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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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April 15, 2012

Don’t Let Me Blow Away Mommy

*A Simply Sunday post from the past*

The wind was whipping around us as we were spinning and twirling through the yard.

Arms spread out, we laughed as dizziness set in before we tumbled into the lawn chair together.
She wrapped her little arms around my neck, snuggled in tight and said,
“Don’t let me blow away mommy!”
It was one of those moments in life where you wish you could stop time.
You long for a way to bottle it up so you won’t ever forget how soft her skin feels against yours.
How her little fingers played with your hair as we sat quietly together.
And my heart began to ache.
Ached because I knew that this moment would be over all too quickly.
Ached because I knew that soon she would not fit so perfectly in my lap.
Ached because I knew that the winds of life would toss and turn her and that I wouldn’t always be there to block their force as they tried to “blow her away”.

But, there are no magic bottles for collecting moments.
No spells to be conjured up in an attempt to stop time.

Just as a strong wind pulls and tugs at a boat tied to the dock, this world will try to pull her away from the security of being tied to our “dock”.

And even the strongest of docks have been known to be pulverized by gale force winds and boats tossed and turned like plastic toys in a bathtub.


Source

So I pray for wisdom, protection, guidance.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:5-6

What if instead of being tied to the dock, her boat was tied to a rock.

THE rock.
The only One that can withstand those hurricanes of life.

Immovable.
Unshakeable.


Source

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.” Psalm 18:2-3

Because, no matter how much I want to believe that she will find enough security tied to the dock that is our family, I know that there are some things from which I cannot protect her.

Things that we can’t predict and are beyond our control.

So, we too tie our rope to the Rock, trusting that He will take care of her.

Protect her.
Strengthen her.
Guide her.

And as we sit in that chair together on that warm summer day, she has no idea of the thoughts running through my head.
She just innocently waits for my reply.

So, I tell her the only thing she needs to hear at the tender age of 4.

“I won’t let you blow away sweetie!”

Thanks for joining me for this Simply Sunday at the Fence,



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Comments

  1. Dianne says

    April 15, 2012 at 2:53 PM

    wow….this post really touched my heart…the storms of life have come to my family…at times I wondered if if I would ever see my child again…how far would she drift before she would look back? …but as the storm has died down I can now see that the line is stronger than I once thought…so slowly she is drifting back to us. God is good…thank you for posting this today…I really needed to be reminded of God’s faithfulness

    Reply
  2. Michele @ The Nest at Finch Rest says

    April 15, 2012 at 2:59 PM

    Very well done.

    Tears.

    You have a way with words – a true gift.

    Reply
  3. Jo's Corner says

    April 15, 2012 at 5:56 PM

    Such strong words. Words that take me back in time, to that place when I was that small daughter. Oh, I Loved my Mama! No, at that age, I was in love with my Mama! And, I know she shared the same thoughts and emotions about me, that you have for your sweet Girl.

    Time has flown by and now it is Me, who has that love and desire to protect Her. Yes, the tables have turned! I just did a post about that deep love, last night. My precious Mama was seriously injured in a fall. TEN broken bones throughout her body. She is so, so fragile, right now.

    I am trying to find a way to go be with her. To love and comfort and help her in her healing. She has a long road ahead. With two broken shoulders, a broken upper arm and broken pelvis, many months of physical therapy and surgery lie ahead.

    You can read my post here: https://jomoseleysblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/lets-try-this-again.html
    I want to share my Giveaway with your readers, if thats okay. I haven’t had much response and my blog is not well known. I want to get to her soon. Much love to You and your Sweet Daughter! ~ Jo

    https://jomoseleysblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/ipad-2-giveawayfundraiser-for-my-mama.html

    Reply
  4. Sandie Luck says

    April 15, 2012 at 9:11 PM

    OH, Vanessa, how very deeply your words touched the depths of my soul!! THANK YOU for sharing your thoughts here! God’s faithfulness is such a gift! With it we can touch our children’s lives and make a difference that teaches them to trust in our Lord no matter what.
    Now that I am a first-time grandmother and thinking of my role in the life of this wee little boy I am reminded that I just need to be there for him, setting an example of love and care, while he is young. It’s a joy to give him another person in his life that knows for sure that there IS an anchor in the time of storm!
    How blessed your little girl is to have a mama like you and to know that you won’t let her get blown away!! SO SWEET!! Keep on treasuring those precious moments! What richness they add to life!
    May God’s richest blessings be yours this day!
    Joyfully……~Sandie

    Reply
  5. Linda Young says

    April 15, 2012 at 11:23 PM

    How sweet, these tender moments with your darling little daughter! They grow up way too fast! It’s wonderful that you are such a strong example to her and you are teaching her to trust in the Lord! She’s a lucky little girl. May God guide you each day as you parent your children and protect and bless your little family!
    Linda

