The Shafferland Shuffle

* Last Sunday was a great day and a hard day all rolled into one. The great part was...it was our 15 month anniversary!!!  We went to church early and sat in the café area for a while drinking coffee and enjoying the music...and we rested all afternoon. It was lovely. The HARD part was that living in the mess finally got to us and we were two stressed out married people by the end of the day. We're trying to put it all back together and it was in that stage where it has to get worse before it gets better. You know what I mean. So when it got to be too much, we took a break and candled my ears. Bet he never saw THAT coming 15 months ago, huh?

* Monday night we came home from work, and I made a new Pinterest-inspired dinner...and Ryan brought me flowers! {Melt.} We worked SO HARD all night to rearrange all the furniture just how we wanted it {we switched the purpose of two of the rooms just for funsies} and right about the time we finished and it was bedtime...I knew...I was getting sick. Oh the PAIN! So Ryan went to bed and I sat in the living room and hurt...and waited for morning so I could get to a clinic. Stupid infections.

 * Tuesday morning I went to the clinic the minute it opened and had the most pleasant experience there. Everyone was so friendly and I got an antibiotic and started it right away. I was pretty wiped for most of the day, so I rested and worked a bit when I could. I ventured out in the evening to pick up pizza for Ryan and his two friends who were helping him rip up the kitchen floor in the house we have to sell...but I came right back home after dropping it off. Stupid infection! Cramping my style! {Literally.}

* Wednesday I returned to work where...I GOT A POSTCARD!!! How fun is that!?!? I love real mail. :) As I was driving home, Ryan called and asked if I could bring some stuff over to him at the rental, where he was working again, so on my way, I stopped to get Starbucks to surprise him! Then I came home to wait for him to finish his project...and I decided again I love our new furniture layout at our house! Here's a sneak peek:

* Thursday morning, I sat in the Mid-Morning hosting seat for the first time. I was scared out of my ever-loving mind but I got through it and had fun!!! Thursday night, Ryan went back to the house to {with the help of his friend, Matt} finish putting down the new floor. Looks SO nice. I have missed him desperately this week, but he did a great job working hard on the house. I worked hard too - on a bridal shower gift! :) And catching up on Downton Abbey. Still haven't finished the last season. 

* Friday morning I got to enjoy the coolest God lesson, courtesy of a picture in my office. Can't wait to tell you more about it this week. Friday night was the first night all week we'd really gotten to see each other. Since Ryan had been gone all week, we decided to do date night at home - so Ryan grilled out and I made chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. We settled in and watched Family Man - and fell asleep at 9:00. We are THE COOLEST people I know.

* Yesterday was the most e.x.h.a.u.s.t.i.n.g. day we've had since a YEAR ago yesterday {which had been our reception day!} We spent all of yesterday at the house {not OUR house} trying to clean it so we can get it put on the market. We cleaned...and cleaned...and cleaned...scrubbing cabinets and walls and the bathroom and kitchen and carpets and appliances and lights and doors and blinds and - well, pretty much every square inch needed cleaned. We were exhausted by the end of the day. Ryan's mom helped us, so we helped her get all the yummy pastries ready to go for her church...delish!

The Saturday Six

One.

Source

I've enjoyed reading Courtney Walsh's blog for quite a while now - and I've had the chance to email back and forth with her a few times because of both our jobs. She's a sweetheart! That's why I was so excited to read her news this week that she has a new book contract! YAY!!!!!!

Two.

Source

I don't even really want to talk about it - at ALL, actually - but I will be a bigger person than I want to be and remind you that tomorrow is the start of {evil} DST. {Whoopsie. Almost got through that without an editorial comment. So close.} This picture best represents my feelings toward the event.

Three.

 Source

I find it a bit humorous that this new CD release comes right after two people in the group left! But regardless of who is singing {because, let's face it - they're all good} - I so want to get this one. I still love me some hymns.  

Four.

Source

Anyone else a huge fan of Father of the Bride? OH how I love that movie!! Loved this article about the people who live in the house from the movie. {I mean, seriously. Can you imagine getting to actually LIVE in that house?}

Five.

Source

So if you're one of those that always wanted a moat around your house...it appears you're not alone.

Six.

Source

In a world that has been wildly imperfect lately, THIS spoke volumes to my soul.

Prayer for You

Last week as our Sunday School class ended and people began to throw away empty coffee cups and gather up coats, one of the women raised her hand and called out to those in earshot.... "Can I just ask for prayer really quick?" Her bright smile faded as she spilled hard, heavy news her cousin had received that week, and I watched as people paused, dropped coats into chairs and gathered around her. For those last few minutes, we ignored noise in the hall and the next class waiting to get in as we reached out our hands to her and prayed sincerely for her need.

