Running our Races with Purpose

It’s been almost ten years since our eleven children and grands along with about twenty others ran or walked with us in Tulsa’s Route 66 Marathon to honor my husband who had graduated to heaven the Tuesday before.

That Sunday morning we wore our red “Run for Ron” t-shirts. It had all been planned before he surprised us by graduating to heaven just a few days before the marathon. He couldn’t move back then, but we could – so we did. For my son, the little boy who was born with club feet and dramatically healed, ran this 26.2 marathon in honor of his dad. He started out at 7:30 a.m. Our 17-year-old grandson, Braden, ran the half-marathon (13.1 miles). The rest of us started out on our 5K run/walk at 8:00 am. Not many of the rest of us were runners, but it brought such joy to see the solidarity of our group — running/walking with such passion — so appreciative we could.

Once we completed our 5K, we rushed to the Finish Line to cheer for Braden who ran the half marathon in his personal best time ever. He told me he felt his Papa pushing him all the way. When we went to meet up and cheer Ryan on at Mile 16, we got a call from him instead. A man collapsed just in front of him. 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. He was unconscious and Ryan held his feet and prayed while others were performing CPR for over 16 minutes. He stayed with the man until the ambulance took him away. Later we found out the 27-year old man died during that time. We envisioned that divine orchestration had taken place — even perhaps that my Ron was there to meet that young man when he went to the other side. 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.

This was a sweet memory last Saturday, September 12th, which was my Ron’s birthday. It was an endearing day of celebrating him with my granddaughter, plus my son was running in the virtual 2020 Boston Marathon for his dad and the Michael Lisnow Respite Center in Boston which he has raised tens of thousands of dollars for this worthy cause for twelve years now. Unable to hold the live and in-person 2020 Boston Marathon originally scheduled for April 20th, runners were able to receive their bib and make the run within certain dates and qualify for finishing.

I loved my cheer-leading family who showed up to cheer their dad on to another marathon victory. My early morning text cheered him on from Frisco with these words: “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” —Isaiah 40:29–31

And, he did it – for himself, his family and his dad. I suspect his dad was also cheering him on from heaven’s grandstands where he was having the ultimate birthday party. And, in my case, I will continue to run (actually, walk) my race with diligence to my finish line where, one day, we’ll all celebrate in grand heavenly style! That's the most important purpose behind running our life races.

That Filet Knife Can Sure Slice and Dice

All that blood! On our fishing trips, I am the designated cook. It’s my pleasure. I love rustling in all the fisher-people for their next chow-down. My son, Larry, is the fish-filet-er. He uses the sharpest filet knife to get the perfect, boneless filets for our big fish-fry. It was that knife that was laying on the counter when I needed something sharp to open a plastic bag. I grabbed it and sliced open the bag AND the palm of my hand. All that blood! Fortunately, it wasn’t a deep cut, but still in an area where a band-aid just couldn’t keep the blood from flowing.

I thought about that "bloody" scene when I read my devotion scripture from Exodus. Imagining my scene with the filet knife was minor compared to all the bloodshed in those sacrificial offerings. It makes me squirm a bit, but I get it. Blood played such an important role in the everyday life of the Israelites. When Moses splashed the blood of animals on the altar and sprinkled it on the people, everyone saw it as a beautiful, moving gesture. Can you even imagine – ALL THAT blood? But, that blood, the substance that gave life, sealed their covenant with God. It connected them with the altar of His presence.

We know the rest of the story. God lived up to his part of the covenant by making the Israelites His special people and by giving them the Law. But they didn’t always live up to their part. Sure, they promised to obey God’s commandments, but they often failed. Nevertheless, in the face of their failures, God remained faithful to them. He wouldn't give up on his beloved people! But that just wasn't good enough to God. Over time, He prepared for them AND us a new, better covenant, one that would be sealed not with the blood of animals but with the blood of his own Son, Jesus. Now, Jesus’ blood, shed on the cross, has the power not only to cleanse us from our sins but to give us the grace to live in holiness and blessing. Through His blood, we are forgiven, healed, and protected. Thank you, Lord, for YOUR blood sacrifice for us.

