The Relevance of Oatmeal

   Is there a relevance in the mundane? I think that there must be a lot of that because of the fact that so much of our times are caught up in the normal (maybe mundane is not a good word for all of this) affairs of our lives. Sure, there are the momentous occasions, but they come few and far between.

   Why do I think about this right now, when I am trying to find some tie between the Scripture I have read and the life that I have lived, even between the time I read early this morning and right now, this time of writing. What giant spiritual discovery or insight have I gleaned?

   Let me digress a bunch of years back. When my wife and I began traveling a lot, since our kids are far away in all directions, we usually try to leave on our trips early and eat our breakfast on the road. Now this is not a plug for Cracker Barrel, but they do know how to make good oatmeal. The right consistency and taste, along with the proper condiments, make for an enjoyable breakfast.

   Since finding out what real oatmeal should be like, we have experimented with various types of the grain, and also various methods of cooking it, so as to come up with the right product. This has been a several years long process, but I think we have hit upon the formula. I won't bore anyone with the details, but I will try to tie it in with the Scripture of today.

   Let's say that the process we go through, from starting the night before, cooking it overnight, and then the serving and cleaning up is not an instant breakfast, but it is downright good.

   So much of my life is lived in the daily normals of existence. If I put down the major turning points in my life, I find that there is a lot of time between them, time that is spent in everyday routine. I feel that God is in the ordinary events of our days, even those between momentous spiritual events and decisions. He cares about each of us, every day, the ordinary ones as well as the special.

   Our lives are spent seeking. We look for the answers. We search for solutions.

   Then we find it, right in our everyday existence...the perfect Oatmeal. God knew it was there all the time. He just wanted us to have the joy of discovering it for ourselves.

   Oh, before I forget, the Scripture for today comes from Nehemiah chapter 6 where the prophet says:

   “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down"

   Perseverance in the task, whether building a wall around a city or searching for the perfect morning repast.

   The relevance of Oatmeal