Happy Birthday Jesus!!!



Rance and I pray that you & your family have a BLAST celebrating the BIGGEST birthday ever to be celebrated in history!  

Happy Birthday JESUS!

Father,

We lift up the family reading this and thank You for blessing us with them in our lives.  Father bless this family with remaining focused during this CHRIST-mas season, and unlike the inn, may they make room for JESUS in their homes and hearts.  May they celebrate the greatest most precious indescribable gift of all time, Emmanuel, God with us!  May they dwell on the Scriptures…“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).”  May they begin to grasp Your Love Father as You sent Your innocent Son into this world as a Lamb to be slain for our sin on Calvary’s Cross!  May they celebrate victory knowing Your Son conquered death when the power of God raised Him from the grave!  May they celebrate the FREE GIFT of Salvation simply received by Grace alone, through Faith alone, in Christ alone!  May they experience an abiding relationship with You as they choose not to focus on the things of this world, but rather following Your Son Jesus and living life abundantly!

In the Name of Your long promised Anointed Messiah JESUS, amen.

The Shuler’s



Merry CHRIST-mas!  We love you!

Celebrating JESUS!

We changed things up a little bit for discipleship Thursday night and just enjoyed an evening of bonding, eating, playing Chinese CHRIST-mas, sipping on apple cider and coffee, and reflecting on Jesus' birth.

I have mentioned before but the book "One Incredible Moment" by Max Lucado is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G at capturing the viewpoints of Mary, Joseph, and the list goes on - on Jesus' birth.  We focused on Mary's prayer as she held her Savior and reflected on His life and it blows me away every time. 

Thank you DOLLAR GENERAL of Robbinsville!

We gather here a lot :)

Sippin' on some apple cider and coffee

LOVE how much thought Autumn put into picking out
which gift she wanted to choose!

SUCH fun $5 gifts!



Homemade brownies, candles, fun socks, coffee mugs, smell goods!

Autumn LOVES candles & Lindy LOVES chocolate!

Sweet Lindy!

Precious girls, Precious hats, Precious evening!

When Rance saw the picture of Anna's Santa hat above - he was inspired to wear his just to spread a little JOY at CHRIST-mas around Robbinsville!  The laughs through the drive through of McDonald's and in Kerr Druggs and everywhere else we went were PRICELESS! 

CHRIST-mas Baking & Candy Making!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE making & eating CHRIST-mas candy!

It's becoming a family tradition for Aunt Shirley & I to get together and spend time in the kitchen laboring (and eating) over some serious CHRIST-mas baking & candy making!  What I love most about it though is the quality time with her.  We have some of the best talks!

Tuesday evening started with Aunt Shirley's homemade biscuits which are AMAZING and homemade gravy too.  Rance and I are determined to be able to make biscuits like her. 

Biscuits are one of my all-time favorite foods!

Rance & Mammaw Ruby!

Then a little gift giving...

YES, we got a GUN from Rance's dad!!!

Digital camera lesson!



A Special Surprise - too much to explain!



Then a lot of baking & candy making...

Yummmmmmmmmm!

I love Karlyn's face in this one!!! :)



Family Bonding!



Karlyn, me, Aunt Shirley
Please note Rance's dad in the background!

 

It's impossible for Rance to take pictures
without one of these pics with him in it!

One of my FAVORITES!





I may or may not have left almost sick to my stomach from eating so much candy! :)

CHRIST-mas Traditions

Family = BLESSING. 

Rance, Kathleen (my mommy in law), and I headed to Blairsville, GA on Saturday afternoon to hang out with Marla (my awesome sister-in-law), Devin & Kenleigh ALONG with Marla's mother-in-law (whom I adore!) and father-in-law.

Marla is a heck of a cook and after feasting on some delicious food, we opened presents, talked and laughed for hours, and I got to sneak away with Miss Kenleigh for an hour or so.  Honestly, I LOVE when babies cry or maybe I should say it does NOT bother me.  I am sure you are wanting to know why?  For some reason, everyone ALWAYS hands baby back to mommy when baby starts crying.  That's not me unless mommy grabs baby from me then I do what mommy says.  On Saturday night, Kenleigh started getting fussy and crying and before I knew it she was handed over to me and I gladly took that sweet crying baby.  Maybe it's growing up in a HOME daycare (my mom's job my entire life) and becoming immuned to the sound of a baby crying or maybe it's just simply understanding a baby's only way to communicate is through crying.  I'm not sure but Kenleigh and I went to her nursery and rocked and I sang Jesus Loves Me on repeat about 50 times.  She went right off to sleep and I spent much time just praying for her and dwelling on DADDY knitting every single part of her.  I may have cried.  I cherished every little minute of getting that precious time with my new niece.

Rance THOROUGHLY enjoyed his time with Kenleigh too.  He calls himself "Uncle RedBeard" hahaha!  I am not sure where that came from but the rest of the evening it just stuck!

The Shuler's & The Thomas'
Uncle RedBeard, Aunt Jenni, Marla, Kenleigh, & Devin

PLEASE notice Dozer going in between Rance's legs in this picture!!!

