October is breast cancer awareness month. Cancer has away of attaching itself to the very organ of a woman’s body that is designed to provide nourishment and the substance to maintain life. It’s frightening to think that what was meant to sustain life can end up taking the very life of a woman. However, cancer has touched the lives of many women and yet they have survived. I have a breast cancer survivor in my family. I stand in awe of my aunt’s transformation from the brink of death to a full recovery of life.
As alarming as breast cancer, it’s not the total focus of my writing today. As I thought about breast cancer awareness, a question was posed within me—What are you nursing that’s cancerous to you?
One definition from dictionary.com defines nurse as to look after carefully so as to promote growth or development.
What are you giving the ability to grow and develop by giving your continued focus toward?
I have told you several times that I’m a thinker, which means I often do it to the extreme. I roll a matter over and over in my mind attempting to analyze and make sense of nonsense.
Sometimes I’m guilty of rehearsing hurtful words others have said. Yeah without intending to I give the insult the ability to expand.
We each have the ability to nurse but it does us well to examine what we are nursing?
Is that relationship, habit, or thought a life-giver or life-sucker…now that’s a question to ponder.
Hope you enjoy your Saturday.
Elizabeth West says
Oh thank you for this. You always give me something to think about, Wanda. For the miracle I asked for to happen, I MUST stop nursing my anxiety. Thank you for giving me a focus phrase to help me do that!
Wanda says
Thank you for letting me know this was helpful to you Elizabeth. Reading comments like yours encourages me to share little tidbits that I often consider has been so simple that I’m not sure it’s useful to others.
Holly says
Very good thought to consider. I hope I am nursing love, positive thoughts, and whatever I can do today for the Glory of God. No point nursing wounds or past hurts.
Wanda says
You’re right to rehearse hurtful things is not what we need for real growth in our lives.
Pam says
This is an interesting twist on “nursing”, Wanda. I like how you think!
Pam says
This is an interesting twist on “nursing”, Wanda. I like how you think!
Wanda says
Ahh, thank you Pam 🙂
ella says
Thanks Wanda! We do tend to think of nursing being a good thing.
I do think we can nurse our bad habits~
I am nursing my art, for now, but writing is calling me, too.
Everyone says pick one, I can’t 😀
How are you doing?!
Wanda says
Who are they to say you must just pick one 🙂 Do that which makes you merry! I’m doing good. How about you?
Susan Wachtel says
Wanda,
This is very thought provoking and challenging. I’m going to have to think on that one. Your readers benefit from you being a thinker! Blessings in Christ.
Wanda says
Thank you Susan. Being a thinker has it pros and cons like most things. It’s not the thinking which is bad thing; it’s what I choose to focus my thinking on.
sistertosister53 says
Good Morning Sister Wanda…thank you for reminding me of This month Cancer Awarness. That is a bless the breast survior in your family. GOD IS ABLE. Yes even me sometimes the LORD has to bring to my attention about what I am Nursing as well. Like yesterday may I share a short example..I bake and I take orders, and I deliver my orders. The customer knew the date for me to deliever…No call…No nothing. I had to smile and it was still in my mind of all the work I did, the traveling etc. So I heard the voice of God speak…it’s ok. let it go, move on. Pray for them and keep pushing. If I had kept nursing it with the wrong thought I would allow it to stop my purpose of what I do. So I had to Nurse it with pleasant thoughts. And here I see you sharing about this word (NURSING). Thank you for sharing with us. We must be aware of what we are Nursing… and how we are Nursing it. 🙂
Wanda says
Thanks for sharing that Sis Betty. In each of our lives we are nursing something but we definitely need to check out the what and the how of it.
LaVonne says
Wanda, thank you so much for going beyond the physical. I have seen many suffer from various illness (mental and physical) over the years, and the one thing I have learned is to LET GO. Sometimes we hold on to things and issues that were never meant to be ours, or we hold on to a “good” thing long after the season for that thing has passed. Even a great fruit at some point has to detach from the tree to be used to its full potential. I pray for all who have been touched by any affliction and I pray that we all would be more forgiving of ourselves and others, that we release and let go.
Wanda says
Oh I’m guilty of holding onto things (physical & emotional) too long. When we hear the phrase let go, I think we immediately think of the bad things but the scripture teaches us that God will even that which is producing fruit in our lives so that we might produce even more. He sees so far beyond what our little hearts and mind can conceive. At times I think it’s the good things that causes us the greater difficulty in letting go. But I want to more responsive to Him when I hear the unction to drop some things.