I’ve just started our first morning fire in the woodstove. The lines below from Jack Baumgartner struck me at the time and have remained with me since.

Downstairs, I start the hot water for coffee, still talking, and waiting, and listening. I stir the coals in the woodstove we heat our home with, remove some ashes and place two mulberry logs on the embers to ignite. This is priestly work and an art near to my heart, maintaining a fire for my family. It is a part of my worship.