WHY WE WALK

Tomorrow night my family and I will participate in an event that I look forward to each year now, the Relay for Life. It's a time of gathering with old friends and becoming acquanted with new...old and new all rallying for the same purpose.....to raise funds for Cancer Research.

Our team, 175 strong to date, is called Cindy's Angels. The team is named after Cindy Coker Carpenter who touched many lives along her life journey. For the past 8 years, she has fought cancer hard and almost lost many times along the way. In her last fight LAST MONTH, God decided to not make her suffer anymore and took her home to Him. This year will be a tough one for those on the team and those that new her.

Most of the reason I the Relay has to do with the laughter and fun that is had among friends. The kids have a blast playing until late into the night. It's an all night event although we've never stayed all night. Last year we made it until midnight (or Calli and I did). They have an opening ceremony which is immediately followed by a lap around the track of Cancer survivors who each have their own special shirt which they wear proudly and is marked survivor on the back. You'll see infants walk in the arms of their parents to 80 year old grandmother/fathers take that walk. There's something inspiring about watching them all proudly strut their stuff. After that, the track is open to the masses of people to walk the night away. I usually walk a couple of laps only because whoever I've been chatting with wants to take a lap or two. This year, I've got a friend who has set a goal with me to walk 9 miles. Kind of an odd number but this year marks the 9th year anniversary when Wes was diagnosed with cancer. AND PRAISE GOD HE'S A SURVIVOR! About 9 pm after it has gotten dark, they hold a luminary ceremony. Hundreds of luminaries surround the outside of the track each with a name on it of someone who has died or survived cancer. The lights all go down and the candles are lit in honor of these folks. It's a cool experience.

So our team has a huge tent and families are asked to make a page titled Why I Walk. These heart touching stories are displayed around the tent for everyone to share in the joys and sorrows that this awful illness has allowed them to experience. Here's my page.....

Because I'm not sure you'll be able to read it, here's what it says.....

I WALK

In memory of those who've passed before us.

In honor of those who have overcome.

In awe of those currently enduring the battle.

I WALK in honor of my amazing husbandwho 9 years ago had his life intersectedwith cancer. I WALK in honor of the courage he had to not give up, to be encouraged in the trial and 9 years later encourage others with his story.

I WALK in reverence to our God who carried us in His arms as we relied on Him throughout the hardest trial and most fearful event that we’ve faced thus far.

I WALK in honor of the 7 month old(Calli) that we had at the time and the hope that we had then for future children (Colson, 2003).

I WALK in memory of all those that didn’t have the same outcome as Wes- their lives were not lived in vain, their stories of courage and strength encourage people to this day!