#6 Lemons and New technology

I sit hereworking on my new software program I got a headset and Dragon NaturallySpeaking voice software for my computer so I can create blogs that are more natural that can keep up with my rapid thought process. I think this is to take a little bit of getting used to. But at the same time I'm excited for this new adventure. Right now I find myself frozen watching the words pop up on the screen as I speak. It's kind of amazing how technology can take my thoughts and my words and put them directly on the computer.  Can you guys shut up.  oops I guess I better watch what I'm saying.

#5 Lemonade "Strength from above"

On June 9th I journaled: "Why am I choosing to partner with The Wellness Company?" Why now you say-it seems obsurd-too much to take on another business at a time like this. Well as I was awoken again tonight, I was prompted again to write. I realized that I must say:"Why not now?" I am in the heart of chronic pain trusting that only God can get me through. For He promises that He can bring me through all things, and He alone can bring me through. We are dealing with lost wages at a time when we have clearly set our hearts toward financial Peace through a God-centered philosophy like F.P.U. I believe that our desire for financial prosperity reflect God's desire for our family and the Kingdom. I believe that I have been prompted-urged-counceled and refined over the past year or two and am now fully prepared for COMPLETE SURRENDER to God's will for my life. Although to the on-looker it may look impossible, "All things are possible through Christ Who Strengthens me"! (Phillipians 4:13)I also know that "They that hope in or wait on the Lord will renew their strength, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31) This is how I can explain my strength over the last couple of weeks at work. God has indeed done what He said He would do. I HAVE had strength. Case in point: My phone call home on Saturday June 4th to Brent. I asked his advice whether to come home and cancel my last two clients due to my pain levels being at a 10. He said that we really could not afford to loose the income, and that I should stay. I said that I needed him to pray for me, and took his advice to stay knowing that I was physically and emotionally out of gas due to my Autoimmune dissease. I believed that if He was praying for me and he felt God leading me to stay that I would follow his advice. God would bring me to the other side. I took 3 Advil, and layed on the floor in the Esthetician's room at the salon for 15 minutes and surrendered to God's strength. The extra $100 turned into $150, and I was anble to do it in God's strength alone, because if it were up to me I wold have given up and gone home. The icing on the cake however not only did I make it through the last two clients, I went home PAIN-FREE and full of JOY! So again I ask "Why do I choose to do this now?" Because God has directed me here. And after all and through all that I am going through, He alone provides my strength, and my resources, and my direction for this life. I know that because of the PEACE that has surrounded this decision that it is the call of God on my life for "...such a time as this...". (Esther)
With Hopeful Expectation-Carrie

#4 Lemon- "The Flat tire"

Last week's Lemon was when Mmy Graves Dissease hit rock bottom last Thursday night. Friday morning I had an early doctor appointment because I literally was feeling all of my bodies systems shutting down including my digestive tract and my muscular control. Friday morning it just so happened that J.B. was the first kid out of bed reminding me that today was the first day of summer vacation and because his last 4 weeks of school showed major behavioral improvement, he had earned a new lego set and "mom, what time does Target open?" was the first thing out of his mouth! It's true I did owe it to him, so I asked hin to come to my doctor appointment first and then we'd go. It would be nice to have company at this appointment since I felt so awful, even if it was only my 8 year old son. He has such a heart of empathy! It was just the two of us so we took Brent's Camary, and stopped for coffee at the gas station. Thank goodness we did because it was then I realized that I had a flat tire. I had to go back home and load into the Explorer, and leave the car in the driveway with no explanation to Brent. After returning from my appointment My dear sweet husband was in the garage with the car jacked up ready to fix. One more glass of lemonade please! If Brent had been working and this happened to me and I was alone...I don't want to think what would have happened. He also was able to go and get my perscription and J.B. got his behavior reward! This allowed me some much needed rest and quiet time to heal.
Can you turn your lemons into lemonade today? I sure can!

#3 Lemonade-Reproducing

Dawson Trautman once wrote: "Activity is no substitute for productivity, and productivity is no substitute for reproduction."

I believe in reproducing good strong character qualities in our children, and it is hard work with low monetary pay, but the eternal reward is going to be rich beyond compare! The problem is many American families are not willing to slow down their life to take the necessary time it takes to invest in the one thing that brings true richness: our own children.

The best teacher a child will ever have is their mom and dad.

How are you reproducing?

#2 Lemonade making 101

I believe that God never brings us to something unless it has gone through His permissive will, and everyday I submit myself to what he has in mind for me and each day He surprises me.

I felt after my step Celebrate Recovery study group closed up in May that God was calling me into a time of introspection and to begin writing, but I never knew how that would be accomplished.
Now, as I wait on Him daily for my physical strength, I am begining to see His plan unfold. The number 3 is a theme in my recovery, and it began that way 3 years ago when I got sober, got in a car accident and began my emotional healing process. Now, 3 years later, 3 things are converging once again: my unexplained chronic health problems, my son's emotional and behavioral struggles and my husband's sudden job loss. Although from the outside someone may look at this situation and wonder "why?", and I have been one of those people, but I am at peace in the midst of the storm.
It truly is well with my soul whem my body's pain levels are at a 10 and I have come to the end of my rope, God says: "My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in your weakness." And when I wake up in the middle of the night with a person on my mind to pray for and I know full well I have a very busy 11 hour workday ahead of me and all I want to do is to get a full nights rest, but I get up and journal and pray, I know that "They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength, they will mount on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint"! God has come through for me when there seems to be no way-like the old hymn says :"He will make a way..."

These are God's fingers and I have the mind and the mouth of Christ for whoever has ears, let him hear and know that God WILL work all things for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purposes. So you may ask yourself, How does this pertain to my life? It's great for you Carrie, but you gotta understand... I do, and Ive asked God to do things in me and through me that He couldn't do because I was still holding tightly to the things that were holding back His power. He alone can make my lemons into Lemonade if I choose to give them to Him.

#1 Lemonade "How I chose the name Lemonade"

Simply stated:
In life, no matter our race, financial situation, sex, creed, political party or the color of our hair, we are all at one time or another thrown a lemon. This life's lemons may come in many forms like: illness, financial problems, relationship problems, addiction, trauma, but take it from me, a lemon catcher and lemonade conessuer, you can turn lemons into lemonade!

When I was a kindergartener, the first book that I brought home was one called: "How to turn lemons into lemonade" Although I believe that this book was more of an enterepreneual book, the story of "Little business-oriented Carrie" looking for a way to make life a little sweeter sticks with me to this day. So it is, with both the sour and the sweet of life, I embark on a new journey. Lemonade