Saying Grace

[claymore]

There are ships of wood and ships of steel
The ships that sail the sea
But the finest ships are friendships
And may that ever be

 

[l'escargot]

Rather than say something why not just have a moment for those with imaginary friends to say their own silently? That would cause less offence to those who don't believe.

Perhaps those that don't believe could quietly think about something else for a moment to save causing offence to those who do believe...

 

[Whiskey Bravo]

If you want a very short one, try "Benedictus Benedicat".
I do remember something from school.

As quoted in the 'Jennings' stories by Anthony Buckeridge, from the 1950's.
They don't write them like that anymore.

 

[Frogmogman]

A trafalgar night one...
With ships of the line, and other fine food
Our memories go to ships of wood.
We praise the lord, and pass the port
and seek to serve him as we ought

Or a couple of the more humorous RN mess ones...

Bless o Lord, whose love divine
Did turn the water into wine.
Now bless and keep these foolish men
Who try to turn it back again.

or

God bless this bunch
as we munch our lunch.

or indeed Homer Simpson's

Rub a dub dub,
thank God for this grub.

 

[grenade]

For good food, good friends, and all the other good F's in life... we thank you, Amen.

 

[Plomong]

I have been asked to say grace at our yacht club annual dinner dance and prize giving.
I am not a religious man (although I have no problem with those who are), and would like your suggestions on an appropriate 'grace'
Something short, unoffensive and appropriate would be great.

Thanks for your help.

In Plomong Manor, the prayer intoned is:

Bless us, o Lord, for these thy gifts which of Thy bounty we are about to receive, through Christ, Our Lord, Amen.

 

[A1Sailor]

I suppose the vegetarians needn't be quite so thankful...

(I imagine Dr Johnson's gibe about Scots eating oats instead of feeding it to horses like the sassenaches was more relevant to breakfast and a different grace?)

Mike.

Some have meat and cannot eat,
Some have none, that want it;
But we have meat and we can eat,
So let the Lord be thankit.

Vegetarians replace meat with wheat

 

[VicS]

Google for "Saying grace"

or take a look at http://home.pcisys.net/~tbc/mealpryr.htm

 

[Georgio]

As a person without any imaginary friends I would go for one of these (taken from another source)

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.


Or

We are thankful for the food on this table.
We are thankful for this time together.
Our thoughts go out to family and friends;
We hope that they are safe and well.

 

[skip50]

Bless o Lord, whose love divine
Did turn the water into wine.
Now bless and keep these foolish men
Who try to turn it back again.

A variation on the above:

We give thanks O Lord, for those who turned water into wine,

We ask foregiveness O Lord, for those who are about to turn it back again.

 

[rotrax]

At an Oxford Marathons RFC dinner the Chaiman was reminded after the meal that he had forgotten to say the Grace. Ever the action man he tapped his glass with a knife to get attention and appologised for not saying the grace. He ended with " but I know you are all truly gratefull for that which you have just had!" Bought the house down..........

 

[lustyd]

Why is it that the those "with imaginary friends" only use the word "thy" when speaking to them?

I've nothing against gods, imaginary friends, or saying grace but surely it's time to update the language in the "story books" again? After all, very few people (or indeed could) read the original editions anyway and have to rely on the later, edited and translated editions.

 

[lustyd]

As a person without any imaginary friends I would go for one of these (taken from another source)

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.


Or

We are thankful for the food on this table.
We are thankful for this time together.
Our thoughts go out to family and friends;
We hope that they are safe and well.

I very much like these. If it must be religious then get someone to do it for whom it has meaning rather than do it "for the honour"

 

[reginaldon]

Why is it that the those "with imaginary friends" only use the word "thy" when speaking to them?

I've nothing against gods, imaginary friends, or saying grace but surely it's time to update the language in the "story books" again? After all, very few people (or indeed could) read the original editions anyway and have to rely on the later, edited and translated editions.

Our language is one of the very few that has largely abandoned the use of the second person singular - its use certainly makes it much clearer whom one is addressing.

 

[Frogmogman]

Benedic, Domine, nos et dona tua,
quae de largitate tua sumus sumpturi,
et concede, ut illis salubriter nutriti
tibi debitum obsequium praestare valeamus,
per Christum Dominum nostrum

I think this one translates as

Benedict, at home, has eaten our two Doner Kebabs,
The larger of the two was quite sumptuous.
He admits that for this salubrious food
he will pay us back what he owes
at Christmas by trimming our nasal hair.

 

[Magaz97]

As a person without any imaginary friends I would go for one of these (taken from another source)

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.


Or

We are thankful for the food on this table.
We are thankful for this time together.
Our thoughts go out to family and friends;
We hope that they are safe and well.

Just what I was looking for, thanks

 

[oldharry]

My favourite breakfast time grace:

Lord make us crisp and fresh like the cornflakes
Not thick and stodgy like the porridge."

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Why is it that the those "with imaginary friends" only use the word "thy" when speaking to them?

I've nothing against gods, imaginary friends, or saying grace but surely it's time to update the language in the "story books" again? After all, very few people (or indeed could) read the original editions anyway and have to rely on the later, edited and translated editions.

Those of us with real but not visible friends don't, these days, and haven't since the 1970s except when using traditional services (a rarity in most of the CofE). Though it doesn't bother me; I am a Yorkshireman, and thee, thy and thou were in everyday usage when I were a lad!

 

[Champagne Murphy]

Dominus Fecit,
Amen

The shortest and most to the point grace ever heard!

 

[Carduelis]

I think this one translates as

Benedict, at home, has eaten our two Doner Kebabs,
The larger of the two was quite sumptuous.
He admits that for this salubrious food
he will pay us back what he owes
at Christmas by trimming our nasal hair.

Very, very funny! Thank you.