Breakfast Toast

By Kaylie Hodges

My family celebrates birthdays by having toast for breakfast.

I know, it doesn’t sound very exciting. Actually, the birthday person always gets to pick any breakfast they want, but we always have toast. Maybe a better way to say that is that we always do toasts.

One by one we circle around the table, each child in turn raising their cup of milk  to toast to the celebrated one. Faces light up with a glow that emanates from the inside out. Seven times a year we clink cups and make a milky mess in the process of extolling one of our fold.

I only have a few rules, it has to be specific, and it can’t be a repeat of someone else’s praise. It’s amazing what hearing all those wonderful things about themselves can do for a kid.

They love it. I love it.

It’s a party. Who wouldn’t love it?

In fact, as I was reading Colossians during a long birthday gap, I realized that maybe we weren’t having breakfast toast nearly enough.

“We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you” Colossians 1:3.

It isn’t just that Paul has thanked God for the residents of Colosse, it is that he made sure they knew he was thankful for them.  It is a sentiment he shared with the Corinthians, the Philippians, and the Thessalonians in his opening phrases.

It must be important.

This celebration of each other is encouragement for them to continue to walk with the God who created them. Paul is specific in pointing out the way that God is moving in each community. He makes sure they know they are bearing fruit right there from the beginning.

I can honestly say that I thank God for my children every day, but do I tell them how thankful I am for them? Do I encourage them to show their thanks for each other?

Sometimes I get so busy serving up the daily oatmeal that I forget to serve the pancakes and breakfast toast. I get so busy serving up character development that I forget to praise the developing character.  Celebrations don’t have to be limited to birthdays, I think we will be having breakfast toasts at our house far more often.

“Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!

Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with signing.

Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves.” Psalm 100:1-3

Moms, today let’s celebrate our children, shall we? This morning, right from the start, tell them that you are thankful for them. Make sure they know that you see the work God is doing in their life… and then step back and watch the glow!


Word of the Day
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy” Philippians 1:3.

Prayer
Lord, today we thank you for the lives you have surrounded us with that bless our lives. We praise you for the faithful work you are doing in our children’s lives. Lord, today help us to lift the spirits of those around us by choosing to be grateful for them.


Read more of Kaylie's blogs at kayliehodges.com

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