Christian Charm students manual

My sister and I have been rather enjoying looking through a quaint little book that Sandy's friend found in an op-shop. It is called "Christian Charm Students Manual". Written in the sixties (can't you tell!), this little book details how you can be charming and beautiful "Inside and Out". It's so funny! There are thrilling entries like "Posing Pointers", "Is my posture lovely", "facial beauty from without", and my personal favourite: "As a Christian Girl, what should be my attitude towards my hair?"

As well as making us laugh- its actually been an interesting exercise in thinking about culture. In the sixties, at least according to this book, to dye your hair was all about drawing inappropriate attention to yourself and a "good Christian girl" wouldn't dream of it. Now we don't even think about it. I wonder what aspects of life we define as very important issues for being godly that are simply our Christian culture setting the norms. It also makes me wonder what real and important values we've thrown out the window simply because our wider culture doesn't see them as important.

I was reminded of this in a discussion over lunch at college about different television shows. Think about the way we watch TV. We cheer when our favourite couple finally sleeps together, we find ourselves hoping that the lie that was told will never be found out, and we celebrate when marriages we didn't like break up. As Christians, is it really appropriate to shut off our moral compass in the name of being entertained?

All interesting questions, much more interesting and relevant than how to have young looking hands! Though we probably shut off our moral compass when we think about beauty too; leting the world dictate what is important in that area also.

And how do I rate in the area of charm? Tim very kindly assured me when he read the charm book that I wasn't at all charming by sixties standards! Hmmm, makes be feel better about tricking him during the tofu incident ;)