Trains and eggs and flames, oh my!

"He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire"

Matthew 3:11

Wanna go on a little trip?  We'll start at a hard-boiled egg, travel to ancient Greece, and arrive at present-day you.  I know that "you" and "a hard-boiled egg" are not places, but since the mode of transportation is my train of thought, that gives us a little more leeway.

Marceline, Missouri ~ Walt Disney's hometown

So let's get started, we have a long way to travel.  'Boooooard!

Recently, Amazing Boy told me about a science experiment he'd heard about, wherein you can get a hard-boiled egg inside the neck of a bottle, without breaking or squishing the egg.  You set the egg on top of the bottle, and it just gets sucked inside.   He's telling me this, and I'm just looking at him, saying something deep and profound like "huh??"  So I looked it up online, and then I found a bottle that's the right size.  One of these days, we're gonna give it a try.

The way it works is to light on fire a piece of paper, and put it into the bottle.  Then set the egg on top.  The fire heats the air molecules who rush past the egg in their desperation to escape the bottle, creating a partial vacuum.  And since "nature abhors a vacuum" (and so, incidentally, does a dust bunny), the egg is sucked inside.   Interesting, yes?

So I was thinking about this trick today, which had me thinking about fire.  From there, the next depot for my train of thought was, naturally, the Olympic torch.   I had read some fascinating stuff about the torch the last time the Olympics were going on, which took me to the next stop on our train of thought, but we'll get there in a minute...

As you know, the Olympic Torch is ignited several months before the opening celebration of the Games, so that it can make its way from Athens to the host city, but did you know that each time they begin the relay for a new Olympiad, the torch is kindled by the light of the sun?  And it is not uncommon for the Olympic flame to be accidentally extinguished during the course of the relay, and even the cauldron itself has gone out during the Games, so the torch has a safeguard built into it.  There are two flames.  There is the visible portion ~ the yellow flame we see ~ which burns cooler, and is more prone to being extinguished in wind or rain, but there is also a smaller, hotter flame inside the torch, which is protected from wind and rain.  This flame is capable of relighting the cooler, more visible portion if it is extinguished.

We each have a flame, too.  You might have a gift for teaching, or music, or a love for children.  Your flame is kindled by the light of the Son, and He asks that you use it to light the world around you.  But you have a hidden flame, too ~ the Holy Spirit ~ ready to relight the flame of your gift, should it be extinguished by fatigue or frustration.

One of the ways He does this is through prayer.  Your communication with the Lord must be frequent, if not constant; sincere, and thorough.  He will keep your flame lit, but not if you insist you don't need Him.

He also does this through the Word.  The Holy Spirit will bring to your remembrance everything Jesus has said to you ~ but only if you are listening.

So step out.  He's given you a gift and a passion for that gift.  You have light to offer.  What are you waiting for?  Your flame is lit ~ let the games begin!

~ "Fan into flame the gift of God which is in you."

2 Timothy 1:6