It’s okay to make mistakes as long as we learn from them

Georgie: We tell ourselves that a mistake is something that we have done wrong – something bad. But in truth we know that mistakes are really much more than this, no matter how embarrassing, painful, cringe worthy; we as Nugent house have decided that mistakes are good, because from some mistakes you prosper so greatly that it was that mistake from which you learnt a valuable lesson. It was that failure that drove you to success. It was that error that you needed to start again.

Mali: 1st Example: Thomas Edison tried two thousand different materials in search of a filament for the light bulb. When none worked satisfactorily, his assistant complained, "All our work is in vain. We have learned nothing.” Edison replied very confidently, "Oh, we have come a long way and we have learned a lot. We know that there are two thousand elements which we cannot use to make a good light bulb.”

Carmel: Edison looks positively upon his failure taking his unsuccessful attempts and using them to propel him to his answer.

Zabby: 2nd Example: In 1928, Alexander Fleming, a Scottish bacteriologist, was renowned for having failed experiments and a ridiculously messy lab. After returning from one of his holidays he began sorting through his unclean petri dishes; he then proceeded to find a bacteria that had grown while he was away. This bacterium is known today as penicillin and is estimated to have saved between 100 and 200 million lives.

Georgie: Although Fleming created penicillin purely by mistake after not cleaning up his petri dishes – it was his mistake that led him to one of the most outstanding medical breakthroughs of the 20th century.

Skye: 3rd Example: I’m sure almost everyone of you is familiar with the story of the tortoise and hare but for your amusement here it is again.

Once upon a time there was a hare who, boasting how he could run faster than anyone else, was forever teasing tortoise for its slowness.

Then one day, the irate tortoise answered back: “Who do you think you are? There’s no denying you’re swift, but even you can be beaten!” The hare squealed with laughter.“Beaten in a race? By whom? Not you, surely! I bet there’s nobody in the world that can win against me, I’m so speedy. Now, why don’t you try?”

Annoyed by such bragging, the tortoise accepted the challenge. A course was planned, and the next day at dawn they stood at the starting line. The hare yawned sleepily as the meek tortoise trudged slowly off. When the hare saw how painfully slow his rival was, he decided, half asleep on his feet, to have a quick nap. “Take your time!” he said. “I’ll have forty winks and catch up with you in a minute.”

The hare woke with a start from a fitful sleep and gazed round, looking for the tortoise. But the creature was only a short distance away, having barely covered a third of the course. Breathing a sigh of relief, the hare decided he might as well have breakfast too, and off he went to munch some cabbages he had noticed in a nearby field. But the heavy meal and the hot sun made his eyelids droop. With a careless glance at the tortoise, now halfway along the course, he decided to have another snooze before flashing past the winning post. And smiling at the thought of the look on the tortoise’s face when it saw the hare speed by, he fell fast asleep and was soon snoring happily. The sun started to sink, below the horizon, and the tortoise, who had been plodding towards the winning post since morning, was scarcely a yard from the finish. At that very point, the hare woke with a jolt. He could see the tortoise a speck in the distance and away he dashed. He leapt and bounded at a great rate, his tongue lolling, and gasping for breath. Just a little more and he’d be first at the finish. But the hare’s last leap was just too late, for the tortoise had beaten him to the winning post. Poor hare! Tired and in disgrace, he slumped down beside the tortoise who was silently smiling at him.“Slowly does it every time!” he said.

Mali: It could be said that the hare’s mistake of underestimating the tortoise causes the hare to lose the race – he will undoubtedly make this mistake again.

Carmel: Examples of overcoming our mistakes can be found everywhere, even in the Bible, here are just a few.

Isaiah 41:10 - Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psalm 37:24 -Though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.

Ephesians 5:8 -For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.

John 8:10-11 - Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.

Georgie: One night I had a dream. I dreamt I was walking along the beach with

the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from my life.For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one

belonging to me, and the other to the LORD. When the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand.

I noticed that many times along the path of my life there was only one set of footprints. I also noticed that this happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life. This really bothered me and I

questioned the LORD about it. “LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you , you would walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.” The LORD replied, “My precious child, I love

you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I

carried you.”

Georgie – please will everyone stand to sing the hymn Amazing Grace number.

Mali: I bet everybody knows about the saying nobody is perfect. Well, its true. One way or the other at one time in your life you are bound to make minor and major mistakes. As we get older we find so many things in our past that we tend to regret. These actions tend

to make us develop a sense of anger for certain people and worse, for ourselves. Zabby: It’s never easy to admit you've made a mistake, but it's a crucial step in learning, growing, and improving yourself.

Carmel: A mistake may seem to be a negative thing for you now. But it all depends on how you see things. A mistake can be something you will regret for the rest of your life. A haunting memory you cannot erase. But we prompt you to look at your mistakes in a positive light. You may find that some mistakes in your life can make you stronger and wiser. There are lessons to be learned if you just allow these mistakes to teach them to you.

Zabby: Please will bow your heads for the Lords Prayer – we encourage you to join in

ALL: Our Father, which art in heaven,Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy Kingdom come.Thy will be done in earth,

As it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread.And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive them that trespass against us.And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.For thine is the kingdom,The power, and the glory,

For ever and ever.Amen.