Mr. Amazing
A few weeks ago, my oldest son Hayden began blogging again. After going through a very stressful year, it has been really good to see him writing again. Like me, I think it is natural for him to turn to writing to help him work out his thoughts on paper.
A few days ago he wrote a blog post about his frustration with disappointment and boredom. I was pleasantly surprised today to read on Facebook about an adventure he created downtown. Instead of focusing on his boredom, he got out of the house and created his own amazing situation. Check it out!
Great job Hayden! You are amazing!
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
Reverse Engineering at the HSBA Post
I'm blogging today over at the HSBA Post on New Year's and how to reverse engineer your goals!
2014 Strategic Planning For Dads
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
Homeschooling In Real Life - The Website
I am very excited to announce that Homeschooling In Real Life has found a new home for itself on the web. HomeschoolingIRL.com was publicly launched this evening.
The Podcast And More
After launching our podcast in September with great success, we decided to create an all-in-one location for everything HomeschoolingIRL. As part of the network, the HomeschoolingIRL podcast will continue to be hosted on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network, but this site will provide cohesion for this new venture.
Aside from the podcast, Kendra and I will begin blogging on this new site. We will focus on homeschooling, but you can expect this blog to mimic the podcast. We will be open, transparent, and witty as we blog through the topics most homeschoolers like to avoid. Expect to be encouraged in the gospel and pushed toward living in the freedom that Christ brings.
Pop on over and take a look. Let me know what you think.
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
Doing Math With Mark Driscoll
I saw this on Facebook this morning. Read it slowly. After reading through the 122 comments, it's clear that most people did not read the whole statement and just wanted to attack the messenger. In this case, forget the messenger and focus on the message.
This statement isn't so much about our obedience to God, but about our motivation. We still obey, we still submit, we still honor, but when we do it to "get something from God" it's a form of religion. When we know the love of God, it motivates us to obey. That's the gospel. That's Christianity.
I got this backwards for many years and worse than that taught my kids some crappy math along the way. We never measured up (much like Dolores Umbridge) and entered a vicious cycle of trying harder to achieve.
Don't believe me? Do you think your acceptance is about obedience to God? Do you really believe He will love you more if you obey Him better? Let me encourage you to stop trying so hard to be a better behavior and become a better believer.
Quetly making noise,
Fletch
Noah - The Movie
You know I'm a huge film buff, so I am excited about this new film. Working with the original screenplay from God and his co-writer Moses, Director Darren Aronofsky's new film Noah is ready for release. Starring Russell Crowe, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Connelly and Emma Watson, the film follows the story of Noah from the book of Genesis.
After visions of an apocalyptic deluge, Noah, the world’s only righteous man, is chosen to undertake a divine mission to build a massive ark to save his family and all of creation before the impending rains fall and the flood waters rise. Click here or on the poster to link to the new trailer.
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
The Gospel, Andrew, Tattoos
"Follow me and I will make you fishers of men."
Upon encountering Jesus for the first time, Andrew immediately recognized Him as the messiah. He dropped his nets, his profession, and his livelihood and grabbed his brother Peter to go and follow Jesus.
For three years Andrew listened and learned and travelled with Jesus. He assisted personally with the ministry of Jesus. He was there during private moments of personal instruction. Andrew was involved and committed to the work and mission of the Messiah.
Fast forward to the end of the gospels and the arrest, trial and crucifixion of Jesus. We get a peek into a few of the other disciple's thoughts and actions, but I wonder what Andrew thought when he saw that Christ was arrested, tried and then killed? According to the accounts of Matthew and Mark, we know that when Jesus was arrested, all the disciples fled. We know that his brother Peter hung around in the distance, but I wonder if Andrew hid in fear?
I'm not speculating from scripture, but considering what I would have done in the same situation. If I had followed someone and identified myself with them and their ministry, what would my reaction be to a swift arrest, trial and execution. What was Andrew's response? Did he (and the others) feared they would be next in line for the cross?
I wonder if Andrew ever felt like he had been duped. He gave up everything to follow Jesus and become a "fisher of men" only to end up with his leader being tried and executed as a criminal and blasphemer. Did it (even for a moment) cause him to second guess the previous few years of discipleship?
If so, his questions and doubts were quickly addressed within days as Christ began to make his appearances to the disciples and confirm that He was in fact alive! Then Pentecost and the filling with the Holy Spirit. All the disciples, Andrew included, received supernatural power and spilled out into the streets speaking in the dialects of all the pilgrims who were gathered in Jerusalem for Pentecost.
Church history tells us that Andrew fulfilled his calling. He continued to fish for men throughout the near East and as far north as Russia. His eventual martyrdom took place in Patras, Greece. Legend states that when Andrew was crucified, he was bound on a cross and requested the shape of an X, so as not to find equality with Christ in death.
