I Feel Like a Woman!

I have been so encouraged lately reading a couple of different blogs and websites. One way or another, I've found myself having uncommonly large amounts of free time this past week! I have a creeping fear that I'm TOTALLY forgetting to do something and utter madness will ensue shortly.
Nonetheless, as I said, I've been really enjoying reading these blogs and websites and they all have to do with being a woman and femininity. Now, I am far from being a tom-boy and really never was. However, I do find myself at times thumbing my nose at the idea of caring how I look. I think "I'm not trying to impress anyone, who cares?" While the purpose of taking an interest in how I look is not to impress people, but rather to honor them. Follow me here, I know this may sound weird. But, I'm sure people much more appreciate my presence as a woman when I've taken some time on my appearance as opposed to when I show up in cut-off shorts, a t-shirt and my hair pulled up in a I-haven't-taken-a-shower-since-yesterday bun. (Not saying I went to a church council meeting like that Monday night, but I might have...). When I actually take the time to, say, shower, put on a little make-up, and put on real clothes, it can tell people that I care and value being with them. It's a way to honor them and honor the Lord in doing so.
Then there's the whole "domesticity" thing, which is so far beyond me. I really did think I was pretty domestic, but bringing year number four of living on my own to a close has definitely revealed a different story. I have NO cooking skills and, this may sound crazy, but NO grocery shopping skills. I have no idea how to buy foods to have on hand for guests or visitors. As I usually just shop for myself, it's cheap to just buy the staples, but then I have nothing on hand to feed my ocasional visitors. Normal people over the age of four don't eat peanut butter as their staple food!
OK, so I know that much of this may not make sense...maybe it's the latte I had with my mom earlier this evening. Really though, I have so many thoughts rolling around in my head right now, you're getting a glimpse into my crazy mind. This is everyday life for me! Whoa...focus. So, anyways, all of these things are fresh on my mind because as I read about womanhood and femininity, I cry out for it! I WANT to be a feminine woman. I believe all of us women do, because deep down, we were created by God distinctly as women...to love beautiful things, (my mom was just pointing out the other day how women feel fabrics while they're shopping...men don't do that!), to enjoy being prettyfied (like that new word?), to thrive in their homes, to enjoy having doors opened for them and chairs pulled out and coats taken for them (my dad's great at this!)...all of these things that our society says we should look down upon with disdain because they are signs of "weakness". NO! They're signs of fitting into the mold God our Father made for women when He created us and that we intuitively long for.Women shouldn't feel ashamed for wanting to be women and be feminine.
Well, I'll stop here, before my computer explodes. Thank you for listening. This was a great time of processing and thinking out loud for me. I'm sure you'll be hearing more about this later, and if anybody reading this has some helpful tips for the whole "cooking and grocery shopping" thing, please comment and let me know!
I'm off to go put together some ideas for a children's sermon on manners...I have some thoughts and thanks on this topic too, that I'll share on a later post.
Love you all!
ps--here are the links to the blogs and the website. Check them out!

http://www.reviveourhearts.com/

http://girltalk.blogs.com/
http://solofemininity.blogs.com/