Jesus initiated this new covenant at the Last Supper when He said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which will be shed for you” (Luke 22:20). Every time we receive communion, we relive the Last Supper. God reminds us: “I have made an eternal covenant with you. I have given myself to you, all of myself, so that you can live with me forever.” What a GIFT!

This is our God, a God who continues to pursue His people, even when we stray. This is our God, who renews His covenant with us every time we receive the Body and Blood of His Son. What a gracious Father we have!

This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you. (Exodus 24:8)

God's Three Answers to Your Prayers

Years ago, I fell down a flight of stairs -- 12 steps from top to bottom.....on MY bottom. I felt like a compressed-together accordion. I had a serious back injury and lived in pain, even after many chiropractic and medical treatments.

For years we prayed for my healing. We moved to Shawnee, OK, where we had weekly leadership meetings in our home, and they joined our prayers. One night, a young couple, who were our church's new youth pastors, expressed their need for a bed. Inconspicuously, my husband whispered in my ear that he felt impressed to give them our bed. I learned many times over, that my husband and God, frequently had these little "chats", so no way could I offer an objection. The young couple was thrilled. But, now WE needed a bed.

The new craze, at that time, was waterbeds (pictured here), and our 13-year old son had one that he loved. My husband asked if he would let us sleep on the waterbed for a few nights to see if that's what we wanted to buy for ourselves. We heard that at least two weeks were needed to get used to it. In that two weeks period, I experienced a miracle. The back pain that I suffered from for years, was completely gone. It was so impressive, that we purchased a waterbed for ourselves, and enjoyed it for years.

So, was it the waterbed that provided my healing OR was it the obedience to God's nudge to give to someone in need? I think it's the same response from the blind man that was healed by Jesus: "One thing I know--that I was once blind and that now I can see." (John 9:25) And my response is, "Once I had severe back pain, but now I have none."

Yes, God answers prayers, and sometimes He says: "1) Yes; 2) Not yet; 3) I have something better in mind." I think my answer was #3 -- He had something better in mind, so much so, that I'm continuing to tell others that God answers prayer. The point is we shouldn't limit God for NOTHING is impossible with Him. If not a "Yes", right now.....hang on....He probably has something so much better in mind! And in the meantime, LISTEN and WATCH, He just may have an unconventional way of bringing about your answer, like He did for me.

What's Your Story?

I attended an event where one of the men at our table told how he knew he had been touched by God two years' ago, and though he is still waiting for a liver transplant, he's telling his story to young people of how he abused his body with alcohol and medications. No doubt, his story of a tough road back then and now, will cause those young people to seriously consider the roads they're on.

We were so blessed by his story, but then as we talked and looked around our table, we realized that each, and every one of us, has a STORY of our own of how God's grace kept us, delivered us, spared us, healed us and restored us.

We realized that's why we have a STORY -- why God allows us to go through "stuff" so that we can share His love and faithfulness to others. We really are on the same road.....coming from all directions, but each of us are here to grab the hand of someone and help them through because "we've been there, too".

God's plans are always to use us to build each other's faith and trust in Him. I know I want to inspire people. I want someone to look at me and say "Because of you, I didn't give up." Are you sharing YOUR story with others? Maybe yours is the one that will comfort, bless and encourage someone today!

Valentine's Day -- February 14, 2004

Day 14 in this Month of Love -- Valentine's Day -- February 14, 2004
As usual on Valentine’s, my husband, Ron, took my Mom the single rose in a vase and her favorite box of chocolates. Mom had been living at the Grace Living Center in Jenks, OK for four and a half months because of a severe fall, which the doctor said was reason enough for her to not live alone anymore. “With her heart condition, this could happen again,” he told us.

