Maybe we choose the easy path in our spiritual journey because life is so demanding in every other aspect of our day-to-day lives. Use this as an example to affirm your need to go on sabbatical.
Does God speak to us in the campfire? I guess he does if we stop for awhile just to look and listen. Ask Moses!
People tell me that they see God at work in my life. I know He is, but I rarely see it myself. I think it’s easier to see it in others. I think it’s easier to pray for others. Praying for my self somehow seems selfish.
Sue saw the MS Word version of my previous post. I expect we’ll have a campfire very soon. I’ll listen for God but I’ll probably hear, “dad….Dad….DAD!!! You’re burning the MARSHMELLOWS!!!”
Peace and you’re in my prayers.

PS. I have a pre-employment physical next Wednesday. I got a job offer to work for the state in the radio shop. I previously worked in the radio shop at NWA. Maybe I’ve come full circle. Is my 4 year sabbatical coming to an end? Is this God’s sense humor?

Our old house had a Vermont Castings wood stove. It had a sandstone enamel finish with glass inserts in the doors. It was equipped with a catalytic converter. I also had a magnetic temperature gauge to tell me when I was “in the zone”. It was a thing of beauty!
After about an hour of tending the fire, I would have a bed of oak coals about an inch deep. Only a couple of small logs were added to the fire to keep the flames going and I could close the door for the catalytic converter. With the chimney hot enough to maintain the draft, the air in the fire box would roll through the flame twice. Initially from the air inlet, through the flame, up to the closed door then it would turn to pass through the flame again and finally out through the chimney opening. This time the chimney opening was at the bottom of the stove. The smoke would re-ignite (double burn) in the catalytic converter. I controlled the air going in and going out plus I controlled the fuel.
Some of the lumber from the East End Feed Mill was dumped on my land in Wisconsin. I expect that my Dad thought that the wood was too good to throw away. By the time I got to cleaning it up it was starting to get rotten. I started a brush pile and leaned the lumber up “tee pee” style. I spent several Saturdays adding more wood. Then came the day to light it up!
I called the Sheriff’s office to let them know I was going to have a “controlled burn”. I shoved some cardboard in, added a little gas and started burning. It was being difficult at first. I’d add more card board and centered the lumber on where the flame was to coax it along. The smoke and the heat were trapped inside of all that lumber until it got to the opening in the top about 20 feet in the air.
What I’ve learned about fire is this. When heat contacts a large surface area and the temperature is increased you eventually get something called COMBUSTION!! The fire came to life right before my eyes. I had no control over it. The heat was intense as I watched the flame change to smoke, and as it rose, the heat caused the smoke to re-ignite just like in my Vermont Castings wood stove. These licks of flame must have been 40 feet high!
Now I have a gas fireplace that I turn on with a switch. Oh sure, I control it…Big Deal! It’s not at all satisfying. I put no effort into it. It will never change because the gas valve has a regulator.
Sometimes my faith seems like that gas fireplace. It lacks the direction / discipline of the Vermont Castings stove. It lacks the explosiveness of when I let the fire take on a life of its own. I want to stay up late and have a campfire under the stars. I want to feel the cold at my back as I face the warmth. Maybe…maybe this weekend…I’m just so tired.