For Colby;)

I am going to try to restate what my husband tells me when I am pregnant.

Before I do that, I need to let you know that my first months of pregnancy are usually unpleasant.  Pretty tough nausea.  Nothing a whole bunch of mothers don't experience.  Easier than some.  Sometimes worse than others.

When I am down, beat down by, say 14 or 15 weeks of feeling nauseated (17 is my record), I start to whine, sometimes incessantly, and my dear husband knows that I need encouragement.  So, he digs down deep, and gives me riches of wisdom.  It totally helps, so I'm sharing it here, since my friend asked me to:

When you are weak, then you are strong.  

This is your hour of glory.  

Use it!  (Don't waste it).   Remember--your suffering is powerful.  Give it to God, and He will use it for the good.

When you feel good, when you're in times of "consolation", that is a gift.  It is a blessing to be grateful for, but the times of suffering are the hours of glory.  This is when we are like Christ, following in our Master's steps, which lead to Calvary.  Was it Mother Teresa who said that when you get really close to  Jesus, you are close enough to feel His Cross?

There is no Easter Sunday without Good Friday.

 …I guess that's about all I've got.  I probably haven't tried to post this before because it's sort of difficult for me to put into writing, but I'll throw it out there, even if it isn't in a particularly eloquent form.

And if that doesn't hit the spot in your hour of need, then try this:
find an image of the Divine Mercy as given to St. Faustina, and gaze upon Jesus and pray "Jesus, I trust in You".  

I usually have to add "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief" as well, since I know I need to learn to trust and grow in trust.  But I want to trust, and if I do trust, then somehow, I can go on.  His grace is sufficient.

Pax Tecum