Lemons, Lemonade and Visible Half Moons on Wednesdays

She's lying on the floor, white and cold. Her thoughts are clear and she flying above all of her issues.  Her arms are bruised, her bones are easily seen and there is no life left in her face.  Her death was not physical, it was mental.  Her parents wonder what they did wrong.  Her siblings hurt and worry.  Her children do not understand.  She does not value her own life, she wishes she were dead.  But people only seen the mess she has become, they do not see the mess she came from.  People can't possibly understand how awful her life was before, they would want to escape it too.  She blames her past, says she just wants to forget, she just don't want to feel the pain of it anymore.  Her pain and anger get turned toward her kids and other family.  Everything that happens is just something else to add to the list of reasons life sucks, and reasons to drown it all out.

Life is a blessing.  It is really that easy.  There are so many people in the world who take life for granted or are completely defeated by their circumstances.  They dwell in the misery and wish for death more than enjoying their life.  It is actually very sad, though I was once similar to that.  There are days that I need more "help" than others, but I definitely do not want to dwell on the bad when I do see so much greatness around me!

This morning, a friend of mine posted this:

          "we have two choices with the life we are dealt. Suck all the bitterness out of it and blame others for your situation or get off our duffs, change our attitude and let God use it to HIS glory. Lemons or lemonade? Which will you choose?"

I read this at about 815 this morning.  In the moment I read it, it didn't hit me.  However, when we got out of the car and my son pointed out the "moon" that was high in the sky at the same time as the sun, it kinda hit me.  God is pretty amazing.  The universe he created is pretty amazing.  Life is pretty amazing.  

I was ready to complain about having to drag three of my four kids out again to go get our medicine.  I was ready to be irritated by not being able to come right home and go back to sleep.  I was just ready to be miserable with the "hand" I was dealt by us all getting sick and having to have medicine.  

But these words, along with the moon being visible while the sun was shining, was the reminder I needed to not be bitter.  Had I not had to go out, I could have missed seeing that.  And, it really was beautiful.  I wish I had my camera on me to take a photo.  I don't know if it was the angle I was at or what, but it didn't look like anything I had ever seen before, and yes, I have seen a visible moon during the day before.

Many people are dealt a hand at life that is less than desirable.  It happens.  But when you focus on ever negative thing, you will continue to only see negative things.  The more the bitterness gets to you, the more bitter you become.  But, if you focus on the good stuff, you will soon see more good stuff.  And life is a whole lot better when you see the good stuff!  

One of the ways to get the good stuff is through God using the hand you were dealt to help others get a better hand.  Add God to your life and use your experiences for good.  Show someone else that those bad circumstances do not always mean emotional death, but can mean an eternal life of happiness!  
Look at it like the lemon (our lives) and sugar (God) -

      Lemons are bitter.  If you squeeze the lemons but add nothing to it, you will have nothing but bitter lemon juice.  Now, if you add some sugar to it, you get lemonade.  And when you share your lemonade with others, you are able to save another person from drinking any more glasses of bitter lemon juice and they begin to make lemonade too!  It also helps you find friendships and relationships with people who understand you and can help you make your lemonade!  Because some days our lemonade may be a little more bitter or a little sweeter... but when we have other lemonade drinkers, they can help us find the balance of lemons and sugar that is right for us!  

I know that I have good and bad days.  And when the day starts off bad, it is easy to focus on that and then it gets worse.  When I focus on the bad stuff (the lemon juice), that is all I will see.  I will forget that God (the sugar) can make the day better by adding something good.  My life was full of lemons... bad experiences and crap hands.  But I am letting God do his work in me.  And when I share that mixture (the lemonade), I can make another persons day.  I can show them how to make their own lemonade.  Just as others have helped teach me, and now continue to remind me of how when I begin to focus on the bad.

So, what is it gona be for you?  Lemons or Lemonade?  And when you see that half moon high in the sky with the sun, will you appreciate it?  The sweet stuff is everywhere, just have to add it!