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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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February 13, 2011

Simply Sunday’s Guest Post…Whatever Is Lovely





We are so thrilled to have a special guest here with us for Simply Sundays at the Fence!
Debbie from Words on Wheels graciously agreed to share with us some wonderful words from her heart. Her loving, warm, kind and encouraging heart.
Oh, and she is hilariously funny to boot!
If you have never visited her blog, you are missing out and as soon as you are done reading this we encourage you to head on over there and get to know Debbie a little bit better. We know you will love her as much as we do!


Whatever is Lovely


My Sunday school class has been on an adventure lately.  
The Bible calls it
being transformed by the renewing of the mind.

I just call it Extreme Mind Makeover.  

We went from renovating the mind in Romans to demolishing strongholds in 1 Corinthians to taking every thought captive to Christ.

Whew. That’s a pretty tall order, if we’re honest.  The mind is scary place full of secret compartments. When you finish all that demolition, you’re left with wide open spaces to boot.  Since God didn’t exactly call us to be empty headed, we have to figure out a way to fill them.

That’s where last week’s lesson came in. It’s the phase we women like to call interior decorating.
We got our Master plan from Philippians 4:8.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble,
whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
 whatever is admirable–
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–
think about these things.

Personally, I love it when Paul uses those long, stringy lists. It’s proof positive that God can use anyone for His purposes, even a word- addicted yakker.   It’s also in the middle of those lists that I find some of my favorite stuff.

Such was the case this week, and it’s the part I want to share today.

I was clicking through Paul’s list, when I came to this one:

Whatever is lovely…

Lovely…
I think my daughters are lovely…
And the blue hour is lovely…
And azaleas in the southern springtime.

Lovely seemed pretty self- explanatory to me. No need for a word study there. 
 
But then, He started niggling.
He’s always niggling…

Maybe,  just maybe,  there was something more to this loveliness than a blue hour.  Maybe the  word needed to be pulled out of the verse and plopped on the table for little inspection.

I did, and behold…    

Did you know that Greek word is used only this one time in all of scripture?  It’s a word created by combining the word for brotherly love (phileo) with the preposition toward.

Think toward love. 

I like that.   

I imagined a gigantic game board with LOVE as the ultimate goal.   Our thoughts are those little game pieces.  


Mine are red. I always pick red.



Our mission is to take our pieces of thought and advance them it in the direction of love. 

Because I’m a meddlesome teacher, I asked my class to play the mind game with me. What thoughts, I asked, might we have which need to be picked up and moved in more lovely direction?

Careless thoughts…
Critical ones…
The ones which are haughty or selfish or stubborn…
Self-righteous thoughts…
Judgments     

(I can make stringy lists, too.)

At first, no one said a word.  It’s one thing to think an unloving thought. It’s another thing entirely to confess it.

In front of your Sunday school class, no less.

Finally, though, one brave soul ponied up and threw a stereotype on the table. 
Then another one tossed out a critique.
Yet another, an opinion.

One after the other, those wonderful women brought their secret thoughts to our imaginary game board, and together we turned each one around and inched it in a more lovely direction.   

And yes, the teacher played too.

I came to a conclusion that morning. Maybe it’s not such a tall order after all, this taking thoughts captive to Christ.  When we can’t seem to manage that giant leap, we simply advance in a series of baby steps.

Thought by thought…
Space by space…
in the direction of Love.
Debbie

Thank you so much for sharing this with us today Debbie.
You are a blessing to us and to so many others!

From the Girls at the Fence,
Heather and Vanessa

14 Comments Filed Under: Devotionals, Good Thoughts, Guest Posts, Simply Sundays

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Comments

  1. Leslie @ goodbye, house! HELLO, HOME! says

    February 13, 2011 at 10:37 PM

    Debbie always has some thought-provoking words!
    I just love her!
    Moving towards love.
    Lord? Please help me do this every day.
    I’ll play Your game.
    Thank you Sisters, for having Debbie over!
    HUGS!
    ~me

    Reply
  2. elizabeth says

    February 13, 2011 at 11:02 PM

    So excited to read Debbie over here! Renewing the mind was a key life changing truth in my life and one I love to learn and teach about as well. Debbie, your insights are amazing. Thank you so much!

