CAPA Corner: Lemons Into Lemonade

    This weekend, several of the community’s students from the Central Intermediate School will be taking part in Lemonade Day.  Lemonade Day is an event put on by Raising Canes that strives to help young people gain a better understanding about starting, promoting, and running a business.  They take this tiny, sour, yellow piece of fruit and attempt to turn it into a refreshing beverage and attempt to make it profitable as well!  
    This event reminded me of the saying, “When life hands you a lemon, start making lemonade.” We’ve been influenced to believe that when something we purchased isn’t working to our expectations that we have received a lemon – “That car is a real lemon.”  When someone is in a bad mood and the expression on their face reflects that mood, they look like they’ve been “sucking on a lemon.” Therefore, when things aren’t going well or items don’t work properly some people think of and refer to lemons. Personally, if I were a lemon, I would think lemons were getting a bad rap!  On a serious note however, the purpose behind the phrase has merit!
    In Genesis 26 we read the story about Isaac sowing in a time of famine and reaping a tremendous harvest!  Isaac was ready to pack his bags and leave the territory because the famine looked too severe.  However, God spoke to Isaac and told him to stay put!  Everything in nature was indicating that Isaac should “Get out of Dodge!” Yet God had a plan that Isaac couldn’t understand.  Isaac was obedient to the instruction of the Lord and in turn received a bountiful harvest!  
    When life appears to hand you a lemon what do you do?  Do you throw in the towel, give up, or simply just walk away?  God is no respecter of persons.  Just as he had a plan for Isaac, He has a plan for you.  Jeremiah 29:11 says, “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Just as the students this weekend will take lemons and make them into lemonade, God can show you how to take the circumstances in your life and turn them into something good.  Turn to the Word of God, seek some godly counsel, and discover how you can take life’s lemons and turn them into lemonade!
Ron Erickson
Future Hope Ministries