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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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March 25, 2012

Praying for your Kids series…Part 4 and a Guest!

This is the final week of our series:



We have spent the last four weeks being encouraged by the words of some very special moms as they have shared their wonderful insights into how prayer has impacted their families.


This week we are capping off the series with another very special guest!
Kristin of Sweet Country Life has been a lovely friend to us since even before our Picket Fence days. Her blog is filled with charming, honest and sincere snippets from her Sweet Country Life but more than anything, her love for the Lord and her family shine through in every word. 


Let’s welcome Kristin now as she shares with us from her heart…


 


~Filling In The Gaps~

When Vanessa and I first spoke of her new series. I was so excited to be a part of it!

What a great topic….

Praying for our children.

And right away. I felt and had the need to share that one of the most powerful ways that I can and have prayed for my children is to pray that God will “fill in the gaps.”

What does that mean exactly?

Well, we all know…that the moment they place that new baby in our arms. Whether born to us or adopted. That we are so utterly sure that we will love this child unconditionally. That we will do our best and that we will be the mostperfect parents…Ever.

And as you well know.
Perfection is a myth.
And no matter how much we desire to do our best with the raising of our children. We are human. And so are they. We will stumble and we will fall.
And at times…we will fail.
We will fail them.
We will fail ourselves.
And we will need help.

We will need Him.

And whether you are a seasoned mother.
Or a new mommy.

It’s so very important that you know this.

You are not alone.
And the successes and failures of your children do not rise and fall with you.
Oh yes.
It’s extremely easy to pat ourselves on the back when our children are successful!

But, what about when our children….fail at something?
Do you also feel the failure in your job as parent.
Most likely.
And it can be extremely painful.
However….
You have a very important and much needed tool at your disposal. And my friend, it is the most powerful tool of all.

The power to pray that God will fill in the gaps.
It will change your life.
And that of your children.

Isn’t that amazing?

Many, many times I have asked Him, begged Him, to fill in the gaps of my parenting choices.
To stand in the middle of where I think I may be succeeding or am sure that I am failing.
I pray that He draws them near.
That He lifts them up and pulls them forward.
That it is He who changes their heart.
Who convicts them between right and wrong.
That bathes them in peace.
That shows them the path.
That beckons righteousness and humility.

Despite my most well meaning of intentions.

Oh sure, I may think that I am doing all of the molding and shaping.
Bending their lives in the directions that I think are best with my limited knowledge of the future.
But the truth is…
I have zero knowledge of their future.
And I need Him.
Because He is the one who knows.
He is the only hope and trust that I have, because He loves these children, my children, His children. More that I can ever imagine.

And that is powerful, powerful stuff, isn’t it?
And so freeing.

There is freedom in giving up the control.
Freedom in knowing that although I do my best.
And sometimes not so best.
He is better.
He will see them through.

And so for me, when I think of the way that praying for my children has shaped me, challenged me, and nurtured my heart and soul.
Or my children for that matter.

This is what I wanted to share with all of you.

May God bless you on your journey, with hope and peace.
Be encouraged…
You are doing a wonderful job of loving your children.
God knows our hearts and desires and He will give us the strength, love, tools and help that we need!

Psalm 37: 3-6

Kristin

Wow! We thank you so much Kristin for this wonderfully encouraging and truth-filled message today. What a relief it is to know that God will fill in the gaps for us and for our children if we are willing to trust Him!

picketfence_20010_thumb[18]

And now for the final list of Biblical Virtues to pray for your kids!
Sunday: Contentment~ “Father, teach my children the secret of being content in any and every situation, through Him who gives them strength.” (Philippians 4:12-13)
Monday: Faith~ “I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children’s hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them.” (Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40)
Tuesday: A Servant’s Heart~ “God, please help my children develop servants’ hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, as if they were serving the Lord, not men.” (Ephesians 6:7)
Wednesday: Hope~ “May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)
Thursday: Willingness and Ability to Work~ “Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work at it with all their heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Colossians 3:23)
Friday: Passion for God~ “Lord, please instill in my children a soul that ‘followeth hard after thee’ (Psalms 63:8), one that clings passionately to you.”
Saturday: Self-Discipline~ “Father, I pray that my children may acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair.” (Proverbs 1:3)
*adapted from Pray! Magazine*


When we first discussed doing this series, we knew it would never be a blockbuster by “blogging” standards. It wouldn’t receive the most comments, emails, “pins”, etc.
It wasn’t likely to be tweeted about or tagged on Facebook.
But, that’s OK!

