Who Wants to Say Grace?

by Rev. Rita Scheibeck

Sitting around a table, ready to eat a meal with family and friends, I have heard this question hundreds of times. This used to make me feel a little uncomfortable (and sometimes still does) because of the huge differences between my family's staunchly traditional religious practices and my own vastly diverse spiritual beliefs.

While in some cases I may not offer to speak the words of grace aloud, I am always excited to participate in one of the most important prosperity practices there is: gratitude.

Sometimes I only remember to practice gratitude at the end of the day, when all of my work, business, and chores are completed and I've fallen into bed, barely keeping my eyes open. I've been told and have accepted that the end of the day gratitude list is a must. While I believe this is true, I also believe that gratitude can, and should be a constant practice in my life, happening every waking moment.

But what I know for myself is that the demands and stressful events of life frequently get in the way of my focus on the beautiful and the bountiful around me. Saying grace before and after a meal, especially as a quiet, heartfelt, personal prayer and affirmation, helps transform my thoughts from mindless to mindful, from worried to faith- filled, and from the fear of lack to the certainty of abundance. It's during the time of grace that I also take the opportunity to bless everything and everyone who participated in bringing the food and the fellowship to my awareness and into my reality.

Affirmation: I participate wholeheartedly in the art of saying grace at every opportunity. As I think, say, or affirm grace, I strongly connect to all the good and plenty in my life and in the universe.

I now allow, acknowledge, accept, and affirm that these things are so.