Lesson Learned

I know, I know....I'm becoming more of a MM than I'd like to admit.
Today Jared had to help a friend move and he had to be in Gilbert by 9 am. I wasn't planning on going with him, but he's real, real sick. He probably has strep...I'm just sure of it. So we took Elle and Carter and headed to Gilbert early this morning. I dropped him off and then had a million things to do (Walmart, Costco, Old Navy). So first place is Walmart. As we're walking in Carter sees the GAME. You know the one I'm talking about. The one that catches every childs eye because it's like the coolest window display ever...toys galore....shiny things. The one that steals your quarters. The one that has the claw and all the cool toys at the bottom are more than partially burried in the sand. And of course the claw has absolutely no guts. It wouldn't even be able to get super sticky gum to stick to it...whatever. Anyway, Carter really, really wanted a toy in that thing. So, I told him if he was good then I'd give him a few quarters.
Sure enough, after all the shopping was done I rushed out of the walmart and after we were 2 steps out the door Carter yells "HEY MOM, THE MACHINE!! THE MACHINE!!"
I tried to get him to ride the ridey thing...don't remember what it was. No. Machine. So in go the quarters and he guides that claw right over the toy he wants.....down goes the claw, for a second I thought he had it...he was all smiles. Then the claws wimpiness just couldn't grab on to that thing. The claw scratched at the toy, but no, the claw just can't hang on.

You should have seen the disappointment in Carter's face. First his eyebrows went up...then there was a look of shock, and then the disappointed look settled in. It was really sad. I felt bad. He tried to get me to give him some more quarters, but I told him something like this: Carter, that machine is designed to steal your quarters. That claw never picks up a toy. That's how people make money. We put OUR quarters in there and then that claw can never pick anything up so they get to keep our quarters and their toys. Nobody ever wins on that machine. Lots of people have lost their quarters in there.
Then Carter says "I'M NEVER PLAYING THAT GAME AGAIN"
LESSON LEARNED.
Then the thought came to me, (my MM moment) that is exactly what Satan does to us. Lures us in with temptations, and when we give in all we're left with is disappointment, just like poor Carter's face, I won't forget that look anytime soon. And Satan gets his payment: the satisfaction of knowing he helped us slip and fall.
I'm going to try real hard to use my quarters for good stuff.

Can anyone tell that I've been reading Junie B. Jones books to my kids?