Firewood Warms You Three Times

Today at church we cut firewood for people in the area who burn it to heat their homes, and who needed a helping hand. This is a ministry that our church does each year, and I think it's fantastic! We had about 25 (give or take) people who joined in the wood cutting festivities today, and I think we got more out of it than the people who received free firewood.

The firewood is donated by a member of our church, an excavator who gets the wood when he clears land for people. The work is contributed by anybody who shows up on wood-cutting Saturdays. The two log splitters are lent to us by church members. Other members who have trucks deliver the wood to people's homes. All in all, it's a great group effort. It's amazing to see how much work can get done in a short amount of time, when you have a lot of people pitching in.

Tonight as I write this, my back is tired and achy. Not only did I cut wood with the group this morning, but I also cut wood this evening. It's a good kind of tired and achy, though. I know I accomplished something good today.

It has been said that firewood is the only fuel that warms you twice, once when you cut it and once when you burn it. But this firewood warms three times. It warms the body when it's cut. It warms the body when it's burned. But it warms the heart when it's given away.