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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, 2013

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My Mama Always Said March 27, 2020
A Dash of Joy! March 19, 2020
Saying Goodbye to a Relic March 2, 2020
It’s Not the Same February 4, 2020
Winter Decorating January 23, 2020

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“Sighing, tears, frustration, anger.” Every si

“Sighing, tears, frustration, anger.” Every single one of these emotions has made their way through our home in recent days and, my guess is, they have in your home too.

I SO needed this reminder today from the new book ‘Adore’ by @sarahagertywrites.

Adoration isn’t just sitting at His feet gazing longingly with stars in my eyes. It’s bringing my fears and my sorrows and gray roots in my hair that desperately needs to be colored and my messy house and all of the things that threaten to send me over the edge right now and laying them down before Him, soaking up His word and His presence so that when I stand back up, I am changed for having spent the time adoring the ONE who is... Healer, comforter, peace-giver, deliverer, redeemer.

What do you need to bring to Him today? I’ll share mine in the comments and I’d love to hear from you too!

I’ve always loved evenings, but since this whole

I’ve always loved evenings, but since this whole lockdown thing began, I’ve come to appreciate this time of day even more.

It feels the most...normal. Daytime is strange and foreign right now. My husband has taken over our home office, I’m suddenly taking over the responsibility of managing my kids’ distance learning and let me just say that teaching 7th grade algebra to my daughter is hugely ironic since I struggled with math all the way through school. I’m trying to do my own work but it feels utterly futile with the constant interruptions which take precedence right now. In the daytime, I’m constantly reminded of how upside down life feels.

But, in the evening, I cook dinner like I’ve always done and we gather around the table like we’ve always done and we laugh and tell stories and then clean up and play games or go on a walk or watch a show. And that feels SO gloriously normal.

So now I love evenings even more than I ever did before and I’m so grateful for this little chunk of time where the rhythms we established years ago are helping to sustain us now when so much of life feels outside of our control.

What feels ‘normal’ to you right now? Whatever it is, keep doing it. 🌿

When I was in college I would frequently call home

When I was in college I would frequently call home and pour my heart out to my mom, sharing with her all that was happening in my life in that completely unfiltered way that you can talk with the person who potty trained you. These phone calls usually took place at night and my mom would patiently listen as I vented frustrations about professors, roommates, boyfriends and the food in the cafeteria. And, inevitably, they would end with my mom saying, “Everything seems worse when you’re tired. Try not to overthink things or make any major decisions tonight, especially when you are feeling emotional.” Dear friends, may I pass along this advice to you today?

If you don’t absolutely HAVE to make a decision right now, I want to encourage you to wait until life gets back to normal. If you are finding yourself over-analyzing relationships and family dynamics, I want to encourage you to remember that everything seems more dramatic when looked at under a microscope. And, let’s face it, being homebound with our loved ones non-stop makes us all feel like lab rats in an experiment.

If you are tempted to quit a job, start a business, start homeschooling permanently, stop homeschooling permanently, move to a new city, buy a farm, quit pursuing your dream, join a commune or make any other major life decision just…wait. Because, if it is in fact the right decision, it will be made even clearer once our lives return to their ‘regularly scheduled programming’. Instead, in this strange season, let’s all just take a deep, collective breath and let it out slowly, releasing the anxiety that threatens to overtake us. Let’s help each other maintain some perspective and not slip into a posture of over-thinking every little thing in our lives. Let’s remember that the enemy of our souls would love nothing more than to use this time when things feel dark to manipulate us into thinking that aspects of our lives are worse than they actually are.

My prayer for you in these days is that you will have the clarity to know what is true and that you will be filled with peace even while we live in this season of so many unknowns.

Raise your hand if you’re doing more baking thes

Raise your hand if you’re doing more baking these days! 🙋🏻‍♀️ I’m trying to avoid gaining the #corona15 but my daughter and I LOVE baking together and it does help to pass the time plus it counts as a science lesson right?

If you’re able to find flour in the stores (for the love people please stop overbuying!) and you’re doing more baking at your house too you need to add this apricot bread to your list of new recipes to try!

Normally I’d point you to my blog for the directions but I’m going to do you a solid and leave the full recipe in the comments.

What have you baked so far during this time of social distancing? I’d love some new ideas!

There are a LOT of people out walking in our neigh

There are a LOT of people out walking in our neighborhood right now (but still social distancing!) and she decided that she wanted to bring them some joy and put a smile on their face when they pass by our house. Also, the square with ‘say no to coronavirus’ is priceless. 😂 I just love her so much!

With all that’s happening around us, I can’t h

With all that’s happening around us, I can’t help feeling grateful for the signs of spring that are everywhere right now. They are symbols of hope and reminders that the seasons aren’t affected by a virus and we have SO much to look forward to!

What is blooming in your yard right now?

Truth is a strange thing. We can know it in our h

Truth is a strange thing.

We can know it in our heads and yet feeling it in our hearts is an entirely different matter. And at no other time are we more aware of this duality than when we are scared or hurting.

But God’s truths, the truths about who He is, His character, His promises…they don’t change. Even when our circumstances do.

Even when there is fear.

Even when there is confusion.

Even when there seems to be no answer.

Even when there is betrayal.

Even when there is unbearable grief.

There are times in our lives when we feel like we are dangling from a tree branch. The wind is whipping all around, the rain is pouring down on us, the thunder and lightning crash and we are clinging to that branch with all of our strength but we can feel our fingers slipping as we doubt that this branch can hold us. Or, more accurately, that WE can hold onto IT.

When we cling to God’s truths, it doesn’t mean that the storms just magically disappear. It simply means that we are miraculously given the strength to keep holding on in the midst of the storm.

We cling to the truth that God is…

Good

Merciful

Mighty

Holy

Loving

Sovereign

Powerful

Because He is ALWAYS those things. Those truths don’t change even when our lives don’t go according to our plans. And as we embrace that duality of knowing the truth even when we aren’t feeling the truth, we reach a new level in our relationship with Him.

My prayer for you on this day, in this moment, is that you would feel the truth of His love for you like never before.

Yesterday I picked up this sweet maidenhair fern f

Yesterday I picked up this sweet maidenhair fern from Trader Joe's and put it on my table with a few little extras to make a simple Spring centerpiece. Later that afternoon, my kids came home from school and as my son walked through the dining room he commented on it. "I really like that green plant Mom. It looks good there!" Now, first of all, I can't help thinking that his future wife will love being married to a guy who notices and appreciates how the house is decorated.

Secondly, it's a reminder of just how much it uplifts our spirits to see and admire something beautiful. It has such a calming effect and allows us the opportunity to pause and simply appreciate the moment.

So, here's a photo of my little Spring centerpiece for your viewing pleasure. I hope that as you are scrolling through social media today and seeing it filled with statistics and alarm and yes, even panic, that this will be just what your soul needs. Take a deep breath, slowly let it out and remember that the sun is still in the sky, God is on His throne and even something as simple as a fern can bring a little bit of comfort and calm in the midst of the craziness.

Not fearful but composed. Not timid but courageous

Not fearful but composed. Not timid but courageous. Not reckless but prudent.

Let’s live this out today my friends!

We’ve had the most glorious sunshine this week h

We’ve had the most glorious sunshine this week here in the Willamette Valley and everything is starting to bloom! I’m most excited to see these buds on my snowball tree because I know that soon it will be dripping with blossoms that will fill up my house and get delivered to friends and neighbors. (See second photo!)
.
What is blooming where you live that you look forward to the most each year?

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