Tag Archives: Reed’s Run

5 days to go: The power of a pole

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Photo courtesy of Minnesota Public Radio

Reed was passionate about prayer.  For someone so young, I was amazed at his ability to have conversations (prayer) with God.  When he heard about a national day of prayer led by students, it was game on for him.  What was his first step?  Of course, he asked me and a group of mommas to pray during our weekly prayer time.  We obliged and that got the ripple started.  One momma prayed with other mommas who shared that information with their kids. That was five years and about a week ago.

What transpired next was an avalanche of response.  Thankfully, everyone was in support of the idea. Reed created some posters to hang at school.  He got approval to hang them.  He recruited some of the other kids to be prayer leaders.  He encouraged kids to come and pray.  He challenged his Christian friends to “Be bold and courageous”.

They were.  Our school kids hadn’t organized a See Ya at the Pole event in many, many years.  But through the faith and dog-on-a-bone persistence of one boy, it happened.  In the first year of bringing back the day, there were about 20 Lakeview Lakers joined in unison praying to God about their classmates, teammates, teachers, staff, administrators, and school board.

Reed didn’t dream up the idea of See Ya at the Pole, but he was inspired by it. He didn’t have any real leadership experience because he was only a 7th grader, but he had the faith of a mustard seed.  He realized that kids praying for kids and for the school was a great idea.  To God, I doubt Reed’s lack of credentials made his passion any less credible.

In the years since Reed’s death, the See Ya at the Pole date has continued.  It has been amazing to know the event has flourished at our school.  Reed’s faith stone simply started the ripple.  Friends and siblings have made the ripples grow larger and larger.

So in two days that ripple is going to go nationwide, as the annual See Ya at the Pole Day will be held. If Reed were here, he would say to his fellow Lakers, “Come and pray on Wednesday at 7:30 am. It’s going to rock!”

I am certain that Reed would care less for the days that the flag flew at half-mast for Jesse, Hunter, Emilee, and himself, and he would care a lot more about the days when that same flagpole was surrounded by his peers and siblings standing in faith and love, praying for each other.

6 days to go: To God & My Country

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Those who have attended previous Reed’s Runs know of a special ritual that we have each year.  The ritual is the placing of 12 American flags at the beginning of the race course.  Each flag is placed by a veteran that has a special place in our family or in Reed’s life.  We have had every military skirmish since World War II represented in that flag line.  Military operations, such as Black Hawk Down also known as the Battle of Mogadishu, and Desert Storm as well as Vietnam, Korea, and Iraq/Afghanistan are represented.  Seeing those 12 beautiful flags flying is one of the highlights of the day for this veteran’s wife.

Most do not know the background behind the significance of that simple recognition and placing of those flags.  Twelve flags – one for each year Reed lived – mark the path for the runners for the beginning and the finish of the race course.  The decision to continue this tradition each year has been because of an oath that Reed pledged at Boy Scouts.

The Boy Scout Oath

On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.

Reed’s faith is something that has been a core memory at each run, but his love of country is lesser known.  Reed was so proud of his dad, a veteran of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.  He took pride in his dad’s service, and he went out of his way to thank men and women in uniform.  It’s just something we do in this family.  But he took his love a little bit farther than most his age.

He was fully aware of some of the protests throughout our world, and he wasn’t opposed to the right to assemble.  He never minded when groups protested war, but it was a different story when people protested soldiers.  Then it was personal.  Reed was fully aware of the reception his adopted grandpa and football coach received when he returned from Vietnam.  He was equally aware of how much of a sacrifice military personnel make for each of us.  Protesting soldiers simply just made him mad.  We once had to practically sit on him when we accidently drove in the midst of a protest in Mankato and we were jeered because we were in a vehicle with veteran’s plates.  After that moment, Reed simply asked us to avoid any protests because it was too upsetting.

