Thanksgiving.
Could have easily been a heartbeat away from death,
But you make it a heartbeat to the next moment of life,
For everything I give thanks for,
For every worthwhile thing I dare to do,
In my moment of truth,
When pride is drowned and humility brought to life,
There's a reason why I say it wasn't me,
Because God's fingerprints are all over it,
Today I am thankful for the things I take for granted,
Like the breath at my nostrils,
Like sound and peaceful sleep,
I am grateful for the ability and willingness to learn,
For knowledge of my own ignorance,
For the air in my lungs,
The bread in my stomach,
For potable water,
For teeth to help me chew,
For the pumping of my heart,
The blood of life in my arteries and veins,
I am thankful for the hands which type these words,
For the feet which still carry my weight,
For the hearing in my ears and the sight in my eyes,
For proper toilets,
I am thankful even for the difficult things,
The things which test me and tax me,
I am thankful for how You use them to make me better,
In exchange and traded by barter for the bitter me,
I am thankful for my family and friends,
Woes and throes and foes,
For in one way or the other they help me grow,
I am thankful for those who spend today in the heat of battle fire,
So that the bastion walls of freedom can remain standing,
For those who spend today away from loved ones and home,
To make sure I can be at home with mine,
I am immeasurably thankful for their selflessness,
For the lessons they teach me in their service,
I am thankful that I have a choice to choose to worship baal,
But if that choice was ever taken away,
And my only choice was to bow to baal by force,
Dear God,
Even in my thanksgiving I make a request,
If that day ever came when somebody or anybody,
I don't care who the person is,
Dared to take my freedom and ability to worship and commune with you,
If I was ever forced to worship anything but you,
Take me home with you before I bow to baal,
I am unspeakably thankful today,
For everything I have become,
For everything You do for me,
Big and small,
I am thankful for our humanity,
For all these wonderful people you bring into my life,
To hold me and help to mold me,
I am thankful for opportunities to serve,
To touch a life or two,
In ways big and small,
Above all I am thankful dear God that I still belong to you.
I am thankful today,
You are amplified and magnified in my praise!
© 2010 afeseh ngwa hilary
