Lemons

Those who know me well know of my love for lemons:  half 'n half iced tea with extra lemon;; lemon ice box pie; lemon poundcake; chicken picatta; lemon viniagrette, yogurt, sauce/curd...you get the picture.  It's that fresh tartness I enjoy, usually mixed with something slightly sweet. Very refreshing and pleasing to the palate.

I have often thought/threatened to write a book on my McDonald's experiences with my iced tea with extra lemon.  It is just comical how many times they don't get it right!  Either I get all unsweetened...or all sweetened...once half coffee/half tea (if you can imagine how awful that was!)...sometimes no ice, sometimes old and yucky...sometimes one tiny little lemon slice for 32 oz. of tea!  Occasionally about six lemon slices!  If it weren't for it being on the dollar menu, I'd boycott Mickey D's and go to Chik-fil-A or McAlister's instead.  But, it is convenient and cheap, so I keep going back.  It's my big vice, and I do enjoy my iced tea with extra lemon.  Could be worse!

All this to say, life can sometimes give you lemons you don't enjoy or anticipate.  The old saying tells us to make lemonade when this happens, and that's what I try to do.  I've been accused of seeing things with rose-colored glasses; some don't get it when an optimistic attitude is shown when it is so much easier to be mad or grumpy.  Don't get me wrong, I don't always succeed in making my lemonade when life gives me lemons.  I can get down and dirty with the rest of them.  A few weeks ago, our power went out AGAIN, and John was NOT happy...along with most of our neighbors and friends.  I wasn't happy about this, either...it happens way too often and at the most inopportune times.  It has cost us two refrigerator/freezer throw-aways and many a worrisome moment.  But I just can't stay upset; it could be so much worse.  Might as well make some lemonade!

Barrett calls them "memons," and he loves to fish them out of my tea and partake.  The expression on his face is priceless:  that little mouth all screwed around and that shudder we recognize...you'd think he wouldn't want another taste ever, but invariably he goes back to that slice again and again.  It's kind of ironic and a picture of how we adults get caught up in sourness.  We don't really like some things, but we are enticed to go back again and again.  Maybe it's just human nature; I don't know.  It could be a bawdy book...or a less-than-stellar movie...or a tv show that isn't appropriate...or music with bad lyrics...bad language...a trying situation that tries to rob us of our joy...or any vice/temptation that seems to draw us in.

Moral of story:  life is tough...sometimes ugly...sometimes sour...let's just suck it up and make some lemonade!  It'll make things sweeter and most palatible, I promise.  If we stick to the sweeter things in life...those things are true, righteous, pure, lovely...then we'll have a step-up on things, a headstart on life as it can be.  When we're tempted to let sour situations bring us down, we can just remember this and get through it so much better.