Some family stories are best left untold. Some are hilarious and can illustrate a spiritual truth. This is one of those stories. I remember it often and I laugh every time.

When I was about 10 years old our Dad built a 3-bay garage. It was made of cinder block and had a shiny tin roof. He was so proud of that outbuilding. He could park his truck, Mama’s car, and most importantly his fishing boat in it. He was so excited.

Fast forward to when I was a young wife and mother. This outbuilding had seen improvements and repairs. It was still Dad’s main storage option. Now however that shiny tin roof was rusty and ugly. It was not leaking. Just ugly. Dad did not want to replace the roof because its integrity wasn’t compromised…it was just ugly.

He found some paint that was supposed to be metal paint. You could paint the tin and extend the life of the roof. So it was decided. My dad and y Mama would paint the tin roof.

One Saturday morning they began. Their plan was to begin on the low side of the front and paint to the peak of the roof. Then they would begin at the peak and paint to the bottom of the backside. Sounds like a great plan. Right?

Everything was going well. They had painted the roof and were almost to the peak of the front side. They were talking and having a great time. Dad’s concentration became a little lax. One foot moved to the fresh paint. It was slicker than slick. And just like that, Dad began a slow slide to the lowest part of the roof.

There was nothing he could do. Nothing to grab onto. No way for Mama to lend and hand. Doom seemed unavoidable. In the middle of his slide, Dad called out, “I’m gone!”.

My poor Mama…she was hysterical. Laughed and laughed. For years she couldn’t tell that story without hysterics.

When I remember this story, I think our descent into sin is similar. We are going about our walk in life, not looking for trouble. We are about our work and family, but one small slip and then another…before we know it we are sliding down a slippery slope with little hope of stopping. It seems that one sin leads to the next and the next until…

And the story about Dad sliding down that roof? Bless his heart, he was able to stop himself just as he reached the edge. He caught himself before he fell.

That’s my hope. That we would heed the Voice of the One who loves us. The One who can catch us before we fall. The One who directs our steps that we can choose to stop and return to the One we love.