A Little Joy, Or Joy in the Little?

---

"Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,"

Psalm 103:1-4, ESV

My dog walker sends me a note and a few photos every time she comes to let Squirrel out. Starting around 12:30 each workday, I begin to check my phone obsessively for the email's arrival.

I’m not addicted to my dog. I don’t have a problem. I can stop anytime I want to. I just don’t want to.

When your dog is as cute as Squirrel, can you blame me? And when the only other thing that comes across your devices all day long are constant “I need this,” “Can you get me that ASAP,” “Urgent Action Required”

….a cute dog photo is quite the welcome interruption. 

Most days I leave out a Greenie for the dog walker to give Squirrel when she leaves, just something small to keep him entertained when he’s alone for another few hours. He’ll inhale it before she can lock the door on her way out, but still. 

The dog walker left a note this past week commenting on how thrilled Squirrel was to receive his daily Greenie. I can read between the lines; you haven’t seen "thrilled" until you’ve seen Squirrel-level thrilled. And he LOVES his Greenies.

It got me to thinking. What a small thing to get so excited over. They’re not that big, he’ll eat it in less than a minute, and he’s had a hundred of them before. Yet, he greets each one like it’s Christmas morning. 

I want to greet God’s blessings like that. I tend to wait for the miraculous before celebrating. I’ve seen my share of that too. The parting of the conference room sea of frustration or the raising of the dead promotion. Yet, God’s greatest blessings on us are the ones that probably wouldn’t be selected for a Biblical addendum. 

I’m not suggesting adding onto the Bible. It’s a done deal. But you get the point.

I see God in a kind word from a coworker. Or when I find myself able to hold my tongue in a situation where I’ve traditionally lost control of my temper. I see Him in an unexpected text from a friend saying she’s thinking of me. 

If I don’t practice intentionality in celebrating those things, I can pass right over them as if they’re nothing. But in the end, they are everything. 

I may not have a tail to wag, but I do have hands to raise in praise and celebration for the Greenies that God sends my way.