Today, I’m enjoying the snowfall, cozy in my home with my husband, his dog, and my cat. I know there are a lot of reasons people down here get grumpy about the snow (and it only takes a few seconds of scrolling on Facebook to find the Negative Nellies), but I love it. I’ve missed winter in Wisconsin this year. There’s something in me that longs to be forced to slow down, rest, and bow to the greater power of Nature.

I find it so difficult to well and truly rest when my soul is crying out for a healing pause, which is why, although I am still working from home, I relish these snowy days. Icy roads and drivers that rank (as a state) second worst in the nation mean no errands, no obligations, no running to and fro trying to accomplish something. My eyes are open to the beauty only the snow can reveal. I finally made my first lemon pound cake, because after talking about it for quite some time, a snow day seemed like the perfect day to bake something new. Countless birds have visited the feeders, cheering me with their beautiful colors and funny little ways of eating. I took a walk with my love in the snow–savoring the cold, the silence of a snow-filled landscape, and the sight of children sledding down a small hill. The big snowstorm of 2014 has provided me, unexpectedly, with what I needed most: a couple days of mental, emotional, and physical rest.