Lessons From a Simple Mistake

Have you ever done a huge project only to discover a tiny mistake that managed to ruin everything?

Oh, friend… I have.

After spending hours recording new dahlia videos for our website—hundreds of them, in fact—I realized too late that I had filmed every single one in the wrong setting. Instead of using the proper 4000k mode, I had recorded them all in High Definition. It looked fine on my newer devices, but when I checked on my old iPad, the videos appeared washed out and overexposed.

At first, I dismissed it—surely, the problem was with my outdated iPad. But when I uploaded all the videos, the truth hit hard. The issue wasn’t the device. It was me. One tiny camera setting had thrown off an entire project.

Last night, I tossed and turned. My mind replayed all those hours of filming. How could I fix this? Could I even? We had a frost warning—so there was no guarantee I could simply re-film those same blooms again. Then I remembered something the Lord had whispered to my heart many times before:

“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” — 1 Peter 5:7

So I rolled my anxious thoughts onto the Lord and finally drifted to sleep.

When morning came, so did a thought—a small, clear idea about how to correct my video files. I tested it, and wouldn’t you know it? It worked! Every video could be salvaged. Hours of work were not lost after all.

Praise the Lord for insight and help, even in the small things!

But the bigger lesson? God had tried to get my attention earlier. There were little clues—like that odd iPad display weeks ago—that I brushed aside. If I had stopped to investigate instead of plowing forward, I might have avoided the whole mess.

How often does that happen in life? God drops hints, gentle nudges, quiet corrections—but we’re so busy “doing” that we don’t pause to listen.

“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10

Maybe the lesson wasn’t about camera settings at all. Maybe it was about slowing down long enough to notice when God is trying to teach or redirect me.

Mistakes have a way of humbling us. They remind us that perfection isn’t the goal—obedience and attentiveness are. And sometimes, the most memorable lessons are those we learn the hard way.

A Little Challenge for Today:Take a moment to pause. Ask God if there’s something He’s been trying to show you—something you might have brushed aside as “no big deal.” Whether it’s in your work, your relationships, or your faith walk, sometimes a small correction can prevent a much bigger mess later on.

And when you find yourself tangled in a mistake? Don’t panic. Just breathe, pray, and trust that God can redeem even that—because He can.

Debra Flaming

Inspirations

Flaming Acres Dahlias