Showing posts with label Marriage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marriage. Show all posts
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Marriage Matters Thursdays!
Marriage is beautiful! I am so thankful for the gift my spouse is to me, and I am thankful for his love, and that our love is grounded in Christ. Yesterday, when a difficult situation arose, I realized just how much I rely on his love and support to uphold me when I am weak. Not only did I feel an outpouring of his love and support, but he was my silent prayer warrior. He was constantly interceding for me, praying that God would give us all the graces we needed to face whatever challenge we were to meet. I am so grateful for my spouse's support, and am again amazed by the beauty of the vocation of marriage!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Marriage Matters Thursdays!
It seems like the last couple of weeks my Thursdays have been busy, but things have finally started slowing down, and so now Marriage Matters Thursdays is returning.
A few weeks ago I said that I was going to start posting reflections on the readings and Mass parts from our Nuptial Mass. So the next part of my series will continue with the first reading from our wedding. The reading we chose from the Old Testament was Genesis 2:18-24. This is probably a common reading at many wedding Masses. Jason and I chose this reading as a reminder of the fact that God created man and woman, and that He created us for companionship. I am so blessed to have been given a loving husband. I am so grateful for his love, guidance and companionship on the journey of life. One of my favorite lines in this reading is "That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife." The word that stands out in this phrase is "cling." Cling is defined as "to hold fast by or as by embracing, entwining, or sticking; adhere" This is an extremely strong word for me, and reminds me that no matter what life throws at us Jason and I have to cling to one another, and help each other walk the road that God has set before us. It is only when we cling to each other, with our hears and minds focused on God, that we are strong. When Jason and I were married we became one in all ways, and we need to remember that whether life is at its highest or lowest point! Sometimes in the chaos of life I forget what a blessing it is to have someone to walk along this path with me. What a blessing I have been given, and I pray that I can daily call upon the graces of the sacrament of marriage and help lead my family to holiness!
A few weeks ago I said that I was going to start posting reflections on the readings and Mass parts from our Nuptial Mass. So the next part of my series will continue with the first reading from our wedding. The reading we chose from the Old Testament was Genesis 2:18-24. This is probably a common reading at many wedding Masses. Jason and I chose this reading as a reminder of the fact that God created man and woman, and that He created us for companionship. I am so blessed to have been given a loving husband. I am so grateful for his love, guidance and companionship on the journey of life. One of my favorite lines in this reading is "That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife." The word that stands out in this phrase is "cling." Cling is defined as "to hold fast by or as by embracing, entwining, or sticking; adhere" This is an extremely strong word for me, and reminds me that no matter what life throws at us Jason and I have to cling to one another, and help each other walk the road that God has set before us. It is only when we cling to each other, with our hears and minds focused on God, that we are strong. When Jason and I were married we became one in all ways, and we need to remember that whether life is at its highest or lowest point! Sometimes in the chaos of life I forget what a blessing it is to have someone to walk along this path with me. What a blessing I have been given, and I pray that I can daily call upon the graces of the sacrament of marriage and help lead my family to holiness!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Marriage Matters Thursdays!
Living Witnesses
In some ways it feels like it has been ages since Jason and I were planning our wedding, and in some ways it feels like it was just yesterday! Wedding planning was such an exciting time for us. It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun, too! One aspect of the wedding planning that we really enjoyed was getting to plan our Nuptial Mass. It was so exciting that we got to choose so many parts of the ceremony. We put a lot of thought into the prayers and readings that we chose, trying to use the ones that really symbolized us and our beliefs about marriage.
Over the next several weeks I will be posting the readings and prayers we used at our wedding, and a reflection about why we chose them. To start things off, let's look at the opening prayer we chose.
In some ways it feels like it has been ages since Jason and I were planning our wedding, and in some ways it feels like it was just yesterday! Wedding planning was such an exciting time for us. It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun, too! One aspect of the wedding planning that we really enjoyed was getting to plan our Nuptial Mass. It was so exciting that we got to choose so many parts of the ceremony. We put a lot of thought into the prayers and readings that we chose, trying to use the ones that really symbolized us and our beliefs about marriage.
Over the next several weeks I will be posting the readings and prayers we used at our wedding, and a reflection about why we chose them. To start things off, let's look at the opening prayer we chose.
Father, when you created mankind you willed that man and wife should be one. Bind Jason and Erin in the loving union of marriage; and make their love fruitful so that they may be living witnesses to your divine love in the world. We ask this through our Lord....
After reflecting on this prayer there is one line that stands out for me: Bind Jason and Erin in the loving union of marriage; and make their love fruitful so that they may be living witnesses to your divine love in the world. To me this line sums up our mission as married couple. As a couple, united through God, we need to proclaim love, God's love, to everyone we meet. How do we do this? We do this by reflecting God's love to each other in our own marriage. The world today needs examples of genuine love. You don't have to look far to see that our world is broken, and that marriage is not valued the way that it should be. The world needs examples of a marriage rooted in God and in unselfish love. We can reflect God's love to each other by the way we interact with each other, and serve each other. We can reflect God's love in the way that we serve our children. Our mission as a married couple is to lead each other, our family, and all we meet to Heaven! This is our vocation, and it is in the way that we love each other that we will become witnesses to the world of God's divine love!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Marriage Matters Thursdays!
Prayer is so important, and so I am going to devote another post to this topic. Last week I discussed the importance of praying for your spouse. Not only must we pray for our spouse, but we must pray WITH our spouse. Once again this is something that I find easier said than done.
