Making Lemonade

When life gives you lemons…

I was studying this past week and a verse in Proverbs caught my eye and jumped out at me.

Proverbs 11:25 “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

Whenever I hear the word refreshment I automatically think lemons. To me there is nothing more refreshing than a tall glass of icy lemonade or slice of lemon cake. I started reflecting on this verse (and dreaming of lemonade)…

Sometimes when “life hands us lemons” we just want to sulk and feel sorry for ourselves. But what would happen if we used those lemons to make lemonade and refresh someone else? Next time you hit a rough patch in life, seriously consider what would be helpful to you and then turn around and use what you’ve learned to reach out to someone else. We can learn much from our own situation and then use it to help others if we allow life to teach us instead of breaking us.

My husband and I have made it “our thing” to send books. We have a long list of books that we recommend for different seasons and situations in life. When we have a loved one going through something that we ourselves have been through, we’ll pull up Amazon and ship them the very book that helped us. It brings me joy to be able to do that, and who doesn’t like getting books in the mail? (My husband had to limit how many books I’m allowed to purchase myself because I love opening book packages so much).

Don’t panic, it doesn’t need to be books. There are so many ways to be a blessing, or refreshment, to someone else Here are some practical ways to be a refreshment to others:

1. Invite some ladies over for tea/brunch.
2. Offer to babysit for a busy couple so they can invest in each other.
3. Take/send flowers to a friend needing a pick-me-up.
4. Invite a couple or family over for dinner and games.
5. Host a watermelon and lemonade night during the summer.
6. Send a book or devotional to someone in a rough season.
7. Host a ladies night spa in your home.

When we bless others, we find that our own hearts have been blessed. “…whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

I would love to hear your feedback on this subject, and any ways you’ve found YOU can refresh on another.

~Paige

Just for fun:

Paige’s Lemonade

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed is always best)
• 1 cup white, granulated sugar (Can add or subtract to taste)
• 1 cup warm water (to dissolve the sugar)
• 4 cups cold water
• Ice

Instructions

1 Juice the lemons: 5-6 large lemons should give you enough juice. I always have more on hand just in case. I use a Kitchen Aid citrus juicer because it has a large enough cup and is marked for measurements.

2 Combine warm water and sugar until dissolved: Sugar does not like to dissolve in cold water so I use warm water and then add it to the pitcher. Another option is to make a simple syrup instead. *Directions below

3 Add cold water and ice and stir to mix well. I use a wooden spoon. I can’t explain the reasoning behind it, it just seems to taste better.

4 Chill: Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes

Serve with ice, sliced lemons.

*Simple syrup: Add 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar to a saucepan. Boil sugar and water over medium-high heat until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool completely before using. Use 1 ½ cups syrup (or to taste) in place of granulated sugar. For extra kick, you can grate 1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest into the saucepan.