`` You must say your prayers while you are under my roof , Anne . '' `` Why , of course , if you want me to , '' assented Anne cheerfully . `` I 'd do anything to oblige you . But you 'll have to tell me what to say for this once . After I get into bed I 'll imagine out a real nice prayer to say always . I believe that it will be quite interesting , now that I come to think of it . '' `` You must kneel down , '' said Marilla in embarrassment . Anne knelt at Marilla 's knee and looked up gravely . `` Why must people kneel down to pray ? If I really wanted to pray I 'll tell you what I 'd do . I 'd go out into a great big field all alone or into the deep , deep , woods , and I 'd look up into the sky -- up -- up -- up -- into that lovely blue sky that looks as if there was no end to its blueness . And then I 'd just FEEL a prayer . Well , I 'm ready . What am I to say ? '' Marilla felt more embarrassed than ever . She had intended to teach Anne the childish classic , `` Now I lay me down to sleep . '' But she had , as I have told you , the glimmerings of a sense of humor -- which is simply another name for a sense of fitness of things ; and it suddenly occurred to her that that simple little prayer , sacred to white-robed childhood lisping at motherly knees , was entirely unsuited to this freckled witch of a girl who knew and cared nothing bout God 's love , since she had never had it translated to her through the medium of human love . `` You 're old enough to pray for yourself , Anne , '' she said finally . `` Just thank God for your blessings and ask Him humbly for the things you want . '' `` Well , I 'll do my best , '' promised Anne , burying her face in Marilla 's lap .
`` Gracious heavenly Father -- that 's the way the ministers say it XXXXX church , so I suppose it 's all right in private prayer , is n't it ? ''
If at for in into of than to under while