Lessons from Grandpa: Faith, Family, Finances and Football

Relaxing at one of his favorite places: the beach

Two years ago today my Grandpa passed away from battling pancreatic cancer. It doesn’t seem like it has been two years, actually for me it seems like he hasn’t really been gone. When I visit my Grandparent’s house in Georgia I still expect him to greet us at the door, and for him to sit in his usual chair in the living room when we gather around to watch Georgia football games. I think the reason that he isn’t just a memory is because he left such a great legacy, one that still makes his grandchildren strive to be like him even two years after he has been gone.

You see, my Grandpa didn’t leave his family with just memories of his laughter, his jokes and his competitive nature; my Grandpa left his family with lessons rooted deep in theology and love. His lessons left us longing to be better people. I wish everyone had been able to meet my Grandpa and learn from him a thing or two about how to live life.

As I look back today at his life well lived, I want to share with you a few things my Granddaddy taught us about faith, family, finances and football.

Faith:

My Grandpa wasn’t always a man of strong faith (which is proof of just how awesome God’s redemptive work can be) but when he found his faith he didn’t just stop there, he worked on feeding his faith so that it grew stronger everyday. I learned the importance of seeking the Lord day after day and my Grandpa revealed that to us in his (almost) daily emails of encouragement. My Grandpa also taught me the importance of living in community. It took me several years to take my Grandparent’s advice, but when I finally found a community of women to live life with I realized what they had been trying to show me this whole time. While I was encouraged by my Grandpa’s faith in the several years leading up to his death, nothing was more encouraging than hearing about how his faith was still strong even on his deathbed. Before my Grandpa passed away, he was confined to his bed due to lack of strength but even then he continued to seek the Lord. During a time when many of us would want to give up, he sang songs and read the Word with his children while lying in bed. That is the kind of faith that I want, a kind of faith that doesn’t fail to worship the Lord even though your body has.

Family:
My Grandparents always stressed the importance of family and sticking together no matter what differences may arise. My Grandpa was the cornerstone of our family foundation and my Grandma was always there to support him as well. Looking back at their 50 + years of marriage, that is what I want to model my marriage and future family after- a family that walks in faith together, a family that travels across the US just so they won’t miss out on their grandchildren’s lives who live in different states, and a family that constantly welcomes others into their home as if they were their own. While no family is perfect, I am thankful for Grandparents who took the time to model a family-life worth living.

My grandparent's on a boat ride

Playing cards games- one of our favorite things to do

My Grandpa serenading the family :)

Family dance hour :)

Grandaddy painting my little sister's nails

Finances:

If I was to look back at my Grandpa’s career it would be easy to say that I want to model my finances after his because of the blessings he received later in life. To retire on a lake front community in a beautiful town in Georgia wouldn’t be a bad dream to have but it wasn’t about that. When my Grandpa would talk to me about finances, he wouldn’t teach me to be smart with my money so that I could be wealthy beyond my wildest dreams. He taught me to be smart with my finances so that I may bless the church and other people with what I was given. He taught me the importance of giving to the church and supporting those on missions. I learned that it’s not all about the money, it’s about being a good steward with the blessings that I have been given and blessing those around me for the sake of making God known.

Football:

Grandpa and UGA mascot "Hairy Dawg"

If you were to line up our family members and ask us who our favorite college football teams were you would get a variety of answers- teams ranging from the Longhorns to the Aggies (I know, how does that even happen??). We all have our respected teams but on any given University of Georgia football game day you can bet we are rooting for the Bulldogs. Being an alumni of UGA, my Grandpa was one of the biggest Bulldog fans I ever met (something that was passed down to my brother, much like a southern birthright) and that passion and energy for the game and the team was transferred into every one of us. He taught us about good sportsmanship and how to yell at the refs (in the most Christian way possible, of course) and he taught us how to be good competitors. I also learned from my Grandpa that no matter what the season looks like you never give up on your team. He loved those Bulldogs and I bet he would have been super proud of their last two football seasons. He also taught me about the art of tailgating. My Grandpa and his friend would get to the stadium at the break of dawn on Georgia football game days and spend the day tailgating and making new friends. They would find their next meal by making new friends at a different tailgate site, which is why he was so good at living in community! ;) This is why I enjoy writing articles about the Georgia football team so much, it feels like I am writing a little bit about my Grandpa as well.

UGA game day

I wish you could have met my Grandpa and learned some things from him that would really make you want to change the way you lived your life. You can however meet my Grandma and she can drop some bombs of wisdom on you. After all, it takes a pretty special lady to accompany such a special man.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I am going to spend the day eating lots of chocolate, watching a whole lot of sports and living in community-

Because it’s what my Granddaddy would have done.

Go Dawgs.

We miss you Grandpa!! :)