Who Inspires You?

Hello my friends and welcome back to my blog, the first one for May 2024. The year seems to be zipping right along as we near the midpoint of the year. Summer is right around the corner, and I think I have gratefully survived another pollen filled Spring in Atlanta.

I want to ask you a question as a way of starting the time together today. The question is this…. Who inspires you? Close your eyes and spend a few moments and really think about the person or persons that inspire you. Focus on those that inspire you the most and have made a significant impact on your life. There are no right or wrong answers so don’t worry about that. As you have your eyes closed (I’m assuming you haven’t closed them yet or you would not be able to read this!), think a little deeper and try and determine what it is about them that has fired you up. What is it with them that makes a difference in your life? Okay, go ahead and close your eyes and when you are done, open them and we can move on.

Thanks, and welcome back!

I was asked this exact question recently and I was fortunate enough to have many people in my life that inspire me or have inspired me in different ways and in different environments. As I sat and thought about the question one person quickly came to my mind and I focused on him. I would love to share an inspirational story in my life that has made me a much better person and very thankful for having this person in my life. Does that sound okay? First, a little backstory.

Back in 2017, my daughters and their husbands were over at our house for a family dinner. We have those from time to time to catch up and see how things are going with everyone. Michelle got to spend some time with her girlies (me too!) and I got to sit there feeling like a king on my throne of Rutledge Land and look around and literally count my blessings and enjoy my family. It gave us time to put the world on hold for a while and slow everything down and take a collective breath. I really enjoy those times and I was thrilled that my grown children wanted to spend time with me and their mother. What I didn’t know was that one of these girlies was about to make this day unforgettable.

I was given a gift with a card to open. I opened the gift, and it was a fruit bowl with blueberries in it. Odd gift for the old man but okay. I immediately thought that I must have opened the wrong gift, and that Michelle should have opened this one. My daughter Mallory looked at me funny and told me to read the card. Everybody was talking as I read the card. I couldn’t quite grasp what it meant so I read it again and then it hit me. The card said that a gift was coming later next year but at the moment it was about the size of a blueberry. Then it said, “Congratulations Grandpa and Grandma!” I looked at Mallory at Alex and asked, “Are you serious?” At that point everyone stopped talking and started asking “What dad?” I gave the letter to Michelle, and she got it on the first attempt and we both went over a hugged them! Then it got REALLY loud in the living room. They had kept it a secret from everyone, even her sisters. It was a monumental day in Rutland for sure.

For those who have experienced this, it is a tsunami of emotions. You have to come to grips that your kids are having kids, and you are about to be someone’s Grampy. I felt so happy but at the same time I was launched into the next phase of my life which was a bit humbling and exhilarating at the same time. We also found out that it was going to be a boy and that they were going to name him Preston James Woodward. Preston is my middle name and it has been passed down for generations. Since I was the oldest and we had all girls, the name was not going to be passed on to the next generation. I was so proud and honored that they would do that for me. They also named him after Alex’s dad James so we both were being highly respected. Preston would make it to another generation. On a side note, my brother’s son was also given the Preston middle name, so my brother stepped up too. He always made sure to take a shot that since I was not up to it, he had to come in and rescue the family! Well played sir.

As the months went by waiting for The Grand Dude to arrive, we had the usual baby showers and other assorted parties to prepare for the big day. We could not have been more excited. Mal and Al were also buying a new home which was going to be ready about the same time P-Man was due. There were a lot of details and plans to keep everyone busy, so the time seemed to zip by and before you know it, we got the call that they were at the hospital, and she was in labor. We all raced to the waiting room from all over the city and waited to see our grandson make his grand entrance. What an entrance it was!

This event would change our lives in so many ways. Sit back and enjoy this one!

But First…A Joke:

There was an elderly couple who, in their old age, were getting forgetful. They decided to go to a doctor. The doctor told them that memory loss is a normal part of aging, but that they should start writing things down so they don’t forget. They went home, and the woman asked her husband to get her a bowl of ice cream.

“You might want to write it down,” she said. “No, I can remember that you want a bowl of ice cream,” he replied. Then she told her husband that she wanted whipped cream on it. “Write it down,” she told him, and again he said, “No, no I can remember you want a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream.”

Then the woman said she wanted a cherry on top. “Write it down,” she told her husband, and again he said, “No, I got it. You want a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on top.”

