Habitat, Round 2

You might remember that last month, I took my turn representing the station out at the Habitat for Humanity building site in Fort Wayne. Earlier in the year, WBCL raised money to help build a house, and now the house is actually under construction.

Yesterday was my second day to represent the station at the site, and I was nervous out of my mind, because the forecast called for snow and wind all day. Yes, my insane fear of driving in the winter has returned with a vengeance...not helped by the fact that on Tuesday night, I avoided an accident by a fraction of a hair. So I was nervous about being out on unfamiliar roads in bad weather, and I was nervous about being out IN the biting cold and wind to work.

If it gives you any indication of how nervous I was, I woke up BEFORE my 4:30 a.m. alarm, sick to my stomach with anxiety. That's as abnormal for me as rejecting coffee. WHOA. Yeah. That serious.

I was excited that a friend of mine from here at home wanted to carpool up so he could volunteer as well. Always enjoy company on the commute! We set out for the site and by the time we arrived, the snow was already beginning to fly. FORTUNATELY it blew right over in about an hour and we didn't get any snow the rest of the day. I was one grateful girl.

Most of the workers were the actual crew workers for Habitat...not too many volunteers braved the cold that day! The volunteer coordinator took pity on me {I was the only girl at that point and was still recovering from the incredible anxiety of the morning}...and she gave me some office work to do.

I thrive on office work. I was the happiest alphabetizing, hole punching, binder filling girl you've ever seen.

After I finished with that work, I took a quick tour of the grounds just to see the progress that had been made - and to see what the other workers were up to!

Last time I worked, I helped wrap the WBCL house with Tyvek - so on the house straight ahead in the picture below, I helped with that lower half!! {This is actually two houses, not one big house like it looks like in this picture.} Since I was there last, they've added the roof trusses and roof! Exciting! Because of the snow, wind, and cold, we weren't able to work on this house, yesterday, but it was good to see it had made progress!

 All the guys were hard at work in another house in the development, cutting trim for around the windows and doors.

 Power tools and sawdust everywhere! They were happy!

After my tour, I went back to the main office area to help prepare for lunch. A really generous {and talented!} church group brought homemade soup - four crock pots of it, actually - and salad and veggies and cookies and...and...and!!! SO. GOOD!!!

That afternoon, I joined up with a cleaning crew, because some ladies had joined the ranks throughout the day, and our job was to prep three of the houses that are going to be dedicated this weekend! We mopped floors and put down the plastic sheeting over the carpet for people to walk on. I really enjoyed that!

About the outfit above: I own NO clothing appropriate for working in cold conditions. NONE. So I wore Ryan's long underwear and his snow pants...and one of his shirts with his fleece over it - and his work coat and his gloves...and I had a pair of his socks and his Carhartts in the car, though I didn't need them. Let's just say his clothes look a lot better ON HIM.

By the end of the day, I was ready to come home, drink a pop and curl up under the covers to get warm!!! But I was thankful that I felt more qualified to do some of these tasks this time!! Round Two: A Success!

Small World, Big Impact: Wendy

Last week I started telling you about some people who had a big impact on me...not because they are famous names known worldwide, but because they were faithful in their everyday lives, and I noticed. My hope is that as you read about these people, you will recognize people in your lives who did the same, and that you'll also see that you are impacting the lives of people around you. It's your choice whether that impact is positive or negative. Let's be a big, Christ-honoring impact on those in our paths!

This week I want to introduce you to Wendy...as I wrote about her twelve years ago.

I wrote Wendy's mother a letter once. I never mailed it, but I wrote it as part of a class assignment. Wendy was adopted, and I wanted to thank her biological mother for giving her the gift of life. In my letter, I told her what a friend and role model Wendy had been for me. I told her of Wendy's inner beauty, her passion for God, her many talents, and her outstanding commitment as a wife and mother. I closed the letter by saying, Wendy's life has certainly been a blessing. Because you chose to give her life, she was able to give life to three beautiful, healthy children. I can only say one thing to you, her biological mother, and I mean it with all my heart: thank you. You made the right choice.

