Emphasis Preaching Journal

One Thanksgiving, Debbie Lynn Matoren watched as patrons of a restaurant gobbled down their food with nary a word of thanks. So she stood up and a read a little grace that she had clipped out of the newspaper. The diners, many not too happy at having their meal interrupted, bowed their heads as she read. A few months later, in January 1988, Debbie died while at school. Her mother phoned the newspaper for the Thanksgiving prayer that Debbie had clipped out and courageously read at the restaurant. It was read at her funeral. The prayer in part, goes like this:

We gather as one today under the tent of our Creator. We stand in awe before the miracle of life and give thanks for: The bounty before us; those who toiled in field and kitchen to bring us this meal; every wonder that helped this food grow -- sun and rain, soil and seed, the hands of the farmer. The company that shares our table and the loved ones missing, but still with us. The generations who brought us to this day.