He wanted the whole world to understand that “no greater love hath a man than to lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 (ISV) He knew that the bench that sits at Lakeview school on the way to the Memory Garden wasn’t there to be pretty.  It represented a real Lakeview Laker. A real soldier. A real man. A real husband. A real son.  The bench is memory of Jason Timmerman.  Reed followed the story in school of how the street in front of the armory in Marshall was to be changed from Armory Drive to Timmerman Drive.  Every day, EVERY DAY, until I was almost exhausted from doing it, Reed begged and pleaded with us to drive by there until that sign was up.  He just had to see it.  When it finally changed, he was PROUD.

It is so easy to take something for granted, especially something as insignificant as a piece of cloth.  Not for those of us who understand that lives have been changed for that piece of cloth.  A whole lot of love and sacrifice and honor and duty are wrapped up in her waving beauty.  In one of his sweetest moments, Reed got down on his knee and explained to his baby sister when she was only 2 years old what a sea of flags represented at Mattke field.  In reality, each flag represented a life lost in the Iraqi war.  But in his own sweet way, he told Cloie that the flags were special because each one of them were about someone who loved her.  I would have to say that he was right.

7 days to go: We’re Back

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When Reed was little, his favorite movie was “We’re Back” – A Dinosaur’s Story.  We watched it almost daily for a while there.  He was enthralled with that movie although the scene when Professor Screw Eyes was taken over by the flock of ravens totally freaked him out.  His best part was how the dinosaurs came back to life because so many children wished for that to happen.  If you remember Reed’s love of dancing, then this next memory will come as no shock.

Reed’s favorite – I MEAN FAVORITE – part of the movie is when the dinosaurs are parading down the New York City street masquerading as one of the balloons in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.  When the gang broke into the song “Roll Back the Clock”, it was all on.  He would jump out of whatever chair he was sitting in and a rousing dance-along would occur with his Jurassic friends.  He couldn’t just dance alone.  No, anyone within the vicinity – family, friends, or neighbors were compelled to stop whatever they were doing and dance along.  For me, many loads of laundry were stopped mid-process to “Stop – Drop-and-Boogie”.  Inevitably though, despite interruption, all dancers went back to what they were doing with a smile on their faces.  Sweet, sweet memories.

Sweet memories were the focus of last weekend’s film fest at our house.  However watching films wasn’t what occupied my kids time a week ago.  Actually this assembled group was in the film-making business.  Well, short films.  Two years ago when left with some idle time, the kiddos dug out the camcorder and made some promotional videos for Reed’s Run 2010.  Think more giggles and shaky filming than professional product. They were homespun but memorable.  Each one was sweet product of the enthusiasm that four kids put into the memory-making of the brother and honorary brother that they love and miss.

So, tonight for the first viewing ever, the red carpet release of the first of 3 promotional videos for this year’s run our loveable bunch of goofballs put together.  We don’t think that you will be compelled to dance, but we do think you will enjoy Reed’s second favorite past-time – laughing!

Lovers of goofball videos – We’re Back!

8 days to go: We’ve got spirit

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We are Lakers!
Photo borrowed from my friend, Cathie Bueltel

This year has seen a return to Laker football something that has been missing for quite a few years – cheerleaders!  These sweet girls and their awesome leaders are doing a fabulous job! I am so proud of them and all the hard work that they have clearly put in, and they should be proud too.  Their presence really makes a difference in the atmosphere of a game.  They have been a delightful addition to the football experience at Lakeview. Wow! Talk about a half-time performance!

But isn’t that true about most things in life?  A ho-hum experience can turn into a great thing with the right kind of support and enthusiasm.  I think back to all the students I have taught in 21 years and I have seen many sparks ignited simply because I or another teacher believed in a student.  An average student with a passion can change the world.  One of my favorite sayings is “It isn’t aptitude, but attitude, that determines your altitude.”