But now I want to thank Wendy herself. I babysat for her children many times, and I learned so much about a healthy Christian marriage and about parenting, too. I heard her talk about her dates...times when she and her husband would go out and set goals for their marriage and for their children. They spent time focusing on the needs of their family and doing everything they could to create a strong bond of love and family values.

One night she came home and showed me some cards she bought for her kids. No special occasion...she just wanted them to know how much she loved them. And she does love her kids. I've never seen a parent enjoy her children so much. She thrives on the pure pleasure of her gift of parenting.

From her, I learned to take pride in a home and to make everything in that home personal. I learned the importance of taking the roles you play in life very seriously and doing the best you can with them, and not worrying so much about what you can't do.

I saw the excitement in her preschooler's face as she told me the leftover cake on the counter was from the spiritual birthday party she celebrated with her family. What a great idea...to celebrate the spiritual growth of children! In these and other ways, I watched her cultivate the unique individuality of each of her three children.

Wendy, when I am a wife and a mother, I hope that I can not only have a portion of your sweet spirit, but also remember the valuable lessons I observed just by being in your home and watching you. Thank you for teaching me that marriage and motherhood are not chores to be completed, but blessings to celebrate in new and imaginative ways each day!

***

Wendy and her husband have seen all three children through to adulthood now, and the first of the kids got married this year. Through the magic of Facebook, I've been able to see that what they did as parents when their kids were young paid off, and they are still a family to emulate today. Though parenting isn't in our planned future, it was Wendy's example that made me strive to be intentional about weekly date nights, creating a home, and being beautiful for my husband. I still long to continually cultivate the same kind of loving relationship that she and her husband have. And I've taken all the advice I stored up from those babysitting years and all I observed in their home, and that's what I use at baby showers when I am asked to offer advice! Thankful for Wendy's influence on her impressionable babysitter!

Time Marches On

Two years ago at this time, Ryan and I were in the very last minute throes of wedding planning. I look back at that season and am so grateful it's in the past...because it was certainly overwhelming {in a blissful sort of way} and also...well...I just enjoy being married and having Ryan here with me.

But anyway, this is a glimpse at our life two years ago:

Creating our little honorary bridesmaid and groomsman...

 Writing, formatting, and assembling our 16 page wedding program {with little help from a certain someone}...

 Putting together our little tealight favors for the ceremony...

 Making boutonnieres for the guys...

 ...and lanterns for the girls.

 Packing to transport a wedding to Florida.

You think, when you're going through a blissfully busy season like this one that the next year will be easier.

And then November rolls around again and brings with it...a tornado. And so the mess looks a little different. It looks like a little storm shelter made in a closet...

 And if it were video, you could hear me screaming while Ryan watches through a crack in the door out the window.

 And after it missed our house, we went out to survey the damage around town. A few trees in the road...

 A bunch of signs down...

 And of course, the walls that caved in on the Dollar General Distribution Center...

And now we're to THIS November, where winter has started earlier than I wanted it to...but at least it's normal November behavior, right??

I'm starting to think we had the right idea two years ago...GOING TO WARMER CLIMATES.

Winter's Here: What's Your Dream?

The forecast said we were supposed to begin getting a tiny bit of snow last night. Apparently "last night" started at 1 p.m. - because the first telltale flakes were scattering in the air when Ryan and I walked in the door after dropping off some canned food at church.

We took a nap and woke up to a snow-covered yard, and I brewed some fresh coffee, while Ryan worked to put extra weight in the back of his truck in preparation for this morning's commute.

Commute.

Oh how I hate that word in the winter.

When Ryan came in from fixing the truck, he had a pizza in tow...which made me so excited. As we sat on the couch, chomping on pizza and watching TV, he said he was sorry I had to get out and drive in this mess...as am I.

So I decided there's no harm in dreaming about the perfect winter. And then I decided it would be fun to hear about your perfect winter!

When it's snowy, I think the perfect day involves waking up with the curtains open so I can see the snow falling to the ground. {Because, you know, it's always a lot prettier when you get to look at it from the INSIDE...and the HEATED BED.}

Then I would get up and continue watching it while I drink coffee and read my Bible.

