Almost without thinking, this
morning, I bowed my head as I placed my cantaloupe and eggs before me and asked
God to help them nourish and strengthen my body. I wouldn’t even categorize my
words as a prayer or a blessing. I offered one of those vain repetitions the
scriptures caution us to avoid, and I knew better. Obtaining, eating, and
enjoying foods that nourish my body has never been a problem, so why do I use
those words. It used to be ignorance. But now, I simply allow old habits and
laziness to invade my prayers. Yes, my mother – as most moms have done – told
me to eat all of my vegetables because there were starving children in Africa.
Now, when I take the time to pause and pray over my food, I think about those
children, and I realize how blessed I am for not only the abundance of food,
but also the variety available and the ease in which it is obtained. So,
instead of asking for heath and strength, I think about how I can use that
strength to bless others, I express gratitude that I have never experienced
real hunger and the food I eat provides nourishment, I think about all the
farmers and workers who labor long hours to make my food possible, and I contemplate
the beauty of rain, the wonder of the sun, and the miracle of a seed. Perhaps,
in a few days, old habits will creep back into my prayers again, but the seed
of gratitude has been planted, and I know if nourish it, it will continue to
grow.
