You know what I’m not good at? Loaded question, but the one thing I really embraced today… sewing.
Let me give you some back story. My son loves to sleep with a blanket at night but since people look at me like I said he likes to sleep with knives, I decided to try for a “safe” alternative and cut his blanket in half to make a security blanket. This way he gets his blanket and I stop getting judged (and worrying at night). I figured easy enough. I will just cut it in half and sew a ribbon on. Right? WRONG. This hour long process that ended in a security blanket that looked like it was made by a drunken monkey put some things in perspective. Who knew the ugliest blanket ever to be created would result in self-revelation?
See I don’t handle details well, actually that’s a gross overstatement, what I meant to say is that I don’t know what details are. I don’t like to take my time to do things (which is why after a horrific painting accident involving the misuse of that annoying blue tape I’m not allowed near our walls with a paintbrush). If there’s an option to just prime something through amazon I almost always take it. When it comes to cooking I’m more of a “pour until it looks like a teaspoon” type of girl. I have ADD which means the only thing I focus on well is whatever catches my attention. I remember people asking me if I was making my own baby food after Claire was born… I laughed (until I realized they were serious) and then told them I leave that to aisle 7 at target.
Sewing, pinterest projects, and baby food making almost always leaves me feeling like a failure. Its just not who I am. I actually took sewing lessons, have spent far too much money on fabric (sorry babe), and the only thing I have to show from it is a sewing machine collecting dust and a pretty funny picture of our dog in homemade pj pants. I want to be crafty but about the only thing my personality does well when doing crafts is making a mess and ruining said craft.
I used to be kind of sad that my kids would never have adorable homemade clothes or perfect pinterest birthday parties but what made me even sadder was not using the gifts God had actually given me for my kids. I love to communicate and have talked to Claire since she was a baby and now at 2+ we communicate pretty well. There are a few things I feel like God has given me to benefit my family and until I stop harping on the things I can’t do I’ll never see the gifts he gave uniquely for me.
No matter where you are in life there’s pressure to fit into a box. The world and even sometimes church says, this is what you should enjoy doing, exceed at, live like, drive, etc… now climb in that box and suffocate. When our gifts and talents start excluding other people from our life then I think we need to reassess. I think it’s awesome if you are the perfect Pinterest mom, I envy you. Your kids are probably dressed cuter, your dinner taste better, and I bet your house is cleaner (I pretty much use a magic eraser for every household chore). Either way we can learn from each other. Either way let’s not let our hobbies or even beliefs get in the way of loving other people. Let’s not let our lives become one big ugly baby blanket where you spend all your energy trying to be gifted at what other people are. Lets put away the sewing machines and embrace whatever gifts God gave us (unless its sewing… then you can keep yours… or have mine).
Sophomore year of college Kristian told my parents he wanted to drop out, get married, and become a singer/songwriter. They could have so easily freaked out and told him to fit into the box 90% of people fit into, instead they saw his talent and his love for Kerri and said “we believe in you.” Four kids and many albums later there’s a lot of people who are glad he made his own box.
PINIMAGE (He didnt even care how ugly it was)
Kory McDaniel - Love this story…. I can so relate!!!!