Holy in Marriage

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Begin with a blessing for your marriage.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Both of you should pray together:

Lord Jesus, today we thank you for the gift of our marriage. You took on human form and lived among us in a simple but holy and sacred family. We now ask that you dwell in our family, and that our marriage becomes our ministry, a model of prayer, love and obedience to your Father's will. By your grace, make our marriage holy and make it rich with your gifts. We specially ask for the intercession of Saint Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary, for their prayers and example. Help us love our vocation. We ask this in your name Jesus. Amen.

How to keep your marriage journey fresh?

This is a good question, for which I hope many of you will share your opinions and suggestions.

esandstad@cdlex.org

6 Guidelines for Interactive Journaling:

Since your vocation to marriage is a journey together, the best way to share the feelings and thoughts about that journey is through keeping a journal. This is how it works:

1. Keep the journal in a consistent location.
2. Date each entry.
3. Structure each entry as a letter to reinforce that the message is written from you or to you.
4. Remember your spouses feelings. I keep my husbands photo at the desk where I write.
5. Read each letter with an open and prayerful mind.
6. Frequently acknowledge your partner for the time, love, and thoughts that go into the journal.

Writing daily letters to your spouse in the form of journaling has blessed many couples with the opportunity to share things they ordinarily do not express. Thoughts of how you feel about his/her support, and parenting skills, and the gratitude you have for him/her would be lost if you not pause to take the time to write them. Spending a few minutes writing a brief letter to the man/woman God has blessed you with gives them the daily gift of your feelings for him/her. It's a wonderful bonus to receive a daily note from him/her in return. What woman wouldn't want to read, "Sorry I didn't have a chance to write this morning before I left. I just can't go to bed without writing down how filled with love I was when I looked across the table tonight and you were encouraging our boys with that beautiful smile. Sleep tonight knowing you are treasured."

Pray, Trust and Do