Some of the relics of Andrew can be found in Patras, including his cross, but several of his relics are located in a cathedral in Amalfi, Italy. We had the opportunity to travel through Italy last month and although I do not subscribe to saint worship, I loved the opportunity to visit Amalfi and visit the tributes to my favorite apostle.
I was not named after the apostle. My parents did not have hidden plans for me to become an evangelist. At my birth I was named after my Italian grandfather: Andrew Carlino. However, my new life with Christ began with a simple invitation to follow Jesus and along the way I have found many people willing to listen to the GREAT NEWS that Jesus offers to us here, now and in the future. Like Andrew's brother Peter, some of those people continue to follow Jesus with me today!
Was it worth getting the tattoo? You bet. I have more discussions about the calling of Andrew and the good news of Jesus because of that tattoo. Here's the bigger question: Will it be worth an X-shaped cross? Pray for me that the answer will always be yes.
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
HSBA Post: Intentional Holidays
I blogged today over at the HSBA Post on being intentional during the holidays. Click over and check it out:
Homeschool Dads: Intentional Holidays
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
Movember
At the beginning of 2013, I received some disturbing results on a few blood tests (thanks Dr. John Beech) that showed my iron was very high. After some yoga, some weightloss and a few blood donations, I was right back to normal.
Throughout all the blood tests and efforts, suddenly my health became important to me.
Last year I had a few friends take part in the Movember movement. So, during the month of November, I will be growing out my moustache to help raise awareness and money for Men's health. Check out my Movember Page and consider donating or even better join my team: MoFletch and help me raise money for a great cause. Let me know if you want to participate and become my MoBro!
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network
Several weeks ago, Kenj was approached about doing a podcast for a new network of homeschool podcasts. The idea was to collect several experienced Christian homeschoolers and create a series of podcasts that discuss topics through the spectrum. Now, for those who struggle to make it to a local or state convention, they can tune into their computer or download a podcast to hear some great content by great speakers.
As she thought about partnering with the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network, she developed the idea of podcasting as a team. After a quick discussion we came up with what we think is a perfect blend of our strengths and skills to create the "Homeschooling in Real Life Podcast" or HomeschoolingIRL.
One more thing on our plate? Not really. Technically, I already knew how to record and edit a podcast. As for content, this just becomes another outlet for us to share what we have seen and experienced after 16 years of homeschooling. You can expect us to be witty and transparent as we pull the veil back on Christian homeschooling and uncover a few sacred cows that are worshipped.
Our first episode/introduction is already up. Follow the link to our HomeschoolingIRL on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network site and you can hear us introduce ourselves. Beginning on October 11th, we will release our podcasts every other Friday night at 8PMPST. You will be able to download from our page or by using our iTunes feed. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Please give us feedback. We'd love to know what you think about the HomeschoolingIRL podcast, both technically and creatively. Any topics you want to see opened and discussed.
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
Classic Repost: Harry Potter meets Homeschooling
Leave it to a Harry Potter movie to point out some glaring weaknesses I have observed in the conservative Christian Homeschooling movement! This post originally appeared in theMangoTimes in December of 2010, but it deserves a 2013 Back to School Repost.
Click the picture of Dolores or follow the link below to the original article!
Harry Potter, Homeschooling and a Pink Professor!
Missing the gospel in our homeschooling.
Enjoy it...again!
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
Blogging at the HSBA Post
I put together a blog post full of advice for new homeschool dads over at the HSBA Post. In this article, I did something fun and asked a few of my favorite homeschool dads to share some of their best advice for dads that are newer to homeschooling.
Hop on over to the HSBA Post and check out what my friends had to say about being a successful homeschooling dad.
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
theMangoTimes - Reevaluating Ourselves
July has been a really crazy month here in Mangoland. I don't need to go into the details here on the blog, but it was another opportunity for our family to navigate through tricky waters and ultimately see the power of the gospel living out in real time.
Here at theMangoTimes, this provided a necessary break for us to stop, breathe deeply and reevaulate what we are doing here online.
The first thing to change was the design of the website. I love hosting on Squarespace. Not only do they provide great customer service, but they have a great platform and provide me with everything I need to make an intelligent website that also looks great. I have wanted to change the way theMangoTimes looks, feels and functions. I wanted something a little cleaner and easier to use. Once again Squarespace provided a clean and easy template to accomplish my goals.
Hopefully the site is cleaner, with solid content and easier to navigate whether you access it online or through a mobile/tablet device. Again, a cool thing of SS is the optimization of your websites on any device.
I also picked through the blog and removed defunct posts and retagged everything for better searching. Basically, it was time to toss a bunch of old stuff out and clean up what was left. I've written for six years and there was a lot that needed to be deleted.
