Chop Wood, Carry Water

 “He made them woodcutters and water carriers for the needs of God’s altar." ~ Joshua 9:27

Amid Kentucky’s ruggedly scenic, Appalachian Mountains, Tyler stood before a mountain of wood that his Dad and older brother had cut, split, and unloaded the day before. The gangly, pubescent, twelve-year-old needed to take one wheelbarrow load at a time around the house, stack the wood into cords, and cover it with a tarp to keep it dry.

A full cord is 128 cubic feet of material. That’s about three trees’ worth. The boy was looking at more than a ton of work.

There was only one way to begin: he tugged on britches, boots, and gloves and trudged outside. Tyler dumped his first load back by the woodshed and studied the shapes of the logs, trying to fit them together in a deliberate sequence. Sometimes the gaps between them left too much space for the stack to be stable or too little for the wood to dry.  It was challenging, like fitting the pieces of a puzzle together.

Tyler took his time storing the wood so each cord was sturdy. It became a game seeing how neatly he could stack it and even found himself smiling during the arduous task.

Eventually, the wood was all skillfully put away. The boy’s back and shoulder muscles burned - proof that he valued himself enough to put in the extra effort it required. He’d turned a mundane job into a richly rewarding one. 

His Mom greeted him on the porch with a glass of sweet tea. They sat on the steps; both dogs at their feet. No words were spoken as they soaked in the fresh, cool fragrance of the season. “Heavenly,” he thought.

With his spirits soaring beyond the colorful boughs above, he recalled an old Buddhist proverb that went: “Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.” His Dad had explained once that the key to success in life was to simply wake up and do the most extraordinary job you can with whatever God put on your plate for that day.

Tyler’s “purpose” today was to help provide a source of heat to keep the family warm during the cold winter ahead - by doing his job of “chopping wood” (literally). 

Many of us think that once we achieve some future state - enlightenment, financial security, winning the lottery, getting retweeted by a celebrity – we’ll finally be content. But the truth is that none of these destinations bring lasting contentment.

Enlightened or not, we all have some wood-chopping and water-carrying to do. It’s best then to do it with love in our hearts, humility in our approach, and joyfully under Heaven’s eyes.  And when you’re done, it’s best to sip some tea with someone you love.

Joshua wrote, “Everyone wants to be great until it’s time to do what greatness requires.” For many years it feels as if nothing’s happening.  Help me trust Your process and continue to chop wood, regardless of what’s happening around me. Amen