Dandelion Tea in a Weedy World
Learning to See God's Love with Mirror Poems and Ink
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Introduction: Reflections on Mirror Poetry
What is a “mirror poem”?
Simply stated, a mirror poem is prose with a reflective heart, for its ending half spiritually reflects and echoes its beginning half. But like ripples over still water, these halves rarely match exactly, word for word. Sometimes, only a key word or its rhyming twin echoes. Other times it’s a perfect match word for word. Intentionally, the lines are centered, and the second half will often look deeper or explain the upper part. Other times it completes the story or raises a prayer for the struggles depicted in the first half.
In a mirror poem, italic lines are not directly mirrored. They are transitional lines between the mirroring phrases. Their purpose is to move the poem along while adding clarity, depth, and meaning.
In the middle of each mirror poem is the literal center that reveals its key theme and focus. As such, it is the poem’s heart and a bridge connecting its beginning with its reflective ending. For these poems, that focus is Jesus! With His many names at each poem’s center, we are reminded that we too should keep Him centered in our lives.
Reflections on the Illustrations
An artist’s work changes over time—especially mine!
During the years writing and painting Dandelion Tea, my painting style evolved to reflect my personal walk with God.
In 2018 I began the earliest ink drawings with sword and fan brushes. My first illustration was the image of the lost sheep for “Repenting,” with its simple brush strokes depicting a detailed scene. Some of the more complex pictures, as for the poems “Blooming in Love,” “Gardening,” and “Raging,” required pencil sketches. The image for “Following the Shepherd” was the segue to the next series of images depicting hands for the poems “Embracing,” “Drawing Water,” “Praying,” “Crying Out,” and “Doubting” and the feet for “Running.” Sketching out each image took more time. Paintings that began simply grew more and more complicated.
Then everything changed. It happened one day while painting and then wiping my brush onto a nearby piece of paper. To my amazement, I unintentionally made the simple, spontaneous brush strokes that resulted in the image Crucifixion without Thought on page 50. It is one of my favorite paintings, and its simplicity prompted me to redirect my brush work to a more minimalist style like that of the Japanese sumi-e painters.
So then I began painting bamboo and sheep—lots of them! My travels to Maui and hiking through its lush rainforests inspired even more bamboo images. At this same time, I adopted the simple but dramatic use of painting with pure drops of India ink onto a wet image. All of Traveling with the Shepherd on page xiv was painted like this, as well as a few of the images for the reflection questions. Yosemite and Half Dome also inspired many of the mountain illustrations and no doubt will be an ongoing theme for places depicting God’s awesome majesty.
As for symbolism, the shepherd images represent Jesus the Shepherd, of course, but also today’s shepherding leader guiding students, for even a sheep will eventually become a shepherd to someone. The three birds in many of the pictures represent the Trinity. The dandelion pictures quietly show cross-carrying seeds and the secret crosses among bamboo groves and mountains act as reminders that God’s love is always there for us, even if it seems hidden. For truly “now we see only a reflection, as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12a NIV).
Blooming in Love
“Love is patient; love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,
It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things,
Hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends.”
1 Corinthians 13:4–6 NIV; 7–8a WEB
LORD OF ALL!
Whose love never ends,
Forgive us! Repot our tangled roots and withering faith in Your love.
For we trellis our hopes to all worldly things, while Your love endures all things.
Truly, Your love bears all things so that we may believe in all You bring.
You don’t delight in evil but rejoice in love and truth!
Although we are easily angered, O God, Your love keeps no record of our wrongs,
For Your Son “was pierced for our transgressions.
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The punishment that brought our Peace was on Him,
And by His wounds we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:5 WEB
Through Your love, You honor us and others, although we are self-seeking,
Undeserving with weeds of envy and boasting pride.
Repot us in Your love, O Lord, and we shall bloom patient and kind.
Amen
Reflections for “Blooming in Love”
page 13
The ways of the world are not the ways of God.
Who makes you angry?
Explain how you feel when you remember that no matter what happens, God still loves you—and loves the
person with whom you’re angry.
Prayer
Heavenly Father of unconditional love,
Help us to not be consumed by anger and jealousy.
Strengthen our love to live in Your ways.
In the name of Your all-loving Son, Jesus, and for Your glory.
Amen
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About the Book
Where is God? How is the Bible reflected in my life? To help answer these questions, Dandelion Tea in a Weedy World uses mirror poetry, a new kind of writing in which biblical scripture is mirrored with life’s adventures to lead us into a deeper awareness of God’s ever-present love. Combined with seventy-six calming ink washes, reflection questions for individual devotion, and motivating group discussions, plus guidance for writing your own faith-inspiring mirror poems, this collection helps guide people of all ages into a deeper, more personal relationship with the Bible and God’s endless love.
Praise for Dandelion Tea in a Weedy World
“In Janet K. Gardner’s personal and prayerful meditations on the biblical texts, I found connections to forms and ancient storytelling and spiritual art. Her ink drawings are enthusiastic and spontaneous. She has created these accessible images to reflect on and to encourage the reader to reconsider and to reimagine on another level.”
—John August Swanson, internationally acclaimed Christian artist
“Dandelion Tea in a Weedy World leads the reader to creatively and deeply reflect on the wonder of God’s love and grace, and the opportunity and challenge to walk in faith.”
—Reverend Dr. Paul Gravrock
“Dandelion Tea in a Weedy World is a wonderfully creative, well-written expression of Janet’s strong faith in a loving God.”
—Jean Gravrock, retired educator
About the Author
Janet K. Gardner is a graduate of California Lutheran University and has worked as a computer graphics artist for media production and publishing companies. She has created inspiring art, poems, and devotions for her church and for readers of The Lutheran Message and CLU’s Morning Glory. Over the years, working from her home in Southern California, she has also published a Bible trivia game and a children’s talent show presented as a Christmas program.