I know the current weather makes us think more of hot chocolate than lemonade, but I was thinking about lemonade this week. How does the old saying go, When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Not sure why lemons got such a sour reputation (yes, that is a groaner), but they did. I tried to find out where the saying originated from, but couldn’t. If you find out, please let my curious mind know. Regardless, it is a saying we are all familiar with.
I’m not sure if Paul was familiar with it or not or if he was given lemons, but what we call his second missionary journey does make me think along that line. In Acts 16:6-10, Paul wanted to go into what we would call northeast Turkey, in his day it was called Asia. His plans, his thoughts of going in this direction were stopped. That, however, brought about what we call the “Macedonian Call” and a tremendous ministry opened up. He was able to reach people in what we now call Greece, including the towns of Philippi, Thessalonica, Athens, and Corinth—communities and churches we are well aware of. Now things hadn’t gone how Paul planned, but that didn’t stop him from serving God. And God blessed this service.
At different times in my life, things have happened that I did not understand and were not what I was praying for. After initially questioning God, then submitting to the fact that He is more knowing than I am, I made lemonade. Sometimes the lemonade that was made was plentiful and sweet, sometimes less plentiful and not as sweet. But in all cases lemonade was made. I question events that happen less nowadays, though I still talk to God about why sometimes. I try to go forward looking how to make the best lemonade I can with what is presented to me. Am I perfect at it, no, but I try.
The other aspect of lemonade that I thought of this week referenced back to an article I had read a couple of months ago. A lady who happened to be a nurse was traveling along when she came upon an accident. She got out to assist those that were injured, members of the Milwaukee Iron Biker Group. A few months later her daughter decided to have a lemonade stand, like most of us have done at sometime in our childhood. Being a good mom, she posted it on social media to help her daughter out. You are probably already ahead of me, yes someone from the biker group saw it and well, it was a good day at the lemonade stand.
A bad situation turned into a heartwarming event. If you get the change google Milwaukee Iron Biker Group and Lemonade, the video is great. We go through life and we experience bad things, lemons as it be. When faced with seemingly bad situations, we need to get out the sugar: or in the spiritual sense, get down on our knees and pray. I don’t know what God will do. I do know that He has blown me away in the past with what He can do. I always hold onto that, because who knows who will show up at the lemonade stand.
Making lemonade,
Randy