Ryan and I ran into a couple this past week who had gone through a really tough time not long ago. One life-blow after another hit them, and their discouragement spread to their parents who reached out to a group of us and, with broken hearts, they asked for prayer. We stopped the party that was in full swing at that moment and bombarded Heaven on their behalf. When Ryan asked how they were doing, they smiled widely and shared pieces of good news that had tumbled their way ever since...well...ever since that night of prayer.

A friend posted on Facebook this week, a goosebump-inducing account of a her husband's trip to Mardi Gras, where he went with a team of people to minister. His rental car keys were zipped securely in the inside pocket of his coat. And later, without anyone reaching into his coat, a hole being found, or the zipper coming undone, the keys were gone. A prayer team went to work praying over his safety and the keys, which would cost $300 to replace. After they prayed, a man from another mission team three miles away called to report a set of keys that had been found - and the man who lost them had never been to that area three miles away.

Two nights ago, Ryan and I curled up in our living room and prayed over our own lives and marriage, as we feel overwhelmed by the onslaught of new obstacles that seem to spring up each day. And then yesterday morning, I sat across from Lynne in our office and shared about that prayer time we'd had and our confusion over the current state of events - and she reached out and prayed for us both.

Prayer matters.

And it works. Not as a magical solution to problems but as a lifeline to the One Who knows each of us and knows what we can't about what we're facing.

It's been heavy on my mind these last few weeks to tell you that I'd love to pray for you. Sometimes I get emails from you, asking for prayer, and I love that. And I do pray. If there's anything on your heart that you want to share {you can be anonymous in comments if you don't want your name to show} - leave a note, or email me {reading rebekah at yahoo dot com} and know that I'll go to work praying hard for you!

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,

but against the rulers, against the authorities,

against the cosmic powers over this present darkness,

against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

~ Ephesians 6:11 ~

Because I Bet You've Been Dying to Know...

It's time for a little Q&A with the Shaffers. More totally useless, totally random knowledge that will serve absolutely no purpose. Sadly, not even on Jeopardy this time. I do try to always make sure you could at least benefit on Jeopardy from something you read here, but today you're reading for sheer entertainment value. :)

Currently We are....

...Reading... Crazy Love by Francis Chan. {True of both of us.} {And no, it's not about us.} {Our book would be called Crazy IN Love.}

...Playing... Find more hours in the day {Ryan} / Catch up at work {Bekah}

...Watching... The tail lights of the car in front of me {Ryan...heading home from another long night of work at the rental} / Property Brothers {Bekah}

...Trying...  To learn from all the challenges that are being placed in front of me - and retain what I learn so I don't have to learn it again {Ryan} / to gear up for my first round of hosting Mid-Morning today. EEEEK! {Bekah}

...Eating... Papa John's Pizza and Starbucks. {True of both of us.} {The official nourishment of home renovation #42389723972394723947239472348923}

...Calling... Each other. Because we are saps like that.

...Crafting... A new kitchen floor in the rental house {Ryan} / A scrapbook of our cruise {Bekah}

...Loving... What little time I get with Bekah {Ryan} / The prospect of rental house renovation ending so we can put it on the market and I can remember what Ryan looks like {Bekah}

...Hating... The price of gas and the amount we burn up every single week {Ryan} / The pending time change {Bekah}

...Discovering... The joy of the encouragement I get from a patient when he or she gets better {Ryan} / How very much I have to learn about becoming who God made me to be {Bekah}

...Hoping for... A quick sale of the house we've been renting out for the past year. {This goes for both of us. Many prayers being prayed to this end.}

...Celebrating... Thawed pipes. FINALLY!! {Ryan} /15 months of marriage! {Bekah} {And that would be TO Ryan.} {Just in case you weren't sure.}

...Considering... Another cup of coffee {Ryan} / Planking {Bekah}

If, by chance, you ever DO win a Jeopardy question because of this blog post, would you be a dear and let me know? :)

{Also considering...whether or not these flowers Ryan bought me this week might actually spur the soon return of spring.}

Wednesdays in the Word: D Verse

I should pause this project to say that I picked out this set of verses probably 3-4 years ago when I made an alphabet verse scrapbook for a friend of mine for her high school graduation. I'm finding it very much a God-thing that as I make my way through them now, they all seem so appropriately chosen for this exact season of life. Only God.

If I could have majored in anxiety...worry..."holy concern" - whatever you want to call it - I could have done so and graduated with the highest of honors. In short - I'm a worry-wart. Anyone with me? Hello? Anyone?

Right now our lives are in a season of serious limbo...so many variables. So many obstacles. So much frustration. And for this girl {and to a degree, Ryan too} it translates into anxiety.

* Anxious for our rental house to sell - a year after we thought we had it sold.

