Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family

Have you ever felt like your world was going up in smoke?  Listen in as we explain this dramatic story of our car fire, where no injuries occurred or lives lost, but the disaster was complete.  Though the loss was great, God’s faithfulness and providence was even greater. We felt it was not a coincidence that this happened during the season of Lent because we are able to see the themes of fasting through detachment from goods, mercy that was shown to us, and the prayer that protected us and our children. No matter how Satan plans our demise, God can always have the victory.

Video and article: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/video-lent-and-how-we-narrowly-escaped-a-car-fire-aleteia/

Join our newsletter (don’t miss out): https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/join/

Cana 90 meditations: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/tag/cana90/

Have you ever felt like your world was going up in smoke? Listen in as we explain this dramatic story of our car fire, where no injuries occurred or lives lost, but the disaster was complete. Though the loss was great, God's faithfulness and providence was even greater. We felt it was not a coincidence that this happened during the season of Lent because we are able to see the themes of fasting through detachment from goods, mercy that was shown to us, and the prayer that protected us and our children. No matter how Satan plans our demise, God can always have the victory.

Video and article: https://messyfamilyproject.org/resources/video-lent-and-how-we-narrowly-escaped-a-car-fire-aleteia

Join our newsletter (don't miss out): https://messyfamilyproject.org/contact/subscribe

Cana 90 meditations: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/tag/cana90/

"The world offers you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness." ~ Pope Benedict XVI

Men today can't do anything right. The world has taken the idea of masculinity and distorted it to the point that it is barely recognizable from the ideal man celebrated one hundred years ago. As dynamic Catholics living in this time, we want to celebrate men and encourage them to reclaim their true identity and realize who God created them to be - fully using their gifts and masculine qualities to serve others. In this podcast, we use the apostolic letter "Into the Breach" written by Bishop Olmsted of Phoenix, AZ to put forward and answer three questions - What does it mean to be a Catholic man? How do men love? And why is fatherhood so crucial?

Referenced in this episode:

The Apostolic Exhortation: Into the Breach

Wild at Heart:

Abba's Heart:

Check out past posts for Cana 90

We have a very exciting program to share with you all in this podcast that we are doing for Lent. We know that we want to bring our wills and our hearts closer to God, but how do we make sacrifices and offer up our wills as a married couple? What do sacrifices in Lent look like when you are raising children and are already laying down your life and your body for them? Our beautiful faith provides the answer for us. Offer up our prayers and fasting to subdue our wills and then show mercy first to those closest to us, our spouse and children. Allow all the “built in” sacrifices that we do NOT choose during the day to become an offering pleasing to God. Do it all under the authority of your spouse, who you also have authority over. Listen to this podcast and sign up for more ideas, structure, and accountability in Cana 90!

Sign up for the Cana 90 program: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/cana90/

"Prayer knocks at the door, fasting obtains, mercy receives." ~St. Peter Chrysologus

We have a very exciting program to share with you all in this podcast that we are doing for Lent. We know that we want to bring our wills and our hearts closer to God, but how do we make sacrifices and offer up our wills as a married couple? What do sacrifices in Lent look like when you are raising children and are already laying down your life and your body for them? Our beautiful faith provides the answer for us. Offer up our prayers and fasting to subdue our wills and then show mercy first to those closest to us, our spouse and children. Allow all the "built in" sacrifices that we do NOT choose during the day to become an offering pleasing to God. Do it all under the authority of your spouse, who you also have authority over. Listen to this podcast and sign up for more ideas, structure, and accountability in Cana 90!

Sign up for the Cana 90 program: https://messyfamilyproject.org/cana90

You’re invited to join us in Denver Sunday, May 13th 2:00-3:00 pm at Good Shepherd Parish Center.

Our talk will be on Parenting, Your Path to Holiness, followed by Q&A and some social time. We would love to get a chance to hang-out and meet you. All are welcome!

Good Shepherd Catholic Church

2626 E 7th Ave Pkwy

Denver, CO 80206

Very frequently people will email or write to us asking for our organization secrets, tips, or techniques. Our secret is.. We don’t really have one. We do have principles and a philosophy that we live by, but the perfect system of organization for our home still eludes us. But, what we can give you is an overall view of how we make decisions and communicate with our children on making our home run so children are clothed, fed, and get where they need to go (for the most part!). Doing chores and managing schedules takes up much of our time as a family, but in the context of family culture, that is actually not the most important part of your family. Family operations needs to be seen in the context of your WHOLE family life and parents need to make sure the rest of the family culture is not neglected because so much energy is spent on our physical needs. Listen to the podcast, and then take a look as some of the resources that go with this podcast on our website. We have more practical tips there!

