Tyson Offers

Through one of my SoFlow discussion groups, Dawn Douglass (whose Web site here is worth more than one look) pointed the way to an AdAge.com news item that begins:

“Tyson Foods has launched a faith-based marketing initiative that is offering consumers free downloadable prayer booklets at the same time the company has placed 128 part-time chaplains in 78 food-processing plants across the country.”

Felt this is pretty brave of a company these days, no matter what you think of the poultry industry. So I went here to take a look. Sure enough, there’s a booklet on offer, “designed to help you discover (or rediscover) the joy and power of saying a word of thanks at mealtime.”

The on-line excerpts are very broad-ranging, so I have taken the liberty of showing you some – it’s good for the spirit:

“Thank you for the food we eat; Thank you for the friends we meet; Thank you for our work and play; Thank you, God, for a happy day.”

“Cristo, pan de vida, Ven y bendice esta comida. Amen. Christ, bread of life, Come and bless this food. Amen.”

“Hail, hail, hail, may happiness come. May food come. May corn come. Just as the farmers work and look forward to the reaping, So may we sit again as we are sitting now.”

“Bénedic, Dómine, nos et haec tua dona quae de tua largitate sumus sumpturi. Per Chritum Dóminum nostrum. Amen. Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

“Rub-a-dub-dub, Thanks for the grub. Amen.”

Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz. Blessed art Thou, Lord our God, King of the universe who brings forth bread from the earth.”

“Some hae meat and canna eat, And some would eat that want it; But we hae meat, and we can eat, Sae let the Lord be thankit.”

“For what we are about to receive, May the Lord make us truly grateful. Amen.”

“Good Lord - Bless these sinners as they eat their dinners. Amen.”

“Great God, accept our gratitude,
For the great gifts on us bestowed.
For raiment, shelter and for food.
Great God, our gratitude we bring,
Accept our humble offering,
For all the gifts on us bestowed,
Thy name be evermore adored.”

“God is great, God is good. Let us thank him for our food. By his hands, we are fed. Let us thank him for our bread. Amen.”

And from the US Coast Guard Chaplain Program:

“Our Father, we are mindful of those who have friends but no food...and those who have food but no friends. We thank you this day we have both. Help us to befriend the friendless and to share our substance with those who hunger. Amen.”

It’s good to be thankful for the things we have – and say so out loud, especially when we share our blessings with others. This Tyson initiative (one of many) is another way to build community...which is always a good thing. I, for one, intend to ask how their program is playing out. More about this as the season progresses.

Logo and excerpts are from Tyson Foods, Inc. Thank you for the loan.