    Reply
  3. Sue says

    February 13, 2011 at 11:26 PM

    Hi Debbie
    I love the way you have pulled something wonderful, dare I say, lovely, out of this favorite scripture. Especially as I have some thoughts right now that need to move in that direction, fearful thoughts. Thank you for your teaching and your encouraging words.

    As always you are a blessing to me!
    Sue

    Reply
  4. Dee says

    February 13, 2011 at 11:40 PM

    Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  5. Town and Country Mom says

    February 14, 2011 at 1:32 AM

    This is my favorite feature of your new blog! Thank you!

    Reply
  6. Chatty Crone says

    February 14, 2011 at 1:45 AM

    I really learned something from this today – glad I came over.

    sandie

    Reply
  7. Sharon Kirby says

    February 14, 2011 at 2:42 AM

    Debbie – You know how much I love your writing (and how much I love you, too) – This was one of my favorite things that I have ever read. It had your signature touch of wit, and yet the hand of God was all over it! I was convicted and challenged – encouraged and inspired! I will be pondering this one word “lovely” this week – and thinking about how I can focus more on the direction of love.

    GOD BLESS!

    (It should not surprise either one of us that I always choose red, too…)

    Reply
  8. NanaDiana says

    February 14, 2011 at 2:59 AM

    Beautifully said….and food for thought….xxoo Diana

    Reply
  9. Lynn Richards says

    February 14, 2011 at 5:32 AM

    how fun to see Debbie over here!! I love her words and these are no exception.
    xo
    lynn

    Reply
  10. Dayle says

    February 14, 2011 at 11:17 AM

    Great job, Debbie. As always, your words stir something inside of me, for the better.

    Reply
  11. Denise says

    February 14, 2011 at 1:09 PM

    So, I’ve been moving toward love ever since that lesson two weeks ago and I have to tell you, it really works. If only every person I came in contact with had learned the lesson too. Then, when I say “Move toward love” they’d “get” it. I do so appreciate all your wisdom and love of learning. Thanks for sharing.

    PS I think you’re daughters are lovely too!

    Reply
  12. Sarah @ Modern Country Style says

    February 14, 2011 at 2:03 PM

    I haven’t come across Debbie before but I LOVE this guest post. Really, reeeeally love it.

    Thanks so much for sharing the floor with her…you two are gorgeous!

    Sarahx

    Reply
  13. FrouFrouBritches says

    February 14, 2011 at 7:58 PM

    Debbie, you are so good at giving us what our preacher used to call, “word pictures”. The game board comparison is awesome. I will be more mindful of my mind and try to move toward love. Thanks for the reminder Debbie. XOXO and Happy Valentine’s Day!

    Reply
  14. laurie @ bargain hunting says

    February 16, 2011 at 1:30 AM

    Thank you so much for sharing more of Debbie’s words of wisdom. I just love the way that girl thinks! I’ve never visited your blog before. I love the “picket fence” analogy, and from seeing your pictures on your sidebar, you two are adorable. I also thought the idea of upholstering the guard rail was brilliant, and it turned out so pretty. laurie

    Reply

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On Monday my heart just felt so heavy. Yes, the po On Monday my heart just felt so heavy. Yes, the pouring rain outside contributed to my feelings. But the primary cause was this overwhelming flood of thoughts about how much in our world and in our culture is going off the rails. I’d planned to make pumpkin bread that day but I was tempted to just curl up in a ball on my bed, pull the covers over my head and pretend that this would actually solve something. I didn’t give into that temptation though. Instead, I got out my favorite pumpkin bread recipe and found that, as I worked and prayed and hummed worship songs, my spirit began to settle. When the world feels very loud, the demands of family and home can actually help to quiet our souls. As each family member walked through the door later in the day, they commented on how wonderful the house smelled. It’s better than any fall candle in my opinion! And I knew that the extra loaf that I get from the recipe would be a welcome treat for my widower neighbor. So, if your heart is feeling a bit unsettled this week too, maybe this recipe will come in handy!

