The Fire Walker

Old Tony had his fire walk (at least it seemed that way),
He’d challenge folks to fire walk, and push back fear that way;
A gimmick – for the coals he used just wouldn’t hurt a toe –
The challenge he presented was to push through what one “knows”.

Contempt it was, for he knew well that ashes insulate;
The coals were underneath the ash so burns they couldn’t make;
When word got out just how it worked contempt flipped on its ear –
“A sleaze ball” was the verdict I heard given him quite clear.

But in the game I learned a piece that’s served me many years:
That heat can still be in the ash, and embers are quite dear
To me, who Phoenix-like would like to see spark rise to flame,
When kindling’s put with coals, not ash, folks start their lives again.

What people see is ash, and smoke, and dust – no sign of life,
When fire has burned down everything and devastates their life;
But Tony had a point, I think, just not the one he named –
“Seek for the embers in the ash, fuel that to get a flame.

That’s what I do – I poke around in several feet of ash,
When businesses, or people’s lives are heaps of burned-out trash;
The surface stuff’s not what I heed, I look for heat within,
For with one tiny ember one can Phoenix-life begin.

It’s not quite resurrection, for in that case there is death,
And new life starts things over, to the dry bones God adds breath;
It matters not, for in behind is One who’d have us live
Again, and triumph over ash to contribution give –

Community is made of parts from each – like potluck spread;
We bring the stuff we’d like to share from wine to daily bread;
Christ was quite dead when He rose up, but symbol of The Cross
Says also, “In the ashes look for embers – all’s not lost”.

For God is bigger than our life, or all the things we lose;
He’s bigger than our hopes, and dreams, activities we choose;
So when the day of fire comes, or storms which sweep away
Our hopes and dreams, He starts again with embers in the clay.

That’s what I do – I’m built that way – I disregard the ash;
I do not heed the cluttered sites, construction mess, or trash;
I have a nose for embers hot and little sparks within,
Then when I find them add some fuel so Phoenix-life begins.

Outsiders see the burned-out hulk, the devastation, trash;
They find it hard to cope within the burned-out shell and ash;
I’ve learned to disregard their words and sentiments – “Move on,
For all is lost; there is no way; and spark of hope is gone.”

But I press on to victory, I know within the ash,
There’s always embers we can’t feel or see beneath the trash;
That’s all I need to Phoenix make, one ember with some heat,
So I can add the fuel and say, “Now this will burn your feet”.

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