Dandelions

I've loved dandelions since I was a child. Their bright cheery faces are always one of the first signs that spring is on it's way and the long winter is over. My aunts taught me how to weave dandelion chains

and taught me how to paint my chin yellow.

My grandma lovingly created beautiful bouquets (in my eyes) from handful after handful of my offerings.

My own children fought to be the one to present me with the first dandelion of spring.

Dandelions are most often ignored or attacked, not nurtured and pampered. Never-the-less they always bloom profusely.

They don't need any special attention to burst forth in riotous bloom; they appear in lawns, vacant lots, parking garages, gardens, and even between cracks in the sidewalk.

 They don't discriminate between rich or poor. Can you imagine trying to grow them in a garden? They’d sneak through the boundaries and pop their sunny yellow faces up in the surrounding lawn. They would never stay put!

We need to be more like dandelions. Our sunny yellow faces should be a reminder that simple faith has deep roots that are impossible to dislodge. A simple wish or a puff of air should be enough to spread our faith everywhere.

We should be as freely given as a dandelion is. As freely as Jesus offered Himself up for us.

 We need to get out of our gardens and jump across the boundaries that keep us where people expect to find us.

 We need to show our sunny yellow faces in all the spots that need a little brightening up – the hard places, the places where little else dares to go or grow.

A dandelion can't spread on it's own though. It needs that puff of wind, or a wish in order to multiply. But with that little puff there is no telling where the seeds of faith may spread!