* Anxious about whether or not we can get all the damages and repairs fixed in a short amount of time so we can get the house on the market.

* Anxious about our future - not knowing for sure where God is leading us...or when.

* Anxious about the completion of the great plumbing overhaul of 2014, which came to a stop when the temperatures plummeted again this week.

* Anxious {though certainly hoping THIS one is about to come to an end} about the never-ending dumping of snow and ice and how it affects a two-commuter household.

* Anxious about how all our messes have caused our PARENTS to be anxious. {Sisters, if you're reading this, feel free to take over occupying their thought lives!! We are ready to be done being the ones they're worried about!}

And that's just our end of things. You have your own list of anxiety. Maybe money...kids...jobs...lack of money...kids...jobs. Your marriage. {Or lack of it.} Health. New beginnings. Hunting for closure. Wanting answers.

I find it interesting that the verse doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room. It's not a suggestion. It's pretty clear: do not be anxious about anything. No buts. No loopholes. No exceptions.

They say {the famous wise "they"} that when you give up one thing, you should replace it with another so you don't notice its absence. The verse provides the substitute. When the anxiety descends, you pray. You pray about everything. You ask and you thank. And in so doing, you actually have done what you can. You've taken your problem to God, Who is the only One who can fix it anyway, and you thank Him for His faithfulness, which gets your mind focused on that instead of what you lack.

Today is the first day of Lent. Not sure whether or not you're accustomed to giving something up for the season - but what if you gave up your anxious dwelling for 40 days? What if, instead of wringing your hands and pacing and...and...and...you simply paused, let God know your need and melted into a time of praise and thanksgiving?

What if?

 

60 Years

This past Saturday, we helped celebrate Ryan's grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary.

60 years.

The ironic thing is that later this year, my parents will reach the same milestone.

My parents. His grandparents. Same accomplishment. And we are part of their legacy.

His grandparents had an open house...where a beautiful lace-covered dress hung against the wall - yellowed, but still completely intact and a testament to vows spoken years ago.

 A banner hung by the door with their wedding photo...and as I passed through at one point during the day, scoping out a new place to take pictures, I heard an open-house-attender say to his grandma, "Man you looked as scared out of your mind as I did on my wedding day."

Because 60 years ago, weddings weren't paid for with loans and inspired by Pinterest and entrenched in elaborate ceremonies and registries and first looks and such. They were solemn commitments between two barely-adults who had heard stories of how their parents made it through the Depression with nothing to their name and they were about to make their own way - with no guarantees.

And sixty years later, they sat with their children behind them and proved...it can be done.

That the cake and the confetti and the spread of food and the perfectly arranged centerpieces are but a symbol of sixty years of celebration, certainly, but also of hard work and grit and sheer determination. That this crew of five made it this far because of Jesus and His grace over their home.

Their kids had kids...and then THEY began having kids, and the room swarmed with generations bubbling over with pride in the generation the followed....

And in the middle of all this mix, Ryan and I came to be part of this legacy.

And though our wedding day looked different than theirs...and we were far older when we got married, I hope all those many years down the road, we carry on this legacy of determination and faith. We may not make it to 60 years {and if we DO, we'll be well on our way to 100 and unlikely to remember a blessed thing about it} but I hope we leave behind a legacy of love!

Prepare to Melt

A couple of years ago, my friend Olivia got married. I was a bridesmaid in her wedding - which was an honor and a beautiful experience. Then last summer, I went to her baby shower - actually, two of them. And then late last year, I had the honor of meeting little Ruthie for the first time. And I was so excited to find out they were passing through the area this week! Olivia and Ruthie had a little extra time, so they came over!

You need to understand how good of a friend Olivia is...for me to invite her to our home in its current condition. The mess is out of control - dust everywhere, furniture everywhere, one bathroom was unusable that night - all of it was such. a. mess. But I knew she wouldn't judge me, so we let her visit. :)

Little Ruthie...OH little Ruthie. What a DOLL!! Ryan and I made cinnamon swirl pancakes and lazy omelets for dinner, and while we cooked, Ruthie just chewed on a spatula.

When it was time for dinner, Ryan and I decided to give Olivia a break from Mommy duties, and we held Ruthie while we ate...so she could actually sit by herself and eat her dinner.

{Ruthie was helping the Pacers play there...hence the lack of full focused attention.}

Ryan loved her. And MAN did she ever love him! {Can't really blame her there, can I?} Look at these pictures:

She liked me too - even if I'm not quite as enchanting as my husband. :)

 

She's such a good baby and we had a great night getting to know her!! And it was so much fun to catch up with Olivia, after not seeing her for so long!

Thanks, Olivia and Ruthie, for visiting us and for loving us in our mess!!