Pumpkin Bread:

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7×3 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 🍂
Happy first day of Autumn!! 🍂 Here’s a super Happy first day of Autumn!! 🍂 Here’s a super simple centerpiece that you can make in five minutes (or less) with just a few pumpkins and extra faux greenery. Let’s spend less time decorating and more time enjoying this season. It’s my favorite!! 🧡

#fallcenterpiece #falldecor #centerpiece #fiveminutedecorating
"Define your day", she told me as I held my newbor "Define your day", she told me as I held my newborn son. My mom and I were talking about how blurred my days and nights had become and how easy it would be to just stay in my pajamas 24/7. She encouraged me to make an attempt to put on 'real' clothes in the morning even if they were just nice sweatpants (bonus if they were clean!) and to throw a little bit of makeup on. That simple advice helped chart a course for my years of motherhood that continues today. And recently I began thinking about how critical it is that we not only seek wisdom from those ahead of us in our stage of life but that we are willing to apply it as well.

So, I asked this question on my personal Facebook page; "What is something you feel you've done well to create a peaceful/meaningful home for yourself and your family?" The catch was that the question was geared towards women in the 40+ age range. The responses came flooding in and were so wonderful and insightful. So, I'm going to be starting a new series where I share this wisdom with you and will include the first name of the woman who offered it. 

Today we start with Alison who said "I learned to set my alarm early to get up and moving before my kids woke up. I showered, got dressed and did my devotions while the house was quiet. It set my heart and perspective for each day.”

Is this something you do in your life too? What wisdom would you offer to a mom of young children?

I truly think our culture would greatly benefit from more women in different seasons of life being willing to invest in each other. 🍂

#wearthehomemakers #homemaking #motherhood #parentingwisdom
If bread pudding is on the dessert menu at a resta If bread pudding is on the dessert menu at a restaurant I’m definitely ordering it! It’s one of my all time favorite treats. So I decided to try my hand at making some here at home with a little fall twist and it was SO delicious!! 🍎

Ingredients:

6 slices of day old bread (french, sourdough or even brioche works great)
2 cups of heavy cream
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
For the apples:
3 peeled and chopped apples of a tart variety
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour (or corn starch)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350
Cut bread into cubes and place in a greased 8 1/2 x 11 baking dish
Whisk together in a bowl the eggs, cream, vanilla, rum, cinnamon and nutmeg and then pour it over the bread cubes. In a separate bowl, mix together the apples, brown sugar and flour/corn starch. Pour the apple mixture on top of the bread mixture making sure to spread the apples evenly across every part of the bread mixture.
Bake for 45 minutes. 
Enjoy!

#falldesserts #breadpudding #fallrecipes #desserts
When one kiddo wakes up not feeling well after onl When one kiddo wakes up not feeling well after only a week of school, you take the opportunity to make Saturday a truly restful day. Pancakes on the griddle, puttering around the yard admiring the way the limelights have begun their autumn journey from white to green to pink. Sprinkling touches of fall around the house a little bit at a time. Savoring the slowness of it all and taking care of my people in this place that provides us all with a respite from the world even if just for a day.

Hope you’re weekend is off to a great start and that you make it a priority to slow down for a bit and soak up the beauty around you. 🍂

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking #falldecorating
As summer slips into fall, I can’t help but thin As summer slips into fall, I can’t help but think about how grateful I am for the reminders all around me of God’s Sovereignty over everything including the seasons. It can be challenging in our world today to trust that there isn’t a single thing happening that surprises Him.

In a way, decorating my home to reflect the changing season serves as a tangible reminder of this trust. Even something as simple as seeing a pumpkin on my mantel or a basket of mums on the coffee table fill me with peace because they represent the things that remain constant and true.

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8

#wearthehomemakers #homemaking #club31women
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.*
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