on snow-walks and dreaming big

well, it's december, which means that it is now officially allowed to be christmas-time. i would like to tell that to the retail establishments that have been celebrating for over a month already, but i know they won't listen to me. either way, here we are, ready to celebrate the holiday that is marked on television and in movies by cold weather and crazy things like snow. but growing up in san diego, i felt lucky if i got a few overcast days during the christmas season, showing that there was indeed something different about this particular month. but this morning i woke up and saw that not only was my car covered in snow, but so was my front yard, my house, everything. i've never had it snow on someplace that i was actually living before, and i have to say, it felt like a christmas miracle. ok, i know that you don't need snow in celebrate the birth of our Savior, and now as i type it, i realize that it feels semi-ridiculous to speak as if you do. so maybe it was more of a winter miracle, since this is my first real winter anyway. either way, i put on some layers and took a wonderful gilmore-girls-style snow walk. and i had a pretty fabulous time! during my snow walk i prayed and i dreamed. for this past week, i've been dreaming about where my new house will be, now that washington state is where i am a permanent resident. i have to live in snohomish, i just have to, redmond is too far from my ministry. and so i found this place, well my friend and i found it, but it seemed kinda like a long shot for me to be able to rent it. it's pretty much perfect, in terms of location and space, but the price was kinda high. it was close though. like thisclose. and so i've been praying all week that if that's where God wants me that it happens. and after my long walk/prayer session i found out that it just might work out after all. but like i was with my job when i first got it, i am being slightly cautious about being too excited just yet. until there are signed papers that indicate that i can move in, i'm still just praying and waiting. but also as with my job, if it does work out well, and is what i've been dreaming, hoping and praying for, then it will be clearly from God and by His power, because it is not something i could have done on my own. and so for the first time in a little while, i am starting to dream and pray big again. and i have to say, it feels pretty dang amazing.