Let Us Thank God

was created especially for

Jessica Ann Smith
at the age of 6


With love from
Mommy and Daddy
December 25, 2002

 Hi Jessica. My name is Gabriel. Mommy and Daddy have presented this book to you in Atlanta, so that you can learn some of the reasons why we give thanks to God.

 The first gift God gave you was life.

You were a gift of God to your parents. They love you no matter what. Their love and protection are two more of God's gifts.

Because there is life, let us thank God.

 At sunset, God paints the sky in brilliant colors and He does it again at sunrise. Jessica, did you know that God uses every color when He makes a rainbow?

Because we can see, let us thank God.

 God gave you ears to hear. Sounds, like singing birds, meowing cats, buzzing bees, beeping horns, musical instruments, ringing bells, and much more, are all around us.

Because we can hear, let us thank God.

 God gave you a nose to smell with. Some smells, like flowers and chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven, are nice. Other smells, like Jessica's dirty socks and the spray of a skunk, are not so nice. PU.

Because we can smell, let us thank God.

 God gave you a tongue to taste with. There are many different kinds of things to taste, like smooth chocolate candy bars, sour lemons, tangy oranges, and salty popcorn. Do you like ice cream, Jessica? Your tongue comes in very handy when you have an ice cream cone to lick. If you didn't have a tongue, you couldn't talk, sing, or shout!

Because we can taste, let us thank God.

 God gave you hands to feel with. Everything around you, like the rough surface of a stone, the softness of a feather, and the smoothness of your favorite slide, has a different feeling. Feeling can also tell you if something is hot, like your mashed potatoes, or cold, like your popsicle.

Because we can touch, let us thank God.

 God gave you animals to share your world. He made useful farm animals like horses, cows, pigs, sheep, and chickens. He made wild animals that live in green forests, rolling fields, hot deserts, and lands of frozen ice. God filled the air with many kinds of birds, and He filled the water with fish and lots of other fascinating creatures. But God didn't stop there, Jessica.

 God made some animals as special friends. We call them pets. A pet could be a dog, cat, hamster, or guinea pig. Some people keep exotic pets, like snakes, turtles, ferrets, and iguanas.

Because we have Scruffy, let us thank God.

 God gave you friends to play with, Jessica. You can have lots of fun times with your friends. But even friends are not perfect. Sometimes you might disagree and even get angry with each other. God gave us another wonderful gift called forgiveness.

 God filled the world with other people too; the mailman delivers the mail addressed to Jessica, and the farmer grows the food you eat. God gave some people the gift of helping others; the police, the fire fighters, and rescue people work to keep you safe. God also gave you doctors and nurses to take care of you when you are sick.

Because we have people who care for you, let us thank God.

 God gave us places to worship with others and to learn about Him. There are teachers there who will help you learn how to talk to God. This is called prayer.

Because we have prayer, let us thank God.

 Sometimes bad things happen that hurt us; for example, if you stub your toe, it's okay to cry, Jessica. God has also given us choices and the will to make them. He has given us a set of rules to follow. They are the Ten Commandments. Jessica, He made you smart enough to know right from wrong.

Because we have the strength to choose right over wrong, let us thank God.

God has given you many gifts, Jessica. All of them together cannot compare with His greatest gift of all. God gave you the gift of eternal life. Even when your body is gone, you will live on in spirit with God. All God asks of you is to believe in Him.

 Jessica's Thank You Prayer

Dear God,
For all of the things in life
that you bring us each day,
thank you God for making life this way.
Thank you for my family,
my many friends, and pets.
Thank you for the doctors
the lawyer, and the vets.
Thank you for the animals
and even for the snakes.
Thank you for the fish that swim
in all of the streams and lakes.
Thank you for the faith, hope,
and healing that you bring.
Thank you for the teachers and
the lessons that they sing.
Thank you for the gift of life,
your gift beyond compare.
But most of all,
thank you for me,
and thanks for being there.

The End.