Day 1: “Dandelions and Courage”
from Bouquet of Wisdom
“for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)
The vacant lot at the end of my street was the stage for many childhood adventures, but rarely did I venture from the footpath that meandered through it. I was convinced the tall grass hid ginormous, slithering snakes. If friends were hunting for buried treasure, I found a reason to dig where I stood. If sailing the seven seas, I volunteered to stay “on ship.”
One day in second grade while walking home from school, I left the path.
School was five blocks from home, only four if I cut through the vacant lot, a perfect shortcut as long as I stayed on the beaten path. Sally, a classmate and neighborhood friend, often walked with me. Not only did we have matching brown and tan saddle shoes, but on this particular afternoon we also had matching construction paper baskets, an art project for May Day bouquets.
“Where will we get flowers?” I asked Sally.
We turned the corner before she could answer—and saw them! Beautiful yellow dandelions in the tall grass of the vacant lot. Sally ran ahead, but I froze, fearing those snakes. My shoulders sagged. If I was going to have my own bouquet, I’d need to leave the path.
I took a step, one small step into the monstrously scary grass. I looked down for signs of critterly movement. My breath caught. After a cautious second step, weeds brushed my bare legs. I shivered in apprehension. I looked back, then ahead. Surrounded now by the high grass, I took a third step that put me close enough to stretch out and grab the flowers. One handful of sticky-stemmed dandelions, some short, others long, stems torn as quickly as possible and tucked into my basket.
I had my flowers. I had my dandelions.
Until then, absolutely nothing had gotten me off the trail, whether hurrying home from school or sailing the seven seas. My fear of huge, slithering snakes had stopped me in my tracks. But that afternoon, I stepped out for a bouquet of flowers.
In a letter to a follower, the apostle Paul tells Timothy we are given a spirit of power, love, and self-control, not fear. In second grade I found power for that first step, courage for a scary time. Love for my mother propelled me to take a second step, feelings that transcended my hesitancy. Self-control guided all my steps and gave me strength for a sticky situation, keeping panic kept at bay.
Do you ever hesitate when leaving life’s beaten path for something you want or need? Fear of the unknown can still stop me. In life’s tall grass, I can find myself fretting about ginormous things that might be lurking and slithering in ways that might scare me. Perhaps you do too, but God walks with us. We don’t have to be afraid. We can take steps, because we are given power, love, and self-control.
The dandelion’s yellow color can be associated with fear and cowardice. Not for me. I see yellow dandelions and remember a courageous little girl who didn’t let fear stop her.
Heavenly Father,
Give us courage for those times when we are uncertain, even scared.
Help us find our power, love, and self-control in you
so we don’t have to be fearful. We can take steps.
Amen.
Deanna Nowadnick is the author of Fruit of My Spirit, Signs in Life, and Bouquet of Wisdom. She is also the author of a children’s book, “Grandma, You Found Me!” All are available at Amazon.
