In a cozy little house, lived Mama Ruby and her five-year-old son, Caleb. Mama Ruby was a tall,
strong woman with a smile that could light up a room. Caleb was her pride and joy—curious as a kitten and always full of questions. One Saturday morning, the kitchen smelled of sweet batter and melted butter. Mama Ruby stood over the stove, flipping golden pancakes onto a plate.
Caleb sat at the table, swinging his legs. His big brown eyes watched her every move. “Mama,” he said, tilting his head, “why do they call them pancakes? They don’t look like cakes to me.”
Mama Ruby chuckled. Her deep laugh filled the kitchen like music. She slid a stack of pancakes onto Caleb’s plate and sat down across from him. She wiped her hands on her apron. “Well,
baby, that’s a good uestion. Let me tell you a little story about that.”
She leaned in close. Her voice was soft and warm. “A long, long time ago—way before you or me or even your grandmama was born—people used to cook flat little breads on big, wide pans.
They didn’t have fancy ovens like we have now. They would mix up some flour and water,
maybe some milk or eggs if they were lucky. Then they poured it right onto that flat pan over a fire. It cooked up nice and round, just like these here. Since it was made in a pan and looked kind of like a cake, folks started calling them ‘pancakes.’ Isn’t that something?”
Caleb’s eyes got wide. “So they named them after the pan?” “Yes,” Mama Ruby said, nodding. “Names stick sometimes because of how things are made or
where they come from. It’s kind of like how God gives us all special names and purposes too.”
Caleb poked at his pancake with his fork. He was thinking hard. “Did God make pancakes?”
Mama Ruby laughed again. “Not exactly, sugar. But God gave us the hands to mix the batter, the wheat to make the flour, and the love to share them with each other. Everything we have comes from Him, one way or another. And you know what the Bible says? In Psalm 34:8, it tells us to ‘taste and see that the Lord is good.’ That’s the moral lesson for today, Caleb. Every bite we take, every little thing we enjoy, is a gift from God. So we should be thankful for it, big or
small.”
Caleb grinned. His dimples showed. “Even pancakes?”
“Especially pancakes,” Mama Ruby said, winking.
She reached across the table and took his little hand in hers. “Now, let’s say a prayer before we eat, like good folks do. Bow your head, baby.”
Caleb closed his eyes tight. Mama Ruby’s voice rang out clear and steady. “Dear Lord, we thank You for this beautiful morning and for the food on our table. Thank You for these pancakes, for
the hands that made them, and for the love that fills this home. Bless my sweet Caleb, keep him strong and curious, and help us always remember to taste and see Your goodness every day. In
Jesus’ name, Amen.”
“Amen!” Caleb chirped. He dug into his pancakes. Syrup dripped down his chin. Mama Ruby watched him, her heart full. She knew even a simple question could turn into a moment to share
God’s love. —
And so, in that little kitchen, Mama Ruby and Caleb shared more than just breakfast. They shared a lesson about gratitude, wrapped up in the warm sweetness of pancakes and prayer.
