Yeah, you read that right. I don't eat brownies. No, I don't have a chocolate allergy. No, I don't dislike them, but I don't eat them. I also don't eat chocolate cake. I have nothing against these two things, or anyone who likes and/or eats them. But I myself don't eat them. Why? Am I crazy? Yes, but that's not what's influencing this.
When I was...oh, I don't know, around nine, ten at the most, I had bought and eaten a big piece of chocolate cake/brownie from WalMart, while my grandma was taking me to go pick up my cousin Norma, so we could hang out...and on the way there, I felt sick. Too much chocolate cake/brownie. I felt like I was going to hurl.
I'm pretty sure that no one likes to puke...but I can't handle it at all. It's...it's really bad. I was laying in the backseat, because I felt so sick. I don't have motion sickness and the food I ate was the only thing that could have caused that. In my despair, I started praying, "God, please don't let me puke!" Then, I took it a bit further, "God, if you keep me from puking, I won't eat anymore chocolate cake or brownie!"
Maybe that was a stupid promise on my part. But it was a promise. And it was a promise to God. I don't know about you, but if you make a promise, you'd better keep it...and if you make a promise to God, you'd better double keep it!
Well, I didn't puke. And I was extremely relieved by that. And, because of the promise I made, I don't eat chocolate cake or brownies. Had I puked, I would still eat chocolate cake and brownies, because...well...I like chocolate cake and brownies. I really do. But I don't eat them, because I made a deal with Someone, and since they held up their end of the deal, I'm holding up mine.
Yeah, you can say, "Oh, but you were just a little kid!" ...your point? "Let your yes be yes, and your no be no" (Matthew 5:37) makes no allowances for if you're 1-12, or 12-100...it's the same no matter your age, last I checked. I knew full well what I was doing. I knew what I was promising. And I still made that promise, still made that deal.
When we were back at my grandparents', I told my aunt...and do you know what she told me? "What, until next week?" Don't ever do that. Ever. If any Christian, young or old, comes to you and tells you that they've made a promise to God, no matter how outlandish it may sound, ENCOURAGE THEM. Say, "Okay, that's great. I'm going to hold you to that." Don't say, "What, 'til next week?" Because that hurt. A lot. And if you tell someone that, especially if they're young and/or a young Christian, you're acting like a promise to God doesn't matter...and a promise, especially to God, does matter.
I haven't eaten chocolate cake or brownie since that time, except for once, when I had marble cake and didn't manage to get all of the chocolate parts picked out. Once. And not on purpose.
I also don't eat Ramen Noodles, but that's for a whole different reason, that's for another blog post.
~Katie
I totally never knew this about you. I try not to make promises to God because I used to but then I could never remember if they were promises to Him or to myself or what the particulars were or anything and I worked that out with Him but I didn't want to be in that position again. Instead, I make resolves. Also, I read once that you don't need to make promises to God to get Him to answer your prayers. He's not in the business of bargains. And it really stuck with me. So, now, the only promise standing between us is my promise to be pure until marriage. Unless there's another I've forgotten...Totally off topic but in your blog members list I just saw my old Kida picture and wham! All the nostalgia.
ReplyDelete