What I Learned in February

Last day of February! I am thrilled, because March surely means spring, right? (And don't any of you remind me that it also means the time change. I am not ready!!!) But anyway, it's the last day of February, which means it's time to tell you what I learned this month. I should warn you not to over expect this time. LOL!

1. Bob Costas announced he was out of the Olympics...a year ago. 

I wish I would have seen the news then. I needed that year to mentally prepare. Bob was one of my favorite things about the Olympics, and while the new guy did a great job and I ended up liking him a lot, I needed Bob. (Especially with Tara and Johnny announcing skating. I couldn't handle that in any way. Although I do admit they got better as the games progressed. Maybe someone told them to stop being so mean!)

2. Apparently I ate a lot more than I thought back in my college days.

I knew I sailed past the freshman fifteen and went more for the freshman fifty, but good GRIEF! I dug through my college photos in search of some examples I needed for a presentation. Unfortunately I was in worse shape than I thought back in those days, so it turned out to be tough to find a picture I wasn't mortified to put on the big screen!

3. There are two towns named Monroe in the state of Indiana.

When Ryan and I spoke at the Valentine's Day banquet in Berne back on February 10th, we began our day by meeting some friends at a coffee shop in Monroe. I put the town of Monroe in my maps app on my phone to double check the travel time and it told me two hours. That seemed a bit long to me, but close. When we got on the road that morning, Ryan questioned the mileage. He thought it seemed too long. So I zoomed out to look at the bigger picture and discovered the Monroe my map was about to take us to was south of Indianapolis, not up near Fort Wayne. WHAT!? Not until I put in the actual name of the coffee shop did it give me the correct Monroe. That could have been a total disaster!

4. People have a love/hate relationship with sparkly shoes.

I purchased some sparkly shoes from Amazon for the retreat I spoke at last weekend. I quickly learned people either loved them to the point of wanting a pair to match or they hated them and weren't afraid to vocalize the ridiculousness. Doesn't bother me if you hate them. I still think they're cute. But I didn't expect such a wide swing of opinions over shoes!

5. Sometimes an island is not the place to live.

No matter how cute it might be, it's not so great during a flood stage!

6. Two years is too long to go without seeing friends.

Yes, it's been just over two years since we saw Mark and Lynnette. WHAT!?!?!? God gifted the four of us with a "happenstance" of being in the same town at the same time this weekend, and we were able to enjoy coffee and a couple of hours together. Good for the soul. 

I feel like I should have learned more this month, but I guess it was a short month, so that gives me a break, right? Did you learn anything fun in February?

Broken and Beautiful

It's podcast Tuesday! So many stories from our weekend...hope you enjoy!

Listen here...

I've asked you to pray for my friend Michelle during the past couple of weeks. If you missed the news over the weekend, she did receive a heart transplant on Friday, but I'm heartbroken to tell you that she passed away Sunday after a blood clot entered her brain and caused a stroke. Her family shared that she had perfect peace going into surgery. She told them she would be fine whether she woke up to them or woke up to Jesus. And I fully believe she meant it. But I also know her family is devastated to have to say goodbye to her so soon. As they come to your mind in the days and weeks to come, they would welcome your prayers. Her husband has their four daughters to raise, and they are all so young.

I do share a tribute to Michelle at the end of the podcast, so I'll not write much more about that here today, but I wanted you to know. Thank you for joining me in prayer for her over these past few days!

That news was the broken part of the weekend, but there were so many beautiful moments at the retreat, and I wanted to give you a peek into them!

I loved having Ryan with me this week. He was such a help to me, not only in running my technology and carrying all the things and helping with errands, but also in supporting me in prayer and conversation. Things always run so much more smoothly when I have him! :)

He also serves as resident photographer, so here are a few shots he got of the sessions. (I had a different sparkly shirt for every one! The theme was "Sparkling for Jesus.")

I wrote letters for Ryan to open before every session. He said he really liked them. :)

One of the challenges I gave the ladies was to surrender some specific things to the Lord at some point during the course of the weekend. This was the pile of surrendered prayers by Sunday morning. Isn't it a beautiful sight?

We prayed over them and gave them permanently to the Lord:

We also had a special time of prayer for Michelle and her family.