I think if there's more than a dusting, the day should be declared a snow day, so Ryan and I would be able to stay home. He could do whatever he wanted to do {which would probably involve finding a parking lot to do donuts} and I would curl up by the fire to write and scrapbook and blog.

If it's not TOO cold, I might be persuaded to layer up and go play in the snow. {Snow man, snow angels, snowball fights. Notice how none of this involves a shovel.}

I would cook soup and keep the coffee pot full and probably bake some cookies {and rats...there's snow...can't make it to the gym.}

In truth...since this is my own fantasy...I have no idea why I'm not plotting to head to warmer territory, but there is something beautiful about snow, as long as I don't have to go OUT or DRIVE or be in any sort of danger.

So that's my winter dream. Stay home and look from the inside out. And if I do go out - it's only to have fun.

You???

{And if you do have to go out today, please oh please be safe out there!!}

The Shafferland Shuffle

* Last Sunday started out as the terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day, when Ryan and I locked ourselves out of our house on our way to church. My parents came to the rescue and brought us  a key!! Thanks, Mom! But despite the debacle that was the start to Sunday, we did manage to pull off a yummy breakfast for our Sunday School class (cream cheese Danish and crock pot breakfast casserole) so that was good. We rested up the rest of the day, and that night, Ryan even gave me a back massage complete with cocoa butter! {I'm longing for the post-house-sale-day when I can go get a massage, so he was helping me get to that day!}

* Monday I came home from work early because I was feeling super sick {anxiety - boo!!} so I made sure to curl up by the fireplace and get extra rest! Ryan did another night of work at the Greentown house...hoping this can be the LAST one of those {PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!}. Actually, it has to be! He returned the borrowed mower to my parents! Then he came home to take care of me. He's good like that. We did have the MOST stunning sunset that night. The only time I hate living in town is when my sunset view is obstructed!!

* Tuesday was Veteran's Day, but neither of us get that day off, so we went to work, and that night we went to the gym. The track was closed, and all the machines were full, so I had to wait in line for a bike. I do like a bike workout, though, so the wait was worth it. As was the apple pie we baked when we got home! HA!!! : ) {Serving of fruit, right?}

* Wednesday at work, I did one of my LEAST favorite chores {ready for how dumb this is??}...I dealt with all the little boxes that had to be broken down. Why I hate that so much, I do not know. But I wait until the stack of boxes is about waist high before I deal with them. And since Ryan and I hit the mid-week missing each other slump, I sent him silly selfies to cheer up his day. By the time we got home, we were ready to work out, eat, and CRASH, which we did. Jammies, fireplace, blankets, YES PLEASE!!!!

* Fort Wayne got some snow on Thursday morning...I was kind of hoping this little ring around the tree outside our office window would reflect the sum of the winter snowfall, but I have a feeling I'm SO WRONG about that. The snow was actually beautiful as it fell...all snow-globey. {And so thankful it wasn't the 6-12 inch dump other parts of the state received!!} Lynne went out for lunch and I ordered some BBQ from Shigs in Pit, which is probably my most favorite BBQ place ever. I ordered extra so we could have some for dinner that night. Pretty sure I got wife of the year for that.

* Friday was our IT guy, Marion's, last day at work. I hate goodbyes. I just hate them. Marion has been a treasure to work with for the past 3 years {he came to WBCL right after I did}, and we will miss him so much. After work, I came home {no thanks to the world's longest train that backed up traffic for stinking ever} - and finished cooking dinner to take to Ryan's mom's house for dinner. We made beef, broccoli and rice and dessert and had dinner with her and Allen. Ryan hooked up some electronics for them and I just enjoyed their lovely home, which could {and should} be in a magazine!!

* Yesterday, Ryan had a long day planned - had to work in the morning and then had to help some friends replace a water heater in the afternoon, so I got up early and went to work with him. I set up a little office in the dining room of the hospital and did some writing while he worked. And then I did some shopping while he did the water heater repair. We had date night at Hacienda and came home in time to watch a movie! :)

The Saturday Six

One.

