"Like the proud mother who is thrilled to receive a wilted bouquet of dandelions from her child, so God celebrates our feeble expressions of gratitude." Richard Foster~
Dandelions For The Father
There are some days when I walk slowly to His throne. I am a child seeking refuge and I bring my dandelions…wilted and bent at the death grip with which I have carried them. I lay them down at His feet with my minimal thanks.
I almost forgot them while I was distracted at the playground. At the last moment I remembered I was on my way somewhere…so I sail off the swing and pick up the weakened ‘flowers’ and carry them on their short journey.
“Thanks Dad.” I offer half-heartedly in the hand off.
His smile beams at me and I am usually surprised at His obvious pleasure.
Some days my gratitude-attitude isn’t what it should be. I find myself struggling to ‘accentuate the positive’. I can’t find the words to ‘rejoice in my struggles’ and have all but forgotten how to ‘consider it all joy when I encounter various trials’…I catch myself barely thanking God for the blessings and RARELY thanking God for the trials. There are some days I can’t even remember WHY I brought the dandelions to begin with.
Yet…I can feel God’s smile on me as I humbly bring these dandelions to Him over and over again.
And then the most amazing thing happens…my dandelions are returned to me…in the form of beautiful and glorious roses! They are the most fragrant, beautiful, soft, lovely flowers in His garden and He gives them to me.
“For ME?” I asked in surprise each time this happens.
That is the moment, in His light and under His smiling and watchful eyes; when He takes my gift, my offering of thanks (no matter how small and seemingly insignificant) and He turns it into something fit for a KING! It is at THAT exact moment…when he RECEIVES my tiny offering of gratitude and He returns it to me a HUGE and glorious blessing…that I begin to comprehend the measure of His love.
“See you later Dad!” I tell him as I run off to put the treasured roses in their waiting vase.
9 comments:
Yes! I love the way you penned this :)
I needed to read this today and I'm going to share it with my husband. He's really heavy under the load of student attitude right now and I hope this gives him a lift. Thanks for the reminder that everything we lay before the feet of our Father can be used for His glory.
Good thoughts..I have found myself thanking Him less than I should... especially for the trials.Thanks for remindinding me to "Be thankful in all things..."
Sunydazy
beautifully said. thank you
Oh, this post... Kim, this post is so beautiful. I cannot really express what is going on in my head and heart right now. Thank you because I think God was speaking through you to me.
I'm going to go give God my dandelions now. They don't feel so puny now.
I love the way you tell that story. That is exactly what God does to me and I do not deserve it. Thanks!
Such a vivid picture of this quote. So, so beautifully written. Thank you for sharing.
What a suprememly excellent take on this quote! I just LOVE how you've reminded us that when we give thanks and love and praise to God, that He gives it back to us in so much greater measure! Thanks for that much needed reminder! :)
Isn't it so God to take our puny offerings and turn it into something good? Great picture!
Post a Comment