Ultimately, I did this for myself. I cleaned up the site visually and reduced the amount of content my readers have to navigate. But what about my readers? Is theMangoTimes and attractive site? Is it working for you? Do I need to focus my attention on another part of my site? Is there content missing? Items or topics I have failed to address in the blog? Leave a comment or pop me a quick private note and let me know where I can improve my site. Thanks!
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
Beach Rules
I've been living according to this principle for years, but didn't even know it was a rule...
Thanks to Howiesgal for pointing this one out to me!
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
Guest Blogging for Father's Day
I was invited to write a guest blog for The Homeschool Potpourri Online about Father's Day. I share the ONE AND ONLY THING all homeschool dads need to remember. Check it out here: Homeschooling Dads: Don't Miss The Big Lesson.
Earlier this week I gave a nod to Father's Day in a blogpost I wrote at my other regular homeschool writing gig at The Homeschool Post. It was a fun look at lessons that any dad can learn from famous television dads. Here: Father's Day: Top Ten Lessons From TV Dads. Take a look at my take on Howard Cunningham, Andy Taylor, Mike Brady and more.
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
The "Get To" Parent
I wrote a post over at the HSB Post about balancing the roles of parenting when you homeschool. Check it out: The "Get To" Parent.
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
How People Change 2013 - Join Me!
If you have been hanging around theMangoTimes for the past few years, you know how often we like to talk about the gospel and how it centers us from looking for our identity in the "practices" of religion or the traps of the world.
On April 26th and 27th I will be attending the "How People Change 2013" in Modesto, CA. Several churches, organizations and individuals are bringing Tim Lane, president of CCEF for a two day conference that focuses on just this topic. Understanding our identity in light of the gospel.
I recommend this conference to ANYONE wanting a deeper understanding of the gospel. If you are struggling in your faith, feeling like it's "hard work," or wondering what it was that woke our family up from "gospel amnesia" then I would love to have you join us for this event.
It is open to individuals, church leadership, so feel free to share this with others. For more details you can click through the photo above to the conference website, or take a look at this video put together by some leaders in our church:
If you have any questions or would like to hang out with me at the conference, let me know!
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
New Perspective
Are you having a tough day? A tough week? A tough month? A tough year? Check out David's story for a new perspective.
I love I Am Second.com and the work they produce. Some videos more than others will grab me in the moment. This week it was David's story that I found particularly good!
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
Easter 2013 Thoughts
To accommodate a recent surge in growth, our church celebrated Easter this year at a large community center that we rented in downtown Modesto. Esthetically, I love worshipping in this building. In a prior life, the building and grounds housed an old multi-bay brick garage where the county vehicles were serviced and maintained. Since then, this large building has been gutted and beautifully renovated for community events, but the old brick walls remain and it maintains a historic look.
The location is perfect too. The building is located in the center of downtown Modesto and sits across the street from the Stanislaus County Jail. What a perfect venue for an Easter celebration.
We sang loudly this morning. We sang about Jesus. The Redeemer. The one whom the Bible declares came to set the prisoners free.
Throughout the entire Easter service, sitting a few hundred feet away from a literal and physical prison, I found it hard not to make the connection. My imagination drifted to what it would look like if someone walked in to the county jail and unlocked the prison doors to let each of the prisoners free.
Prisoners would run out, right? They would run from their cells as quick as they could, right? That is what our Easter celebration was about this morning. Easter is about celebrating Jesus and the freedom He brings us from sin and bondage.
Yet I am baffled by those who choose to remain in prison. Although freedom is offered, they refuse. I am baffled by others, who accept the gift of freedom only to return to a new prison cell that they create out of their own religious behavior and morality, they've exchanged one prison for another.
If we are free, we are free indeed. Free to follow Jesus and serve Him, because of His work on our behalf. It reminds me of the line in the hymn, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing: "Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee."
The goodness of God. The love of the Redeemer. It draws us out of our prisons of sin and religion into loving obedience to our savior.
Happy Easter.
Quietly making noise,
Fletch
Good Friday 2013 - It is Finished
It Is Finished
“So, by all means work! But the hard work is not what you think it is—your personal improvement and moral progress. The hard work is washing your hands of you and resting in Christ’s finished work for you—which will inevitably produce personal improvement and moral progress. Progress in obedience happens when our hearts realize that God’s love for us does not depend on our progress in obedience. Martin Luther’s got a point: “It is not imitation that makes sons; it is sonship that makes imitators.”
The real question, then, is: What are you going to do now that you don’t have to do anything? What will your life look like lived under the banner which reads “It is finished?”
Blogging at The Post - Homeschool Tax Day
I just put up a new blog post over at the HSB Post. In my article I ponder what we would discover if we had a "Homeschool Tax Day" or what I describe as an annual accounting of our homeschool efforts.
What would your "Homeschool Accounting" indicate? Would you owe? Would you be getting a return? I take a fun look at evaluating your child's education. Check it out and leave me a comment!
Quietly making noise,
Fletch