Let's Do This

Hey y'all! I was sharing with Seth recently about my feelings regarding my first blog post, and he gave me some good 'ole, throw back advice, "Then start with your second one." So here it is...my second post! So exciting! (You're welcome to go searching and try to find my first post. It's all about Snipe Hunting.)

So first of all, thanks for reading! I feel super honored that you even clicked on the link and have read this far, even if it's just because you're bored or just really really don't want to touch that pile of laundry. I just want to briefly share some of my heart and intention behind starting this blog. One of the things I struggled with, as I processed what I wanted to put into the first post, was this idea that I needed to put it all out there. That's very me by the way, all or nothing. And usually it's all. Unless it's wiping down messy babes covered in food, then I ain't got nothin'. Seriously, that's probably one of the only mundane tasks of this season of life that I just do not enjoy. That's why we save all our messy snacks and meals for when daddy is home. That's right, looking at you babe, Dad of the Year Decade Last Half Decadeish. Whatever, point is, you're great babe. Anyways, I digress. I realized I don't need to communicate the entirety of my heart for this blog in the first post. So, I won't. Here are some questions and answers to give you the basic idea...

Why are you starting a blog?
Well, I love being a mom. It's not something I remember ever dreaming about doing, but here I am, doing the thing. And I love it. Seriously, do not miss that. It is a true joy to be the mother of J, P, and E! And I am so grateful for this season with all its joys and all its challenges. That being said, I feel like the last few months I've gotten to a point where I am so eager to do something. I haven't known what and honestly, I still don't know what. I do know that starting this blog seems to be a good way to do something. So here it is... my something that I'm doing, so I don't sit around doing nothing, while waiting on the next thing. (I know, parenting is something and not nothing. But come on, you know what I mean.) I also hope this blog can create opportunities for me to make connections with others, so I can help them (maybe you) with a creative challenge in their lives or just encourage them in their own creative journey.

What is the blog going to be about?
Good question! I don't want to force myself to answer a question I don't know the answer to, especially because authenticity is a big deal to me in regards to this blog. So genuinely, I don't know. I can tell you what I think it will likely be about... I love being creative. While it's manifested itself in different ways over the years, I just love to create. And my love for creativity, coupled with our very tight budget (tighter now than it's been in several years), lends itself to lots of resourcefulness. And I super enjoy being resourceful. So as I set out to start this thing, I am envisioning that it will be posts about creative projects that I just want to share or that I think others may be interested in replicating, as well as ideas on ways to be resourceful or even different resources about certain topics. I don't want to go out of my way to create content, I just want to intentionally share these parts of my life for others to read and hopefully be encouraged and inspired in the process. Maybe as I go along my focus will naturally become more narrow, but for now, I'm not going to limit what I will or won't blog about. I just want this blog to be an honest look into my creative journey.

Can you explain the name?
I chose the name The Endearing Endeavor for a few reasons. Every project or challenge I take on in our home, or for others, I carry out with the goal of it being a lovely end result that betters the life of my family or the individual, adding value to their everyday experiences. I want my endeavors to be something that the people I create for hold dear, something that inspires love and fullness of life. After all, Christ fulfilled this ultimately in His life, death, and resurrection. And as a recipient of that love and grace, I am compelled to love others in this way. The other aspect of this name, is that as it reads, The Endearing Endeavor communicates that the endeavor itself, or the attempt to achieve something, is in itself endearing. And that is powerful to me. This idea that it's not the goals we strive for as much as it is the way we go about achieving those goals. When I am working on a project, or even towards a general goal for our family, how am I going about that endeavor? Am I being short and irritable towards everyone because I just want to finish and I perceive them as an obstacle? Am I putting the importance of stewarding our finances aside for the sake of fulfilling a vision? Am I insistent that people do things my way because I have a vision for what it will be like and there is no room for life to happen or the journey there, or even end result, to look different? Or, am I giving thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all? Am I loving my people well by pausing, even in the middle of a project, to meet a need or partake in something with them? Am I considering the stewardship of our family's finances and time in my pursuit? Am I considering others by loving them more than the idea I have in my head? When I considered this, it was convicting. Sometimes, I think I do it really well and my endeavor truly does inspire love and affection. Sometimes, I fail. While my goal is always for my endeavor to both be an endearing endeavor and have an endearing result, and my heart is to encourage you in that also, I promise to share when I fail, too. Because sharing only when I succeed doesn't provide the whole story, and I promised you an honest look into my creative journey, and authenticity.

MAIN POINTS (For the short version, start here.)
My hearts desire, in regards to the blog, is for you to leave feeling refreshed, equipped and encouraged. I want you to finish reading and naturally take a deep breath, and joyfully go fold that giant pile of laundry. I hope while folding that laundry, you find yourself dreaming up creative ideas or thinking of a resourceful solution to that need or problem because of something you read here. I hope you feel encouraged in where you are right now, not less than because you aren't where somebody else is.

I hope to always share with a descriptive perspective, not a prescriptive one. By this I mean, the way I may do something within our home is not prescriptive of how you should do. There is more than one way to do things and I am merely describing the way we do it, at this time and in this season, in our home. If my tone in this ever changes, please feel free to kindly point it out. (And I do mean kindly, because, if you know me, then well, you know. But if you don't, I'm a sensitive one. One of my greatest strengths but also a weakness at times.)

So here it is. I hope you enjoy and are inspired and encouraged by what you find here. Thanks for following along and may you find this endeavor to be endearing.