Playing Dress-Up

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Our costume stash includes clothes from almost every decade of my life. The last time we had a large family gathering, our grandchildren put on a play, as usual. It was fun to see costumes from many periods of our lives–a formal from my college days, a vest from a homeschool play, Ray’s lavender paisley shirt from early in our marriage, a wooden purse that belonged to Mother, a polyester dress that belonged to Granny . . .

The dress-up continued throughout the visit. We grownups never knew what the kids would be wearing next. We saw Mother’s hats, dresses I wore as a bridesmaid, and even a dress I wore as mother of the bride.

My mother enjoyed costumes, too. One of our granddaughters showed up in the Minnie Pearl costume Mother once made for herself. I remember when Mother was busy making little girl costumes for me. During my first few years in elementary school, we had an operetta each year. Once I was a rose. My fellow roses and I wore pink pastel tutus and matching ballet slippers. Mother gathered layer upon layer of pink tulle and pinned pink crepe paper petals on top before sewing them to my tiny pink bodice. She even made the slippers.

When I was in third grade, I was a bunny in a class program in the school gym. That time Mother made one-piece white flannel pajamas and a white hood with bunny ears. One of our class members took ballet. She taught some of us girls a simple tap dance. We bunnies went: Tap step. Tap step. Heel, toe, step, clap. Side step, side step. Step, jump, jump. I still do it sometimes when I’m all alone in a public bathroom. After a long car ride, I figure it gives me a little exercise.

In one operetta, I was a German orphan. When the teacher announced who got that role, I thought she said, “Charlene.” My classmate Carlene thought she said “Carlene.” The wise teacher divided the role, and we shared it. That time our costumes were blouses with simple gathered skirts made of calico. I wasn’t so excited about that costume. The poor German orphan look wasn’t nearly as exciting as tutus and bunnies.

During that recent large family gathering, I also enjoyed seeing our grandchildren wear clothes and costumes that our children (their parents) had worn. If you don’t already have one, I highly recommend a dress-up stash for your children. Ours is like a walk through family history.

God’s Word teaches us about essential “dress-up” concepts. For the worthy woman of Proverbs 31:

Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
Proverbs 31:25

We even get to put on Christ:

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
Romans 13:15

We are to:

. . . put on the new self,
which in the likeness of God
has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Ephesians 4:24

We have full armor to wear:

Put on the full armor of God,
so that you will be able to stand firm
against the schemes of the devil.
Ephesians 6:11

We are to clothe ourselves:

with humility toward one another,
because God is opposed to the proud,
but He gives grace to the humble.
1 Peter 5:5b

One day we will even wear immortality:

But when this perishable puts on the imperishable,
and this mortal puts on immortality,
then will come about the saying that is written:
“Death has been swallowed up in victory. . . .”
1 Corinthians 15:54

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