You know you live in Robbinsville when...

1.  McDonalds becomes your Starbucks.
2.  Everyone you meet for the first time already knows you as Rance Shuler's wife! :)
3.  You leave your truck running while you go into Ingles to grab groceries.
4.  You are 45 minutes from the nearest WalMart (don't even ask how far Target is.)
5.  The UPS man can't get up your driveway because it's so steep (side note: online shopping is the thing to do 'round here!).
6.  The Appalachian Trail runs right behind your house.
7.  You have to make a schedule to plan out all the people inviting you over to eat (Praise the LORD for this).
8.  Your husband stops to buy you flowers on his morning school bus route & has a student hop off the bus to deliver to the office!
9.  You try to make your daily trip to town count because you don't want to have to drive over the mountain again that day.
10.  Snow is NORMAL.  Very normal.  School closings happen often...and when they do everyone heads to the slopes for some skiing/snowboarding...wait, EXCEPT Jennifer whom has to work regardless of the weather (I love you public accounting!). 
11.  Your husband hasn't got fired from his job yet for sharing the gospel, praying & having devotions daily with his classes...yes in a public school (I've got a Paul on my hands!  I'm so blessed!).
12.  The age gap from 20 to 30 is missing!  (Thank you Jesus for Kelly Grace Ritter!).
13.  Half of Robbinsville Middle/High school are missing on the opening day of BEAR season!
14.  It's a TREAT and well planned out event to go shopping (Asheville is an hour and a half away!)
15.  You can't get too close to empty on gas because you might not make it to the next gas station!
16.  You leave one vehicle parked at the bottom of the mountain when it starts snowing in case it snows/ices so much you can't make it up and down your driveway for a few days (which means you get to WALK up and down it).
17.  The thing you want the most after getting married and moving here is FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. 
18.  You learn what ginseng is (go ahead and google it hahaha)!
19.  Your biggest fear in pregnancy is wondering if you'll make it to the hospital in time once you go into labor (we be far, far away).  And no, I'm not pregnant! 
20.  You actually consider joining facebook for the first time ever to keep in touch with friends :)   

*I love you Robbinsville, NC*

It was definitely NOT in MY plan to move across North Carolina (5 to 6 hours away from my family/friends) but it was no doubt in GOD'S PLAN for me all along.  Psalm 139:16 says "...all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."  It's amazing to think that God knew before I was ever even born exactly where I would be on December 22, 2010.  His plan is perfect and I know I am exactly where He has called me to be... 

If you want to hear God laugh tell Him your plans :)

B.L.E.S.S.E.D.

BLESSED - This one word describes my life.  No matter what, I am forever BLESSED because Jesus Christ came to this earth as human flesh (the REAL meaning of CHRISTmas); lived a perfect, sinless life; died a bloody, painstaking death on the cross to take on the sins of the world; rose again in THREE days and ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God so that I (and those who believe) can spend eternity with HIM in a place so magnificent I cannot even fathom it.  Never again on this earth should I wonder what I have to be thankful for.  That my friend, is why I am not just 'okay,' I am not just 'good', I am absolutely 100% BLESSED.  If God never gave me another blessing, answered another prayer, or provided anything else for me; simply being offered the gift of eternal salvation would be worthy of a lifetime of thanks to Him.  Wouldn't you agree?  But on top of all that, He does daily guide, provide and continue to be a miracle working God who answers prayers constantly - Do you know Him?

God put it on my heart a while back to start a blog.  Time is always the enemy but I realize now more than ever how IMPORTANT it is to journal.  Here's why:

Psalm 77:11-14 (New King James Version) 

¹¹ I will remember the works of the LORD;
         Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
 ¹² I will also meditate on all Your work,
         And talk of Your deeds.

It is a given that our time on this earth is TEMPORARY.  Thanks to Adam & Eve and their disobedience in the Garden of Eden (eating what they were told NOT to eat) - SIN entered the world and as long as we are here on this earth, we are guaranteed to experience seasons of blessings & seasons of drought.  This year has definitely been a season of BLESSINGS.  God has so graciously BLESSED Rance and I far more than we ever deserved and trust me, we are giving Him the GLORY each day.  However, just like David in the Psalm above - there will be seasons in our lives when things aren't so easy.  David boldly says in verse 11, "I will remember the works of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your works of old."  I want to be like David.  I want to write down, recall, lock into my memory all the Lord has done.  I want to remember the deeds of the Lord.  When hard times come, God is still good.  His love NEVER fails.  He never intended for the world to be the way it is.  In fact, it is so far from where He desires it.  He gave us the ability to make 'choices' and unfortunately the first wrong choice started with Adam & Eve and it seems they spiraled out of control ever since.  Thankfully, our HOPE can be found in Jesus, not in this world!  Hebrews 13:8 says "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."   

With this blog, I desire to remember the deeds of the Lord and remind you of His goodness! 

 

To be continued my friend!