The End of 31 Days, But Not the End of Awesome.

The challenge was to write on one topic, each and every day, for the entire month.

If you're familiar with Pink Dryer Lint, you know that I've never been skilled at sticking to one topic.  This month I've written about my relationship with running, my thoughts on Chinese food, and my love affair with organized closets.  I've told you how I've rediscovered appreciation for watching my children sleep and how I'm casting my burdens, whether heavy or light, to the Lord.  I've shared about being busy, slowing down, and making things right with my kids during those days when everything goes wrong. 

In a nutshell, this month of blogging has yielded 31 posts about everyday life -- the messy, mundane, and glorious everydayness -- just as I promised.  I'm so grateful that you've joined me.

Today marks the end of the 31 Day Challenge, but it's not the end of awesome. 

To close the month, I'd like to ask something of you, if you're willing.  I'm issuing an invitation to un-lurk.  If you're a regular reader -- hey, even if you're a new reader -- would you leave a comment to introduce yourself?  Granted, this isn't as cool as getting together and chatting over a nice slice of chocolate cake, but I'd sure love to hear from you!

If you've missed a day along the way, feel free to review this archived list of each post from the 2013 Everyday Awesomeness Challenge.  (Three cheers for archival accuracy!)

Day 01: Introduction to 31 Days of Everyday Awesomeness
Day 02: Busy, and not proud of it.
Day 03: They Talk. And Talk. And Talk.
Day 04: Battles They Have to Fight
Day 05: Ships in the Night
Day 06: Getting Ready for Grandparents
Day 07: Even computer wires benefit from some modesty.
Day 08: Think About and Emulate
Day 09: Nature's Most Exquisite Act
Day 10: Time You Enjoy Wasting Is Not Wasted Time
Day 11: My House Normally Doesn't Look Like This
Day 12: Homecoming: On Being a Tourist in Your Own Town
Day 13: The Simple Pleasures of a Fall Afternoon
Day 14: Accountability Works for Me
Day 15: I Had Forgotten
Day 16: Fried Rice is an Invasive Species
Day 17: Premature
Day 18: Whether Your Burden Be Heavy or Light
Day 19: A Winning Combination
Day 20: What I Most Want My Children to Learn
Day 21: The Winner: Hello Kitty Bingo
Day 22: What Could I Accomplish If I Didn't Fritter?
Day 23: Preparing for the Dryness
Day 24: The Injustice of Justice
Day 25: First Lost Tooth
Day 26: Showers of Blessings
Day 27: My Relationship with Running: An Adolescent Romance
Day 28: Casting Cares
Day 29: Cropping Life
Day 30: We Finally Got It Right at 8:05 p.m.
Day 31: You are here.  (And I'm so glad that you are.)

Thank you for reading, my friends!  It's a pleasure to share these pieces of life with you, wherever you may be.

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Introduction to 31 Days of Everyday Awesomeness

The challenge is to write on one topic, each and every day, for the entire month. 

Here's the rub: I'm not the type of person who gravitates toward "just one" topic.  You might consider it a fear of thematic commitment.  I've never thrown a themed birthday party or planned a themed meal.  I've never collected themed decorations, built a themed wardrobe, or adhered to tightly interwoven themed interests.

Even so, my three years of blogging at Pink Dryer Lint have consistently reflected one overarching theme: observing and embracing the ordinary moments in motherhood and life. 

Think of the blog like a well-balanced dish with sides of humor, faith, and incidental observations.  Or, like a scattered smorgasbord that's thrown together like a last-minute dinner but helps to clean out the fridge.  Either way, I invite you to prepare for my thirty-one day blogging blitz, one that will be loosely structured around the malleable theme of everyday awesomeness.

By joining this challenge, I'm making a commitment to pay attention to my own life.  To be intentional.  To dismount the whip, slow down, and regain my bearings.  Some posts will unfold leisurely like a fine dining experience; others will reflect more simple, bite-sized portions.  (Ketchup on the side is optional.)

