Total Recall Matters
Monday, my 54-years-of-life son ran his 54th 26.2 marathon. And it gets better. It was his 13th-in-a-row Boston Marathon run. That is enough to celebrate, but for this mama, it represents “Nothing is impossible with God!” These photos represent God’s goodness and mercies, which includes our precious Shawntel who is Ryan’s most devoted cheerleader and supporter at every marathon – including, in this marathon, to get to him at Mile 10 to change out his shoes. Lest I sound like merely a braggadocios mom, I must share how far we’ve come. I have “total recall”!
Fifty-four years ago, this baby boy was born with severe inward-pointing, club feet……but God, and a very wise and gifted young dad. Finances were tight for us at 18 and 19 years old when Ryan came into our lives. The needed surgery to cut the tendons and have casts put on regularly and take off to check them was going to be exorbitant – not to mention our little’s guy’s discomfort, and he would still have to wear a feet brace after that. We optioned for the do-it-yourself-and-God method. My husband saw the brace that he would eventually have to wear….and made it with exact precision. Two baby shoes turned outward with a bar (his was several clothes hangers that connected the shoes and wrapped with white tape). Solid prayer and solid construction that our baby boy wore for only three months. Those little feet were completely corrected. Who knew then that those little feet would be runner’s feet? God did. Perfect enough to still be running with those feet.
We were cheerleaders for many of those fifty-four marathons, gathering as family many times. But a notable one was the “Run for Ron” that 30+ of us participated in. Most of us would run/walk the Route 66 5K, while my grandson ran the half 13.6 and Ryan would run the full 26.2. Ryan was attempting to run a personal record that day in honor of his dad by running in 3 hours, 15 minutes. That meant he would run a 7:20 minute per mile pace. He was on pace to do it until something totally unexpected happened.
When we went to cheer Ryan on at his Mile 16, we received a call from him instead. A man collapsed just in front of him at Mile 15. What marathon runners don’t do, is stop running mid-way through a marathon as it seizes up their legs, but Ryan stopped to help him. The man was unconscious and Ryan held his feet and prayed while EMTs performed CPR for over 16 minutes, but were unable to resuscitate him. Ryan stayed with the man until the ambulance took him away. Later we found out the 28-year-old man died from a heart attack. We envisioned that divine orchestration had taken place — even perhaps that my Ron (who passed on five days before) was there to meet that young man when he went to the other side. Perhaps Ryan praying over that man was the last thing he heard on this side of heaven. Later, we would cheer for Ryan as he crossed the Finish Line — not his best time because of the delay — but God’s best time, because he put himself aside and responded to “the call” of God to be there for one of His kids.
Fast forward to April 15, 2013, when Ryan ran in his 5th Boston Marathon. He had just crossed the finish line. Shawntel was in the stands cheering at the finish line, when, within seconds, bombs planted by terrorists went off near the stands and finish line. There were 3 people killed and hundreds of others were injured. But, for the grace of God, my children were unharmed. We recognized the hand of God in their lives.
Then, on my Ron’s birthday, September 12th, 2020, during the pandemic restrictions, Ryan ran in the virtual 2020 Boston Marathon for his dad and the Michael Lisnow Respite Center in Boston which he has continued for all the Boston Marathon events to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for this worthy cause for thirteen years now. Unable to hold the in-person 2020 Boston Marathon, runners were able to receive their bib and make the run within certain dates and qualify for finishing.
And here we are again this year – with another personal victory. Ryan doesn’t run to win. He competes against himself — to finish. He is the winner of every race he runs. This run was no exception. I’m sure he could tell many stories of the divine encounters he has had during these many years of running. Ryan shared that he listened to praise and worship music through his ear buds. Perhaps, the high octane fuel that propelled him to the finish line…..again!
I’m sure we could tell OUR stories of the divine encounters we have had in our own life races – maybe not in long runs, but in long life-experiences of weathering storms, overcoming many obstacles and enduring the challenges. The times when it wasn’t fate, good fortune, coincidence, or luck – but there is no doubt the hands of God spared our lives, restored, and turned things around for us. Maybe we should turn that around and start looking for Him — perhaps there would be many more instances of seeing Him in our everyday life. Do you have “total recall” of God’s mercies and grace in your life?