1 Chronicles 16:34 – O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. (KJV)

One winter evening many years ago, when I was in active ministry, we held Bible studies in my home, the church manse, where we read the Bible, prayed, and shared. We often finished our time together with the Lord's Prayer. We gathered in a circle, folded our hands and prayed aloud. One night, my Golden Retriever/Chow crossbreed buddy, Friskie, joined our circle. He flopped on the floor between myself and the person next to me, crossed his paws, and as we began to speak "Our Father, who art in heaven", he began to "speak" too. His tones modulated with ours, beginning and ending when we began and ended. Was he praying? Probably not, yet a part of me wished he were. One thing that I know for a certainty, Friskie was always good-natured and thankful for every treat that he received and for every affectionate pat on the head.

I've often thought that our pets make good examples for us. Perhaps, we, too, can find it within ourselves to be thankful for everything we eat and every "pat on the head" that we receive from those we love … and maybe we can give a few "pats on the head" to others, too (figuratively speaking, that is). Let's show an attitude of gratitude by sharing our appreciation for one another.

Prayer: Thank You, Father God, for simply being who You are. How can we thank You and praise You enough for all that You give us: our breath, our life, our food, clean water to drink, our families, our friends, our health, our well-being? You give us oh so much, Father God, that we can never include everything that You do for us. Thus, we will say a simple "Thank You", as we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

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About the author:

Cassandra Wessel <casswessel4319@gmail.com>
Tionesta, Pennsylvania, USA
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