How Do You Top Fire

I love fire. When I was a kid, a good number of my toys were improved by my applying fire or heat to them: fireworks and flame applied to models for a "used" look, hot needles through GI Joes for bullet holes and scars. Even the concept of fire is great: flames painted on hot rods or motorcycles, Jerry Lee Lewis' Great Balls of Fire, whatever fire it is that has Jimi Hendirx and the Ohio Players all worked up and singing about, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the fellowship engendering lure of a campfire, (I was thinking of adding this line- "flaming homosexuals are so much more fun than your garden variety"- Is that too much?). Fire rules. Even though I burned a lot of stuff, I am a pyrophile rather than a pyromaniac. (My wife, on the other hand, has started fires in public places- which I think puts her more into the "maniac" category.)
I continue to think fire is great. If any given thing is good, then the application of fire generally improves it. I have used this philosophy in pumpkin carving and belly flop contests, talent shows, and Christmas trees to name a few. A problem, though, is fire is so great, it is difficult to top it. We are having our annual end of the summer barbecue and while it will be good, I don't know if it can be better than last year. Last year we had a bon fire in the yard. That's enough to make it a barbecue for the ages, but later in the evening we also fire walked. That's right, we raked out the coals and walked barefoot across them. How do you beat that? I may have to burn our house down.

The outpouring of charity to those suffering from hurricane Katrina is good. To use a dated phrase- it's a very Christian thing to do. The conditions that contributed to this being such an incredible humanitarian disaster are due in part to a lack of resources being invested among the most vulnerable. Why is charity poured out after a natural disaster easier to come by than working for justice in response to man made disasters?

Cyndi got a new job- hooray!