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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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June 16, 2014

Drudgery

This morning I woke up feeling ‘blah’. I think I might have actually even said, “ugh” the moment I opened my eyes.

Maybe it was the fact that the power had gone out in our neighborhood in the middle of the night which caused my children to wake up and promptly freak out. OK, so only one of my children freaked out. The other one simply grabbed her flashlight and went back to sleep but not before telling us how concerned she was about the toaster working in the morning so she could have her favorite waffles. The child who did in fact freak out really wanted to sleep with us and since he is basically the size of a small-ish adult you can imagine how psyched we were over the idea of him joining us in our queen sized bed.

Maybe it was the fact that even before I opened my eyes I knew that there were dirty dishes overflowing in my sink and spilling onto the counters.

Maybe it was the fact that I was fairly certain 3 out of the 4 of us were out of clean underwear.

Or maybe it was the fact that it is raining and it’s the middle of June for Pete’s sake.

Whatever the reason, the ‘blahs’ were hitting hard and frankly I was kind of welcoming them with open arms.

I just wanted to sit and wallow in them while clinging to my hot cup of coffee. That sweet, sweet nectar was the only thing keeping me from crawling back into bed and pulling the covers over my head. Well, that and knowing that I should probably through a load of underwear in the wash.

At some point in the morning I remembered that my youngest was starting swim camp this week and I dragged myself to the bathroom for a shower.

I glanced down at the stack of books sitting next to the toilet (moms everywhere know that this room is the only place where maybe, just maybe we can get 5 minutes to ourselves. Until they find us!) and picked up ‘My Utmost for His Highest’ by Oswald Chambers.

It’s my favorite.

And here’s what I read, ” We all have those times when there are no flashes of light and no apparent thrill to life, where we experience nothing but the daily routine with it’s common everyday tasks. The routine of life is actually God’s way of saving us between our times of great inspiration which come from Him. Don’t always expect God to give you His thrilling moments, but learn to live in those common times of the drudgery of life by the power of God.”

Here’s the thing my friends, more of our lives will be filled with ‘drudgery’ than anything else. Yes, there will be mountain-top experiences when we are overwhelmed by God’s goodness and mercy and answered prayers. And yes, there will be valley experiences where we are overwhelmed by loss and grief and heartache and we will cling to Him in desperation.

But, the rest of the time? Well, it’s just life.

It’s dirty dishes.

It’s running out of clean underwear.

It’s kids climbing into bed with you in the middle of the night because they are scared even though they are 11 years old.

It’s the rainy summer days that just feel so, so wrong.

And I don’t know about you, but I find it way harder to feel close to the Lord in the times of drudgery than I do on the mountain-tops or in the valley.

Because, in those moments I feel like I don’t have a choice BUT to praise Him or cling to Him.

But in the drudgery, well, it’s definitely a choice. 

I stood in the shower and let the warm water wash over me and knew that my day was going to be filled with choices.

Should I leave the dishes in the sink for awhile longer while I have another cup of coffee?

Yes.

Should I spring for packages of goldfish crackers after swimming lessons?

Yes.

Should I decide to NOT go to the grocery store with 2 kids in the pouring rain knowing full well that it would be a recipe for disaster considering we were all feeling grumpy and tired and that we would probably end up having pancakes for dinner because it’s slim pickin’s in our house right now?

Yes.

Should we snuggle in together on the couch and watch movies on this rainy summer day in June?

YES!!!

And will I ‘learn to live in those common moments of the drudgery of life by the power of God’?

Well, I’m definitely going to try!

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19 Comments Filed Under: Devotionals

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Comments

  1. Cheryl says

    June 16, 2014 at 12:32 PM

    My 9 year old daughter woke me up at 3 am this morning and crawled into bed with me because she had a bad dream. Although I was exhausted this morning, I realized that there will come a day, when she won’t need to run to me when she’s afraid and I will miss these days immensely. Great blog, I have lots of the drudgery lately and I like the way Oswald Chambers looks at it. I will have to remember that.

