Monday Morning after the Sunday Night Before

What a night last night! We were busting at the seams! I saw numerous faces from the platform that I did not know, and THAT is awesome! That's why we do the planning, praying and carrying out. It's why we keep on -- not to see unknown people, but to see them, really see them -- and let them see Christ. Let them see that God cares about them. I'll say that I'm not a kid person -- that you don't leave your kids with me if you want them back alive... but in reality, I like the little buggers. Yesterday was a good day to sit back and listen and watch. The basketball court and the area between it and the church building was covered with people. As you listened, you could hear the music from the cake walk, and the chuckles and laughter of adults winning a cake or just talking. The magic, however, was in the higher pitches. The laughter of a child who managed to pop a balloon by throwing a dart. The squeal of one who just managed to get the hula hoop over the stool or tossed a clothespin into a jar. Simple games. Simple joy. That's when I smiled. I wonder how many times God smiles when He hears those sounds of simple joys we experience? The soft gasp when we see the beautiful sunrise or sunset? The giggle when a fish jumps out of the water right in front of us? The oohs and ahhs as we see a dolphin swimming mere yards from us at the beach? The thoughtful sighs as we "discover" a truth in His word? I think He smiles. I think He arranges those moments for us, just to bring that joy bubbling to the top. I think that when He hears our squeals of delight -- oh stop it, you know you do sometimes -- He smiles. He doesn't need our approval for that sunrise or sunset or anything else, but just like we human parents give gifts to our children "just because," He gives us these things for the same reason. A loving Father. A parent. God of the universe. I find myself spending far too much time behind the lens of my camera and not enough time in just relating to those I'm taking pictures of. Maybe next year, I'll just let someone else take pictures and I'm going to sit on a bench with my eyes closed for a few minutes and listen to the joy songs and worship the One who put them in the hearts of His children.