One of the songs my children learned in our homeschool this fall is the Shaker classic Simple Gifts. While the original meaning of the song seems to be debated, there are many ways it applies to life. It has a message that can beautifully be tied to Christian theology, and it also resonates with me on another level during our international travel.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve never been much of a fashionista. I lean toward solid colors and basic mix-and-match pieces that launder easily, can be worn with a regular bra, and withstand the tests of mommyhood. Despite my full acceptance of not gracing the cover of a fashion magazine, being out of the country has shown me how much mind-space I was still giving to how we look. Down here, I can only describe our style as extremely…plain. 

Don’t get me wrong. We’re showered and groomed, so no one is walking around smelly and unkempt. But aside from the very basics, none of my attention is focused on our appearances. I have yet to send the kids back upstairs to change clothes. The girls and I have been rocking the same braids for over 6 weeks so they’re fuzzy. We each only have a handful of clothing here, so we repeatedly wear different combos of the same few items. We also wear the same shoes every time we leave the house and soap, toothpaste, lotion, anti-perspirant, and chapstick are our only daily beauty aids.

‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free

‘Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gained,

To bow and to bend we shan’t be ashamed,

To turn, turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come ’round right.

The freedom in being plain (dress, hair, jewelry) originated from a place of wanting to blend in with our environment. We strive to avoid becoming petty theft targets and don’t choose to flaunt our privilege and relative wealth in the poorest country on the continent. However, we have truly received unexpected gifts born of our most practical intentions. Mental shifts.

• The confidence and lack of embarrassment in wearing something that is clean but not perfectly suited for the occasion
• The ease with which we move through the day
• The free mind-space from not having to consider and think about our looks
• The ability to focus 100% of our attention on attitudes, heart conditions, other people, and the activities at hand

When I return home, I hope that I’m fully able to reclaim the time wasted on worrying about whether my daughter has on the perfect dress at her piano recital, if I’m dressy enough for my monthly Mom’s Night Out, whether the girls’ braids need to be redone, if I’m wearing my hair naturally curly or straight, if my sons require trips to the barber before we can go…anywhere.

Being plain has reminded me of the freedom we have but had not fully realized. It has pointed me back to the Truth, and I like the way it looks on us.

“…for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”             1 Samuel 16:7b