For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for December 10, 2021

We started without you

Jab John in the hip with your elbow, Elly.

Good to see Phil and Georgia again. I also see that Grandma Marian is taking care of April. I expect Farley needed the break.

That was my FIL… I swear he blessed people he made up.

Food’s gettin’ cold.

Ours was very short. Good food, good meat, good God, lets eat!

Far be it for me to stick up for Elly, but THE DINNER IS GETTING COLD!

Funny, we don’t say our thanks. We know we all are thankful to be together for the feast, and that sufficed.

Who’s the guy who has jet black hair and mustache but has bright red van dyke beard and mutton sideburns?

My Grandfather said Grace like this: Good Bread, Good Meat, Good God, Let’s Eat!

Rub-a-dub dub, pass the grub, yaaay Jesus!!

I once had an uncle (by marriage) who was a pastor. He would always insist on praying VERY LONG and VERY LOUD, even when eating out. Now, I’m not against praying for your food… But to make a public spectacle out of it with the whole restaurant looking at you like you’re insane isn’t fair to everyone else…

Where’d he get that snake?

“Thank you for the meat and skin, back your ears and cram it in”. “Past the teeth and over the tongue, look out stomach, here it comes.”

April has the right Idea!

Lynn’s Comments:

My grandfather used to say the longest grace when we were all sitting in front of a holiday meal—hungry and desperate to begin. Because he never went to church and rarely talked about the bible, we were sure he did it for the fun of making us wait.

Ours was also pretty short but to the point: Thank you, GOD, for letting us live well for another day..

I often get chosen to lead in the blessing. Short prayers.

How long could it possibly take to say “Grace” It’s a single word with one syllable.

I doubt many people say any kind of grace before meals now a days.

This reminds me, when my son was little his dad told him he could say grace, we closed our eyes and waited…and waited…and waited. Pretty soon we both peeked an eye open at my son and his face was all screwed up, ready to erupt, and his dad said, “Well, Son, just what seems to be the problem?” to which the poor kid burst out in tears, “Well you always tell me to look at people when I talk to them, and I just don’t know where to look!!” He was always very literal, as you might know he has three engineering degrees today…

Amen….

Lord, thank you for the vittles. Amen!

Hail Mary full of grace, bless us now and feed our face. Amen.

I can’t remember where I heard this story:

There was a family whose young daughter was learning her prayers, so the parents thought a good way to practice would be to have her lead everyone in saying grace before dinner. The little girl would fold her hands and recite,

"God is great,

God is good.

Let us thank Him

for our food."

One evening, after a full-scheduled, hectic day, the family hurriedly sat down to a late dinner. As the meal was nearing its end, the mother realised they had forgotten to say grace. The little girl thought for a moment, then folded her hands, and proceeded with,

"God is good,

God is great.

We thank Him for

the food we ate."

Amazing!

Imagine if he did grace in Entish ( from Lord of the Rings).

Long prayers at the holiday dinner table are so inconsiderate. Not everyone believes the same – or believes at all. If you’ve got to pray, just be general in your thanks and get it over with quickly.

I never bother with it. After all, if I’m thanking…whatever….for the food on my table, doesn’t that mean that….whatever….chose not to put food on someone else’s table?

At least he says grace.

Given the hatred and arson that plagued the country this year with the church burnings, a long grace would be a good time for these Canadians to reflect and beg God’s forgiveness.

My Father-in-law (RIP) made holiday grace sound like he was reading from the book of the dead. I understand wishing that lost loved ones were there, but never thought that it was the right time and place.(We’re talking a long list.)

I say a prayer before supper every night. I thank God for the food he provides and the life he has given us. Also, I pray for those who I know that are sick, there is a friend of mine who is going through breast cancer right now so I have been praying for her and her family, and I always thank God for giving his Son Jesus for our sins. If I am out at a restaurant my prayers are silent as not to make a scene as Norris 66 and Jan C mentioned.For all those who are joking or say jokes for their prayers to God you should be ashamed.