Hellobee Boards

We not a religious household but when we're with DH's family we say

Come Lord Jesus, our guest to be
And bless these gifts bestowed by thee.

Bless our dear ones everywhere
And keep them in thy loving care.

We just started doing mealtime prayers this last week!

We say:
'Come Lord Jesus, be our guest. Let these gifts to us be blessed. Amen.'

It's the standard prayer that we say when we get together with DH's family. Probably around the time L turns 2 or so, I'd like to start doing 'thankful' prayers too.

DH and I are non-believers, but we have religious families. Our kitchen table has a frame with this poem:

For what we are about to receive
let us be truly thankful
…to those who planted the crops
…to those who cultivated the fields
…to those who gathered the harvest.

For what we are about to receive
let us be truly thankful
to those who prepared it and those who served it.

In this festivity let us remember too
those who have no festivity
those who cannot share this plenty
those whose lives are more affected than our own
by war, oppression and exploitation
those who are hungry, sick and cold

In sharing in this meal
let us be truly thankful
for the good things we have
for the warm hospitality
and for this good company.

We don't say this every night, but I hope to do it more often once we have a little one:

"For the meal we are about to eat,
for those that made it possible,
and for those with whom we are about to share it,
we are thankful."

@MamaG: oh my, that must be what my son is reciting!
I had no idea of the entire thing!

@looch: I heard one of the teachers sing it at school before breakfast one day and I had to ask the director for the words. It really is catchy and sweet.

For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truely thankful. And we did the sign of the cross before and after and clapped for "Amen". For a while, the clapping seemed to grab her attention, but she seems to have gotten used to it.

@T.H.O.U.: I said the prayer you say growing up!
DH was hesitant too, but when I showed him some prayers that didn't have any reference to a higher power, he really got on board. It's always important to be thankful!
I also really like that the prayer we say is inclusive/vague and can by embraced by religious and non-religious people alike. I always feel excluded when grace is said at our family functions - DH and I choose to sit quietly with our head down while everyone else crosses themselves (twice) and says a very Catholic grace.