Come daily, and come hungry.  I'm excited for what will unfold, and I welcome you to share the experience with me!
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In the spirit of archival accuracy (yay, archiving!), each subsequent post in the 2013 Thirty-One Day Experience will be listed and linked below.

Day 01: Introduction to 31 Days of Everyday Awesomeness.
Day 02: Busy, and not proud of it.
Day 03: They Talk. And Talk. And Talk.
Day 04: Battles They Have to Fight
Day 05: Ships in the Night
Day 06: Getting Ready for Grandparents
Day 07: Even computer wires benefit from some modesty.
Day 08: Think About and Emulate
Day 09: Nature's Most Exquisite Act
Day 10: Time You Enjoy Wasting Is Not Wasted Time
Day 11: My House Normally Doesn't Look Like This
Day 12: Homecoming: On Being a Tourist in Your Own Town
Day 13: The Simple Pleasures of a Fall Afternoon
Day 14: Accountability Works for Me
Day 15: I Had Forgotten
Day 16: Fried Rice is an Invasive Species
Day 17: Premature
Day 18: Whether Your Burden Be Heavy or Light
Day 19: A Winning Combination
Day 20: What I Most Want My Children to Learn
Day 21: The Winner: Hello Kitty Bingo
Day 22: What Could I Accomplish If I Didn't Fritter?
Day 23: Preparing for the Dryness
Day 24: The Injustice of Justice
Day 25: First Lost Tooth
Day 26: Showers of Blessings
Day 27: My Relationship with Running: An Adolescent Romance
Day 28: Casting Cares
Day 29: Cropping Life
Day 30: We Finally Got It Right at 8:05 p.m.
Day 31: The End of 31 Days, But Not the End of Awesome

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Why I'm Avoiding the "31 DAYS" Trend This Year

There's an ongoing trend in the blogosphere -- the 31 Days trend -- where bloggers select a theme and write a theme-related post each day for the month of October.

I haven't joined that trend this year. 

I did think about it, though, for about two-and-a-half minutes.  Then I made a conscious choice not to join the online festivities.  Here's why:

1) I'm a frequent blogger, not a daily blogger.  I know a few daily bloggers, like Heather at Live with Flair, whose blogging serves as a daily devotion and celebration.  I applaud this.  It's not me, though.  I'd rather write three or four solid posts per week when I have things to say than to force seven posts per week when I don't.

2) I have these three young kids, you know.  I couldn't sustain a motherhood blog without them, but they require a lot of attention.  As they should.  Plus, I have a husband (whom I love dearly), and a job with grading and deadlines and emails (oh my!), and friends (although I don't see them enough), and commitments (campus dinners, nursery duty, a meal for a friend who had a baby), and a house that doesn't clean itself (drat!), and a book coming out in 13 days (whew!), and some other stuff that I'm surely forgetting.

Life is full.  Given that fact, this blog needs to work for me -- not the other way around.  Blogging is my outlet, not my obligation.  I fully intend to keep it that way.

3) I rail against comparison.  The fact that I devoted even 150 sustained seconds thinking about participating in 31 Days means that there was some draw to it in the first place.  What was that draw?  Well, if you catch whiff of certain circles, it seems like everyone was doing it.  And while I can pick that statement apart and dissect its ridiculousness, the truth is that saying yes sounds appealing when saying no means that you might be left out.

Still, I know better than this.  Just because someone else is called to do something doesn't mean that I'm called to do that thing.  Your friend might homeschool her children, but the thought of homeschooling might cause your left eye to twitch and your world to implode in on itself in catastrophe.  (That's how I'd envision things if I homeschooled, at least.  Just saying.)

There is not enough time on God's green earth to do what we're not called to do.  Repeat that statement to yourself: There is not enough time on God's green earth to do what we're not called to do.  This isn't about blogging.  It's about knowing your purpose and respecting your boundaries. 

So, I didn't participate.  Is the 31 Days trend wrong?  Not at all!  I'm sure it will yield some fabulous writing and bless many bloggers and readers alike.

It's just not right for me. 

 

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