A new routine...

When I was growing up we didn't eat together every night. But when we did, we usually started the meal by saying grace - a brief blessing that helped us to center our focus on the time together and the food in front of us. I loved it.

Since becoming a parent I have wanted to incorporate some sort of grace or blessing into our dinner times. But I wasn't sure what form that should take in our home. I just kept having faith that somehow it would come to us. And it did!

About a month ago, Dan and I were feeling a little frustrated with the boys. It was a grumpy day, and all they had done was whine and complain. So we decided to use what Max loves - his school - to try and help us put a positive spin on things. In his class they often end the day with a "thankful circle" - we tried it at dinner. Max led us through the necessary elements - candles, a rock to pass from person to person (to show whose turn it was to talk), and taught us the song they sing. Each of us took our turn sharing something from our day that we were thankful for, and then we wrapped up with a stirring chorus of "I am thankful".

It worked. Instead of thinking of all that had gone wrong, we were focused on the things that had gone right. The next night the boys asked to do it again. And again the night after that. It's been over a month now and sharing something we appreciated in our day is now a major part of our dinner routine. I love the opportunity to hear what Dan and the boys are thankful for, and appreciate the time to think about my own day.

So that's our "grace". It's not traditional, but it works well for our family.