Source

You know how much I love looking at houses...both plans to build and existing houses to buy. Some people play Facebook games. I house hunt. But this post about mail order homes in the early 1900s is fascinating!!!!

Two.

Source

Melanie wrote this post about her blog...and how she felt spiritual attack as she tried to write a series on digging deeper into the Bible. I firmly believe in spiritual warfare and believe Satan does come after those who are trying to serve the Lord. I love how she's not letting him win!!

Three.

Source

As a girl who regularly struggles with fear, I found this post by the lovely and wise Susie Larson very timely and encouraging.

Four.

Source

I've mentioned this general story on the Saturday Six before, but I love this new article by Holley Gerth about how her new 20 year old daughter adopted HER...and I love it mostly because it speaks volumes of truth about how these pretty little formulas we think need to be followed are all of our own making. God sometimes writes the most unorthodox stories - and they are SO GORGEOUS in their own way.

Five.

Source

Well, I live in Indiana, so really putting much thought into a winter outdoor living space is pointless, since it would all get buried beneath all the Polar Vortexing...but if I did live somewhere with less snow, I would want my Christmas porch to look like this one by Emily A. Clark. Stunning.

Six.

Source

This week, I had a chance to interview Melissa Deeg, the creator of Droolery. When Ryan and I were shopping down near Holiday World earlier this year, I found Droolery in a store and thought it was the coolest thing. It's jewelry for moms of babies. The beads are safe for babies to chew on...so if you have kids, you don't have to skip wearing jewelry until they're in Kindergarten. You should check it out!! 

Healthier{ish} Danish

 
When I get to Heaven, sometime down the road, after I ask all the truly important, spiritual, eternal questions, I think there might be a distinct possibility I'll ask God whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy I stood so long in the appetite and weight-retention line. Seriously. Why wasn't I one of those with endless, carefree metabolism? No need to work out? No need to adjust recipes to health them up? I will ask in part because the original, creamy, gooey, delicious version of this recipe is admittedly funner {feel free to use that word} to eat.

But I will not lie...the healthier{ish} - and feel free to use that word, too - version is in no way shabby. It's good. And while I mourn the lack of fully fattened cream cheese and the absence of butterfalls from the top layer...I smile with satisfaction that I've taken more than one measure to try to make a sweet delight just that much better for us.

I first made this recipe for our Sunday School class, because we take turns carrying in breakfast each Sunday morning. They loved it, so I've made it multiple times since...each time, trying to make it just that much better...for us. So far I've not received rejections or complaints, so I think I may have landed on a good version.

It works as a breakfast treat or dessert...or dessert for breakfast. Whatever you like! Enjoy!! And if you just can't hack the health...it's not that hard to twist part or all of this recipe back to its original form!

Healthier{ish} Danish

* 1 can reduced fat crescent rolls, room temperature
* 1 8-ounce package reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 2 Tablespoons butter
* 1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon
* 1 Tablespoon sugar

Roll half the package of crescent rolls {four rolls} out until they stretch wide and long enough to cover the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 baking dish. Combine cream cheese and sugar in mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread cream cheese mixture over layer of rolls. Roll remaining half of crescent rolls {four rolls} out until they stretch wide and long enough to cover the top of the cream cheese mixture. Melt butter and brush over top of rolls. Mix cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over top of rolls. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Serve warm.

A Few Tips: 

* The original recipe called for 2 cans of rolls, with one can going on the bottom of the pan and the other on the top. If you choose to go back to that, you won't need to stretch out the rolls at all.

* I learned the rolls roll out better if they are room temperature. If they're cold, they snap back to their original size and make you CRAZY. I also learned they fit the pan better if you make them longer rather than wider.

* The original recipe also called for 2 bricks of cream cheese and a full cup of sugar. That version is certainly much creamier, but I think this halved version is plenty creamy and flavorful, so I decided to stick with less filling {even though I love filling with all my being}.

* The original recipe also called for a quarter cup of butter, but it was SO MUCH. I think even 2 Tablespoons is almost more than enough. You only need enough for your cinnamon/sugar mixture to cling to.

