“Thank you,” I say, to a passer-by who wishes me a nice day;

“Thank you,” I say, for the stick of gum being passed my way;

“Thank you,” I say, to the dog-catcher who returns my pet who is prone to stray.

“Thank you,” I say, as a child admires my “technique” for making snakes out of clay;

                Oh, my God, what can I say to you, to demonstrate that my thanks is true?

                When my wayward son calls, says he is returning?

                 When the firemen keep my house from burning?

                 When the doctor says there’s no more cancer?

                 When I really know that Jesus is the answer –

 He has taken my sins, gave me salvation,    filled me with joy…   And with great elation, I ask,

“Is a ‘thank you’ the best I can do to express my thanks to you?”

If I owned a fireworks stand, I’d start sights and sounds that would really be grand.

If I owned airplanes, I’d drop pamplets o’er city and range.

If I owned a TV station, I could spread my good news all over the nation.

Owning bread companies would make me able to print my thanks on every label.

If I were a poet, I’d have a notion to write of sun, moon, mountain, and ocean.

If I were a cybernut, I’d tell my tale, send a thank-you virus with every e-mail.

Owning airlines  would be better yet; I could put thank-you emblems on every jet.

Or, a newspaper publisher, that would do, to be sure my thanks would get to you.

                But, being me, I have no course but to trust in you as my source

                Knowing that you from the start, care only for the thanks that is in my heart.

                And as you look there, I hope you’ll find, that with body, soul, heart, and mind

                the thanks I feel to you today  no language or words can ever convey.