Jesus loves me.

Yesterday I was tremendously stressed out.

The day just did not go well.  The weather was terrible, and I'd had to drive through slippery, icy, slushy, white-out conditions to get home from a morning meeting.  When I arrived at home, the kitchen project was full of tension.  My upstairs bunker never seemed so claustrophobic. 

It was just a really rough day.

But my husband came home and gave me hugs.  He listened to me, and we ate corned beef, potatoes and carrots from the crockpot.  He gave me lots and lots of hugs.  He reassured me of his love when I tearfully asked, again and again, "Do you even love me?"  He had the patience of Job.

We watched ice dancing on the Olympics last night.  I hate watching and wondering if they are going to fall, or take a blade to the face, or drop someone on her head; it's so stressful.  My husband gently comforted me and told me that Meryl and Charlie had already won gold, so I could relax and enjoy the skating.

We went to bed, and I was exhausted, for no apparent, solid reason, just that I'd been feeling emotional duress the whole day.

But this morning when my alram went off, I opened my eyes and saw this:

My maple tree--the unutterably gorgeous tree that I'd thought belonged to our neighbors but realized last fall that it was ours--was coated in clear ice, and the rising sun shone up through it, illuminating the branches as though they were gilded with sparkling lights.

I sat up in bed, my eyes wide open, and I could hardly breathe, it was so pretty.  (Unfortunately there is something wrong with the light meter on my camera, so I could not get a picture that accurately portrays what I was seeing, but this gives you some idea, especially if you click on the picture to enlarge your view.)

I just looked at it for quite a long time, trying to decide whether it looked like Christmas tree lights glowing, or like polished silver shining, or like something liquid and brilliant and bright, or like a monument in heaven that angels would encircle.  After awhile I decided to try to get a picture, and after not being particularly successful in that endeavor, I just sat back down on my bed and watched the shimmering for as long as I could before I had to take my shower.

The joy that filled my heart as I gazed on this beauty made my morning awakening tremendously unusual.

The horrible weather of yesterday yielded transcendent beauty today.  I showered and readied myself, and set off for Bible study, driving down the freeway, seeing that the beauty went on and on.  Bare trees along the road sparkled like my tree at home, and even the tall prairie grass was coated with ice, gracefully leaning in brilliant arcs that reflected the sun like so many rainbows of crystal in the spreading fields.

And my day just got better and better.

After Bible study, I found a place to walk, and a friend to walk with.  Unbelievable.  The thing I have most longed for these last few weeks was a warm place to walk and a friend to walk with, and today, here they were, effortlessly it seemed.  We walked at a decent clip for an hour and it was blessed.

Somebody must be praying for me.

Because even the carpenters, who have seemed surly lately, were full of smiles and good cheer.  We had a good chat about the kitchen, and everybody was very congenial.

I know that Jesus loves me every day, but it is easier to feel His love on a day like today.  Thank you--from the depths of my heart--to my Lord and to those who have been lifting me before Him in prayer.