Schema::create('schedules', function(Blueprint $table)
{
    $table->increments('id');
    $table->integer('user_id', false, true);
    $table->integer('client_id', false, true);
    $table->datetime('for');
    $table->enum('type', array('template', 'revision', 'common'));
    $table->string('name', 50)->default('Untitled Template');
    $table->boolean('is_published');
    $table->timestamp('published_at');
    $table->softDeletes();
    $table->timestamps();
});

Schema::create('shifts', function(Blueprint $table)
{
    $table->increments('id');
    $table->integer('schedule_id', false, true);
    $table->integer('user_id', false, true);
    $table->foreign('schedule_id')->references('id')->on('schedules')->onDelete('cascade');
    $table->softDeletes();
    $table->timestamps();
});

User::find($userId)
    ->shifts()
    ->with('schedule')
    ->where('is_published', true)
    ->orderBy('year', 'asc')
    ->orderBy('month', 'asc')
    ->orderBy('day', 'asc')
    ->take(5)
    ->get();

User::find($userId)
    ->schedules()
    ->has('shifts')
    ->where('is_published', true)
    ->orderBy('year', 'asc')
    ->orderBy('month', 'asc')
    ->orderBy('day', 'asc')
    ->take(5)
    ->get();

$results = User::find($userId)
    ->schedules()
    ->where('is_published', true)
    ->orderBy('year', 'asc')
    ->orderBy('month', 'asc')
    ->orderBy('day', 'asc')
    ->take(5)
    ->get();

public function schedules(){
    return $this->belongsToMany('Schedule', 'shifts');
}

foreach($results as $result){
    echo $result->pivot
}

class Shift extends IlluminateDatabaseEloquentRelationsPivot

public function newPivot(Eloquent $parent, array $attributes, $table, $exists){
    if ($parent instanceof User) {
        return new Shift($parent, $attributes, $table, $exists);
    }
    return parent::newPivot($parent, $attributes, $table, $exists);
}

// User model
public function shifts()
{
   return $this->hasManyThrough('Shift', 'Schedule');
}

$now = CarbonCarbon::now();

$upcomingShifts = $user->shifts()
     ->where('schedules.is_published', 1)
     ->where('schedules.for', '>', $now)
     ->orderBy('schedules.for')
     ->take(5)
     ->get();

// User model
public function getUpcomingShifts($limit = 5)
{
   $joinTable = $this->shifts()->getParent()->getTable(); // schedules

   $now = CarbonCarbon::now();

   return $this->shifts()
     ->where($joinTable.'.is_published', 1)
     ->where($joinTable.'.for', '>', $now)
     ->orderBy($joinTable.'.for')
     ->take($limit)
     ->get();
}

// then
$user->getUpcomingShifts();