It Was Peaceful There- Mittenwald, Germany (and other life news)

     The past few weeks, I have found myself often thinking on this absolutely lovely little village in Bavaria where my parents and I spent several days at the end of last summer. I guess I wasn't expecting to fall in love with this place quite as much as I did. I knew it would be gorgeous, I knew the air would be clean and I knew I would have some time to breathe deeply and find some peace after and before huge changes in my life, but I wasn't expecting to be reflecting so deeply on my time spent there less than a year later. I guess it makes sense, really. Since returning from Warsaw at the very end of August of last year, my life has been almost constantly in a state of flux. I have been desperately trying to find my niche and seek answers from God on exactly where He wanted me next and what He wanted me to be doing once I arrived there. I still haven't settled, but I so long to. I think for me, Mittenwald has come to represent a place where I felt at peace. It was a safe place far from too much familiar commercialism. It was a place where there seemed no threats and nature lived in harmony with people. I think in the midst of uncertainty and change and scary things, my mind longs to find that quiet peace that I know lives in Mittenwald.
     For myself and actually, many other people I know, this winter was long and cold and dark, but not just physically. It seems that both many of my closest relations and also myself daily faced some sort of spiritual oppression that was attempting to cut us off from the Light. Thank God for His grace to carry us through even the darkest and coldest of winters.There were days that I honestly didn't feel an ounce of strength left to continue and in those moments, I am so thankful that God sent family or friends my way to help just carry me through the night. What's a bit coincidental is that just as spring is finally (slowly...so, so slowly) arriving, life in general is beginning to look much brighter as well. I can feel a new chapter creaking open and I can almost see the pen dipping into the fresh ink for new stories of grace and journeys and adventures to be written into my life and the lives of those around me. It's exciting, really. The physical and spiritual worlds have survived a very tough few months and new life is beginning to burst through just as we approach Holy Week. How beautiful.
     With all that being said, I would like to share with you several of my favorite photos from this tiny village in the German Alps. Before that though...I would also like to mention (casually) that after so many months of trying and seeking and praying, it seems that God is opening the door for me to return to Poland to teach for two years (I know- long enough to settle!!!) and even earn some further education for myself while I am there. I am so excited to see what God has in store for me during this time, but being that right now my focus is mainly on paperwork, organizing and "gosh, I hope this really is happening", I haven't yet been ready to put this news out there officially, until now. So, there you have it- Lord willing, I should be moving sometime this May! And without further ado, here are those photos of Mittenwald...enjoy!