How do you pray before a meal?
 

I am really curious about this.

When I eat, I will mumble/think a quick "thank you" just before eating -whether it be a big formal meal or even a single cookie at some random time during the day. I don't differentiate.

Now my in-laws have been staying with us and THEY insist on a very long, very loud prayer being said, while everyone at the table holds hands, whether it be at home or in the middle of a restaurant. (This is bad enough but in addition, I don't think he has washed his hands in months -and that is not an exaggeration.) There is a bit of tension now because I told me wife that OUR tradition is to NOT do that, so we just stopped the other day when we went out and got glared at for several seconds as he 'thrust' his hand to us for the ritual, but we didn't 'take' it.

I am just curious if anyone else have a similar ritual or maybe are even MORE showy.

Not I am not asking anyone IF they pray before a meal. I am going to go out on a limb and assume that everyone here does in some fashion.

(You can vote for more than one selection)

Re: How do you pray before a meal?
 

We do not hold hands. We all bow our heads and say a short prayer of thanks in a normal "inside voice". This is the same whether at home or in a restaurant. I didn't choose a response on the poll because it falls somewhere in between the second and third choice. I don't put my hands together and the prayer only lasts between 10-30 seconds.

Re: How do you pray before a meal?
 

I am very comfortable with this example.

I've been extremely stressed this past week and we've (me and my wife) have been sneaking out to eat just so we don't have to eat with them (my father in law and his wife).

Re: How do you pray before a meal?
 

I have never been a fan of the loud obnoxious restaurant praying myself. I also really dislike meal prayer time being used for other various prayer requests unless there is some emergency situation that just came up regarding someone's health, in which case I would give it a pass. I have a cousin that I dread going out to eat with because pre-meal prayer will be a minimum of 2 minutes long.

Sorry to hear about your inlaws. Especially the non-handwashing of FIL...:oops

Re: How do you pray before a meal?
 

There is not a choice for what we do. The closest is "Everyone at the table holds hands, as I praying out loud for all the restaurant to see and hear." But that one makes it sound like we do it loudly for a show. We do hold hands, and we do pray aloud, but not so loudly that "all the restaurant" will hear.

We also do not "BLESS" the food. The blessing is that God has given us food to eat, therefore we give Him thanks.

Re: How do you pray before a meal?
 

I almost forgot about the time that I went out to eat with someone from church who in addition to praying for the food with as loud a voice as possible, also began speaking in tongues. I really wanted to suggest reading I Corinthians 14 but I refrained. I also wanted to melt into the floor when it was happening.

Re: How do you pray before a meal?
 

When I am alone, I pray a quick, silent 'thank you'. When together as a family, my husband prays a reasonable prayer, same as we do at home.

Re: How do you pray before a meal?
 

Obviously there is not a way to post a poll choice for every single circumstance. I thought being able to select more then one choice would allow people to mix and match a bit -sort of like mixing primary colors to make other ones. :)

Re: How do you pray before a meal?
 

I came to my wits end this week and decided that our "tradition" in our house would supersede his. No hand holding -unless the two of them want to. LOL

Re: How do you pray before a meal?
 

We hold hands and pray respectfully.

We have been complemented, by so many over the years...

Our prayer is not loud, or for others just to see...