    Reply
  6. Barbara says

    April 15, 2012 at 11:38 PM

    Just beautiful and so true! Yes they do grow up fast and we will not always be there to protect them from some of the harshness in the world. But hopefully with god’s help we are able give them a firm foundation to stand on and wings to fly with…thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  7. Angela says

    April 16, 2012 at 12:18 AM

    Wow, what a tear jerker! My husband just turned to me and asked, “are you crying?” They grow so fast and I get so sad when I think about how innocent they are, but know that it won’t last forever. My prayer is that I will do the best job possible and then be able to trust that HE will take care of the rest.
    Thank you so much for sharing from your heart; it touched mine!
    Hugs,
    Angela

    Reply
  8. Doreen - Hymns and Verses says

    April 16, 2012 at 2:49 AM

    So beautiful! What a treasure this blog post will be for many years to come – for you, your daughter, and all who read it!

    Doreen

    Reply
  9. Susan (My Place to Yours) says

    April 16, 2012 at 3:23 AM

    Vanessa, I’m glad I saw this post this time. What a wonderful Mommy you are! I pray life is treating you kindly these days.

    Reply
  10. Mdegraeve says

    April 16, 2012 at 3:56 AM

    Lovely….

    Reply
  11. Anonymous says

    April 16, 2012 at 2:10 PM

    Thank you, Vanessa. This takes me back to the darling little girl you were – twirling and dancing and playing for endless hours.

    Thank you for sharing your heart!

    Love you, Mom

    Reply
  12. truusje@gmail.com says

    April 17, 2012 at 12:20 AM

    Visited your post on Glynnis Whitwer Spring Cleaning Series. Looking forward to visiting your site again when I have more time. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  13. Jocelyn says

    April 18, 2012 at 3:07 AM

    Love this Vanessa. Beautiful! And you totally made me cry – maybe because I have a four year old girl too 🙂 Thank you for this!

    Reply
  14. Donna says

    April 19, 2012 at 10:31 AM

    Absolutely beautiful post. It was touching and inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  15. Richella says

    April 19, 2012 at 11:52 AM

    Beautiful, beautiful post, Vanessa. And you’re so absolutely right. Gale-force winds will indeed come. No shelter is sufficient except the palm of His hand.

    Reply
  16. Erica {let why lead} says

    April 20, 2012 at 2:56 PM

    I LOVE this post. I actually just had one of those moments last night with my son. He was tucked into bed and said, “Will you let me grow up, Mommy?” I could barely talk through the tightening of my chest, and like you, I wished I could memorize his face and the feel of him at age 3 1/2. Letting him grow and experience the buffeting of the world is a frightening thought. Hopefully the faith we instill in our children as mothers will help them be strong. Thank you for a touching post!

    Reply
  17. The mum of all trades says

    April 20, 2012 at 11:46 PM

    What a beautiful post. This moved me to tears, I can really identify with every word of this. I am always saying to my husband, I just want to freeze our life.

    Reply

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I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 y I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 years now and every year I ohhhh and ahhhh over the blossoms like it's the first time I've ever seen them. I gush and I take photos (that look exactly like the ones I took the year before and the year before that) and I make my family come outside and look at them with me which you know they just LOVE to do. 😉 I think that is one of the main reasons why I love spring so much. On the one hand, it's predictable and yet, on the other hand, it still feels like such a surprise after the long months of barren branches.

And yesterday, as I was staring at the gorgeous blossoms for the umpteenth time, I couldn't help but think that I hope this is how I feel when our lives return to some semblance of normalcy.

I hope that the predictable feels special and that the typical feels anything but. I hope that I ohhh and ahhh over the simple things I've realized I've taken for granted. And, most of all, I hope that feeling doesn't go away for a very, very long time! 💗
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If this is Good Friday, why doesn’t it feel so “good”? It all seems backward doesn’t it?

What could be good about the unspeakable pain he suffered? What could be good about the shame and betrayal?

Easter Sunday is so joyful, bright and cheery. Shouldn’t that be the day we call “good”? It just feels so much better!

But, I don’t know how to rejoice over His resurrection, unless I have felt the pain of His death. I have realized that in life the sweetest victories are the ones which were realized after a pain-filled journey.

And, so it is with Good Friday. I know there will be victory over death, but I can’t skip ahead in the story.

Jesus knew what was coming. He knew what he would experience. And he knew why he would go through it. He did it for me. He did it for you.

Do you know that? Have you felt it down in the very core of your soul? 
Sometimes it makes me squirm a bit. Why would anyone do that for me?

Well, because, I can’t do it for myself!

There is nothing I can do to earn that kind of love and mercy.

That is why it is called GRACE.

His grace is freely given. We don’t have to pay for it. He paid the price for us already.

Do you remember that movie from years ago called “Ransom”? A couple’s young son was kidnapped and the parents went to hell and back trying to find him and pay the “ransom” demanded by the kidnappers.

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