026 Life is Good

Life is Good. It is a popular brand of clothing, a book, a quote, and for many people it’s quite simply a way of life. I’ll be the first to admit that some optimists can be annoying. They can seem overbearing with their chronic sunshine personality. You might even think they are being fake or ignoring reality. Bert Jacobs, founder of the Life is Good company and author of the book by the same name says this, “Optimists are able to view rejection as an opportunity to adjust and improve, embracing the chance to learn, grow and try again.” Like I said, they can be annoying.

On this episode of theMangoTimes podcast, grab your favorite cup of coffee and join Fletch and a few special guests as they dive a little deeper into his Fletchifesto and look at why he believes Life is Good. I promise it won’t be annoying.

LINKS:
The Fletchifesto
God Walk: Walking at the Speed of your Soul by Mark Buchanan

Music used in this episode:
Breath In, Breath Out, Move On - by Jimmy Buffett (BUY IT HERE)
Look for the Good - by Jason Mraz- (BUY IT HERE)
Quietly Making Noise - by Jimmy Buffett (BUY IT HERE)

025 Discover: Walking

How does walking help you discover the glory of God? In his book, God Walk, Mark Buchanan says: “We often act as if faith is only about the mind. But what about our bodies? What does our physical being have to do with our spiritual life? When the Bible exhorts us to walk in the light, or walk by faith, or walk in truth, it means these things literally as much as figuratively. The Christian faith always involves walking out, as again and again we find the holy in the ordinary.”

On this episode of theMangoTimes podcast, we dive into the simple practice of taking a walk and how that can be more than a means of transportation. What does it mean to saunter? What does it look like to slow down and consider the practice of contemplation. Listen along as Fletch invites guests from literature and real life to help us how to discover the glory of God in walking.

Grab your favorite pair of walking shoes and join us for this fun discussion.

LINKS:
God Walk by Mark Buchanan
Struggling for Purpose podcast with John Wilkerson

Music used in this episode:
Walk of Life - by Dire Straits (BUY IT HERE)
I Walk the Line - Johnny Cash (BUY IT HERE)
Walking on the Moon - The Police (BUY IT HERE)
Walk on the Wildside - Lou Reed (BUY IT HERE)
Walk This Way - RUN DMC/Aerosmith (BUY IT HERE)
Baby Elephant Walk - Henry Mancini (BUY IT HERE)

024 Open Mind - Open Heart

What does it look like when we are actively curious about others? What would change if we chose to stop and understand why someone believes what they believe and thinks what they think? How would that change our perspective and improve our relationships? On this episode of theMangoTimes Podcast, Fletch dives into another point on the Fletchifesto and shares what it means to him to live with an open mind and an open heart to people around him.

Have you ever worried that accepting someone and their beliefs is a failure to maintain your own beliefs? Have you been warned to hold your own ground, so that you aren’t swayed or convinced by others? Are the stakes too high that you will stop loving your favorite sports team, political party or church affiliation? Probably not, but wouldn’t life be more colorful and fulfilling to learn and grow along the way. Listen along as Fletch encourages you to move beyond the easy conversations with those you love and challenges you to listen and learn from those you disagree with.

Grab you own favorite cup of coffee, load up your pipe and join in for this fun discussion.

SHOW NOTES:
Jesus & John Wayne by Kristen DuMez
Open Your Mind and Heart to New People

Music used in this episode:
None

023 Discover: Coffee Roasting

On this episode, we continue our series called “Discover” where we dig deep and ask ourselves where we find the glory of God in the world around us.

Join Fletch as he “virtually” sits down with Ben Kenoyer, the owner and coffee roaster at Revive Coffee Roasters to find the glory of God in roasting coffee. But wait, it turns out that Ben doesn’t want to just roast beans for the perfect cup of coffee. He wants to revive cities and create community, and here’s the kicker: he is using his coffee to make that happen.

Grab you own favorite cup of coffee and join us for this fun discussion.

