It was a morning in January. The jet stream had dipped down causing the arctic cold to reach the mountains of my home. It was only 2 degrees outside but the wind chill made it feel like it was 15 below zero. Still, I was kneeling in the snow along side of my house trying to open a tiny door so I could get underneath it. I had forgotten to leave my water dripping the night before and now my water pipes were frozen and my faucets were dry.

The wind cut into me like a knife while I struggled to get two electric space heaters in place around the section of frozen pipe. The waterlines were buried except for a small piece that connected up to my house. I put a space heater on each side of it, ran the extension cords into my house and plugged them in. Both heaters roared to life and started blowing hot air on the frozen water pipe. My fingers had already started to go numb so I stayed inside to wait. I could only hope that this bit of warmth could get my water flowing again.

Finally, after twenty minutes the water started flowing through my faucets again. I went back outside into the bitter cold and gathered my heaters up. I looked at the weak January sun shining on the frozen snow and smiled. Then I sent a joy filled "thank you" heavenward and went back inside to make myself a hot breakfast.

Sometimes the coldness of this life can get to us as well. It can make our hearts feel icy and frozen. It can keep our kindness and love from flowing out to others. At times like these, though, all we need is a bit of warmth to get us going again. It can be a simple smile, a kind word, a heart-felt hug, a morning sunrise, a bird’s song, or any gentle reminder of just how much God loves us. Let us all be grateful for those bits of warmth that get us going again. And let us all try to be that bit of warmth for others every chance we get.