"God is great, God is good. Let us thank Him..."

Ever since I was very young we have always said the same meal time prayer; "God is great, God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. Amen!" As with many rituals, the meaning of why we say what we say has been lost. The words just don't hold any real connection to God anymore. My children, like myself, have always said this prayer too. Sometimes it is said with a fork in hand and eyes that look like they could devour everything in sight! Other times it is said so quickly it sounds like it is being spoken in a foreign language like "hungerese!" I have tried, as a parent, to tell my children to slow down and think about the words that they are saying and to whom they are speaking them to...God. As I think about this I have to ask myself, "Am I always thoughtful and mindful of what I am saying when I am speaking to God? Am I in a hurry and I just want God to get it done on my time? I have to admit that yes, sometimes I do not take enough time out of my day to thank God or to even talk with Him about what I am struggling with in my life. You may think, well He is God, He is all knowing, doesn't He already know what is giong on in our lives? The answer to that is yes, but think about this. How would you feel if you asked your child or a close friend how their day was or how their life is going, even though you may already know the answer and then they just don't respond to you or share anything that is going on with them? You would feel hurt, dissapointment and not really needed by them. The reason you ask these quesions of others is because you are seeking out a relationship with that person. Caring conversation nutures relationships. That is why we ask people when we greet them, "How are you doing?" It is because we truly want to know, most of the time, right? God is our father and our friend and He truly wants you to tell Him in your own words how your life is going. This Christmas season always gives me cause to pause and relfect on my habits as a Christian, so I think I would like to add on to our meal time prayer. I would like to hear my children tell me what else they would like to thank God for. I would like to hear "let us thank Him for our food and ...." I know this will probably bring some moans and groans at first, but I really want them to understand that they have a lot to be thankful for in their lives, as do I. Here is my version of my childhood prayer. I hope that you enjoy it! Have a Blessed Christmas Season-Nicole God is great! God is good! Let us thank Him for our food! Let us thank Him for our beds, for some have no place to lay their heads. Let us thank Him for our homes, for some have none to call their own. Let us thank Him for our family, for some do not have any at all. Let us thank Him for our freedom and for those who fight and answered the call. Let us thank Him for our lives, for some this is something that they despise. Finally, Let us thank Him for His son, for Jesus' birth and for being the one, Who took all our sins and then gave us grace, which there is nothing on this earth that can ever take it's place!

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