It was a daily routine for the Nurse’s Aides to get Mom up each morning, help dress her in one of her coordinated outfits, and take her in her wheelchair to the dining hall for her breakfast, and other meals. But, when we arrived at her room (as was my daily routine anyway, but Ron went with me this morning), Mom was still in bed. Patsy, the South Wing Nurse, was leaning over Mom checking her heart with her stethoscope. Patsy looked up at us and said, “Edna’s not feeling so good today. She threw up quite hard last night. Her false teeth fell out of her mouth and the bottom ones broke!” I immediately replied to Mom, “That’s okay -- I’ll take them on Monday and get them fixed”. Mom didn't want anyone to see her without her dentures, so I knew I would have to make that a “priority” errand on Monday (this was Saturday). I could tell she wasn’t feeling good. She didn’t respond heartily to our greetings, and only gave a “little” smile to Ron as he reached down and kissed her, held out the rose in the vase and said, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Mom! Here’s my flower and chocolates for my Sweetheart!”

And, as I leaned in close to her, I assured her that she looked beautiful without those dentures, caressing her face and soothing her with words to comfort the fact that she wasn’t feeling good. I hadn’t seen “my smile” from her yet, so I did my usual coaxing, "Where’s 'my smile'?" To which, she gave a half-hearted little smile and mouthed the words, “I’m okay!” I noticed she had on her red plaid pajamas. “I see you’ve got on your Valentine’s PJs!” Ron then said, kiddingly, “Hey, Mom! Come on. Get up. Let’s go shopping at the Mall. I’ll push you in your silver Cadillac (her wheel-chair)” She always knew when Ron was jesting with her and today was no exception. She responded back to him by her typical sticking-out-her-tongue at him.

Everyone who knew her, knew how she loved to “kid” and “be kidded” by Ron. She and Ron had an unusually close relationship for the 40 years we had been married and five years before that. For many years Mom lived with us when our children were young. Ron would tell everyone, “Mom and I have never had a cross word with one another – well, except for the one time I had to scold her for allowing our 10-year old daughter to coax her into doing her chores (i.e., making her bed, emptying the dishwasher, etc.). Our daughter, Staci, would pay her fifty cents from her allowance.”

Ron’s Mom, Lydia, always came by to see my Mom every Saturday after her weekly hair appointment, which was just a couple of blocks away. This morning was no exception. She came in and greeted her dearest friend of over 45 years. It was these two women who diligently “arranged, prayed, and continued to bless” the relationship of Ron and I since I was twelve, and he was thirteen years old. How appropriate for all of us being together on this Valentine’s Day. It was “Mom” Lydia, and her husband, that drove Ron and I to our first date, which was a church Valentine’s Banquet, 45 years ago. While all of us were together this morning, Mom kept trying to tell me something. I just couldn’t make out the words.

Since I had been through many physical “ups and downs” with Mom over the last few years, I assumed that this morning would be like those from before where I had seen her feeling very low, but would bounce right back in just a matter of time. We all were convinced that Mom had nine lives -- she’d been so close to death several times in the last few years, but would recover and be her full-of-life self, spreading her love and joy to everyone around her once again.

Before leaving her this morning, Ron reached out to Mom in his customary way, joined my hand and his Mother’s hand, and said, “Let’s pray.” He prayed his usual prayer of faith and trusting in God for Mom’s healing, rest and peace. We all took turns reaching down and kissing her and telling her "good-bye". I told her I’d be back after a short while to see her. I guess I had a premonition that Mom needed extra TLC today, so I went to the Nurse’s Station and said to Patsy and the Nurses Aides, “I know you check on Mom regularly, but would you keep an even closer eye on her today, and call me if her condition changes?” They assured me that they would.

