An Introduction to Gravy, Jeffrey T. Pitts

An Introduction to Gravy

I grew up visiting my grandparents’ farm in Southwest Missouri. They had long and storied lives, but to me, they were just Grandpa and Grandma. I loved the simplicity of their days—waking early to check on and feed the cattle, tend the chickens and gather eggs, weed the garden, and tackle the endless chores of farm life. They lived without fanfare, but their lives were thick with meaning.

They hadn’t always led such a quiet life. During the Great Depression, my grandfather hopped trains to roam the country. One night, riding atop a train to reach the next town, he slipped off his coat to use as a pillow. When he woke and sat up, the wind snatched it away—along with his wallet and every cent he had. Over the years, he fixed cars, built planes during World War II, and took on other jobs to provide for his family.

Eventually, he bought a farm and raised cattle. Cash was scarce, but my fondest memories were born there, especially during Thanksgiving. All the aunts, uncles, and cousins crammed into their small double-wide. With no spare bed for me, I’d sleep under the dining room table, drifting off to the hum of adult voices. The food was always good, but breakfast stood out. I’d wake to the smell of bacon and eggs, and Grandma’s sausage gravy—rich and perfect—tied it all together. I’d even ladle the leftovers into my bowl to eat plain. That’s how delicious it was.

Matthew 6:25-30 (NKJV), “25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?”

“That Thanksgiving memory—the warmth of family, the smell of bacon, and Grandma’s sausage gravy—stayed with me. It got me thinking about the saying ‘the rest is gravy.’ Mashed potatoes are a Thanksgiving staple, but they’re nothing special on their own—sometimes dry, sometimes plain. Good gravy, though, transforms them into something unforgettable. Life’s like that too. We all start with the basics, the essentials God provides. And His blessings? They’re the gravy that makes life rich.

My Grandparents’ lives taught me that happiness comes from savoring the basics—a lesson I hope to unpack in this book. When we do that, any extra blessings that come our way can be truly appreciated for what they are. How much better life gets when we reset our expectations to that simple truth.

In this first chapter, I want to invite you to embrace the idea that the basics are enough—food on the table, clothes on your back, a roof overhead. Nothing more is guaranteed, and that’s okay. As Matthew 6:25-30 reminds us, God takes care of the birds and the flowers without their striving. How much more will He care for us? Everything not promised by God is gravy.”