    Reply
  2. lucy Beliveau says

    June 16, 2014 at 1:01 PM

    You have no idea how much I needed to read what you had to say today! Thank you for setting me straight! Great post!

    Reply
  3. Jill Carlson says

    June 16, 2014 at 1:42 PM

    LOVE!!!

    Reply
  4. Sarah Hauser says

    June 16, 2014 at 1:51 PM

    I sat down last night with my husband talking over pretty much this exact same thing and how I’ve been feeling frustrated and stagnant in the midst of the drudgery. THANK YOU for sharing this – I really needed it and it was perfect timing.

    Reply
  5. Gerry says

    June 16, 2014 at 2:11 PM

    I think you had a great day! Seriously, you did. Any pancakes left over 😉

    Reply
  6. Marty Walden says

    June 16, 2014 at 4:01 PM

    That’s one of my favorite devotion books 🙂 Life indeed is drudgery, some days more than others, and it’s true that you find God more in the valleys than in the everyday. I love Ann Voskamp’s 1000 Gifts book and am making my list and checking it twice!

    Reply
  7. Jane @ Cottage at the Crossroads says

    June 16, 2014 at 4:06 PM

    Great post! I’ve found that as I’m getting older, I relish the ordinary days and enjoy the simple tasks of daily living. Just feel blessed to be here everyday, I suppose! Hope you had a chance to snuggle some today!

    Reply
  8. laura says

    June 16, 2014 at 4:39 PM

    Good for you..thats the best choice alobg with washing those underpants!!

    Reply
  9. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    June 16, 2014 at 4:56 PM

    Leave the dishes . . . watch a movie with the kids . . . good choice . . . there’s always tomorrow . . the washer will still be there . . . and paper plates are always a great option!!…Oh the days of “mommyhood”….

    Reply
  10. Joanne Boulter says

    June 16, 2014 at 6:22 PM

    Thanx for the awesome post. Loved it!

    It’s all LOVERLY! Jo @Anne’s Attic – Design https://fulcolbaxia.wordpress.com

    Reply
  11. Anita Ward says

    June 16, 2014 at 7:14 PM

    Thank you for sharing, I needed that today!!!!

    Reply
  12. Cindy Scheel says

    June 16, 2014 at 8:56 PM

    Country singer, Scotty McCreery, an American Idol winner, has a song called “Dirty Dishes”. It is about a prayer his mom surprises everyone with at the dinner table. If you have time, listen to it. It will make you appreciate those dirty dishes. I always enjoy reading your posts.

    Reply
  13. Yvonne @ StoneGable says

    June 16, 2014 at 9:14 PM

    So wise for being so young! YOu were certainly raised right! I love your perspective on so much… but mostly on our Father, God! Bless you for the sunshine you spread… even on a rainy day!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      June 17, 2014 at 6:39 PM

      Thanks sweet friend! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Nancy Sharp says

    June 17, 2014 at 4:45 AM

    Sometimes reading your blog is like adding another devotional to my mornings. God bless you and I’m so happy you enjoy special moments on your children and life without worrying about housework.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      June 17, 2014 at 6:38 PM

      Oh Nancy thank you so much! Your encouraging words are a blessing to me!

      Reply
  15. Peggy says

    June 17, 2014 at 9:57 AM

    Thank you. I have had this on my heart. The drudgery of life — I’ve been without my washer for two weeks. Just finding a hallelujah moment seemed very hard. But it is a choice isn’t it? And I choose to bless The Lord, even in the mundane just existing days as well as the awesome days Orville the sometimes hard days. I needed this reminder.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      June 17, 2014 at 6:33 PM

      It’s definitely a choice Peggy and I find myself having to make that choice multiple times a day! But isn’t it nice to know we are all in this together? 🙂

      Reply
  16. sheri says

    June 22, 2014 at 2:48 PM

    Love your truth 🙂 All about pancakes for dinner some days!

