Smores, hair on fire, and Jesus!

There are certain memories from childhood that you can't forget. For me...It's the Great Campfire Incident.

When I was a kid, our family loved going camping. I loved everything about it. Being outside. Playing games all day. Cooking over the campfire. Watching the stars come out. And, of course...

S'mores.

If you've ever roasted a marshmallow, you know there are two kinds of people. Those who slowly toast their marshmallow to a perfect golden brown. And those who accidentally create a flaming ball of sugar.

I was firmly in the second group.

One second I was happily roasting my marshmallow. The next... WHOOSH! It burst into flames.

Now, if I had stayed calm, I probably could have blown it out. Or simply held it still for a second.

Instead, I did what any panicked child apparently thinks is a good idea. I started wildly waving my marshmallow through the air.

You can probably guess what happened next. Standing right beside me was my big sister. Before anyone could react...

I swung my flaming marshmallow directly into her hair. Suddenly...

Her hair was on fire. Just a little. But definitely on fire.

Thankfully, someone reacted much more calmly than I did, and the flames were quickly out.

No one was hurt.

Although I'm fairly certain there were a few singed hairs that never fully recovered.

The funny part is this: The fire on the marshmallow wasn't actually the biggest problem.

My panic was. The marshmallow was manageable. My reaction made it memorable.

Isn't that true in life? Sometimes the biggest damage doesn't come from the problem itself. It comes from the way we react to it. A frustrating conversation. A disappointing phone call. A stressful day. A change of plans.

When panic takes over, we start waving our emotional "flaming marshmallow" everywhere. We say things we don't mean. We spread our anxiety. We accidentally singe the people standing closest to us.

God invites us into a different way of living. Not pretending problems don't exist. But responding with His peace instead of our panic.

Peace doesn't mean life never catches fire. It means we know where to turn when it does.

The more we anchor our hearts in God, the less likely we are to spread our panic to everyone around us.

I'm still learning that lesson. Thankfully...Without the burning marshmallows.

This Week’s Faith Habit

Practice the Pause

The next time something stressful happens, pause before you move. Stand still for thirty seconds. Take one slow breath. Relax your shoulders. Open your hands. Resist the urge to react immediately.

Let your body practice the peace your heart is asking God to provide.

Sometimes the holiest thing we can do is refuse to wave the flaming marshmallow.

And if you ever go camping with me... you may want to stand on the opposite side of the fire ring during s'mores. Just sayin' 😎