I’ve heard several of my friends and acquaintances say things like “Pinterest makes me totally depressed” or “Pinterest makes me feel like a complete failure.” Or they feel the need to defend how they personally handle being a mother and a housewife. Feeling threatened by all the “homestead glam” on blogs and Pinterest these days. This makes me so sad!!! I look to pinterest to be inspired and empowered. I love how we can share our knowledge so easily these days. I feel like half of what makes something intimidating is the mystery surrounding it. Remove the mystery and it’s like this light goes on. “ohhhhhhh, THAT’S how you do that”. I find this happening more and more as women generously share their recipes and creations and heart felt activities they come up with for their kiddos. I’m suddenly finding myself doing things I never thought I could do. I’m so appreciative of the people who post youtube videos to help me through anything from knitting and sewing terminology, to video monitor reviews to keep my kiddos safe, and even how to fold an origami paper crane!

I was in the midst of planning my daughters combined birthday party. (they just turned 2 and 6 and their bdays are 6 days apart) and I realized I was being “that mom”. The “Pinterest Mom who make my friends feel inferior when they plan their kids parties. I was buried in scrap book paper and trim and tulle and pearls and glue and fabric.  I stopped and looked around at all I had made so far. Princess crowns and fancy headbands, doll clothes, and brand new party dresses and realized: These women do these things because creativity comes naturally to them. Not because they are a better host, or mother, or wife.  They do it because they can’t help it.  It just comes out of them.  It’s who they are.  They do it because the enjoyment of it breeds the energy for it.  Every party has not been and will not be like this.  In this very particular small window of time, God gave me the grace to do what I was doing.  My youngest (12 wks) had put her fussing on hold long enough and my kids had stopped fighting and demanding for long enough, and I was having a BLAST.

But let me tell you it doesn’t matter how creative I am, I am TERRIBLE when it comes to baking. When it comes to handling our family finances? No thank you! My husband can deal with that. But my Mom is amazing at it. It’s hard not to envy that about her. When it comes to following a written pattern with no pictures, or a recipe i need to double- I have to go to my best friend and say “HEEELLLP!!!” My brain is just not wired that way. Everyone is gifted in different areas.

I’ve recently been helping friends from time to time learn how to knit and sew. I love the excitement that comes when they realize it’s not as hard as they thought and go home feeling like maybe they can make something on their own! It’s fun for me because I used to be where they are. There was a time when I said “I’m never going to learn how to knit. If I drop a stitch it’s over, and I’m terrible at counting” I finally overcame that mentality and I love watching others overcome too!!!

So, what if you can’t bake a 40 layer chocolate cake covered with handmade diamonds (lol), or hand-stitch your child’s halloween costume to look like something straight off the set of Lord of the Rings, or make your own environmentally safe laundry detergent. A house is just a house ladies, but YOU are what make it a home. All the beautiful things you create, and the sweet words you whisper, and all the little tasks, and the thoughtful things you do when no ones looking. If you’re going to surf the Pinterest wave- do it to try something new! To be inspired! Don’t do it to impress your Moms group or your work friends. Do it to add fullness to your life, and to take time for something YOU might enjoy. <;3

Exodus 35:31-32 “And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs. . .”