Food For Thought ~ Malt-O-Meal

On a recent grocery shopping trip, I wandered down the breakfast aisle ... looking for something different to offer the kids in the morning.  We get in a breakfast rut around here during the week.

Cereal?
Toast?
Bagel?
Cereal?
Yogurt?
Granola?
Cereal?
Zucchini bread?
... Cereal?

Honestly, the kids don't seem to mind, but I am bored with our breakfast options.  Maybe that's why weekends are so sweet ... because Brett, my breakfast big shot, is the one in our house who makes breakfast:  muffins, waffles, pancakes, scrambled eggs, coffee cake.  Yum!

But Monday morning, we're back to ... cereal?  Toast?  Bagel?  Cereal?

In light of this morning conundrum, I was thrilled when I came across an old favorite that had the potential to become a new favorite.

Growing up, we didn't eat oatmeal.  In my mind it was sticky, gooey and pasty.  (Now that Brett makes me oatmeal, however, I am enjoying the sweet and creamy potential of oatmeal ... with a few raisins sprinkled in for a treat!)  No ... we were a Malt-O-Meal family.  And now the Kellum kids can stake that claim, too!

A smidgen of brown sugar and a splash of milk.

With the first bowlfuls of this creamy-wheaty hot cereal, Aaron and Norah claimed it as, "The most delicious thing they'd ever tasted."  Do you need a more powerful stamp of approval than that?!  Ashley and Lydia have been slowly warming up to the dish, but the big kids scrape their bowls clean and ask for seconds.  While they were filling their bellies, I took the opportunity to fill their hearts.

As we sat at the breakfast table enjoying our mugs o' Malt-O-Meal, we read in our Jesus Calling devotion book about Jesus being our Strength and our Song.  We talked about the power of music and how the worship songs that we know can be prayers back to God.  We talked about how much we need God to help us through the day and how He promises to be our Strength.  We talked about how sometimes we need God, but we feel like we don't know what to pray.  In those times we can remember a Jesus-song that we like and in singing the words, we might find that God's promises are nestled there with the purpose of encouraging us.  It was a sweet visit with my kids about the inevitable daily needs we have and the practical ways to seek God.

As the hustle and bustle of the morning began, I was grateful for these few quiet minutes with my kids to pray together and start the day with Jesus as our focus.  By reading about the truths and promises about Jesus first thing in the morning, we are tuning "the orchestra" for the rest of the day!

³ In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; 
   in the morning I lay my requests before you 
   and wait expectantly. (Psalm 5:3)


I hope that in the same way we have taught our kids about the importance of starting the day with their bellies filled with a good breakfast, they are also learning about the importance of starting their day with their hearts full of Jesus!  And what fun it is to spend the day watching and waiting to see how God works out the kinks, provides His strength and blesses our efforts!


I hope you started this morning with something yummy in your tummy and something hardy for your heart.  And if you didn't, no problem ... you can start again.

Right now. :)

Day 1:  Mom in the Midst

Day 2:  My Button is Lame

Day 3:  Splendidly Lavish

Day 4:  Keeping My Head Above Water

Day 5:  Time-Warp Wednesday ~ Little Me

Day 6:  Me, Myself & I

Day 7:  Food For Though ~ Bacon

Day 8:  The Aches and Pains of Service

Day 9:  I Heart You

Day 10:  Who is Me? {part 1}

Day 11:  Who is Me? {part 2}

Day 12:  Who is Me?  {part 3}

Day 13:  Handmade with Care

Day 14:  Food For Thought ~ Carmel & Apples

Day 15:  A Bunch of Rocks

Day 16:  Not Recycled ... Redeemed

Day 17:  What Do You Do?

Day 18:  Washed on the Delicate Cycle

Day 19:  Know Thy Limits

Day 20:  One Snapshot ~ Many Stories

Day 21:  Food For Thought ~ Malt-O-Meal