Excuses, Excuses

“What are we having for dinner?” asked our five year old, Scottie. He rolled a hot wheel across the floor.
“Potato soup and fresh bread sticks.” I replied as I put the piping hot bread into a linen lined basket.
“Oh, that’s O.K. just fix me a swamwich.”
“No, we are all having soup and bread for dinner” I responded.
After thinking about the situation for a moment Scottie spoke up again, this time a little more determined.
“I’ll just have a grilled cheese swamwich, please.”
Making sure I made eye contact with my little man, whom I realized was squaring off with me I firmly retorted, “We are all having potato soup. That is what I fixed for dinner. Go wash you hands and get up to the table- now.”
“Well,” Scottie said, with an exaggerated pause. He made sure he had my full attention- his chubby hands firmly planted on his hips, “Just to let you know, eating potato soup makes me wet the bed!”
I informed him that if anything was going to make him wet the bed it was dessert. I burst out laughing as soon as he had reached the bathroom to wash his hands.
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Whether it is a five year old who would rather have a grilled cheese sandwich for dinner or a teen driver who just backed the family car into the neighbor’s mailbox, nothing is more draining for parents than excuses. Are we any different?  Face it, I catch myself doing it all the time.  If God asks me to do something He doesn’t want my excuses. Just like potato soup, God knows what is best for us. I’ll bet obedience has never made anyone wet the bed.

“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”   Luke 11:28