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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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October 1, 2012

At a Snails Pace…Simply Sunday

It seems that all summer long my life revolves around one word.

Watering.
For the most part, I actually really enjoy having this job.
There is just something so therapeutic about watching the watering can slowly fill up.
I haul it all around the yard and convince myself that this must count as exercise, right?
Unless I have a little person offering to help mommy with this task, I’m usually by myself.
And, standing over the plants, offering them much needed hydration, I relish the quiet.
I do some of my best thinking and praying while I’m watering.
But, on one particular morning, I was in a hurry to just get it done.
It was getting to that point in the late summer when the watering starts to get tedious.
I hurried out the back door, scooped up the watering can and headed for the faucet.
As I crossed the lawn, I noticed a snail working its way across the grass.
Now normally, around our house, snails and slugs are only seen as enemies which must be destroyed lest they destroy our garden.
But, I was feeling benevolent that morning so I left it alone.
And besides, it was heading away from the garden, not towards it!
As I went about my watering routine, I kept checking back to see how the snail was progressing on its trek across our yard.
Every time I glanced over I was surprised by how much farther along it was.
I mean, it was a snail after all. They’re not known for their speed!

If I stood and watched it, it seemed to be moving so slowly.
But, if I went away and came back, the snail seemed to have covered quite an impressive distance… considering it was a snail.
I wondered if it was being intentional about its goal of reaching the bark just beyond the grass. Could it “see” the final destination or did it just know that it needed to keep moving forward.
And, in that moment, I saw myself in that snail.
Now, that is something I never thought I would relate to!
But, there it was, inching its way along.
 That snail reminded me of where I am currently on my faith journey.
You see, there are things in life that propel us forward very quickly.
Loss, trauma, tragedy, grief.

When these things occur, we are forced to jump ahead.
We rapidly come to new understandings about God and His plan for our lives.
I have had these kinds of occurrences in my own life.
Things which have caused my faith to grow by leaps and bounds.
They may have been painful, but they certainly contributed to a deeper connection with my Savior.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers (and sisters!), whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking any wisdom.”
James 1:2-4
But, most of the time, I feel like that snail.
Inching my way along.
In this season of my life, I’ve traded leaps and bounds for something slower…more steady.
Between the peaks and valleys of life there are plateaus.

Times when we aren’t experiencing extreme highs or low.
When we are just dealing with the day in and day out stuff of life.
It doesn’t mean that there isn’t movement, though.
Just like that snail, I continue towards my destination…to be more like Christ.
It seems like I’m moving so slowly and yet if I look back I can see just how far I’ve come.  
 On this nondescript summer day I found myself rooting for a snail.
As it got closer and closer to the edge of the lawn, I willed it to keep going, keep trying, keep pressing on. I so admired it’s dogged determination.
When it finally made it to the edge of the grass and onto the bark I wanted to let out a cheer!
You did it little snail!
But then, it just kept on going.
Maybe the bark wasn’t the final destination after all.
Maybe the snail knew that the real goal wasn’t so visible….so easily attained.
And so, like that snail, I continue on towards my goal.
There will be more peaks and valleys along the way.
But there will be even more plateaus.
And in those times when it seems like I am only just inching along, I will remember the snail.
“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:13-14
Thank you so much for joining me for this Simply Sunday at the Fence,
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Comments

  1. Elaine @ Sunny Simple Life says

    September 30, 2012 at 3:15 PM

    You are kind to let the snail finish its crossing. I give to the chickens so they don’t eat my plants.
    Have a wonderful Sunday.

    Reply
  2. dominique eichi says

    September 30, 2012 at 3:26 PM

    LOvely analogy with our lives. I enjoyed this post very much as I can relate to it but I enjoyed it also for the way you write. Thank you (btw… they are yummy to eat too !! )

    Reply
  3. Susan (My Place to Yours) says

    September 30, 2012 at 3:56 PM

    Vanessa, obviously you and your Creator had a lovely stroll through the yard! There are so many lessons to learn when we slow down and pay attention. From experience, I know that it’s how I spend the slow times that determine how I respond to the situations that rock my world. This was a great “visual” for today. I’m glad you shared it!

    Reply
  4. Judy says

    September 30, 2012 at 5:04 PM

    What a wonderful and important message. Thank you.

