One of the busiest and most hectic times for any family can be meal time. Between setting the table, washing hands, and preparing the food, by the time the whole family sits down it seems that everyone is ready to eat.
The Word of God tells us that food is
“to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” (1 Tim 4:4)
In other words, we should say “Grace”. If we’re not careful, though, the frenzied nature of meal time can cause us to short change our prayers of thanksgiving.
I’ll be the first person to admit that I find myself from time to time mindlessly repeating the same phrases over and over at lunch or dinner. Sometimes I mean it. Sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I’m concentrating more on the gift (e.g. lasagna or chicken nuggets) than the Giver (e.g. God.) I’m not saying that it’s right, I’m just being honest and admitting that sometimes it’s true.
Recently, I was reading an article about family prayers which brought this tendency to my own attention. I began to question, “Should I really…