Somehow it seemed a lot easier to find the time to pray with each other before the kids came along. Not that we would trade the kids for anything. Now it seems anytime we try to pray together the kids need us, or there is a tiny chorus of crying vying for our attention. It is like they have a radar that alerts them to when mommy and daddy our trying to do something grown-up, and therefore they must intervene and cause disruption. So lately we have learned to pray with the kids. We have learned to pray together amidst the chaos and to pray alongside are children, who through their play and cries, are offering their own prayers to God. Sometimes we pray evening prayer aloud while I fix dinner, sometimes a Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet in the car, and on a rare occasion we are able to pray morning prayer together before the kiddos arise!
However, there is one time that we are committed to where we pray just as a couple. There are no distractions or interruptions, just us. It is a simple routine, but it is our prayer time. Our time to come united as a couple to present our needs and thanksgivings to God. Every night the last thing Jason and I do before we go to sleep is list our intentions, and pray and Our Father and Hail Mary. Although very simple, this is our commitment to each other and to God. I know that we receive many blessings from this time each night!
Somehow it seemed a lot easier to find the time to pray with each other before the kids came along. Not that we would trade the kids for anything. Now it seems anytime we try to pray together the kids need us, or there is a tiny chorus of crying vying for our attention. It is like they have a radar that alerts them to when mommy and daddy our trying to do something grown-up, and therefore they must intervene and cause disruption. So lately we have learned to pray with the kids. We have learned to pray together amidst the chaos and to pray alongside are children, who through their play and cries, are offering their own prayers to God. Sometimes we pray evening prayer aloud while I fix dinner, sometimes a Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet in the car, and on a rare occasion we are able to pray morning prayer together before the kiddos arise!
However, there is one time that we are committed to where we pray just as a couple. There are no distractions or interruptions, just us. It is a simple routine, but it is our prayer time. Our time to come united as a couple to present our needs and thanksgivings to God. Every night the last thing Jason and I do before we go to sleep is list our intentions, and pray and Our Father and Hail Mary. Although very simple, this is our commitment to each other and to God. I know that we receive many blessings from this time each night!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Marriage Matters Thursdays!
Prayer is key in a marriage. This week I would like to share my thoughts on praying for your spouse. Marriage is a vocation. Part of my vocation is to help my husband become a saint, and enter into Heaven. I am Jason's prayer warrior! I am an intercessor for all of his desires and needs. It is my vocation to pray for him throughout the day, while I am attending to our home and children. Below is a list of specific ideas I use to help me pray for Jason. Personally, I find it easier to stay focused on prayer when I am praying for and about specific items.
List of Prayer Ideas
List of Prayer Ideas
- His work
- His fears
- His choices
- His protection
- His trials and temptations
- His relationships with friends, family, and co-workers
- Our marriage
- Our family
- His fatherhood
- His faith
- His strength and perseverance
- His peace of mind
- His health
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Marriage Matters Thursdays!
Jason and I celebrated four years of marriage on May 28. The past four years we have learned many things about each other and the vocation of marriage. We have discovered that marriage is full of great joys, but that there are also many struggles. We have learned that God must be the center of our marriage, and that prayer is essential! We have also come to realize the importance of self-sacrifice and unselfish love.
Back when Jason and I were engaged we talked with a priest who gave us a wonderful piece of advice. He told us that each day, at the end of the day, we should ask ourselves what we did for our spouse that day spiritually, emotionally, and physically. The challenge here is serving your spouse in these ways in the way that they personally need. This means thinking about how your spouse needs to feel loved spiritually, emotionally, and physically and then loving them in that way, even if it is not how you would prefer to show love. Let me share with you an example. I know that all Jason wants when he comes home from a long day at work is a hug and kiss. By greeting him with these things I can make his day and fill him up emotionally and physically. I know that these are the actions that make him feel loved and appreciated. Now what about spiritually. For me this means praying and interceding for Jason throughout the day. I try to offer little prayers throughout the day for God to guide him and sustain him. Now, honestly, I do not always succeed daily at serving Jason spiritually, emotionally and physically, but I do make an effort, and I pray that with God's grace I can learn to love and serve Jason with a more perfect and unselfish love.
I am going to include a list of ideas for how to serve your spouse spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I know for me sometimes it is just helpful to see some concrete examples.
Physical love: Hold hands, cuddle, a kiss, a hug, cook his favorite dinner, pack his lunch, surprise him by completing one of his household tasks (taking out trash, mowing)
Emotional love: Send an email, write a note of appreciation, surprise phone call, quality time together
Spiritual love: Pray and offer sacrifices for one another
Back when Jason and I were engaged we talked with a priest who gave us a wonderful piece of advice. He told us that each day, at the end of the day, we should ask ourselves what we did for our spouse that day spiritually, emotionally, and physically. The challenge here is serving your spouse in these ways in the way that they personally need. This means thinking about how your spouse needs to feel loved spiritually, emotionally, and physically and then loving them in that way, even if it is not how you would prefer to show love. Let me share with you an example. I know that all Jason wants when he comes home from a long day at work is a hug and kiss. By greeting him with these things I can make his day and fill him up emotionally and physically. I know that these are the actions that make him feel loved and appreciated. Now what about spiritually. For me this means praying and interceding for Jason throughout the day. I try to offer little prayers throughout the day for God to guide him and sustain him. Now, honestly, I do not always succeed daily at serving Jason spiritually, emotionally and physically, but I do make an effort, and I pray that with God's grace I can learn to love and serve Jason with a more perfect and unselfish love.
I am going to include a list of ideas for how to serve your spouse spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I know for me sometimes it is just helpful to see some concrete examples.
Physical love: Hold hands, cuddle, a kiss, a hug, cook his favorite dinner, pack his lunch, surprise him by completing one of his household tasks (taking out trash, mowing)
Emotional love: Send an email, write a note of appreciation, surprise phone call, quality time together
Spiritual love: Pray and offer sacrifices for one another
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