Part 2 of Lemons
(In case you missed it, check out Part 1 here.)
The last couple months have been hard. A hard couple months, wrapped in a hard year and a half. While attempting to busy myself (I'm real good at doing this), 'S#!+' finally hit the fan for me six weeks after our vacation. I had been on the go since we lost the baby. In a matter of six short weeks, I had lost a child, had surgery, went on vacation, remodeled our kitchen (over a holiday weekend), traveled to Oklahoma City for a conference, learned of our baby girl's 'normal' pathology report (another discussion for another day), and turned around and left for a weekend trip again for work. All while fitting in work, "mom-ing," "wife-ing," coming to terms with my grandma's cancer, and (still) combating the emotional rollercoaster of living life in the midst of a pandemic. Sure, looked great on the outside but if I'm being honest; I was not ok.
Lemons are sour. Lemons left unattended start to rot. I had lemons in my bag and they were on the cuff of rotting. It was to the point I was no longer able to hide them.
The thing about rotten lemons though is; it takes a long time. It doesn't start like your standard rotten produce. The fruit will begin to dry up and then slowly begin to rot.
I needed a piece of that miracle fruit. Not only did I have a bag of badlemons, I felt like I was continuing to have lemons hurled at me and I was in no shape to make lemonade. So I turned to Jesus. I couldn't change the outcomes of the events from the last couple months, but I could get rid of my rotten lemons.
It's not perfect and it doesn't take the pain away, but I have peace. Peace is like miracle fruit. It can turn a bitter situation into something bearable --maybe not sweet-- but bearable. I was reminded that God didn't say we would have it easy or that it would be all "cupcakes and rainbows." Yet, He did promise us He would be with us through the good and the bad. He can give us peace during the difficult times.
I don't know where you are at today. I don't know if you're going through a hard time. But if you have found yourself reading this, I hope you know that you are loved and that it is possible to feel peace in the midst of a storm. My storm may not be your storm, but I believe that we all have access to our own "miracle fruit;" Jesus.
With or without miracle fruit; it is possible to turn lemons into lemonade when Jesus is involved.
Life is better with Him.