SHOW NOTES:
Revive Roasters- Use this code for 25% off your order: themangotimes-revive
Without Permission - This is the non-profit mentioned by Ben in the interview.
Finding God at the Rustic Dell
Music used in this episode:
None

022 Table Manners

The 2020 holiday season has arrived. For many of us, that means great meals and great family conversations around our dinner tables. For others, Thanksgiving and Christmas are both tricky holidays filled with difficult relationships and forced interactions with problematic family members. I remember a wise man who once told me, “You know Fletch, there are two types of people: Those you love and those you’d rather spend time with.”
Yikes. If this is the advice we are given in normal years, how are we to behave in a year like 2020, where family and friendships divide over the smallest things?

Join Fletch as he reminds himself and his listener to make extra space at their tables and extra space in their life for those who disagree and debate about everything. Listen along as he encourages all of us to improve our ‘table manners.’

SHOW NOTES:
Revive Roasters
Sermon - Redeemer Church - Mephibosheth
Sermon - Redeemer Church - Zaccheus
Music used in this episode:
Elbow Room - School House Rock

021 Party Affiliation

Three months since the last episode of theMangoTimes podcast? It was time for Fletch to jump back behind his microphone for another edition of the podcast.

What happens when you realize you may have been wrong? What does it look like to open your mind and heart to the other side and see the world from their perspective?

On this episode, of theMangoTimes podcast, Fletch discusses with the listener how he made the journey from one party to another. What was it that changed his mind and how did he begin to see there was more than one way to see and enjoy the world. Hold onto your leash and enjoy an episode listening to Fletch admit he was wrong.

Quietly making noise,
Fletch

SHOW NOTES:
Rasta the Chocolate Lab - check out the mascot of theMangoTimes
Music used in this episode:
Top Cat Theme Song
Stray Cat Strut

020 Enjoy The Journey

2020 came in like a hurricane. A global pandemic. New discussions, community divisions and national debates about racial imbalance and privilege. All of this pointing to the fragility of our discourse with one another.

What does it look like to enjoy the journey in the middle of hurricane season? At the same time, what does it look like to live a life of contentment without becoming complacent?

On this episode, Fletch dives into the Fletchifesto to discuss what it means to enjoy the journey. Along the way he shares some great music and a podcast that he thinks you will like even more than theMangoTimes.

Quietly making noise,
Fletch

SHOW NOTES:
The Fletchifesto - check out each of the life quotes.
Wired Magazine: Steven Levy Interviews Larry Brilliant
Music by Jimmy Buffett:
Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On
One Particular Harbor

019 Discover: Birding With Tom Slater

A few years ago, Redeemer Modesto hosted a series of discussions called Discover 167. The idea was simple. There are 168 hours in the week and typically we spend only 1 hour in worship. Speakers were invited with a simple question: Where do you find the glory of God in the other 167 hours?

We thought we would ask a few guests the same questions. These episodes won’t be every week, but we are kicking this new series off with the topic of Birding.

Join Fletch and his childhood friend and birder, Tom Slater, as they discuss birding and how the glory of God is on display in creation and nature.

Quietly making noise,
Fletch

SHOW NOTES:
Tom Slater Photography
Music by Jimmy Buffett: Summerzcool
Clip from The Big Year: The Big Year

018 Corona Woes

Some of us are going stir crazy. Some of us have burrowed into a new normal. What happens when society opens back up and we all return back to normal”? Is there a “new normal” and how do we respond?

After sheltering in place for the past two months, Fletch is returning to work. Is he excited? Is he hesitant? Tune into this episode and join the discussion about the challenges we face in our post-pandemic world of COVID-19.

Quietly making noise,
Fletch

017 Pipe Smoking

It’s 2020 and smoking is deadly right? For the past two decades there has been a slow and steady attack on tobacco and tobacco products, but are all tobaccos created equally? Is there a difference between cigarettes, cigars and pipes?

On this episode of theMangoTimes podcast, Fletch introduces you to pipe smoking and explains how a dentist got interested and remains a fan of pipe smoking after more than 30 years. Grab your dog and a cup of coffee and listen along to see if you can become interested in the hobby of pipes and tobacco.

Quietly making noise,
Fletch

016 It's Okay To Fail

Over one month into the COVID-19 pandemic and the reboot of theMangoTimes podcast is going strong.

On this episode, Fletch dives into The Fletchifesto to discuss what it took for him as a Type 3/Achiever on the Enneagram to learn that it’s okay to fail. Was it nurture or nature? He dives into all of this and more as he discusses that it’s okay to fail because we grow from our mistakes.

