Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: STEW (11/26/15)
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TITLE: Never Alone | Previous Challenge Entry
By Ashley Rowland
12/02/15 -
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“Cool. Buckle up.”
Carter struggled a moment and then clicked his seatbelt into place beside his booster seat. “Got it. You know what else? My friend Ben wouldn’t touch it.”
“Why?”
“I dunno. Can I have a snake? Or maybe a lizard?”
Dad smirked and glanced in the rear-view mirror at Carter. The cellphone rang from the cup holder. Dad winced and ignored it a moment. “Hello?… Of course, I got him…”
Carter gazed out the window to his right. Not much in his world felt balanced now. Emotions competed within him - sadness, anger, guilt. Hope rose above the others, always hope. He turned back to watch his dad.
Dad took the phone from his ear a moment and clutched the steering wheel with his other hand. He finally brought the phone back. “You wanted this, Sharon. Cry to him.” Dad hung up and slung the phone into the cup holder.
---
Jason fished out a pizza pan, soothed by Carter’s movie in the next room. Sharon’s voice rang in his ears, accusing him of getting all the fun with Carter. He slammed the pan on the counter. She’d taken all of his time. His family, his son, his money. He lived now to pay her child support - money she threw in the wind - and to see his son. What was he supposed to do?
Jason. No. What had he done to deserve this? He dropped the pizza crust on the pan and splattered sauce across it. He gave her everything. What did he get in return?
Replaced.
By another man.
By another father.
All in the home he paid for.
He stopped spreading toppings and hung his head. His gut knotted in helpless frustration.
“Daddy, can I have some chips?”
Jason’s head came up to eye his son. “No, not yet. It’ll spoil your dinner.”
“What’re we having?”
“Pizza. Your favorite.”
Carter made a face. “I don’t like pizza anymore.” Carter scampered back to the living room.
Jason stared at the pizza, completed and ready to go into the oven. How had that happened? His son was growing up, and he was missing it. That man got to see his son more than he did. That man had more influence.
Jason heard the still voice again. Why? What had he done wrong? Look at them. She committed adultery. She divorced him. She got everything good from their marriage – including their son. He got everything bad. Where was the justice in that? Where was the justice when nothing seemed to touch her? Sometimes he missed his son so much he thought it would crush him.
And now God told him not to rage?
Jason banged a cabinet.
---
Carter flinched. He shouldn’t have said anything about the pizza. Dad tried hard. He picked at the carpet, uncrossed his legs, and then got up. Peeking around the corner to the kitchen, Carter took in the scene. “Daddy?”
Dad’s head popped up. “Yeah?”
“The pizza’s okay. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
Dad’s shoulders slumped, and he came around the counter to stoop in front of Carter. “You didn’t do anything wrong, buddy. I’m upset about something.”
“What?”
“Grown up stuff.”
Carter pulled at his collar. “Do you hate Mom now?”
Dad stared at his bent knees. “It’s hard right now. But no, I don’t hate her.”
“Then get back together.” Carter clasped his hands.
“It’s not that simple, Son.”
---
Jason saw his words settle on Carter as he turned to go. He wished he had better answers for Carter. He couldn’t tell Carter what Sharon had done. It would crush him.
How could she do this to their son?
Beloved. What? Love your enemies…
Conviction pierced. He’d always liked that verse, but now... He rubbed the back of his neck. She didn’t deserve it.
Freely give what you’ve been freely given.
An image of Jesus flashed in his mind. Jesus’ deep, caring eyes spoke to him again, just as they had the day he’d seen this painting years before. No, he didn’t deserve forgiveness any more than Sharon did.
But how? Hurt washed over him.
Pray for those who persecute you…
Help, Lord. I don’t think I can do it alone.
You've never been alone.
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Matthew 5:44 NASB – “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”
Matthew 10:8 NASB – “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.”
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Keep the entries coming. I'll look forward to reading the next one.
WEll done!
God bless~
I can't wait to read more of your writing.
I hope the judges see this one the way I do. Blessings.
I noticed your opening line could be tweaked a bit.
The way it's written, it sounds like the truck or the line of cars has searching eyes. :) You could easily fix it with something like this: Flicking his eyes back and forth, Carter smiled when he spotted Dad's big, black truck in the pick-up line.
Overall, though, I think you did a splendid job. You showcased the topic throughout the entire story. The ending was particularly powerful. It's certainly not easy to pray for those who hurt us. I remember once, I mentioned someone who had really hurt me during prayer requests at church. My minister knew the situation well, and I think he almost fell over when I asked for prayers for her. It was one of the hardest things I did, but God blessed me. It fit perfectly with the sermon that week too. I just love it when God does those things. I've no doubt he'll use this story in ways you can't possibly imagine. This is one of my favorites this week.
No surprise to see this here! So well deserved!!
Congratulations!!
God bless~
You did a good job describing the many facets of divorce and delivered a perfect ending encouraging forgiveness based on our own state.