Yesterday, me and my boys stopped to get a bite to eat before we headed out to do what almost turned out to be school shopping. While we were there, I watched a group of women hold hands and say a prayer before they ate. I was raised to pray before every meal to give thanks for our food. When I was young, I would get so embarrassed when my dad would pray at a restaurant, because he tends to get a little loud when he prays. I would keep my eyes open, as if to show the people who would look at us that I was rebelling and didn’t think it was cool to do this! As I got older, I didn’t mind so much, I understood it was just a simple act to thank God for the blessing of having something to eat.
I continued to pray for my food until recently. I wanted my children to continue that small act of thanks to God for what we have. But I don’t do it anymore and neither do my children. For some reason, when I saw those women doing that yesterday, I had a little bit of guilt that we don’t pray before we eat. Maybe we should start doing that again.
Do you say grace before eating?
*raises hand*
It’s even more embarassing when I forget and my son yells out, “Uh did WE forget SOMETHING?” It was the way I was raised too. I no longer see it as tradition but, like you said, a small gift of thanks.
i pray that the waiter doesn’t spit in my food
We pray when Grandma comes over. Otherwise, it doesn’t happen. I’m from Long Island, NY – a thing like that in public is likely to get you shot! 😉
God rocks.
ed
Hubby’s an atheist, so we don’t pray at meals. I take care of that in the nightly prayers. I miss saying grace, though.
We give thanks before every meal – and yes, our 3-year-old reminds us if we forget, even in restaurants.
etherian: your hubby is the athiest. Why does that stop you from saying grace?
We do…I try to even out, but since it’s just me and monkey and he’s, well, a typical two year old…it doesn’t always happen
I don’t, but I know lots of people who do.
I do, but just to myself in my head …
Nah, I never have. Wait, that’s a lie – Does Thanksgiving count???
I feel stupid when I pray, being raised in a church that made us sit on our hands, I have moved from that lifestyle completly. We tried to say Grace at our house a couple of months ago because we were trying to make my neice who just moved here more comfortable, but Hubby had a cow, he is a practicing wiccan. I don’t feel having organized religion ruling your life is how it should be, you should have Faith in your life because you feel the need for it, not because your family or friends force it upon you.
When I’m at parental household for dinner (or at a restaurant with them) we always pray. Always.
When I’m eating on my own I usually don’t, but every now and then I will just in my head.
I do pray on a regular basis about other stuff though. Just usually not for my food. Strange that.
My family (grandparents) does. It’s something I feel guilty about not doing.
Crap! I can’t figure out what “Step Off” “See Dis” and “Freak Me” means. Is this how you filter out the idiots? If it boots me out again, I give up. But then you’ll never know I was here.
One more time …… We’re heathens. We only say Grace at Thanksgiving dinner.