* So good with coffee. But that's just my opinion. :)

Those Crazy Shaffers

I feel a little guilty, because for the last two days, I've poured out the core of my heart, and you have been so gracious, which I thoroughly appreciate...and now I'm bringing you a story from the crazy part of our life. Seems abrupt.

Just about as abrupt as it seemed when it happened, let me tell you!

Our Sunday School class has a fellowship time before we actually study anything. And by fellowship, of course, I mean {in part} breakfast. Last Sunday was our day to take breakfast to class. We have a pretty big class, and I hate the thought of running out of food or of anyone being hungry. So this time, I planned to make a breakfast casserole in a slow cooker and two 9x13 pans of cheese danish. Hoped that would be enough!

I put the casserole together on Saturday, and Ryan got up in the middle of the night to turn it on, and then I got up early Sunday morning to put together the danishes and get them in the oven. And of course, as I'm sure many of you know firsthand, sometimes cooking does not go as smoothly as it should. Such was Sunday in Shafferland. I don't know if it was because I hadn't had coffee yet {I know, GASP!!!} or if it was because Ryan was catching a few extra ZZZ's at that time, but I just could not get it together. It took far too long to put together two simple danishes.

And then, of course...that put me behind for getting ready...and as the clock ticked closer and closer to our departure time, I was still slapping on jewelry and makeup and trying to be ready promptly.

And at last, we were.

Coats: check. Crock pot: check. Big bag housing the two 9x13s, the forks, the plates, and the serving spoons: check. Two Bibles: check. Journal: check. Purse: check.

Feeling quite satisfied, I pulled the door shut behind me as Ryan simultaneously said, "Did you grab keys?"

No check.

Yep. Two Shaffers in their mid-thirties on the front porch of their house with breakfast for an army and no keys.

Fabulous.

So I did the only thing I could do. I texted my mom and asked if she could come over after church with a key. And being the good mom that she is, she said that would be too long for us to wait, and she left home immediately to bring us a key.

{Insert mom of the year award here.}

I texted to her, Thank you. We feel really bad.

She answered, Just wait until we do this {and other things} over and over. LOL!!

Good comeback, Mom! I texted back, It's really not helping that this happened before coffee.

We deposited our food in the Sunday School room and headed into church, where I kept my phone in my hand so I could sneak out to get the key from Mom when messaged to say she arrived. By that time, I had consumed coffee, so I decided to stop in the ladies room before going back into church.

My mind was clearly distracted from the events of the morning, and again, I was in the ladies room...so I didn't think I should even have to worry about this, but the lid to the toilet was apparently UP, and I fell in!

Oh my goodness. Are you KIDDING ME??? Not only that, but I still had my phone in my hand and when I tried to catch myself by reaching out to the wall, I dented the wall with my phone.

When I got back out of there, I texted Mom again, The day continues. I fell in the toilet. Who leaves the lid up in the ladies room?

I had to pull myself together pretty quickly, because Ryan and I were greeters, and no one needed a bedraggled, smeary mascara greeter girl welcoming them to church! Actually, greeting seemed to cheer me up, as did a sampling of our breakfast when we got to class.

And when it was all over, we carried home our scraped-clean dishes and let ourselves in with our borrowed key.

Thanks for reading today's adventure in Shafferland!

Sincerely,

The Responsible Adults. {Responsible for dented bathroom walls, that is.}

Small World, Big Impact: Amy

Yesterday I shared with you about my deep desire to be the best Bekah I can be...even if my circle of influence is tiny. Even if I never become a famous, best-selling author.

Many years ago...fourteen, to be exact...I wrote a "book" as a Christmas gift for my family. I had it printed at the school's print shop, and the title was Pieces of My Puzzle. I was in that awkward stage of trying to be seen and known as a grown-up instead of the little girl I had always been, and I hoped that through the words of the book, they would see my heart. One section of the book was about the very kind of people I described yesterday. Those who are probably {in most cases, anyway} not famous world-wide, but they had a marked impact on my world.

I thought I would share some of them with you over the next few weeks, both because I want to introduce you to some of these people who shaped me - some rather silently - but also because I want to challenge you to find these people in your own life and thank them for being that influence on you. And I'd love to challenge you to realize you are these people to those around you. You are making eternal impacts in ways you don't even realize.

