The answer is no.

Yesterday I was having a conversation with my oldest child that went something like this:

Son: "Mom, after we do this, can we do that and if I do this can I have that and if I want this, can I..."

Mom: "NO! No, OK? If you ask me for ANYTHING the answer will be no! Don't you understand?! I know what you need before you even ask. I give you everything that you need. Everything else is simply a desire and it takes all joy away from me to bless you with something out of the ordinary when you've been whining for it in my face. Perhaps if you stop asking and begging for so many things that you want, you will find that I will bless you without you even having to ask! And wouldn't that be more fun than whining?"

Now I totally did not mean to blurt all of that out. It had been a very long couple of days with kids so congested they couldn't breathe well and they all had fevers. I was so tired of all the fussing and whining and begging for stuff they normally don't get to do (watch movies) just because they were sick that it all just came out.

But as soon as the words were out of my mouth, words that had just come from nowhere it seemed, I stood there kind of in shock. Then I listened to them again silently. Then I let the kids watch their movie and gave them some treats and went into my bedroom to repent.

Lesson learned. Because sometimes what you say to your kids is really what you need to hear. And I am so thankful that this is not how our Lord is with us. Instead he tells us to come to Him with all of our wants, needs, desires, etc. He tells us to pray continuously and in all times and seasons. We come as sinners and we come not even knowing what we really need but God in His wisdom forgives and strengthens us for good works in His service.