I love the excitement that starts first thing in the morning when everyone comes in like a floods for breakfast! My kids love helping and it can get pretty messy, with who wants to pour this, who wants to stir, or how many eggs can we crack all at once! My daughter decided to use the sifter to remove egg shells from the egg mixture this morning! My beautiful daughter says in her sweet voice as she cracked egg number one, “I want patty cakes (pancakes)!” My son says, “No, I want waffles!” All at once everyone started talking about all their delicious breakfast ideas, the list of ideas grew. Then we started talking about breakfast foods that would be awesome with already cracked eggs in a bowel! You can’t help but to think of all the menu items that you would like to eat, like bacon or a veggie omelettes and more! Everyone had their own ideas and it seemed like we couldn’t agree on one. So we didn’t have pancakes or waffles, instead we had oatmeal with blueberries with almonds and scramble eggs. Still so delicious especially when everyone worked to make it! Sometimes you just need to let go of your ways, your like, or your desires and turn toward what best for everyone! What was best for everyone was simple, but it’s not easy to let go of your own ideas and wants! No one got what they wanted for breakfast, but we had what was best for all of us, a peaceful and healthy breakfast that we ate together!
It reminded me of Exodus 16:1-35! The Israelites complained against Moses and Arron even after God freed them from slavery! They complained constantly even after witnessing and experiencing awesome and amazing and miraculous events right in front of their eyes! Exodus 16:3-4 (NIV) “In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” They even rather go back into slavery and die thinking it was better because of the food they ate. They forgot what God had done for them. Being content is choosing to focus on the good and be thankful for what you have in all circumstances while praying continually and seeking God’s will. This can be hard if you think about everything you want to eat, or what you want done before the season changes and focus on what you don’t have like bacon or ham for breakfast or the things you didn’t get done before the first snow. We make our plans but God is the one who establishes them according to His good and perfect will!
I thought about how hard it is for our kids today because they have so many choices. I think that being content is one of those things that you have to learn because it doesn’t come naturally. Even though breakfast is a small example of being content, it could manifest into something bigger. Like not being happy with your birthday present because your brother got something better! Later, as an adult, it could be much bigger!
God can help us be content with what we have and in every situation be thankful even when our to do list doesn’t get done on time! There is a reason for every delay! Slowing down and sitting at Jesus feet! We learn in scripture from Paul in Philippians 4:11 (NIV) “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” He knew he could trust God and would be ok no matter what circumstance he was in because he trusted God with all his heart. In Luke 12:15 (NIV) “Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” God says we need to watch out and be on guard. Something like breakfast can be a simple reminder for everyone to be content with what we have at home. We need to be thankful for what we have been given even if we rather have a different kind of breakfast. Even if we didn’t get what we had planned completed by winter! God’s loving kindness and overwhelming peace flows as He carries all of us! I’m beyond Thankful for everyone God has placed in our life and praying continually!! 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 (NIV) “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV) “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. When things got hard Paul talked about the secret to being content. He trusted God with all of his heart knowing God will provide everything he needs including the strength to handle circumstances that were unbearable. We can talk to God about situations in life and our sisters and brothers in Christ. It helps to talk about what’s going on in your life like moving and having to pack everything up in a boxes. When we focus on all the goodness God pours out even in the middle of the struggles, we can rejoice because He has everything work out in advance. Even when you think you know a better way, trust God has already made a way! It can be hard to be content in everything when everything is in a box, especially when we can’t see what is ahead. We can be confident and trust God has already worked it out perfectly in advance.
Yum! – the pictures.
And Yes – He knows best.