United we stand, folks

We were to dress in that era. I scrounged around my closet trying to find something old but presentable. I came up with a skirt (not old) that was part of a Halloween costume. It had large silver dollar size white polka dots on a black background. Attached, underneath, was a full crinoline petticoat.

I decided to wear a simple white blouse with long sleeves and a red polka dot silk scarf around my neck. Also I wore a wide black cinch belt around my waist.

Possibly the most striking part of my outfit was a pair of red and white saddle oxfords. They were different in that they also had inch and a half high red wedge heels. Of course, I wore white bobby socks with the shoes. I bought the shoes last year at a flea market for twenty five cents. .

I felt in my heart that one day I would find a use for those peculiar one-of-a kind shoes.

Turns out they were the hit of the night. I received compliment after compliment on my unorthodox saddle oxfords.

At the celebration, some of the guys slicked back their hair with oily substances. They turned up their shirt collars in the fashion of the 50s and rolled up the legs of their blue jeans. Many of the women wore poodle skirts or pedal pushers adorned with poodle dogs. Others wore their husband's white long sleeve shirt and left the hem outside their pants or jeans.

One woman wore a full pink poodle skirt and carried a matching pink poodle purse. Her wide black leather belt must have been six inches wide. Many of the women wore black and white saddle oxfords or white tennis shoes. Jewelry was also that of yesteryears.

Everything that I wore cost me nothing, except for the twenty five cent shoes.

Having collected the clothing I was to wear, I looked at myself and wondered how I could create the hairstyle of a half century ago.

It came to me. I would pin-curl my hair just as I did when I was in high school.

I had the bobby pins needed and the expertise, so I washed my hair and began the process.

I combed my wet hair into sections. Then, separating several strands of hair together I began to wind the strands around my right index finger......round and round until I came to the end of the strands. Then I was careful to tuck the ends before I secured the curl with a bobby pin or two.

I continued the process, separating several strands of hair, curling them around my finger, tucking the ends, then securing the curl with a bobby pin.

I made pin-curl after pin-curl all over my head; sides, front and back..

In high school I remember going through this process almost every night, then putting a scarf around my head to hold the curls in place until they dried. I slept in pin curls most every school night. This was before electric hair curlers, hair brushes and driers and all the modern hair fixing devices and products on the market now. After my hair dried, I removed all the bobby pins and combed my hair

To my surprise, my hair was extremely full and curly all over my head. I liked the effect and so did my friends at our party.

"What did you do to your hair?" some of my friends said. "Did you get a permanent?"

Another asked, "Did you cut your hair?"

Just before I left for the 50s 60s outing, I put on bright red lipstick.

Now that that celebration is over, I have to get ready for the Fourth of July celebration this Saturday. This time the color scheme will be red, white, and blue..

That won't present a problem either.

I might even wear my red and white Bill Clinton cap. (No, I won't wear those shoes).

Seriously, we need to attend our big July 4th celebration and proclaim our independence to the world. We are a blessed nation.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chron. 7:14)

We must stand united and put our trust in God.