When my now 21-year-old daughter was about 3 years old. A business associate invited us over for a summer cook out. To entertain her, a neat toy was unrolled in the Florida back yard. A slip and slide! Perhaps you will remember them. A plastic sheet that was perforated with water holes, so that the whole length of it became a giant, slippery water slide.

     I will never forget my daughter running over and over again on that hot summer day, spinning, slipping, splatting and zooming. She had a blast and it wore me out watching her.  But she enjoyed herself immensely.

     And you know life is a lot like that slip and slide. It is slick in places and you are bound to fall some. But in the more serious game of life; A slip does not necessarily have to be a slide. There is great truth in the statement; “we are only human.” You can make a goof, without becoming one. 

     The biggest thing to help us recover from a fall is to call it what it is. Being honest about it and accepting failure without denial is step 1 to dealing with it.  People are bound to have a few mistakes along the way. And however good you may perceive yourself to be. You have not yet ascended from the ranks of humanity. Problems are normal & You are human.

     Another big key if you find that you have slipped on the slide of life. Be patient with yourself. Make up your mind that if you goof, you will right away do something good next time. Time takes time. Don’t breathe down your own neck. A habit of doing good will eventually overcome most faults; if we persistently forgive ourselves and move on past our failures. Denying our failures only prevents us from owning up to them and learning the paths to get around them.

     Lastly but certainly not least. If you make a blunder and find yourself flat fallen. Do not be afraid to ask for a hand to get up. Pride not only goeth before a fall but perpetuates a fall into a free-flight of ongoing failure. A good dose of humility is often just the strength you need to be able to get up and not make the slip again.

     May you find the good strength from God, to undo the damage of your slips. Then go on to find the character to help others who need  your hand. For they also are likely to need help, to keep a slip from turning into a slide.

Tim – AKA “Slam”