One Year of No New Clothes

On June 26th I made two year-long commitments.  One of those commitments was this:  For one year I will not buy any new clothes. 

I am excited and terrified all at once over this decision.  If you’re not a person who likes to shop, this might all sound a little ridiculous to you.  But if you, like me, love the feeling of running your fingers down the line of cotton/poly whatever hanging up at Urban; if you take a detour through the women’s section in Target on your way to pick up the toilet bowl cleaner on the other side of the store; if you get the shopping bag home and immediately pull the clothes out, take the tags off, and change your outfit in the middle of the day just to feel something new on your skin… then you will totally understand my decision.

Let me be up front about the fact that I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the desire for “new.”  I believe we are designed to long for newness.

“But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.”  2 Peter 3:13

“I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.”  Revelation 2:17

“Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.”  Revelation 3:12

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.”  Revelation 21:1

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”  Revelation 21:5

It is only in the sin-nature where the manifestation of these desires goes astray.  When I walk into a store and this feeling wells up inside of me that says, “Oh yes.  If I can get that new top right now my day will be so much better,” then I am only allowing the enemy to take the God-given longing for something better and turn it into greed and selfishness. 

So now I say, NO MORE.

Year-long commitments are so valuable.  It is a great amount of time to give to something when you really want to see change take place.  Half-way through my freshman year of college I committed to one year of no dating.  Seems odd timing maybe.  But I learned more about relationships in that year than I ever did while I was in them.  And the first man I dated after that year was the man I would eventually marry.  It was an amazing time of learning, re-prioritizing, and drawing near to the life God had for me.  I am anticipating the same type of changes in this new year-long committment.

Here are the parameters of my commitment:

-No new clothes. This includes accessories like scarves, hats, jackets, shoes, etc. This also includes clothes from consignment shops.
-This does not include new fabric, Goodwill purchases, or underwear.
-The year will run from June 26, 2011 through June 25, 2012.
-There are two exceptions to the rule: When I fully return to my pre-pregnancy pant size I will buy one or two pairs of jeans. Currently I do not have a single pair of jeans that fit me at this size. Also, new dance wear (leotards) are permitted because that is job-related.

And that’s that!  I mentioned I had made two year-long commitments.  I’ll fill you in on the other one soon enough.  I am already feeling very challenged by both decisions, and I’m really looking forward to the changes that this year will bring.