Grandpa Bear

The "PoP PoP" sound of the John Deere has turned into the "crackle pop" sound of a woodstove.

For six years of wedded bliss, I have frozen my patooti off in our home in order to save on expenses in wintertime. For six years, Matt and I have LONGED for woodheat.

But renting, always renting, prevented us from doing anything.

I had hoped that, since moving to a more permanent location and settling in for a LONG (lifetime, Lord willing) stay here, that a woodstove would not only be something to look forward to-but something to get. Right away.

But then~ construction. Unpacking. Trying to keep my head and pocketbook above water, time passing all too quickly~ Matt and I realized that woodheat wouldn't be possible this year. There just wasn't enough time to put up a chimney, find a stove, and (cough, cough) PAY for it before the cold set in.

But then, wonderful Craigslist, found us a cheap stove AND sold Matt's tractor all in the same week.

The money from the tractor was enough to buy the stove AND all the chimney supplies. In cash.

The TIMING was perfect too, Matt was able to devote an entire week to installing the chimney (Which required cutting up through three floors!), getting the stove in working order, and splitting half a seasons worth of wood when he took off the week after Adele's birth.

Of course, it couldn't have been done without the wonderful help of his father. He worked from sun-up to sun-down, nearly every day of the week, right alongside Matt. Matt just couldn't have done it alone.

God provided the time, the money, and the manpower to get the job done-when we had finally let go of the notion.

Amazing, isn't it?

The Lord works all things out so wonderfully well. I don't know why I still get surprised at this, since it has been true my entire lifetime.

The newest daily game is to see just how high I can get that thermostat to read. Perhaps 65 doesn't seem all that grand to some, but considering 58 is what we are accustomed to...65 is incredibly comfortable. And that 65 comes from wood priced only with sweat.

It all happened just in time, too, last night was our first "big snow" and ice storm.

But we are snug and toasty inside.

Matt ran out of vacation time before he ran out of jobs to do; he never got to boxing the chimney in. That will come, no question, but for now I don't mind terribly the fact that our home looks like the set of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. Because after all, after six years of pining away~ warm toes and nose tips makes all the difference in the world.