Welcome to December, readers! I hope you have been enjoying this first week of Advent. Don’t forget to check out my Advent post from last year for a few ideas to help you strengthen your marriage and family life while living out Advent in new ways!

Your next marriage challenge…

For this first Sunday in December, I have a new challenge for you all. Advent/ December is a great time to honor and reflect on the Holy Family (stay tuned for another post on Sts. Mary and Joseph soon!). So let’s pray a novena to the Holy Family!

You can do this novena anytime during the month, but if you want to do it in preparation for the Feast of the Holy Family (Sunday the 26th), you should start on Friday the 17th. I love this novena because each day offers a short reflection on something the Holy Family experienced together, from searching for a place for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem, to losing Jesus on the way home from Jerusalem, to Mary standing at the foot of the cross. The Holy Family is the ultimate example of a Christian family, and Sts. Mary and Joseph’s marriage should be the model for all of our marriages.

Last month’s challenge update

I also need to give a quick update on last month’s challenge to tell your spouse each day that you are grateful for them. To be honest, I forgot about this challenge a few times during the month. But I got back on track each time, and I want to continue to be intentional about thanking Chris more often from now on. For the things he does, like emptying the dishwasher or dealing with a diaper situation, but also for the things that he is– hardworking, committed, talented; my teammate, my co-parent, my emotional support system, my husband. 

“It is not happy people who are thankful- it is thankful people who are happy.”

Anonymous

I found the above quote recently, and it really resonated with me. Look for reasons to be grateful for your spouse (some days you may have to look harder than others!), and you will likely find yourself happier in your marriage as a result.