FYI.....

So today a blog post went around Facebook.  I had "shared" the post.  It is the following post:

http://givenbreath.com/2013/09/03/fyi-if-youre-a-teenage-girl/

I agree with her.  Sometimes you get those photos that aren't meant to be "selfies".  Those ones that are taken alone in your room/bathroom/closet/hallway/ect.  Those are the photos that I'm never sure what to say about.

While I agree that people need to be careful what they post and be careful where it gets posted, sometimes I feel we need to set our own limits.

Where is you limit on modesty?  I post a lot of photos on FB.  And to be honest not a lot of myself.  I'm not a real fan of having my own photos up there.

This past summer I did something I had been wanting to do for a while.  I went and had a boudoir photo shoot.  I wanted to know that I felt sexy still, that I was beautiful still and that most of all I was comfortable with me in my own skin.

I was so excited how everything turned out.  The pictures looked beautiful and I truly felt that way.  The best part was some of the photos were taken with my "normal" clothes.  IE clothes I wear to work or church. 

I shared one on Facebook:

It's my profile picture.  I spent a lot of time choosing a photo that didn't show too much skin, didn't show me in a way I thought would bother others.  Instead I chose those photo that was of me just before I burst out laughing about something we had talked about while shooting.  A photo of me I love. 

Does it show too much skin?  I don't know!   Personally I thought it was good.  I mean, I've even wore this outfit to church a few time already.  Anyone say anything?  yes!  I was told it looks good, it suited me, and that I looked really nice.

However with todays "FYI" article going around I was told otherwise.

A sister in Christ stopped by today and told me I should take it down.  She said that when I put it up she wished she had talked to me about it then and now she wanted me to know that with this link I had posted it made her want to come and talk to me more.  She told me that it may become a stumbling block to those I work with at church, or those who see my facebook page. 

Did I think about that when I posted the picture?  YES that's why I chose the one I did.  I wanted a picture of me where I looked beautiful, inside and out. 

So I've been asked to think about taking it down.  Have I thought about it?  Yes.  Do I want to?  I'm not sure.

That rebellious side of me says "no way!  This is my photo!  My choice to have it up there.  I wanted to finally look good and be happy with me and my body.  I wanted to share this!"

The good Christian girl inside me says "yes... change the photo, an go through past photos to see what you can take off"

To be perfectly honest, I'm typing this in tears.  Do I want others to stumble?  no!  Do I want to reach through the screen and shake people when they post picture that I think may make people stumble?  yes!  Can I change my attitude over night?  No.  But with God's help I know I can.

So for those who have felt this photo made you stumble.  I'm sorry.  It wasn't my intention at all.

For those who thought I looked pretty and said so, thank you!  Sometimes that's needed.

(Leading into a body image post I've been working on for a while... Sometimes it's easier to tell the skinny girls they look good than it is to tell the fat girls they look good)

While my picture on FB hasn't changed please know that I'm thinking and praying about it.  I've already called my hubby once in tears about this today and I know it's something we will be talking about later.