Marching band was a big deal

when I was in high school. While still just a novice clarinet player,

I looked forward to the day when I would be part of the "Band of

the Braves."

The high school band practiced

on Thursday nights working out the last minute details of their halftime

show. My family lived about two miles from the football field, but I could

hear the crisp cadence of the drums and the deep sounds of the tubas as

they floated across the Fall sky.

When I reached high school

and began marching, for me the football game was about the halftime show.

I mean, didn't people tolerate the first half just to get to the

"battle of the bands?" That was the real Friday night competition.

We would try to outplay, out-march and out-spirit the visiting band. And

we usually did, or so we thought!

When we proudly marched off

the field after presenting our show, our band director would greet us

with a big smile and say as only he could, "ya' dun good!"

I knew it wasn't grammatically correct, but it was his way of saying

we did a great job. He always affirmed us.

Affirmation is important. One

of my church members recently passed along "100 Ways to Say 'Very

Good!'" Let me share a few:

- Good for you!

- Super!

- You did that very well!

- You've got it!

- Terrific!

- Right on the mark!

- You haven't missed

a thing!

- Marvelous!

- You're doing fine!

- You're really making

progress!

- Outstanding!

- I knew you could do

it!

- Good work!

- You sure figured it

out fast!

- I think you've

got it!

- Well, look at you go!

- Tremendous!

- Perfect!

- Nice going!

- Wonderful!

- You made it look easy!

- That's an excellent

job.

- Keep it up!

- You've got it!

- Exactly right!

- What a great idea!

- That's great!

- Way to go!

- What an improvement!

- That's it!

- Fabulous!

- Go for it!

- I'm so proud of

you!

- Keep it up!

- Nothing can stop you

now!

- You are so good at that!

- I like to see you trying

so hard!

- You really make this

fun!

- That's what I call

a fine job!

"Ya' dun good!"

didn't make her list of "100 Ways to say "Very Good!"

but I'll never forget it. In fact, I've used it a few times

myself. However, the greatest affirmation will come from Jesus Himself

when we face Him one day and he says, "well done, good and faithful

servant; you have been faithful ..." (Matthew 25:23). That's

the best version of "very good" we could ever expect to hear.

(Dr. David L. Chancey is pastor

of McDonough Road Baptist Church in Fayetteville. The church family meets

at 352 McDonough Road and invites you to join them for Bible study at

9:45 a.m. and worship at 10:55 a.m. this Sunday.)

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