Day 24 of the Walk Day 23 of the Walk

In 1998 my husband and I went through a very emotional time. I was pregnant with Grace, and we had had lost a baby in 1997 so we were a little nervous about the pregnancy. I started having contractions at 3months and was put on bed rest and some medication. Then everything came crashing down. On September 3, 1998 my husband, at age 35, was diagnosed with cancer. It was a crushing blow! The next months were filled with surgery, radiation and recovery. It was weeks before the first thing I thought about each morning when I opened my eyes wasn’t cancer. And the last thing on my mind before I drifted off to sleep (when sleep was possible) was cancer.

We were very proactive. We researched treatment and medications. I would have traveled to the other side of the universe to get the best treatment for my husband. He got better, then, in 2000, while I was pregnant with Noah, his cancer returned. Everything came flooding back. Only this time the prognosis was worse because this kind of cancer is not supposed to come back.

We live a life that always has cancer tucked in the back of our minds. Every scan, every blood test creates a sense of uncertainty. We pray a lot.

This morning while I was reading, God’s word snuck up on me and sucker punched me in the stomach.

Pro 12:4 A wife with strength of character is the crown of her husband, but the wife who disgraces him is like bone cancer.

Bone cancer? Are you kidding me?

I could do something to my husband that God describes as bone cancer? Wow. Let me take a breath!

This is real serious. My character can be like bone cancer to my husband if I disgrace him. Or I can be a crown if my character has strength. I would never want to do anything to my husband that would be as painful as cancer. Yet God is clearly stating that if I disgrace him that is exactly what it is like for him.

Another thought just crossed my mind. I wear my husband’s name because I am his wife, his bride. I wear another’s name as well. Christian. I am His bride as well. What does it do to Jesus when my character disgraces Him?

I never want to ever inflict that kind of pain on my husband or my Lord. I need to take a long look at my character. I never want to disgrace my husband or my Jesus! I need to really look at my life closely.

My choices for today:

#1 Be a crown
OR
#2 Be cancer

There is only one answer I can choose.
I choose #1. I don’t do so well with cancer.

How about you? Are you carcinogenic?

Walking day 23,
Glenda Johnson

Drip. Drip. DRIPDRIPDRIP. Drip
Drip
Drip
Drip
Drip
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Have you ever had an annoying dripping faucet? There are some people who go absolutely nuts at the constant dripping sound. The hard pounding rain can sometimes cause a constant dripping sound that you cannot seem to get away from. You just want it to stop!

It seems that a dripping sound in someone else’s home, or at the office or especially at a hotel can absolutely cause me to go crazy! I have been known to sneak over to a faucet in someone else’s home to try to fix it! I have also requested a room change in a hotel to get away from the dripping.

An interesting fact is I don’t seem to always hear dripping in my own home. I get used to it. Sometimes it is someone else that points out the dripping. I will fix it most of the time, and yet other times I let the constant dripping continue.

Today, it was God who was in my home and pointed a source of constant dripping.

Pro 27:15 Constantly dripping water on a rainy day is like a quarreling woman.

Uh, God, just what are trying to tell me?
I don’t quarrel, at least not ALL the time. And just what does it me “to be like a quarreling woman”?

I looked up the meaning of the word used here. It means to be contentious, or brawling, or to cause discord or strife. Hmm. Maybe God is on to something here. Once again, my attitude and actions have a consequence for my husband. If I am being quarrelsome, does it really sound like drip, drip, drip? That has to drive him crazy!

If I am asking him about something over and over, is it like the dripping of rain or a leaky faucet? Does it affect my ability to communicate with my husband? Does it make him want to get away from the sound, like I want to get away from the faucet?

I need to take this message to heart. Just like the dripping I have gotten used to in my own home, but hear in other places, is there some dripping I need to take care of?

I believe that nagging falls into the quarrelsome realm. My husband hears contention and strife when I feel I am just reminding him of things. I know my husband is an intelligent man that does not need to have things said over and over and over! He can and will do what he needs to in his time. It does not have to happen in my time.

My Choices for today are:

#1 Be an annoying dripping sound
OR
#2 Be a refreshing spring flowing with love

I choose #2.

I think I have some plumbing work to take care of in my own home. How is your faucet?

Walking Day 24,
Glenda Johnson