Making Lemonade

Instead of participating in a “Walk Out” this past week, the students at Arbor Preparatory High School, in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, chose to remember the 17 lives that were lost in the Florida shooting in a “Walk Up.”  As an encouragement, each student was given 17 sticky notes, with 14 to be written to fellow students and 3 to be written to adults.  The notes were then stuck on lockers or given to the recipient.  By the end of the day, every locker had notes attached.  From the custodians to the administrators, every person received a note of encouragement.

My cousin and her husband were 6 months into a pregnancy with identical twin girls when on March 9, 2017, they lost baby Esther Colleen to a stroke, brain issues, growth restriction, and poor blood flow.  In reaching out to family and friends, Katy Anne expressed, “Esther gave of herself.  We are still hopeful, but our hope lies in Heaven.  Though our sadness and pain are great, the joy and hope are greater.  It is not easy.  It is not understandable.  We will always wish she were here with us.  But we are still thankful for the Lord’s grace and favor with blessing us with Julianne Elizabeth and in keeping Esther Colleen safe in his hands until we meet again.”  Then, in honor of her life, Katy Anne and Jonathan asked friends and family to do acts of kindness and sacrifice on March 9.  People responded in amazing ways as they also wrote notes or told the recipients why they were expressing their kindness.  They paid for people’s dinner, took donuts to the police department, made and took sandwiches to share with the homeless,  took treats to the front office people at their daughter’s school, treated people to a free ice cream, gave four customers at a custard shop $5.00 to help pay for their dessert, and the workers at the Texas Roadhouse where Katy Anne works baked and took bread and a note to Chili’s and also bought a cake for the staff and sent a lot of love and prayers their way.  I love how Katy Anne and Jonathan, even in their sadness, chose to honor Esther Colleen by encouraging others to bless people with random acts of kindness in her memory. 

On the news this week, a story was featured about a police officer who pulled a lady over because he noticed that the two children in her car were not riding in the proper type of booster seats to help them ride safely.  The woman told the officer that even though she knew the kids needed the seats, she could not afford them.  Instead of writing the young mother a ticket, the officer gave her an escort to the store and purchased the car seats for her children. 

In junior highs and high schools across the country, it’s not unusual to find a student or two eating alone.  Denis Estimon, a student at Boca Raton High School, in Florida, remembers that feeling well.  As a first grade Haitian immigrant, he felt left out, especially at lunch.  Although Denis is now one of the most popular kids on campus, he has never forgotten that feeling of aloneness.  Knowing he could help with the situation, Denis and some of his friends started a club at their high school called “We Dine Together.”  The members of the club make it a point to go into the courtyard during their lunch period to make sure people have someone to visit with.  Because of the club, newcomers feel welcome and friendships are being formed.  Other students are also taking the lead to talk and visit with their peers.  Denis Estimon has graduated high school, but his club lives on.  This year he is traveling to over 100 high schools to teach students how to set up clubs in their school so that every student can feel accepted and valued.

Life sometimes gives us lemons.  We have a choice of what we will do and how we will respond.  This week, whether it’s for yourself or for you to share with others, may the lemonade you make be extra sweet.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

1 Timothy 4:12

Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Luke 6:31

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9