brrr...

Perhaps you've heard that we are experiencing a deep freeze out here in MN.  It sure feels that way to me.  We've been snow covered since before Christmas, and I have to say that I'm snow and cold weary.  Don't get me wrong, I do love snow, but well it is possible to have "too much of a good thing."

six yr old attains new heights at driveway entrance; mom wonders how much higher she can go

When you get to a certain point, there is just no where to put the snow.  I suppose this is why I see this sort of thing:


If you look carefully (2nd truck on left) , you will see that they are collecting the snow off the roads and blowing it into dumptrucks.  Once the dumptrucks are full of snow, they are driven off to some mysterious location with their load of white stuff.  I remember when I saw this for the first time last year, I laughed so hard that we ended up in a place where dump trucks carry snow not mud. 

When we lived in PA, we used to say that Buffalo, NY is where all the snow goes to die.  I say differently now.

So, what do we do with all this snow?  Make the most of it, I guess...  Children do that so well.  I'm sure there's a life lesson there.

In addition to the buckets of snow, we have also had some really low temperatures -- like where we hope to hit zero. 

I thought this was so bad, I took a picture.

Until the next morning.

This has all left me wondering how it was possible for pioneers of old (think Ingalls family) to have survived a MN winter in a log cabin with far fewer clothes, I'm sure, and no blown heat.

And yet, if you look close there is beauty all around.  And the knowledge that winter can't last forever.  Spring, color and life are around the corner... even though the corner may be a bit farther away than I would like. 

vibrant color:  amaryllis

I didn't mean to, but as I'm writing, I can't help but apply that to our lives.  It brings me to the verse (Ps. 30:5), "...Even though weeping may endure for a night, joy comes in the morning."  Think on it, friends.  God's at work even though we may not see it.  Hope always.  Dawn will break.

signs of life:  burning bush