So without further ado, I'd love you to meet Amy, as I wrote about her 14 years ago:

I have never seen her without a smile on her face. I don't know how many times I sat at the front desk in our office and waved to her as she walked by. She always waved and smiled right back at me. She remembered my name. I had been to her house a couple of times for home parties {as someone's guest}. Her home had always been very inviting, and you could feel a soft and natural peace and joy in that house - just from her presence there.

I remember during one of the parties, her husband came home. She still looked at him with a bride's smile, even though they had been married for a few years. Wow, I thought. He's lucky to have her. What a beautiful person to come home to every day. And you could tell just from looking at him that inside, he knew what a blessing God had given him.

At that same party, Amy let us peek into her wedding scrapbook. I flipped through it and found a letter she read to him at their wedding reception. I only read a couple of lines...it seemed to personal to read in full. But the words I saw, combined with the photo of her reading those words to him that day, showed me a depth of love I hope to someday have in my own marriage.

Everybody has bad days at work...days when the job stinks and you want out. Days when you don't feel good, and you'd rather be home in bed. Days when the weather dampens your spirits before you're even fully aware of what the weather is...but you know it's not good. But in all those days, I've never seen Amy down in the dumps. I gather that she must have bad days too...she is, of course, human. But that sweet smile that always stays on her face is something that inspires me to want to be more like her. Oh, I have smiles on my face a lot. But they're not always sincere, and once the person has passed by, my smile sometimes completely disappears.

Amy doesn't smile for effect. Her whole persona is a smile. A soft and genuine smile. She has a little baby now. I ran into her a few days after he was born, when she brought him to work to show him off. He was so tiny, fast asleep in the stroller. I asked her how she felt, and she just smiled and said, "I feel great! I was a little tired, but I feel good now." I asked if he was a good baby. She said, "Oh, he's a wonderful baby. He doesn't cry much at all." Of course not, I thought. He's got you for a mother. What more could a little baby want?

Amy, you didn't even know that I was watching all those times, but thank you for being a smiling example to me...an inspiration for my life. Thank you. And to your little son...your Mama is someone special. Watch her smile. Inherit that smile. Someday someone will notice, and you won't even know, but it will change that person's life.

***

Amy still lives around here, and she's a counselor now. She has the chance to impact many lives through counseling, but for me, the biggest impact was her smile and her joyful spirit toward her husband. And now that I have that husband I mentioned in what I wrote, I always hope he sees in me what Amy's husband saw in her. 

Small Worlds: Big Impact

Thanks for your kind words yesterday about {possibly irrational} fears of serving in unknown capacities and for letting me know I am not alone in the boat of wanting to serve in ways that are unique and perhaps not entirely trendy.

You've given me the courage to bring up my next point...hope you will hear my heart clearly on this one.

I've been wrestling for a while. Not the formal sport kind of wrestling that Ryan did in high school {though oh what a blog post THAT would make}, but a heart wrestling that has left me convicted and searching in ways I've never experienced before.

And then this past Sunday, one of our pastors preached about it and bravely confessed his own wrestling, so at least I know there are two of us in this boat. Guessing there are many more.

I am a small servant in a big world.

I am a small servant in a big world that demands big servants.

I sometimes feel inferior because I am a small servant who feels the pressure to be bigger and louder and better and bolder.

I sometimes feel guilty because I am a small servant who genuinely doesn't mind being a small servant, but I do mind the loud pressure to be bigger and louder and better and bolder.

It's all about numbers, everywhere you turn.

Please like my Facebook page. I'm close to 1000 likes and I want to get over this next number marker.

I have doubled my Twitter following in the last month.

My book just went into a second printing and I signed a contract for three more books.

{Please note the above sentences are merely examples and in no way an actual representation of my life. HA!}

You all know that I work in radio, and part of my producer job is to schedule guests for our show. Lynne tells me the ones she wants to schedule and it's my job to track down the authors/guests and book them. And it's not uncommon for me to reach out to a publicist who sent me a press release about an author not all that long ago and ask to book a certain date, only to hear something like, "Let me put you in touch with her directly. Our contract to promote her ran out."

