I just picked up a new domain for this blog and also for some other things that I want to start working on. I’ll keep updating here but soon you will be able to check this blog out at www.theintentionalconversation.com and other things out at www.robbieshreffler.com .

So be on the lookout for a different appearance a new addy and some new projects!

FYI, when it rains there are more than one way to get wet while riding your bike:

1. Obvious: the rain from above
2. The drip from the canopy of a tree
3. The follow-thru of your tire (I had a muddy skunk tail by the time I got home)
4. Certain vehicles hitting the only muddy puddle on the road and splashing you… in the face!

We are all doing pretty good at this point I imagine. I like to say in regards to the New Years Resolutions that we make and also with Lent commitments that it’s easy to be the super hero of commitment this early in the process.

I actually had a tough decision to make this morning. I needed to be to church with my laptop and some books which is easy enough to do with certain bags but today we do a music practice at 4:00pm and I needed to get my guitar to the church also! So what to do?

Picture this is you can. I was riding to church on my bike with a my over the shoulder computer bag draped over one shoulder and a bass guitar in a gig bag over the other shoulder. If they were guns and ammo you would have thought I was off to war but no, I was simply off to work!

These are the difficulties that we face when we make our Lent decisions. They are the things that we forgot to think about but at the same time if we want to stay committed to our Lent fast, we had better solve in a hurry. So I dealt with my predicament this morning and I’ve made a plan for the rest of Lent… the guitar is staying at the church!

And no more of this tom-foolery by trying to see how many bags I can carry while riding a bike! I wouldn’t recommend carrying two over the shoulder style bags while riding a bike. After a while they work their way around your neck and start to cut off important things like blood and air… it was like having an un-motivated boa constrictor around my neck, or maybe a shrinking turtleneck! Either way, not gonna do that again! Continue reading →

Today marks the start of Lent, Ash Wednesday. Share what you did to mark the day. If you went to church, tell us how the service went.

Our church has a tradition of sharing in the word and then making our commitments one by one. Pastor Joe preached a short sermon about fasting and then as people were ready our small group made their commitments under the cross.

This year we had a particularly special service because we were treated to seeing a friend that hasn’t been able to make it to church. It was 106 days in the hospital and a few days after he got out before our church was able to see John Napier back and on his feet and in church for anything. What can I say? The guy looks good!

I’ll keep updating as the time of Lent continues, you keep checking in.

I’ve been writing a lot about what we could do for Lent, so now it’s time for me to pony up and let you know what I am doing for Lent. Continue reading →

I’ve said before that some people add things to their regular routine for a Lent Commitment. It’s hard to call that a Lenten Fast when they aren’t giving things up but once in a while it could be healthy to switch it up and learn a few new thing about yourself and your relationship with God. I’ve compiled a list of things that we could do as a Lenten commitment:

1. Eat One Banana a day: This might not sound like a big deal to you but for me that would be a major deal. I’m the guy that gags at the smell of bananas. The last time I recall trying to eat a banana, I was living in a house on Monterey Way here in Fremont and Grandma was in town visiting. She did coffee and bananas for breakfast and at the time I was feeling like it was time to grow up and learn to eat a banana. That experience didn’t end well for anyone! Needless to say no one ate that banana after I was done with it! Eating a banana everyday would be an adventure for me and I anticipate that I would learn a great deal about perseverance through doing it… I might also develop an ulcer in my throat! Bleh!
2. An Exercise Routine: Lord knows that I need one! An exercise routine such as doing sit-ups, push-ups and pull-ups (whoever named these exercises didn’t put much thought into them) would work the body while teaching lessons in perseverance. That’s nice but I’m not certain that I would be focused on God as much as I would be on the burn and the lack of breath.
3. A Time of Focused Prayer: You could add a time of prayer in which you focus on something specific. Maybe to focus on a specific ministry of the church or to pray over certain friends, or to pray over an event that’s taken place such as the earthquake in Haiti. Basically, you devote a time of everyday to pray over (or meditate on) something that isn’t a part of my normal prayer life. This draws into focus the importance of whatever it is you are praying for.
4. Tithing: Maybe God has been talking to you about how you give to the church. Lent would be a great time to step up and give a full tithe to your church. Give of your time, your ability and your treasure to the church… excellent idea! You can learn a lot about stewardship through this.
5. Giving: I just came across a Facebook group called “Giving up something for Lent to help Haiti”. Maybe you can cut back on something so that you can give more to a cause.

So everyone is thinking about what they’re going to give up for Lent right?!

It’s a hot topic over at my house. Last year it was meat. We went all vegetarian and Ashley freaked out about it. She made sure to emphasize that she would never… EVER give up all meat for anything.