SHOW NOTES
Sleeping at Last - Atlas: Three

Quietly making noise,
Fletch

015 theMangoTimes Podcast Reboot

Join Fletch as he makes another attempt to reboot theMangoTimes podcast. Will it work this time? What has he been up to? What can you expect going forward?

On this episode, Fletch explains what he has been doing for the past five years and makes a humble plea for his listeners to join him one more time as he relaunches theMangoTimes Podcast.

SHOW NOTES
None

Quietly making noise,
Fletch

014 Smile

With a big smile on my face, I recorded this episode during a visit to the island of Kauai. But, smiling is much more than podcasting from a beautiful location. You can read what I alread wrote about smiling over on theMT Blog.

Join me as I drag my wife, Kendra, into another recorded conversation about smiling, frowning and the RBF designation given to many women who walk around with no facial muscle stimulation whatsoever! It's time for another episode of theMangoTimes podcast.

SHOW NOTES
Fuzz Buzz
Resting Bitch Face - Keri Russell

Quietly making noise,
Fletch

013 Be Kind

On this episode of theMangoTimes Podcast, Fletch sits down with Kendra to follow-up the blogpost that he wrote about being kind. They talk more about his new manifesto and breaks down what it means to live a life of kindness. 

SHOW NOTES
The HomeschoolingIRL Podcast
The Fletchifesto

Quietly making noise,
Fletch

012 Live An Adventure

In yet another attempt to revive theMangoTimes podcast I talk with Kendra about a recent blog post I wrote about living a life of adventure. Along the way we talk about the Fletchifesto, selling our home and the freedom of podcasting.

Quietly making noise,
Fletch

011 The Real Life Calvin Podcast Episode 2

On this special episode of theMangoTimes podcast, I am playing the 2nd episode teaser for our newest podcast called, The Real Life Calvin Podcast. Our 8yr old son, Christian, is the real life Calvin and on this episode we talk about Calvin and Hobbes and what it is we like about the comic strip. I love that this is a comic strip equally enjoyed by both Christian and me, but seperated by 30 years of time. Enjoy!

Quietly making noise,
Fletch

010 The Real Life Calvin Podcast Episode 1

On this episode of theMangoTimes podcast, I want to introduce you to The Real Life Calvin Podcast which I have begun recording with my 8yr old son, Christian. It's a fun little project. He gets to learn about podcasting and editing of sound. I give him a lot of the controls, so don't expect too much! Even so...he's pretty darn funny! Enjoy it for what it is!

Quietly making noise, Fletch

009 Homeschool Heartbeat - Discipling Teens

On this episode of theMangoTimes podcast, I am including the last in a five part series of an interview I did with Mike Smith from HSLDA's Homeschool Heartbeart back in the Fall of 2012. On today's final show, I share with the audience how the gospel allows us to be transparent and allows us to enter into difficult discussions with young men. 

I hope you enjoy this quick edition of theMangoTimes Podcast.

Quietly making noise,
Fletch

008 Hope Shifting

Photo used courtesy of Redeemer Church, Modesto CA

It is so easy to shift our hope and look for identity in things of the world and in the bondage of religion. Why do we do this? Where should we be looking for our identity, our purpose, our value, and our hope?

On this edition of theMangoTimes podcast, Fletch attempts to define the idea of Hope Shifting and idol worship. 

This is the graphic Fletch mentioned during the podcast that depicts the pendulum of living in gospel centered identity.

Episode Timeline
7:50 Guest - Jim Applegate
13:00 Guest - Kendra Fletcher
17:00 Guest - Bill Kenoyer
19:55 Guest - Kristi Gregg

Quietly making noise,

Fletch

007 Gospel Amnesia

On this edition of theMangoTimes podcast, I share a recording from several years ago. In 2011, Kendra and I had the chance to share our testimony at the Easter morning service at our church (Redeemer Church, Modesto). I spoke about our journey from a rigid legalistic behavior-based practice of our faith to the freedom that Jesus brings in the gospel. What we told people was that we woke up from a bad case of gospel amnesia!

If you haven't subscribed yet to the podcast, just follow this link to the iTunes store:theMangoTimes podcast and you will never again miss out on the audio content included with this blog.

Quietly making noise,

Fletch