Fellowship Offerings

I wonder if I have ever truly brought God a "Fellowship offering"? I don't know how I've missed it all these years, but I never remember hearing a sermon on these offerings specified by the Old Testament. (Ex.29 and Lev. 7) Highly personal, these were not required or specified as to time or day--they were totally volitional. Like an outpouring of love and worship to Almighty God for His goodness, these sacrifices were for three situations. One was a sacrifice of Thanksgiving, which we hear about in song mostly, and it was to be offered, and consumed in one day. It couldn't be a left over...It makes me think that my thanks giving to God should be a daily worship experience. Often it followed God's deliverance from danger, or His healing an illness, or His provision. The second category of Fellowship offerings was the payment of a vow. Possibly Paul was bringing an offering as repayment of a vow to the Temple in the account in Acts. I have heard people promise to serve the Lord, or to do certain things. This offering seems to be thanks that God has empowered someone or allowed them to perform or see certain things. And then--the FREEWILL offering. This is like the "love gifts" my very poor mother used to sacrifice to give my brother and I when we were grade school kids. She would leave a gift on our pillows or in our school bags--a special treat, ceramic parrots (reminding us of a favorite parrot we had loved in Brazil) or stuffed bunnies. "Just because I love you" she would say. No reason. No day. no obligation. Just because I love you. And I think that these offerings are like that! Now days we just think about money when we think of offerings...or grave solemn offertory music played by pipe organs, But maybe the offering of time, talent, or presence in someones life could be offered to God --just because we love Him. The joy of our fellowship just makes you want to "jump"--or SOME thing! Shout a word of thanks! pay a vow with joy; give of yourself to others because you Love Him! Bring those fellowship offerings in!