Aunt Jenni & Uncle RedBeard with Miss Kenleigh!

Mommy & her two kids & 1st grandbaby

Judy & Randy & Kenleigh
(This is Marla's mother in law & father in law!)

I absolutely LOVE Kenleigh's face here!

Such a PRECIOUS gift from
Marla, Devin & Kenleigh

Gorgeous Picture from my favorite store - KIRKLAND'S!
"When life gets too hard to stand...KNEEL"

Kenleigh's first bracelet from her favorite Aunt & Uncle!

Love watching her open gifts!

Uncle RedBeard bonding with Kenleigh



Precious moments!



Thank you Jesus for Kenleigh!

I cannot help but reflect daily on the birth of Jesus even admist all the CHRIST-mas parties and family time.  I cannot help but think about exactly what it was like the night Jesus was born.  Exactly how Mary must have felt.  Afterall, she was giving birth to her CREATOR.  Isn't that fascinating?  What was Joseph thinking?  Take time to dwell on this.  Don't miss out on the most precious gift of all gifts - Jesus Christ. 

I love you all!

In the midst of GLORY...

twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.
their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
they were filled with such joy, they didn't know what to say.
...

they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
"where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
"this is heaven." declared a small boy.
"we're spending Christmas at God's house."
when what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their Savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
those children all flew into the arms of their King
and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.
and as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."
then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
"Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"
"may this country be delivered from the hands of fools"
"I'm taking back my nation. I'm taking back my schools!"
then He and the children stood up without a sound.
"come now my children, let me show you around."
excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
and i heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
"in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT."
Written by Cameo Smith, Mt. Wolf, PA

 

Though we may not understand what happened in Connecticut last week- these are the things I DO KNOW...

God gave man the ability to CHOOSE - to make a choice in everything.  I am so thankful for that because I get to choose to live for Him, choose where to live, choose where to work, choose who I married, choose how we will raise our kids.  We can choose Him or we can choose EVIL (the world).  He gives us the option.  Clearly what happened in Connecticut was EVIL and demonic and as much as it grieves my heart - I cannot fathom how it grieves Father's.  God HATES sin.  SIN is what nailed God's Son Jesus to the cross.  Jesus died out of submission to the Father and paid for the sins of the entire world - and for those that put their faith and trust in Jesus, who He is, and what He did can have eternal life starting right now.  But again, God did not make us robots - He made us humans with a choice - just like Adam and Eve had a choice way back in the beginning in the Garden of Eden.  Last week - the choice was evil. 

 

What else do I know?  This event did not surprise God or throw Him for a loop.  God is totally sovereign and knew this shooting would take place but remember that what happened in Connecticut did not and will not ever change the character and goodness of God.  Sadly the authorities of our nation have demanded that God be no longer prayed to or recognized in our school systems.  They have demanded that any reference to Scripture, or JESUS, or His teachings, or the 10 Commandments never be taught or mentioned.  Guns and schools have both been around for 400 years, and until 1960 there has never been an issue with guns in schools.  The answer is simple, our nation has asked God to step aside and not be involved with us anymore.  Our government has decided to do what they think is best rather than what God's Word says is right.  The world is SO FAR from TRUTH and where God desires it to be.  I cannot imagine His heartbreak over this world and the evil that happened in Connecticut.  We also are reminded in the Bible, very clearly, that it is GOD who will repay - VENGENCE is HIS, not ours (Romans 12:19).  We do not have to worry about seeking justice and repaying someone when they have wronged us - leave that up to HIM.  He is the righteous judge. 

 

What else do I know?  We can REJOICE and meditate on the good things we know.  As the poem reads above - these sweet little children are in GLORY experiencing something every Christian should LONG for - being in the very presence of Jesus!  Can you even imagine???  They do not wish to be back here in this sick world.  If only the world could see their need for a Savior.  God created us in His image.  He created us to need Him.  We can try to fill our lives with all the things the world offers yet why does it leave people still feeling empty???  There is a void that ONLY God can fill because He created us that way!  The only way I can respond and want to respond is to make it my mission to follow after everything Jesus modeled while here on this earth.  To share the gospel and make disciples and be a LIGHT in this dark, sick world.  

 

Until the whole world hears...

 

8 Pointer, A Blessing from Jesus

The JOY in a wife's heart cannot be explained when she gets that text from her husband shouting and praising the Lord over a buck he just shot.  Maybe it's growing up in a household with a dad and brother that love to hunt and just understanding this is important and something to be celebrated.  Maybe it's just being excited about something I know my husband thoroughly enjoys yet rarely gets to do.  Maybe it's all of the above.  Whatever the case, I love when Rance gets to go hunting and I always pray for him while he is hunting and that DADDY blesses him with something to shoot; however, I know whether Rance shoots a buck, a doe, a turkey, a squirrel, or nothing at all - He just loves being in the outdoors and enjoying that sweet time with the Lord.  

