When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade

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WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, MAKE LEMONADE
SWEETENERS YOU CAN ADD TO MAKE LIFE’S ADVERSITIES BEARABLE
Sandra Walker

There’s nothing quite as refreshing as a cool glass of lemonade on a warm summer day. It’s just a little bit sweet and just a little bit tart, and oh so good. We may choose to make this cool refreshing drink whenever we want. It’s a simple drink to make with only three ingredients needed and we usually have two of them on hand - a sweetener of choice and water. All that's needed is to go pick out the lemons we want to use, squeeze them, and then mix that with sweetener and water. Let it chill for a little while, and then it's ready to be enjoyed. If we are willing to share, the lemonade will not only refresh us, but others as well.

Our lives should be like that lemonade which refreshes those who drink it. God has a purpose for our lives, and His plan contains some lemons that are needed to accomplish the desired product. However, unlike the lemonade we choose to make at our convenience, God unexpectedly drops into our lives the lemons He wants us to use. Sometimes He has to allow things that are not what we would choose for ourselves, but they are part of His plan and for our good. A familiar verse reminds us of that fact. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” We can choose to make lemonade from these lemons, or we can allow them to rot and become unusable. How we handle these trials is up to us.

There are two ladies in the Bible that I want us to look at and see how they handled the lemons that came into their lives. First, let’s take a look at Mrs. Job. When we read this story in the Bible, we usually only think of Job and the trials which he suffered, but his wife was also right there, going through the same devastating situation.

They suffered the loss of financial security. All they had was instantly gone. They lost most of their employees to death. All of their children were killed at the very same time. As a mother, I cannot even come close to imagining what this must have been like. They lost the respect and support of friends and society. What a time for others to turn on them. Mrs. Job had to watch her husband suffer physically beyond measure. We know how we hurt when someone we love is hurting and we can't do anything for them. It is a very helpless, frustrating feeling. They lost the normal relationship between a husband and wife. Everything was now so different for them.

What will she do with the lemons (very sour lemons indeed) that God allowed in her life? I don’t want to come across as judgmental. I certainly have not, nor do I know of anyone who has gone through as much pain and loss at one time as she, but we can learn something from the way she handled this trial. She seemed to be willing to take the blessings of God, however, when adversity came to her personally, she was not so willing to accept it. We know this because of the one statement that is recorded in the Bible that she made to her husband during the darkest days of their lives, and while he was suffering in excruciating pain. Job 2:9 says, “….dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die.” Wow, that was just what he needed to hear from the person who was supposed to be his helpmeet. Job corrects her a little bit by saying, “Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil?”

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Be Careful YourTongue Can Work Through Your Fingers

by: Bette Owens

When we think of gossip, we think of the phone or whispering; but how about texting, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Faithout, Lifespace, Fundamental Forums or any social networking {READ MORE}

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FOUR THINGS YOU NEED IN FINDING GOD’S WILL
by: Dr. Steve Heidenreich

I want to thank God for soul-winning people. A soul-winning pastor and a deacon came by our country farmhouse on a Thursday night and led my wife to Christ. They then returned on the following Saturday morning to lead me to Christ. Those will be the greatest days of our life. We should always remember those days to keep us excited through the years of living for Him! We were blessed to have a pastor lead us in our Christian growth. After going to church and following the Lord in baptism, we were able to...{READ MORE}

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2 Samuel 23:5, “Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not grow.”

May I pen these words to all of the imperfect people? May I write these words to those of you to whom everything has not turned out as you had wished or hoped? May I intrude into the world of those of you who have not lived up to your own expectations? May I dedicate this article to those of you for whom things have not turned out as you dreamed and planned?...{READ MORE}

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by: Sandy Domelle

Masquerade parties go back to the 17^th century with the purpose that people would show up wearing costumes and masks to hide who they were and keep people guessing until the end of the party.

In recent months, as I have helped different ladies, two common sayings I hear are...{READ MORE}

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I married my high school sweeheart! He was my prince charming and I couldn’t wait for our “happily ever after.” Almost 32 years ago, I was expecting my first baby (I was 21 years of age at the time). It was an exciting time. I had dreams of her being the “perfect little child.” I could hardly wait for...{READ MORE}

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by: Bette Owens

When we think of gossip, we think of the phone or whispering; but how about texting, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Faithout, Lifespace, Fundamental Forums or any social networking or so-called Christian networking? Now our tongue isn't the only member that can...{READ MORE}

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by: Tim Trieber

One of the foundational principles of any relationship worth having in life is that of TRUST. Relationships cannot thrive and flourish into what they could be or should be without trust. Take into consideration what the following relationships would be like if trust were absent:

Marriage - The Bible tells us in the book of Proverbs that, “...the heart of her husband doth safely trust in her.” Standing at the altar, you trusted and still do trust, that the vows your spouse made will be kept, as does your spouse with you.
The Parent-Child Relationship - The child should trust that, though Mom and Dad are not perfect, they are doing what they believe is in the best interest of their child.
The Employer-Employee Relationship - When an employer reviews the résumé of a perspective employee, undoubtedly he will ask himself whether or not this individual is trustworthy. {READ MORE}

DOCTRINE AND HISTORY ARE IMPORTANT
by: Gregg Nash

Famed 19^th Century Baptist preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, firmly believed the following:

We believe that Baptists are the original Christians. We did not commence our existence at the Reformation, we were reformers before Luther or Calvin where born; we never came from the Church of Rome, for we were never in it, but we have an unbroken line up to the Apostles themselves.

Indeed, before the end of the 19^th Century, virtually all Baptist historians believed that the Baptists began in the time of the early church. Of course, some non-Baptist historians disagreed, but interestingly, some non-Baptist historians have agreed, including Methodist historian John Clark Ridpath, who wrote the following in the 19^th Century: “I should not readily admit that there was a Baptist church as far back as 100 A.D., although without doubt there were...{READ MORE}