on heros and mentors (giveaway)
i remember reading in a counseling textbook at some point during my divinity school education that women are particularly drawn toward mentors — other women who are modeling the kind of lives we want to lead. the theory is that in order to make up for a part of ourselves that is not yet fully realized, we integrate others into our identities by our associations with them. we perceive these others to have gifts in the areas where we have deficits. mentors are like the lily pads or resting places that can usher us into the kind of self-improvement that we seek.
i was struck by yesterday’s “mother of invention,” lindsey, who remarked that she’s been looking for “an everything mentor” for some time now. lindsey’s everything mentor would essentially be someone whose life is eerily similar to lindsey’s life, only the mentor would have all of the secrets to the holy grails of balance and wholeness. since, as lindsey laments, this “everything mentor” doesn’t seem to exist, she has resorted to filling her life with a variety of positive people and following her own instincts when it comes to shaping a life for herself.
i too searched my external world for models of balanced motherhood that were custom-made for the parameters of my life. in the absence of this model, i decided to start this blog by way of constructing my own. secretly i hoped that interviewing women of various backgrounds and circumstances would lead me to my “everything mentor,” and help others to find theirs too. but what i’ve learned is what lindsey has also learned: at some point, we just have to trust our own instincts and shape the best lives for ourselves that we can. though there are little gems in each “mothers of invention” feature that can help enhance a mother’s quality of life, it seems that the real inspiration comes when we read about someone who is living comfortably in their own authenticity, and we are inspired to find this self-acceptance and a new level of being real. i love connecting with all of the “mothers of invention” because i am doing what lindsey is doing — surrounding myself with positive people as i walk my particular path.
but enough of this waxing philosophic. let’s have a giveaway! my dear friend, jessa, over at happily home sewn has agreed to make a precious superkid cape for the lucky winner of this contest.
as you can see, the capes jessa sells in her etsy store are custom-made with the initial of the superkid in question and with fabric that fits the personality of said superkid. i love the idea of kids powering through life as they imagine their own heroic potential instead of that of spiderman or superwoman. below are instructions for entering the contest but if you don’t win, don’t fret! jessa has offered to waive the cost of shipping for MakeShift revolution readers who purchase capes from her site. you can take advantage of this discount by using this link to her store.
[update: winner posted here.]
for one chance to win a custom-made superkid cape:
- post a comment below, and include the initial of a super kid in your life and what makes him/her super. for example, my super kid, M, has the climbing powers of a monkey!
for additional chances to win a custom-made superkid cape:
- link to this giveaway from your blog (tell me you’ve done so in a comment below)
- subscribe to my blog via rss or email (tell me you’ve done so in a comment below)
- follow themsrevolution on twitter (leave your twitterID in a comment below)
- follow my blog on google friend connect, which is located on the sidebar and WAAAY down to the right (tell me you’ve done so in a comment below)
be sure to include your email address in your comment (will not be published) so that i can contact the winner. the contest will end at midnight on tuesday, may 4th.
Tags: giveaway, happily home sewn, heroes, jessa, mentors, superkid cape
April 28th, 2010 at 1:31 pm
I have two super kids. One is “T” for Teagan the Tremendous and the other is “K” for Kaitlyn the Kind-hearted. They are my toddler girls who are my heroes for they saved me when they came into our lives and they rescue my heart on bad days. Even though I know their secret identities they will always be super in my book.
April 28th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Google Friend.
April 28th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
My super kid, M, has the miracle power to make other smile and fill others with light and joy!
April 28th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
I am now a follower via Google Friend!
April 28th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
Following you on Twitter via @pettravelcom!
April 28th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
C has the ability to make anyone laugh.
April 28th, 2010 at 7:38 pm
G has the musical skills of a prodigy and the dancing skills of a turtle. 😉
Thanks for the giveaway!
April 29th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
C is for Clementine who is my darling, growling little tiger.
April 29th, 2010 at 3:34 pm
N is my superkid! He is as fast as a cheetah!