Already? Many times the book isn't even a year old. It baffles me that these people have thrown soul and sweat into writing a book, watched it come to fruition, and less than a year later, they're just on their own again. The content is still good. The message is still valid. People still need to hear!

It's a world of grow, grow, grow, push, push, push, move, move, move...and my heart hurts, because I believe in the process of growing and pushing and moving, we're losing value. We're plowing through projects and over people and past Divine Appointments, and it genuinely hurts me.

I read a blog post not long ago {so wish I could remember where it was so I could link to it for you} written as a caution by an author to other authors...admonishing them that if they're not willing to sacrifice pretty much everything in their personal lives, they shouldn't pursue publication - at least in the traditional sense. If they're not willing to stay up late and skip vacations and time with their family and be willing to do all that is demanded to write a book, then they shouldn't sign the contract.

Is this what Jesus meant by going into all the world and making disciples? {Not trying to be a smarty pants. Genuinely asking.} Did He mean to plow through projects and over people and past Divine Appointments and sacrifice our "small world" commitments to be part of the big world? The noticed world? The world of numbers?

I believe with all my heart that God created and ordained some folks to be a big deal in the world. He fashioned and designed them with unique gifts that let them get out there and do mind-blowing things. Billy Graham comes to mind.

But we aren't all Billy. And I don't believe God intended for all of us to be Billy. I believe He meant for some of us - dare I say most of us?? - to make a big impact on a small world. Maybe we aren't breaking the mold of all the social media algorithms. Maybe we aren't booked every weekend to speak somewhere. Maybe most people don't even know our name.

But oh my goodness. To the handful of folks that do know our name...what a platform of influence we hold. We are impacting the DAYLIGHTS out of that crowd. They know us - not in the stalkerish-got-a-selfie-with-us-to-hashtag-on-Instagram sort of sense, but in the drop-off-the-perfect-gift-on-the-porch-as-a-surprise-because-we-just-get-each-other sort of sense.

You guys?

That's who I want to be.

I wrote a book four years ago. In the grand scheme of book publications, mine is somewhere near the tail end of the list of sales. It's a best-seller in my family, and that's about as far as I can take that claim to fame.

But you know what? A couple of years after I published it, I got an email from a lady I've never met, who lives in a state I've never been to, who told me flat out she doesn't really have a relationship with the Lord, but she read my book and it made sense to her in a way that "churchy" books never have. It made her think. It got under her skin.

I'll take that over selling 100,000 copies any day of the week.

Yeah I'm on the radio, and there are people who know me because of it, but in the grand scheme of radio, I'm not a household name by a long shot.

But you know what? I've received emails from people who have shared deep heart-hurts with me and have taken a risk to ask for my prayers because they say I seem like the kind of person who really cares...and sometimes we email back and forth for a long while about whatever their concern might be.

I'll take that over being known {and consequently dissected for every word I say} any day of the week.

More than anything else in this world, I want to be a faithful wife and a faithful writer. Those are the two greatest gifts God has entrusted to me, and it doesn't matter to me if my name is known far and wide...as long as when I get to Heaven, God tells me I loved my husband well and faithfully...and the words I wrote were honoring to Him toward those who read them - no matter how small that readership might have been.

Forget numbers. Forget fame. Forget algorithms. Forget strategy. God, give me the assignments YOU have laid out for me, and let me be faithful in making a big impact on my small world.

Feed My Starving Children

Confession.

I am not good at service projects. In fact, I struggle to have a servant's heart in the sense that is accepted and typically expected by society. I love to do things for people, but I sincerely struggle to hop on the service project bandwagon with a joyful and willing heart.

So a few weeks ago, when one of the guys in our Sunday School class told us about an opportunity to serve with Feed My Starving Children, Ryan signed up with glee, and I signed up because I didn't want to look like a jerk.

And in the weeks that passed between signing up, and this past Saturday when we participated, Ryan was so excited to be part of this day and I was so wondering why I was so broken that I was so not excited.

