Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth (Psalm 100:1).

Greetings APUMC family,

Summer sure does have a way of filling our days, doesn’t it? We look forward to this season of vacations, ball games, camps, gatherings, and adventures, but before we know it, our calendars are full and our weeks seem to move faster than we can keep up. We find ourselves trying to soak up every moment, make every memory, and experience all that summer has to offer before the season slips away.

Lately, I have been realizing how easy it is to become so focused on what comes next that we miss what is happening right in front of us. God has been gently reminding me to pay attention – to the birds singing in the early morning, to raindrops racing one another down the windowpane, to the laughter of children, and to the quiet beauty that is easy to miss when my mind is already somewhere else.

The Fourth of July gave me another reminder of that. When the fireworks began, conversations paused, phones were set aside, and heads tilted upward. For a few moments, everyone was captivated by beauty.

It makes me wonder what would happen if we practiced that same kind of attentiveness every day. What might we notice if we sat still long enough to truly see and hear the world around us?

Perhaps we would discover that God has been speaking all along.

I think our children here at APUMC understand this in a way that many of us spend years trying to rediscover. They notice things we often overlook. They create chalk drawings simply because a sidewalk can become a canvas. They build aluminum boats and popsicle stick bridges because imagination turns ordinary things into extraordinary possibilities. They chase bubbles, beat drums, sing songs, and create art…not because they are trying to get ahead, build a resume, or accomplish something impressive.

They do these things for the joy of it.

Somewhere along the way, many of us lose a little of that. We become so focused on what is next that we forget to delight in what is already here. We measure our days by what we have accomplished instead of by the moments we have noticed.

Our children remind us that joy is not always found in doing more. Sometimes it is found in paying attention to the gifts God has already placed before us in the here and now.

We witnessed this beautifully during our mini summer camps. A heartfelt thank you to Mrs. Linda and every person who helped make those nights possible! Through your time, creativity, patience, and care, you gave our children far more than fun evenings together. You reminded them that this church is a place where they are loved, where they belong, and where they are truly seen.

Friends, the beauty our children show us is not limited to special events. We see it every Sunday! They ask questions without fear. They notice details we miss. They remain open to wonder and possibility.

Jesus often pointed to children as examples of faith. Perhaps part of what he recognized was their ability to receive the world as a gift – to notice, to trust, to wonder, and to rejoice.

As summer continues, my prayer is that we will learn from the children among us. May we slow down enough to hear the birds sing, feel the rain, notice the laughter, and experience God’s presence.

And may we make a joyful noise to the Lord – not only with our voices, but with our attention, our gratitude, and our willingness to see the beauty God places before us each day.

With love and joy,

Jennifer