Tinder Fungus
Last night I walked into the living room (where Sam and Steve were watching Ultimate Survivor) just in time to see Bear Grylls' eyes light up as he cried out "tinder fungus!" He then crashed through the soggy forest floor, running towards a slender tree with a shelf-like mushroom growth jutting out of it. He pulled it off the tree and began to explain that Tinder Fungus is a type of fungus that holds a coal very well for a long period of time, and ignites easily. This was, Bear explained, an important discovery in early civilizations that enabled hunters to go farther from home without the fear of being without a fire. Wow, portable fire nestled within fungus. That Bear Grylls, always a fount of knowledge!
Tinder Fungus is a natural way to transport a spark of fire covered with moss long distances. Bear, in fact, lit a bit of tinder and pushed it deep into the fungus then covered it with moss and put it in his ever present backpack. He took it out from time to time to blow on it, to keep the spark alive. He later had the reward of being able to light a fire to boil eggs he had found in a pheasants nest with, I might add, some filthy, disgusting, muddy water. As a side note, never eat while watching Ultimate Survivor. The pheasant egg when cracked open by Bear contained a partially developed pheasant fetus... need I say more?
I thought about this tinder fungus as I was drifting off to sleep last night. It occurred to me that I am far from home facing a sometimes cold hearth in my heart. Yet, I have the Holy Spirit residing within me. My very own spark to light dark nights and give heat in cold moments of loneliness. And I also must tend to the spark lest it go out. I must daily, hourly, minute by minute, attend to the Spirit within me.
It's also a fun thing to say... Tinder Fungus... Go ahead, say it! It's even better with an English accent. The next bright idea I get I'm going to shout out "tinder fungus!" with perhaps the same wild-eyed expression that Bear had just before he charged through the forest.
Tinder Fungus is a natural way to transport a spark of fire covered with moss long distances. Bear, in fact, lit a bit of tinder and pushed it deep into the fungus then covered it with moss and put it in his ever present backpack. He took it out from time to time to blow on it, to keep the spark alive. He later had the reward of being able to light a fire to boil eggs he had found in a pheasants nest with, I might add, some filthy, disgusting, muddy water. As a side note, never eat while watching Ultimate Survivor. The pheasant egg when cracked open by Bear contained a partially developed pheasant fetus... need I say more?
I thought about this tinder fungus as I was drifting off to sleep last night. It occurred to me that I am far from home facing a sometimes cold hearth in my heart. Yet, I have the Holy Spirit residing within me. My very own spark to light dark nights and give heat in cold moments of loneliness. And I also must tend to the spark lest it go out. I must daily, hourly, minute by minute, attend to the Spirit within me.
It's also a fun thing to say... Tinder Fungus... Go ahead, say it! It's even better with an English accent. The next bright idea I get I'm going to shout out "tinder fungus!" with perhaps the same wild-eyed expression that Bear had just before he charged through the forest.
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