The mountains said I could find you here, they whispered the snow and the leaves in my ear...

Picture: In November 2008 I went to Denver (with my sister to surprise my mom). We woke up one morning to a winter wonderland, nestled on the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains. These trees were covered in ice. And beautiful.

Ah, more snow tomorrow. At least that's what they're saying. And by "they" I mean our local meteorologists, who tend to make bigger deals about the weather than is really warranted. At any rate, sometimes nothing is more beautiful than an ice-covered tree with a bleak, white sky as a backdrop. The beauty, however, loses some appeal when you have to drive to and from work through the slippery slush.

Hooray for the Saints winning the Super Bowl! I feel for New Orleans. Although we weren't hit with a devastating natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina, Detroit's in trouble and Michigan knows what it's like to want to lay claim to SOMETHING. Even if it's a Super Bowl title. Sadly, the Lions are far from it. So...we're still grasping for some glimpse of morale or hope for poor 'ol Detroit.

This weekend I was uplifted, yet again, by how good of friends me and Dan are. I can't imagine being married to anyone but him, especially in times of trial. We're alike enough to be on the same page when it matters, but different enough to challenge each other to exit our comfort zones. Since December 19, 2008 I can't believe how confident I've become in God's will for my life, and for Dan's life. I can't put into words how grateful I am that, even though the situation is less than ideal in worldly terms, Dan and I are EXACTLY where God knew would be right now. No matter how much of a struggle it is to budget, wait to buy a house, etc., all of that pales in comparison to how grateful I am that we're a couple who puts all faith, hope and trust in Jesus Christ. He has a plan for us, and no amount of panic from my mother-in-law can shake my assuredness that Dan is EXACTLY where God wants him to be right now. "Although He linger long, He never comes too late. He never comes too late; He knoweth what is best."

Tonight Dan and I are going to Macaroni Grill for an early Valentine's Day supper! We have $20 in gift cards and I'm THRILLED! (Partly for the food and partly because I just love being served and not having to wash dishes.)

Immel family reunion in 48 days! After this weekend, I especially miss my mom and her level head, deep-rooted faith and quiet support.

On a side note: Great Lake Swimmers are really good. Me and Dan saw them open for Wilco a while. I think everybody should check them out. "STOP wondering and CHECK it out!"

A few Fearless quotes that I couldn't include in my last post:

"Jesus doesn't condemn legitimate concern for responsibilities but rather the continuous mind-set that dismisses God's presence. Destructive anxiety subtracts God from the future, faces uncertainties with no faith, tallies up the challenges of the day without entering God into the equation. Worry is the darkroom where negatives become glossy prints."

"He will give you what you need...WHEN YOU NEED IT."

"We expect him to come in the form of peaceful hymns or Easter Sundays or quiet retreats. We expect to find Jesus in morning devotionals, church suppers and meditation. We never expect to see him in a falling stock market, layoffs, lawsuits, foreclosures or war. We never expect to see him in a storm. But it is in storms that he does his finest work, for it is in storms that he has our keenest attention."

"Jesus could have calmed your storm long ago. But he didn't. Storms are not an option, but fear is."