Next Steps…

Next steps can mean many things to many people. Next steps are not always bad, nor are they always good. Next steps can have a challenge or can be simple.

Everyone has to take the next step…

I remember when I was in third grade, and most all my friends were sliding down a hill in the winter. I didn't say “sledding,” I said “sliding.” There’s a huge difference. Sledding is sitting on a sled, board, garbage bag, or other flat object and flying down a hill. Sliding is an altogether different ballgame.

We had a great hill at my elementary school. It was a 100 feet or so, with a very steep angle. In fact, it was steep enough that it was a challenge to walk up, during the summer, yet in the dead of a Canadian winter. It got used a lot for both sledding and sliding, and the snow was compacted down to a slick icy layer that made people fly down it rapidly. I don’t know the exact speed, but it had to be very close to the sound barrier! The decent was awesome, if you were a pro, like most of us 3rd grade boys.

So, to describe sliding is pretty simple. You stand at the top of the hill, with your feet spread out, and run to hit the ice, while staying upright all the way down the hill. You are simply sliding down the hill on your feet, with the wind blowing your hat off looking cool. You get to the bottom and end up stopping with a little jog, or walk.

I had done this a number of times, but this time was different. I began my run at the top of the hill, and then hit the ice at neck break speed. I started down the hill standing upright in that cool stance, with all the 3rd grade girls cheering for me, thinking I was awesome! What a feeling! Then came the patch of no ice that I hit. My decent stopped like hitting a brick wall, and I fell directly on my chin. I literally didn’t go any further down the hill. 

My chin became the brake and I was flat on my face. It hurt. It was not cool. I was dazed. I looked around me and some of the boys came to check on me, likely giggling because it was surely ridiculous looking. I sat up and my chin was bleeding pretty good. Tears of joy were streaming out of my eyes (well, not really joy, but you know what I mean - a bit of awesomeness was leaking out of my eyes). They helped me up and I went to the school nurse to get some weird glue on my chin, instead of stitches, so I ended up looking a bit like a tough guy at the end of it all.

My point - not all steps in life turn out like you think. 

Sometimes, you fail. 
Sometimes, you fall flat on your face. 
Sometimes, you look ridiculous. 
Sometimes, you sit there dazed that your choice caused this problem. 
Sometimes, that step we took makes us look like a genius. 
Sometimes, you wonder why, in the world, you took that step.
Sometimes, you figure out a better way, for the next step.
Sometimes, you impact someone else, in a huge way, because of the last step.
Sometimes, you are very grateful that you took that step.
Sometimes, that step really hurt you.
Sometimes, that step really helped you.

You don’t know the future, but you know that you have to keep going, and keep trusting the Lord, as you take each step, everyday, in a new direction. 

Thoughts: Don’t sit in fear, take the next step.

Question: What step are you about to take?

#failalot 

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