The Shafferland Shuffle

* Last Sunday morning, we started a new study in our Sunday School class. It's Francis Chan's book Crazy Love, which both of us studied before at our old church, but we're excited to read it again! That afternoon, we ran a couple of errands and my heart was SO HAPPY to see patio furniture on display! Hurry, sweet springtime! And then Sunday night I spent time accessorizing outfits for my photo shoot with Lynne on Monday.

* Monday was...our photo shoot! Lynne and I needed new pictures for work, so we packed up A LOT of luggage and headed to the Friendly Fox, a little cafe in Fort Wayne, for a photo shoot. It was so much fun...even when we got strange looks from other customers! And the salted caramel mocha wasn't a bad prop to have...just sayin'. More plumbing work went on at home, and Ryan and I were able to move all our clothes back into our closet...which may or may not have been accompanied by a reorganization effort. :)

 * Tuesday was the longest day ever {you've had those, I'm sure} but that night was SO fun - my friend Olivia came to visit, along with baby Ruthie! {I was in Olivia's wedding back in 2011 and little Ruthie was born late last year.} They had dinner with us and Ryan and I just fell in love with this sweet baby! Olivia and I gabbed all evening - hadn't seen each other in forever!

* Wednesday at work, someone...ahem...altered...the sign on my desk. :) {Phil, Jim, and Larry are our morning guys if you don't know that.} Made me giggle. I came home to find the plumbers still working on our house - it was the first time they'd still been there when we got home from work. They were ALMOST done - which is so exciting! Living in a mess is getting to us. In appreciation for all their hard work, I made peanut butter bars for their last day. :)

* Thursday was a big day at work! Well, first...it was the weirdest commute. I left home with blue skies and sun....and arrived at work in the same, but in the middle - a white out!! {This photo isn't as bad as it got. I just quit taking pictures to 10 and 2 the wheel!} During Mid-Morning, I went through phase one of learning to host...which made me SO nervous!!!! I survived though! And then I worked a shift at the Fort Wayne Home and Garden show! Good day - but MAN I missed Ryan. This whole being apart thing is for the birds.

* Friday was such a hard day! It started out well...I've picked a new route to work so I can pass this hill that always has a huge handful of deer eating breakfast...so picturesque. And there ended the beauty. That night we had some MAJOR stresses with our rental property, which resulted in me having a full-on meltdown and Ryan feeling the male version of the same. Fortunately we had dinner plans with our friends Chris and Trudy. She makes the BEST onion rings, and they really do fix a multitude of issues. And watching their boys play together was such fun. Even though Ryan and I had to drive separately and he got there really late because of the house issues, it ended up being a good night.

* Saturday was Ryan's grandparents' 60th anniversary party, and we spent the afternoon and evening celebrating with them at their open house! Even though I didn't know most of the people who came through, I had fun helping as photographer junior and just helping in general keeping food restocked and everything cleaned up. OH! And after it was over and we were helping clean up the room, I helped Ryan carry a couch - and I was in a dress and heels. Thankyouverymuch.

The Saturday Six

One.

Source

A few years ago, as I made my way to my walking path for exercise, there was an apartment I'd pass, and a handful of college girls lived there. They were often sitting on the porch reading and eventually we took up talking as I went by. A few times they joined me...and at the end of the semester, they invited me over for tea. Like actual tea. Made with all sorts of loose tea goodness like I'd never seen. I miss them. And Heidi was one of them...and she's gone on to be quite a beautiful woman, wife, and artist. Her wedding invitations are lovely...check them out!

Two.

Source

I'm not a mom, so while I can't resonate with the details of this article, I have to share it because...the writer is a friend of mine! She and I went to high school together, and her family and mine were in the Easter Pageant together all those many years of growing up. I have never before been able to say I know someone who wrote for the Huffington Post {at least not that I'm aware of} - so I wanted to share this! Proud of Kara! 

Three.

Man, my friends are filling up my Saturday Six this time!! Another friend of ours is on the Royal Tailor Street Team...Royal Tailor is a Christian band that Ryan and I got to hear live at Winter Jam last year. Anyway - he's trying to spread the word about their new tour, called Walls Down - and I wanted to help him spread the word! Here's the link to purchasing tickets for their concert in Indianapolis on April 10!
  
Four.

Source

The view from my backyard? Well, no, but would not THAT just be heaven on earth? The inside of this storybook-esque house is equal in beauty. Check it out here.

Five.

Source

I might not be so bitter about MORE snow if...it fell from the sky like this!!

Six.

Source

I appreciate Candace Cameron Bure - loved her when I was a kid watching Full House, and I appreciate the stand she's taken as a wife, mom and Christian while continuing to make an impact in her industry! LOVED this blog post she wrote - great reminders on handling people's feedback when EVERYONE has an opinion. Simplfy the focus and keep your eyes on Jesus!