I Thank You Poem by Curtis Johnson

I Thank You
By Curtis Johnson

To the God of all creation, who out of love and simple kindness, has given us all things that we see and other things not within our sight; To the God who from the dust of the earth created a man, and out of whose flesh he also made a woman suitable for him; To the God who created vegetation and animal life, and put within them the life regenerative ability of procreation; To the God of the Bible who gave his son to die that I might believe in him and receive everlasting life; To this God of life who freely gives life to all; It is this God to whom I pray in the name of Christ and say, “Thank You”.

To my father who asked my mother for her hand in marriage; To my mother who responded with a “Yes” answer to my father; To my dear parents who gave birth to me and my twelve siblings; To my parents who through much toil and suffering, never gave up, put travailed to show and teach us the good and right ways of life; To my grandmother who lived with us and assisted in teaching and loving us; Yes, to these heroes of my early years who also cast shadows and memories until now in my latter years. From the depths of my heart, to them I say, “Thank You”.

Moreover, to these heads of my life who modeled as best they knew the meaning of family; To these forward looking visionaries who chose to be a functional family in a dysfunctional world; To these, who in the face of adverse circumstances and enumerable road blocks, fed, housed, clothed, and provided for us the opportunities for an education unavailable to them; To these over comers and trailblazers who are shinning stars in my darkest nights; To these whose memories compel me to look up and around, but not down; Yes, to these who introduced me to the God of the Bible, I say “Thank You”.

To the Church, both local and worldwide, which has been to me both an institution and a living organism. To the Church, an ever present source of spiritual and social sustenance, and is indeed at the top of my deepest affections. Such affections follow only my God and my family. To the Church with which from a child, I have been deeply associated for more than fifty years. To the Church with which I have gladly given my life, my means, and my time for most of my life. To this Church which have been my pillar and ground of the truth, seated on the strongest of foundations; To this Church which have given to me far more that I could ever give back; Yes, to the Church which comprises every believer in Christ the world over, I say “Thank You”.

And lastly, to this great land and country known as The United States of America; This land of laws and liberties; this land of many colors and creeds, courts and constitutions;
This land longed for by those who crossed the troubled seas and planted their feet like trees by the waters; This land beneath which lies those who fought and died for the right to be free and to be governed as they determine to be; To these United States of America which God has bless and shined his Grace upon; To this one nation “Under God” with “Liberty and Justice” for all; To this nation of “blood washed stars” and “pursuit of purity stripes”, I say, I am proud of you; I am praying for you; and I say, “Thank You”.
Cj09222015