THE DRESS CODE

            Women love to join groups.  One very popular group these days is the Red Hat Society.  The whole purpose of the group is for ladies to get together and have fun. The dress code requires that each woman wears purple clothing and a red hat.   The group is based on a poem which begins: When I am old, I shall wear purple and a red hat ….”

            Imagine forming a whole social group based on one poem.  What would it be like if Women were to form a social group based on the scriptures?  Especially if the scripture they chose was:

            Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand, stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Ephesians 6:10-18 

            Would the Women of this group come dressed in full metal armor, wearing a helmet and carrying a sword?  Would the words truth, righteousness and readiness be engraved on their buckle, breastplate and boots?  Imagine if they took the scripture literally and all the woman began praying out loud at once, in different tongues.  It would be a very noisy, hot, overdressed social group.  

            I have never heard of women that were radical enough to begin a social group based on this scripture.  Still, God does want each one of us to symbolically dress in this full armor daily.  This scripture is God’s dress code for us.

            God wants us to speak truthfully, live righteously, behave peacefully, read our Bible and memorize scripture. He wants us to be in constant communication with Him.  It may seem like a huge undertaking to dress this way every day, but if we review the verse, we can see that this dress code was set up for the purpose of protecting us.

            “…so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground….”

            This scripture basically assures us that evil will come and that we need to be ready.  There isn’t a social group which can help us to overcome this enemy.  There is no special hat or clothing color we can choose to outsmart the Devil.  If we follow God’s dress code and wear the Full Armor of God daily, then and only then will we will be able to stand firm.

ORPHAN TRAIN BELLE

by Teresa Ives Lilly

Maribelle is asked to leave the orphanage at age eighteen, she isn't sure where to go or what to do, so she jumps at the chance to ride the Orphan Train and help take care of the twenty-four children.

At the final stop in Missouri, she is once again concerned about her future return to Boston, but when a handsome man asks if he can 'adopt' her to help take care of 'Connie', she immediately agrees.

Will Maribelle, 'Belle' find a home and love in Missouri or have to return to the orphan life in Boston.

PURCHASE AT AMAZON