The temperature is rising. School’s out for summer. Blockbuster movies, with high paid celebrities are being rolled out. There is a buzz in the air about leisurely travel. It’s time for lemonade!

While school and some of our regular duties may be on hold, the complex issues that make living in this time frame fraught with peril continue to bombard us. The impending threats from other nations, the decline of societal morality, the level of depravity to which we are all being exposed does not take a vacation. Instead it seems that when we look forward to the relaxation generally connected with the lazy days of summer, things ramp up exponentially toward chaos.

More lives are taken frivolously. More pain is inflicted on the innocent. There are more role models displaying less virtue. Those in positions to protect are doing deliberate harm.The world we live in is replete with sourness; lemons.

If I entertained notions of alien creatures visiting this planet from afar, I would expect them to bypass this earth and seek another planet as a viable environment from which to harvest goods to return to their homeland. Where is the good on this planet.  I can imagine earth being placed on the permanent list of places to avoid, with an illuminated, neon, flashing, universal, warning, sign! Lemons!

As the mass killings of individuals and groups become more frequent and intense, as the debauchery to which human beings can stoop reaches new lows, how can we or why should we press forward? What is the use? Why go on? Why try to do the right thing? Why not just wallow in the sourness? So many lemons, lemons, lemons, everywhere lemons! It’s time for lemonade!

The Whys

Even in the best of neighborhoods, around the nicest people sourness resides. The whys associated with the sourness of our lives are countless. Why has God allowed this to happen? Why does He not stop the pain? Why do some seem to have more hurt than others? Why do some live long lives of privilege while others live even longer in lack? Why do some live in peace while others live in violence? Why do children endure atrocities daily? Isn’t life supposed to be fair? Why should we even care? As long as we can point out others that are behaving badly why are we to look at ourselves? Since we all know that no one is perfect, why not go for the gusto as long as we can, without getting caught?

What if…?

What if the Bible is the word of God? What if Jesus came to earth and died to save the world? What if the thief came to steal, to kill and destroy?

What if, before we came to the point where we noticed that this life has lemons we were told how to make lemonade? What if there are answers in the word of God that provide responses to our queries about our relationship with the all-knowing God that is love.

What if we can take the sourness, yes those lemons and make lemonade. One of my favorite recipes for lemonade includes plenty of PRAISE!

Take a good look at the season we now inhabit. It’s time for lemonade. As often as you encounter lemons, make lemonade!

Take Inventory and Take Action. It’s time for lemonade!

Love,

Deborah

“Lighting the path to loving your neighbor as yourself.”