Last Friday my daughter had a half day at school.  Her God-Father was chosen as the Grand Marshall of our local high school Homecoming Parade and invited her to ride in the Grand Marshall car with him.  She excitedly accepted.  After the parade I took her to her usual swim lesson and after the swim lesson we went to the Homecoming game to watch her God-Father get his plaque and do the coin toss.  Her God-Parents called her down to the field to be with them.  We got to sit in the special Grand Marshall seating and her God-Parents let her have her little friend sit with her in this section.  Her dad took her to the snack bar where she got a polish dog and a bag of Hot Cheetos.

At some point during the game I went to pick up the stuffed bear she brought with her and the Hot Cheetos slipped down behind the bleachers which are on a cement slant, alas the Hot Cheetos were gone.  My daughter was NOT happy.  The loss of the Hot Cheetos took over and that’s all she talked about until it was time to leave the game.  We attempted to replace the Hot Cheetos but the snack bar had run out.  This made her even more upset.  So from the time we left the stadium to the time we got home all I heard about were the lost Hot Cheetos.

You can imagine I was irritated because she had had a wonderful day, a parade, swimming, homecoming game with special seats, and still it wasn’t enough.  She still wanted the Hot Cheetos. I had a chat with her and reminded her about all the fun she had that day and I told her, “You get enough. Go to bed.”  She was still lamenting the Hot Cheetos.

Later on during our long run the next day, my husband and I were discussing what we should do about the apparent lack of appreciation our daughter was showing.  As we talked different topics came up.  Our conversations while running often ramble and range from when is the next fuel break to what is coming up in the following week, this one rambled along to talking about how we were led to our daughter through the gift of adoption.  The blessings we have in our lives.  All the gifts we have been given.  Our poor stewardship of those gifts.  At one point we were talking about something we wanted, I can’t remember what it was, a trip we wanted to take or some item maybe and all of a sudden my husband yelled, “Hot Cheetos!”

Holy Moly! Hot Cheetos!  I looked at him and I thought…we get enough but we still want more.  Hot Cheetos!  I began to wonder if we were modeling that behavior to our daughter.  I haven’t decided.  I don’t think so but I do know we could definitely be better stewards with the gifts God has given us.  Dave Ramsey says being content is necessary to being good stewards of our material gifts.  Deena Kastor in her book, Let Your Mind Run, talks about how she shaped her training and her life around thankfulness.  Our pastor says we should practice being thankful to God for his gifts of creation, family and friends everyday.

So every time I catch myself being greedy and wanting more I have a phrase that pops in my head now.  Hot Cheetos!  I immediately try to return to a place of gratitude and contentment with what my present situation is.  It doesn’t always work but its a start.  You’d think someone who has a blog about being thankful would actually be thankful.  Right?

For Hot Cheetos, Gods Gifts of Creation, talks during long runs with my husband that lead to realizations that I’m not really as grateful as I should be…I Give Thanks!

KOR!