First Firewood of the Season

Our first firewood was unloaded and stacked this morning. It seems a bit ridiculous considering temperatures are predicted to be in the 90's today. But, before you know it, the leaves will turn their beautiful, bright reds, yellows and oranges, and then fall to the earth in anticipation of the first snowfall.

There is nothing like a glowing fire in a fireplace; the smell of wood permeating the ...air. It's very easy for me to get lost in my thoughts as I set, curled up in front of the fire with our cat purring in my lap. I love watching the flames as they twist and turn and lap at each other.

 As I gaze in our fireplace, I remember as a child when Daddy would burn our trash out back. When the fire died down to a few hot coals, he would cut a long stick and put a marshmallow on the end and I'd hold it over those coals until it turned a golden brown.

"Be careful and don't let that slide off the end of the stick because we don't have very many marshmallows," Daddy would say. So, I would hold the stick very still, turning it very carefully, and removing it very slowly when it looked just right. Mother would usually make hot chocolate to go along with those marshmallows. She would carry it out back and pour it into a little cup for me and bring my daddy's coffee cup to hold his. Sometimes Daddy would bring out our old washtubs, turn them upside down and we'd set until the fire burned completely out. My daddy learned early on not to tell ghost stories if it was close to bedtime or he and my Mother would be sharing a bed with me.

You know, the stars seemed a little brighter and the moon a little closer back then. Perhaps the air was not as polluted and there were fewer outdoor lights. It didn't take a lot of entertainment to keep families occupied at the end of a very busy day.

One thing I know for sure, our Creator knew exactly what He was doing when He set our earth in motion giving us the seasons to enjoy with our families while we can.

"The day is yours, and yours also the night;
you established the sun and moon.
It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth;
you made both summer and winter." Psalm 74:16-17 NIV