A Hairy Situation

I got a haircut the other day. Last October, I got a perm which I have loved, but decided to let it grow out just because they are kind of expensive and I somehow feel a little guilty spending so much on myself. For hair.

So over the past year as my hair has grown, I have just gotten an occasional trim which always brought it back to life and I'd go bouncing along, happy. Until this haircut, that is. It's not that the woman did a bad job cutting it, it's just that the curl is about gone and my hair is back to boring. At least, I think it is boring. I don't quite know what to do with it or my bangs or lack thereof.

I saw a 93 year old woman today and I want her hair. It was short and sassy, cute but still could be business-like when needed. She. Has. Cool. Hair. What does this say about me? I want 93-year old hair?

I actually have debated getting my hair cut really short, but my hair doesn't grow super fast. A niece told me that prenatal vitamins work. I told her that maybe, just maybe, it was the pregnancy, not the vitamins that do the trick. I am not planning to try this plan anytime soon. Or later.

"So, why did you decide to have Baby #6?"

"Oh, you know, so I can have lustrous. luxurious hair."

"Okay....?"

Okay, and that's that. 

Why is it that we place so much of how we feel on how we look? Whether or not we are having a good or bad hair day? Our hair is a part of our identity, a reflection of how we see ourselves on the inside. For years, I never had my hair cut. This was because of growing up Mennonite and the following of 
1st Corinthians 11.  I also wore a prayer covering or veil for many years, again following what the church taught about 1st Cor 11. So what changed for me? 

When we lived in Louisville KY doing mission work, we belonged to the Mennonite church there. So many amazing, strong Christian women attended there and to my astonishment, most had shorter hair and wore no prayer covering. I started to feel like so much emphasis had been placed on that, instead of the heart, that it was becoming a legalistic thing, like eating clean vs. unclean meat, or circumcision vs. uncircumcision. I wanted people to see me as different because of my faith, not my outward markings, and soon, I stopped wearing the covering at home, and then eventually, church. Leo and I talked much about it at the time and if he would have wanted me to continue wearing it, I would have, to honor him as leader in our home. As it was, we were in agreement. 

As for cutting my hair, that came later. As for cutting it really short and sassy and cute? I think I am just not ready for that yet. 

I looked up various teachings on 1st Corinthians 11 to see if I could find a clear-cut answer to the right or wrong in hair (long vs. short) and prayer coverings (to wear or not to wear) and I came out with a mixed bag of answers. Yes. No. Maybe. Depends. Perhaps. If. 

You get the idea, if not the answer. So, I am interested in what you all think. Leave a comment. Send me a note. Facebook a response. Talk to me in person. Tell me what you think, I'd like to know.

Love,
Dianne

PS: As for hairy legs, that's another topic altogether. United we shave, divided we prickle. 
PS 2: Sorry, just couldn't help myself there.