“Hair on fire” was a new term to me, but I have a colleague who uses it regularly, so I’ve adopted it. It’s gives you a pretty vivid image – someone who is a little wild in the eyes, all systems on overdrive and overload. “No way I’m bothering her right now! Her hair’s on fire.”

My hair’s definitely been on fire this year. Good things like my sister’s wedding at Disney World. Two new kittens. A well-matched acquisition. But some challenges, too. Layoffs at work. Getting braces on my teeth. My mother-in-law’s stroke. A rocky vacation reentry. Overdrive and overload has become the norm.

But reading the Bible a few weeks ago, I realized that “hair on fire” has an entirely different heritage. At Pentecost, the apostles had flames on their heads, and were full of the Holy Spirit. In that “hair on fire” state, they went out into the streets of Jerusalem, which were full of tourists from all over, and found everyone was hearing their own language. The apostles’ mission to communicate the gospel was launched. (What an event! A product marketeer from today would be envious.)

For me, Pentecost was back on Saturday June 13th. Now my hair’s on fire a new way. Or rather, the New Testament way. Full of ideas, full of mental energy, full of excitement, full of hope. Hair on fire, indeed.