Check the ingredients

I am sitting on my couch with the best boy in the world right now.  Seriously, he is snuggling up next to me and all is right with the world.  But that wasn't the case about 15 minutes ago.  About 15 minutes ago, he was running around the house yelling, singing, dancing, laughing, and talking so fast I thought his tongue was going to come out of his mouth.  Hysterical laughter.  Excessive motion.  Rolling around in the floor like he is on fire.  Yes, he is a little hyper all the time, but this far exceeded his normal.  That's because of a very unwise parent decision that can teach all of us a little lesson in life.  You have to check the ingredients before you consume something. 

You see, on my way home from Bible Study I asked Caleb if he would like me to stop at McDonalds and pick him up anything to eat.  We compromised on fewer chicken nuggets for a special treat, a Caramel Frappucino.  I have no idea what the ingredients of these are, I just know that my little sister drinks them all the time and Caleb had drank some of hers one time.  So I splurged.  Big mistake.  I started not to let him drink it when my other sister pointed out that it had a coffee taste to it (I didn't think about it... another mistake).  But then my very wise dad, the veteran (and lone) coffee expert in the house, said, "It won't hurt him." So drink it he did... every bit of it.  And then proceeded to do the song and dance routine I described earlier. 

He couldn't help it.  And it made me think, we are kind of like that.  A lot of time we are exposed to stuff we have no idea about.  I'm reading No Other Gods by Kelly Minter, and one of the lessons last week talked about things we participate in, read, watch, etc. that may not glorify God.  In these situations, we don't check the ingredients.  We don't check the path we are taking before we start down the road.  Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  We must be conscious of the path we are taking, and allow God to lead us in the right direction.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I need to go find myself some chocolate... or caffeine. I think it's going to be a long night in the Bates house... but at least we are laughing! =)