Dog-Gone Thankful!

"Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands."

Psalm 63:3-4

I woke up today with a little cheer in my step, and an excitement about the day. There is nothing big happening in my day today to be excited about...I have my normal routines of the week--work and school...and I didn't even get that much sleep last night thanks to the Monster energy drink I had at noon and my two dogs. My parents are out of town and us kids are playing "doggie parents" for the week. Most of you have never met my dogs, so let me just sum them up by saying they aren't normal. Cute (in their own way), but not normal. They take over your bed at night and act as if they are just as human as you are. Yes, they even get under the warm, cozy covers and fluff the pillows to rest their head on (*See picture above of my dog, Bubba, taking a nap! :)).

For some strange reason this morning, I woke up laughing about my dogs sleeping habits. The fact that they take over your entire bed, should've woken me up on the wrong side of the bed. But instead of grumpiness I was taken over by laughter. Not just a small chuckle, but a big belly laugh at 6:56am, all because of those silly dogs! I can't say that happens everyday! Haha!

I got ready and arrived to work thankful for the day ahead. I can't take credit though, because I know it's the Holy Spirit excitedly moving in me...which I'll gladly accept. I mean who else is up at 7am to laugh about dogs with you? I came to work excited to finally have time for another blog, and began to look for verses on praise and thankfulness. I looked in my bible, looked in a topical index, searched bible gateway, and couldn't find a thing! Everything was about worry, repentance, faith, hope, etc. Don't get me wrong these are all great topics with much need for verses, but I was so surprised to find that nothing came up on thankfulness or praise. Aren't we told to be thankful in all things and in all circumstances (Phil 4:4-6), and to praise our Mighty God?

I want to encourage you today to be thankful in all things. Praise God with your heart, actions, and in prayer. Don't let a second go by that you take Him for granted or choose not to serve Him. He's trying to reveal Himself to you trough the simplest of things---a dogs love, a serene sunrise, providing a hot breakfast, a Facebook request from an old friend who's become a Christian...

This week let's make a conscious effort to give Him ALL of the praise, glory, and thankfulness that He deserves (after all, everything good in our lives comes from Him). Whether it's because your dog made you laugh, you stepped in gum and can't get it off your shoe, are facing trials and tribulations worse than you ever imagined, or are blessed beyond your wildest dreams...let's give thanks and remember Him through praise. Don't let a day go by, without a heart full of thankfulness and hands lifted in praise.