This evening when we sat down to dinner, we began as we usually do, with one of the kids saying a prayer. Sometimes I cue them by asking if there is something for which they are most thankful that day, or someone they are thinking of who may be going through a difficult time. When I don’t give them a cue, they usually rattle off a breezy:

ThankyouforthisfoodfamilyandfriendsAmen.

When I was a kid our go-to prayer before dinner was: “God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. By His hand must all be led, give us Lord our daily bread, Amen.” We would race through the words as if we were trying to break a world record for speed each time. For most of my childhood I would say: “By his hand mustobbly led…,” only stopping to wonder what the heck “mustobbly” meant after many years of mindlessly repeating the word.

So this evening I asked my son to say a thoughtful prayer.

He paused to gather his thoughts and then began:

Dear God, 

Thank you for giving us this food…and sustenance…

And for not giving us…

Ebola.

Amen.