Lent Day 6

Jesus takes time to bless the bread before the miracle of the feeding of the multitude.

Do you pray before meals at home? Do you pray when you go out to eat? It is amazing to me the power of creating habits or spiritual disciplines. Even if it is to simply pause to say thank you. Your public prayers do not need to be demonstrative but I believe it is valuable to say a word of thanks.

Sometimes when eating with folks at a restaurant I will offer to pray in a traditional way with head bowed and eyes closed. Sometimes I will simply take a morsel of the food hold it up and say, "Thank You God" and begin to eat.

My father used to joke that he could tell how hungry his dad was by how fast he said grace. May we be less worried about the words or the form of the prayers, and may we concern ourselves with the opportunities we have to stop and say thanks this day and every day.