Put Another Log on the Fire
It was 27 degrees and foggy at my place this morning. And because I slept soundly from 10pm to 4am, (unheard of!) the fire was not fed during the night. There was only a small handful of coals in the bottom of my stove this morning, but they happily gobbled up the kindling and bigger wood I threw on them. Soon enough a blazing fire was spreading its warmth throughout the house.
I love my wood stove!
This will be the second winter I have used a woodstove. I had an OLD potbelly stove that glowed bright red when it was hot back in 1984. I had a 2 year old and a 5 year old at the time. Talk about nerve-wracking. I have not had a woodstove since, and I love it!
I shared this story with you some time ago, but I was thinking of these people today as I stood in front of my hot woodstove.
Two years ago, this coming February, members of my church descended on my property. The reason: Wood.
Over the space of 3 Sundays, they came with wood splitters and chainsaws, axes and mauls, tractors and flatbeds, willing hearts, and smiles for miles and it filled my cup! I needed help and they were there. Friends even brought food and sweet treats for the workers; it really was a special time. Wendell had passed away earlier that month, on January 2nd, and my church family was there to show how much they loved me, and I felt it.
The first Sunday 11 people showed up. There was much sawing, splitting, hauling, and stacking.
The next Sunday, 26 people showed up and there was much more sawing, splitting, hauling, and stacking! In fact, on that Sunday, there were 5 wood spitters being used at various locations across the property! My little 4-acre woods was buzzing with activity and sound.
The third and last Sunday, 9 people finished up what had been started less than 4 weeks prior. I started with log piles in several locations around the property and now I simply had stacked firewood, and a lot of it. I have included pictures.
I have no idea how many cords of wood I have stacked behind my house. I used to guess 15 to 20 cords, but there were close to 40 large trees that had been fallen in the fall of 2019 and that equates to a lot of fire wood.
Charles Dickens once wrote, “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
Matthew wrote, “Do unto others as you would have other do unto you.”
And Paul wrote, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2 NIV
In fact, the more I looked, the more I found. The Bible is rich with instruction on being helpful and generous with your time. Here are just a couple more.
Philippians 2:4 “Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others.”
Hebrews 13:16 “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
It is good to do good. A simple act of kindness can change a life. And the beauty of doing good for others is that you are rewarded as well.
Proverbs 11:25 says, “…whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
My prayer is that these people felt the refreshing. Thank you dear friends: Kip and Denise, Gina and Mickey, Mary and Gary, Orley and Tim, Terah, Kile and daughter, Dallas, Bill, Geri and Carol, Guy and Carol, John and Heidi Wilson and kids, Sean and Alana, Tom and Kathy…did I leave anyone out? I hope not.
James 1:27 puts it plainly. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…”
Now, while I do not see myself as a widow in distress, I certainly was a friend that needed a helping hand. I needed multiple helping hands and my church family stepped in ways I don’t see a lot anywhere else.
So, thanks guys and gals. Thanks for showing your love through your actions. I will reap the benefits of all that wood for years to come.
“Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.” – Booker T. Washington
by Jeanette Stark – Tuesday, November 15, 2022