“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.” (Proverbs 31:26, ESV)

I can be such a horrible creature some days; no wisdom or kindness leaves my tongue. Today was a some day.

Now, my children would tell you that I have a slight hormonal problem. It seems that God has a sense of humor and perfected the timing that just when our children are becoming more independent, and our careers and lives take on new exciting forms, that our bodies suddenly decide to go into a fit of craziness transforming us into rather ugly versions of ourselves.

Hair appears in places that it shouldn’t.

Skin can now be pulled in all kinds of directions. Our children and grandchildren use our loose flesh as substitute silly putty when bored.

We wake up in a pool of sweat in the middle of the night even though we sleep almost nude, with no blankets and the windows wide open, (forcing our poor husband to wear thermals and hide under three quilts).

I say hide because that’s what our whole family does now. They hide. From us.

Ladies, by far our off-kilter, short-tempered attitudes are the worst part of what we go through during perimenopause...or menopause...or whatever pause you’re in!

I pray. I read the Word. I feel his peace—and then I get out of bed. All bets are off.

Which makes me crazy. I want to be a Proverbs 31 woman. I want the fruit of the Spirit to be sweet but instead the only ‘fruit’ I produce resembles the fuzzy, goopy Christmas orange I found in the bottom of the fridge in July. What am I to do?

Well, I take herbs. And I absolutely cling to the Word and pray, a lot. I pray almost constantly. Not wonderful, wordy prayers. No, nowadays my prayers come off more like quick confessions followed by ‘God help me!’