Long haired boys

I didn’t give birth to three kids who look alike. They aren’t all the spitting image of my husband or myself and they don’t look like each other. They are as different in eye color, skin color and hair as they are in personality. I like that they look different, I like that they are different. It reminds me daily that we were not created the same. That we all reflect the image of God in various ways and what a beautiful picture we all make together. There are similarities in us as a family, there are traits and emotions that run through us all and we have to learn and fight them together! But the differences are so interesting to me. They remind me we are not all created the same, that God loves me as an individual, that He forgives all my sins of yelling at my kids, being selfish with my time, and giving my husband the silent treatment. He died for each individual sin and each unique person.

My children’s hair reflects their opposite personalities. A boy with red, wavy hair; a girl with straight blond hair, a boy with curly light brown hair. All different, all interesting all beautiful to me. But, why do we define beauty in such narrow terms? Skinny is more beautiful than heavy. Long is more beautiful than short. Blonde’s do not actually have more fun! We do the same thing in gender. Now, I am not getting political or hippie. I am pretty conservative on all things (see church going, homeschooler…ha!) but I have boys with long hair. It doesn’t touch their shoulders but it is longer than their ears. I made a choice, it isn’t laziness or busy schedules. We aren’t avoiding getting it cut.

Why is this a discussion for on lookers every time we leave the house? We regularly hear “what beautiful hair she has?” as my loud three-year-old boy runs around in red boots and a superman costume, ringlets bouncing through the grocery store. Now, I know plenty of girls who wear superman costumes and red rain boots. But, if we are going to make a guess at a child’s gender why is the hair the signal?

I believe God created us as men and women, boys and girls purposefully. I believe we are created equal in value but different in nature and physics and there is beauty in those differences. So let us be different and not defined. My boys are going to have long hair until they decide otherwise, we might dye it colors, or hide it under a hat but I know it’s different and I know it’s beautiful and I know I need simple things like hair and smiles and red rain boots to remind me of the Creator!