And what if there’s dessert?

There was talk of food; of donuts and other yummy stuff to eat, and it took about 0.5 seconds for two able-bodied young men to shout a resounding “yes!”  So off we went.

After admiring the progress of the new construction, I turned to Little as we were saying goodbye and asked him, “Would you like a Starbucks hot chocolate?”  Which is roughly the same as asking a piranha if he’s hungry for red meat.  Ears ringing from yet another resounding “yes,” I buckled him in, and we set off for our appointment with those friendly neighborhood baristas.

It was a couple of months or so ago that I’d popped in at our small-town Starbucks (cattily referred to as ‘Four-bucks’ by The Mister), Little in tow, and ran into a friend just outside the revolving door at the supermarket.  I’d stopped to visit with her for a moment and suddenly realized that Little had scampered in ahead of me.  “Do you mind?” I’d asked, and we’d moved our conversation inside.

And there he was, prancing in excitement right beside the counter.  Laughing, the barista held up his drink. “Is it okay?” she said, grinning big.  “He’s already ordered.”  I nodded my head, smiling, as he beamed, big and proud.  

He’d found favor with the girls there; oh, he had!  They’d become accustomed to seeing his smiling little face and bright blue eyes peering over the counter, and they’d plied him with little cups of whipped cream, garnished with a chunky green straw for the licking, on previous visits.  And now he was ordering like a big kid.

Driving along this morning, clearly remembering his prior accomplishment, he said, “I want to order myself.  And mom, you stand behind me.” 

I looked at him, hovering once more at the counter in eager expectation.  Two brand-new flip-flops were lined up just so and bright blue eyes shone as his chin rested on his folded arms, one of which, I noted, was decorated with green butterflies, courtesy of that infernal stamp.   Topping it off with cream and chocolate syrup, she passed it before him, and he nodded his approval.

Just as Little confidently placed his order, knowing that Mama was standing behind him with all her resources and help, even so you and I can come boldly to Christ, asking for blessings even above and beyond our mere need.  Just as Mama delighted to give Mr. Flip-Flops a treat, which he didn’t really need, so Christ desires to bless us, too, sometimes, with the delightful and unexpected.

I’m not going to ask ever and always for nothing but vegetables when maybe – just maybe – He offers dessert?  When maybe He longs to give a heart’s desire, just because that’s what fathers do?  When perhaps His heart, like ours, leaps with joy to see a child’s happiness, to feel the arms around the legs in glad surprise and love?

So I will ask boldly, courageously, always willing to bow the knee, to accept the ‘no,’ to trust that He truly knows what’s best for me and those I love.  And if that includes ‘dessert’ once in awhile, I don’t want to miss it because I didn’t ask.