WHY I DIY: A STORY
Happy New Year, friends!
I am always a big fan of a new year. So many days are ahead of me that seem full of possibility and promise! And there is no failure yet hovering over me.
I have always been a “maker”. When I see things in a store or at a craft show I think “I can make that”! In the past I have been known to buy things and come home and take them apart. Then I use the pieces as a pattern to create something new and wonderful…something with my special touch added.
This is how I view my life as well.
Why I DIY: A Story
I was married for many years. I homeschooled my kids for all of those years and I was a stay-at-home mom and I loved it. Investing in the people that I love has always been a high priority for me.
But then five years ago my marriage ended.
It was not necessarily a surprise, but it was a shock for sure. It was a situation that threatened to send me spiraling into hopelessness and fear. Those initial days weeks and months are a blur to me now, but I do remember the feelings enough to know it was the most difficult time of my life.
My friends became like an anchor to me. I am very blessed to say that they are the type of friends who pointed in the right direction: straight to my God who loves me and holds my life in His hands each and every day. To be honest, God is the reason I get up every day and do what I do: live life.
After a life change like that life can seem very broken and shaken apart. Some parts of my life still feel that way. I still have a long way to go, but when I look back I can see that I have come far.
One feature of a newly single life is that you have to learn to do things on your own. When the car breaks down, if the sink starts leaking, when the kids are out of control, you are the one who needs to take care of it.
And guess what? There were a TON of things I did not know how to do. The list of unknowns was (and still can be) quite scary.
The Good Part:
These days I look at my life as one big DIY project. It is on me to make my life look exactly the way I want it to. And as I have grown stronger and more capable it becomes quite an exciting endeavor.
All of us come into this world and we are given a certain set of tools. The tools I was given to live life as I was growing up was a rather broken set of tools. They did not create lasting relationships and they did not bring peace into my heart. Life always felt like a rough road for me, as it does for a lot of people.
DIYing my life allows me to learn to work with a new set of tools that actually bring about the things I want to see in my life: healthy relationships, a successful business, and a lighthearted view of life. These things are more real to me now than they ever have been. While I have built up a much better toolbox of skills, there are still a lot of tools I do not know how to use or I do not use them well. I do know, however, that I can continue to learn and grow.
The same is with DIY projects. I love making things and I love learning new techniques. I love standing in front of a finished project that I made all by myself. Sometimes I am surprised with the wonderful things I come up with!
This New Year:
This year I have a million things I want to do and learn. While I know I will not get to every single one, I will get to a lot of them and my skills will grow. I know this because I will make it happen.
Do you know how I know this? Because I know that “I can make that”!
I can look around at craft projects or personal life skills and I can figure out how to make them mine. I can and will toss out old, dysfunctional tools and replace them with new tools that get the job done. Tools can be fixed and repaired and I can ask skilled people to give me lessons to use them properly.
I want my life to be full and free and peaceful, and my home to be lovely and comfortable.
I want all that life has to offer.
This is why I DIY.
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I am linking up at these wonderful parties!
I love your DIY story Randi! You haven’t let life’s hickups detour you or your desire for a peacefilled and successful life. God gets you out of bed and He will lead you in the right direction to make that happen.
Here’s to our sweet successes in 2018 😊
Hi Toni!
2018 is our year…I can feel it!
Have a lovely day,
Randi 🙂
In the past five years, both mine and my husband’s parents decades long marriages fell apart. I understand the pain and heartbreak and admire your directing your personal heartache into DIY-ing. There’s something very therapeutic about working with your hands. Best of luck in your journey! Visiting from Pin Junkie.
Thank you for stopping by, Victoria! And thank you for the encouragement!
Randi 🙂
I truly believe that DIY-ing is therapeutic for sure! I know it is for me:) You are SO capable of handling whatever life throws at you, I know it! I wish you luck this year in your quest for the perfect balance of DIY and peace! Thank you so much for sharing at Vintage Charm, I know you will inspire many a reader! xo Kathleen|Our Hopeful Home
Great post and good for you! Sometimes people overwhelm themselves with doubt and can’t cope on their own. Good for you, realizing your a strong capable person capable of so much. And I love your DIY’s! Thanks for sharing at our link party!
Randi, Thank you for sharing your story. I’ve admired your blog and the posts you’ve shared at Vintage Charm but I didn’t realize we share so much in common. I also homeschooled my kids and with God’s grace recovered from divorce. Like you, I have always considered myself a maker but the life skills I learned as a single parent eventually became instrumental when I started my blog, My Thrift Store Addiction. I know your story will inspire others. I’ll be featuring you at Vintage Charm on Thursday! Blessings, Cecilia
Thank you for sharing on the Whisk It Wednesday Link Party at Carrie’s Home Cooking. I hope to see you there tomorrow! Cheers~ Carrie
All I can say is wow…so many beautiful photos and projects…and such strength and positivity. I have been through a similar situation and like you my faith and creativity have helped me heal and keep going. Following you now and featuring you tomorrow at TFT. I do hope you will stop by my blog sometime too! See you tomorrow at TFT!
I love how you shared your heart here, Randi! What an encouragement for starting out a fresh year!
Thank you for sharing your story. A lot of us have a lot in common with you!
I can so identify with parts of your story. And it has made you so wise and stronger. I can’t is not in your vocabulary and I admire for tackling what life throws at you.