Ding … a Hot Dog!

We spent many meals sitting across from each other over our childhood tables, she with her golden curls and me with my straight black braids. She had that angelic look about her, until it came to table time, when we would survey the tables of childhood feasts. But mealtime prayers alongside this loved one from my childhood seemed to always have ended with a "ding" from the bell of a microwave. We would lift our heads and begin the passing of the food, only to see a microwavable plate with a hot dog sliced alongside a dollop of ketchup being slipped in front of my curly but determined hot dog wanting friend. It wasn't an hors d'oevre, a snack, or even a main dish for my dear companion. It was a food group all of its own, and I lost count somewhere between playdough and learning multiplication of how many hot dogs this girl put away. This wasn't a county fair; she was picky. She didn't want what was prepared; didn't matter what it was. She wanted hot dogs. Everyone else ate whatever was served at the occasion, but she didn't. Wanted hot dogs. So they gave her hot dogs … for what seemed like all of elementary school. How many hot dogs are too many?

I can enjoy a good hot dog, and I've been through my onion phase, my relish phase, and even my chili dog phase. I even went through a bacon wrapped phase, but it never seemed like the right thing to do to fall into a "hot dog only" phase. No matter how much you think you want them, it isn't good for us to have only hot dogs. We miss so many good things that way, and we get too much of … well, whatever is really in hot dogs. I've heard rumors about worms, but that's strictly off the record. The dangerous thing about falling into the hot dog trap is that once you find a way to get hot dogs all the time, it's too easy to keep expecting that, after you pray, there will be a "ding," and you'll get your hot dog … or whatever it is that you think you want. And … surprise … unlimited hot dogs really aren't good for long term health!

I do know this, though, I'm glad God hasn't always given me what I thought I wanted just because I insisted that I wanted it. In His mercy, He has given me what I've needed. It's an easy trap to fall into, this hot dog trap. I heard a story about another girl who insisted that she knew what she wanted and then discovered it wasn't what she really wanted when she got it. I think her name was Eve.

Jeff has often told our two kids that he's more interested in whether they're holy than if they're happy. Exactly what does that mean? It means that no matter how many hot dogs they demand, we're going to give them what they need, not just what they want. That takes so much wisdom. Great motivation for me to go to the Word of God to really know it and to cry out to God for wisdom and help, daily! When people start demanding hot dogs in my house, I run away from the microwave and right to the Lord. "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart," Psalm 37:4. That doesn't mean you'll get hot dogs if that's what you want; it means He'll give you the right desires.

"Father, as I cry out to You, help me to thank You for giving me what You know I need, not what I think I want."