Family

We’ve had family at our house for a looooong time. Ashley’s folks are Snowbirds from Michigan. If you don’t know that term, it’s a nickname for people that live in cold winter climates that will move onto warmer climates through the duration of those oh-so-cold winter months.

This year we were lucky enough to have them over for the holidays. They came just before Thanksgiving and only left this afternoon… two full… full months. I love family a lot but I really like my space and independence! I love the life that Ashley and I have made out here in California. We have our niche and it is a little distant from our family at times which is unfortunate but it is what it is. We like to read, we like movies, we like to eat out… It just is what it is (to use a good old cliche).

Oh well! It’s back to Ash and I and it’s the way we like it!

Also Lost is coming back on for it’s final season, WooHoo!

Robbie’s Top 5 Family memories:

5) Disney World – age 5: walking across some barrel bridge with animatronic alligators snapping at us
4) Candlestick Park – age 11: drunk guy yelling at my cousin Steve at a Giants v. Braves Game right after a Dale Murphy home run
3) Oakland Colosseum – age 9-13: dad pulling me out of school to go see the A’s play mid-week day games
2) First Church of the Nazarene, Ponca City – age 4: running around the new church as it’s being built
1) Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital – age 20: the aftermath of a broken ankle… you’ll just have to ask someone that was there, it was pretty classic.

Sick after Christmas

Christmas has come and gone. It was a great time to spend with family and friends. Ashley’s folks are in town and Donabel also spent the day with us. It was a fun morning.

We did a small gift opening at our house with Ashley’s parents. Ash and I did one of our big ticket things a few days before Christmas day when we went to see The Nutcracker Ballet done by the San Francisco Ballet so most of the gifts that we opened on Christmas days were small and fun. I got Ash a few movies that she’s wanted to see as well as the second season of Big Bang Theory and the fourth of Bones. There were a few books mixed in there and some clothes and a few gift certificates but the morning was a time to enjoy each other.

After our time at home Ashley, her parents and I packed into the car and went over to Mom and Dad’s to gather with the rest of the family. Joey, Chance and their boys were there as was Mom, Dad and Drew. This year we also spent some time with Donabel Martin. Her sister lives in San Francisco, but this year she ran off to Australia leaving Donabel to fend for herself on Christmas Day. She made her way across the Bay and spent it with us.

My brothers and I are all grown (that’s a big statement from me in regards to Drew’s growth and maturity) so Christmas is all about the next generation. My two nephews are spoiled like crazy! They get pretty much anything they ask for and it makes for a fun time when you get to see the expressions on their faces after getting exactly what they want.

Once the gifts are finished we switch gears and get around the table for the traditional Shreffler Christmas Day breakfast: Decadent French Toast with Blueberry goop and Whipped Cream, and then that egg thing with either Sausage or Bacon… I’m a little embarrassed that I don’t know what to call this thing as it’s one of my absolute favorites! Anyways, it’s a cassarole, souffle, fritata kind of thing that has Eggs, Sausage and Cheese and it’s really good! We eat until we are stuffed and then we hang around and play games and enjoy each other’s company. It’s a great day!

As I’m sitting here writing I’m as sick as a dog! I’m not a fan of it so I try to take care of myself and keep myself from getting this way. However I have been letting myself go lately and here I am now sitting miserably. I smell a New Years Resolution coming on…

Faith in Action

Yesterday we took our youth group out to the Union City City Hall as part of our Church’s larger “Faith in Action” project. “Faith in Action” is a program set up by World Vision to encourage churches to engage in their communities. This is exactly what our congregation has been working on over the past two years; reaching out and making a stronger impact in our neighborhoods and communities.

The culmination of the World Vision series is to take a Sunday morning in which we generally attend church services and go out into the community and serve it in some way. We partnered with Mission Springs Community Church in this venture. Our project had multiple sites. The main site was located at Sunrise Village, a transitional housing facility operated by  Abode Services. At Sunrise Village our two congregations took on a large number of projects including painting, earthquake proofing, creek cleanup, sorting and cooking. We sent the adults to that project site which meant that we needed an opportunity for our youth to serve.