Right at the very end of the last session, as we moved into a time of communion, the clouds rolled back and the sun appeared for the first time:

The weekend ended with a beautiful time of worship and communion:

My heart was so full when we drove away. God was at work in the hearts of these beautiful women! I can't wait to see what He does in and through them!

Retreat Fun!

I wanted to show you some of our fun from this weekend! Several months ago, the ladies at Big Lake Church of God in Columbia City, Indiana reached out to see if I could speak at their retreat this year. Oh yes! I would love to! :) 

One of my favorite things about the retreat is that it was held at our beloved Lake Webster! There's a campground across the lake from where Ryan's family's cottage sits, and that's where they met for their retreat this year! I didn't care if it was the middle of the winter. IT WAS THE LAKE!!!

Ryan took off work and went with me so he could be my sidekick. We had the best weekend. These ladies were such fun and were so welcoming to both of us. We just loved them all so much.

I spent hours in prayer prior to the retreat, asking the Lord to grant us favor with the weather. No snow or ice, please! Know what I forgot to pray about? Flooding! And that is exactly what northern Indiana battled this past week or so!!

We arrived at the camp...

 And found that the house on the island in the middle of the lake seemed to be missing its island. Eeek!

 We arrived a little early, so we drove around to the family cottage to see if it had flooded. Ryan said he had never seen the water this high. Fortunately it wasn't over the sea wall, but it sure had come right up to the top of it!

 Normally there's a good foot or more between the sea wall and the water, but this time it was right there!

 Our lake!! :)

This camp has constructed some new facilities in the last few years, so the church had two (identical) lodges to use. Each one slept about thirty people, had a full kitchen, and a big common area. They did all the eating in one and all the sessions in the other. Beautiful buildings!

This was the meeting area. Isn't it lovely?

 My favorite part was looking to the side and seeing my dear lake at every single session. It may have been cold and rainy the whole time, but I didn't care. Jesus and I have had so many talks on this water. It means so much to me!

 My little table. (It filled up and actually looked quite messy by the end of the weekend, but at this point it still looked pretty organized.)

All the ladies stayed in the rooms at the lodge, but Ryan and I got a little spot in the main office area on the campground. We were the only ones staying in that building this weekend, so it was nice and private, even though there were many other rooms in that building. It was so cozy!! A little bedroom, bathroom, and kitchenette, AND A VIEW OF THE LAKE!

We were so spoiled all weekend - and so loved! :) 

I can't wait to show you some from our sessions, but I haven't edited all those pictures yet, so come back tomorrow, okay? Meanwhile, if you're in this part of Indiana, that facility is just lovely and would make a great option for your group if you're looking for a place?

(Did I mention it's on a lake?)

The Shafferland Shuffle

Before I launch into the Shuffle, I wanted to update you on my friend Michelle. I'd asked you to pray for her because her heart suddenly failed, and this weekend, she received a transplant. While that is wonderful news, and the last update I heard indicated things are going well, that's a HUGE  thing, and she has such a long road ahead. So if you think of her in the days and even weeks to come, she'll still welcome your prayers!!

This weekend I've had the opportunity to speak at a women's retreat, so most of this week was devoted to preparing for that! You'll get to see a peek into speaking prep! :) Enjoy!

* Last Sunday promised to be filled with rain and yuck, so it was curly hair for the win for this girl! :) We still had Phoebe, so after church, we came home, cuddled with her, and watched the Olympics. Funny story: I don't even watch This is Us, but I know the Crock Pot story from reading about it on social media. I refuse to worry about this sort of thing, but knowing our lunch was cooking WHILE Pheebs was in the house had me completely freaked out during church. Oh my word. Never so glad to get home!!

* Monday was a super busy day, but I wasn't too busy to carry my roses with me from room to room. I was determined to enjoy every last drop of goodness in them before they began to wilt! That night after work, we began the last of the "dress rehearsals" for the weekend retreat. (Ryan was my Power Point manager.) So we did session one, which included reading a children's book! And look what else Ryan did Monday night! Did a deep cleaning on the bathroom. No complaints from me! Just documentation that it IS possible for a man to clean a bathroom!