How much more could we all accomplish if we had our own little cheering section?  In an earlier blog, I shared about how my personal cheerleaders really boosted my spirits when completing the triathlon.  I recently heard a story about how a peanut butter sandwich boosted a friend who completed the Breast Cancer 3-day (all 60 miles of it).  I know that Sawyer worked a little harder when the “cheerleading” posters arrived for his Mayo hospital room from Auntie Ellen’s class in North Dakota.

Apparently advertisers know this little secret too because there is a sweet commercial right now about a gal in a bike competition and her husband who does all this cheering along the way.  He cheers, he makes signs out of boxes, and then he is waiting at the finish line with a pizza box with a love note written in it. We all KNOW a little positive encouragement works.  But how often do we make time to do it?

An opportunity to encourage all kinds of people is coming up in 8 days.  As a Reed’s Run committee, we are looking for lots of people to help us out.  This request doesn’t require any special training nor does it have a long time commitment.  We need pockets of people along the race route to cheer people on. Families, clubs, organizations, church groups, heck – knitting groups and book clubs are perfect.  We simply need you to show up and cheer on the runners when they come running by.

Maybe running or walking a 5k isn’t for everybody.  But all of us have the ability to spread some encouragement.  I won’t be donning my old uniform nor digging out my pompoms, but I WILL be there close to the finish line cheering every single runner on!

If you know the history of Reed’s Run, this is one opportunity that we all have to be like Reed and encourage others. And what better place than his run.  His motivation was because he was filled with spirit (the Holy Spirit).  So, we can all confidently say, “We’ve got Spirit! Yes, we do!”

9 days to go: Hasta La Vista

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Reed’s Birthday Trip to Itasca State Park

Sawyer has always had an amazing auditory memory.  He can remember entire scenes in movies verbatim after only watching them one time. When Sawyer was about 2 years old, he shared his prowess for movie dialogue during the fellowship time between church and Sunday school.  While we were all visiting in the Fellowship Hall, Sawyer and his curly-headed, little self, decided he was gonna blow this pop stand.  Instead of just doing that, he had to declare, so that all in attendance that fine Sunday morning, could hear, “Hasta La Vista, Babyyyyyy”, and then he spun around and sped off like Speedy Gonzalez.

Then it began – the penetrating stares from the Evangelicals.  You know the stares, which wonder what type of parents would allow a 2-year-old to watch the Terminator movies.  I wanted to slink under the table almost as much as the time a few months earlier that Reed asked if everybody was drinking beer at the fellowship time.   What kind of parents were these people?  What really goes on in that household? Beer and R-rated movies!

Oh wait! They didn’t understand. It wasn’t the Terminator movies (to which I must confess having never seen). Sawyer was just a devout follower of the Rescue Heroes.

We were the first on our block to have Rescue Heroes.  We had the toys, the dress-up clothes, and the movies.  Reed and Sawyer played Rescue Heroes for hours on end.  We had every hero, vehicle, and their headquarters.  As an action figure girl myself, I loved that the heroes could stood up on their ginormous feet.

Once in the cartoon, a naughty guy (because nobody was ever really bad on the RH – naughty, hasty, naïve, but never bad) didn’t listen to the warnings that the ski hill was too dangerous. The heroes tried to warn him, but nope, he just pushed right on off that ski lift and yelled, “Hasta La Vista, Baby” and skied himself right on into an avalanche.  Of course that required the heroes to do what they do – rescue!  And THAT ladies and gentlemen (and judging stare givers) is where Sawyer picked up the phrase at 2-years-old.

Our love for the Rescue Heroes never really went away.  It has carried over into our respect for the real-life everyday heroes who do the jobs that were represented in the cartoons of boyhood yesteryear.  Those same people were the ones that spent Reed’s final moments with him.  The few details we do know are that despite everything that was going on around them.  Reed was loved on by those who attended to him.  We know that he was hugged and we know that he was prayed over.  For both kindnesses, we are eternally grateful.