    Reply
  5. Sarah @ Modern Country Style says

    September 30, 2012 at 6:34 PM

    Here’s a little joke for you on the snail theme:

    I found a snail in the garden today. I stepped on it and broke its shell. It didn’t die but was looking a little sluggish.

    Boom boom!

    Anyway….on a much better note, I loved this post – thank you!
    Sarahx

    Reply
  6. Yvonne @ StoneGable says

    September 30, 2012 at 11:30 PM

    I LOVE this post! I am a snail too… sometimes a slug… but I hope that I am always moving to my final destination… thank goodness Jesus will get me there one way or another!!! Thanks, dear friends!

    Reply
  7. ECKDesign says

    October 1, 2012 at 1:45 AM

    Beautiful post. Thank you!

    Reply
  8. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    October 1, 2012 at 1:49 AM

    Beautiful story Vanessa….something for all of us to ponder…you are a true inspiration!

    Reply
  9. Christie says

    October 1, 2012 at 6:08 PM

    Vanessa, I enjoyed this so much! Oh, and I can so relate! I am just glad I can run to His shelter or inch slowly, knowing that He is always there! I am enjoying my ‘snail’ position right now…God has brought Rob and me through so much the last six months (and I joke that while we were remodeling our kitchen, God was doing a little remodeling Himself on us!) We are grateful, as the whole process has caused us to slow down and enjoy life more fully and slowly…like that little snail! God is good! Like Dominque, I SO enjoy the way you write…Heather, too! It is a gift! Have you ever thought about this? God says, “Make known among the nations what he has done.” Psalm 105:1 Writing for the Lord on a blog is our way to make known to the nations! Check out the countries that visit your site! I came across this verse and it gave me the encouragement to keep writing! Also, I always pray that each devotion will reach the exact person who needs to hear it that day. So, I encourage you to keep writing, both of you! Have a beautiful, beautiful week! Christie at Three Pixie Lane

    Reply

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This is one of my most favorite projects from my b This is one of my most favorite projects from my book Life in Season! 

Because, if heaven has a fragrance, I’m fairly certain it smells like lilacs.

I think that somewhere along the way the verse in the Bible that said, ‘heaven will smell like lilacs’ just got lost in translation. But it HAD to have been in there at some point, right?

When I bury my head in the blossoms (which I absolutely MUST do every single time I walk past them), I immediately feel a stirring in my soul.

It seems like I wait forever for my lilac tree to bloom. Every year I anxiously watch as the buds begin to form on the branches and then when the blossoms finally burst forth I begin that agonizing process of deciding the absolute perfect moment to snip them and bring them inside.

And then, after all of that waiting and watching it’s just over…done. Because, unlike heaven, lilacs don’t last for an eternity. So, making my own lilac room spray seemed like the perfect way to enjoy their fragrance long after the blossoms have faded.

Here’s how to make it! Ingredients: Water, Vodka, Lilac fragrance oil. Directions: Fill spray bottle with 50/50 ratio of water to vodka. Add 12 drops of lilac oil. Give it a shake, spray and if the scent isn’t strong enough, simply add a few more drops of lilac oil.

Once you’ve made this lilac scented room spray you will be very tempted to spray it in every room in your house. And someone may want to use it in the bathroom to cover up other less…ummmm….pleasing aromas.

But, do not, I repeat do NOT, let them.

You’ve captured the fragrance of heaven in a bottle and you wouldn’t want to go and tarnish it now would you? 😉
We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most we’ve had in a LONG time) and now we are back to pouring rain. This has officially confirmed what I’ve know to be true for awhile now.

I’m a MUCH better version of myself when the sun is shining! 🤪 So I’ll just be over here today plotting and planning how my husband and I can be snowbirds someday when the kids are out of the house.

If you could spend your winters (and apparently most of spring too!) in any part of the country, where would it be?
Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of rain lately (which is saying something when you live in Oregon) and I’ll admit that it’s affecting my moods a bit. I feel like I’m dragging and struggling to find the energy to get stuff done. So don’t mind me if I’m over here looking at photos of my garden in the summertime and finding that it keeps me hopeful about those days to come. They will come, right?! 🤪. 