* On Tuesday, I picked up a bag of actual crowns from one of Ryan's co-workers. She generously loaned them to me for retreat props. I felt it was only proper to try one on for size. ;) I also made all my signs for my book table, and I had my redemption workout after quitting on Monday night. That run almost got the best of me, but it didn't! 

* Wednesday I went on a shopping spree at a consignment shop in town hunting for sparkly clothing to wear at the retreat. SUCCESS!! I was so excited! Before going home for dress rehearsal #3 for the week, I went to Ryan's work to wait for him to finish his chores for the day and we did a workout! 

* Thursday was my last day at home before leaving for the retreat, so it was filled with last minute prep. Notes for Ryan to open before every session, packing, outfit construction, and our last workout of the week. Kettlebells for the win! It was also our last night to get to enjoy the Olympics. I am sure going to miss them.

* Ryan just worked a half day on Friday so he could accompany me to my retreat! It was held at our beloved lake so we had a chance to see that. Parts of northern Indiana have had some pretty significant flooding this week, and while the lake is the highest we've ever seen it, it didn't overflow the sea wall, so the camp was safe! We moved into our room and I shared my first session with the ladies that night. This group is FUN! I enjoyed meeting them!

* Yesterday was a long and FULL day! I spoke twice at the retreat and led a round table discussion, too! (And they convinced me to join in some games, too, so that was scary/interesting!) I must tell you this church is filled with women who are kind, funny, welcoming, and VERY GOOD COOKS. We have not gone hungry. Ryan was a rock star and ran errands for me, ran my Power Point, brought me coffee, and kept me completely calm. I love having him with me! I'm grateful to have been part of this weekend and meeting all these women has been a joy!

The Saturday Six

One.

Katie Farrell's new book, Nourish, is on my list of books I want to get and read, but I wanted to share this teaser she shares on her blog this week. Her tips on how to practice mindful eating are excellent and are reminders I know I need...so I'm sure I'm not alone in that! 

Two.

One of my articles was featured on the Annesley website this week!

Three.

If you need a new boutique to check out and haven't heard of Neesee's Dresses, take a look! (And they're probably not even remotely to be classified as new, but they're new to me, so therefore I call them new.) Love the prices!!

Four.

Several years ago, the Gaithers recorded a couple of videos to honor the life of Billy Graham. They released a special (short) compilation this week that pays a final tribute to his life and ministry. It's less than five minutes if you'd like to take a look!

Five.

Graduation season is not far away (eek!) and if you're looking for some creative ways to give cash to the grads in your life, here are some suggestions. (We've actually used one of these for a graduation gift before. It's fun!)

Six.

Source

Last week I told you I'd read a vintage Irene Hannon book that my friend Shari handed down to me. Well she actually gave me two Irene Hannon books at once, and the second one, Rainbow's End, was my next read. This one was published back in 2007 and is the most delightful little read.

Young widower Keith Michaels is wandering about the United States trying to heal from the pain of his wife's death. He doesn't have any particular plan or destination. He just wants to feel better. While on Orcas Island in the Pacific Northwest, Keith is stranded by a storm, and the timing couldn't be worse. The whole island is filled with people who have come in for the 4th of July festivities, and no one has a place for him to stay until the storm has passed.

A local woman suggests he take refuge with the "widow lady" on the island. She has a spare cottage and would surely be able to offer him refuge. And she does. But Keith is shocked to find she's not the old widow lady he expects, but instead a mystifying young woman who has clearly dealt with more than a lifetime of pain herself.

With no place he has to be, Keith decides to stick around Orcas Island for a while, doing odd jobs and hopefully learning more of Jill Whelan's story.

Meanwhile, Jill is unprepared for the arrival of this stranger in her life. She prefers to stay in total seclusion, where no one can see (or stare), but she starts to remember the joy of human companionship. Between Keith's presence and the occasional visits of a young boy who seems to crave her company but won't speak to tell her his story, Jill's whole summer - and world - are turned upside down.

I love it when Irene Hannon sets stories in the Pacific Northwest. She's almost convinced me to move there, because she portrays it as such a beautiful place, and Rainbow's End is no exception. I loved reading about Keith and Jill, and Irene even had me cheering on an injured baby bird before the book ended. (That's how persuasive she can be in her writing!)

A comforting, easy read that was so pleasant. I loved it! (And I'm loving the discovery of all these Love Inspired books Irene wrote years ago!)

