What Matters Most On Thanksgiving Day and Every Day

Since many of us are enjoying spending time with our families for Thanksgiving, I decided to share a short prose poem in today’s Faith & Motherhood column. These words seemed to just burst from my heart this week. Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

ALL I NEED
by Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts

For His grace, I’m grateful.

Grace to search the almond eyes of my baby girl
and wade heart-deep in her adoration;
to have my tears awakened by her daily discoveries;
to dream of who she might be;
to marvel at who she is.

She’s all I need to get by.
The intake of each breath he takes
neutralizes any of my mundane
(translation: meaningless)
frustrations.
For I know that only Grace could fashion such a partner for me.
All Milkdud goodness with a platinum heart,
he loves me…
especially…
in spite of me.

He’s all I need to get by.

And only by grace do I accept the truth of my reflection
found in the mirrors I call family and friends.
Love covers me.
All of me.
And it gives birth to the gratitude that rests between these lines.
Grace drives my spirit to leap when I consider how it might have all turned out without them.
Without her.
Without him.

They are all I need to get by.

The grace I give?
Incomparable to what I’ve received.
I’ll never match it.

It’s the evidence of His passion for me.
To know the depths of God’s love,
the breadth of His grace,
is to believe that He made the tingling warmth of the sun,
the sensual sway of the trees
the whispered sweet everythings of the breeze,
just for me.

But also just for you.

He’s truly all we need to get by.

* * *

This post is the latest in Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts’ “Faith & Motherhood” series.