Last Saturday, Rance and his dad went hunting together and so the Lord bonded them in an extra special way when Rance was so blessed to shoot an 8 pointer!  I was shouting and screaming at home - just as excited as they were and forwarding Rance's texts to a couple of my friends who at least act excited whether they are or not (or even really understand what to be excited for) haha!  

Check out that studly hunter and studly deer :)

 

After skinning the deer in the woods, Rance hiked out over 2 miles with 80 pounds of meat in his backpack.  Thank you Jesus for a blessing of a day for Rance and his dad and for lavishing extra grace upon Rance by allowing him to shoot a buck!



Trini SISTERS are NC bound in 18 days!

What a long awaited answered prayer!  Leah and Leanna are two of my sweet sisters in Christ from Trinidad!  We bonded years ago on my very first trip to Trinidad and thanks to improvements in technology over the years, SKYPE, and BLACKBERRY BBM - we are able to chat daily for FREE.  Yes, this is a huge blessing.

We have been praying for almost a year for Leah and Leanna to get approved for their VISA's so they could visit North Carolina for the very first time.  Both sisters were approved and are North Carolina Bound Monday, December 31 through Tuesday, January 8th.  Hello, I'm excited!

 

Trinidad July 2010
Rance, Leah, me, Leanna



Trinidad Women's Retreat October 2009
Leah and I
(Monica & Eden to the left!)

Trinidad July 2011
Leah, Laura, and I



Trinidad July 2010
Leanna and I (plus Patsy - wish she could come!)



My ultimate prayer for these two sisters is for them to recognize the important role they have in their country as change agents & disciple-makers for Christ.  Please pray for their time here :)

I love MORNINGS!

...especially a morning that begins with discipleship with God's precious daughters pictured below!  Typically we meet on Thursday nights at the Shuler household but since a few of the girls have senior project speeches on Thursday night this week and no other night collectively worked out - we decided to have a morning date instead!

Can you guess who is a morning person and who is not?!


I LOVE THESE FACES!!!
Lindy, Kaitlyn, Anna, Jaycee, Autumn



Coffee CHECK!

 

Lindy & Jaycee
Morning person or not?

When I think of my heart for these girls, I immediately think of Paul's letter to the Philippian church and the deep love and affection that he has for them. 

³ I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, ⁴ always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, ⁵ for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶ being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; ⁷ just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. ⁸ For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.  ⁹ And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, ¹¹ being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:3-11

I deeply love & care about these girls and their spiritual best interest just as Paul shares his heart for the church of Philippi.   I thank God for them, covering them in prayer daily (many times praying exactly what vs. 9-11 says above), and discipling them to the best of my ability yet allowing them to be free to choose what they want for their life!  

Thank you Jesus for being the perfect example of what a disciple-maker looks like.  Help me to model after you... 

Cozy time with DADDY

I often times struggle to get still, sit down, and not get distracted by what I need to be doing.  Just sayin' - YES I STRUGGLE WITH THIS.  I pray about this.  I pray about everything.  Romans 8:29 tells me, that as His daughter, I was predestined to be conformed to the IMAGE OF HIS SON.  What does that even look like?  It's impossible to know if I am not spending time with my DADDY to KNOW Him more - His ways, His character, His love, His grace, His attributes.  I cannot look like something (the IMAGE of His Son) that I do not even know.  I pray specifically for the Lord to change me, Jennifer, at the very CORE of who I am to be conformed more & more to the image of His Son.  I know that's what I want to look like and I know I do not want to MISS any part of knowing Father. 

So as I pray and dwell on what it looks like to be conformed to the IMAGE of His Son - I constantly evaluate Jennifer.  I am super disciplined in my prayer time and don't struggle as much as I use to with my time in His Word daily.  However, I mentioned here how I was challenged recently on how often do I really LISTEN to Father.  Stop.talking.and.just.listen.


FOUR mornings in a row last week (Wed-Sat) the Lord woke me up at 4:30AM on the dot.  Was I surprised?  Not at all!  You see, after asking Father to please reveal the time it would be best for me to be still & listen for the past week - I am certain He answered by waking me up 4 mornings in a row at 4:30 am.  This.was.not.a.coincidence.  The Lord obviously had better use for my time than laying in bed.  Pray perhaps?  Time in His Word?  Time to Be still & listen?  For me, it was clearly the last one Father has me grappling with right now.  He lovingly answered my prayer and showed me the time that works best for me to be still before Him.  Each morning, I got up out of bed and sat down in our living room and instead of praying 100mph - I was still before my FATHER waiting for Him this time instead of filling His ears.  It's fascinating to think that I can choose daily to learn more about who my Father is at His core.  I want to KNOW Him that well so I can constantly be growing and changing at the very core of who I am to be conformed more and more to the IMAGE OF HIS SON.

CHRISTmas tree, cup of coffee, the Word, and a heart ready to be still was a perfect combination at 4:30 am!

What time works best for you to spend with the Lord?  Not just in His Word but listening too?  Maybe it looks different for you!