    Reply

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I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consumin I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consuming seasonal decorating. When I think back on the years where I would feel all of the pressure to come up with something fresh and creative I’m seriously embarrassed. Truly. Because it was such a waste. A waste of my time, my energy, my resources. Something clicked with me a few years ago. I was just done. I needed to simplify. I needed to not spend an obscene amount of time looking at fireplace mantels on Pinterest and trying to figure out how to make mine look amazing. I needed to put it all in the proper place in my heart and my mind. Which meant, it had to go waaaaayyyy down on the priority list. So far down it almost wasn’t on it. And I needed to confess to the Lord that I had allowed it to become an idol. 

Yes, I want to have a home that I enjoy. Yes, I love pretty things. But something really amazing happened when I finally released it all. When I decided to not give into the pressure and panic I would feel when I would scroll through my Instagram feed. When I just laid it all down and said…enough. There was this incredible irony in it. Because, the less time I took to decorate my home for each season, the more I found myself loving the results. I think that all along I had just been getting in my own way. It’s really taken a lot of time and prayer for me to finally be at a place where even though I still struggle with insecurities and I still have doubts from time to time, I’m becoming increasingly more confident in who God created me to be. And, just like my home, I’m finding that as I relax into myself, letting go of the comparisons and the pressure, the more I can actually lean into the calling He has placed on my life. 🍂

Leave a comment if you can relate! 

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking
“As the alluring song of September begins to whi “As the alluring song of September begins to whisper in my ear, my passionate spirit yearns for the splendor of its promise.” (Peggy Toney Horton)

Happy September dear friends! While I’m not quite ready to let go of summer and I plan to make the most out of the lingering, warm days, I’ll admit to starting to think about my fall decor this year. And one way to get inspired is to take a look back at previous years. Here’s just a glimpse at some of the ways I’ve welcomed Autumn to my home! 🍂

#september #falldecorating #falldecor #falldecoratingideas #wearethehomemakers
Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning the corner and getting closer to fall but I’m not quite ready to let summer go. So I’ll just be over here continuing to whip up some super simple summer meals for my family that frankly can be enjoyed in any season. These shrimp rolls I made the other night were definitely a hit and would be great for any of your upcoming holiday weekend gatherings!

Shrimp Rolls 🍤

Ingredients
1-2 lbs of shrimp that is peeled, deveined and tail off (If using frozen make sure it’s thawed completely)
1/3 cup mayonnaise 
1/2 of a lemon
2 Tbsps chopped scallions
1 Tbsp chopped dill
1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1 Tsp of Old Bay seasoning (more if you like!)
pinch of sea salt and pinch of black pepper
Hoagie Rolls
Softened butter

Directions: Gently pat the shrimp with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Roughly chop the shrimp and place in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, squeeze half of lemon and stir to combine before adding in the scallions, dill and parsley. Stir to combine and then add the additional seasonings. Spread butter on hoagie rolls and toast in the oven until lightly browned. Pile on the shrimp mixture and enjoy! 

#shrimproll #foodie #weeknightdinner #easydinner #seafoodlover
Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. W Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. We woke up to the sound of chainsaws and rushed downstairs to find that our backyard neighbors were having two of the huge trees that line our shared fence removed. These trees have been here longer than the neighborhood and no, they weren't dead or causing damage to roofs, foundations, etc. They were beautiful and gave us wonderful privacy. We had no notice of this happening so this came as quite a shock. Because we were given no notice, we didn't have the chance to cover our outdoor furniture or plants and everything is now coated in a thick layer of sawdust including the fresh bark we recently put in the garden beds. And now our lovely privacy is gone, replaced by a direct view of an above ground pool and RV. I know, I know, it's totally a first world, privileged kind of problem to have. But, now we have to spend thousands of dollars on plants to try and recapture some semblance of privacy. Now we have days worth of clean up to do after we had JUST done a massive freshening up of our backyard. My overarching feeling has just been weariness at the way our world is today.

