“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 pamphlets 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 cyber-nut, 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.
*******
A repeat of a post from 2015. This is a poem I wrote after my husband received a “cancer is gone” in 2000 after surgery and chemo. The next year he had to have a second surgery and chemo, but has been cancer free ever since. Thank you, Lord.
Sweet aroma 
So glad your husband is OK!
You question how to truly express the thanks in your heart. I think you just did. 😉
Happy Thanksgiving week. Be blessed with abundance from our Lord.
Thanks! You too.
Fills my heart with thanks reading this! Thank you for sharing. I’m asking myself, “Is a ‘thank you’ the best I can do to express my thanks to you?” 🧡
It is good that he wants nothing except “everything.” Everything to him is us. Happy Thanksgiving.
Happy for you!
We have so much in this land of ours. I hope your Thanksgiving will be a blessed time for you.
Thank you, Oneta. First one without my dear husband and close to the one year anniversary of his death, so it will be — well, I don’t really know what, but we will get through it.
Must surely be a painful time for you as you try to sort through the pain to find the thanks for the season. I am watching my sister cope this season as a first without her husband of 53 years. He died of cancer last year on November 28, which this year is Thanksgiving Day, my brother-in-law’s first without his wife (my sister) who passed in August (two days short of fifty years of marriage), and my brother’s first as his wife (my sister-in-law) died this summer on their 62nd wedding anniversary. Of us four siblings, three spouses have died this year. On the positive note, we have been blessed to have long and loving marriages. Yes, Dear Friend, you will get through it as they will – perhaps having a few moments of joy in remembering what you built together. I hope you remain well. My sister, brother, and brother-in-law remain in relatively good health and are blessed by loving and thoughtful families. I care about your pain. Hope you have someone close by to help.
Thanks. Im so sorry for all the loss in your family this year. I had 37 years with Paul and I’m the first of my siblings or my husband’s family to lose a spouse. I’m very lucky to have lots of support around me — there will be 17 of us together on Thursday. Even though I’m so grateful my husband didn’t suffer, the suddenness (brain aneurysm) was tough on those of us who didn’t get to say goodbye. My boys are only in their 30s but they try so hard to be there for me. I am very thankful for the wonderful times we did have together!
Must be startling in its suddenness. Glad you have good support. It sounds like he left the world a better place by his having lived in it. Be comforted and blessed by what he contributed to your life and family, Give all your little ones extra hugs for the holidays.
Give thanks to God EVERY DAY. My 103 year old friend used to say, Thank you God that I’m still breathing every morning when she woke up. We may have lots of problems but Thanking God for our blessings and remembering with thanks blessings that we may had which are now gone. This is the way to keep our lives and our hearts from breaking from seeing some of the troubles in our world. Look ever ‘Higher’. Cheers!
Busy week here as I am attempting to do some serious housecleaning in prep for company. Just providing the house. Granddaughter and daughter-in-law are doing the food. Looks like snow might interfere with our plans, but we are going to be ready. Have a great holiday season.
Happy Thanksgiving to you Oneta!! Loved this post.
Thank you, Faye. Have a great time of Thanksgiving with your family.
Beautiful thoughts!
Thank you, Pam. I think we are sort of new together; I hope to see you often.