Today is my 10th wedding anniversary and I'm very thankful to God for my beautiful wife Mary.

Our Wedding at St. Mary of the Assumption in Lake Leelanau, Michigan

When I started thinking back to the many different milestones and adventures along the way, I couldn't believe it. It seemed impossible that everything happened in that amount of time. However, I also started thinking about what more I can do as a Husband and Father, or should I say NEED to do. And then it hit me.

While 10 years seems like a long time, it's nothing compared to eternity. My number one job on this earth is to love God, my wife, and children. If I do that with all my heart, strength, and courage I will have succeeded in my marriage and in leading them to Heaven.

I have a prayer that I want to share. This prayer asks for the intercession of St. Paul of the Cross, whose feast day we celebrate today. I also pray it regularly with my other daily prayers.

St. Paul of the Cross

O glorious Saint Paul of the Cross, who, by meditating on the Passion of Jesus Christ, didst attain to so high a degree of holiness on earth and of happiness in Heaven, and, by preaching the same Passion, didst offer anew to the world the most certain cure for all its ills, obtain for us the grace to keep it ever deeply engraved in our hearts, that so we may be able to reap the same fruits both in time and in eternity. Amen.

Happy Anniversary to my beautiful wife and I pray each day for the strength and courage to be the best husband and father I can be.

Photo of St. Paul of the Cross is from A Catholic Child's Illustrated Lives of the Saints by L.E. McCullough.

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Not many say it better (or call out our church leaders better) than Michael Voris.

I had shared a link earlier on Facebook and Twitter called Tactics of the Homosexual Movement which is well worth the read and kind of goes hand and hand with what Voris says in his video above.

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I was looking around for some prayers for wives, etc. and found one in here A Catholic Prayer Book by John F. Kippley that I liked. It's a great collection of prayers and this prayer will be another addition to my Daily Prayers page.

Prayer for My Wife

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the gift of (your wife's name). Help me always to see her as a gift from You to me. Help me to be the good husband and father You want me to be. Father, please help my wife to be the good woman You want her to be. Help her to grow in all the virtues she needs as wife, mother, and homemaker. Help her to be the real heart of our family, and help her to accept the leadership that You have entrusted to my care. Help us to be good parents and to grow ever closer as we grow old together. I ask this in the name of Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Just wanted to share a quick note about this talk I listened to. It's call "Manager of His Home" and it's by Steve Maxwell of www.titus2.com. It's packed with scripture references and insight specifically for homeschooling dads and their homes. If you get a chance, I highly recommend it! Mr. Maxwell really dives into the husband as the head of the home and family and helps point you in the right direction to raising and teaching your kids and strengthening your relationship with your wife in the process. I've only listened to disc one so far, but am looking forward to part 2.

For more info, you can visit www.titus2.com. We discovered the site from my sister-in-law (who I borrowed the talk from as well) as they feature products for helping you organize and schedule your home and homeschool. Homeschooling is a very difficult endeavor, but the rewards are countless. If you're thinking about it or have any questions, drop me an email at jeremy@goodsaints.com.

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Mary brought me a flyer from our parish about something called e5 Men. After looking at it, I remember reading something about it before, but this time it really struck me that I have to do something! So I am joining many other husbands and offering a day of fasting for our wives. Once reading the site I stumbled upon joining the e5 Special Forces which is fasting more than one day per month for other women in your lives. Needless to say that's all I needed. Here's a summary of e5...

The e5 Man fasts for his bride to imitate Jesus as described by Saint Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 5 (for which e5 is named). Fasting is eating only bread and water.

Jesus made a bodily sacrifice on the cross for His Bride the Church to present her to God the Father "without spot or wrinkle." (Eph 5:27) By fasting for our earthly bride and joining our sufferings to Christ's we intercede for grace for our brides. At the same time our act of bodily love in union with Christ accelerates our own conversion.

By making this sacrifice for the women in our lives we live out the essence of the gospel through a very particular act of self denial. To lay down one's body out of love for another is the central message of the gospel.

Join me on this journey! Visit e5men.org for more info.

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