Just like last year, we invited all 27 responding units to the Lakeview Bus Crash to be our special guests at Reed’s Run.  Their presence last year was healing to much more than our family.  Knowing that in the some of the darkest moments of life, our neighbors, many of whom are volunteers, walk into the storm because that is what they are called to do should make each and every one of us humbly proud.

Although most responders would say, “I am just doing my job”.  I would respectfully rebuff that notion and state that the way they conduct their jobs have influenced many people.  I know because my family has never taken for granted a speeding ambulance or patrol car or a whirring helicopter since that awful day.  If you can replace complacency, in busy, harried lives, with reflective prayers of safety and guidance, then I would say you are probably someone to be admired.

I think there are many that would agree with me!

10 days to go: Art 4 All

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Reed’s “Self-Portrait” Canvas
“Commissioned” for his Art Show

When Reed was around 5 years old, I was still teaching tennis.  One year, I helped with the local Marshall Community Services Spring Classes and Tournament with the local college coach.  For our kick-off, we had a representative come from the United States Tennis Association for a Free 4 All event.  The event is a part of the USTA’s mission to make tennis available to everyone by helping with equipment, instruction, and ENTHUSIASM.

Reed felt the same way about art.  He felt that everyone regardless of age should have an opportunity to create and to express their world through art mediums.  For years, we would faithfully drive our kids to Sioux Falls once a month so that they could participate in the arts programs at the Washington Pavilion.  They loved it.  On one of our trips back, Reed wondered what it would be like if every kid could experience art lessons and have a place to display their art.

I started asking at local art and children’s organizations, and while most liked the idea, none really put forth much of an effort toward what Reed envisioned.  He finally decided to take matters into his own sweet hands.  With the support of Mom, Dad, and his beloved art teacher, Mrs. Schueler, Reed applied for and was awarded a grant to hosting an art show with art lessons too!  He was the ripe age of 8 years old.  The day was a success with the entire event free to all who attended.  Reed wanted art to be a past-time available to everyone.

Keeping that sweet memory in mind, we have added a new component to our Reed-A-Cheetah Kids Zone this year.  Yes, there will be several art projects available for kids to create.  We know with certainty that Reed would give two thumbs up at an ART-4-ALL event!

No matter how big or small, God’s creations are always masterpieces!  Just like we have any of our children’s artwork on the walls, God has our pictures all over his “refrigerator”!

Special Note: The art projects are a part of the $5 wristband price.  St. Mary’s Youth Group of Cottonwood will be manning the stations.  They are also doing a small fundraiser.  They will have “I (heart) Jesus” bracelets available for purchase.  The funds will be used to help pay for their upcoming NCYC youth trip.

11 Days to Go: We are Family

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I always get a kick out of calling my sister-in-law’s cell phone.  While waiting to talk to her, you get a rousing rendition of “We are Family” sung by Sister Sledge.  It always makes me giggle.  My definition of family isn’t confined to simple biological connections.  I think that God gave me a family of birth AND a much bigger family by His plans.  For both I am thankful.

But what I really want to talk about is one of the “families” that Reed belonged to and now, Sawyer does as well.  That family is the Lakeview Football Family.  This brotherhood is one that shapes a young man’s life, and often teaches them about more than a game with a pigskin ball.  When you get really good coaches as they all have experienced, you learn that football is a small part of your overall purpose in life.

All the Lakeview Lakers have learned about the 3 F’s: Faith, Family & Football.  For the current roster of players, they have known more than their fair share of adversity through the loss of teammates, friends, brothers, and fathers as well as supporting a coach’s family as they go through a battle with a bigger opponent than the other team. The injuries that are often synonymous with the game of football seem small in comparison to the burdens their broad shoulders have had to bear at such a young age.