What are your favorite plants that you look forward to seeing in the summer?
We’re going to be giving our laundry room a make We’re going to be giving our laundry room a makeover soon. It’s LONG overdue! In fact, the folks from the counter company were just here taking measurements. While we have made some simple, inexpensive updates over the years, it still has many of the original elements from when the house was built in 1992.

Two of our bathrooms are also in need of major makeovers. And we’ve saved up enough money over the years to tackle those projects. But, for the most part, we made the decision to use the bulk of that money in another way. While we knew that it was financially wise to invest in our house, we also knew that the greatest investment we could make was in our children. 

I’ll admit, there are times where I see other people doing massive overhauls of their entire home in a matter of months and I feel a prick of envy. But, we decided that if our choice was between waiting a bit longer to enjoy a renovated bathroom or going on adventures as a family, we would choose adventures every time. And we don’t regret that decision for a single second. It’s not that we haven’t tackled home projects (we’ve done a lot!). It’s just that it’s been a slow and steady process. 

Most recently, we let our son pick where we would travel for spring break since this is his senior year of high school and we are trying to make up for lost time. With so much of life ‘paused’ for two years, we have appreciated these moments more than ever. And, since he’ll be heading to college in the fall, we are very aware of how important it is to spend this time together while we still have a modicum of control over everyone’s schedules.

We have many years left to remodel our home but only so much time left to make memories with our children.

And, while I’m always happy to look around my home and see rooms that are updated and more reflecting of our style, it doesn’t compare to the joy I feel when I look around my home and see the people I love the most who have been shaped by the many adventures we’ve experienced together.
Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and h Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and hail and snow) we are finally getting some sunshine and warmer temperatures. I’ll be honest, it’s really affected my spirits having one gloomy day after the next. So this is a much needed reprieve. Our cherry trees are showing off outside my kitchen window and we plan to get outside and make the most of these days while we have them.

What’s the weather like where you are?
“The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and “The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and boast, the pangs of life will sting for a while longer, but don’t worry; the forces of evil are breathing their last. Not to worry…HE’S RISEN!” (Charles R. Swindoll).

Happy Easter! He is risen indeed!
Who has believed our message? And to whom has the Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

For he grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; he has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to him.

He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, he was despised, and we did not esteem him. Surely our griefs he himself bore, and our sorrows he carried; yet we ourselves esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

But he was pierced through for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon him, and by his scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him. (Isaiah 53)
I try to always remember to put a water bottle in I try to always remember to put a water bottle in my car before I go to pick up my daughter from school. She didn't ask me to do this, but a few months ago I began to notice that she was often thirsty when she would get in the car. Her water bottle filled up at the beginning of the day was empty by the time school got out and she would ask if she could have some water from my hydroflask. So I make sure to have one waiting for her. It's just a simple thing, really. But, I want her to know that I'm paying attention, that I see her.

Isn't it amazing how small gestures can make us feel less invisible? Knowing that someone is thinking of us and takes the time to meet a need that we might not have even realized we had? These little acts can have big impacts. What is something that someone has done for you recently that made you feel valued and seen?

What have you done for someone else to remind them that you are paying attention to their needs?

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
― Charles Dickens
“The next day the large crowd that had come to t “The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’ – John 12:9-19
#palmsunday
When the Lord blesses you with a glimpse of the pa When the Lord blesses you with a glimpse of the payoff of your investment in your children, it is truly one of the greatest gifts. We had that experience twice this week with our 18 year old son and were overwhelmed by this opportunity we had to watch as he handled two very different situations (one personal and one professional) with grace, maturity, integrity and courage. Those of you mamas of little ones, don't ever minimize the job you are doing in raising this next generation. 

Every story read at bedtime
Every correction made to strengthen character
Every outdoor exploration
Every nose wiped
Every bandaid applied
Every time you say no when the world says yes
Every night of helping with homework
Every difficult conversation
Every prayer uttered

The final pieces of the puzzle of his childhood are falling into place and the picture revealed is one that is more wonderful than we could have imagined. And we know that it is only by God's grace on us as we sought His wisdom and guidance that we have come to this point. We have been FAR from perfect parents, but one of my most sincere prayers for the past 18 years was that the Lord would stand in the gaps that were surely to be revealed by our imperfections. And He has answered those prayers again and again. He's taken my humble petitions and most sincere intentions and knocked our socks off with the young man we are so privileged to call our son. And we can’t wait to watch as his future unfolds!
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