For resources, family organization app and cool products we use visit us: https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/mfp-106-family-operations/

"Wash the cup not because it is dirty, or because you are told to, but because you love the person who will use it after you ~St. Teresa of Calcutta

Very frequently people will email or write to us asking for our organization secrets, tips, or techniques. Our secret is.. We don't really have one. We do have principles and a philosophy that we live by, but the perfect system of organization for our home still eludes us. But, what we can give you is an overall view of how we make decisions and communicate with our children on making our home run so children are clothed, fed, and get where they need to go (for the most part!).

Doing chores and managing schedules takes up much of our time as a family, but in the context of family culture, that is actually not the most important part of your family. Family operations needs to be seen in the context of your WHOLE family life and parents need to make sure the rest of the family culture is not neglected because so much energy is spent on our physical needs. Listen to the podcast, and then take a look as some of the resources that go with this podcast on our website. Also we have more practical tips listed on a blog post (Tips on Chores).

Great Products and Resources: Please use these links as the ministry gets a small commission if you sign up the free app or purchase any of books or products. We love and use these:

• We have just switched over to Cozi for the family chores, calendar, and shopping list. Very impressed so far. Cozi is the #1 family organizing app. Create a free Cozi account and you'll also get the 2018 Summer Planner Printables!
• Alicia loves Norwex for cleaning everything in our house. Norwex - the power to clean without harsh chemicals.

This books was so helpful in our household management - Don Aslett's Make Your House do the Housework

Also we have used this to help keep the Hernon army well fed. Perhaps you should consider Once a Month Cooking

Previous podcasts referenced:

• MP014 - Chores
• MP042 - Family Routine
• MP096 - Building a Family Culture
• MFP103 - Family Board Meeting

“I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.” – Brené Brown

There have been times in our marriage when we felt ourselves drifting apart. Not because of any one catastrophic event, but just because we weren’t working on our relationship. We were just getting by. But in a culture antithetical to marriage, just getting by is not enough. All Catholic couples need to work to cultivate a dynamic, vibrant relationship, strong enough to bear the demands of family life, and weather everything the world will throw at it. The reality is, we are never done working on our marriage. In this podcast we discuss the importance of “checking in” with our spouse to see how we are doing. To do this effectively we need to practice how to listen but also practice being vulnerable. This podcast has a worksheet that you can download at our website and use as a tool to work with your spouse towards a more intentional, unified marriage.

Download our three part guide to a more united marriage at https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/marriage/

Also you will find other items like the parish bulletin insert and how to celebrate and advocate for marriage online.

Its not about the nail video- https://www.messyfamilyproject.org/video-its-not-about-the-nail/

Daring Greatly by Brené Brown (https://amzn.to/2TzTwIV)

"Love is never something ready made, something merely given to man and woman, it is...a task which they are set. Love should be seen as something which never 'is' but is always only 'becoming'..." - St. John Paul II

"I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship." - Brené Brown

There have been times in our marriage when we felt ourselves drifting apart. Not because of any one catastrophic event, but just because we weren't working on our relationship. We were just getting by. But in a culture antithetical to marriage, just "getting by" is not enough. All Catholic couples need to work to cultivate a dynamic, vibrant relationship, strong enough to bear the demands of family life, and weather everything the world will throw at it.

The reality is, we are never done working on our marriage. In this podcast, we discuss the importance of "checking in" with our spouse to see how we are doing. To do this effectively we need to practice how to listen but also practice being vulnerable. This podcast has a worksheet that you can download at our website and use as a tool to work with your spouse towards a more intentional, unified marriage.

Download our three-part guide to a more united marriage at https://messyfamilyproject.org/marriage

Also you will find other items we mentioned like a parish bulletin insert and how to celebrate and advocate for marriage online.

It's not about the nail video- https://messyfamilyproject.org/resources/its-not-about-the-nail

Today we discussed a great book called Daring Greatly by Brené Brown. If you get a copy at Amazon by clicking this link, our ministry gets a small donation. Thanks in advance!