to give my respect to the Lord by using the proper capitalization. Seeing God, Lord, Jesus, etc. as a regular noun makes me cringe. It is utter disrespect to denounce the Lord’s name. Near taking his name in vain. But we can capitalize sarah jessica parker? I’d rather not.
A company called Kitsch ‘n Glam is dispatching designer aprons to trendy Anthropologie stores and chic aprons are for sale at the Museum of Modern Art gift shop in New York.
Online, you can buy vintage aprons, restaurant aprons, apron purses, Japanese aprons, even black silky "naked" aprons.
Whatever, as my daughter might say. Well, whatever they’ve done to ramp up the apron’s appeal, I’m still not wearing one.
The apron has too much baggage for me. It has nothing to do with style, although imagine how silly a middle-aged woman might look wearing white lace and a big bow over her stretch Levi’s.
Stretch Levi’s? Deuteronomy 22:5 (KJV)
The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.I just can’t embrace a look that takes women right back to a 1950s- era kitchen — even if they’re young lawyers and accountants wearing their $80 aprons to cocktail parties and tapas bars.
For me, aprons are caveman stuff. Man Kill Meat. Woman Cook Meat.
Proverbs
31:10-31(KJV)
10Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above
rubies.
11The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he
shall have no need of spoil.
12She will do him good and not evil all the
days of her life.
13She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with
her hands.
14She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from
afar.
15She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her
household, and a portion to her maidens.
16She considereth a field, and
buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
17She
girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
18She
perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
19She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
20She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands
to the needy.
21She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her
household are clothed with scarlet.
22She maketh herself coverings of
tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
23Her husband is known in the
gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
24She maketh fine
linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
25Strength
and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
26She
openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
27She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of
idleness.
28Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also,
and he praiseth her.
29Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou
excellest them all.
30Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman
that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
31Give her of the fruit of her
hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.Sure, there are man aprons too, although they generally go by the more formal term, "chef’s apron," because when men are cooking they are chefs and when women are cooking they’re doing their job.
Specifically from above: v15- She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. (she’s doing her "job").Maybe I should be more flexible. I’m meeting with a group of retired home economists this week. You can bet they’ve worn out an apron or two in their day. More power to them.
Not so Biblically- I’m sure they felt powerful. I know I do when I KNOW I am doing the very best job for my family. There is NO greater feeling than knowing your husband and children are getting the very best nourishment from home-cooked and from scratch.
And women have been bringing home the bacon and cooking it up in a pan for decades. If we want to wear a square of cotton to keep our Anne Klein clean, why not?
We’re liberated.
As in free to choose? We shouldn’t be. We are to submit to our husbands (Ephesians 5:22-24 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the
church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.)We can wear an apron.
Yes we can.
We can not wear an apron.
No one said you had to.We can wear an apron and not cook while we’re wearing our apron.
Yes, my husband would be none the happier if I wore an apron and nothing else. Which gives ne food for thought!
Or we can cook and not wear an apron while we’re cooking.
I guess if one has the money to replace their ruined Anne Klein, by all means.Whatever.
…….is a song by British rock band Oasis, written by Noel Gallagher.My friend Lynn came over to help me strip wallpaper once. She
whipped on a flowery cotton apron, its pockets filled with cutting tools and sponges and got to work.Very practical device that apron.
I may have actually owned an apron at some point in my life. I’ve just never remembered to wear one. I prefer the dish cloth over the shoulder method of keeping my hands wiped when I’m cooking.
I do this as well. Sometimes my dishtowel even hangs out of the
pocket of my apron.Honestly, I prefer not cooking altogether. But do we really want to wear our aprons out to eat?
Titus2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home……My granny wore her apron for practical purposes only.
An admirable woman!
She cooked. She sewed. She cleaned. The apron was her uniform.
She gets even more admirable.It was a dish towel, a hot pad, a Handi-wipe, a junk drawer.
A very creative woman as well.
It had pockets for thimble and thread, space for a bottle of Pledge and a dust rag, a Kleenex and a few peppermints.
I need more pockets in my apron! I don’t have room for MINTS!!!!!!And she would have just as soon worn her birthday suit to church on
Sunday as wear her apron out the front door.It IS the way God intended us. Naked and innocent. Though I don’t think this worldly modern day world would appreciate that!
What’s the message of the New Domestics, those young and hip,
college-educated women who are forming knitting circles, exchanging recipe cards and wearing nose rings and aprons to art openings?Maybe there isn’t one. Maybe fashion is just fashion. Bustiers one year, aprons the next.
Maybe you are dealing with the wrong "New Domestics." Nose rings? 1 Corinthians 6:19 (KJV) Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
Maybe you should hang out with the more "traditional" domestics. Those of us who use the Bible as an everyday tool (Speaking of which, I should get a small one to fit in my apron pocket. THNX for the idea!) It is NOT a season, a fashion or a fad. It is a way of life, a choice, a GOD-given ability to do right by our families. It is a way to show our place in the home, the rightful and God-given place. Not a worldly or "cool" place. Yes, it was absolutely a choice. I also had the choice to never
get married. I had a choice to complete and graduate from a Graphic Arts & Communications course in college, and thus had the right to abolish the thought of making my career there. God knew better! And I’m glad He told me!Today the Kitsch ‘n Glam Web site shows rows of apron-clad women (and one apron-clad man) looking positively thrilled — gleeful — to be in the kitchen and wearing an apron.
Yes, yes. I love it!
Very kitschy.
I beg to differ. For those graced with the ability to make their own, each is different. And beauty, OR gaudy, is in the eye of the beholder. Or potholder, whichever you prefer.Very June Cleaver.
Now there’s a mother & wife! She took care of the family. Back when TV was safe to watch, and clean! When children weren’t carrying guns and weapons to school as a natural occurrence. When metal detectors were only at the gates of high profile, high security locations; usually government locations. When a handshake and one’s word spoke for more than a signature on a contract.
Very ‘50s.
How old were you in the 50’s?Remember the 1950s?
Not really. As my Mum would say, I wasn’t even thought of then. But which again begs the question, do you?That’s what worries me about aprons. Could you explain this to me all again now? I hope I’ve given you some food for thought. You certainly did me.And to let you know that I don’t think of myself as perfect nor better than anyone else….. Am I a sinner? Absolutely. Am I a hypocrite? I try not to be. As a sinner I am constantly falling short. I DO wear pants. But am currently trying to find a way to fit skirts and dresses into my life on more of a daily basis (Deuteronomy 22:5). And I LOVE my apron. The blue one with 2 large pockets and my given name embroidered across the bib. I will fill it with a small Bible and mints. Thank you for your time. I am off to don an apron and nothing else; as it shall be pleasing to my husband- 1 Corinthians 7:34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. And on that note, a special note to you: Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
And her response:
"Kayla,
Thanks for your thoughtful reply. It helps me better understand where you stand.
Sincerely,
Cindy
PS You got me -- I was not alive in the 1950s. I am only speaking from what I know historically and believe about the inequalities for women at that time. (I realize we probably disagree about that too!) "So as I stated in my original email to her, I feared my words would fall on deaf ears. I fear they have. Ah well, maybe I just "got her." At least we can agree to disagree.
Comments
I agree with you that your words fell on deaf ears, but I agree with what you said!
Jennilee