To Fly a Coop

 Episode Eight: Some Final Thoughts Recorded October 2023  In this shorter episode, Dad and I review the topics we discussed over the past few days (all the recording happened from the end of September to early October). Something I learned is an essential part of dying is doing a “life review,” so I started by asking dad about five core memories. He changed it to “game changers” which really worked very well. In the end, he does what he always did and points everyone who is listening to Jesus.  True hope and true life is not found anywhere but in Jesus. No matter what you are facing today, know you are known and loved. Not only does God love you, but God wants to be close to you – an important part of your life. To have a relationship with God you just need to ask. God is everywhere at all times, so it is just a matter of speaking (whether in your heart or out loud) and asking God to take part in your every moment and being willing to open your eyes to God’s movement in the world.  In the end, our life is but a vapor, but we do not have to fear… you are not destined to a grave, but to a Kingdom if you are crazy enough to believe it.  Scripture Referenced: Hebrews 12:6 Proverbs 3:12 Matthew 6:34 John 15:5 Acts 14:11-22, Psalm 8Want to learn a little more? Check out the site https://www.toflyacoop.com/

 Episode Seven: The Kingdom of Heaven Recorded October 2023 "You can’t see it. Touch it or taste it, but it’s all around." This is what God told dad in his early salvation. In this episode we delve into his thoughts on the kingdom of Heaven. We first talk about the Kingdom of Heaven and how God sees it around him now but ultimately in Jesus.  Later we delve specifically into a sign of the coming of the kingdom – miracles.  I personally grapple with why God heals sometimes and sometimes he does not. Early in my dad’s fight with cancer, he believed he would be healed. Not that God owed it to him or that he expected it,  but that he would be healed because others in the church had confirmed it. I asked him about this as I did not have the same confirmation and belief. This conversation sent me researching lots of miracles. There is a tremendous amount of evidence and personal experience for miracles. Yet, the common, lived experience does not often include healing – not in this dramatic fashion. It’s important to note that this episode is published the day after his funeral. God did not choose to heal my dad in this lifetime. Later he would say that his early belief in healing was a “deception.” I would disagree in that I don’t think it was deception but human hope. Hope is not wrong. Faith can steady us in our hope and I think he did the right thing in his response – he believed in healing and, like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego – he also was more than willing to go into the fire and to put his faith in God even though he had a pronounced death sentence.  Faith is a strength for us in difficulty, as is hope, but what happens when we want something that is not in God’s will for us? I don’t know. I’m grieving dad’s loss right now. I know he is healed in heaven, but selfishly, I wish he had been healed on earth. Dad, in this episode, points us to the eternal, Heavenly Kingdom, and the mystery of its breaking into our everyday. I'm personally experiencing the grief of when the kingdom of heaven does not break through in this lifetime. Looking forward to a day when the Kingdom of God, God's goodness and kindness reign and there is no longer this evil disease called cancer.    Scripture Referenced:  Luke 17:20-22 John 14:11 Acts 10:15 Psalms 148:13 Isaiah 66:1 Matthew 3 Hebrews 11:6 Luke 15:11-32   2 Peter 3:8-10 John 14:6 Daniel 3 Romans 10:17 Matthew 4:4 Matthew 18 Matthew 17:14 Acts 3:1-11 Want to learn a little more? Check out the site https://www.toflyacoop.com/

 Episode Six: Finding A New Identity in Retirement and Contentment that Changes Things  Recorded October 2023  Dad explains what “CFC” means to him, finding meaning in retirement, and then even getting a post retirement job as a cross-county trucker.  While not everyone may relate to retirement, I think we all can relate to getting a new identity at times. Dad’s main takeaway is this: we need to stay close to Jesus. That is our saving grace.  While on the road, he wrote a little song for Jesus. In case you didn’t hear all the words, it’s written below.  Ultimately, no matter what stage we are at in life, we should rely on Jesus. It’s Jesus that has set us on a path to true life and appreciating the life we have now. He ends by pointing us to what Jesus called the greatest commandment – love for God and people.  Scripture Referenced: Ecclesiastes 2:24-25 John 6:31 Matthew 20:26 John 13:35 1 Timothy 6:6  Quotes:  Manna From Heaven (A Trucker’s Song) by Rafael AspeitiaHe’s the manna from Heaven He’s the well that won’t run dryHe’s my savior Lord, Jesus And I love him this is why  He hung upon that tree And He did it just for me He’s the manna from Heaven He’s the well that won’t run dry  They put him in the ground, but he refused to stick around He’s the Manna from Heaven He’s he well that won’t run dry   Want to learn a little more? Check out the site https://www.toflyacoop.com/

