How Do You Say Grace?

[fabshelly]

Inspired by the "Saying Grace" thread.

Those of you who pray before eating, is there a special prayer you say?

We're about to become a new family, and I'd like to have a new prayer.

My dad says: FatherSonHolyGhostAmenBlessusohLordandthesethygiftswhichweareabouttoreceivefromthybountythroughChristourLordAmenFatherSonHolyGhostAmen.


Honest.

Nowhere in there is a THANK YOU and he gets all bent if you don't do it just right.

I spent my whole life saying that prayer with my family and never noticed there was no thank you in it until earlier this year.

So, any suggestions?

English is the second language for my future hubby and children. They're Christian, I was raised Catholic but go to a Progressive Episcopalian church.

 

[VickiVM]

I think the best prayer of thanks are those that come from the heart and not a 'recited' prayer. I think it's a lovely tradition that you want to start - be authentic and genuine.

One tradition our family has added just recently is that when we hold hands as we pray, our left hand is up and right hand down - that way you always are holding up and being help up by one another.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

+In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Bless us Oh lord for these thy gifts we're about to receive from your bounty. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then my youngest begins praying for people. Then we eat.

Didn't know an actual "thank you" was necessary prior. There is a follow up prayer to that that you are supposed to say after the meal.

We Give Thee thanks for all thy benefits, O Almight God, who livest and reighnest forever. Amen.

Bless the food--thank when you are done.

 

[DISUNC]

"Grace"

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

"Grace"

She died 30 years ago.

 

[disykat]

I like a recited prayer - I think it gives children a "framework" and something comforting they can always fall back on, even when words fail them and allows us to all pray with one voice. Dh likes to make up a prayer each time (although he says the exact same thing every time LOL). So we compromised. After one of us says a brief off the cuff prayer we all recite a brief prayer. It used to be "God is great, God is good..." when the kids were younger, now we use "bless us O Lord and let our food strengthen us to serve you".

 

[powellrj]

we don't have a set prayer. Usually someone will mention that they would like to give blessing. Lately its one of the younger kids that offer.

 

[babytrees]

when I taught preschool we taught them this one:

Come Lord Jesus, be our guest.
and let this food to us be blessed.

Amen


simple and sincere is always the best way to go!!

 

[Donald - my hero]

We have said grace from as soon as kids could hang onto our fingers! The tried and true "god is great, god is good. Let us thank him for our food Amen"

When our eldest was about 4 he asked .. why do we say grace mommy? So i said it is to say Thank you to God for our food.
So now we also have Thanks for our food God is great! so cute from that golden mouth that close to 20 years later it is still in there!
I have begun to say spontaneous ones now to show youngest (18) that prayers should be from the heart not just repetitive

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

My dad says: FatherSonHolyGhostAmenBlessusohLordandthesethygiftswhichweareabouttoreceivefromthybountythroughChristourLordAmenFatherSonHolyGhostAmen.

Did your father go to Catholic school? This is exactly how my 6 yo says grace! I couldn't stop laughing.

 

[Muhlenberg]

We still use "God is Great and God is Good, and we thank him for our food. By his hand we all are fed, give us Lord our daily ________." DH usually fills in the blank with whatever we're eating. It's repetitive, but not. We at least have to think about it. We've been doing this for 22 years. Sometimes, though, we have a speed Grace: Thanks for the grub, God, Amen. DH learned that one from a priest about 35 years ago.

I agree about the standard Catholic one...where is the thanks, and my nephew says it so fast, I'm not even sure he knows what he's saying.

Above all else, it needs to be said from the heart...and you can do that with a "standard" one.

 

[auntpolly]

My dad says: FatherSonHolyGhostAmenBlessusohLordandthesethygiftswhichweareabouttoreceivefromthybountythroughChristourLordAmenFatherSonHolyGhostAmen.

LOL that's how my DH says it! (Must be Catholic school).

My grandfather always said pretty much the same thing and I wish I remembered it exactly because it was beautiful. It wasn't exactly the same every time, but you could tell it was way his family had always done it.
He would say something along the lines of, "Thank you for bringing us together today, that we are all safe and happy, that we have enough to eat, keep us in your loving arms forever, amen. (I miss him!)

When I was growing up my mom and dad would always have us say, "God is great, God is good, let us thank him for our food amen."

With my DD we didn't always say one out loud, but do our own silently and make the sign of the cross before we started eating.

 

[SplshMtnLvr28]

Rub a dub dub, thanks for the grub.

 

[aprilgail2]

Rub a dub dub, thanks for the grub.

Sounds like a good one to me! That is what I used to say when I was a kid and it was my turn to be forced to say grace!

 

[Nancyg56]

We like our 5 YO DGD to say the blessing.

Thank you for the world so sweet.
Thank you for the food we eat.
Thank you for the birds that sing.
Thank you God for everything.
Amen.

I still tear up everytime I sneak a peek (She sometimes checks to see if "the boys" have their eyes closed) at her little head bowed with her hands folded together in her lap as she gives thanks for the Lords blessings. She very proud of herself and solemn as she recites.

ETA that Kady learned this in preschool. Until this little girl wanted to say Grace at every meal we usually reserved the Blessing for special meals. Talk about learning a lesson from children.

 

[Tarheel Tink]

Be present at our table, Lord.
Be here and everywhere adored.
These mercies bless and grant that we
may feast in paradise with thee.
Amen.

 

[noodleknitter]

My husband's standard from his camp days...

For that which we are about to receive make us truly thankful! Amen

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

when I taught preschool we taught them this one:

Come Lord Jesus, be our guest.
and let this food to us be blessed.

Amen


simple and sincere is always the best way to go!!

I like this one--short and sweet. I may just have to add that to our repertoire.

 

[MsLeFever]

My kids like to sing....

Hands, Hands, Hands, thank you God for hands
Food, Food, Food, thank you God for food
Friends, friends, friends, thank you God for friends!

(sometimes followed up with chachacha)

 

[Nancyg56]

(sometimes followed up with chachacha)

I love the chachacha!