Being Intentional

        Today is our 38th Wedding Anniversary!  When we got married 38 years ago, I did so with the intent to stay married until death do us part.  I didn't realize then that unless we bring new life into each day through the Spirit of Love, we do die even though we still breathe, and we do part, even though we remain together.  Thank you, Holy Spirit, the giver of life, for flaming the embers of love in our heart, to bring us to live anew each day on fire with the love of God.

        The biggest change in me that reaped the biggest reward in my vocation as a wife was when I began each day being intentional about being the best wife that I could be with the help of Jesus and His Blessed Mother.  I pray each morning for the grace to have pure intentions in all that I think, say, and do, motivated solely for the purpose of giving glory to God, our Father and creator.  By my being faithful to my promise to love and honor my husband until death do us part, I glorify God.  I end my morning prayer by asking Jesus to help me to remember to do everything with Him and not just for Him, so my work each day will be a worthy offering to God. 

        Jesus is the only one who could die for our sins as He is the perfect sacrifice. When I try to do things without Him, which happens all of the time, I feel stressed to get done what I think needs to be done.  When I make a conscious effort before each task to call upon the Holy Spirit as my advocate and counselor, everything seems to go much smoother and I feel that I am about our Father's business alongside Jesus.  With Jesus, it is a perfect sacrifice, done with and for love. 

         There is a Christian Family Life radio station that I came across since recently moving that does a great job of promoting intentional living.  It really made all the difference for me many years ago when I read a book about waking up each morning with the intent to honor your spouse throughtout the entire day.  This intention became mine and it did not hinge on whether my spouse deserved to be honored or not, or whether he was honoring me.  The knowledge of the Holy Spirit that God honors me and loves me faithfully each day, became enough for me.  I felt joy in that inspiration and that joy captured my husband too.  It started slowly to change everything, and the planting of our life as one started to sprout new green leaves.

        Each day is a gift from God to celebrate life and love.  Let's all celebrate today by being intentional about it!
 
        "Make love your aim, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts" (1 Corinthians 14:1)

        "Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude.  Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never ends;"  (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)