A few years ago, I made a decision about praying before eating. I decided that there was a reason why a prayer was said before a meal. It was to pray about the meal. Not about the weather. Not about Aunt Petunia’s gall bladder. It was to pray about the meal.
Now I guess there’s nothing wrong with praying about just about anything at just about any time. Still, it seems like asking a blessing for food should be about asking a blessing for food. Giving thanks for food should be about giving thanks for food.
Am I being too picky? Maybe I should be happy that we are praying at all.
No that sounds completely understandably to me. ^_^
Thanks Kaytlin. Welcome to The Kitchen.
No…I believe prayer should have a purpose and focus and not just our meal-time prayer. There is nothing more ackward than, as an example, asking someone to offer a prayer of thanksgiving and praise for a person who has just been baptized and then hearing the prayer be a prayer of petition for someone’s health (or be the same canned prayer recited everytime they pray). I am not trying to be critical of the prayers of others and I certainly believe we should pray for the sick but…there is a time for everthing but not everything is right for everytime.
Grace and peace,
Rex
Sounds reasonable…but sometimes i think the heart just over flows….you end up with a lot of …”and we are especially mindful of…” Which I guess is not so bad, but it is kind of strange when the meal blessing actually forgets to mention the meal.
Rex: Seems like some of that is remedied by praying more often.
Skye: That is understandable, I guess, especially when with a group of people that we aren’t always with. Still, I think that some prayers should be respectful of their context.
BTW…where did you find the picture in your post?
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thanksgiving_grace_1942.jpg
I agree. But, I do frequently (usually) mention something else that is current and pressing in our church or family, esp. since meal time is often the only time we are all together for a prayer.
Good question Sir, We usually stay on the food subject, but if there is a pressing situation needing to be prayed for, it happens.
My lil boys Timothy 6 and Tyler 3 pray for the food and for everyone in the family..mom,dad,g-parents, etc…seems they have naturally learned that, and so it will be. Great post/thought!!
my four year old recites what she has done so far they day, but it it really is a list of thanksgiving the way she says it
I can’t tell you how many times we’ve prayed before a meal (particularly when my wife does the praying) and when the prayer is over, I remind her, “And thank You, Lord, for the food,” because she’s prayed over everything but the food! Nit picking, I know, but I concur with you. It should at least be about the food. Don’t mind if other things overflow from the heart, but at least remember the food!
P. S. I don’t see any CENI that covers a “PS Prayer”! :)