While winning is fun, it certainly isn’t everything, and I would be hard pressed to find a more caring and giving group of young men.  Their character shows on and off the field.  When a friend or foe is hurt in the game, many take a knee and they pray.  When someone is hurting they show up or at least call, even if that means one is in one hospital and the other is another hospital miles away. Some even travelled over 430 miles to say a final goodbye to Reed. The bonds are deeper than 4 quarters on a grassy field.

In school they are leaders and they make a difference.  Some of them have quite a following among the elementary kids, who admire them not just because football players are cool.  But more so, it is because they are genuinely nice kids who aren’t too cool to “hang out” with kids half their age and a quarter their size.

At Reed’s Run, they are going to be present one last time honor their friend, classmate, teammate and brother.  They will be out there helping with the inflatables and selling concessions during the movie.   Their presence means more to my family than they will ever know.  The bond of brothers is one not easily broken.  Even though I am not a member of this team, I have more than once benefitted from their kindness, usually a hug when I needed it the most.  So I don’t care what any scoreboard ever says, their place in my heart will never change. I will always be a Laker fan.

12 Days to Go: But I can’t

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“Junk Art” Motorcycle
Available at Reed’s Run

Each year, I have a few people that pull me aside, and tell me that they want to run a 5k but that they just don’t think they can.  I totally get that.  If you followed along on my journey to finishing my first triathlon, then you would also know that my biggest hurdle to overcome was my personal fear of failure.  In the end, not only did I finish, but I beat my own personal best time.  Granted I was not gifted with any stellar athletic genes, but I did show up.  But before I started “showing up”, I used all kinds of excuses: getting older, out of shape, severe asthma, I hate running and the list goes on.

Thankfully the story of our “auction guy” does not parallel my own.  The first year of fundraising was Reed’s art show and the auction items were supposed to raise money for his trip to Australia.  The second year (1st Reed’s Run) the auction items were put together by the Reed’s Run team members.  But three was definitely a charm.  The third auction year was when a friend from church, who had been such a positive encourager for Sawyer during his rehabilitation, called and asked if he could help out with the auction.

My first response was “We aren’t in the business of turning down good help.” But in the back of my mind, I thought how much can one guy do.  My friend has had some struggles in his life – a severe learning disability, the death of his sister, and a few other things that would definitely knock some down. Not my friend.  Remember my list of excuses that kept me from keeping a promise I made to Reed & Sawyer about completing a triathlon.  It seems my friend never has time to pencil in the reasons why he cannot do something.

He just got down to business, and the auction items started rolling in.  And rolling in.  And rolling in.  He is amazing.  My gifts and talents do not include the ability to do what he does. I would be quaking in my boots going out soliciting donations and chatting with people I don’t know. At the first hint of no, I would be out the door.  Thankfully, that is not my friend’s method of operation; because without his diligent work, the auction would never be as successful as it is.

I have been thinking a lot about my friend’s commitment to our family and specifically to Reed’s Run.  I know that God has equipped each of us with talents to do His work, but sometimes, I am so afraid to fail that I don’t even start.  I am so glad that my friend doesn’t seem to possess that same gene. I am so blessed to know someone who seems all of life’s possibilities and not the potential problems.

So even if you don’t ever win a 5k, I believe there is a lot more “I CAN” in all of us, if we just show up and try.    I think my friend would definitely agree.  Hopefully, more of his attitude will rub off on me, so that the next time I come across a challenge, my answer will be “I KAN”!

 

13 days to go: the real hope!

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Logo Design by Palmer Tattoo
Marshall, MN

I have been amazed by the comments about my faith or my strength.  In reality, I don’t feel that strong or faith-filled much of the time. Often, I feel overwhelmed, doubtful, worrisome, and plain weak.  But I am always drawn back to the One person who has always been there.  Somehow when I have all of those real human emotions, I get a small something – maybe a song on the radio or a cardinal flying by my window.  I take those “signs” as if God is sending me a message straight from heaven telling you can go just a little farther.  The message almost always seems to be, “Don’t worry.  I know you are hurting, but remember I am right here, loving you forever.”

