Kiddie Corner Donuts

All my life I have struggled with cooking and getting out of bed in the morning. One of the biggest challenges of my motherly resolve came compliments of my youngest when he found a way to combine the two.

Unlike his big brother who a decent sleeper at two weeks of age, Eric did not sleep through the night for six tortuous month. On top of that, he was a climber and had to be put into a regular bed at twelve months so the little monkey would not tumble out of his crib. Freedom from the wooden bars wasn't too bad until he morphed from a climbing monkey into an early bird hunting for breakfast before the crack of bed.

I'm not sure which was the most traumatic way for me to be awakened on the mornings Eric was on the prowl: the stealth when he woke me out a dead sleep yelling "eat", or the times I was semi-conscious and heard the swish-swish of his diaper as he charged my bed ready to let loose with choruses of "eat". And to make matters worse, if I didn't crawl out of bed fast enough, my persistent little one would steal my covers as he hollered out his hunger. It was a hideous scene.

Once I was up it was a race to sooth my diaper-clad beast. One of Eric's favorite breakfast foods was donuts. He was especially fond of the ones from the store slathered with frosting and decorated with sprinkles. Unfortunately, without advanced planning those were not always available in the wee hours of the morning. However, if there was a can of biscuit dough available, Eric would get his beloved donuts and I would survive a another day. These donuts make a fun breakfast food for kids of all ages.

• 1 can of basic buttermilk biscuit dough
• All-vegetable shortening
• 1-quart sauce pan
• Cinnamon sugar or chocolate syrup

Pop open the can of dough and tear holes in each biscuit. Set them aside. Heat shortening in the pan. When the shortening melts make sure it is 3/4 inch to 1 inch deep. When ripples appear in the oil, test the cooking temperature by dipping the end of an uncooked donut into it. If no cooking bubbles appear on the surface to the dough, let the oil heat a little more. However, if you get some "frying" action, the oil is ready. If the the bubbles become too violent during the actual cooking process, turn down the heat. When the submerged side of the donut is golden brown, flip the donut. The dounts are done when both sides are brown. Cover with the cinnamon sugar or dip in the chocolate.

Spiritual Seasoning

It may seem trivial to consider having to get out of bed in the wee hours of the morning to make breakfast a trial to endure, but for me it was! (And can still be, that's just the way I'm made.) But no matter how small or large an event requiring endurance is, God still expects us to act. Even if it involves a diaper-clad child yelling "eat!"

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving  as a soldier of gets involved in civilian affairs--he want to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. (2 Timothy 2:3-7 NIV)

I think it would have been appropriate if mothers had been included in this passage. Like the soldier, moms cannot be double minded. Like an athlete, moms need to complete according to the rules. And, like the farmer, I whole-heartedly believe that mothers should received the first share of crops...that would be the first plate at meal time, the first to get in bed at night, and the first in the bathroom. Of course, those are selfish desires and, as a mom, I chose to make to make those sacrifices and thus endure the hardships of motherhood.

The last line in the above passage is very true. Mothers have a plethora of insights to receive from God. By getting up with our children when they are little, we are caring for one of God's precious children that He gave to us! What a blessing. When we are doing for our children, we get to be the ones influencing them; we are blessed that we don't have to rely on anyone else. And, perhaps, best of all, when we endure we get to see them grow a little every day.

My two boys are older now and the "diaper-clad little beast" is a happy and healthy 17-year old. I have endured muddy feet traipsing through my house, adolescent boys that had no-telling what lurking in their messing bedrooms, lot's of rolling eyes (until I gave them lessons on how to roll their eyes properly), stinky-boy laundry that turned to mud in the washer, Eye Black for baseball that spotted all the clothes in my dryer (and the clothes that tumbled with it), and the tears of many childhood hurts.

It has been worth enduring all the trials I have experienced with motherhood. The blessing on the other side is two great sons who are almost there...I've been waiting for years to see what my boys would be when they grow up. If you are just starting your journey with kids in tow, it is the best thing ever and the hardest thing ever rolled into one. But, if you endure you will be blessed beyond your wildest dreams! If you have already moved through the years of motherhood, get ready for the grand babies!

So, no matter where you are, get ready for the adventure and make some donuts for the journey!