God looked over all that he had made, and it was excellent in every way. — Genesis 1:31 TLB

They say that the average size woman in America is a size 14. The funny side of me wants to ask, “So who wants to be below average?” and the more reasonable side of me asks, “If you are healthy and active, what difference does the number on the tag of your pants make?” But let’s face it: When it comes to our bodies, circumnavigating all the messages we receive in our culture is not for the faint of heart.

I will never forget a comment I heard from a fashion designer several years ago. He said that the fashion industry is all about the clothes, not the people wearing the clothes, and the best way to highlight the clothes is to drape them over a “human hanger” rather than an actual person whose curves would interrupt the lines of the design.

I bought a blouse the other day. It was hand beaded, striking, beautiful (and on sale!) But I was as taken by the message on the hanging tag as I was with the blouse. It reads: “I am your special garment. I am unique and often hand-woven, hand-beaded, hand-printed, and hand-painted. My defects are part of my beauty!” If only we came with such a tag!

— Anita Renfroe