Add water and sugar

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

We've been overwhelmed with lemons for the past 5 yeas. The harvest of multiple citrus trees in our first Texas house caused us to share lemons with everyone we knew as well as strangers. I'll have to share the strangers stories later. 
I find that most people like lemons. If they are anything like me, they get happy not to have to buy one more item at the grocery store.  
This morning, as I dropped my kids off at school, one of the teachers said, "thank you for my lemons! I was having a bad day so I thought, 'lemons? Lemonade!" 
Friends, I have given so many lemons away that I think of myself as the "if life gives you lemons.... add water and sugar to it" analogy.  
Life does give us sour situations. We can choose to be bitter about it or we can choose to make it better. How? Add water. H2O is very refreshing. It is a way of keeping the body hydrated and feeling all better. Think of some things that refresh you. I have a short list for tough times. The items of things that refresh me are:
• running
• 7 hours of sleep
• drinking at least 32 oz of water per day
• going to Bible Study
You get the point.

I also add Sugar. I know a lot of people are anti-sugar so I'm not speaking literally. Think of things that make life sweeter, things that sooth you when you need the most. Here's my list:
• picnic in the park with my kids
• talking face-to-face with a good friend
• watching The Waltons
• giving myself a mani/pedi

Life will give you and I lemons, there's no doubt about it. I am encouraging you today not to drown in sourness but to add Water and Sugar to it.

Action Point: Make a list of things that refresh you and things that make your life sweet. Your items should not be detrimental to your health. Be creative!