To say that my grandfather was an amazing man would hardly do him justice. Ya know how there are some people in your life that inspire you to be better? To live life to the fullest? To treat everyone around you like they could indeed be an angel? That was my grandad. This world lost a true servant of Jesus.
I am fortunate in that my grandparent's (both sets actually) lived within 15 minutes of me. I have vivid memories of going to my grandparents house on Sunday's after church... this is where the tradition of roast, rice and gravy for Sunday lunch began. I remember my brother and I going in their back yard (they had an AWESOME back yard... I don't know why but there was always something fascinating for us to do out there) and throwing objects onto the roof just to try and catch them when they came back down. Occasionally, we would throw these objects over the house and into the street. My brother, sister and I spent a lot of time at their house. As some of you fellow C of C'ers may know, we had "assigned" seats at church on Sundays. Okay, they weren't literaly assigned but for as long as I can remember my family sat on the 5th row and my grandparent's sat right behind us on the 6th row. Because my grandfather was an elder, we were NOT to misbehave. So, my grandmother brought us Starbursts every Sunday. I have to say I really miss the weekly candy before Sunday service. My grandparents attended every sporting event, school function, grandparents day,etc that my brother and I (and I'm sure my sister as well) had. They were an active part of my life. I didn't realize how lucky I was to have them in the same city as me until I found out the news that they were moving to Madison, AL. I actually remember the exact location I was when I found this out 8 years ago (in the church fellowship hall). I was young, but I was devastated. See, I had no clue THEN how "important" my grandfather was. I only knew him as my grandad... the person that would sit in the crowd during choir concerts, or attend softball games, or play in the back yard with Bob and I. Now, I realize how well respected he was in the community, how he changed peoples lives, and how he taught so many people what it meant to be a follower of Jesus Christ.
I was concerned when my grandparents moved because I feared we wouldn't have the same relationship that we had always had. That wasn't the case at all. In fact, our relationship may have grown stronger. My grandad and I have a lot in common. First, we both have a love for the human body and science. There aren't many people who can sit around all day talking about autopsies and the science behind drug overdoses, but we certainly could. My grandad helped start the Forensic Science department in Alabama (and now has a buidling named after him in Huntsville) and he had some very interesting cases. I wish I could have been with him during a couple of those cases, but we relived it together many times. Secondly, we both have a love for Vanderbilt. My grandad went to school there, so we spent a lot of time talking about the campus...what it looked like when he was there and what has changed since then. He told me more than I ever needed to know about the history of that school... I feel like I could write an essay about it. My grandad an I had a special relationship... it's one of those that you can't really put into words. We just "got" each other. We had many of the same passions, and we could talk for hours about stuff that others may find mundane. It was exciting to us.
While I have all these memories that will certainly stay with me forever, what I remember most about my grandad was his wisdom. There are few people in my life that are wise enough that when they speak, I know to listen. He was certainly one of them. He KNEW scripture. He spent his life studying the Bible...this is seen by the hundreds of books/commentaries/studies that he has in his library. Grandaddy challenged me to learn more. If I had a belief (especially if it was different than his) I better study it thoroughly. Apart from his Biblical wisdom was his life wisdom. I remember back a couple years ago when Kyle and I were dating and going through one of those rough patches that couples often go through, I was talking to my grandad about it. I was telling him about what was going on with us and how mad I was at my now husband, and my grandad looked at me and said what I will never forget and what he said many times after that, "Grandaugter, this too shall pass. Kyle is a good guy, and people make mistakes. Forgive him." See, my grandad had a way of making problems easier to get through. Like Jim said at his funeral, it's not that he blew them off as unimportant, but he knew that life is bigger than the minor details. It's the big picture that matters. My grandfather understood the big picture of life. What I learned at his funeral was that he made an impact on everyone that he came in contact with. He left a legacy for our family to live up to. What I want in life, and what I pray for all my family, is that we can somehow fill his shoes. There are BIG shoes to fill. Before I say an unkind word about a stranger, I will think of him. Before I drag on Sunday mornings and complain about the inconvienence it presents for babies, I will think of him. Before I read scripture and jump to a conclusion, I will study it hard and think of him.
I wish everyone had the opportunity of knowing my grandad. I am truly blessed to have had him in my life for 25 years.
