Maybe you’ve heard the old saying “When you heat with wood you get warmed twice–once in the chopping of the wood and secondly in the burning of the same.” I know first hand, that there is a lot of truth in that statement because this time of year I am spending a fair amount of time gathering wood for our wood burning stoves in preparation for the coming winter. I find that I truly enjoy the process of hauling, cutting, and chopping of the wood, which provides me with plenty of healthy physical activity in the crisp, clean autumn air. I am motivated by the fact that there’s nothing quite like the feeling that emanates from a wood stove on a day when the temperature drops to freezing or below. It warms you to the core!
Yes, the wood process surely does warm me twice. In fact, I would say it even warms me more than twice! That is because while I am doing this kind of labor–the kind of task that in and of itself takes very little thought on my part to accomplish–I am always thinking.
I think about challenges I need to resolve and client projects I am working on, and I am warmed to find the needed solutions and answers to those challenges.
I think about revenue generating and profit making strategies for business, and am warmed when I come up with a really great money-making idea.
I think about my blessings and I am warmed to count how many of them there are: family, friends, health, wisdom and strength to do my work. The list goes on and on. Many would call this multi-tasking. I call it just plain working smarter, and I love it! Even if you don’t have wood to chop, you can do what I do, and think and thank, and be warmed, while accomplishing your simple labors.
Well, I’ve got to go because I still have plenty of wood to chop. Oh good! Just what I need–more opportunity to think and thank.
