What's the Balance in YOUR Praise Bank?

Day 346 of Photo Inspirations -- What's the Balance in YOUR Praise Bank?
Yesterday was a big "I-praise-You-and-thank-You-God kind of day. I noticed it.  I noticed Him.  I acknowledged Him throughout my day.  It was a beautiful, glorious day outside.  It was 75 degrees in Tulsa. "Thank you, God, for this beautiful day."    I drove into the gas station and filled my car up at $1.58/gallon.  "Thank you, God, for that blessing.   I went to an early morning sale and got $10 off a $30 sale.  Thank you, God, for that blessing.  I'm healthy and strong, so I praised Him.  I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I do know that my praising is like putting praise tokens into God's Praise Bank for those days that may be dreary and lots of not so praise-worthy things happening.

When my husband and I gave Marriage Seminars, one of the illustrations we used for kindness to each other was "putting love tokens in the LOVE Bank".  The basic premise is that inside of us we each have a “love bank".  When our spouse or anyone treats us well, then they are making a deposit into our love bank and we feel closer, more appreciative and more loving toward that person.  But when we're treated poorly, made to feel unappreciated and taken for granted, then love tokens are withdrawn from our account and we feel less close to them -- even less trusting of them.  If the withdrawals exceed the deposits, then our love bank account balance goes "in the red" with a negative account balance.

I started thinking...."What if God had a Praise Bank?" -- a bank that when we praise Him (even sacrifices of praise when it's not so easy to do), when we are kind, loving and generous, love and praise tokens would be deposited into our account.  Oh, I know, God's mercies are ever flowing in spite of our good and bad attitudes.  If an earthly dad sees his kids being sweet, kind, loving and tender -- especially when the kids show real appreciation for everything he does for them,  keeps a record of those things, why wouldn't our Heavenly Father take pleasure in those praiseworthy things too?   On the other hand, when we grumble and complain and are ornery, unforgiving, unappreciative and cranky about every little thing, I can just imagine that our Praise Bank starts to get depleted.  The question is...."What's the balance in OUR Praise Bank?"  

Bottom line....living a life of praise is not only the most enjoyable way to live, but it’s also one of the most powerful ways to change our life. Praise isn’t like the caboose that just follows what happens, but it’s more like the engine of a train that makes things happen.  Our faith isn’t complete without praise. Colossians 2:7 says that you "abound in faith with thanksgiving". No thanksgiving equals not abounding in faith.  Praise touches everything and every part of our life. Likewise, a lack of praise affects us in a negative way.

I know that I'm going to make some praise and thanksgiving deposits today and throughout this Advent/Christmas season.  How about you?