We had just gone for a Valentine's breakfast with Ron's Mom, when I got a call from Patsy saying, “Donna, I’m sorry to tell you; your Mother passed away.” Oh, the painful emotion I felt and the questioning ensued -- “Why wasn’t I there? Why did we leave her?” When we got back to the Nursing Home, the Nurses Aides were with her. She was still in the same position as when we left. Nadia, one of the dear Nurses Aides from Russia, immediately told us that she had come in to see if Mother wanted lunch. Being Russian Orthodox in her religious beliefs, Nadia asked Mom if she could pray with her. Mother would always accept an offer for prayer. Nadia recounted her last moments with Mom. She said that she had prayed a simple prayer and said that Mother’s eyes followed her gesture of signing her with the cross. Nadia left her room and after just a few minutes, Nadia came back to check on Mom, and she was gone.

After pondering the events of Mom's final moments of life. I came to believe that with Nadia's gesture of signing Mom with the cross, that Mom, like Jesus Christ said in His final moments, said, “It is finished”, and chose to "go home". Her assignment on this earth was finished.

After someone so close leaves us, we let our imaginations and deepest desires come to mind, hoping to relieve the pain of parting. Ron said, “Papa got his Valentine Sweetheart back today!” (Papa, my Dad and Mother’s husband of 34 years, had preceded Mother in death forty years ago.) My dear Mother-in-Law, Lydia, said, “Donna, remember when Edna was trying to tell you something before we left? I know she was saying, 'He’s coming for me.'" For me, having been a part of this beautiful, precious saint’s life for 56 years, (I deemed her Saint Edna Pearl long ago), who, because of her prayers, steadfastness, strength, true unconditional love for me in all of my growing-up years, caused me to be a the woman I am today. Though I miss her so much, just knowing her daily prayers of going home to be with Jesus and my Dad, were answered, causes me great comfort and joy. I think that my Dad and God had a mutual agreement on this Valentine’s Day, “Let’s bring our “Best Girl and Sweetheart” home!” And, they did.

Happy Valentine’s Day in Heaven, Mom, AND to my Sweetheart! I'm quite sure that you two are having a hay day running around heaven. What a sweet picture that is to me. You're healed, whole and celebrating God's overwhelming love! What a day of rejoicing it is for you there, AND me here!

FB Friends, please indulge me as I share these photo memories with my family and you!

YOU Talk Too Much!!

Have you ever “let the cat out of the bag” or “put your foot in your mouth” or, quite frankly, just talked too much? I have. I’ve slipped up trying to put on a surprise party or in keeping some other kind of secret. I pray this often: “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” Psalm 141:3

I’ll never forget what an avid conversationalist my husband was. He spoke with great fervor in giving his best motivational pitch to someone needing counsel or encouragement. And when he spoke, people listened because his words were filled with such great wisdom. In the latter part of his days on this earth, however, his words were few, but still when he spoke – it was always with words that mattered. For example, the day when our daughter, Staci, his nurse and I were in the room with him, and he said, “I love you so much my precious darling”. I said, “Who are you talking to, Staci or me?” He said, “Both of you”! His nurse said, “He’s still got it!” Nothing earth shaking or world changing, but being on purpose with what he said,.

Then there was the morning that I saw his eyes closed, then he'd open them, and have a big smile on his face. That morning, I thought it was time for a “heart-to-heart” talk – just to see what he might be thinking. I asked him, “Is God saying something to you?" No reply. Then I asked, “Do you want to quit all this, and just go see your mansion in heaven? I will be okay with whatever you want. Or if you want to keep fighting, and if God wants us to travel around the world giving witness to our faith and how God healed you, then I’m ready to fight on with you! So what’s God telling you, my Love?” He opened his eyes, without giving a second thought, and with his convincing authority said, “YOU TALK TOO MUCH!!”

I laughed at his remark then, and I smile today as I type this because it renews the importance of letting my two ears do more listening, while my one mouth does less speaking. Another important verse is Proverbs 21:23 “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue, keeps himself out of trouble. I sure do want to stay out of trouble, and I sure do want my words to be few, and when I speak, I sure do want my words to count – words of encouragement, hope and joy! How about you?