Lemons, Grapes, Oranges, Apples

In life we are told, 'when life gives you lemons, make lemonade'. Why are we never told to make 'grape juice' out of grapes? Or 'orange juice' out of oranges? Or 'apple juice' out of apples?  Is it because grapes, oranges and apples are sweet tasting whether eaten alone or made into a juice?  Is it because lemons are considered to be a 'bitter tasting' fruit when eaten alone, but when squeezed to its core, it makes something tasty?

Is this the lesson, that when we are 'squeezed' to our core, we still turn out ok?  I believe this.  I know when I am pushed, my product is better at the end.  My husband has a unique way of getting to my core when we are working on something. I don't like the process, but I love the results.

So I guess that is why we make lemonade from the lemon.  I am sure the lemon doesn't like the pushing, and rubbing, and rolling, and cutting and finally the squeezing. But when it is all over, and you add a little sweetness to cut through the bitterness, you have a pretty good product.

This is life. Things don't always come in the package that we like, but when we work at it, we end up with something great.  Can you imagine the face of the person that created lemon juice and then eventually lemonade?  How labor intensive that process was? I doubt that the lemonade drink we enjoy today was accepted immediately.  But they kept squeezing and squeezing until they got it right.

That is how God works.  He sometimes has to take us to the very core of our existence to get out of us what He wants to use.  It doesn't feel good.  Sometimes I feel misused, misunderstoond, isolated, bruised (both physically and emotionally) and mistreated.  In my mind, I am wondering, 'does it take all of this', 'does it have to hurt so much'?

The short answer is yes. To get the best tasting lemonade, you have squeeze a lot of lemons to get the right mixture. It doesn't matter what you add to it, at the core, at the base of it all, it is the processing of the lemons that makes the lemonade. 

Let me know your thoughts... Keep the conversation going! Leave your comments by clicking on the "comments" link just below this post.  Don't forget to share this with your facebook friends and follow me on twitter  @askjema
Until next time
Be Blessed, Sisterfriend