our house has a line of paper bags stuck up on the wall, all in a row, with the name of a housemate on each one. they are our "affirmation baggies", and whenever anyone wants to say something nice or encouraging or comforting to someone else, you write it on a pretty notecard or a sticky note or the back of an envelope and stick it in the baggy. last week we had the first week of Workfest, which is when all the alternative spring break kids get down here and help us build houses and learn about appalachia and have a lot of fun. we gave them all affirmation baggies, too, so at the end of the week everyone on the crew had little notes of praise and encouragement and love bursting out of our bags. and it was, actually, really encouraging reading them after the kids had left, and knowing that what i did that week affected them in some way.
today in church we started singing, and i was thinking about affirmation baggies, and then i wondered if our praise and worship isn't sort of like index cards into god's affirmation baggy. he doesn't need affirmation, but he likes it, just like we do. and there's nothing wrong with us enjoying being praised - and nothing wrong with god loving our praise, too. it's a gift we can gift him (back to gifts!).
so today i got to stuff affirmations into god's baggy, and it just seemed so much more healthy than going into worship trying to feel good or be lifted up or inspired. i was there to give god a gift - i hope he was as happy with his bursting baggy as i was with mine last week.
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