Enter the Union City City Hall Project. UCCH had a few interesting tasks for us to complete including planting palm trees, pulling weeds and mulching a landscaped island, fire-hosing goose business of the walkways and general cleanup. We had a great turn out with 13 from our church and 22 from MSCC and we got all of the tasks finished up (and right on time!).

13 doesn’t sound like much to some people but it was a really good showing for us. We’re a small church and three years ago the thought of 13 youth going out on a project would have been unrealistic. So I’m pretty pumped about getting the kids together. Thanks to Ash, Drew, Emily, Fabi, Kayla, Marlon, Melissa, Michaela, Mickey, Rudy, Sean and Steph for working so hard! Thanks also to all of the kids and leaders from MSCC. Maybe we should do something fun next time… Broomball anyone?!

Sunday Afternoon

Sunday afternoons are generally family time. Today for example, Ash and I are sitting and watching a movie (Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li… Instant Classic!). I suppose you could say that there is a little give and take in these rare times where we can sit around as to what we will get into. We ate with the folks (my side) and then I was ready to settle in and watch the 49ers get stomped by the Falcons. Ashley however, has had a long couple weeks and she needs a little time where she can recharge so here we are; at home hanging out.

Anyhow, Sunday afternoon is the start of my Sabbath which is a very important time for me. Being in ministry I don’t often have a day off and this time of Sabbath is my only moment to find some renewal and to recharge my batteries. The discipline of Sabbath is an ancient Jewish tradition. In the time of Jesus, Sabbath was a day of total rest. From sun down Friday to the morning of Sunday Jewish law and culture dictates that no work is to be done. This harkens back to the creation story where God creates the world and at the completion of his work he rests. In the day of Jesus, this was taken very seriously. In fact Jesus was called out on more than one occasion for his actions on the Sabbath. Apparently the Sabbath is more than simply not working or resting our minds.

So we’re sitting here and watching Street Fighter and getting the rest part of the day down! As much as I like being stimulated intellectually in my entertainment, I have a feeling that Street Fighter isn’t going to offer too much! But sometimes that what we need! It’s just a little gratuitous kung fu and shallow movie plots (hello Dragonball Z!).

My top 5 Sunday afternoon activities:

1. Lunch with family
2. Taking in a game
3. Walking through Niles
4. Shopping at a Farmers Market
5. Reading a book

I’m Robbie

Name: Hi, I’m Robbie.

Age: 28

Reason for Blogging: To have a creative outlet and to let friends and family know what’s going on in our lives

Job: I’m Missional Pastor for Fremont Journey of Faith, a Church of the Nazarene and working on being the Director of Generous Life Compassionate Ministries a ministry of the church.

Top 5 Favorite Movies: 1) The Godfather 2) Anchorman 3) The Big Lebowski 4) The Royal Tennenbaums 5) A Good Year

Favorite Song: Hmmmm…. I’ll have to think about this one!

Top 5 Favorite TV Shows: 1) Lost 2) Big Bang Theory 3) How I Met Your Mother 4) Bones 5)

Favorite Sport: Baseball

Favorite Team: San Francisco Giants

Favorite Color: Black

Favorite Food: Bacon

Top 5 Favorite Restaurants: 1) Baldies! 2) Amigo’s (East Tennessee) 3) Miguel’s (San Diego) 4) Sadies of New Mexico (Albuquerque) 5) House of Prime Rib

Top 5 Hobbies: 1) Keeping Chickens 2) Making Books 3) Gardening 4) Annoying my wife 5) Fantasy Football

What was your New Years Resolution this past year: To read one book per week

How well did you follow through: Not very well! I read about 26 books this past year

Anything else you would like to say: Nope!