Lemons to Lemonade
Turning Life’s Sour Moments into Sweet Success
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Those were the first words I heard my mother say the morning after I lost one of the most important elections in high school. I remember going to bed the night before feeling defeated. The next morning, my mother came into my room like a ray of sunshine, with a T-shirt that said, “Don’t worry, be happy,” and whispering those sweet words in my ear. It felt like she dipped me in liquid sunshine, and that day, I went to school feeling hopeful. I learned what it really meant to turn life’s lemons into lemonade.
Overcoming Setbacks
After the election, even though I did not win, the principal of Booker T. Washington High School in Houston, Texas, selected me as the Most Outstanding Student of the student body. Talk about turning things around! Around the same time, I made more lemonade. Although my parents had recently divorced and life was not easy, Congressman Mickey Leland’s Kibbutzim Youth Foundation chose me to represent Houston as an intern at the Kibbutz Agricultural Camp in Israel. That experience was life-changing, though bittersweet. Within the same hour of my departure from Tel Aviv, Congressman Leland’s plane tragically crashed in the mountains of Ethiopia, claiming his life and the lives of his team.
Despite the challenges, lemonade kept flowing. Upon graduation from high school, I was offered an engineering scholarship to attend Prairie View A&M University, along with several other awards. Instead, I chose to attend Oral Roberts University. While there, I had the opportunity to participate in a mission trip to Kenya, Africa. That lemonade was especially sweet, full of purpose and adventure.
The Most Bitter Moments
A few years later, I faced one of the most difficult moments of my life which was losing my dear mother. Her passing left a deep void during a time when I needed her guidance the most. Not long after, I found myself separated from my husband. I was homeless, with five children, two bags of clothes, $80 in my pocket, and back home starting all over again. Despite the odds against me, I always remembered her words. No matter how bitter life felt, I refused to give up.
The Question Is: How Do You Make Lemonade During Life’s Most Difficult Times?
Here is what I have learned:
Squeeze the Lemons
The first step is really tough. I squeeze the lemons by applying extreme pressure. In life, when I feel a weight or heaviness, these are the times when God is squeezing things out of me that are not pleasing to Him or interfering with my purpose, those things such as pride, anger, resentment, or just not being able to forgive. Honestly, I feel that these are some of the greatest moments in my life. During the crushing and pressing, God allows me to use my deliverance as a testimony to help build up others and myself.
Add Sugar
Faith is the sugar. It balances out the bitterness and makes life sweet. When I face challenges, I focus on seeing things that are not as though they are and move in the direction of the things I see. That is faith in action. Faith gives me hope and drives me forward.
Add Water
Both naturally and spiritually speaking, water is cleansing. It is the washing of water by the Word of God that purifies our hearts. When we are clean, we have clear vision.
Mix It All Together
Life is a blend of bitter and sweet. It is only when you combine them that you get a refreshing drink. God takes both our victories and defeats to create a life full of meaning.
A Legacy of Sweetness
Today, my life looks so different. My five children are all grown and thriving. My eldest daughter is a Nursing Assistant Instructor, and my second eldest daughter is an Educator. My only son serves as a Police Officer, and my fourth child is a Licensed Mental Health Therapist. Lastly, my youngest daughter is a student at Baylor University. As for me, I’m living out my passion in ministry. My mother may no longer be here, but her words continue to echo in my heart: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Life will always bring its share of bitter moments, but, with a little faith, hope, and determination, we can trust that God will take the bitter and the sweet to create something beautiful. So, how will you make your lemonade?
Told by Mary Elizabeth Fisher
