Things have been moving quickly at the Carter household as we received some amazing news just a few weeks before Christmas. It all started with the Christmas tree. We hadn’t bought one yet and my grandparents called to say that they were coming over to our house with one as a gift (one of those cute plastic ones). So they come over, we set it up, they brought lights and the angel topper that they used at their house for years, and we had a great time catching up for a few hours. Then, Pops pulls out a stack of papers and says “ok, so the real reason we came over tonight was because we want you and David to think about something. We would like to offer you (if you want it) to rent the Parkway house. It’s just sitting there, not being used, and we want you to consider renting from us. Think about it.”
We slept on it, (although God was saying “take it. it’s a great opportunity. take it!” while Pops was talking). So we did! We are only paying the taxes on the house, so we will be able to pay off some more debt and be able to save some money too! What an amazing Christmas gift that we were given!! January has been so fast, trying to pack and getting the house ready to be lived in again/cleaned, ect.
(Miracles upon miracles): The weekend before we moved, we so needed a family vacation to get away from all of the stress and the chaos. For years, we had always wanted two things to happen: 1. to go on a vacation in the mountains WHILE it’s snowing and stay in a cabin, and 2. to go on vacation with the Tetrevs. There was some definite resistance to getting both of our families ready to go on this trip (from finances, to work, to cars breaking down, to the park rangers calling us and asking if we were still crazy enough to come because of the ice and snow predictions…general life craziness) but “come hell or high water, we are going!” (as they say). We finally made it to Lake Joccassee, in Salem, SC. We stayed 4 days/3 nights in a beautiful cabin (that we were able to book half-off with a winter promotion) and split between our 2 families. AND we got snowed in! We were the only people there and had the whole campground to ourselves…in the snow! It was so restful and peaceful just to get away and literally do nothing (if you count hiking in the snow, having snowball fights, building snowmen, and watching the snow fall while sitting on a plush couch in front of a roaring fire; “nothing”.)
We came back from that trip so excited and re-energized to move! We moved into the house behind Grammy and Pops (the same house they built in 1960 where my dad and his brothers grew up) on January 29th. We seriously could not have done it without the help of my dad, uncle, brothers, Pops, and our dear friends, the Tetrevs. THANK YOU! Immediately, upon moving in, we felt such sweet peace and rest.
Did I mention that it is in “the trending” neighborhood on the island at the moment, too? Did I also mention that there are lots of families around and it’s on a quiet street where Miriam can safely play in the yard without cars going by at 50 mph? There is even a sweet playground down the street! We are a block away from the water. Also, this house is a surviving time-capsule straight out of the 1960s/1970s–plenty of character and charm all over the place (definitely not a “burger house”). Here’s the thing: by ourselves, we never could have NEVER afforded a place in this neighborhood. (oh trust me, we looked, before we moved here…and it wasn’t in the budget to rent, and buying–shoot, you must be crazy!) But not crazy enough for God. Not crazy enough for Him to align all of this in a matter of 2 months. 2 MONTHS, people! We may never know how many circumstances that God set up to move us when and where we did on Johns Island, or how He has now moved us to James Island, but all we can say is that HE IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD!
Earlier this week we found out how to hook up the old speakers that Pops had put in the living room and wired them from the front dining room to blast some worship music to celebrate. This house was made for worship! It is amazing to me, not only that we get to steward this opportunity for our family well, but also that before the idea of this old house came to be (back when it was an old lot of nothing in the back of Grandana Jantzen’s backyard), God had imagined it as a place of worship, a house for community. Once the moving craziness has subsided, we would love to host and have people over! We can’t wait to see how God breathes life into this old house again! It’s going to be beautiful! We are so thankful to be a part of that, for as long as God has us living here!
So that being said, when can you come over?
In the kitchen of The Parkway House
Team Carter's Big Adventure 