Our desire for all of our Simply Sunday posts, is that you might come here and find encouragement, support and maybe even some words of wisdom as you journey through this crazy life.
And, as mothers ourselves, we deeply desire that our children know and feel the love of God from us and through us. We can’t think of any greater legacy we could leave them than an understanding of His love and grace and the sacrifice He made for them…for us…for you!
As we enter into the Holy Season of Good Friday and Easter, we pray that this love would be more real to you than ever and that you will feel it in a new and fresh way.
We are so grateful to all of our Special Guests for being apart of the Praying for Your Kids Series!
If you missed the previous installments you can find them by clicking here.
May your week be richly blessed and thank you so much for joining us on this Simply Sunday,
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7 Comments Filed Under: Devotionals, Good Thoughts, Guest Posts, Simply Sundays

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Comments

  1. Sue says

    March 25, 2012 at 1:31 PM

    Wow. I clicked your link from The Polka Dot Closet to find some new DIY ideas and found this post instead. I SO needed this today, not just for my family but for myself. Thank you so much for doing this and to Kristen, your post was amazing and so inspiring to me. He tries so hard to reach us, no matter how many distractions we throw in his path 🙂

    Reply
  2. NanaDiana says

    March 25, 2012 at 1:37 PM

    What a beautiful, eloquent, heart-warming, inspiring (did I miss anything) post! Beautifully said! xo Diana

    Reply
  3. Alicia Robicheaux says

    March 25, 2012 at 3:09 PM

    I had no idea about this. I’m anxious to see the whole series. (hugs)

    Reply
  4. Amit and Heather says

    March 25, 2012 at 3:57 PM

    I loved this series!!! My husband and I don’t have kids yet, but I have saved all the virtues, so I can pray for them when we do! I’m also sending this to a friend who just had a baby – she’ll love it! Thanks so much!

    Reply
  5. White Ironstone Cottage says

    March 25, 2012 at 10:58 PM

    I have enjoyed this so much what a Blessing
    xxoo
    Pam

    Reply
  6. Amy Kinser says

    March 26, 2012 at 5:04 AM

    What a blessing to read this today. I have prayed many times for God’s grace to “catch” my children when they fall because of my mistakes or something I didn’t teach them. Does that make any sense at all? I love praying for God to fill in the gaps.

    blessings to you all…

    Reply
  7. Susan (My Place to Yours) says

    April 3, 2012 at 11:48 AM

    Once again, God’s timing is perfect! I’m waaaay behind on blog visiting, but this morning I finally read this post, and Kristin has beautifully written what I have so often prayed and claimed in my heart for my children. They are now in their late 20s, and I still pray that God will fill in the gaps (but I never used those words until now). What wonderful imagery. Thank you Kristin, Heather, and Vanessa — and I wish a blessed celebration of our risen Lord for each of you. Happy Easter!

    Reply

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Welcome June! I’m so glad you’re here! What’ Welcome June! I’m so glad you’re here! What’s your favorite thing about this month? Mind can be summed up in this quote…

“In early June the world of leaf and blade and flowers explodes, and every sunset is different.” John Steinbeck
“No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom “No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.”
General Douglas MacArthur

Grateful today and every day for those who were vigilant to the point of death in the preservation of our freedom and the principles upon which our country was founded. May we honor their sacrifice by being vigilant too. #memorialday
I’ve been on the lookout for small side tables t I’ve been on the lookout for small side tables to pit next to our outdoor couch and when I spotted these plant stands at @walmart from their @betterhomesandgardens line I knew they would be perfect…and they are!! 👏🏻 This is not a sponsored post. I’m just happily sharing this great find and why we should always be open to thinking outside of the box when it comes finding solutions for our decorating dilemmas.

