Staying Near the Fire

Is that a moose in the backyard of some Maine resident? No! It's Sandy, the Ohio St. Bernard, hanging out at home. In the frigid temperatures.

Weighing in around 165 pounds, and being a St. Bernard, Sandy can tolerate the cold very well. Yet even she likes to stand by the fire and get some relief. Sandy's other option for keeping warm is cozying up with her buddy Brandy (not pictured).

Each of us goes through times in our lives that are difficult and our hearts often grow cold. It is not easy to warm them back up after tough times. To change this, it is often up to us to make a choice. It's easy to stay cold, and not as easy to look for relief.

At home, I use a woodburner often in the winter. It warms the entire house and the heat is such that as soon as I walk in, I'm warmed to the core. It is a true and comforting fire!

Our other option is to find another person or a group of people. Being together brings warmth and relief to our cold hearts. One ember of charcoal can not produce any heat - it needs to kindle with another. The more pieces of charcoal together, the better the fire.

Has your heart grown cold? What steps will you take to change it? Do you use propane or charcoal with your grill? Isn't Sandy cute?