• Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Collaborate
  • Blog
  • Parties
    • Children’s Parties Ideas
    • Holiday Parties
    • Adult Party Ideas
  • Holiday Ideas
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Fourth of July
    • Spring
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Seasons
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Autumn
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
  • Project Gallery
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY
    • Good Ideas
    • Tutorials
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

  • Book
  • Speaking
  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

June 8, 2015

This One’s For You

Hey you, yes YOU.

You who have a dream.

A dream that started as a mere whisper.

A dream that seems so out of reach that you dare not speak of it for fear that others will confirm that yes, you are indeed crazy for ever dreaming it up.

peony

You have a dream that seems impossible and yet you have to believe that it wouldn’t have been placed in your heart unless there was at least a chance…just a chance…that it might actually come true. But you are afraid. Afraid that it will never come true.

And yes, even sometimes afraid that it will.

You see others having their dreams come true and you fight feeling defeated before you’ve even begun because there is no way you are in the same league as THEM so how could your little dream ever take flight?

Sometimes you allow that flat out lie to take root in your heart and tempt you to give up on that dream without ever trying.

But, what if you didn’t believe that lie?

What if you took your dream and laid it at God’s feet?

What might happen when your dream and God’s will collide? Think of all of the possibilities of what could transpire if you prayed for God to align the desires of your heart with His desires for you.

Align our Desires quote atthepicketfence.com

And then, what if you just started?

Started working.
Started pursuing.
Started talking.
Started planning.
Started dreaming even bigger.
Started putting yourself out there.

Started allowing God to close some doors and open other ones. Started being humbled by the setbacks and forks in the road but not thwarted by them. Started trusting that “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.”

Can you guess what might happen? We can!

Because that’s what we’ve done.

And soon we will share with you about our dream coming true.

Very, very soon. We promise! 😉

dual-signature_thumb2

 

12 Comments Filed Under: Good Ideas

Subscribe

Get the latest goodness straight to your inbox!

Previous Post: « DIY Coastal Rope Mirror
Next Post: Entry Decorated for Summer »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Robin @ Simply Southern Baking says

    June 8, 2015 at 3:43 AM

    Thank you for the beautiful reminder to lay it all at God’s feet. Look forward to hearing about your dream coming true. Have a blessed week. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Beverly Collins says

    June 8, 2015 at 7:54 AM

    Just what I needed to hear this morning!

    Reply
  3. kristin says

    June 8, 2015 at 8:34 AM

    I love this ladies and I can’t wait to hear more!!! XXOO
    Kristin

    Reply
  4. Lauren English says

    June 8, 2015 at 8:51 AM

    Love this! I’m learning so much this year about trusting God enough to share my biggest dreams and desires. I’ve enjoyed reading your blog since I found it a few days ago and am excited to see what’s to come!

    Reply
  5. Karen says

    June 8, 2015 at 9:59 AM

    Oh my goodness, I think God just spoke to me through your message. I so needed to hear these words. I too have a dream that I have just recently begun to pursue and I have been thwarted with self doubt and fear. Thank you for the gentle reminder to lay it all at God’s feet. Have a blessed day!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      June 11, 2015 at 1:44 PM

      I’m so glad that my words met you at the right time Karen! Blessings!

      Reply
  6. Cheryl @ The Creative Me and My McG says

    June 8, 2015 at 11:28 AM

    your post strikes a chord in me today that I have been reeling with…I have dreams that I have never shared with anyone, some days not even myself…I know it’s time to voice them, but am I too old…not capable…afraid is a good way to explain how I’m feeling…and it’s so time to let that go…

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      June 11, 2015 at 1:43 PM

      Cheryl I truly believe that when a dream has been placed in our hearts it’s for a reason and that only fear is what keeps us from pursuing them! I pray you begin voicing those dreams even if only to yourself and that you will have courage to move through the doors as the open. 🙂

      Reply
  7. Julie Kimmel says

    June 8, 2015 at 10:42 PM

    As always, your words resonate deep inside me. I can’t wait until you share your dream come true!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      June 9, 2015 at 7:37 PM

      Thank you Julie! So glad they resonated with you!

      Reply
  8. Georgia @ Silver Spiral Studio says

    June 9, 2015 at 9:42 PM

    Beautiful. Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  9. Pamela says

    June 11, 2015 at 8:56 PM

    I so needed to hear or read this thank you.
    Thank you
    Pam

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Search This Blog

Get the book!

Invite Vanessa to speak at your event!

Stay updated!

Must Reads

Recent Posts

  • Why We’ve Chosen Vacations Over Projects April 26, 2022
  • A New Look for the Family Room March 1, 2022
  • Christmas Kitchen and Family Room December 19, 2021
  • Christmas Home Tour Part One December 10, 2021
  • Easy Hot Cocoa Station November 21, 2021

Footer

Stay Connected!

Instagram

“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10
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
Load More... Follow
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2022 At The Picket Fence