God Loves The Dandelion

Jeremy looked through the window at the kids playing soccer on the field across the road. They ran and played together and Jeremy could hear their laughter and shouts. His feelings of loneliness flooded back.
“Do you know those kids?” Auntie Lena asked.
“Yes, they’re from my school. Some are in my class.” Jeremy replied.
“Why don’t you go play with them?”
“ They don’t want me. Brad never chooses me for their team. He says I am no good and he’s the captain”, he said sadly.
Lena felt the hurt in Jeremy’s voice. Although she wasn’t Jeremy’s real aunt, she was a neighbor and friend who took care of him after school until his mother returned from working late.
“I miss my Mom”, he whispered.
“I know she misses you too. It is hard to be a widow who has to work two jobs to be able to pay the bills.”
Jeremy smiled a little and said, “ Tomorrow Grandma is coming! It’ll be kind of like having mom here only not quite the same.
As he thought about Grandma’s arrival, he remembered how much Grandma loved flowers. Jeremy liked flowers too but the only flowers he could see at the moment were some dandelions growing across the road at the edge of the playfield. He remembered what Aunt Lena’s friends had said about those flowers.
“I really hate those dandelions! They grow all over,” said one of her friends.
“It is so hard to get rid of them, ” the other lady agreed. “They’re nasty weeds and really spoil the look of peoples’ lawns.”
He wondered why they called dandelions a weed. They had always seemed like nice, yellow flowers to him.
The next day when he stepped off the school bus, there was Grandma with open arms waiting for him. He loved how they could talk about anything and everything and she took time to answer all the questions that popped into his curious mind.
“Grandma, I’m so glad you’re here! I wanted to bring you a flower but all I saw on my way home were some dandelions.”
“Why didn’t you bring me one?”
Jeremy was stunned.
“But…people hate them! They’re weeds!”
“God loves them. He loves all that He created. And not all people hate them. Some people know how useful the dandelions are. “
“Useful?!”
“You can put the leaves in salads and they’re even more nutritious than spinach. And from the roots you can make tea that’s good for stomachaches and other things too.”
“Then why do some people hate them so much?”
“Well, dandelions are quite sturdy and strong. People who want to have a lawn like a carpet have a hard time getting rid of dandelions. They seem to pop up out of nowhere.”
“How can they come from nowhere?”
“ It seems like that because God made their seeds like little parachutes that allow them to fly on the wind for long distances until they find a place to grow into new dandelions.”
Jeremy always felt so good when he talked to Grandma. It was comforting to have Grandma tuck him into bed that night and soon he was sleeping soundly. As he dreamed a smile appeared on his lips. He dreamed he was a famous doctor in a hospital where the dandelion-hating ladies came in with stomachaches and since he was a great doctor, he treated them with dandelion tea!
The next day at school, Jeremy’s teacher was returning the math tests. As usual Jeremy got an A, but he could see that Brad’s paper had an ‘F’ on the top of it.
After class, Jeremy approached Brad:
“Want me to help you with math?” asked Jeremy.
Brad scoffed, “Are you kidding me? I asked you to help me before and you wouldn’t even talk to me. You just want me to let you play on my soccer team if you tutor me”.
“No, it’s not that. I just thought I could help you.”
“Why?” laughed Brad, scornfully.
Jeremy thought about the pastor’s words last Sunday about showing kindness to everybody even if they’re not your friend. It reminded him of the little, friendless dandelions.
“I don’t want anything in exchange. I just thought I could help you with math”.
Brad was quiet for a while. He didn’t understand Jeremy at all. He’d always thought that Jeremy hated him.
“Well, whatever. I really need help with that stupid math or I might have to go to summer school or get held back or something.” Brad stopped and puzzled look appeared on his face. “Well, maybe I could show you some things in soccer.”
The bus stopped to let Jeremy off. Walking by a dandelion now bursting with seeds, he smiled and thought, “Well, God made those dandelions and now I know why I like them”.
He picked the dandelion with the longest stem and blew its fuzzy head, watching as a flock of parachutes took off into the wind. “Good luck!” he laughed “I can help you too!”
Jeremy ran the rest of the way home. He had a lot to share with Grandma!

Welcome

Welcome to my blog….Random Thoughts!

This new blog will include articles and of course, "random thoughts" with content based on Christian values. I hope to present ideas through a variety of fiction and non-fiction stories and I'll reflect on truths I've learned throughout my lifetime. Your comments are welcome. Please be sure they are constructive and G-rated.

I chose a pen name as I do not like publicity and I ask those who know or might guess my identity, to respect this desire.

I will try to have a new posting once a week on Tuesday evening.

In the hope that you will find my blog of interest to you, I wish you pleasant reading.

David Andronikus