LDS Women and Craftiness: Has Our Pinterest Passion Gone Too Far?
Are you crafty? Do you enjoy sewing or making elaborate designs to adorn your house or entertain your children? I'll admit that craftiness is not really my thing; I prefer musical expression and writing, but everyone has different creative outlets, and for some, crafts are enjoyable and fun!The topic of crafts has particular relevance to Mormon culture. Latter-day Saint women have all experienced a Relief Lesson class where the teacher provides colorful handouts or otherwise "cutesy" objects to accompany the lesson. This idea was even parodied by Elder Dieter Uchtdorf, who once spoke about "spending hour stitching homemade pot holders for each class member." Clearly, this is a theme that resonates with many of us.So when it comes to craftiness, when do things go too far? I certainly wouldn't want to discourage someone from these creative pursuits if they get fulfillment from them, but I'm concerned that some individuals spend an inordinate amount of time making handouts for Church as a way to feel valuable, to fit in, or even to compete. Perfectionist tendencies run deep, and perhaps some women make crafts as a way to make a Primary lesson more "perfect."I shared my thoughts on the subject of competitive crafting with LDS Living. The main idea I hope others can take from reading my perspective is that we should do things that bring us joy (including crafts, if that's your thing).... and that we can avoid this rat race of competition, or as Brené Brown puts it, "hustling for worthiness."As I said in the article, "[t]he bottom line is this: If you want to and you enjoy it and it's meaningful to you and your family and it brings you joy, do it. If it doesn't, don't do it. Don't take it on."Click here to read the full article on LDSLiving.com