Recorded September 2023God has been faithful throughout a lifetime of ministry, but I ask my dad about some of his struggles, and lessons learned. I personally struggle holding in tension that God is enough but that God also expects me to be faithful. This was an episode that was originally aimed at those in ministry, but honestly its for any Jesus-follower just trying to figure out how to be faithful. Once again, dad didn’t disappoint in his advice and as always it was peppered with Scripture (mixes of King James, which really boggles my mind because I’ve only ever been an NIV girl… anyway). This one is a bit longer as we wrestle through some hard things and I push him a little on this thoughts. I found it challenging and helpful. I hope you do too.  Scripture Referenced: Philippians 1:6, Philippians 4:4-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, 1 Corinthians 9:22-23, Matthew 10:16, 1 Corinthians 3:6, Numbers 22:28, Ephesians 6:11-13, Luke 16:19-31, 1 Corinthians 2:9 References: Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership by Gary McIntosh and Samuel Rime Barna Stats: https://www.barna.com/research/year-in-review-2021/ Want to learn a little more? Check out the site https://www.toflyacoop.com/

Episode Four: A Call to Serve Date: September 31 , 2023 A new life began when God got a hold of Rafael Aspeitia. The old had gone and the new had come. Out of the love for this God who had rescued him, Dad decides to find ways to serve this God of love and mercy. After spending some time with Meals on Wheels and getting to know seniors in need, he comes to meet The Salvation Army and eventually makes this unique little space his church home. Still, God won’t leave him content to be a part of the church and instead he is called to serve in vocational ministry.  Scripture Referenced:  Exodus 3-4:17  Quotes:  Melissa KelleyWant to learn a little more? Check out the site https://www.toflyacoop.com/

 Episode Three: God Came in An Unexpected Way (Life Part 2) Date: September 29  We finish the conversation of Dad’s childhood and young adult life before Christ. Dad explains that being completely lost was indicative of his life before Christ. In that place of lostness God seeks him in an unexpected way and encourages him to “ask.” Still, it is not until his own desperation that his life trajectory changes and he finds a new identity in Christ.  Scripture Referenced: John 3:16-17, Matthew 7:7, John 14:27, Matthew 12:44-45 Quotes: Melissa KelleyWant to learn a little more? Check out the site https://www.toflyacoop.com/

 Episode Two: Tell Me About Your Life (Life Part 1) Date: September 29  WARNING: Reference to graphic violence. Not suitable for children. We start out on this journey finding the power in the story of a life. I ask Dad to share from his childhood and we discuss roots, identity and growing up in a different generation. This is actually part one of a two part life story. Episode two and three were actually all recorded in one sitting. You can hear the night life come out and the chickens go to sleep as we get through these conversations. Dad’s every impulse was to get to his salvation story, but I was determined to learn more about what brought him to a space of desiring salvation. He did not disappoint.   Scripture Referenced: Matthew 26:52  Quotes: Melissa KelleyWant to learn a little more? Check out the site https://www.toflyacoop.com/

 Episode One: How We Got Here  Dad and I start out our conversation discussing the impetus of the chicken coop, being a “prepper” and a good husband, and the learning curve of raising chickens. We also get into what started this conversation – a conversation about life and death. My dad reminds us that death is not as scary as we might think it is. More importantly, with Jesus, life is bigger and better than we could have imagined. Scripture referenced: Philippians 1:23-24 KJV, 1 Corinthians 15:55 KJV  Quotes: Andrew Evans and Sioned Evans Date Recorded: September 28, 2023Want to learn a little more? Check out the site https://www.toflyacoop.com/