Life, Lemons and What-Not

So, the expression goes, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." What happens when life doesn't give you lemons but a swift kick in the gut? What do you make/do then?

I'm not an expert on this, but I do have a few thoughts about what to do and what not to do...

What not to do:

1. confide only in the people who will tell you what you want to hear

2. confide in no one, keep everything deep inside and enjoy the resulting isolation and ulcer

3. quit exercising and eat a lot of comfort food (notice I said "a lot," I highly encourage a little dark chocolate at life's toughest moments)

What to do:

1. get on your knees and tell God everything, ask for help, ask for grace, ask for wisdom

2. find a few of your closest friends and let them know how you're feeling, make sure your friends include those who will tell you the truth and not just what you want to hear

3. be honest with yourself

4. don't react hastily or in anger

The truth is if you have a pulse then you're going to get kicked in the gut every now and then. A cheery disposition and a lemon strainer won't make everything okay, but how you deal with it will say a lot about your faith and integrity.

And a personal note: thank you to the people in my life who refuse to let me brush things under the table and lie to myself about how I'm feeling. And most especially, thank you for pointing me to my knees - only God can truly heal our deepest hurts.