He went to get the ice cream and spent an unusually long time in the kitchen. When he came out, he handed his wife a plate of eggs and bacon. His wife stared at the plate for a moment, then looked at her husband and asked, “Where’s the toast?”

A Verse to Contemplate:

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth - Colossians 3:2

Have I Told You This One?

As we are all gathered in the waiting room, we realize that it seems to be taking a lot longer than we thought it would. The doctor came out and informed all of us that the baby was not cooperating and that if he didn’t arrive soon that they have to do a “C section.” This is not uncommon, and we prayed that Mal and Preston would be fine. This went deep into the night, and they advised us that he had decided to join the party. We were told that Mal was worn out and that we could come back the next day. I left without seeing my little buddy and handing out cigars would have to wait.

The next day I got off work a bit early and headed to the hospital to meet the Grand Dude. I stopped and picked up some sandwiches for the new parents and I got to hold my grandson for the first time. Unadulterated Bliss! They said he was crying more than they were comfortable with and were running some tests on him to make sure everything was good. I stayed until Michelle showed up and then headed home. As I pulled into the driveway, I got a call from one of the girls to let me know to get back to the hospital as soon as possible.

When I got back into the room it was a beehive of activity. Mal was inconsolable and was crying like I had never heard her cry before. Michelle was holding her and looked up at me with a look on her face that said, “this is very serious.” Preston was having seizures, and the doctors were looking at him, but they had told Mal and Al that he might have Cerebral Palsy, may be in a wheelchair his whole life and other awful potential outcomes. This hospital did not have a NICU so Michelle demanded that Preston be transferred to the Children’s Hospital in Atlanta that had all that he would need to be treated. They life flighted him to the Children’s Hospital and he was placed in the NICU.

The next day Mal was released from the hospital, and we drove her downtown to see Preston. Al had stayed the night with him. I can’t imagine how hard that was to leave without your newborn son. She was devastated. Once we reached the hospital, we found out that Preston had a large brain bleed, and they were doing all they could to save him. He had been having numerous brain seizures and was being examined to determine next steps.

The next steps turned out to be two separate brain surgeries to place a shunt in his brain to help drain the blood. He had the operations and then stayed a few months in the NICU. The pressure in his brain had caused hydrocephalus. Once the shunt was put in, we waited for what felt like 100 years to see if it was working. Thankfully it was. After his release there was a steady stream of visits to the ER and various doctors to check on his progress. By God’s grace his development was not stunted, and he was developing mentally and physically as hoped. It was awesome that he proved those first doctors wrong. My Grand Dude is a warrior, not just a tough little guy but a warrior with a warrior spirit.

In his first few years of life, he has had to have his appendix removed, he had a broken leg from a fall, he had Covid, and a few other procedures. He also had to wear a helmet for a year to help form his skull due to the brain bleed. He has been through various rehabilitations including physical therapy, music therapy, mental therapy. Our family is #teampreston and have pulled for him and prayed for him his entire life and God has been gracious and loving. His doctors marvel at how he has developed over the past six years.

All of this has happened while the family has gone through a lot of hardship and challenges, and it is easy at times to get the blues and to lose sight of our Hope and Strength. This past weekend Preston had severe headaches and was throwing up and he had to go to the ER for evaluation. The worst fear was that he would have to have another brain surgery related to the shunt. That fear was a reality, and he went in for a shunt revision procedure. Once again we prayed and hoped that he would come through this healthy and God heard our prayers. He came through with unbelievable success and he was back home in a few days wanting to go outside and play ball!

So, when the question was asked of me, who inspires you? My answer was a six-year-old boy that happens to be my grandson. A little boy that calls me Grampy. A little guy that loves monster trucks, Spiderman, Hot Wheels and doughnuts. A warrior that has been through three brain surgeries in six years and has dealt with more in his short life than most people ever have to deal with. A dude that is funny, smart and has a vocabulary of a thirty-year-old. A little boy that loves to play baseball and run the bases.

If I become half the warrior that this young man is I will be one tough son of a gun. I love you Grand Dude. Thanks for being such an inspiration to your Grampy.

A Prayer:

I praise You, my Deliverer! As I reflect on Your faithfulness, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for You. Fill me with the fresh wonder of Your love and empower me to trust You in the midst of adversity to overcome fear and live in freedom.

Book Recommendation:

Becoming A King (The Path to Restoring the Heart of a Man) by Morgan Snyder (2020)

Music Recommendation:

Moving Pictures by Rush (1981)