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The Hunt for the Perfect Summer Swimuit

The Hunt for the Perfect Summer Swimuit

 Once March/April hits, it seems like every single person living in Florida is on the hunt for the perfect swimsuit for the summer season, including myself. Stores love this time of year, setting up their Spring displays full of bright swimsuits before it even stops snowing in most states, awaiting those glorious summer days, only to sell out of everything before May even hits. It’s like a dream come true for Target and their swimsuit sales. 
This season, though, searching for swimsuits suddenly felt different for me. As I window shopped on the internet, I noticed a trend. Not a trend like “OMG, pineapple print swimsuits are all the new rage” (although, they kinda are!) but more of a, “when did swimsuits become so skimpy” kind of trend. The more I searched on the internet, and browsed local stores, the harder it seemed to find a somewhat modest two-piece that I would not be mortified to wear in public. You think a two-piece might be a little “risque”, try looking at some of the one pieces options, they were S-C-A-N-D-A-L-O-U-S I tell you. How could this be possible? Am I just getting old or does it seem like the swimsuits each season are shrinking material wise? My hopes for the perfect swimsuit seemed doomed.
Well, I figured since I wasn’t having any luck, maybe my two little nieces would. Off to the store we went, searching for that perfect summer swimsuit. We were in luck- from afar, the store seemed to have an array of neon colored Nylon hanging from those sparkling silver racks, just calling our names. As we got closer, I could tell we were going to have a problem. I though to myself, “If Aunt Katie cannot wear these swimsuits in public, neither can you!”.
 It really got me thinking and reminded me of a Podcast I listened to a few months ago by John Piper called Botox, Dieting and Plastic Surgery. In the podcast he talks about how we can care for our bodies (even swimsuit shopping) without making them an idol. How could I teach my little nieces to care for their bodies, even if it’s just swimsuit shopping, while not sacrificing style, comfort or a cute new suit.
In 1 Corinthians 6:19, the verse tells us 5 specific things that John Piper points out:
1) God is in your body
2) God put God in your body
3) Your body does not belong to you. MY BODY IS NOT MY OWN!
4) Your body was brought by the blood of Jesus
5) You exist in your body to make your God look glorious.

 

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
 Our body is not our own! What? It seems kind of crazy, right? If were are in our bodies, it most certainly seems that it is our own. Wrong! I Katie, live in my body. I walk, I eat, I sleep, I dress my body, I workout my body. What we don’t often realize is that God is also in our body. If God is inside of us, and he put himself there, my body therefore belongs to God. The last point John Piper makes is that we exist in our bodies to make God look glorious. 
As it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. Philippians 1:20
Well, if God is in our bodies, and he uses them to make himself look glorious, we need to respect our bodies, even if that means taking a little extra longer in searching for the perfect swimsuit. I not only want to honor Christ when I am fully clothed, but also when swimming or at the beach. And I want the same for my little nieces too. 

Now comes the tough part. What kind of swimsuit should I wear and still honor God? This is a question I cannot answer for you. It’s between you and God and what you feel most comfortable in. Personally for me, I cannot do a one piece, I find them super uncomfortable and even more of a hassle than a two-piece. Believe me, I’ve tried on many one-pieces that are waaaaayy more revealing than any two-piece that I own. But this is not true for all. Some may love their faithful one-pieces, while others will never forgo their Tankini, and both are fine! 
I normally gravitate towards Bandeau tops because I feel most comfortable in them. There does come a point, though, where I stop and ask myself a few questions before I take the plunge and buy a new swimsuit (but this goes for everything I wear, including clothes):
  1. Would I be mortified if my pastor from church or family friends saw me in what I was wearing? This could potentially be very awkward and I hope would not happen, but it’s a question I ask myself a ton!
  2. Can I play sports (frisbee, volleyball, swimming, football…) without having to constantly adjust anything like ties, or strapless tops (this goes more for swimsuits)?
  3. Would my little nieces look appropriate wearing this? If not, it’s a no! If I don’t think my little nieces should be wearing it, then there is no reason that I should be either.
  4. Is it drawing a lot of attention? To little coverage, weather it’s a swimsuit or super short dress. If I wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing it to church, it’s probably not a piece I should be investing in my closet. As for at the beach, if it’s showing more skin than undergarments, it probably is not the best option.

If God is in my body, and I exist in my body to make God look glorious, it most certainly affects how I present myself in clothes and swimsuits. I know in my heart that I do not feel comfortable if I am wearing a swimsuit like this one. Are there times that I want to push these rules to the side and impress/attract others by what I am wearing, certainly! It happens all the time, especially if I want to look trendy but that is exactly why I have these rules for myself. It helps keep me focused on what I truly care about and that’s honoring God, even in what I am wearing.

I love what John Piper said at the end, “If man doesn’t want someone with a good soul more than a woman’s good body. He is not the kind of man you want”. I feel this is so true! I don’t want my little nieces to feel like they have to use their clothing to attract guys, and that goes for myself too! If I am using my body for anything other than glorifying God, it become an idol, especially if it’s to attract the opposite sex! I treasure my body because God is in my body, and if that means searching for a swimsuit (or clothes) that I feel comfortable in takes a little longer, I will take all the time I need!

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