Turn forward to this year I’d love to tell you that she was becoming a vegetarian again but she’s not. I think that she’s determined to go without red meat this year and leave an opening for chicken, fish etc. I’m giving her a hard time for not going all out this year but she’s not having it.

What am I going to give up? Ash has a lot of ideas for me but that’s another blog for another day. Here are some things that I’ve been thinking of doing for Lent: Continue reading →

I’ve been thinking about something lately. It has to do with money and the church so if that’s a deterrent for you then I’ll see you next time. See for those of you that don’t know me, I’m an associate pastor at a church in Fremont, CA. I take a paycheck from the church and I don’t have a problem with that but sometimes I wonder what the church could do if it had the money that I’m paid available for other purposes.

They could hire an administrator. They could focus more money on a specific ministry. They could offer a full breakfast buffet to people on Sunday mornings.

The point is, this church could do things with this money.

But what would I do? I love my wife and I readily admit that she makes more money than I do. She’s my sugar mama, for sure. But I think that not working and simply volunteering would push her to the limits of her understanding. I mean we already struggle some with what I make. If I quit drawing a check from the church we’d have to make a major change in our lifestyle. No more eating out, no more new clothes, no more electricity!

What would I do? And would I be able to balance the two things? Those are my questions.

Now there are examples all around us of ministers today that have a side business, do a little consulting, or even have a full time job to support their families. I know of a pastor that buys repo’d cars off auction and sells them online for a living. This is a fairly easy, though admittedly risky way to make money. And that’s almost what I’d need to do.

Probably the most common way to make some money as a minister is as a substitute teacher. Good hours, probably the perfect level of commitment and nice compensation. Unfortunately for me none, of the cities in the area are taking applications for substitute teachers right now. This dang state budget crunch!

There are also examples throughout scripture of Gods judges, prophets, apostles, and missionaries having different jobs to keep them in good financial balance while doing God’s work. For example, David was a shepherd/musician before he was the King of Israel. Peter was a fisherman. Jesus, himself was a carpenter. Paul was the tent maker.

So it shouldn’t be to big of deal to find some honest work around here and still be able to be a minister to God’s people… right?!

We’ll see! I have a desire to have a tent making income that will free me from being paid by the church. It’s a weird desire to try and make sure that you don’t get paid for what you do but that’s what I’m going through. Cottage/E-industry here I come!

Have you got any ideas? I’d be interested to hear them.

Finally, a break in the rain! At least for a few hours. The sun is shining and we can feel a little warmth despite the cool breeze. With that, the first signs of spring are starting to bud. Around here it is the blossoms on the decorative cherry trees. They have just started to bloom and that means spring is just around the corner.

The change of this season is always exciting for me because spring means a lot of things: warm weather, BBQ’s, being able to get out into the community garden, and most importantly Baseball!

I’m a fool for baseball. Just ask my wife, I’m always doing something with baseball. Watching, going to games, coaching PeeWee’s, you name it I’m doing it! I love baseball, and I’m paying attention to it year round. Just because the season ends doesn’t mean that I’m finished. That time of year is just a transition into fall leagues, winter leagues, hot stove news, prospects, spring training and looking to the next year. Hope springs eternal for my San Francisco Giants!

Actually this time of year holds something of a little more significance than just baseball. The church calendar is turning and we are coming into a season that is known as Lent. What is Lent? It is not the stuff on that tray in your dryer that you have to clean off in between loads. That’s lint and it has no real significance unless it keeps your clothes from drying efficiently. Lent is the season building up to the most important day of the church calendar: Easter Sunday.

Here are the details:

• Lent is the 46 days building up to Easter Sunday starting on Ash Wednesday (February 17th this year).
• The time is spent reflecting on sacrifice and perseverance in relation to Jesus and his ministry.
• The vehicle for that reflection is the Lenten fast. A believer denies him/herself something from their daily life and when that missing element comes into focus, the reason for the fast is what we turn our focus towards.
• The reason we do this… well there are a plethora of reasons. To learn more of the nature of God, To draw our focus to God, To understand the sacrifice of God. All good reasons, you can take your pick or you can think about it and add your own in the comments!

So we are coming up on Lent and I’m starting to think about what my commitment will be. Last year I gave up  meat for Lent. It made some people mad (sorry family for making you push back our family birthday dinner!). Most people will look at the little indulgences in life and give those up (Starbucks, Facebook, Eating out, Going to the movies). Some people add something to their routine (working out, time of prayer, bible study). It’s really up to you.

This year as a Church we are going to be going through the 2010 “Seek God For The City” booklets. It’s something that we do with a number of churches around Fremont and helps us by adding a time of study and prayer everyday that’s focused on the Lent season and the commitments we make. Looking forward to it.

You should be thinking about it. What can you sacrifice? What can you give up or add that will cause you to think about your God and prepare yourself for Easter Sunday?

Think about it and get back to me.