doughnuts

getting back on the doughnut of life
To members of Spanish Steps (Daves mission to Spain)
Dave Hodgson 03 August at 12:33 Getting back on the doughnut
I have a new tradition that has started in my life since moving to spain (a year and a half ago)it is to visit one of our local aqua parks at least once during the summer it’s a day of fun and frolics and getting sun burnt (must get a higher factor next year). One of the water slides involves you sitting on what can only be described as an over sized doughnut made of rubber and air. The object of the slide is to get down the flume and stay on or at least with your doughnut.
About half way down the slide there is a pool which you land in and this is where the problems arise well for somebody of my build anyway (lets just say I am no twiggy) I landed and came right off the doughnut (rubber ring thing) I tried to get back on and I couldn’t the water was to deep and the sides were too slippery (I actually paid for this experience) I tried again and what seemed like an hour later (just a few minutes in real time) the attendant who was helping people get through this bottleneck came over and helped me get on my way again, my wife and friends certainly had a chuckle at my expense after that one. I resolved never to go on that slide again. A few minutes later I was back on (the power of peer pressure and not wanting to look like a weakling) I was determined to hold on and this time I made it all the way down sitting in my doughnut and at the bottom I got out of the water to cheers from crowd and euphoria at my achievement, ok it wasn´t quite like that but I was relieved.
In life we can be happily moving along when smack! Something hits us from out of the blue, our health, family issues, bereavement or loss of a job. Its at times like this that we need to know that we can turn to God in prayer and that he hears us. I use to think that God was just a man in the sky who wanted to tell us off and beat us with broom (bit like a neighbour i had when I was a child) but that is not what the bible teaches, Jesus said “Come to me all who are weary” sometimes the last thing we think to do is to cry out to God for help, but it can be the most productive action we will take. You see the attendant (on the waterslide) had a stick not to tell us off for getting into trouble but a pole that I could grab hold of to pull myself through. God leads and guides if only we can swallow our pride and say Lord I need help. On many occasion God has helped me get back on the ride of life again. Its because of his grace that I want to know him more personally.