Oops!
"How was children's church today? " I asked our young kids on a crisp, January Sunday.
"Fine," Kimberly and Kent piped in unison.
I probed with a more open ended approach, "What did you learn?"
Without hesitation Kimberly announced, "We learned about New Year's revolutions."
Our smiles prompted Kent to offer, "I think it's called New Year's revelations, Kimberly."
Not to be outdone by her younger brother, she concluded, "No, you're wrong, Kent. I remember now. It was New Year's reservations!"
Oops!
Mistakes are not limited to children. I was shopping in Target last year and spotted an item. Here it is displayed this season in our music studio.
Spot anything unusual? Look closer.
As a writer, I tend to edit anything I read. This Oops is hard to miss. Mind you these blocks are glued together, so it was assembled this way, in China, according to the label. I took the $14.99 decoration to the manager at the register.
"Ma'am, if you'll mark this down, I'll buy it."
She looked at it and laughed, "How about half price?"
I looked at her and laughed, "Nobody's gonna pay you $7.50 for this. I'll take it off your hands for $3.50." Done deal...Cha-ching!
Weeks later we had family gift opening and Katy gave me a beautiful Christmas plaque.
Notice anything here? Check the grammar closely.
Oops! Unlike the YerrM Christmas, this was not one of a kind. Hobby Lobby sold them in mass and apparently no one edited! Everyone needs a good mentor-editor. Mine was Jack Williams. Hey, Jack! They could use you in China!
I like imperfect things because they fit me. Christmas and New Years are great times to be reminded that mistakes, even failure, happen. But our Redeemer redeems and makes beauty from ashes. That's why He came. His mercies are fresh daily not just annually!
"The Christian life is like photography. God develops us all from negatives." Failure is not final.
So if you find yourself failing at your New Year's revolutions, revelations or reservations, just get up and try again.
Some very well known, historical characters are experienced at falling down and getting back up! They get by with a little help from their friends.
Check out this video, shot outside Big Lots:
You have a Friend, Who sticks closer than a brother.
YerrM Christmas and Nappy Yew Hear!
Kathy
(Ahhhhh...spoonerisms. Now that brings some stories to mind...another blog, another day.)
Had to laugh at myself. No sooner did I publish this than my friend, Trudy, called to tell me I'd misspelled Oops. It began as opps, like photo ops! Wonder if Jack caught that before I corrected.
ReplyDeleteI need me some of those fresh mercies every day!
Kathy
And here I thought you were just keeping with the theme! ;) Love it! I keep telling people here in Honduras who are trying to learn English, "Don't worry, we gringos mess it up all the time, too! And it's OUR language!"
ReplyDeleteYeah...that's what it was...just keeping with the theme. I MEANT to do that, Christine. ;-)
ReplyDeleteWish I could've seen the original "opps" blog. What a hoot! Love you and your funnies, Mom!
ReplyDeleteK.
At church today Doug tried to say something about New Year's resolutions, but could't get the word out. I giggled because I knew he was stumbling over Kimberly and Kent's faux pas. So he told the congregation the story.
ReplyDeleteThen when Mike got up to preach, he began with the 10 most commonly made resolutions, but remembering the kids, he couldn't say it either! Shoulda' just preached from Revelations I guess. The congregation cracked up...twice!
KIDS! They act up and it still affects you 20 years later! Hope I don't EVER get over my kids! ;-)