New Year

Dear Readers,

How quickly the time has gone by, and here we are at another year end already!

(not everyone is represented here)

At this time of new year resolutions, I pray for every one of you who will read these words: that you will continue to learn and grow stronger in faith, that you will find comfort and encouragement from others to do what you know is right, that as you learn you will not forget that others have not seen and heard the things which you have, and so they deserve your patience and gentleness in word and deed. 

May we live quiet lives of peace, humbly covered by unconditional love, shining like candles in the dark.  May our little pieces of cloth be a sign of devotion, humbleness, and gentleness to all, and may we remember why we wear those headcoverings - every time we struggle to keep them in place.

And now, as the apostle, Paul, I praise you: for remembering me and all those who write to you of good things; and for holding firmly to the ordinances and traditions which you were given.

LisaM


(photo taken from Women’s Head Coverings in Different Religions; November 29, 2011 by humarashid, in the blog, The Reasonably Prudent Law Student.)

History and Headscarves in Politics - Turkey

Often when we are looking up news stories concerning head coverings, the country of Turkey appears.  Its history, especially the recent past, can be confusing to many.  In Turkey, the secular West struggles with the conservative Muslim population, in all areas, and especially as things concern women.  Conservative women cannot attend university or get many jobs if they choose to wear a head covering, and secular women feel that the growing popularity of Islamic political groups threatens to keep them from jobs or other opportunities.  It is a time for open eyes and minds, and for real investigation of all the different ways of life.  If Turkey has you stumped, you have to keep up with it.  The article linked below gives a brief though quite helpful overview of the situation for women in Turkey, which may help us to all better understand others in the world, and the confusion surrounding the head covering in other places too.

"Muslim Lite: Women, Islam and the Turkish Way" by Roger Friedland, Visiting Professor, New York University-Abu Dhabi, in the Huffington Post (image above linked from this article)

The Sojourner: The Head Covering Command

Thorough study in this blog on the 1 Corinthians 11 passage. Please see:

The Sojourner: The Head Covering Command: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16: v. 2 Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.

Brandon woman memorializes mom with ministry | TBO.com

Something about those head coverings. . . . Just a nice story today. :)

"Brandon woman memorializes mom with ministry | TBO.com"


"After Irene Westley died, her daughter, Juanita Westley, launched a ministry called Women of Many Hats in her memory."

By MICHELLE BEARDEN | The Tampa Tribune
BRANDON – --

Irene Westley loved hats. Hats that made bold statements. Hats that captured the imagination. She had them in a rainbow collection of colors, from the brightest to the subtlest hues, adorned with bows, feathers, buttons, flowers and festive pins. They lined the shelves in all her closets; 132 hats in all.
Her daughter Juanita once commented on her mother's passion for fashionable head coverings.
"It's not the hats you wear," Irene told her. "It's the roles you play every day."

Egypt’s Abu Ismail: no veil is “criminal”

Egypt’s Abu Ismail tells TV host Reem Maged to cover, says no veil is “criminal” - Bikya Masr : Bikya Masr

I still believe that covering is a woman's choice. She should neither be barred from covering nor forced to cover. Interested in what others think about this point of view. Can it happen in Egypt?

"Fifa appears ready to fix football's Hijab issue once and for all"
"In June this year, the Iran women's national team forfeited an Olympic qualifier after they were not allowed to wear head scarves, but will episodes like this soon become history?"

 By Niloufar Momeni at Goal.com -- photo from Goal.com

Will this be a proof text for others now, that hijab - literally, modesty in dress - is not merely a religious statement, and will not hamper the exercise of a sport or other activity in every day life?  Will women who wear modest clothing, including head coverings, be accepted as women who choose to dress more modestly, and not as religious nuts or subservient nobodies who quiver before tyrannical male masters?  Oh, wouldn't it be lovely?


And how interesting that it is FIFA who may be leading the way for women of the world, considering that they represent "the beautiful game"?  More power to them, and to women who actually enjoy sport. 

Actual wording, as of this state in the game:

  "In a recent seminar funded by Asian Football Development Project commission, all participants, including Fifa vice-presidents, agreed on a proposal that “Hijab is not a religious symbol or statement and rather is in abidance with culture, and discrimination and exclusiveness of players are to be avoided because of cultural costumes. While safety of Hijab should be considered a priority for Fifa, further medical studies are needed with Fifa co-ordination, in regards to aesthetic arguments and type of material.”"

Maybe women volley ball players will decide that it's okay to wear clothes now?  Well,  it's a wish... .

How to sew a Christian veil

Please, go to this lady's videos for numerous helpful and sweet videos to help you make and wear your own simple head coverings, as well as learn other sewing tips.   Her website, for more information on these headcoverings and other modest issues, is : http://www.covered4him.com/ She offers head coverings of various styles for sale as well. Because of this, she notes at her website "10-21-10 Please note: Due to my personal convictions I will not sell coverings to someone if I know they will be used for costuming purposes for Halloween. There may be cases where I wouldn't mind a costume in general as long as it is used in a Godly and respectful way...but a Halloween costume is not among them. I do not mean to offend or hurt anyone's feelings, but I am adamantly opposed to that holiday and what it stands for. I prefer that my covering sewing time be used for making coverings that are to be worn for Biblical purposes. This is obviously something that must be on your individual honor as I do not always know what a person may place their order for. It only just occurred to me that someone might wish to order for that reason and I just felt led to post this as a policy, especially as it is that time of year."

You can read her own words here: "Headcovering Testimony," By Mrs. Eleanor R. McDonie.

Headcovering is Not a Costume

Dr. Faheem Younus, Adjunct Faculty for Religion at CCBC and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at U MD, writes some thoughtful comments on head covering as pertains to this part of the year, that is, Halloween, and how it applies to the education of hijab other times in the year as well, in: "Hijab is Not a Halloween Costume."(HuffingtonPost.com)  Find a neat short list of questions and answers about hijab as well.

I always find myself reading articles like these and thinking how easily the words could be replaced by other women who choose to cover, specifically Christians who wear headcovering and dress modestly too.

As usual, be aware that comments below articles are not written unbiasedly or politely.  This one has so many comments that I wish I could answer... if only I knew that those who wrote the comments would listen.  Let's keep educating others while we maintain our faith and modesty.

Nobel Peace Prize recognises women rights activists

"BBC News - Nobel Peace Prize recognises women rights activists"

This year's Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded jointly to three women - Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian Leymah Gbowee and Tawakul Karman of Yemen.

They were recognised for their "non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work".

Mrs Sirleaf is Africa's first female elected head of state, Ms Gbowee is a Liberian peace activist and Ms Karman is a leading figure in Yemen's pro-democracy movement.

"We cannot achieve democracy and lasting peace in the world unless women achieve the same opportunities as men to influence developments at all levels of society," said Nobel Committee chairman Thorbjorn Jagland in Oslo.

Reading from the prize citation, he said the committee hoped the prize would "help to bring an end to the suppression of women that still occurs in many countries, and to realise the great potential for democracy and peace that women can represent".

Read more about these women at this link.