If you're not familiar with this organization {and I wasn't either until this past weekend} - the basic synopsis is that communities raise money to put together these little "manna packs" - that contain rice, soy, vitamins, and vegetables. Communities can come together to host a mobile pack, where people assemble and pack boxes of these little manna packs, which are then distributed to areas of the world where children are starving to death.

{Seriously, go to the website and read the much more detailed explanation of all these aspects...it's quite a well-oiled machine.}

So this past Saturday morning, Ryan and I headed to the church in town, where the mobile pack was being held, so we could do our part in serving!

One thing that really threw me off my game was that we'd been told before we went that you weren't allowed to wear jewelry - including wedding rings. I don't take off my wedding ring ever, unless I'm applying hand lotion or hair gel, and the maximum acceptable time for me to have it off is about 2 minutes flat. So while I refused to leave it at home, I made sure I was covered in case they made me take it off: I applied a Sharpie tattoo under my ring:

In the end, I was permitted to keep my ring on, as long as I wore a glove on that hand, but I did get in trouble for having my earring studs in my second ear piercing. :(

There were five shifts happening throughout the day at our site, and Ryan and I were part of the first shift, along with our Sunday School class. After receiving our hairnets {even Ryan had to wear a hair net - isn't that so funny???}, we went into a big room with all the other volunteers and listened to the directions for the day.

After that chat, we were ushered into the gym where the actual packing took place. A very nice lady gave us a demonstration of all the jobs available that day. One thing I really liked about their setup was that there was a minimum number of people required to serve at each station, but they did have quite a bit of flexibility built in for a handful more than the minimum to be at a station. That allowed families serving together to be able to serve together and not be broken up. This scared-of-serving-in-unfamiliar-places girl was beyond grateful.

I didn't count the number of stations set up that day, but Ryan and I guessed there might have been ten, and at each station, there were people scooping out the ingredients, measuring the weight of the bags, sealing the bags, packing the boxes, taping and labeling the boxes, carrying them out to the trailer, and replenishing the supplies at each table.

Ryan's job was to hold the bag under the funnel while the ingredient-scoopers filled it, and then he weighed the bag and gave it to me. I was a team with my friend, Marie, and we were bag-sealers. Our table was FULL of competitive people, and we were {NOT gonna lie} - a machine about cranking out the work.

Ryan with our friends, Nate and Jenna. {Nate and Ryan were in PT school together and now we all get to be in Sunday School class together!}

Marie and me - sealer team extraordinaire!

And here we are with our friend, Laura, who had the same job as Ryan.

Our shift lasted an hour and a half, and in that time, the whole big group of us {not just our table} packed something to the tune of 28,000 meals.

Each bag holds six meals' worth of food. There are 36 of these bags in one box. Just FYI.

And here is our entire entourage from Sunday School.

We learned at church yesterday that over the course of the five shifts in the entire day, our county packed 116,640 meals. {The goal was 100,000, but they had enough food and boxes to make the final count, so they just kept going until they ran out.} 753 people volunteered through the day, and the amount of meals we made will feed 319 kids every day for a year.

Even for a girl who struggles to have a servant's heart, that is pretty cool and something I'm honored to have been part of.

They also told us at church that there is a church up in northern Indiana {where our organizers actually went to observe and learn} who packed food for five straight days this year {Tuesday-Saturday} and ended up filling 11,139 boxes for a total of TWO MILLION, 406,024 meals. That will feed 6591 kids every day for a year.

I can't even wrap my mind around that.

Ryan and I are still learning, as we make our way in this life, the organizations we want to get behind and support, and I think we were in instant agreement that this is one of them. After observing their work and learning more about them, they are the real deal. They use their funds wisely and make a huge impact, one meal at a time.

Wedding ring debacle aside, I'm thankful I did this project, and I would happily serve again if they bring it back to our community. HAPPILY.

{Funny side note: after we were done, one of the ladies in our class came up to me and said "Hey you have been nominated...the University radio station is here and they need to interview someone. We think you're the logical choice." LOL!!! So even on my day off the air...I was on the air...}