Evangelist Dandy

Today at the park, Chickadee puppy-dog-eyed some other person into pushing her on the swing (I was enjoying a chat with my Dad who had joined us there). Dandy was on the swing next to them and we could hear snippets of their conversation. The young woman pushing -- and her friend -- used awful words, most of which my kids have never heard before but a few they knew about. Here is what we overheard (sorta -- I missed a few bits and Dandy filled me in later).

Dandy: You shouldn't say "shut up". It is disrespectful to each other and it makes God sad. And I think some of those other words are bad too.
Young Woman: Who cares?
Dandy: God cares.
Young Woman: So.
Dandy: He wants you to use nice words and have happy friendships.
Young Woman: My mom talks like this and my Dad is in jail. No one cares how I talk.
Dandy: God does. He loves you.
Young Woman: What do you know?
Dandy: God loved me when I was a lonely baby in the detsky dom uhm, children's home, so I know. (Remember this is the child who told us about snuggly Jesus.)

An other mother, who had been hovering a bit nearer, came over after to say how amazed she was to hear this little boy share his faith. I was, at first whiff of bad language, tempted to run over and whisk the kids away; I'm so glad that I didn't.

Later we all (well not Dad) jumped into the lake. Dandy splashed right over to where a bunch of big guys (upper teenage/early 20s) were tossing the football. "Would it be okay if I played with you?" As Chickadee and I paddled about nearby, they tossed and splashed and goofed off with him. He's such a cool little guy.