I think about how often we try to do right by people, to be respectful and courteous. To be thoughtful and considerate. And it’s not reciprocated. How its starting to seem more and more like people have just given up on those seemingly small niceties. And my soul just feels heavy. Because I feel like so much of what used to be common courtesy is not so common anymore. Drivers on the roads are angrier and more reckless than ever before. Red lights being run are an everyday occurrence around town. On our recent family vacation, I heard more people using the F word out in public than ever before even while around children. Where are manners? Where is kindness? I'm finding myself being surprised when someone is thoughtful because it seems like a rarity. And that's just all on a micro, local level. Don't even get me started on the insanity in our world/culture. After I returned from grocery shopping (which can also be soul crushing), I found myself desperate for a reminder of the truth. 

*Part 2 continued in the comments.*
How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully grasp our strengths or our weaknesses until we are put to the test? Little did I know how much I would love my role as a wife, mother and homemaker until I became one. And that in my endeavor to do those roles to the best of my ability, it would bring to the forefront gifts and talents and blessings that I use outside of these walls.

As I water others, I’m watered too because it brings such joy to care for those around me. But it can also make me see more clearly the areas in which I’m lacking and be a very humbling reminder of how much I still need to grow and learn.

Proverbs 11:25 says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched and one who waters will himself be watered.”

Have you done any ‘watering’ of others this week? How has it blessed and ‘watered’ you in return?
“Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you “Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you make.” Statements like this from my kids fill me with so much joy and such a sense of assurance that my role as the maker of this home is one that makes an impact on them in both big and small ways. It’s not just sheet pan shrimp boil. 

It’s nourishment
It’s time together around the table
It’s laughing as we try to get the butter sauce out of the pan
It’s a memory
It’s an imprint on their lives 

The ordinary act of making a meal becomes EXTRAordinary. And I try to keep that in mind as I do this task day in and day out, year after year. 

***

Ingredients: 
1 pound baby red or yellow potatoes
Green beans or corn (4 ears cut in half) whichever you prefer
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt and pinch of black pepper 
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
Crusty bread for dipping 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Put potatoes, shrimp, sausage and green beans or corn on baking sheet. Pour butter over top. Sprinkle with old bay seasoning and salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Bake for about 12 minutes or until shrimp is pink. 

#shrimpboil #sheetpandinner #sheetpanmeals #homemaking
Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and lig Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and light cocktails! My husband is my own built in bartender and he put this together the other night. 

2 jiggers of gin (you could also use vodka) 
*you should do a jig when using a jigger 😉*
Crushed ice 
Grapefruit tonic 
Squirt of lime 
Sprig of mint 

Easy and so refreshing!! ☀️

#cocktails #summercocktails
There is something magical about the late summer e There is something magical about the late summer evenings. Maybe it’s because we have a greater sense of the fact that these long days are slowly shortening and we want to savor them as much as we can. I know I intend to do just that. 

I hope you’re having a wonderful August so far dear friends!
Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our hou Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our house all summer long. We’re big on the ‘build your own’ method of making dinner especially on very hot days. Simplicity for the win! 
#recipes #easydinner #easydinnerideas #homemaking
In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grou In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grouping of beats. No matter what else a piece of music has in terms of its pitch or tone, the rhythm never changes. Its the stabilizing force and brings order to a composition that would be completely chaotic without it.

The same can be said of rhythms in our lives and in our homes. When everything else feels out of control, rhythms and patterns provide us with stability and something that we can rely upon to give us a sense of security in a very insecure world. But, too often, we associate the rhythmic things we do in our lives as merely tasks to be gotten through rather than gifts which provide much-needed balance.

Whether it’s making the coffee every night before we go to bed or doing my devotional in the morning before the rest of the house wakes up or watering my garden, these simple tasks provide a rhythm to my day that is truly grounding. 

What’s something that you do that you would classify as a rhythm or pattern in your week?
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