Dandelions have ruined my yard.

I’ve never sounded more like an old person than when I’ve said that out loud. When I was a kid, I would say things like “It’s my turn to be the red Power Ranger!” Or, “Look how fast my new shoes make me run!” Or, “Mom, can you please tell Michael [my older brother] to stop hitting me in the face with LEGOs again?!” My concerns were considerably different, then.

But now I say stuff like, “I’ve got to get rid of these doggone dandelions before they take over.” They are a nuisance. And they spread like wildfire. And I can’t stop them. And get off my lawn. Even as I slink into the way of the curmudgeon, I am reminded that not so long ago, I looked at the world differently.

The other day my three boys were playing in the yard, and my wife and I were working on the deck. After a few minutes, my middle son climbed the steps of the deck and said, “Here you go, Mom. I love you!” and proceeded to hand her a dandelion flower he had picked. Shortly thereafter, the other two boys did the same. And before you knew it, my children had picked a dozen or more dandelions for their Mom. Just because.

Dandelions are weeds. They are invasive and they ruin the curb appeal to my home. But not to my children. To my 2, 4, and 6-year-old sons, they are an opportunity to let their Mom know how much they love her.

What a perfect picture of how God sees us. As humans, we are a disaster. Spend 3 minutes on the social media platform of your choice, and you will quickly agree with me. The way we treat each other both online and in person is appalling, and the way we treat God is even more so. But God sees us differently. He sees us as unique. He sees us as beautiful. He sees us as an opportunity to express His love. He sees us as worth dying for.

My children taught me that today. When I see the dozens of dandelions spreading throughout my yard, I see a weed. My kids see something to express love.

When I grow up, I want to be like them. I want to see the world like that again. I am thankful for their innocence. And I am thankful to them for showing me to see things in the perspective of love, not frustration or aggravation.

So maybe, it turns out, dandelions did not ruin my yard. Today, dandelions restored my joy.