Dandelions and Dogs: Finding Jesus in the foolish things

Dandelions:
The other day I was staring out the window watching my daughter pick every bright yellow dandelion in our backyard. I saw her smile as she said "mommy will love these pretty flowers!". I sighed and cracked a smile and said to myself "Those are just weeds baby girl, ugly annoying weeds." Then I noticed her running towards the door with a huge bunch of dandelions in her hand, her face filled with joy. I greeted her at the door and she says "these pretty flowers are for you mommy. Can you put them in some water so they won't die?". My heart melted at her thoughtfulness as I stared into her tender heart through her beautiful blue eyes. "Yes baby, of course I will." I said with a smile on my face. So I went over to the cupboard and pulled out a mason jar and filled it with water. I see her looking up at me with a smile from ear to ear as I arrange the dandelions in the jar.
After the kids were in bed I walked into the kitchen to find that these "flowers" were closed up and wilted. They were a sore sight! I said to myself "see baby, they're just weeds. Nothing special, nothing extraordinary, just weeds." I was tempted to throw them away when I was suddenly stopped by the image of earlier that day when my baby girl worked so hard to gather these for me. I closed my eyes and relived that moment when I felt her little arms wrapped around my neck, her smiling face and the joy in her voice when she said "these pretty flowers are for you mommy!" I looked at these ugly wilted weeds and said "maybe there's hope they will open up and be beautiful again." And I turned off the lights.
In the morning I stumbled to my coffee pot. In search for my favorite cup I didn't even take notice of the mason jar sitting next to it. Suddenly I heard the pitter patter of happy morning feet. "Mommy! see, the flowers are still so beautiful!" As we embrace I look up to notice that every single dandelion is full, open, bright and standing tall. The morning brought the hope that these "weeds" would be "flowers" once again. I stood in awe of the perfect picture of Jesus. How he sees me the way my daughter sees these weeds. A beautiful flower that has hope. His mercies are new every morning!
Dogs:
At night my dog Charlie likes to sit next to me with his head in my lap. He will always roll to his side with his belly towards me as if to say "hey mom, will you scratch my belly please?". I look down to catch one of his cute little brown eyes trying to peer at me. So I start scratchin. And he starts rollin'. It always makes me smile.
My mind started to ask questions like "why did God make dogs anyways? Did Adam have a dog?"....
Charlie is a big beautiful black Lab and German Shepherd mix with a purple tongue-a mutt of sorts. Charlie is always at the front door to greet me when I walk in. He is jumping from side to side hoping to get to go too when I get ready to leave. Charlie is always lying on the floor next to my bed every night when I sleep. He follows me from room to room as I clean my house. Charlie will alarm me with a bark when he hears an unfamiliar noise. He nudges my hand with his head when he feels lonely. Charlie always comes back to put his head in my lap at night even when I've not greeted him, didn't let him go with me, ignored him, not played with him, pushed him away and said "not now Charlie I'm busy." Charlie will always run and grab his ball when I walk out in the back yard in hope that we will play together. But when I simply walk back inside ignoring his cute attempt to play, he will simply drop his ball and follow me back inside. He will wait patiently by his bowl for food and watch as I walk by without filling it up-sometimes for hours. No matter what the day held for Charlie he will always come to me at night and place his head in my lap, look at me with that one little eye and hope and wait and hope and wait for that belly scratch that brings him so much joy.
I realized that God made Charlie to remind me just how faithful He is. Charlie is a perfect reflection of the character of Jesus. As I scratch my dogs belly and see the joy on his face I am reminded that Jesus desires my friendship and time. That He is patient and tender toward me and that the Lord is my joy!