I was reviewing a new book by Kathy Hendricks, Prayers and Rituals for the Home, and came across an idea for prayer that was new to me. She calls it the FSSST prayer and suggests praying it at the end of the day. However, it is especially fitting for Thanksgiving Day. The acronym stands for Feeling, Sight, Sound, Smell, and Taste. For each of these senses, we recall a blessing that came to us through it and give thanks to God. Families might use it as a prayer when they are gathered around the table on Thanksgiving Day. Each family member could name one blessing for each sense, or each member could take one sense and name something. The prayer could take the form of a litany with the response, “I (We) thank you, God.”

Here is my prayer as an example:

For the warmth of my house when I came in from freezing weather, I thank you, God.

For the beautiful basket of autumn flowers from my mom’s funeral that now adorns my dining room table, I thank you, God.

For the musical sound of glass vases tapping against each other as I moved the box they were in, I thank you, God.

For the scent of the burning candle that kept me company as I worked, I thank you, God.

For the oatmeal-raisin-nut cookie softened in the microwave, I thank you, God.

A positive side effect of this kind of prayer is that it will make us more aware of the world around us.

What would your FSSST prayer look like?