Do you pray at meals?

[robinb]

Nope. I never pray at meals. In fact, I never pray at all so at least I'm consistent .

 

[auntie]

We have a very brief prayer...: "For every cup and plateful..God make us truly grateful, Amen". When we eat dinner at home. We started it many years ago, when the kids were young and wanted to keep it simple and something they could easily remember and say.
Well..it stuck. Kids are..well, lets just say the youngest is 17 now. Even when he has a friends over, they know we say this. It's just something we do as a family. Gives us a moment to reflect and appreicate one another's company.

We don't say a prayer when eating out. Just a different circumstance, from being gathered around your own dining table at home. I admire those that do though.
On Holidays or special occasions we will say a prayer that's appropriate and specific to the occasion.

 

[flying_babyb]

Yep awalys pray. Even at work, there though I did kids prayer:
Hand on our belly and together we say thank you for the food Or
The earth is good to me, So I thank the earth. for the birds,and the bees the flowers and the trees, the eath is good to me.

 

[HonnyDipp]

We always give thanks before any meal. The teachers at my DS11's school says he even pray's before eating his lunch at school. Its a wonderful habit to teach children

 

[englishteacha]

I pray to myself sometimes at meals. My DH and I are leaders at a Christian camp and there we sing grace for every meal. At our youth group (we are the leaders) we jokingly do "Not it!" to see who says grace. It's usually something very simple, thanking for the food and the company.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Yes, we do as a family and when I'm with friends or co-workers, I pray silently.

 

[Carpenters]

Yep, always, though silently if I'm around others who aren't family. I grew up with the traditional Catholic "Bless us Oh Lord, and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen." Taught it to my kids, too.

 

[roseprincess]

Yes, we pray before meals at home. When we are out to dinner at a restaurant, DH feels comfortable to say a prayer. We also pray at dinner with my parents at their house. One yr a few yrs back, my mom said some prayer before a meal (I was not there, I was at work at the time). My DH said it was the strangest prayer he heard from my mom, he had to roll his eyes, it was that bizarre I think God understands and has a sense of humor when people's prayers come out really strange.

 

[Golf4food]

Always. If out with people that are not family I pray to myself. The family is all of the same faith so we all pray at family meals.

 

[bebelle]

Always...whether at home or in public.

 

[GeorgeG]

Never! I'm an atheist and don't pray, period. If I'm with someone who does, I try to be respectful, but don't participate. As long as they don't make a big deal out of it, I just wait for them to finish. I don't do the joining of hands and will step away if others do. I am not very tolerant of it in my own home, either.

 

[jimmiej]

Always...whether at home or in public.

ditto

 

[Va-bear]

Another vote here for "Agnostic, and NOPE".
I have trained my children, however, to be respectful and bow their heads and close their eyes if someone we are dining with wants to pray. DH's family is all pretty religious, so this comes into play at holidays and family get-togethers. Just another chance to teach them that evryone has different beliefs and we are to respect them.

...ditto on all accounts. (Though, I guess technically, I am an athiest, not an agnostic..)

 

[Uncle Remus]

Never! I'm an atheist and don't pray, period. If I'm with someone who does, I try to be respectful, but don't participate. As long as they don't make a big deal out of it, I just wait for them to finish. I don't do the joining of hands and will step away if others do. I am not very tolerant of it in my own home, either.

Me too.

It's kinda insultin' to the person who paid for 'n maybe prepared the meal.

 

[TwinsinCA]

The only time I pray before a meal is if I am with others who do. I believe in God, but it is just not something I feel compelled to do.

 

[Keli]

Yes, I try to pray before every meal. If I am with people that I know don't pray or that I might make uncomfortable with my prayer then I will say a short silent one.

 

[scrump]

I give thanks before and after my meals. Not a religious gesture, more spiritual, but yes I do it every time.

 

[Kath2003]

Never! I'm an atheist and don't pray, period. If I'm with someone who does, I try to be respectful, but don't participate. As long as they don't make a big deal out of it, I just wait for them to finish. I don't do the joining of hands and will step away if others do. I am not very tolerant of it in my own home, either.

Ditto - I once went to a bbq where the 50 other guests all closed their eyes and prayed and suddenly felt very, very odd being the only person in the room looking around...

If people are polite enough to ask if I want to join in, I say "no thanks" and let them get on with it. I don't mind waiting for them to start.

 

[ntsammy5]

No, but my 11 yo son does-at ALL meals. Always makes me feel a little guilty.

That's what religions do best -make people feel guilty.

 

[VickiVM]

We do pray as a family before meals, whether at home or in public. We usually do hold hands. My kids are 15, 12 and 10. Our kids often lead us in prayer.

One of the pp mentioned that it sometimes felt rehearsed. I do fight that urge to say a memorized prayer and try to mention in our prayers thanks for various other things than just the meal.

For our family, the prayer is almost like a deep sigh just before we eat. We all stop our daily chaos for a moment to honor God and it just feels good mentally for all of us in our family to be on the same track even if for a few moments.