Dandelion Bouquets - A Guest Post

Thanks to a reader for sharing this photo and a simple message of a dandelion bouquet.

He stands before me, my little boy of three, clad in denim overalls and yellow ducky boots. His eyes dance and he asks me, “Guess what I have?” It is then I notice his hands hidden behind his back.

“A bug?” I answer. He grins and shakes his head.

“A worm?” His grin gets bigger but again, a no.

“Is it a flower?” I try again, and this time I’m rewarded with his chubby hand stretching towards me. A small bouquet of dandelions is clenched in his fist.

“I love flowers!” I exclaim, as I take them from his hand. I smile at him and his eyes glow behind his crooked glasses. His cheeks are smudged with dirt but oh, how cute he is! Can anything be sweeter to a mom than the first, love picked dandelion bouquet of spring? Their bright, sunshiny yellow peek out from among the new green of grass just inviting little fingers to pick them and I know God created them just for this reason.

“I like picking you flowers, Mom” he says, and then runs back to his red training wheel bike.

I look again at the slightly crushed dandelions in my hand, and my heart is warmed by the love in these simple flowers. And then I wonder, is this how God feels when I do something special for Him? Whether it’s something so simple as taking the time to visit a lonely neighbor lady, give the grocery lady a lovely smile, or if I’m just patient with my children and take the time to read them a story or give them a special “I love you” hug. Does God feel as if I just picked him a dandelion bouquet? Does He see the beauty of something so simple I do in His name and is His heart warmed and pleased? As I hold the dandelions to my nose and smell it’s sweet and musty scent, I determine within me to pick more dandelions for my Father. An offering of love, no matter how simple, brings some of the greatest joy in life.

- a mom