Every time I get one of those messages, I am also reminded that God knows exactly what it is like to lose a son.  That is very humbling.  He understands the depth of my grief. Every hurt that I have felt, God knows exactly how that feels.  If am angry and need to vent, God is okay with that too. Even the man after God’s own heart lashes out at God in the Psalms when he was hurting, and God still loved him anyway.

The mission of Reed’s Run has always been the 3 R’s: Remembering Reed, Reaching Others for Christ, and Raising funds for students.  The middle R has been a constant theme as we have prepared for the final run.  The truth is that Reed’s Run might be the biggest platform I ever have to do that.  I want to make it count.  I want to have Reed’s Run end with an exclamation point.  If I didn’t have so many grammarian friends, I would declare I wanted a multitude of exclamation points, but they might balk at that.   In all seriousness, I want to share that the faith that I profess has one source – Jesus Christ.

Growing up my grandparents had a fish camp in Ponce De Leon, Florida.  I often romanticized what it was like during the time of the great explorers. Unlike the conquistador who likely never found the fountain of youth, I have found the life giving LIVING well of water, the fount of hope that never runs dry.  For that I am humbled and amazed.  My awe led to the creation of the official logo for the final run.  I was simply the idea person, and God gave the perfect idea on who to contact.

A very special THANK YOU to Tim at Palmer’s Tattoos for listening to my ramblings and “seeing” my vision.  The logo created exceeded my expectations.  You perfectly put into art the very way my heart feels.

14 days to go: If you need a laugh

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I’ve always said that Reed came into the world looking like a little old man.  He continued carrying an old soul inside a youthful body his whole life.  We have a picture of him in bib overalls and a denim fisherman’s hat when he was about 3 or 4 months old.  Other than his size, you would have thought he was ready for the retirement center.

Despite his little old guy appearance, it was a face that this momma loved.  He was always wise beyond his years and was comfortable conversing with anyone.  One of the sweetest compliments we received at his memorial service was from a grandpa of one of his friends that said, “Reed was over at our house, and we had an hour long conversation.  I couldn’t believe that a 12-year-old could keep up with an old guy like me, but he did.”  It made us smile.  Old soul – youthful body.

One thing about people who possess an old spirit is that they recognize when someone else is hurting.  The response to that hurt is as diverse as the 96 crayon box of Crayola’s.  For my little old man, his responses ranged from a tender hand holding to giant bear hugs.  Yet, his favorite method of comforting others was to make you laugh.  Often it was laugh until you cried tears of joy.

When you needed a laugh, he was always there with some kind of humor.  Different than his brother who does great stand-up, Reed’s humor often involved slapstick routines.  Think 3 Stooges and early Chevy Chase work.  When he first saw “Grandpa”, the Six Flags character that danced, imitation became a sincere form of flattery.  Reed didn’t mind when told him that he resembled that character, in fact, it only encouraged him to learn his “routine” even more.

I could be having the worse day ever, and Reed would clear a space on the floor.  The next thing I would hear is, “Hey Mom!”  When I looked up, the “dance” was on.  It was always an instant mood lifter.  As a people, we are good at laughing at ourselves.  It was no different for Reed.  When the “performance” ended, Reed would laugh as hard as the rest of us.  The dance never got old.  It became one of those beloved favorites like a much loved blanket or pair of shoes.  Snuggly comfort – that created that warm fuzzy feeling inside.

It amazes me that Reed’s Run has always been a instrument for reaching out with our faith and for fundraising.  However, I think that God meant it for a different purpose for our family.

Psalm 30:11 You have turned my sorrow into dancing. 

Laughing as he would have wanted us to do, we will never be as good a dancers as Reed, but we will definitely laugh while trying. So if you ever need a laugh, just picture Reed doing the old man dance. Trust me, laughter is certainly good for your soul!