Keeping Promises

Do we keep our promises? A few weeks ago Ia lawn Tractor belt broke. I went to the auto parts store to get a new belt. I put it on and finished mowing the lawn. The next day on a different lawn I broke the belt again. At first, I thought this is a defective belt and I took it back to the parts store and they gave me a new belt. I said thank you but if I figure out that it was not the belt I'll come back and pay you the $25 dollars. I took the mower deck off to check if there was a different problem other than the belt. I discovered that one blade had been loose and possibly had wobbled and hit the ground and possibly caused the belt to break.  I thought immediately, why did I say I would pay them. I put the new belt on, tightened the mower blade bolt and put the mower deck back on and mowed another lawn. After about a week, that belt broke again. Then I really thought, why did I say that I would pay them. Anyway a few days later I was in Nettleton and went by the auto parts store and reminded them what I had said and that I had now broken three belts and still don't know why. I handed them the $25 and the owner/manager said to keep it. He thanked me for being honest. I thanked him for letting me off the hook with my $25.  I felt better because it was really hard for me to do that. I postponed that trip to Nettleton for days because I really didn't want to part with the $25.  But it wouldn't leave my mind what I had said.  Here is another story, it happened in another country, Hungary, to be exact but for ease of me telling the story lets pretend it happened here.  A millionaire commissioned to have a portrait of himself painted and he contracted to pay $500.  When the painting was done he went to the artist to look at the finished work. For some reason, the millionaire didn't like the painting and said it didn't look anything like him.  The artist said OK if you will sign a paper saying it does not resemble you at all I'll forgive the $500 fee and the painting is mine.  The Millionaire signed a statement saying the painting did not resemble him at all. Sometime later there was an art gallery showing of different artists paintings and this artist was showing this mans portrait in his display. The millionaire went to the showing and saw his portrait hanging there. He demanded it be taken down or he would sue for libel. The artist brought out his signed paper where the millionaire had said the painting did not resemble him in any way. You can't sue me, I have it right here, signed by you that this portrait does not resemble you. The artist had added the words to the display, " portrait of a thief".  The millionaire bought the painting for $5000. How many times have I broken promises in my life? I am not sure I can count them. Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear--not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple "Yes" or "No." Otherwise you will be condemned. James 5:12
"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.' Matthew 5:33
Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the LORD your God with your own mouth. Deuteronomy 23:23
I am sure it was verses like this that came to mind as I thought about that belt breaking for the second and third times. But in life are we careful about making promises we don't want to keep? 
God bless, LVZ