saying grace

[cacian]

did you do you ever say grace around the dinner table?

[Sancho]

Cacian, how do you think of this stuff?

Answer - Only when my Auntie Grace comes to dinner.

[cacian]

Cacian, how do you think of this stuff?


Hi Sancho. Well I imagine it first Lol. Only joking. This stuff is important if you think about its history. I am told it is very american to say grace. I am not sure if it is I think it is worldwide. Also it is a piece I wish to include in my short story. I just need to see if grace differ from family to family.

Answer - Only when my Auntie Grace comes to dinner.

And how does it go?

[prendrelemick]

On Sunday the grandchildren and other assorted offspring and their partners come to the farm for dinner. Mrs P gets the prayer dice off the mantlepiece - that's a large wooden dice with a different grace printed on each side. One of the kiddies gets to roll it and then I read it out. Then we all say Aaahhhhhmen! in a rising cadence, pointing a finger to heaven and twirling it round in time to the chant. (because that is how they do it at playgroup -says the youngest grandchild.) Some of the assembled do it ironically some are a bit embarrassed, (me and Mrs P do enjoy embarrassing our sons and daughters, its one of the few remaining powers we have over them). Anyway by popular vote this is the favourite one, short and pleasingly rhythmic.

For food and drink and fellowship
God's holy name be praised.


AAAAAAHHHHHMEN!

[islandclimber]

Sometimes we get all dressed up in disturbing fetishistic fashions and we balance on our heads in our chairs with one member in suspension above the dining room table, hanging in place of the chandelier. And we say grace backwards then forwards, then as a sequence of loosely linked profanities...

I jest. Or do I?

Amen.

[cacian]

On Sunday the grandchildren and other assorted offspring and their partners come to the farm for dinner. Mrs P gets the prayer dice off the mantlepiece - that's a large wooden dice with a different grace printed on each side. One of the kiddies gets to roll it and then I read it out. Then we all say Aaahhhhhmen! in a rising cadence, pointing a finger to heaven and twirling it round in time to the chant. (because that is how they do it at playgroup -says the youngest grandchild.) Some of the assembled do it ironically some are a bit embarrassed, (me and Mrs P do enjoy embarrassing our sons and daughters, its one of the few remaining powers we have over them). Anyway by popular vote this is the favourite one, short and pleasingly rhythmic.

For food and drink and fellowship
God's holy name be praised.


AAAAAAHHHHHMEN!
LOl very fun and ahmen to that too

[cacian]

Sometimes we get all dressed up in disturbing fetishistic fashions and we balance on our heads in our chairs with one member in suspension above the dining room table, hanging in place of the chandelier. And we say grace backwards then forwards, then as a sequence of loosely linked profanities...

I jest. Or do I?

Amen.

Ouch that cannot be comfortable still grace need be done then so be it.

[The Kid]

My family never says grace except on the United States' holiday of Thanksgiving.

Part of the reason is because it is almost impossible to make a large group of people pray in front of food when they are tempted to eat it immediately.

The other reason is that my parents simply didn't raise us that way, despite their own upbringing.

[OrphanPip]

At larger family dinners my family says grace, usually contingent on my aunt being there since she is the only one who insists on it.

[BienvenuJDC]

I give thanks for my meals most of the time

[faithosaurus]

I'm usually the only one that says grace at the table, especially now that I'm at college. But I always do, even if it's only to myself.

[cacian]

I'm usually the only one that says grace at the table, especially now that I'm at college. But I always do, even if it's only to myself.

Oh wow and what do you actually say if you do not mind me asking?

[Sancho]

Hi Sancho. Well I imagine it first Lol. Only joking. This stuff is important if you think about its history. I am told it is very american to say grace. I am not sure if it is I think it is worldwide. Also it is a piece I wish to include in my short story. I just need to see if grace differ from family to family.


And how does it go?

I was only joking, Cacian. When Auntie Grace comes to dinner we say, “Hi, Grace, pass the beans, Grace. How was your day, Grace. My, my, you’re looking well, Grace. And so on.”


I'm usually the only one that says grace at the table, especially now that I'm at college. But I always do, even if it's only to myself.

I had a friend like that in the Air Force. A bunch of us would be sitting around a table in the chow hall, digging in and trash-talking each other, but he’d always bow his head, close his eyes, and silently say grace. Nobody ever paid any attention to him.

Then one day after he was done praying, I pointed to my tray and said to him, “Hey man, did you get some of that on mine?”

He once again folded his hands, bowed his head, closed his eyes, furled his brow, and began silently mouthing some words. When he was done, he looked at me and smiled, then said, “You’re covered, Sancho.”

So we high-fived.

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

At School -
The first 3 years at Catholic school, based on foggy recollection, it was something like 3 Hail Mary's and 1 Our Father
Once I moved over to Public school, before praying was banned, it was:

"God is great, God is good
let us thank him for our food"
Immediately followed by a mad dash for the synthetic cheesebugers and lard saturated fries.

Today-
We still say grace at formal gatherings, holiday meals and such, using the classic; "Bless us oh Lord for these thy gifts..."
after we say "Amen" and all are about to dig in, I follow with " As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end...Amen"

edit - sorry Sancho, didn't mean to immediately bury your post, I was typing mine when yours came in.

[faithosaurus]

Oh wow and what do you actually say if you do not mind me asking?

Oh, I don't mind!

I usually thank God for the food and for the safety of my family and friends.

[prendrelemick]

I had ten years at school chanting ;-

For what we are about to recieve
May the lord make us truly thankful.

And to be honest with the quality of the food, we needed devine help to be thankful.

Then there was a local vicar who used to say.-

Bless this Bunch as they Munch and Crunch their Lunch.


Sometimes I say this one, adapted from some old French saying I read somwhere.


Thankyou god, for the food upon the table,
The roof above it,
And the people around it.

Then there is the local legend of a Methodist preacher who had risen late, missed his breakfast, walked far, arrived late, taken the service, then walked again to the house of a local family for his dinner. He pointed to his plate of mutton stew and said "Food. Amen" This was entirely to the liking of the locals who were (and still are) a taciturn lot.

[cacian]

prendrelemick your posts are great so much insight. I particularly the local vicar's one:

''Bless this Bunch as they Munch and Crunch their Lunch. ''

Hehe rhyming is particularly savory in this one LOL:p

[YesNo]

On the one hand, saying grace reminds me of giving a toast after which glasses are clinked together and people drink. The toast is something said out loud uniting a group of people. We don't do this normally except when there are people eating or drinking with us who expect some sort of words to be said prior to eating or drinking.

On the other hand, it reminds me of repeating words silently and habitually for religious or therapeutic reasons to keep the mind attentive. These words are not said out loud and no one needs to know that one is reciting them for them to be effective.