The Snow drove me to it!

If it isn't obvious, I'm just gonna tell you. I've posted a LOT over the last couple of days because...well, I've been trapped under a blanket of snow.

If my blog is obnoxious, I blame the snow. :) Here's a few pics of this wintry wonderland taken around my neighborhood.

Our mailboxes! I just thought this was kind of pretty.

This proves my entrappment. I measured that stuff on my car. It was 7.5 inches.

Very pretty tree-bush-thing. Snow can take the ordinary and make it extraordinary.

Sounds kind of like something only Someone I know can do.

No joke, this icicle came crashing down and impaled my mushy yard as I was snapping a picture of my car. Only glad I wasn't underneath. That might've hurt a little.

On Thursday, I braved the solid white icy roads to drive out to a friend's house in the country for a day full of sledding and snow-"clod" fights, fellowship, and hot chocolate.

Thank you, Jesus, for precious friends!

Below are a few video clips from our snowy adventures:

Lovin' Love

It may seem strange to say, being an old hermit trapped inside with my dog all day, but I'm a hopeless romantic. I typically distract myself back to reality after reading a Jane Austen novel or hearing a sappy Frank Sinatra serenade. Thanks to Valentine's Day being just around the corner, though, everywhere I turn--love is in the air! Reality is pretty hard to recover around this time of year.

Perhaps it would help if I'd get off of Michael Buble radio on Pandora. My other options at the moment? Classic Disney, Celtic Thunder, or Bill Gaither. Hmmm...I think there's only one safe station on my profile. My favorite came on a few minutes ago, tempting me to blog about it. "When I Fall in Love" by Nat King Cole. Ahhh. I could just...cry my eyes out.

Unfortunately, I don't know if love is near as romantic as movies and songs hype it up to be. Maybe it is. I do know ONE couple that seem to be in that dreamy state of love, and I'm pretty sure of their sincerity on the matter.

During this time of year when we are all fluttery with love and hearts, cupid and valentines, let's not forget THE LOVE that surpasses all the superficiality of our imperfect, conditional human love. The greatest love song of all was the one that wasn't even sung. It's the broken and marred-beyond-recognition body that uttered these words in His last moments:

"Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."

The Lamb of God died not long after those precious and selfless words passed His lips, but this wasn't the end to HIS love song. He conquered death three days later to restore hope to the people He loves. He rose from that tomb, hands and side still bearing the wounds of His sacrifice, to build a city for His bride.

His love sacrifice made a way for dirty, rotten sinners like me to come before His throne. He made a way for me to have a place by My Father God's side. He broke the chains of sin and the bondage of guilt to reveal Himself in ALL HIS GLORY.

And what's even more amazing is that this is not just my love story, or Pastor John's, or Apostle Paul's...

...it's for you, too.

If Jesus Christ is not already your love song, He can be. He wants to be. He wants to reveal His glory in YOU, no matter what you've done or where you've been. He wants to give you strength to handle the evils of this present world.

He gave His life for you. Just give your heart to Him.

Dry Snow!

As many people know, Arkansans seldom see real snow--the kind that covers the ground completely, like a huge white sheet of fluffy whiteness.
2011 has shown us a much different side of winter. Instead of our one or two small snowfalls, nixed with sleet and icy danger this winter, Arkansas has received quite a bit of actual SNOWFALL--and little of anything else these past few weeks. Of course, overnight the temperatures have frozen the slushy roads, but that's so much different than having sleet crash down and coat the whole of our grasses with their slippery, dangerous--yet beautiful--iciness. So I don't really know how else to describe it, okay?

I was up into the wee hours of the morning finishing off a Jane Austen novel, so my eyes did not transition to wakefulness until about 11:00 this morning. And when they did, boy, was I in for a surprise! I opened the back door to take Stella out for her morning walk only to find myself in the prettiest white wonderland I've ever experienced. Yes, it was breathtaking. I knew it was going to snow, but somehow assumed we'd miss the bulk of it and just get a few wet flurries that aren't all that fabulous. But no, this was no "few wet flurries." THIS was the real deal. I tried to ball up a snowball to throw at Stella (not out of cruelty--she absolutely loves to chase and smash them), but the snow just wouldn't stay together. Then I thought I'd try to make snow ice cream, but remembered I don't have any eggs. What a shame 'cause there's enough snow to go around!
So the snow is beautiful. We have at leat 6-8 inches here. However, it is completely useless. Except for snow angels. And spotting Stella's messes for easier backyard cleanup. Though I did enjoy nearly falling over in the deep stuff trying to run like they do in the movies...and helping a neighbor clean piles of snow off of her car. Yeah, that was pretty fun.

Otherwise, I've been stuck in this house doing schoolwork and trying to find out our exact snowfall accumulations (no thanks to google, weather channel.com, katv.com, or fox16.com...pretty much nobody cares how much snow was dumped on Conway!)

With no snowballs or snow ice cream, I'm pretty much set that I prefer functionality to beauty in the case of snow.

Well, I did enjoy making that snow angel and being able to walk around without soaking myself to the skin with wetness. So there is some good in it.

Best of all was the neighbor. Who knew some of the kindest people out there live right around the corner. Or across the street. Everyone should take the time to get to know their neighbors.

I'm done rambling for the day. Tune in next time to hear me ramble on about some other non-important topic. :) Or don't. It's ultimately your choice. :) :)