Noah's New Do

First of all - A HUGE thanks goes out to hair stylist Grant Brunsvold for coming down from Athens and giving our son the coolest mow hawk he has ever had! We aren’t able to wash it until tomorrow by request of the neurosurgeon. His hair hasn’t been washed since last Friday and was pretty gross. I know it sounds kind of lazy but trust me; it was easier to cut it off than to wash it and let him be known as the kid with the weirdest haircut. Today (before the haircut) we put him in the wagon and took him for a ride around the hospital to get a change of scenery and let me tell you - people still know how to stare, So naturally I knew it was time to bring in the big guns, Grant is a stylist at Salon Jolie  in Huntsville Alabama. (256-533-8809  [email protected]   www.salon-jolie.net)   He is one of the best! Noah's first haircut was by Grant so naturally we wanted him to do it again. Thanks Grant - You took a horrible haircut and turned it into something cool.

Today was a great day. Noah had the tube removed from his head that drained the fluid off his brain. This morning’s CT scan showed his body working just right managing the fluid level and pressure on its own. He was also disconnected a bit more when they removed the IV from his right ankle. Tomorrow they will remove the GI tube running down his nose into his stomach. One day at a time, one step at a time we are seeing progress. Progress feels good.

Noah began physical therapy today. We worked with his right hand and his neck. He is having some trouble sitting up. They tell us it's a result of the surgery and should go away very soon. He was able to reach out and grab everything the therapist wanted him to, hold it and even put pieces into a puzzle they were working on, it takes a little longer with the right hand and he isn’t as strong as the left, but at least its working! We tried walking and he couldn’t get the right foot moving well enough to take a step. Noah is going to be a fabulous drummer one day - so let’s get praying on that foot.

We laughed a lot this evening, so much that I really began to recognize my little boy again. Let me explain that statement. Seeing him all swollen and moaning and crying all the time with tubes and bandages all over him made it hard to recognize my son.  For those of you who don’t know Noah, he loves to laugh. I mean He LOVES to laugh!  The cutest thing I think he does is playing jokes on us at home, like hiding. (He will open a closet door and go in and shut it to hide from me.) He likes being chased and being surprised and he loves being tickled. Not seeing him in the normal state has been very hard for me. Noah is my buddy. We play a lot together.  We were told that after a brain surgery, his personality might change; He may not be the same little boy we love and know.  

He sat in his bed and laughed tonight at Jessica as she played with him. I just soaked it in. I realize tonight that if we had not gone to the hospital and had him examined last Friday, that by today we would have already had his funeral and I would be wondering how to make it a day without his laughter in my life. Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-22 (NIV) 19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  
I know that the main point of this verse is not about spending time with your family. But I see in it a truth that I have ignored. I admit that I am somewhat driven. I spend a lot of time doing a lot of things I consider important. I have close friends who for years now have said "John, You have got to slow down - You’re too busy" I am driven for success. I want it - I feel I need it. It’s a treasure to have - but a treasure here on earth only. And at what cost? In my efforts to be as good as I can at what I do I have sacrificed so much valuable time with my family. As I type this, tears come into my eyes because it has taken something as drastic as this to make me realize that success will never be more important than the quality time I have with my family. I could be the most successful man in the world, but I would trade every bit of it just to hear Noah laugh. God has used these days to rearrange my priorities. 
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"  Again, I understand the main point Jesus is making in this passage, but he has also used this passage to reinforce my heart that my son and my wife are treasures, and that I should treat them as such. I should cherish every moment I have to chase Noah and laugh with him. I should take every opportunity I have to play with him, teach him and just be with him.  I should cherish every moment I have to love my wife and spend time with her. These treasures are more valuable than any title, position, power or amount of wealth in this world;  

We came close to losing our son ........ But for the grace of God. I hope from now on I will no longer loose time laughing with, loving on and living with my son and my wife.  Besides living a life that honors Jesus, there is nothing more important.
 
Many of you who have followed this blog have contacted us telling us how this has ministered to you. We are so humbled that God would use this situation to speak to you. We are very thankful for your emails. As you can imagine, there is very little time in the day to respond to them all, but as we have time we hope to write all of you back. Your encouragement has been so valuable. Thank you for taking time out of your life to minister to us. God has used it to strengthen us when we have felt weak.

God Bless you all!!

John David