What Would Carter Do?

Lately, I've found myself given over to lazy whims and desires.

 

Take tonight.

My husband is gone at rehearsal, I am alone with kids. The dishes are piled up, the laundry is piled up. What's a girl to do?

 

Avoid them like the plague.

 

Then, I got to thinking about my sweet husband and how servant-hearted he is. He does my dishes every night, people. And, if I'm upstairs folding laundry, he comes and helps me do that after the dishes are done.

 

There I was, standing in the kitchen and I thought, "What would Carter do?"

He would do the next thing.

 

I'd like to say that I did the next best thing and did the dishes to bless him.

But, honestly, and here's my grand excuse, I just wanted to crawl up in my bed after dealing with throw-up all afternoon, the stench of stomach acid still lingering in my nostrils.

I did however empty all the downstairs garbages, and sweep the floors. Hey, it was something!

 

Now, I'm resting in my bed, click-clacking away, while he is downstairs clanging pots and pans.

Ahhhhhh, tis a delightful sound! I'll thank him later. ;-)

 

My husband is someone I admire whole-heartedly. He encourages me, protects me (sometimes from my negative self-talk), spurs me on, loves me on bad hair days, never speaks a harsh word to me, he is always the first one to apologize, and makes me laugh daily. He is a man after God's own heart, he seeks Christ daily, he is a good daddy. I kinda like this guy God granted me. Even more, I kinda want to be like him.

{hubba hubba}

 

Words always have a way of toying with me. They stick there, in the forefront of my mind, like that proverbial piece of spinach lodged in the teeth. And I chew on them.

 

The following words have been chewed on quite a bit lately.

 

“The difference between an admirer and a follower still remains,
no matter where you are.

The admirer never makes any true sacrifices. 
He always plays it safe.

 Though in words, phrases, songs, he is inexhaustible about how highly he prizes Christ,

 he renounces nothing, gives up nothing,
will not reconstruct his life, will not be what he admires,

and will not let his life express what it is he supposedly admires.”

{Soren Kierkegaard}

 

I think about how I know God is nudging me to reconstruct my life (get up earlier, exercise consistently, eat well, teach my children scripture) and how I keep shirking from it.

 

I think about what I know I need to give up (as I'm here munching on potato chips), not in some legalistic "deny myself everything pleasurable" insanity, but because, I know to Whom I belong, and I want closer, ever closer to His throne, and further, ever further from the trappings of this world.

 

How many times have I thanked and praised God for His awesomeness on Sunday morning, only to speak harshly and rudely to the awesome little child-miracles surrounding me that very night?

 

This is not a beat myself down session, it is a "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." {Psalm 139:23-24}

 

I no longer want to be an admirer. Only a follower.

 

My name means "Follower of Christ."

Thank you, Dad and Mom for the foresight to name me thus.

I aim to live it.

 

~ christa jean ~

 

P.S. Happy Birthday to our Angel baby, our sponsor child. She is ONE today! We found out that she is not an orphan, but her family is so poor they can hardly feed her. She has three older siblings, a set of four year old twins and a sister who is twelve. I pray for strength for her parents today, and favor. Lord, be the Provider of every need.