Now we’re ready to head into this beautiful weekend! ☀️
What do you do when you want to use a bunch of boo What do you do when you want to use a bunch of books in your decorating but it can cost $50 or more for just ONE brand new book? Head to the secondhand bookstore of course! I’m so excited about this new look in my family room and this easy, inexpensive decorating tip I’m bringing to you for this #tiptuesday
Today feels like one of those days that is worthy Today feels like one of those days that is worthy of a chef’s kiss. Blue sky with nary a cloud in sight, perfect mid-70’s temps, a gentle breeze blowing through my hair as I walk around my yard to see the status of my flowering plants.

This morning I was running errands and the weight of hard things that are happening in the world, the culture, my own community and even in our circle of friends just felt so heavy.

But, as I was exiting a store, I passed a couple who were in their late 60’s/early 70’s and holding hands as they walked through the parking lot. I happened to glance over just as the husband lifted his wife’s hand up and planted a kiss right on it. It was a moment that reflected such love and tenderness and it was made sweeter by the fact that they weren’t spring chickens. I felt honored that I had been the one to observe and appreciate that moment.

What an incredible thing it is that as humans we are able to hold so many emotions in our souls all at once. To feel sorrow for the pain a friend is enduring, grieve the decline of a culture drifting further from the Lord, ponder how to navigate a challenging school situation, marvel at and enjoy the beauty of creation right outside my door and feel joy at getting to see a tangible example of lasting love while walking through a parking lot.

I truly believe that as we mature in our lives and in our faith, we learn to embrace the tension that comes with the collision of different emotions and recognize that they can all coexist at the same time without one taking something away from another. Simple joys make the hard stuff a bit easier and hard stuff makes us appreciate those simple joys even more.

What’s a simple joy that you are thankful for today?
Oh what an absolutely lovely weekend we had!! Here Oh what an absolutely lovely weekend we had!! Here are some highlights…

*Friday night I joined some wonderful ladies at church for a time of fellowship and yummy desserts. I made a strawberry lemon coffee cake and it was amazing if I do say so myself. ☺️ We are new-ish to this church and have just felt so warmly welcomed and folded in which has been very healing.

*Saturday was filled with getting our outdoor spaces spiffed up and my guys got our new table put together!

*Sitting outside for lunch with a yummy salad and iced tea felt like a little slice of heaven.

*Sunday we went to the iris gardens with my in-laws and then came home for naps and the most mouth watering ribs that my sweet husband had on the smoker all day.

*This glorious weekend ended with some ferocious rounds of UNO-corn (a hilarious version of UNO) and brownies my sweet daughter made for our dessert.

How was your weekend sweet friends? 🌸
I am absolutely and completely a better version of I am absolutely and completely a better version of myself when the sun is shining! Raise your hand if this is true for you too.

And, not only do I feel myself seeming to physically rise up from a slumbered state to greet the sunshine we've been longing for, I find that it seems like my house is rising up too. Every room, every nook and cranny (even though I now see dust bunnies that I missed during my cleaning on the dreary days), every leaf and flower outside...it's all coming to life and breathing fresh hope into my spirit. What a gift it is to be able to enjoy this home in all of the seasons of the year and of our lives. Now, I'm going to head outside and clean our deck and maybe there will be some time leftover for those dust bunnies!
I’m slightly obsessed with these glass dispenser I’m slightly obsessed with these glass dispensers! They come with pre-made labels for SO many different options and would make a great Mother’s Day gift! I love how they add a bit of pizzazz to my kitchen. And they go perfectly with some of my antique accessories like the little dish my mother in law gave me for salt and pepper and the tiny toothpick holder which belonged to my great grandmother. 

If you’d like the link to order them, just leave a comment with the word ‘bottles’ and I’ll send it your way. They’re even on sale right now! 🙌🏻
The lilacs are coming! The lilacs are coming! This The lilacs are coming! The lilacs are coming! This is what I’m thinking (and sometimes saying out loud) every time I pass my dining room window and see my lilac tree bursting forth. I should probably just go full Paul Revere and ring a bell while I shout the news for all to hear. I’m sure my family would love that!

Lilac season is so bittersweet because it’s over way too soon but, fortunately, I’ve figured out how to capture the deliciousness of the fragrance by making my own lilac scented room spray. It’s SO simple!

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.

This sweet little project was first featured in my book Life in Season and is definitely one of my favorites.

Have the lilacs started blooming where you live?
The cherry blossoms on the tree in our backyard ar The cherry blossoms on the tree in our backyard are at their peak and I’m here for it!
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