May 1st, 2010 at 5:10 pm
My super nephew J runs as fast as a car!
May 1st, 2010 at 5:11 pm
I subscribe via email
May 1st, 2010 at 5:12 pm
I follow your blog!
May 1st, 2010 at 7:37 pm
My superkid, E, is awesome. She has a magically infectious laugh, goofy sense of humor, and loves sharing with others.
soluckyducky (at) gmail (dot) com
May 1st, 2010 at 7:38 pm
email subscriber
soluckyducky (at) gmail (dot) com
May 1st, 2010 at 7:39 pm
MS Revolution Twitter follower soluckyducky
soluckyducky (at) gmail (dot) com
May 1st, 2010 at 7:40 pm
GFC follower
soluckyducky (at) gmail (dot) com
May 2nd, 2010 at 9:36 pm
My super kid R has the power to see tiny things on the floor mommy can’t see 🙂
May 2nd, 2010 at 9:36 pm
blog follower
May 2nd, 2010 at 9:36 pm
follow on twitter- WeeShare
May 2nd, 2010 at 10:33 pm
My super boy Ethan has amazing snuggling powers!
May 3rd, 2010 at 9:03 am
Super J has the power of observations, most of the time hilarious ones! And the power to pee pee in the grass, a power he is VERY proud of!
What a cute cape!
May 3rd, 2010 at 9:04 am
Oh and now am following you on twitter! Which is silly, since you were following me first and I never reciprocated! Hee hee
May 3rd, 2010 at 10:23 am
My super-daughter L has the power of making everyone laugh, especially when someone is having a bad day!
May 3rd, 2010 at 3:29 pm
My super B-boy is really quite the climber. More like Super Billy Goat..he can climb anything. I am subscribing to your feed and already follow you on twitter. I am in the makeshiftrevolution know 🙂
May 3rd, 2010 at 5:57 pm
my super kid D. has never ending energy.he can go forever
May 3rd, 2010 at 7:46 pm
My super kid M has the super power of cuteness. She can make the worst day into my best just by looking at me with her sweet little grin.
May 3rd, 2010 at 7:47 pm
I am a twitter addict so I am following you on twitter too @maylees_garden
May 3rd, 2010 at 7:48 pm
I am following on friend connect too!
May 3rd, 2010 at 8:34 pm
My super kid, D has some dance superpowers. Girl has rhythm.
May 3rd, 2010 at 8:34 pm
I’m following via Google Friend Connect.
May 3rd, 2010 at 9:23 pm
I would need a T. My son is very small for his age but don’t let that fool you. He’s super strong with super amounts of energy. His super power is his laugh which is very infectious.
May 3rd, 2010 at 9:23 pm
I follow on Twitter- @ksh123
May 3rd, 2010 at 9:24 pm
I follow on GFC.
May 4th, 2010 at 10:02 am
My super kid, Easy E, would love to visit the MOON.
May 4th, 2010 at 11:54 am
My super toddler, B, has super camouflage powers!
May 4th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
My Superkid is my 2.5 year old D, whose super power is definitely that of debate! This child is exceedingly verbal and can argue clearly and at great length, all day long!
May 4th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
“A” for Alan and my superkid who has the power of the chatterbox – he never stops talking! He even talks in his sleep!
May 4th, 2010 at 9:42 pm
S has the super power of never running out of energy – he just keeps going and going and going, etc.
May 4th, 2010 at 9:43 pm
follow themsrevolution on twitter – debijot
May 4th, 2010 at 9:43 pm
blog follower
May 4th, 2010 at 9:55 pm
i think my toddler is about ready for a cape! her name starts with Q.
May 4th, 2010 at 9:56 pm
i follow with gfc (as john/sb)
May 4th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
My superkid M is as magical as a flying princess!
May 4th, 2010 at 11:26 pm
My super kid C has superpowers like a monkey. He can climb up anything in a split second.
May 5th, 2010 at 1:37 am
My friend’s super kid, M, has the power to charm animals.
May 5th, 2010 at 1:38 am
I subscribed by email.