Grandpa

I lost my Grandpa yesterday - he fought a long, hard battle and we are glad he is with His Maker, but it made me reflect on all I've learned from him.

My Grandpa was the man who....

...taught me to love oatmeal for breakfast.

...gave me my love of the farm and all animals.

...showed me gracefully how to get out of the cow drop - even with my Sunday Clothes on!!

...inspired my love of a large bowl of popcorn - completely soaked in butter.

...was the smallest man I know, but worked his whole life with huge dairy cows!

...was often stooped under the weight of large pails he was lugging on the farm.

...showed me how important it is to start your day with God.

...I wanted to make sure my kids knew ~ so we went to visit him every time we went back home.

...loved to laugh ~ it came all the way from his toes - I never knew such a great laugh could come from such a small man. It was contagious.

...wanted to make sure his children and grandchildren had a Godly heritage.

...would scare me by falling asleep in his big chair, head tipped back, mouth wide open, and a toothpick dangling half in and half out of his mouth. I just knew he'd suck that toothpick right down his windpipe sometime!

...taught me to drive a tractor.

...would be driving along and close the eye closest to me so I would think he was asleep - scared me every time he did it!

...taught me to bale hay.

...loved every man equally.

...knew no earthly wealth except that of his family and His God.

...I couldn't wait to spend a week with every summer growing up.

...introduced me to newborn chicks...AND later, the fine art of putting chickens in crates to take them to be butchered.

...tried to teach me to milk a cow and gave up and showed me how to attach automatic milkers instead!

...always gave me a hug - even though I knew hugging wasn't his "thing".

...will live on in my memory as one of the finest, most Godly, men I know.

...never complained - but showed me how to find something positive - even when I knew he could have found plenty to complain about.

...was his happiest sitting atop his John Deere tractor or out with his cows. He loved his farm.

...was not afraid of hard work - he worked hard everyday of his life until he couldn't work anymore - and then you could just see his discontent with being cooped up inside all day.

...everyone liked Grandpa ~ I didn't know anyone that spoke a mean word about him.

...was a grandchild's gift ~ a very rare gift.

...knew how to handle disappointment - I could learn a lot from him.

...who earned the respect of many.

...who was incredibly humble.

...is now with His Heavenly Father.

(This isn't the greatest picture of my Grandpa, but I love it with his hand on Micah's.)