My Lemon Experience

Back in 2008, I can a recall a moment in my life that I always refer to. It was an early morning, I cannot remember the day, and I was on my way to work in Hammersmith where I worked as a PA. I was really into lemon tea, and at the time I was doing a liquid fast where I would start my morning off with a cup of hot water and lemon juice. Almost like a ritual, it was something I had to do - almost like breakfast to the ordinary person.

So I walked into the nearest Tesco in search of a lemon.  To my disappointment, the only lemon that I could find was the last one in the basket, which had been squashed to within an inch of its life. Dumbfounded, I asked the nearest shop assistant if there were any lemons, but was forced to accept the negative.

Resigned to the next alternative, I went looking for bottled lemon juice. I don’t care too much for bottled lemon juice. It tasted like washing up liquid to me. Yes…I have tasted washing up liquid – a game of dare when I was about 14 – never again – it left me with a very strange sensation of bubbles in my nasal. Anyway - I had to have my lemon tea and that was the next resort as I had no time to find a fresh lemon from anywhere else. As I looked over the shelves and found what I really didn't want, I said to myself, 'Lord, all I wanted was a lemon'. You can imagine my surprise and shock when, as I reached for the bottle, instead of that, I actually picked up...a fresh lemon. Lovely and yellow and perfect in every way. A fellow shopper standing not too far from me, must have thought I was crazy as I turned to her and simply said ‘Look! A lemon!!’.

 

You may think this account of mine a little unusual, but to me it held much meaning. You see, I had just given my life over to God, decided to walk in the way of a person that believes in Jesus, so I was really into the 'ask and you shall receive' mantra. So for me, this 'lemon experience’ became quite poignant. I would always refer to my Lemon Experience from time to time, when I was in a place where I needed to encourage myself, and remember the small thins of before.

 The reason why I hold this account so dearly to my heart is because it was the smallest thing that I could have asked for - and it was that which I received. I feel that sometimes, people think that God has to move in these amazing waves of lights and fireworks and all manner of miraculous showmanship, and although, that in itself is entirely possible, it was the gentle gesture from God to me to say 'I heard your hearts desire, and I am interested in the very little things that you seek after’.

After that, things in my life seemed to fall into place. I began to pursue my dreams in all areas of my life - in work, career, personal life, friendships – even at times where there seemed to be a delay, the delay was never a denial. I, however went through a season in my life, whereby through my own mistakes and shortcomings and whatever anyone else may want to call it  - stupidity, vulnerability, blindness, things didn’t seem to go so well all of a sudden.  Thrown into what seemed like a wilderness experience, I clutched at the fabrics of the world to see me through. I did want to know about faith living, but I didn’t think I had it in me to follow that road anymore.

Fast forward 3 years without having to divulge too much…I recently had a magnificent vacation to my home country Ghana. There, I made a pact that I would have some kind of Lemon Experience. Having read a book called The Secret – a book based on the Law of Attraction – taken from Proverbs 23:7 - As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. The book talks about knowing want you want, thinking on what you want, and never having doubt about what you want out of life. Whatever you think about is what you attract. Whatever comes your way, is what you put out there, and it comes back to you. Whatever you think about and truly desire is what you get. Well, after having read the book, I was well excited - but there came that little silly voice of doubt. So I decided to fleece – I was going to put the Law of Attraction to the test. I decided to ask for a…lemon. I decided to go back to the beginning and ask God for the smallest thing that I had once desired…a simple yellow lemon. That would simply for me, tie into ‘ask and you shall receive’.  

At home in Ghana, an aunty came to visit, laden with bags full of fruit. A I peered in the bags I saw Paw Paws, Oranges, and Limes. My heart skipped a beat. Limes! Limes?? Do limes count as lemons? They taste similar – the only difference is they are green. In my heart I accepted the limes as being my answer to my simple desire, did a little jig and left it at that. I was grateful that God had heard me and the Law of Attraction was at work.

 

Up in the mountains in a villa in a magnificent place called Aburi in Ghana, I drove up for a two day stay. I met my cousin there, and she was showing me around the grounds as I gazed in awe at the beauty. The landscape, the serenity, the palm trees, the woodland. Utter beauty and nature at its best. You would off course expect my shock when she pointed towards a tree.

 

‘You haven’t seen that yet have you?’ She asked. I peered at the tree that stood from afar. I couldn’t make out the fruits that hung from its branches. As I walked closer I gasped. There I saw the most perfect and amazing… lemon tree! Not just one lemon, but lemons, lemons and lemons in abundance….