The Alphabet Prayer

This idea is one I must have got a long time ago when I was in high school or younger.  This is a group prayer of thanks to God.  The first person starts with the letter A and thanks God for something that starts with the letter A, like “artichokes” and why they want to thank God for artichokes, and then the next person takes B, and the next person C, and you keep going around in the circle this way so that each person gets quite a few letters to thank God with.  For instance in my family of six, if I started with A, then B,C,D,E,F would be taken by the others and I would thank God for something that starts with the letter G, like God.  Here are three things I like about this prayer.

1.        It is focused only on thanksgiving.

2.       The form is easily understood by beginners or old-timers.

3.       It helps kids learn the alphabet.

4.       It boosts creativity (so it’s four things I like).

You may be skeptical at this point, so I will help you by giving you an example from myself and how I am thankful to God for the birds he made, for even though I think it is best in groups, it can be done individually.

A – Anhinga                        N - Nuthatch

B – Bobolink                       O -Osprey

C – Cardinal                        P - Phoebe

D – Dove                             Q - Quail

E – Eagle                            R – Red-winged Blackbird

F – Flamingo                       S – Starling (I like them)

G – Goldfinch                      T – Tennessee Warbler

H – Hummingbird                U – Upland Sandpiper

I – Indigo Bunting                V - Vireo

J – Junco                           W - Waxwing

K – Kingfisher                     X – Xema sabini (Sabine’s Gull)

L – Loon                            Y – Yellow Warbler

M – Mockingbird                 Z – Zone-tailed Hawk