“Bless the food upon the dishes as you blessed the loaves and fishes”
A popular grace before a meal is:
“Bless the food upon the dishes
as you blessed the loaves and fishes.
As the sugar hides in the tea,
let me hide myself in Thee.”
It’s not known who first wrote these lines. The following was cited in print in 1974, from an Australian publication:
“STIRRERS NEEDED
LORD bless the food upon the dishes
As we remember the loaves and fishes,
And like the sugar in our tea
May we be stirred, O Lord, for Thee.”
Australasian Record and Advent World Survey (Warburton, Victoria, Australia)
June 24, 1974
Pg. 14, col. 1:
STIRRERS NEEDED
LORD bless the food upon the dishes
As we remember the loaves and fishes,
And like the sugar in our tea
May we be stirred, O Lord, for Thee.
And if we are the salt of the earth,
Lord, stir us up so that we’re worth
Some grains of truth to add They savour
To lives we touch by Thy kind favour.
Family Graces (from An American Thanksgiving)
This little blessing was taught to my children many years ago by a Rev. Charlie Hopla from England.
Bless the food upon the dishes
as you blessed the loaves and fishes.
As the sugar hides in the tea,
let me hide myself in Thee. Amen
Anne Ingram, 1998
Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan (Yankton, SD)
Don’t Forget The Meaning Of The Day
Posted: Friday, November 14, 2003 12:00 am
By Carol Guthmiller
(...)
By Ann Ingram
Bless the food upon the dishes as You blessed the loaves and fishes, as the sugar hides in the tea, let me hide myself in Thee.
Google Books
Pocket Graces
By Pam Robertson
London: Church House
2004
Pg. 52:
Bless the food upon the dishes
as you blessed the loaves and fishes.
As the sugar’s hid in the tea
So may our lives be hid in thee.
The Citizen (Fayetteville, GA)
Thanksgiving prayers
Submitted by Sallie Satterthwaite
November 21, 2006
Today let those wiser than I lend us their expressions of thanksgiving.
(...)
Bless the food upon the dishes
as you blessed the loaves and fishes.
As the sugar hides in the tea,
let me hide myself in Thee. Amen.