Thank You Jesus
8/23/2005
Poem by Mike Flipp

Walking home down a dusty country road
I saw birds, a squirrel and even a toad
I saw butterflies, bees and then a dog
He crawled out from under some old log
Oh he was so cute and so very tiny
His hair was all matted and he sure was whiny
He followed me and walked right by my side
I bet he is hungry, I wonder if his mother had died?
He followed me all the way home
I gave him some food and then got a comb
I gave him a bath and cleaned him all up
He sure was cute this little yellow lab pup
I asked my mom if I could keep him
Oh please I said, going out on a limb
My mom said that it would be ok
As long as I fed him and cleaned up each day
That yellow lab became my best friend
We would walk down the river and round the bend
We would go everywhere together him and me
We would also take naps under our favorite shade tree
I thanked God for my dog and gave him a name
After one day I yelled Thank you Jesus, he came!
So now when I go to church, and the people all say
Thank you Jesus! He runs in and wants to play!
The first time that happened, the pastor got mad
Oh what a ruckus it caused, they all thought he was bad
Until I told the congregation that that was his name
And I told them how I shouted Thank You Jesus, and he came!
So now I tie him up so he don't run as he pleases
And we all hear him bark when someone says Thank you Jesus!
Then one day, Thank you Jesus was missing
Everyone began to pray and hope for a blessing
I have had that dog for a good five years
And now all I have is a whole bunch of tears
When we are in church and someone praises the Lord
I look to the door hoping for a reward
In that he might just come a running in one day
And make a grand appearance and the congregation would say
Oh Thank you Jesus, we've missed you so much
We've missed your bark and your wet nosed touch
But that hasn't happened and it's been 2 years
And I am beginning to wonder if God hears my prayers
Then at church on a nice Sunday morn
We heard someone drive up and blast their horn
The congregation got up and all ran out to see
What has caused this trumpet to blow so loudly
It was the Pastor from the next town down the road
He said he was out walking one day and saw a toad
He then saw some butterflies and then some bees
And then he sat down under one of these shade trees.
He was singing to God and then shouted Thank you Jesus!
And along came this dog and started licking him as he pleases
Well the dog he said, would not leave him alone
And so he followed him all the way back home
He said that it all happened about 2 years past
This dog has been great, he wished it could last
Then he heard about a missing dog in the next town over
And then he thought about his dog that he named Rover.
He thought that it might be the very same one
So he loaded him up and hopped in his old 1 ton
The pastor now learned of the dog's real name
And now knew of how he came to his fame
Everyone became quiet and our Pastor started to preach
He reflected on things and then began to teach
He talked about a dog and how he touched us all from the start
Then he said, Thank you Jesus for always being in our heart.
It took a dog to run away for us to open our eyes and see this
God is so gracious, Oh Thank you Jesus