If College Bekah Had a Blog (Part 2)

Ready for a second round of my blasts from the past? The pictures today are from some of my later college years/hairstyles. (Style might be a stretch. Hair appearances, perhaps.)

We'll start with my 20th birthday party. I had so much fun at this party. My birthday is in May, and most of my friends were still on campus for May term (IWU has a May-term instead of a J-term, so official semesters end in April.) My parents graciously let me use their house for a party and all my friends came over for dinner and cake. I loved it! (Also: HOW is this twenty years ago???)

Yes, I shared the cake.

Here's another group of friends from my college years! On the right in the overalls is Amy. I was actually in her wedding the year after we graduated! I try to keep up with her on Facebook now, but she rarely posts, so it's more like a once-a-year catchup. The girl in the middle? Also named Amy. :) It is ever so much easier to remember your friends when they all have the same name! Middle Amy was the first of my college friends to get married! She would often hang out in our apartment during the day in between her classes, since her house was over an hour away, and that was really how I got to know her! (We're still Facebook friends too, but she doesn't update often either.)

Yesterday I told you that I gained a couple of roommates during my freshman year: Christina and Jenny. This is Jenny! She and I ended up being roommates for the rest of college, and we're still friends today! We did not always match. And I have stopped hiking my britches up to my neck.

There's really nothing about this photo that can be construed as flattering, but I find it a bit ironic that my shirt says Siesta Key! I had never been there at this point in my life, nor had I ever even been inside the state of Florida, but my sister traveled often and usually brought me a shirt. Hey college Bekah! You're going to get MARRIED THERE one day. In about a million years, so don't get too excited yet, but I'm just letting you know!

(Apparently I should have skipped college and just gone to FINISHING SCHOOL TO LEARN TO SIT LIKE A LADY!)

Some sweet, sweet plaid pajamas, no? This was at a women's retreat I went to while in college. That's Hippity in my arms. He was the apartment mascot. All my roommates have pictures with him and if anyone had a bad day, they would come get him off my bed and keep him until they felt better. I kept Hippity until after the tornado in my sister's town, and then I sent him out to my niece.

The Raiders blanket was a gift from my college boyfriend. I kept that thing for years and actually had to pray my way through getting rid of it when I did. (I made myself burn everything he gave me in an attempt to get over him.)

Hey Christina! Found another one! :) This was from your bridal shower! :)

Here's a funny story from the college archives. We had required chapel three times a week. We were allowed so many "skips" a semester, and of course I never took any of them. Nothing gave me greater pleasure than turning in a fully punched chapel card at the end of every semester. But my senior year, my friend Faith and I decided to be total rebels and drive over to Upland to get ice cream at Ivanhoe's during chapel one day.

Talk about living on the e.d.g.e.

Yeah. Totally got sick on the way home. That'll teach me to skip church!


This is NOT our finest photo, but this one has a good story! I worked in the Financial Aid Office as a student worker starting all the way back in my freshman year of college. Somewhere along the way, this dear lady right here, Cathy, came on board our staff. She was a secretary first and then a counselor. When I was in my senior year, she resigned to work at another company, and they hired me to take her place. This photo was taken on her very last day of work. (I was still a student, but I did both things that last semester: regular employee work and finishing up school.)

Fast forward sixteen years and Cathy was the real estate agent who helped us sell our Marion house and buy our Kokomo one! 

Don't you just love full circle moments?

Remember Faith? My chapel skipping buddy? Here we are with a big supply of Doritos. :) Don't ask.

Faith and I are still friends, too! We have actually been scrapbooking buddies ever since college!

One more for the road. This photo was taken on my graduation day. My family hosted an open house for me in my college apartment. In the flowered dress is Amy #1 - you met her earlier in this post. In the orange dress is a girl named Angela. If you've read here for a while, you know her. She ended up moving in with me a year later and was my roommate for three years. 

She died from cancer in 2011 and on our wedding day, she was honored as posthumous bridesmaid. I loved finding this picture. We don't have a ton of pictures of the two of us together, and I think this was actually the first one ever. (She lived in the apartment next to me, which is how we met in the first place.)

This concludes my trip down the memory lane of my college years. Thanks for looking back over the fun with me!