(1 minute, 31 seconds)
Jan Karon taught me how to make real-deal lemonade from scratch. Her recipe for lemonade is to die for: freshly squeezed lemon juice, lots of purified, clean water, and a little sugar that is first cooked into a syrup on the stovetop. You’ll never go back to bottled lemonade. The side-by-side comparison of lemonade from concentrate and this recipe is like comparing a Honeycrisp apple from a Minnesota orchard with a Jolly Rancher apple candy. No comparison.
Just as I enthusiastically embrace the taste of real lemonade on a hot summer day, I used to heartily hold the missional concept of facing trials—the lemons in life—with a “make lemonade out of lemons” mindset. I say “used to” because once upon a time, I was the kind of girl who saw through the paradigm where more lemons were an opportunity to make more lemonade. I still want to be this kind of girl, and I’m trying, but the more metaphorical lemonade that I’ve gulped lately has seemed somewhat citrusy and bitter as the lemons have piled up. I realized I needed to tweak my recipe.
James 1:2 says to “count it all joy” when we meet trials of various kinds, when the lemons start piling up. Why? Because the Bible says this is true: more lemons are an opportunity for more steadfastness to be produced within us.
I propose that when life’s lemons start accumulating at an accelerated rate, we need to adjust our recipe. We need a lot more purified, clean water, and perhaps an extra dose of sugar.
More Water
Ephesians 5:26 tells us that Christ sanctifies and cleanses the church “with the washing of water by the Word.” The Word of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, purifies our souls. There is a transformative and cleansing power in God’s Word for believers. Immerse yourself in the Scriptures and allow God’s truth to shape your thoughts, attitude, and actions.
When the lemons of life are tasting bitter, the first and best response is to add more water.
More Honey
Proverbs 24:13-14 says, “Honey is sweet to your taste… Wisdom is like honey for you.”
Proverbs also tells us, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise” (Proverbs 13:20). Seek out wise, godly counsel and friends.
When the lemons of life are tasting bitter, add more honey.
Read the Word. Listen to the Word. Sing the Word. Pray the Word. Meet with Word-loving friends. Buy this book and read it with me in August!
Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds, by Jen Wilken
Cheers to opportunities to grow in quiet determination, enduring faithfulness, and unwavering resolve as we dwell richly in the Word of God!
Fresh Squeezed Lemonade
6 cups water
2 cups granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1¼ cups fresh lemon juice (from 7 or 8 lemons)
Lemon slices
Lime slices
Prepare a simple syrup by combining the sugar and 1 cup of the water in a small saucepan.
Place over high heat and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the sugar syrup cool.
Pour the simple syrup into a large pitcher and add the salt, lemon juice, and the remaining 5 cups of water. Stir until combined. Just before serving, add lemon and lime slices to the pitcher and serve over ice.
(page 75, Jan Karon’s Mitford Cookbook & Kitchen Reader)