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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 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! 😉

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12 Comments Filed Under: Good Ideas

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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

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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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