The Simplicity of Summertime

Hello beautiful people of God!

Ansleigh here and I hope that you have survived “May-Cember”. Around here, we have been busy with sacramental celebrations, graduations (Congrats to Jen’s youngest, Aimee!) and travels. Our team has been feeling the pull of busyness, and yet we are trying to keep our eyes fixed on the Lord.

Around the Munn house, Brady and I have been giving some thought on summer schedules, rhythms and the routines we would like to anchor these slower months. We have decided to rely on the simplicity of routines that are already working, rather than adding something completely new.

Family Meals around the Table

Brady and I agree that on nights we sit around the table together for dinner; we feel more connected and settled. Now, my kids are two and four and there are often spilled drinks, protests about the menu and elaborate stories shared. Our table is messy and often times loud, and yet we want to be sure we do not dismiss this practice. I was particularly inspired to recommit to family meals after my team’s conversation with Dr. Holly Taylor Coolman, professor, theologian, author, and speaker.  

Dr. Coolman is the Director of a new ministry called Come to the Table. We’ve linked her website below! Her website contains all the resources you need to help your family embrace or maybe “reintroduce” this simple and impactful family practice!

“Maybe what we need most is a shift in perspective. The important part is our family, together, focusing on each other. It is okay not to be able to do everything the way you wish you could.”

 Come to the Table Website

Reading our Children the Bible

My son, Damien, has no shortage of questions when it comes to bible stories, and reading from The Story of All Stories has been an immeasurable source of joy for us all! The stories are short, the illustrations are capturing, and even my two year old is sitting down to listen. Reading bible stories has been fruitful for the entire family and as much as I desire our reading time to be a vision of us curled up in bed, we have recently had to accept that flexibility is key!  We have read to our kids while finishing their bath time, in their swimsuits outside, on the swing, and even on a car ride home. It can be hard for me, personally, to pivot when I have a vision in mind, but I’ve come to understand that it is unrealistic to expect perfection.

Keeping this fruitful practice is the goal so I am keeping myself open to new ways of getting it done!  

We typically end our weekly meetings by saying “Has to be Jesus, Can’t be us!”, but Jennifer recently came across a quote by St. Therese that captures our intention more eloquently, “To us the work and to Jesus the Success”.

We are so thankful to our Lord, for the work that we do and for all of you!  We pray that you all have a simply, beautiful summer!

Ansleigh Munn

Project Coordinator, The Dominus Project

Questions for Your Reflection:

How often does your family sit around the table to eat together?

How can you incorporate scripture in your family life?

What is one SIMPLE routine that brings a lot of life into your family?

INTRODUCING !!!

The Dominus Project’s Monday Minute

The Dominus Project’’s Monday Minute is our newest weekly Social Media venture. Every week Ansleigh, Brian or Jennifer will offer you a short bit of motivation, meditation, or maybe even a tidbit on parenting.  Of course, we are not experts, but simply parents inspired by our real-life experience, fellow parents who desire their children to be SAINTS!

Click on one of the links below and check it out!!

Kids ask Theologians Questions

“Kids Ask Theologians Questions!” is our newest series and it is meant to be fun AND informative, giving our littlest Catholics the space to ask their biggest questions.  We have all had the experience of a child’s question that leaves us scratching our heads! They really do ask the darn-dest things, right? Well, we are here to help. We have recruited our FranU Theologians to offer answers that will satisfy a child’s naturally curious hearts.  

Submit their questions!!!

If your child has a question that he or she would like answered, we would love to showcase it in our series.  Email us at  thedominusproject@franu.edu. and we will be in touch!  

Dr. Matthew Breuninger:

Managing Emotions, Our Children’s and Ours!

Friday, August 21st!

A Back to School Night for Parents

Join The Dominus Project for an evening of nourishment, community, and expert guidance as we prepare for the upcoming school year. We are thrilled to host Dr. Matthew Breuninger, clinical psychologist and assistant professor at Franciscan University of Steubenville. We have been following Dr. Breuninger for a while and after watching his impactful message at Seek 27, we knew we had to bring his insights and guidance to our families in Baton Rouge (link below)!

Dr. Breuninger is renowned for his wit, intelligence, and deep expertise in relationships and he will guide us through a topic that is important for every family. Managing Emotions: Our Childrens and Our Own.

SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE!

As we plan our next event featuring Dr. Matthew Breuninger, we want to invite your school or organization to partner with us as an official event sponsor.

By sponsoring this event, you will not only gain valuable visibility among local families but will also directly support an initiative that strengthens the households in our community. We offer several tiers of sponsorship, including logo placement on our promotional materials, program recognition, and complimentary coupons for your organization’s families.

Email thedominusproject@franu.edu to see how we can partner together for this impactful evening!

Buy Your Ticket Here!

Join Our Mission: Spiritual and Financial Discipleship

The Dominus Project is run by Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, a non-profit, small-but-mighty Catholic university in Baton Rouge. We care about the community. We care about families in our land. We would love for you to join our mission by praying and sacrificing for us and by asking the Lord if He might want you to contribute financially to us. We also want to pray for you! We have a team holy hour and Mass every week for our Dominus family, so let us know whom and what we can offer up.

How can we pray for you?

Support us on GiveSmart