{"id":317,"date":"2012-08-30T15:23:43","date_gmt":"2012-08-30T15:23:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kandynolesstevens.com\/?p=317"},"modified":"2012-08-30T15:23:43","modified_gmt":"2012-08-30T15:23:43","slug":"reeds-run-30-days-to-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/?p=317","title":{"rendered":"Reed\u2019s Run \u2013 30 days to go"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Image\"<\/a>I have never felt the need to do this before, but somehow as the reality that the end is coming soon, I suddenly have a desire to share the \u201cbehind the scenes\u201d decisions and reasons for what we do. \u00a0I ask that you as you read these posts that you share them if you feel led to do so.<\/p>\n

How did this run come about in the first place?\u00a0 In the wee hours following Reed\u2019s death, a dear friend (who is coming from California to this year\u2019s run) planted the idea that we needed to start a scholarship because Reed LOVED to learn.\u00a0 We adored the idea, but had no idea how we would fund the thing.\u00a0 Additionally, we didn\u2019t want to give a small scholarship \u2013 we wanted ONE that would make a significant impact in the lives of students.\u00a0 With that in mind,\u00a0how in the world were we going to do this?<\/p>\n

Throughout this part of our journey, we received cards and letters of support and encouragement from everywhere.\u00a0 One day, we received one, from another now friend who\u00a0has walked in our\u00a0shoes\u00a0(who will also be at Reed\u2019s Run), that told of the run they do for their son.\u00a0 We saw their website and were encouraged, but run \u2013 seriously \u2013 Reed was emphatically NOT a runner.\u00a0 Golf tournament \u2013 art show \u2013 Star Wars movie marathon: all seemed more our boy\u2019s style.<\/p>\n

About this same a few sweet boys in Reed\u2019s class and on his football team shared stories that our redhead NEVER told us.\u00a0 I realize we were just beginning our grief journey, and any story was like precious jewels. But these stories opened up our eyes to just how much Reed never tooted his own horn. Apparently during football conditioning, Reed encouraged others when they thought they had nothing left to give.\u00a0 One story told of how they were laying on the ground doing leg lifts.\u00a0 The boy next to Reed was about to give up.\u00a0 Reed told him, \u201cThis is going to make us better.\u00a0 You can do it.\u201d\u00a0 The boy shared that gave him\u00a0just enough to keep going.\u00a0 The second story became the inspiration behind Reed\u2019s Run.<\/p>\n

In all honesty, Reed was still in the \u201chusky\u201d stage of life.\u00a0 If you have boys or men in your life, they know which jeans section I am talking about.\u00a0 So for 12 years old, he hadn\u2019t outgrown that stage yet.\u00a0 Additionally, he wasn\u2019t the quickest or best runner by far.\u00a0 The boys told us of how Reed would run his required laps, but here is where the story gets interesting.\u00a0 Instead of quitting, he would cut across the field and run alongside the boys who were behind him (I am guessing there weren\u2019t many). \u00a0He would run the rest of their required time with them, encouraging them, telling them he wasn\u2019t going to leave them behind.\u00a0 INCREDULOUS \u2013 a kid who didn\u2019t enjoy running – did THAT!\u00a0 That kid was MY boy!<\/p>\n

We confirmed the story with the coaches, who added that it caught on and that others started doing it too.\u00a0 We knew then how we were going to raise funds for his scholarship.\u00a0 Last night I saw a video that caused me to sob.\u00a0 I am including the link below.\u00a0 I never got to witness Reed\u2019s \u201cRun\u201d, but I have to imagine in a small way it was like this.<\/p>\n

Even though we never thought Reed\u2019s Run would become as big as it has, we are glad that we get to share that small piece of our boy with everyone.\u00a0The world always needs friends who run along side.\u00a0 Thank you to all the people who continue to do that for us and who give of their time, money, donations, love and\u00a0support\u00a0to make this dream (Reed’s Run) a reality.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.godvine.com\/The-Inspiring-Story-of-Matt-Woodrum-Can-Bring-Anyone-to-Tears-1990.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Please note:\u00a0 We have amazing admiration for the tenacity and spirit of Matt Woodrum and all that he has taught his community, and now, the world.\u00a0 Apparently, God has placed young men (and women) all over the world to teach us a lot about ourselves.\u00a0 \u00a0Thank you Matt for teaching more about what you CAN DO than what the world tells us you can’t. Since Reed’s death, I have learned that, indeed, God can use young men to change the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I have never felt the need to do this before, but somehow as the reality that the end is coming soon, I suddenly have a desire to share the \u201cbehind the scenes\u201d decisions and reasons for what we do. \u00a0I ask that you as you read these posts that you share them if you feel […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[14,312,394,526],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=317"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/317\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=317"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=317"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=317"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}