Pink Polka-Dots

It was my favorite outfit that year, when I was a sixth grader. I wore it often, that gold corduroy jumper that Mom had made for me, and the hand-me-down, pink polka-dotted, white blouse. It's hard to tell from this old, faded photo, but the inch-wide polka dots were bright pink. The jumper was warm and soft, and the long-sleeved blouse fit reasonably well. I didn't realize at the time, or even care, that the jumper and blouse didn't go well together at all. In fact, they clashed terribly!

No one made fun of me, at least not to my face. I was just glad that no one ever mentioned the glasses that I thought were so ugly. Individual quirkiness was tolerated a bit better, back then, than it is now, especially in Fairbury, Nebraska. Oh, our school had its share of cliques, but we all treated each other with respect, for the most part.

I suspect that most kids of that era wore home-sewn clothes and hand-me-downs from time to time. When I was in late elementary school and Junior High, most of my clothes came from Max Hasselbring's older sister. Max, my brother, Dan's, good friend, practically lived at the hotel in the winter, in Dan's room and the expansive basement play space. In the summer, Dan roamed the neighborhood, playing in Max's yard and the yards of several other friends who lived close by.

I don't remember Max's sister's name. She was a few years older than me, so our paths rarely crossed. But her mother faithfully brought me a grocery bag of clothes every fall. I was pleased to have them, and happy to wear them.

These days, it isn't uncommon for young children to wear hand-me-downs or garage sale items. Economically, it just makes good sense. But older kids seem to be more fashion conscious now. Some of their clothes might be second hand, but their classmates are sure to make fun of anyone who wears unsuitable or out-of date clothes--except for socks. Mismatched socks are very popular among elementary students these days.

How things have changed! My friends would have noticed and whispered behind my back if I had worn wildly mismatched socks to school. Yet, my pink polka-dotted blouse and gold jumper didn't seem to raise any eyebrows. Even so, I can't help but wonder, at a time when school girls were expected to dress just so, wearing clean, ironed dresses that touched our knees, and garter belts to hold up our popular over-the-knee socks--why did my mom let me wear such an oddly mismatched ensemble to school?

I guess that's a purely rhetorical question, since I know the answer: It's what we had, and we were glad to have it. God provided just what we needed, and we were thankful.

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? Luke 12: 27-28 NKJV