CAN IT BE ?!

As many Alaskans, the last few winters (by record keeping standards) have been pretty mild. For the most part, so was this winter. Oh, we got 100+mph winds - nearby they had gusts to 170+ mph with 150 gusts all night. EEK!  Sure, we got snow. Actually, we received a relatively decent amount of snow – a couple of big dumps of 6” or more, but hey – it’s Alaska, right?  It just hasn’t gone anywhere or melted since October.  It just kept adding up, and stayed cold until this week.
 
This year, we broke records for having 3 consecutive months below the freezing mark – with a couple nights of minus 20 or more. We were delighted when we finally hit single digits: t-shirt weather! At last! Even last week we awoke to minus 6 degrees F. 
 
Bill made a comment yesterday that while we didn’t get record ‘amounts’ of snow, our snow plow berms are the highest they’ve been in the nineteen years we’ve lived here.  Alas, all good things must come to an end. We will be in the mid-fifties, possibly sixties by next week – our ‘summer’ type weather. I usually get my best tan in April and May, so I was getting a worried we would have a never-ending winter!
 
At the height of my frustration, watching more snowflakes fall last week, I was reminded of several verses:
              Run as in the way that you are running for the prize. : 1Corinthians 9:24 (NIV)   and      We had hoped. Luke 24:21 (NIV)
Run – with a purpose and perseverance, never giving up or in.
Hope – Everlasting and in all things.
 
Two days ago , temps still in the 30’s, I took a nap.  When I woke up, Bill said –“look outside your  Refuge (my office).”  He had lovingly shoveled FEET of snow off the small deck directly outside my office. The snow had been to the door handle high.  AND he had set out my favorite lounger and lawn chair. Love doesn’t get more tangible than that!
 
As I type from the deck, you are enjoying a photo of the last of winter and and we HOPE, spring.  All is well. Tim was accepted into a Construction Union program that will last 3-4 years, Bill, with a little help from me, has been getting next year’s wood supply in – we’re about 2/3 done. I am on the 1-3 monthly “on hold”/wait medical roller coaster, still fighting the 4 active cancers – I get a lull in the scans, tests, etc. YAY!!

The book, which we pulled from traditional publishing, is now waiting for local printing bids to come in. It certainly isn’t how I thought it would go, but I’m in no hurry (read Habakkuk 2:1-3) it fits me to a “T.” God’s in no hurry!

We had a delightful time with Scott and Samantha their first sleep-over at our place. Soon we will start some garden seeds inside, but with so much snow, it depends on ‘when’ we can actually put things outside. Can’t wait to see what Bill new culinary delight he will come up with this year – Jeff and the kids got him an awesome Ninja that does everything, and it is being daily loved!
 
Blessings and s’mores! Let us know how you are!

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