In My Weakness He is Strong

This is a phrase that is used often when talking about the Lord holding us when we are weak and can't seem to go any further. I have had many times that this was the case. I felt like I had went as far as I could go and the Lord would then hold me and sustain me and even show me more than I thought I ever could see and do. In our marriages that same phrase should apply.

I have heard and even laughed at people that hit the age of 40 and hit a depressed state of mind. I really didn't understand that feeling that they were going through. Well yesterday was full of so many events, one being my 40th birthday. Now I can understand. I have never felt a rush of emotions like I did yesterday. I turned 40, my neice had surgery, my nephew's wedding anniversary, my children's last day of summer, husband had to work until late, strategic planning meeting at work, and the list goes on. It all hit on a day that I really just wanted to forget.

Now you are asking what does this have to do with "in my weakness, he is strong"? My sweet husband understood before I even understood what was going on. He had already picked up on my emotions before I finally lost it at 5:30p.m. on the phone with him. He had already set words, actions and alerts in place to comfort me when I needed it. He had the words to say to me when I needed to hear them, he directed our children on how to respond to me, he let me know that he would rather be home with me than anywhere else at that moment, he even didn't make me feel like I was crazy for feeling that way. But I think the stong part was when he started suggesting things to me. He had already started seeing signs of this coming before my actual birthday. He had already started developing a plan to show me for my life and future. He had suggestions, words of affirmation and comfort. He told me what I am good at , he told me where he thought I would shine and he also corrected me in areas that needed corrected but in a loving way.

You see, I really don't think this has to do with the 40th birthday as much but I think that the 40th birthday often times hits in people lives when so much is changing. Your body, your children, your lives. I think it is a point in most people's lives that so much change is happening and we just don't know what to do with it. We start thinking about how we lived our lives up to this point, how we raised our children, the regrets, the joys, next 40 years... the unknown. This is almost like a major check point all coming together at one time.

We need to be ready for when our spouse goes through this time. We need to be an encouragement for them. Be ready. Have words ready to say to them. Have examples to give for encouragement. When my loving husband spoke these words to me, I know that is not his strength. He is a man of few words but I know that he was the strong one and I was the weaker vessel at the moment. There is going to come a time in his life that I need to be that person. I need to prepare myself and begin to think of ways that I can encourage and hold up my husband when he is weak.

I am now officially in the 40+ club. Now I am looking for a how to manual to survive. :)